Chapter IV The Story of the Bald-Headed Man

wishyou,therefore,tomakerestitution.Putyourearsdowntomymouth.Thetreasureishiddenin—’ “Atthisinstantahorriblechangecameoverhisexpressionhiseyesstaredwildly,hisjawdropped,andheyelled,inavoicewhichIcanneverforget,‘Keephimout!ForChrist’ssakekeephimout!’Webothstaredroundatthewindowbehindusuponwhichhisgazewasfixed.Afacewaslookinginatusoutofthedarkness.Wecouldseethewhiteningofthenosewhereitwaspressedagainsttheglass.Itwasabearded,hairyface,withwildcrueleyesandanexpressionofconcentratedmalevolence.MybrotherandIrushedtowardsthewindow,butthemanwasgone.Whenwereturnedtomyfatherhisheadhaddroppedandhispulsehadceasedtobeat. “Wesearchedthegardenthatnight,butfoundnosignoftheintruder,savethatjustunderthewindowasinglefootmarkwasvisibleintheflower-bed.Butforthatonetrace,wemighthavethoughtthatourimaginationshadconjuredupthatwild,fierceface.Wesoon,however,hadanotherandamorestrikingproofthatthereweresecretagenciesatworkallroundus.Thewindowofmyfather’sroomwasfoundopeninthemorning,hiscupboardsandboxeshadbeenrifled,anduponhischestwasfixedatornpieceofpaper,withthewords‘Thesignofthefour’scrawledacrossit.Whatthephrasemeant,orwhooursecretvisitormayhavebeen,weneverknew.Asfaraswecanjudge,noneofmyfather’spropertyhadbeenactuallystolen,thougheverythinghadbeenturnedout.MybrotherandInaturallyassociatedthispeculiarincidentwiththefearwhichhauntedmyfatherduringhislifebutitisstillacompletemysterytous.” Thelittlemanstoppedtorelighthishookahandpuffedthoughtfullyforafewmoments.Wehadallsatabsorbed,listeningtohisextraordinarynarrative.Attheshortaccountofherfather’sdeathMissMorstanhadturneddeadlywhite,andforamomentIfearedthatshewasabouttofaint.Sheralliedhowever,ondrinkingaglassofwaterwhichIquietlypouredoutforherfromaVenetiancarafeupontheside-table.SherlockHolmesleanedbackinhischairwithanabstractedexpressionandthelidsdrawnlowoverhisglitteringeyes.AsIglancedathimIcouldnotbutthinkhowonthatverydayhehadcomplainedbitterlyofthecommonplacenessoflife.Hereatleastwasaproblemwhichwouldtaxhissagacitytotheutmost.Mr.ThaddeusSholtolookedfromonetotheotherofuswithanobviousprideattheeffectwhichhisstoryhadproduced,andthencontinuedbetweenthepuffsofhisovergrownpipe. “MybrotherandI,”saidhe,“were,asyoumayimagine,muchexcitedastothetreasurewhichmyfatherhadspokenof.Forweeksandformonthsweduganddelvedineverypartofthegarden,withoutdiscoveringitswhereabouts.Itwasmaddeningtothinkthatthehiding-placewasonhisverylipsatthemomentthathedied.Wecouldjudgethesplendourofthemissingrichesbythechapletwhichhehadtakenout.OverthischapletmybrotherBartholomewandIhadsomelittlediscussion.Thepearlswereevidentlyofgreatvalue,andhewasaversetopartwiththem,for,betweenfriends,mybrotherwashimselfalittleinclinedtomyfather’sfault.Hethought,too,thatifwepartedwiththechapletitmightgiverisetogossipandfinallybringusintotrouble.ItwasallthatIcoulddotopersuadehimtoletmefindoutMissMorstan’saddressandsendheradetachedpearlatfixedintervals,sothatatleastshemightneverfeeldestitute.” “Itwasakindlythought,”saidourcompanion,earnestly.“Itwasextremelygoodofyou.” Thelittlemanwavedhishanddeprecatingly.“Wewereyourtrustees,”hesaid.“ThatwastheviewwhichItookofit,thoughBrotherBartholomewcouldnotaltogetherseeitinthatlight.Wehadplentyofmoneyourselves.Idesirednomore.Besides,itwouldhavebeensuchbadtastetohavetreatedayoungladyinsoscurvyafashion.‘Lemauvaisgo?tmèneaucrime.’TheFrenchhaveaveryneatwayofputtingthesethings.Ourdifferenceofopiniononthissubjectwent