Знак чотирьох
XII. The Strange Story of Jonathan Small
Formyself,IconfessthatIhadnowconceivedtheutmosthorroroftheman,notonlyforthiscold-bloodedbusinessinwhichhehadbeenconcerned,butevenmoreforthesomewhatflippantandcarelesswayinwhichhenarratedit.Whateverpunishmentwasinstoreforhim,Ifeltthathemightexpectnosympathyfromme.SherlockHolmesandJonessatwiththeirhandsupontheirknees,deeplyinterestedinthestory,butwiththesamedisgustwrittenupontheirfaces.Hemayhaveobservedit,fortherewasatouchofdefianceinhisvoiceandmannerasheproceeded.
“Itwasallverybad,nodoubt,”saidhe.“Ishouldliketoknowhowmanyfellowsinmyshoeswouldhaverefusedashareofthislootwhentheyknewthattheywouldhavetheirthroatscutfortheirpains.Besides,itwasmylifeorhiswhenoncehewasinthefort.Ifhehadgotout,thewholebusinesswouldcometolight,andIshouldhavebeencourt-martialledandshotaslikelyasnot;forpeoplewerenotverylenientatatimelikethat.”
“Goonwithyourstory,”saidHolmes,shortly.
“Well,wecarriedhimin,Abdullah,Akbar,andI.Afineweighthewas,too,forallthathewassoshort.MahometSinghwaslefttoguardthedoor.WetookhimtoaplacewhichtheSikhshadalreadyprepared.Itwassomedistanceoff,whereawindingpassageleadstoagreatemptyhall,thebrickwallsofwhichwereallcrumblingtopieces.Theearthfloorhadsunkinatoneplace,makinganaturalgrave,soweleftAchmetthemerchantthere,havingfirstcoveredhimoverwithloosebricks.Thisdone,weallwentbacktothetreasure.
