Знак чотирьох
VII. The Episode of the Barrel
Aidedbythischart,theofficers—oroneofthem—getsthetreasureandbringsittoEngland,leaving,wewillsuppose,someconditionunderwhichhereceiveditunfulfilled.Now,then,whydidnotJonathanSmallgetthetreasurehimself?Theanswerisobvious.ThechartisdatedatatimewhenMorstanwasbroughtintocloseassociationwithconvicts.JonathanSmalldidnotgetthetreasurebecauseheandhisassociateswerethemselvesconvictsandcouldnotgetaway.”
“Butthatismerespeculation,”saidI.
“Itismorethanthat.Itistheonlyhypothesiswhichcoversthefacts.Letusseehowitfitsinwiththesequel.MajorSholtoremainsatpeaceforsomeyears,happyinthepossessionofhistreasure.ThenhereceivesaletterfromIndiawhichgiveshimagreatfright.Whatwasthat?”
“Alettertosaythatthemenwhomhehadwrongedhadbeensetfree.”
“Orhadescaped.Thatismuchmorelikely,forhewouldhaveknownwhattheirtermofimprisonmentwas.Itwouldnothavebeenasurprisetohim.Whatdoeshedothen?Heguardshimselfagainstawooden-leggedman,—awhiteman,markyou,forhemistakesawhitetradesmanforhim,andactuallyfiresapistolathim.Now,onlyonewhiteman’snameisonthechart.TheothersareHindoosorMohammedans.Thereisnootherwhiteman.Thereforewemaysaywithconfidencethatthewooden-leggedmanisidenticalwithJonathanSmall.Doesthereasoningstrikeyouasbeingfaulty?”
“No:itisclearandconcise.”
“Well,now,letusputourselvesintheplaceofJonathanSmall.Letuslookatitfromhispointofview.
