Знак чотирьох
IV. The Story of the Bald-Headed Man
Hethought,too,thatifwepartedwiththechapletitmightgiverisetogossipandfinallybringusintotrouble.ItwasallthatIcoulddotopersuadehimtoletmefindoutMissMorstan’saddressandsendheradetachedpearlatfixedintervals,sothatatleastshemightneverfeeldestitute.”
“Itwasakindlythought,”saidourcompanion,earnestly.“Itwasextremelygoodofyou.”
Thelittlemanwavedhishanddeprecatingly.“Wewereyourtrustees,”hesaid.“ThatwastheviewwhichItookofit,thoughBrotherBartholomewcouldnotaltogetherseeitinthatlight.Wehadplentyofmoneyourselves.Idesirednomore.Besides,itwouldhavebeensuchbadtastetohavetreatedayoungladyinsoscurvyafashion.‘Lemauvaisgoûtmèneaucrime.’TheFrenchhaveaveryneatwayofputtingthesethings.OurdifferenceofopiniononthissubjectwentsofarthatIthoughtitbesttosetuproomsformyself:soIleftPondicherryLodge,takingtheoldkhitmutgarandWilliamswithme.Yesterday,however,Ilearnthataneventofextremeimportancehasoccurred.Thetreasurehasbeendiscovered.IinstantlycommunicatedwithMissMorstan,anditonlyremainsforustodriveouttoNorwoodanddemandourshare.IexplainedmyviewslastnighttoBrotherBartholomew:soweshallbeexpected,ifnotwelcome,visitors.”
Mr.ThaddeusSholtoceased,andsattwitchingonhisluxurioussettee.Weallremainedsilent,withourthoughtsuponthenewdevelopmentwhichthemysteriousbusinesshadtaken.Holmeswasthefirsttospringtohisfeet.
“Youhavedonewell,sir,fromfirsttolast,”saidhe.
