Знак четырех

XII. The Strange Story of Jonathan Small

           Brown,heavycloudsweredriftingacrossthesky,anditwashardtoseemorethanastone-cast.Adeepmoatlayinfrontofourdoor,butthewaterwasinplacesnearlydriedup,anditcouldeasilybecrossed.ItwasstrangetometobestandingtherewiththosetwowildPunjaubeeswaitingforthemanwhowascomingtohisdeath.

           “Suddenlymyeyecaughttheglintofashadedlanternattheothersideofthemoat.Itvanishedamongthemound-heaps,andthenappearedagaincomingslowlyinourdirection.

           “‘Heretheyare!’Iexclaimed.

           “‘Youwillchallengehim,Sahib,asusual,’whisperedAbdullah.‘Givehimnocauseforfear.Sendusinwithhim,andweshalldotherestwhileyoustayhereonguard.Havethelanternreadytouncover,thatwemaybesurethatitisindeedtheman.’

           “Thelighthadflickeredonwards,nowstoppingandnowadvancing,untilIcouldseetwodarkfiguresupontheothersideofthemoat.Iletthemscrambledowntheslopingbank,splashthroughthemire,andclimbhalf-wayuptothegate,beforeIchallengedthem.

           “‘Whogoesthere?’saidI,inasubduedvoice.

           “‘Friends,’cametheanswer.Iuncoveredmylanternandthrewafloodoflightuponthem.ThefirstwasanenormousSikh,withablackbeardwhichsweptnearlydowntohiscummerbund.OutsideofashowIhaveneverseensotallaman.Theotherwasalittle,fat,roundfellow,withagreatyellowturban,andabundleinhishand,doneupinashawl.

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