Знак чотирьох
IV. The Story of the Bald-Headed Man
Ourfatherwouldnevertelluswhatitwashefeared,buthehadamostmarkedaversiontomenwithwoodenlegs.Ononeoccasionheactuallyfiredhisrevolveratawooden-leggedman,whoprovedtobeaharmlesstradesmancanvassingfororders.Wehadtopayalargesumtohushthematterup.MybrotherandIusedtothinkthisamerewhimofmyfather’s,buteventshavesinceledustochangeouropinion.
“Earlyin1882myfatherreceivedaletterfromIndiawhichwasagreatshocktohim.Henearlyfaintedatthebreakfast-tablewhenheopenedit,andfromthatdayhesickenedtohisdeath.Whatwasintheletterwecouldneverdiscover,butIcouldseeashehelditthatitwasshortandwritteninascrawlinghand.Hehadsufferedforyearsfromanenlargedspleen,buthenowbecamerapidlyworse,andtowardstheendofAprilwewereinformedthathewasbeyondallhope,andthathewishedtomakealastcommunicationtous.
“Whenweenteredhisroomhewasproppedupwithpillowsandbreathingheavily.Hebesoughtustolockthedoorandtocomeuponeithersideofthebed.Then,graspingourhands,hemadearemarkablestatementtous,inavoicewhichwasbrokenasmuchbyemotionasbypain.Ishalltryandgiveittoyouinhisownverywords.
“‘Ihaveonlyonething,’hesaid,‘whichweighsuponmymindatthissuprememoment.ItismytreatmentofpoorMorstan’sorphan.Thecursedgreedwhichhasbeenmybesettingsinthroughlifehaswithheldfromherthetreasure,halfatleastofwhichshouldhavebeenhers.AndyetIhavemadenouseofitmyself,—soblindandfoolishathingisavarice.
