Chapter IV The Story of the Bald-Headed Man

terntobacco.Iamalittlenervous,andIfindmyhookahaninvaluablesedative.”Heappliedatapertothegreatbowl,andthesmokebubbledmerrilythroughtherose-water.Wesatallthreeinasemi-circle,withourheadsadvanced,andourchinsuponourhands,whilethestrange,jerkylittlefellow,withhishigh,shininghead,puffeduneasilyinthecentre. “WhenIfirstdeterminedtomakethiscommunicationtoyou,”saidhe,“Imighthavegivenyoumyaddress,butIfearedthatyoumightdisregardmyrequestandbringunpleasantpeoplewithyou.Itooktheliberty,therefore,ofmakinganappointmentinsuchawaythatmymanWilliamsmightbeabletoseeyoufirst.Ihavecompleteconfidenceinhisdiscretion,andhehadorders,ifheweredissatisfied,toproceednofurtherinthematter.Youwillexcusetheseprecautions,butIamamanofsomewhatretiring,andImightevensayrefined,tastes,andthereisnothingmoreun?stheticthanapoliceman.Ihaveanaturalshrinkingfromallformsofroughmaterialism.Iseldomcomeincontactwiththeroughcrowd.Ilive,asyousee,withsomelittleatmosphereofelegancearoundme.Imaycallmyselfapatronofthearts.Itismyweakness.ThelandscapeisagenuineCorot,and,thoughaconnoisseurmightperhapsthrowadoubtuponthatSalvatorRosa,therecannotbetheleastquestionabouttheBouguereau.IampartialtothemodernFrenchschool.” “Youwillexcuseme,Mr.Sholto,”saidMissMorstan,“butIamhereatyourrequesttolearnsomethingwhichyoudesiretotellme.Itisverylate,andIshoulddesiretheinterviewtobeasshortaspossible.” “Atthebestitmusttakesometime,”heanswered“forweshallcertainlyhavetogotoNorwoodandseeBrotherBartholomew.WeshallallgoandtryifwecangetthebetterofBrotherBartholomew.Heisveryangrywithmefortakingthecoursewhichhasseemedrighttome.Ihadquitehighwordswithhimlastnight.Youcannotimaginewhataterriblefellowheiswhenheisangry.” “IfwearetogotoNorwooditwouldperhapsbeaswelltostartatonce,”Iventuredtoremark. Helaugheduntilhisearswerequitered.“Thatwouldhardlydo,”hecried.“Idon’tknowwhathewouldsayifIbroughtyouinthatsuddenway.No,Imustprepareyoubyshowingyouhowweallstandtoeachother.Inthefirstplace,ImusttellyouthatthereareseveralpointsinthestoryofwhichIammyselfignorant.IcanonlylaythefactsbeforeyouasfarasIknowthemmyself. “Myfatherwas,asyoumayhaveguessed,MajorJohnSholto,onceoftheIndianarmy.Heretiredsomeelevenyearsago,andcametoliveatPondicherryLodgeinUpperNorwood.HehadprosperedinIndia,andbroughtbackwithhimaconsiderablesumofmoney,alargecollectionofvaluablecuriosities,andastaffofnativeservants.Withtheseadvantagesheboughthimselfahouse,andlivedingreatluxury.Mytwin-brotherBartholomewandIweretheonlychildren. “IverywellrememberthesensationwhichwascausedbythedisappearanceofCaptainMorstan.Wereadthedetailsinthepapers,and,knowingthathehadbeenafriendofourfather’s,wediscussedthecasefreelyinhispresence.Heusedtojoininourspeculationsastowhatcouldhavehappened.Neverforaninstantdidwesuspectthathehadthewholesecrethiddeninhisownbreast,—thatofallmenhealoneknewthefateofArthurMorstan. “Wedidknow,however,thatsomemystery—somepositivedanger—overhungourfather.Hewasveryfearfulofgoingoutalone,andhealwaysemployedtwoprize-fighterstoactasportersatPondicherryLodge.Williams,whodroveyouto-night,wasoneofthem.Hewasoncelight-weightchampionofEngland.Ourfatherwouldnevertelluswhatitwashefeared,buthehadamostmarkedaversiontomenwithwoodenlegs.Ononeoccasionheactuallyfiredhisrevolveratawooden-leggedman,whoprovedtobeaharmlesstradesmancanvassingfororders.Wehadtopayalargesumtohushthematterup.MybrotherandIusedtothinkthisamerewhimofmyfather’s,buteventshavesinceledustochangeo