Знак чотирьох
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.
