Знак чотирьох
V. The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge
Lookingstraightatme,andsuspended,asitwere,intheair,forallbeneathwasinshadow,therehungaface,—theveryfaceofourcompanionThaddeus.Therewasthesamehigh,shininghead,thesamecircularbristleofredhair,thesamebloodlesscountenance.Thefeatureswereset,however,inahorriblesmile,afixedandunnaturalgrin,whichinthatstillandmoonlitroomwasmorejarringtothenervesthananyscowlorcontortion.SolikewasthefacetothatofourlittlefriendthatIlookedroundathimtomakesurethathewasindeedwithus.ThenIrecalledtomindthathehadmentionedtousthathisbrotherandheweretwins.
“Thisisterrible!”IsaidtoHolmes.“Whatistobedone?”
“Thedoormustcomedown,”heanswered,and,springingagainstit,heputallhisweightuponthelock.Itcreakedandgroaned,butdidnotyield.Togetherweflungourselvesuponitoncemore,andthistimeitgavewaywithasuddensnap,andwefoundourselveswithinBartholomewSholto’schamber.
Itappearedtohavebeenfittedupasachemicallaboratory.Adoublelineofglass-stopperedbottleswasdrawnupuponthewalloppositethedoor,andthetablewaslitteredoverwithBunsenburners,test-tubes,andretorts.Inthecornersstoodcarboysofacidinwickerbaskets.Oneoftheseappearedtoleakortohavebeenbroken,forastreamofdark-colouredliquidhadtrickledoutfromit,andtheairwasheavywithapeculiarlypungent,tar-likeodour.
