Chapter XII The Strange Story of Jonathan Small

Averypatientmanwasthatinspectorinthecab,foritwasawearytimebeforeIrejoinedhim.HisfacecloudedoverwhenIshowedhimtheemptybox. “Theregoesthereward!”saidhe,gloomily.“Wherethereisnomoneythereisnopay.Thisnight’sworkwouldhavebeenworthatennereachtoSamBrownandmeifthetreasurehadbeenthere.” “Mr.ThaddeusSholtoisarichman,”Isaid.“Hewillseethatyouarerewarded,treasureorno.” Theinspectorshookhisheaddespondently,however.“It’sabadjob,”herepeated“andsoMr.AthelneyJoneswillthink.” Hisforecastprovedtobecorrect,forthedetectivelookedblankenoughwhenIgottoBakerStreetandshowedhimtheemptybox.Theyhadonlyjustarrived,Holmes,theprisoner,andhe,fortheyhadchangedtheirplanssofarastoreportthemselvesatastationupontheway.Mycompanionloungedinhisarm-chairwithhisusuallistlessexpression,whileSmallsatstolidlyoppositetohimwithhiswoodenlegcockedoverhissoundone.AsIexhibitedtheemptyboxheleanedbackinhischairandlaughedaloud. “Thisisyourdoing,Small,”saidAthelneyJones,angrily. “Yes,Ihaveputitawaywhereyoushallneverlayhanduponit,”hecried,exultantly.“ItismytreasureandifIcan’thavethelootI’lltakedarnedgoodcarethatnooneelsedoes.Itellyouthatnolivingmanhasanyrighttoit,unlessitisthreemenwhoareintheAndamanconvict-barracksandmyself.IknownowthatIcannothavetheuseofit,andIknowthattheycannot.Ihaveactedallthroughforthemasmuchasformyself.It’sbeenthesignoffourwithusalways.WellIknowthattheywouldhavehadmedojustwhatIhavedone,andthrowthetreasureintotheThamesratherthanletitgotokithorkinofSholtoorofMorstan.ItwasnottomakethemrichthatwedidforAchmet.You’llfindthetreasurewherethekeyis,andwherelittleTongais.WhenIsawthatyourlaunchmustcatchus,Iputthelootawayinasafeplace.Therearenorupeesforyouthisjourney.” “Youaredeceivingus,Small,”saidAthelneyJones,sternly.“IfyouhadwishedtothrowthetreasureintotheThamesitwouldhavebeeneasierforyoutohavethrownboxandall.” “Easierformetothrow,andeasierforyoutorecover,”heanswered,withashrewd,sidelonglook.“Themanthatwascleverenoughtohuntmedowniscleverenoughtopickanironboxfromthebottomofariver.Nowthattheyarescatteredoverfivemilesorso,itmaybeaharderjob.Itwenttomyhearttodoit,though.Iwashalfmadwhenyoucameupwithus.However,there’snogoodgrievingoverit.I’vehadupsinmylife,andI’vehaddowns,butI’velearnednottocryoverspilledmilk.” “Thisisaveryseriousmatter,Small,”saidthedetective.“Ifyouhadhelpedjustice,insteadofthwartingitinthisway,youwouldhavehadabetterchanceatyourtrial.” “Justice!”snarledtheex-convict.“Aprettyjustice!Whoselootisthis,ifitisnotours?WhereisthejusticethatIshouldgiveituptothosewhohaveneverearnedit?LookhowIhaveearnedit!Twentylongyearsinthatfever-riddenswamp,alldayatworkunderthemangrove-tree,allnightchainedupinthefilthyconvict-huts,bittenbymosquitoes,rackedwithague,bulliedbyeverycursedblack-facedpolicemanwholovedtotakeitoutofawhiteman.ThatwashowIearnedtheAgratreasureandyoutalktomeofjusticebecauseIcannotbeartofeelthatIhavepaidthispriceonlythatanothermayenjoyit!Iwouldratherswingascoreoftimes,orhaveoneofTonga’sdartsinmyhide,thanliveinaconvict’scellandfeelthatanothermanisathiseaseinapalacewiththemoneythatshouldbemine.”Smallhaddroppedhismaskofstoicism,andallthiscameoutinawildwhirlofwords,whilehiseyesblazed,andthehandcuffsclankedtogetherwiththeimpassionedmovementofhishands.Icouldunderstand,asIsawthefuryandthepassionoftheman,thatitwasnogroundlessorunnaturalterrorwhichhadpossessedMajorSholtowhenhefirstlearnedthattheinjuredconvictwasuponhistrack. “Youforgetthatweknownothingofallthis,”saidHolmesquietly.“Wehavenotheardyourstory,andwecannottellhowfarjusticemayoriginallyhavebeenonyourside.” “Well,sir,youhavebeenveryfair-spokentome,thoughIcanseethatIhaveyoutothankthatIhavethesebraceletsuponmywrists.Still,Ibearnogrudgeforthat.Itisallfairandabove-board.IfyouwanttohearmystoryIhavenowishtoholditback.WhatIsaytoyouisGod’struth,everywordofit.Thankyouyoucanputtheglassbesidemehere,andI’llputmylipstoitifIamdry. “IamaWorcestershiremanmyself,—bornnearPershore.IdaresayyouwouldfindaheapofSmallslivingtherenowifyouweretolook.Ihaveoftenthoughtoftakingalookroundthere,butthetruthisthatIwasnevermuchofacredittothefamily,andIdoubtiftheywouldbesoverygladtoseeme.Theywereallsteady,chapel-goingfolk,smallfarmers,well-knownandrespectedoverthecountry-side,whileIwasalwaysabitofarover.Atlast,however,whenIwasabouteighteen,Igavethemnomoretrouble,forIgotintoamessoveragirl,andcouldonlygetoutofitagainbytakingtheQueen’sshillingandjoiningthe3rdBuffs,whichwasjuststartingforIndia. “Iwasn’tdestinedtodomuchsoldiering,however.Ihadjustgotpastthegoose-step,andlearnedtohandlemymusket,whenIwasfoolenoughtogoswimmingintheGanges.Luckilyforme,mycompanysergeant,JohnHolder,wasinthewateratthesametime,andhewasoneofthefinestswimmersintheservice.Acrocodiletookme,justasIwashalf-wayacross,andnippedoffmyrightlegascleanasasurgeoncouldhavedoneit,justabovetheknee.Whatwiththeshockandthelossofblood,Ifainted,andshouldhavedrownedifHolderhadnotcaughtholdofmeandpaddledforthebank.Iwasfivemonthsinhospitaloverit,andwhenatlastIwasabletolimpoutofitwiththistimbertoestrappedtomystumpIfoundmyselfinvalidedoutofthearmyandunfittedforanyactiveoccupation. “Iwas,asyoucanimagine,prettydownonmyluckatthistime,forIwasauselesscripplethoughnotyetinmytwentiethyear.However,mymisfortunesoonprovedtobeablessingindisguise.AmannamedAbelWhite,whohadcomeoutthereasanindigo-planter,wantedanoverseertolookafterhiscooliesandkeepthemuptotheirwork.Hehappenedtobeafriendofourcolonel’s,whohadtakenaninterestinmesincetheaccident.Tomakealongstoryshort,thecolonelrecommendedmestronglyforthepostand,astheworkwasmostlytobedoneonhorseback,mylegwasnogreatobstacle,forIhadenoughkneelefttokeepgoodgriponthesaddle.WhatIhadtodowastorideovertheplantation,tokeepaneyeonthemenastheyworked,andtoreporttheidlers.Thepaywasfair,Ihadcomfortablequarters,andaltogetherIwascontenttospendtheremainderofmylifeinindigo-planting.Mr.AbelWhitewasakindman,andhewouldoftendropintomylittleshantyandsmokeapipewithme,forwhitefolkouttherefeeltheirheartswarmtoeachotherastheyneverdohereathome. “Well,Iwasneverinluck’swaylong.Suddenly,withoutanoteofwarning,thegreatmutinybrokeuponus.OnemonthIndialayasstillandpeaceful,toallappearance,asSurreyorKentthenextthereweretwohundredthousandblackdevilsletloose,andthecountrywasaperfecthell.Ofcourseyouknowallaboutit,gentlemen,—adealmorethanIdo,verylike,sincereadingisnotinmyline.IonlyknowwhatIsawwithmyowneyes.OurplantationwasataplacecalledMuttra,neartheborderoftheNorthwestProvinces.Nightafternightthewholeskywasalightwiththeburningbungalows,anddayafterdaywehadsmallcompaniesofEuropeanspassingthroughourestatewiththeirwivesandchildren,ontheirwaytoAgra,wherewerethenearesttroops.Mr.AbelWhitewasanobstinateman.Hehaditinhisheadthattheaffairhadbeenexaggerated,andthatitwouldblowoverassuddenlyasithadsprungup.Therehesatonhisveranda,drinkingwhiskey-pegsandsmokingcheroots,whilethecountrywasinablazeabouthim.Ofcoursewestuckbyhim,IandDawson,who,withhiswife,usedtodothebook-workandthemanaging.Well,onefinedaythecrashcame.Ihadbeenawayonadistantplantation,andwasridingslowlyhomeintheevening,whenmyeyefelluponsomethingallhuddledtogetheratthebottomofasteepnullah.Irodedowntoseewhatitwas,andthecoldstruckthroughmyheartwhenIfounditwasDawson’swife,allcutintoribbons,andhalfeatenbyjackalsandnativedogs.AlittlefurtheruptheroadDawsonhimselfwaslyingonhisface,quitedead,withanemptyrevolverinhishandandfourSepoyslyingacrosseachotherinfrontofhim.Ireinedupmyhorse,wonderingwhichwayIshouldturn,butatthatmomentIsawthicksmokecurlingupfromAbelWhite’sbungalowandtheflamesbeginningtoburstthroughtheroof.IknewthenthatIcoulddomyemployernogood,butwouldonlythrowmyownlifeawayifImeddledinthematter.FromwhereIstoodIcouldseehundredsoftheblackfiends,withtheirredcoatsstillontheirbacks,dancingandhowlingroundtheburninghouse.Someofthempointedatme,andacoupleofbulletssangpastmyheadsoIbrokeawayacrossthepaddy-fields,andfoundmyselflateatnightsafewithinthewallsatAgra. “Asitproved,however,therewasnogreatsafetythere,either.Thewholecountrywasuplikeaswarmofbees.WherevertheEnglishcouldcollectinlittlebandstheyheldjustthegroundthattheirgunscommanded.Everywhereelsetheywerehelplessfugitives.Itwasafightofthemillionsagainstthehundredsandthecruellestpartofitwasthatthesementhatwefoughtagainst,foot,horse,andgunners,wereourownpickedtroops,whomwehadtaughtandtrained,handlingourownweapons,andblowingourownbugle-calls.AtAgratherewerethe3rdBengalFusiliers,someSikhs,twotroopsofhorse,andabatteryofartillery.Avolunteercorpsofclerksandmerchantshadbeenformed,andthisIjoined,woodenlegandall.WewentouttomeettherebelsatShahgungeearlyinJuly,andwebeatthembackforatime,butourpowdergaveout,andwehadtofallbackuponthecity. “Nothingbuttheworstnewscametousfromeveryside,—whichisnottobewonderedat