Chapter XII The Strange Story of Jonathan Small

arinterestinthem.Themurder,however,wasclearlymadeout,anditwascertainthatwemustallhavebeenconcernedinit.ThethreeSikhsgotpenalservitudeforlife,andIwascondemnedtodeath,thoughmysentencewasafterwardscommutedintothesameastheothers. “Itwasratheraqueerpositionthatwefoundourselvesinthen.Therewewereallfourtiedbythelegandwithpreciouslittlechanceofevergettingoutagain,whileweeachheldasecretwhichmighthaveputeachofusinapalaceifwecouldonlyhavemadeuseofit.Itwasenoughtomakeamaneathisheartouttohavetostandthekickandthecuffofeverypettyjack-in-office,tohavericetoeatandwatertodrink,whenthatgorgeousfortunewasreadyforhimoutside,justwaitingtobepickedup.ItmighthavedrivenmemadbutIwasalwaysaprettystubbornone,soIjustheldonandbidedmytime. “Atlastitseemedtometohavecome.IwaschangedfromAgratoMadras,andfromtheretoBlairIslandintheAndamans.Thereareveryfewwhiteconvictsatthissettlement,and,asIhadbehavedwellfromthefirst,Isoonfoundmyselfasortofprivilegedperson.IwasgivenahutinHopeTown,whichisasmallplaceontheslopesofMountHarriet,andIwasleftprettymuchtomyself.Itisadreary,fever-strickenplace,andallbeyondourlittleclearingswasinfestedwithwildcannibalnatives,whowerereadyenoughtoblowapoisoneddartatusiftheysawachance.Therewasdigging,andditching,andyam-planting,andadozenotherthingstobedone,sowewerebusyenoughalldaythoughintheeveningwehadalittletimetoourselves.Amongotherthings,Ilearnedtodispensedrugsforthesurgeon,andpickedupasmatteringofhisknowledge.AllthetimeIwasonthelookoutforachanceofescapebutitishundredsofmilesfromanyotherland,andthereislittleornowindinthoseseas:soitwasaterriblydifficultjobtogetaway. “Thesurgeon,Dr.Somerton,wasafast,sportingyoungchap,andtheotheryoungofficerswouldmeetinhisroomsofaneveningandplaycards.Thesurgery,whereIusedtomakeupmydrugs,wasnexttohissitting-room,withasmallwindowbetweenus.Often,ifIfeltlonesome,Iusedtoturnoutthelampinthesurgery,andthen,standingthere,Icouldheartheirtalkandwatchtheirplay.Iamfondofahandatcardsmyself,anditwasalmostasgoodashavingonetowatchtheothers.TherewasMajorSholto,CaptainMorstan,andLieutenantBromleyBrown,whowereincommandofthenativetroops,andtherewasthesurgeonhimself,andtwoorthreeprison-officials,craftyoldhandswhoplayedaniceslysafegame.Averysnuglittlepartytheyusedtomake. “Well,therewasonethingwhichverysoonstruckme,andthatwasthatthesoldiersusedalwaystoloseandthecivilianstowin.Mind,Idon’tsaythattherewasanythingunfair,butsoitwas.Theseprison-chapshaddonelittleelsethanplaycardseversincetheyhadbeenattheAndamans,andtheykneweachother’sgametoapoint,whiletheothersjustplayedtopassthetimeandthrewtheircardsdownanyhow.Nightafternightthesoldiersgotuppoorermen,andthepoorertheygotthemorekeentheyweretoplay.MajorSholtowasthehardesthit.Heusedtopayinnotesandgoldatfirst,butsoonitcametonotesofhandandforbigsums.Hesometimeswouldwinforafewdeals,justtogivehimheart,andthentheluckwouldsetinagainsthimworsethanever.Alldayhewouldwanderaboutasblackasthunder,andhetooktodrinkingadealmorethanwasgoodforhim. “Onenighthelostevenmoreheavilythanusual.IwassittinginmyhutwhenheandCaptainMorstancamestumblingalongonthewaytotheirquarters.Theywerebosomfriends,thosetwo,andneverfarapart.Themajorwasravingabouthislosses. “‘It’sallup,Morstan,’hewassaying,astheypassedmyhut.‘Ishallhavetosendinmypapers.Iamaruinedman.’ “‘Nonsense,oldchap!’saidtheother,slappinghimupontheshoulder.‘I’vehadanastyfacermyself,but—’ThatwasallIcouldhear,butitwasenoughtosetmethinking. “AcoupleofdayslaterMajorSholtowasstrollingonthebeach:soItookthechanceofspeakingtohim. “‘Iwishtohaveyouradvice,major,’saidI. “‘Well,Small,whatisit?’heasked,takinghischerootfromhislips. “‘Iwantedtoaskyou,sir,’saidI,‘whoistheproperpersontowhomhiddentreasureshouldbehandedover.Iknowwherehalfamillionworthlies,and,asIcannotuseitmyself,IthoughtperhapsthebestthingthatIcoulddowouldbetohanditovertotheproperauthorities,andthenperhapstheywouldgetmysentenceshortenedforme.’ “‘Halfamillion,Small?’hegasped,lookinghardatmetoseeifIwasinearnest. “‘Quitethat,sir,—injewelsandpearls.Itliestherereadyforanyone.Andthequeerthingaboutitisthattherealownerisoutlawedandcannotholdproperty,sothatitbelongstothefirstcomer.’ “‘Togovernment,Small,’hestammered,—‘togovernment.’Buthesaiditinahaltingfashion,andIknewinmyheartthatIhadgothim. “‘Youthink,then,sir,thatIshouldgivetheinformationtotheGovernor-General?’saidI,quietly. “‘Well,well,youmustnotdoanythingrash,orthatyoumightrepent.Letmehearallaboutit,Small.Givemethefacts.’ “Itoldhimthewholestory,withsmallchangessothathecouldnotidentifytheplaces.WhenIhadfinishedhestoodstockstillandfullofthought.Icouldseebythetwitchofhislipthattherewasastrugglegoingonwithinhim. “‘Thisisaveryimportantmatter,Small,’hesaid,atlast.‘Youmustnotsayawordtoanyoneaboutit,andIshallseeyouagainsoon.’ “TwonightslaterheandhisfriendCaptainMorstancametomyhutinthedeadofthenightwithalantern. “‘IwantyoujusttoletCaptainMorstanhearthatstoryfromyourownlips,Small,’saidhe. “IrepeateditasIhadtolditbefore. “‘Itringstrue,eh?’saidhe.‘It’sgoodenoughtoactupon?’ “CaptainMorstannodded. “‘Lookhere,Small,’saidthemajor.‘Wehavebeentalkingitover,myfriendhereandI,andwehavecometotheconclusionthatthissecretofyoursishardlyagovernmentmatter,afterall,butisaprivateconcernofyourown,whichofcourseyouhavethepowerofdisposingofasyouthinkbest.Now,thequestionis,whatpricewouldyouaskforit?Wemightbeinclinedtotakeitup,andatleastlookintoit,ifwecouldagreeastoterms.’Hetriedtospeakinacool,carelessway,buthiseyeswereshiningwithexcitementandgreed. “‘Why,astothat,gentlemen,’Ianswered,tryingalsotobecool,butfeelingasexcitedashedid,‘thereisonlyonebargainwhichamaninmypositioncanmake.Ishallwantyoutohelpmetomyfreedom,andtohelpmythreecompanionstotheirs.Weshallthentakeyouintopartnership,andgiveyouafifthsharetodividebetweenyou.’ “‘Hum!’saidhe.‘Afifthshare!Thatisnotverytempting.’ “‘Itwouldcometofiftythousandapiece,’saidI. “‘Buthowcanwegainyourfreedom?Youknowverywellthatyouaskanimpossibility.’ “‘Nothingofthesort,’Ianswered.‘Ihavethoughtitallouttothelastdetail.Theonlybartoourescapeisthatwecangetnoboatfitforthevoyage,andnoprovisionstolastusforsolongatime.ThereareplentyoflittleyachtsandyawlsatCalcuttaorMadraswhichwouldserveourturnwell.Doyoubringoneover.Weshallengagetogetaboardherbynight,andifyouwilldropusonanypartoftheIndiancoastyouwillhavedoneyourpartofthebargain.’ “‘Iftherewereonlyone,’hesaid. “‘Noneorall,’Ianswered.‘Wehaveswornit.Thefourofusmustalwaysacttogether.’ “‘Yousee,Morstan,’saidhe,‘Smallisamanofhisword.Hedoesnotflinchfromhisfriend.Ithinkwemayverywelltrusthim.’ “‘It’sadirtybusiness,’theotheranswered.‘Yet,asyousay,themoneywouldsaveourcommissionshandsomely.’ “‘Well,Small,’saidthemajor,‘wemust,Isuppose,tryandmeetyou.Wemustfirst,ofcourse,testthetruthofyourstory.Tellmewheretheboxishid,andIshallgetleaveofabsenceandgobacktoIndiainthemonthlyrelief-boattoinquireintotheaffair.’ “‘Notsofast,’saidI,growingcolderashegothot.‘Imusthavetheconsentofmythreecomrades.Itellyouthatitisfourornonewithus.’ “‘Nonsense!’hebrokein.‘Whathavethreeblackfellowstodowithouragreement?’ “‘Blackorblue,’saidI,‘theyareinwithme,andweallgotogether.’ “Well,thematterendedbyasecondmeeting,atwhichMahometSingh,AbdullahKhan,andDostAkbarwereallpresent.Wetalkedthematteroveragain,andatlastwecametoanarrangement.WeweretoprovideboththeofficerswithchartsofthepartoftheAgrafortandmarktheplaceinthewallwherethetreasurewashid.MajorSholtowastogotoIndiatotestourstory.Ifhefoundtheboxhewastoleaveitthere,tosendoutasmallyachtprovisionedforavoyage,whichwastolieoffRutlandIsland,andtowhichweweretomakeourway,andfinallytoreturntohisduties.CaptainMorstanwasthentoapplyforleaveofabsence,tomeetusatAgra,andthereweweretohaveafinaldivisionofthetreasure,hetakingthemajor’sshareaswellashisown.Allthiswesealedbythemostsolemnoathsthatthemindcouldthinkorthelipsutter.Isatupallnightwithpaperandink,andbythemorningIhadthetwochartsallready,signedwiththesignoffour,—thatis,ofAbdullah,Akbar,Mahomet,andmyself. “Well,gentlemen,Iwearyyouwithmylongstory,andIknowthatmyfriendMr.Jonesisimpatienttogetmesafelystowedinchokey.I’llmakeitasshortasIcan.ThevillainSholtowentofftoIndia,buthenevercamebackagain.CaptainMorstanshowedmehisnameamongalistofpassengersinoneofthemail-boatsveryshortlyafterwards.Hisunclehaddied,leavinghimafortune,andhehadleftthearmy,yethecouldstooptotreatfivemenashehadtreatedus.MorstanwentovertoAgrashortlyafterwards,andfound,asweexpected,thatthetreasurewasindeedgone.Thescoundrelhadstolenitall,withoutcarryingoutoneoftheconditionsonwhichwehadsoldhimthesecret.FromthatdayIlivedonlyforvengeance.IthoughtofitbydayandInurseditbynight.Itbecameanoverpowering,absorbingpassionwithme.Icarednothingforthelaw