Знак чотирьох
IV. The Story of the Bald-Headed Man
“Itispossiblethatwemaybeabletomakeyousomesmallreturnbythrowingsomelightuponthatwhichisstilldarktoyou.But,asMissMorstanremarkedjustnow,itislate,andwehadbestputthematterthroughwithoutdelay.”
Ournewacquaintanceverydeliberatelycoiledupthetubeofhishookah,andproducedfrombehindacurtainaverylongbefroggedtopcoatwithAstrakhancollarandcuffs.Thishebuttonedtightlyup,inspiteoftheextremeclosenessofthenight,andfinishedhisattirebyputtingonarabbit-skincapwithhanginglappetswhichcoveredtheears,sothatnopartofhimwasvisiblesavehismobileandpeakyface.“Myhealthissomewhatfragile,”heremarked,asheledthewaydownthepassage.“Iamcompelledtobeavaletudinarian.”
Ourcabwasawaitingusoutside,andourprogrammewasevidentlyprearranged,forthedriverstartedoffatonceatarapidpace.ThaddeusSholtotalkedincessantly,inavoicewhichrosehighabovetherattleofthewheels.
“Bartholomewisacleverfellow,”saidhe.“Howdoyouthinkhefoundoutwherethetreasurewas?Hehadcometotheconclusionthatitwassomewhereindoors:soheworkedoutallthecubicspaceofthehouse,andmademeasurementseverywhere,sothatnotoneinchshouldbeunaccountedfor.Amongotherthings,hefoundthattheheightofthebuildingwasseventy-fourfeet,butonaddingtogethertheheightsofalltheseparaterooms,andmakingeveryallowanceforthespacebetween,whichheascertainedbyborings,hecouldnotbringthetotaltomorethanseventyfeet.Therewerefourfeetunaccountedfor.
