Знак чотирьох
VII. The Episode of the Barrel
HecomestoEnglandwiththedoubleideaofregainingwhathewouldconsidertobehisrightsandofhavinghisrevengeuponthemanwhohadwrongedhim.HefoundoutwhereSholtolived,andverypossiblyheestablishedcommunicationswithsomeoneinsidethehouse.Thereisthisbutler,LalRao,whomwehavenotseen.Mrs.Bernstonegiveshimfarfromagoodcharacter.Smallcouldnotfindout,however,wherethetreasurewashid,fornooneeverknew,savethemajorandonefaithfulservantwhohaddied.SuddenlySmalllearnsthatthemajorisonhisdeath-bed.Inafrenzylestthesecretofthetreasurediewithhim,herunsthegauntletoftheguards,makeshiswaytothedyingman’swindow,andisonlydeterredfromenteringbythepresenceofhistwosons.Madwithhate,however,againstthedeadman,heenterstheroomthatnight,searcheshisprivatepapersinthehopeofdiscoveringsomememorandumrelatingtothetreasure,andfinallyleavesamomentoofhisvisitintheshortinscriptionuponthecard.Hehaddoubtlessplannedbeforehandthatshouldheslaythemajorhewouldleavesomesuchrecorduponthebodyasasignthatitwasnotacommonmurder,but,fromthepointofviewofthefourassociates,somethinginthenatureofanactofjustice.Whimsicalandbizarreconceitsofthiskindarecommonenoughintheannalsofcrime,andusuallyaffordvaluableindicationsastothecriminal.Doyoufollowallthis?”
“Veryclearly.”
“Now,whatcouldJonathanSmalldo?Hecouldonlycontinuetokeepasecretwatchupontheeffortsmadetofindthetreasure.
