Знак чотирьох
XII. The Strange Story of Jonathan Small
I’llmakeitasshortasIcan.ThevillainSholtowentofftoIndia,buthenevercamebackagain.CaptainMorstanshowedmehisnameamongalistofpassengersinoneofthemail-boatsveryshortlyafterwards.Hisunclehaddied,leavinghimafortune,andhehadleftthearmy,yethecouldstooptotreatfivemenashehadtreatedus.MorstanwentovertoAgrashortlyafterwards,andfound,asweexpected,thatthetreasurewasindeedgone.Thescoundrelhadstolenitall,withoutcarryingoutoneoftheconditionsonwhichwehadsoldhimthesecret.FromthatdayIlivedonlyforvengeance.IthoughtofitbydayandInurseditbynight.Itbecameanoverpowering,absorbingpassionwithme.Icarednothingforthelaw,—nothingforthegallows.Toescape,totrackdownSholto,tohavemyhanduponhisthroat,—thatwasmyonethought.EventheAgratreasurehadcometobeasmallerthinginmymindthantheslayingofSholto.
“Well,Ihavesetmymindonmanythingsinthislife,andneveronewhichIdidnotcarryout.Butitwaswearyyearsbeforemytimecame.IhavetoldyouthatIhadpickedupsomethingofmedicine.OnedaywhenDr.SomertonwasdownwithafeveralittleAndamanIslanderwaspickedupbyaconvict-ganginthewoods.Hewassicktodeath,andhadgonetoalonelyplacetodie.Itookhiminhand,thoughhewasasvenomousasayoungsnake,andafteracoupleofmonthsIgothimallrightandabletowalk.Hetookakindoffancytomethen,andwouldhardlygobacktohiswoods,butwasalwayshangingaboutmyhut.
