1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,620 Books at bedtime. 2 00:00:02,620 --> 00:00:09,840 The sign of the four, chapter 12, the strange story of Jonathan Small. 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:15,280 A very patient man was that inspector in the cab. 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,980 For it was a weary time before I rejoined him. 5 00:00:18,980 --> 00:00:23,000 His face clouded over when I showed him the empty box. 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,200 "There goes the reward," said he gloomily. 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,160 "Where there is no money, there is no pay. 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:35,200 This night's work would have been worth the tenor each to San Brown and me if the treasure 9 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,240 had been there." 10 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,280 Mr. Thaddeus Shulto is a rich man, I said. 11 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,660 He will see that you are rewarded treasure or no. 12 00:00:44,660 --> 00:00:47,960 The inspector shook his head despondently, however. 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:54,960 "It's a bad job," he repeated, and so Mr. Athenley Jones will think. 14 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,740 This forecast proved to be correct. 15 00:00:57,740 --> 00:01:02,880 For the detective looked blank enough when I got to Baker Street and showed him the empty 16 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:03,880 box. 17 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:09,200 They had only just arrived, homes, the prisoner and he. 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:15,800 But they had changed their plans so far to report themselves at the station upon the way. 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:22,520 My companion lounged in his armchair with his usual listless expression. 20 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:29,680 While small sat stolidly opposite to him with his wooden leg cocked over his sound one. 21 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:36,120 As I exhibited the empty box, he lent back in his chair and laughed aloud. 22 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,360 This is your doing small, said Ursuline Jones angrily? 23 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:48,560 "Yes, I have put it away where you shall never lay hand upon it," he cried, exonzantly. 24 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:55,080 It is my treasure, and if I can't have the loot, I'll take darn good care that no one else 25 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:56,640 does. 26 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:03,120 I tell you that no living man has any right to it unless it is three men who are in the 27 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,160 arc to man convict barracks myself. 28 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:13,440 I know now that I cannot have the use of it and I know that they cannot. 29 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,760 I have acted all through for them as much as for myself. 30 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,280 It's been the sign of the four with us always. 31 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:30,360 Well, I know that they would have had me do this just what I have done and throw the treasure 32 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:37,600 into the Thames rather than let it go to Kith or Kin or Shalto or of Mauston. 33 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,520 It was not to make them rich that we did it for Acmet. 34 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,880 You'll find the treasure where the key is and where little tongres. 35 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:52,960 When I saw that your launch must catch us, I put the loot away in a safe place. 36 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,440 There are no rupees for you this journey. 37 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:02,200 You were deceiving us all small, said us Emily Jones sternly. 38 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,640 If you had wished to throw the treasure into the Thames, it would have been easier for you 39 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:08,800 to have thrown the box and all. 40 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:16,960 Easier for me to throw and easier for you to recover he answered with a shrewd side long 41 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:18,200 look. 42 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:23,280 The man that was clever enough to hunt me down is clever enough to pick an iron box from 43 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,040 the bottom of a river. 44 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:32,640 Now that they are scattered over five miles or so it may be a harder job. 45 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:34,960 It went to my heart to do it though. 46 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,200 I was half mad when you came up with us. 47 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,600 However, there's no good grieving over it. 48 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:47,600 I've had my ups in my life and I've had my downs but I've learned not to cry over spilled 49 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,880 milk. 50 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,800 This is a very serious matter small said the detective. 51 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,820 If you had helped justice instead of thwarting it in this way you would have had a better 52 00:03:58,820 --> 00:04:01,480 chance at your trial. 53 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,920 Justice snarled the ex-convert, a pretty justice. 54 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:07,840 Whose loot is this? 55 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,000 If it is not ours. 56 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,400 Where is the justice that I should give it up to those who have never earned it? 57 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,600 Look how I have earned it. 58 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,680 20 long years in a fever-ridden swamp. 59 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:28,680 All day at work under the mangrove tree all night chained up in a filthy convict's hut, 60 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:35,320 bitten by mosquitoes racked with argue, bullied by ever-cursed black face policeman who 61 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,720 loved to take it out of a white man. 62 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:44,560 That was how I earned the accret treasure and you talk to me of justice because I cannot 63 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:50,280 bear to feel that I have paid this price only that another man enjoyed. 64 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:56,400 I would rather swing a score of times or have one of Tonga's darts in my hide than live 65 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:02,360 in a convict cell and feel that another man is at ease in a palace with the money that 66 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,600 should have been mine. 67 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:12,760 Once more had dropped his mask of stoicism and all this came out in a wild whirl of words. 68 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:18,000 While his eyes blazed and the handcuffs clank together with the impassioned movement 69 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:25,360 of his hands, I could understand and I saw the fury and the passion of the man that it 70 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:32,040 was no groundless or unnatural, which had possessed major chalto when he first learned that 71 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,160 this injured convict was upon his track. 72 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:40,840 You forget that we know nothing of all this said homes quietly. 73 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:46,320 We have not heard your story and we cannot tell how far justice may originally have been 74 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:47,920 on your side. 75 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:56,040 Well, sir, you have been very fair spoken to me though I can see that I have you to thank 76 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,520 and that I have these bracelets upon my wrists. 77 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:00,520 Still. 78 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,660 I bear no grudge for that. 79 00:06:02,660 --> 00:06:04,680 It is all fair and above board. 80 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:10,320 If you want to hear my story, I have no wish to hold it back. 81 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,080 What I say to you is God's truth, every word of it. 82 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:15,080 Thank you. 83 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:22,080 You can put the glass beside me here and I'll put my lips to it if I am dry. 84 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,720 I am a Worcestershire man myself, born near Persia. 85 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:32,680 I dare say you would find a heap of smalls living there now if you were to look. 86 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:38,240 I have to often thought of taking a look around there but the truth is that I may never much 87 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:44,640 have credit to the family and I doubt if they would be so very glad to see me. 88 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:51,320 They were all steady, chapel-going folk, small farmers, well known and respected over the 89 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:58,320 countryside. 90 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,800 I was always a bit of a rower. 91 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:02,800 At last, however, when I was about 18, I gave them no more trouble. 92 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:08,240 For I got into a mess over a girl and could only get out of it again by taking the Queen 93 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:14,560 Shilling and joining the third buff, which was just starting for India. 94 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,360 I wasn't destined to do much soldering, however. 95 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:24,120 I had just got past the goo step and learned to handle my musket when I was full enough 96 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,680 to go swimming in the Ganges. 97 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:33,960 Luckily for me, my company Sergeant John Holder was in the water at the same time and he 98 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,400 was one of the finest swimmers in the service. 99 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,040 A crocodile took me. 100 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:45,360 Just as I was halfway across and nipped off my right leg as clean as a surgeon could have 101 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,560 done it just above the knee. 102 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:49,560 What? 103 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,440 With this shock and the loss of blood, I fainted and I should have drowned if Holder had not 104 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:58,160 caught hold of me and paddled for the bank. 105 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:03,720 I was five months in hospital over it and when at last I was able to limp out of it with 106 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,480 this timber toe strapped to my stump. 107 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:13,960 I found myself invalidated out of the army and unfitted for any active occupation. 108 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:19,360 I was, as you can imagine, pretty down on my luck at this time. 109 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:24,360 But I was a useless cripple, though not yet in my twenty-if year. 110 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:30,800 However, my misfortune soon proved to be a blessing in disguise. 111 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:37,640 A man named Abel White, who would come out there as an indigo planter, wanted an overseer 112 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:42,400 to look after his cooleys and keep them up to their work. 113 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:48,920 Only happened to be a friend of our colonels, who would take an interest in me since the accident. 114 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:55,720 To make a long story short, the colonel recommended me strongly for the post, as the work was mostly 115 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,120 to be done on horseback. 116 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:05,240 My leg was no great obstacle, for I had enough knee left to keep a good grip of the saddle. 117 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:11,280 What I had to do was to ride over the plantation, to keep an eye on the men as they worked, 118 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,640 to report the idlers. 119 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,840 The pay was fair, and I had comfortable quarters. 120 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:24,080 And all together, I was content to spend the remainder of my life in indigo planting. 121 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:29,520 Mr Abel White was a kind man, and he would often drop into my little shanty and smoke a 122 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,000 pipe with me. 123 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:37,360 For White folk out there feel their hearts warm to each other as they never do here at home. 124 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:38,840 Well. 125 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,680 I was never in luck's way long. 126 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:47,480 Suddenly, without a no-till warning, the great mutiny broke upon us. 127 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:53,800 One month, India lay is still and peaceful, to all appearances as Sarayaw Kent. 128 00:09:53,800 --> 00:10:01,360 The next, there were 200,000 black devils let loose, and the country was a perfect hell. 129 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,320 Of course, you know all about it, gentlemen. 130 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:09,520 A deal more than I do very like, since reading is not in my line. 131 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,680 I only know what I saw with my own eyes. 132 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:20,720 Our plantation was a place called Mucktra, near the border of the north-west prozomances. 133 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:26,320 Night after night, the whole sky was a light, with the burning bungalows. 134 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:32,080 And day after day, we had small companies of Europeans passing through our estate with 135 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:39,160 their wives and children on their way to Agra, where were the nearest dreams. 136 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,240 Mr. Abel White was an obstinate man. 137 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:47,560 He had it in his head that the affair had been exaggerated, and that it would blow over 138 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:49,840 as suddenly as it had sprung up. 139 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:57,320 There he sat, upon his oranda, drinking whiskey pegs and smoking shiruits, while the country 140 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,600 was in the blaze about him. 141 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:07,320 Of course, we stuck by him, I and Dawson, who, with his wife, who used to do the bookwork 142 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:12,520 and the managing, well, one fine day, the crash came. 143 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:18,120 I'd been away on a distant plantation, and was riding slowly home in the evening, when 144 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:23,640 my eye fell upon something all huddled together at the bottom of a steep nuller. 145 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:29,240 I rode down to see what it was, and the coal struck through my heart when I found it was 146 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:36,200 Dawson's wife, all cut into ribbons and half eaten by jackals and native dogs. 147 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:42,360 A little further up the road, Dawson himself was lying on his face quite dead, with an empty 148 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:48,080 revolver in his hand and four sepoids lying across each other in front of him. 149 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,640 I reigned up my horse, rewondering which way I should turn. 150 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:59,160 But at that moment I saw thick smoke curling up from Abel White's bungalow, and the flames 151 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,880 beginning to burst through the roof. 152 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:08,280 I knew then that I could do for my employer was no good, but would only throw my own life 153 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,600 away if I meddled in the matter. 154 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:17,040 From where I stood, I could see hundreds of black fiends with their red coats still on their 155 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,680 backs, dancing and howling around the burning house. 156 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:27,760 Some of them pointed at me, and a couple of bullets sang past my head, so I broke away 157 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:35,560 across the paddy fields and found myself late at night safe within the walls of Agra. 158 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:40,280 As it proved, however, there was no great safety there either. 159 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:44,000 The whole country was up like a swarm of bees. 160 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:48,800 Wherever the English could collect in little bands, they held just the ground that their 161 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,240 guns commanded. 162 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:55,120 Everywhere else, they were helpless fugitives. 163 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,640 It was a fight of the millions against the hundreds. 164 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:04,600 And the cruelest part of it was that these men that we fought against foot, horse and gunners 165 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:11,400 were our own picked troops whom we had taught and trained, handling our own weapons and blowing 166 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,040 our own buglecalls. 167 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:21,000 At Agra, there were the third Bengal fuseliers, some Sikhs, two troops of horse and a battery 168 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,720 of artillery. 169 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:28,360 A volunteer corps of Clarkson merchants had been formed, and this I joined, wooden leg and 170 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,080 all. 171 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:35,480 We went out to meet the rebels at Shangguon, early in July, and we beat them back for 172 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,040 a time. 173 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:42,280 But our powder gave out, and we had to fall back upon the city. 174 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:48,680 Nothing but the worst news came to us from every side, which is not to be wandered at. 175 00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:53,760 For if you look at the map, you will see that we were right in the heart of it. 176 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:59,560 Luck now is rather better than a hundred miles to the east, and cornpore about as far to 177 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:00,920 the south. 178 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:07,840 From every point on the compass, there was nothing but torture and murder, an outrage. 179 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:13,560 The city of Agra is a great place, swarming with fanatics and fierce devil worshippers of 180 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:15,360 all sorts. 181 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,160 Our handful of men were lost among the narrow, winding streets. 182 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:26,120 Our leader moved across the river, therefore, and took up his position in the old fort of 183 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:27,680 Agra. 184 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:33,600 I don't know if any of you gentlemen have ever read or heard anything of that old fort. 185 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:41,720 It is quite a queer place, the queerest that I have ever been in some run corners too. 186 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,800 First of all, it is enormous in size. 187 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,040 I should think that the enclosure must be acres and acres. 188 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:54,720 There is a modern part, which took all our garrison, women, children, stores and everything 189 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,000 else, with plenty of room over. 190 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,880 But the modern part is nothing like the size of the old quarter, where nobody goes, and 191 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,160 which is given over to the scorpions and the centipedes. 192 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:14,360 It is all full of great deserted halls and winding passages and long corridors twisting 193 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:19,640 in and out, so that it is easy enough for folks to get lost in. 194 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:25,480 For this reason, it was seldom that anyone went into it, though now and again a party with 195 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,240 torches may go exploring. 196 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:34,280 The river washes along the front of the old fort, and so protects it, but on the other 197 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:40,040 sides and behind there are many doors, and these had to be guarded, of course, in the 198 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:46,120 old quarter, as well as in that which was actually held by troops. 199 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:51,280 We were short-handed, with hardly men enough to man the angles of the building and to serve 200 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:52,280 the guns. 201 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:59,080 It was impossible for us, therefore to station a strong guard at every one of the innumerable 202 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:00,080 gates. 203 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:06,880 But we did, what to organise a central guardhouse in the middle of the fort, and to leave each 204 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:12,040 gate under the charge of one white man and two or three natives. 205 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:17,920 I was selected to take charge during certain hours of the night of a small isolated door 206 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,080 upon the southwest side of the building. 207 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:27,760 Two seat troopers were placed under my command, and I was instructed if anything went wrong 208 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:34,440 to fire my musket, when I might rely upon help coming at once from the central guard. 209 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:40,800 As the guard was a good 200 paces away, however, and as the space-batine was cut up into a labyrinth 210 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:46,600 of passages and corridors, I had great doubts as to whether they could arrive in time to 211 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,000 be of any use in case of an actual attack. 212 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:57,320 Well, I was pretty proud at having this small command given to me, since I was a raw recruit 213 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,880 and a game-legged one at that. 214 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,680 For two nights I kept the watch with my Punjabis. 215 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:10,920 They were tall fierce looking chaps, Muhammad Singh and Abdullah Khan by name, both old fighting 216 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:15,240 man who had born arms against us at the Chilianwala. 217 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,800 They could talk English pretty well, but I could get little out of them. 218 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:25,680 They preferred to stand together and jabber all night in their queer-seeklingo. 219 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:32,400 For myself, I used to stand outside the gateway, looking down on the broad, winding river 220 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,880 and on the twinkling lights of the great city. 221 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:42,240 The beating of drums, the rattle of tauntoms and the yells and howls of rebels drunk with 222 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:48,000 opium and with bang, were enough to remind us all night of our dangerous neighbours across 223 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,320 the stream. 224 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:55,600 Every two hours the officers of the night used to come round to all the posts to make sure 225 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,120 that all was well. 226 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:04,000 The third night of my watch was dark and dirty, with a small driving-brain. 227 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:10,280 It was dreary work standing in the gateway, hour after hour and such weather. 228 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:16,880 I tried again and again to make my six talk, but without much success. 229 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:23,600 At two in the morning the rounds passed and broke for a moment the weariness of the night. 230 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:28,880 Everything that my companions would not be led into conversation, I took out my pipe 231 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:32,880 and laid down my musket to strike the match. 232 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,120 In an instant the two seaks were upon me. 233 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:41,880 One of them snatched my firelock and levelled it up at my firehead while the other held a 234 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:46,360 great knife to my throat and swore between his teeth that he would plunge it into me if 235 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:48,280 I moved. 236 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,920 My first thought was that these fellows were in league with the rebels and that this was 237 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:54,840 the beginning of an assault. 238 00:18:54,840 --> 00:19:00,200 If our doors were open to the hands of the sepoids the place must fall and the women and children 239 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,560 would be treated as if they were cornpulled. 240 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:08,280 Maybe you gentlemen think that I was just making out a case for myself, but I give you my 241 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:13,840 word when I thought of that, though I felt the point of the knife at my throat. 242 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:17,440 I opened my mouth with the intention of giving a scream. 243 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:22,520 If I was my last one, which might alarm the main guard. 244 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:29,600 The man who held me seemed to know my thoughts for even as I braced myself to it he whispered, 245 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,960 don't make a noise, the fort is safe enough. 246 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,240 There were no rebel dogs on this side of the river. 247 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:40,840 There was a ring of truth in what he said and I knew that if I raised my voice I was a 248 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:42,160 dead man. 249 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,760 I could read it in the fellows brown eyes. 250 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:51,120 I waited therefore in silence to see what is they wanted from me. 251 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:56,640 Listen to me, Sir Hiib, said the taller and the fiercer of the pair, the one whom they 252 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,880 called Abdullah Khan. 253 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:03,040 You must either be with us now or you must be silenced forever. 254 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,640 This thing is too greater one for us to hesitate. 255 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:12,720 Either you are a heart and soul with us on your oath, on the cross of the Christians, or 256 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,960 your body this night shall be thrown into the ditch and we shall pass over to our brothers 257 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:19,720 in the rebel army. 258 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:25,040 There is no middle way, which is it to be death or life. 259 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:30,400 We can only give you three minutes to decide for the time is passing and all must be done 260 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,480 before the rounds come again. 261 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,320 How can I decide, Sir Hiib? 262 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:40,600 You have not told me what you want from me, but I tell you now that if it is anything 263 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:45,560 against the safety of the fort I will have no truck with it so you can drive home your 264 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,800 knife and welcome. 265 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,400 It is nothing against the fort said he. 266 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:55,080 We only ask you to do which your countrymen came to this land for. 267 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,560 We ask you to be rich. 268 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:03,760 If you will be one of us this night, we will swear to you upon the naked knife and by 269 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:10,480 the threshold oath with no seek has ever known to break that you shall have your fair share 270 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:11,480 of the loot. 271 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,360 A quarter of the treasure shall be yours. 272 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:16,120 We can say no fairer. 273 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:19,280 But what is this treasure then I ask? 274 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:25,360 I am as ready to be rich as you can be if you will but show me how it can be done. 275 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:30,240 You will swear then, said he, by the bones of your father, by the honour of your mother, 276 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:36,520 by the cross of your faith, to raise no hand and speak no word against us either now or 277 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,160 afterwards. 278 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:43,640 I will swear it, I answered, provided that the fort is not endangered. 279 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:50,400 I will swear that you shall have a quarter of the treasure which shall be equally divided 280 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,600 among the four of us. 281 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:54,680 There are but three said I. 282 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:55,680 No. 283 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,480 Dost Akbar must have his share. 284 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,720 We can tell the tale to you while we wait them. 285 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:06,760 Do you stand at the gate, Muhammad is seeing it and give notice of their coming. 286 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:11,920 The three stands thus the hyb and I tell it to you because I know that an oath is binding 287 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:16,240 upon a forengey and that we must trust you. 288 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:22,120 Had he been a lying Hindu though had you sworn by all the gods in their false temples your 289 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:27,720 blood would have been upon the knife and your body in the water but the seat knows the 290 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:31,240 Englishman and the Englishman knows the seat. 291 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:35,840 Here can then to what I have to say. 292 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:41,800 There is a rajar in the northern provinces which has much wealth though his lands are 293 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:48,680 small much has come to him from his father and more still he is set by himself. 294 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,440 Three years of low nature and haunts his goals rather than spends it. 295 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:58,640 When the troubles broke out he would be friends both with the lion and the tiger, with the 296 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,680 sapoy and with the company's raj. 297 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:06,800 Soon however it seemed to him that the white men's days was come. 298 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:12,680 Thought though all the land he could hear of nothing but their death and their overthrow. 299 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:20,160 Yet being a careful man he made such plans that come what might half at least of his treasure 300 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,200 should be left to him. 301 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:28,080 That which was in gold and silver he kept by him in the vaults of his palace. 302 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:33,480 But the most precious stones and the choices pulls that he had put into an iron box and 303 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:39,160 sent it by a trusty servant who under the guise of a merchant should take it to the 304 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,040 fort at Agra. 305 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,240 There to lie until the land is at peace. 306 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:50,440 Thus if the rebels won he would have his money but if the company conquered his jewels 307 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,320 they would be saved to him. 308 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:58,480 Having thus divided his horde he threw himself into the cause of the sapoy's since they 309 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,160 were strong amongst his borders. 310 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:07,200 By doing this mark you sayib his property becomes due of those who have been true to their 311 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,040 soul. 312 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:15,020 This pretend merchant who travels under the name of Agra is now in the city of Agra and 313 00:24:15,020 --> 00:24:18,320 desires to gain his way into the fort. 314 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:25,680 He has with him as traveling companion my foster brother Dost Agra who knows his secret. 315 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:32,480 Dost Agra has promised this night to lead his to the side post of the fort and has chosen 316 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,840 this one for his purpose. 317 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:41,760 Here he will come presently and he will find Mahatma Singh and myself awaiting him. 318 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:46,000 The place is lonely and none shall know of his coming. 319 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:51,760 The world shall know of the merchant Agment no more but the great treasure of the Raja 320 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,360 shall be divided amongst us. 321 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:57,600 Just say you to it sayib. 322 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:04,240 In Worstesha the life of a man seems a great and sacred thing but it is very different when 323 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:09,080 there is fire and blood all around you and you have been used to meeting death at every 324 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,840 turn. 325 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:16,240 Whether Agment the merchant lived or died was a thing as a light as air to me but at the 326 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:21,400 talk about the treasure my heart turned to it and I thought of what I might do in the 327 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:26,800 old country with it and how my folk would stare when they saw their near do well coming 328 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,520 back with his pockets full of gold mortars. 329 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:36,840 I had therefore already made up my mind Abdullah Khan however thinking that I had had a 330 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:41,280 stator pressed the matter more closely. 331 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:47,320 Consider Sahib said he that if this man is taken by the commandant he will be hung all 332 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:53,200 shot and his jewels taken by the government so that no man will be a rupee the better for 333 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,000 them. 334 00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:01,240 Now since we do the taking of him why should we not do the rest as well the jewels will 335 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:06,480 be as well with us with the company's coffers there will be enough to make every one of 336 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:13,720 us rich men and great chiefs no one can know about the matter for here we are cut all from 337 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:20,160 men what could be better for the purpose say again then Sahib whether you are with us 338 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:26,680 or if we must look upon you as an enemy I am with you with heart and soul said I it is 339 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:33,600 well he answered handing me back my phylog for see that we trust you for your word like 340 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:40,480 ours is not to be broken we have now only to wait for my brother in the merchant does 341 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:47,000 your brother know then of what you will do the plan is his he has devised it we will go 342 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:54,040 to the gate and share the watch with Mahatma Singh the rain was still falling steadily for 343 00:26:54,040 --> 00:27:00,880 it was just beginning of the wet season brown heavy clouds were drifting across the sky 344 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:07,520 and it was hard to see more than a stone cast a deep moat lay in front of our door but 345 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:14,600 the water was in places nearly dried up and it could easily be crossed it was strange to 346 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:20,280 me to be standing there with those two wild pin jabs waiting for the man who is coming 347 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:27,440 to his death suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern on the other side of the 348 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:35,480 moat it vanished among the mound heaps and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction 349 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:41,440 they are exclaimed you will challenge him say he was usual whispered up to the given no 350 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:48,040 cause for fear send us in with him and we shall do the rest once you stay here on guard have 351 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:55,520 the lantern ready to uncover that we may be sure that it did indeed our man the light 352 00:27:55,520 --> 00:28:01,120 had flickered onwards now stopping and now advancing until I could see the two dark figures 353 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:07,160 upon the other side of the moat I let them scramble down the sloping bank splash through the 354 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:14,320 mire and climb halfway up to the gate before I challenge them who goes there said I in a 355 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:21,800 subdued voice friends came the answer I uncovered my lantern and threw a flood of light upon 356 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:27,840 them the first was an enormous seek with a black beard which swept nearly down to his 357 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:36,000 come a band outside of a show I've never seen so tall a man the other was a little fat 358 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:42,920 round fellow with a great yellow turban and a bundle in his hand done up in a shawl he 359 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:49,040 seemed to be all in a quiver with fear for his hands twitched as if he had had the agio 360 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:54,240 and his head kept turning to the left and the right with two bright twinkling eyes like a 361 00:28:54,240 --> 00:29:00,800 mouse when he ventures out from his own it gave me the chills to think of killing him but 362 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:06,640 I thought of the treasure and my heart set as hard as a flint within me when he saw my 363 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:13,180 white face he gave a little cheer of a joy and came running up towards me your protection 364 00:29:13,180 --> 00:29:19,720 so heep he panted your protection for the unhappy merchant admit I have travelled across the 365 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:26,080 country that I might seek the shelter of the fauna agra I have been robbed and beaten and 366 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:31,680 abused because I have not been the friend of a company it is blessed night this when 367 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:39,880 I am once more in safety I am my poor possessions what have you in the bundle I asked an I in boxy 368 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:45,680 answered which contains one or two little family matters which are of no value to others 369 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:51,720 but which I should be sorry to lose yet I am not a beggar and I should reward you young 370 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:58,600 sir heep and your governor also if you will give me the shelter I asked I could not trust 371 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:04,200 myself to speak long with the man the more I looked at this fat frightened face the harder 372 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:10,560 did it seem that we should slay him in cold blood it was best to get it over take him to 373 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:16,880 the main guard said I the two seaks closed in upon him on each side and the giant walked 374 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:23,100 behind what they marched in through the dark gateway never was a man so compassed round 375 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:30,280 with death I remained at the gateway with a lantern I could hear the measured tramp of 376 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:37,120 their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors suddenly it ceased and I heard voices 377 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:44,120 and a scuffle with the sounds of blows a moment later they came to my horror a rush of 378 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:50,120 footsteps coming in my direction with a loud breathing of a running man I turned my 379 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:55,680 lantern down the long straight passage and there was the fat man running like a wind with 380 00:30:55,680 --> 00:31:01,920 a smear of blood across his face and closes its heels bounding like a tiger the great black 381 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:06,520 bearded seagr with a knife flashing in his hand 382 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:13,300 I've never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant he was gaining on the seagr 383 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:18,320 and I could see that if he once passed me and got to the open air he would save himself 384 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:25,280 yet my heart softened to him but again the thoughts of his treasure turned me hard and 385 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:32,920 bitter I cast my phylock between my legs and he raced past and as he rolled twice over 386 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:38,240 like a shot rapid ear he could stagger to his feet the seagr was upon him and buried 387 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:46,280 his knife twice in his side the man never uttered a moan nor moved a muscle but lay where he 388 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:53,600 had fallen I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the form you see gentlemen 389 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:58,920 that I am keeping my promise I am telling you every work of the business just exactly 390 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:06,800 as it happened whether it was in my favour or not he stopped and held out his manacled 391 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:14,000 hands for the whiskey and water which homes had brewed for him for myself I confessed that 392 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:19,840 I had now conceived the uttermost horror of the man not only for his cold blooded business 393 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:25,680 in which he had been concerned but even more for the somewhat flippant and careless way 394 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:32,960 in which he narrated it whatever punishment was in store for him I felt that he might expect 395 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:40,120 no sympathy from me Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees deeply 396 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:46,540 interested in the story but with the same disgust written upon their faces he may have 397 00:32:46,540 --> 00:32:54,000 observed it for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded it 398 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:59,880 was all very bad no doubt city I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes would 399 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:04,960 have effused a share of this loot when they knew that they would have had their throats 400 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:13,120 cut for their pains besides it was my life or his when once he was in the fort if he had 401 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:18,400 got out the whole business would come to light and I should have been court-martialed and 402 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:25,240 shocked like he is not for people were not very lenient at a time like that go on with your 403 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:32,880 story said home shortly well we carried him in Abdullah Akbar and I a fine way he was 404 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:40,320 too for all that he was so short my hummus sing was left to guard the door we took him to 405 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:47,120 a place where the seeks had already prepared it was some distance off where a winding passage 406 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:54,120 leads to a great empty hall the brick walls of which were all cumbling to pieces the earth 407 00:33:54,120 --> 00:34:01,320 floor had sunk in at one place making a natural grave so he left agnet the merchant there having 408 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:08,760 first covered him over with the loose bricks this done we all went back to the treasure it 409 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:14,960 lay there where he had dropped it where he had first been attacked the box was the same 410 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:21,960 one which now lies open upon your floor a key was hung by a silicon cord to that carved 411 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:29,400 handle upon the top we opened it and the light the lantern gleamed upon a collection of gems 412 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:35,560 such as I have read of and thought about when I was a little lad in partial it was blinding 413 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:42,480 to look upon when we had feasted our eyes we took them all out and made a list of them 414 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:50,160 there were 143 diamonds of the first water including one which has been called I believe the great 415 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:59,160 mogul and is said to be the second largest stone in existence then there were 97 very fine 416 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:10,280 emeralds and 170 rubies some of which however were small there were 40 car bunkles 210 sapphires 417 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:18,640 61 aggets and a great quantity of barrels on axis cat size turquoise and other stones the 418 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:23,720 very names of which I did not know at the time though I have become more familiar with 419 00:35:23,720 --> 00:35:32,320 since besides this there were nearly 300 very fine pearls 12 of which was set in a gold 420 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:39,320 coronate by the way these last had been taken out of the chest and were not there when I recovered 421 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:45,400 it after we had counted our treasures we put them back into the chest and carried them 422 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:53,400 to the gateway to show them to my hummus sing then we solemnly renewed our oath to stand 423 00:35:53,400 --> 00:36:00,280 by each other and be true to our secret we agreed to conceal our loot in a safe place until 424 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:07,720 a country should be a peace again and then divide it equally among ourselves there was no use 425 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:13,720 dividing it at present for if the gems of such value were found upon us it would cause suspicion 426 00:36:13,720 --> 00:36:20,600 and there was no privacy in the fort nor any place where we could keep them we carried 427 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:26,960 the box therefore into the same hall where we had buried the body and there under certain 428 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:33,760 bricks in the best preserved wall we made a hollow and put our treasure we made careful 429 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:39,920 note of the place and next day I drew four plans one for each of us and put the sign 430 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:47,360 of the four of us at the bottom for we had sworn that we should each always act for all 431 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:53,320 so that none may take advantage that is a note that I can put my hand to my heart and 432 00:36:53,320 --> 00:37:00,640 swear that I have never broken well there's no use telling you my gentlemen what came 433 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:06,900 of the Indian Mutiny after Wilson took Delhi and Sir Colin relieved luck now the back of 434 00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:13,880 the business was broken fresh troops came pouring in and NASA hid made himself scarce over 435 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:20,560 the frontier a flying column under Colonel Grated came around to Agra and cleared the pandies 436 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:27,080 away from it peace seemed to be settling upon the country and we for were beginning to hope 437 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:33,880 that the time was at hand when we might find safety and go off with our shares of plunder 438 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:39,400 in a moment however our hopes were shattered by our being arrested as the murderers of Agna 439 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:47,120 it came about in this way when the Rajah put his jewels into the hands of Agna he did it 440 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:53,280 because he knew that he was a trusty man they are suspicious folk in the east however so 441 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:59,000 what does this Rajah do but take a second even more trusty servant and set him to play 442 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:05,960 the spy upon us first this second man was ordered never to let Agna out of his sight and he 443 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:12,760 followed him like a shadow he went after him that night and saw him pass through the doorway 444 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:18,520 of course he thought he had taken refuge in the fort and applied for admission there himself 445 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:25,400 the next day but could find no trace of Agna this seemed to make it so strange that he 446 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:31,920 spoke about its sergeant of the guides who brought it to the years of the command a thorough 447 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:37,720 search was quickly made and the body was discovered thus at the very moment that we 448 00:38:37,720 --> 00:38:44,320 thought always safe we were all four seized and brought to trial on a charge of murder three 449 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:49,480 of us because we had held the gate that night and the fourth because he was known to have 450 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:56,000 been in the company of the murdered man not a word about the jewels came out at the trial 451 00:38:56,000 --> 00:39:02,160 for the Rajah had been deposed and driven out of India so no one had any particular interest 452 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:08,280 in them the murder however was clearly made out and it was certain that we must all have 453 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:14,680 been concerned in it the three seeks got penal servitude for life and I was condemned to 454 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:22,280 death though my sentence was afterwards commuted into the same as the others it was a rather 455 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:28,820 queer position we found ourselves in then there we were all four tied by the leg and with 456 00:39:28,820 --> 00:39:34,620 precious little chance of ever getting out again while each of us held a secret which might 457 00:39:34,620 --> 00:39:40,220 have put each of us in a palace if we could only have made use of it it was enough to make 458 00:39:40,220 --> 00:39:45,860 a man eat his heart out to have to stand the kick and the cuff of every petty jack in 459 00:39:45,860 --> 00:39:51,940 office to have rice to eat and water to drink when that gorgeous fortune was ready for 460 00:39:51,940 --> 00:39:59,140 him outside just waiting to be picked up it might have driven him mad but I was always a pretty 461 00:39:59,140 --> 00:40:08,980 stubborn one so I held on and bided my time at last it seemed to me to have come I was changed 462 00:40:08,980 --> 00:40:16,220 from agra to madras and from there to Blair Island and into the addamans there a very few 463 00:40:16,220 --> 00:40:22,380 white complex at this settlement and as I behaved well from the first I soon found myself a 464 00:40:22,380 --> 00:40:28,760 sort of privileged person I was given a hut in hope town which is a small place on the 465 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:35,860 slopes of Mount Harriet and I was left pretty much to myself it was a dreary fever stricken 466 00:40:35,860 --> 00:40:41,900 place and all beyond our little clearings was infested with wild cannibal natives who were 467 00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:48,500 ready enough to blow a poison darsis if they ever saw a chance there was digging and ditching 468 00:40:48,500 --> 00:40:54,740 and the am planting and it does another things to be done so we were busy enough all day 469 00:40:54,740 --> 00:41:00,740 though in the evening we had little time to ourselves among other things I learned to 470 00:41:00,740 --> 00:41:06,540 dispense drugs from the surgeon and picked up a smattering of his knowledge all the time I 471 00:41:06,540 --> 00:41:11,860 was on the lookout for a chance to escape but it is hundreds of miles from other lands 472 00:41:11,860 --> 00:41:19,180 and there is little no window no seas so it was terribly difficult to get away the surgeon 473 00:41:19,180 --> 00:41:24,460 doctor somatin was a far sporting young chap and the other young officers would meet in 474 00:41:24,460 --> 00:41:31,220 his rooms of an evening and play cards the surgery where I used to make up my drugs was 475 00:41:31,220 --> 00:41:38,100 next to his sitting room with a small window between us often if I felt loaned some I used 476 00:41:38,100 --> 00:41:43,260 to turn out the lamp in the surgery and then standing there I could hear their talk and 477 00:41:43,260 --> 00:41:49,580 watch their play I am a fond of a hand of cards myself and it was almost as good as having 478 00:41:49,580 --> 00:41:55,900 one to watch the others there was major sholto captain morston and lieutenant bromley 479 00:41:55,900 --> 00:42:02,180 brown who were in the command of the native troops and there was a surgeon himself and two 480 00:42:02,180 --> 00:42:09,540 or three prison officials crafty old hands who played a nice slice safe game a very snug little 481 00:42:09,540 --> 00:42:17,220 party they used to make well there was one thing which very soon struck me and that was that 482 00:42:17,220 --> 00:42:23,620 the soldiers always used to lose and their civilians would win mind I don't say that there 483 00:42:23,620 --> 00:42:29,680 was anything unfair but so it was these prison chaps had didn't know the rest of the 484 00:42:29,680 --> 00:42:34,200 louts but play cards ever since they had been at the adamns and they knew each other's 485 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:39,620 games to a point while the others just played past time and threw their cards down any 486 00:42:39,620 --> 00:42:45,580 now night after night the soldiers got up poor men and the poor were they got the more 487 00:42:45,580 --> 00:42:52,780 keen they were to play major sholto was the hardest hit he used to pay in notes and gold 488 00:42:52,780 --> 00:42:59,100 at first but soon it came to notes of hand and for big sums he sometimes would win for a 489 00:42:59,100 --> 00:43:04,100 few deals just to give him heart and then the luck would seem to be set against him and 490 00:43:04,100 --> 00:43:09,540 the worse would happen all day he would wonder about his blackest thunder and he took to 491 00:43:09,540 --> 00:43:17,340 drinking and a deal more than was good for him one night he lost even more heavily than usual 492 00:43:17,340 --> 00:43:21,940 I was sitting in my hut when he and captain morston came stumbling along on the way to 493 00:43:21,940 --> 00:43:28,780 their quarters they were buzzing friends loasting and never far apart the major was raving 494 00:43:28,780 --> 00:43:33,940 about his losses it's all that morston he was saying as he passed the hut I shall have 495 00:43:33,940 --> 00:43:40,380 to send in my papers I'm a ruined man nonsense old chap said the other slapping him upon 496 00:43:40,380 --> 00:43:46,700 the shoulder I've had a nasty face myself but that was all I could hear but it was enough 497 00:43:46,700 --> 00:43:53,700 to set me thinking a couple of days later major sholto was strolling on the beach so I 498 00:43:53,700 --> 00:44:00,140 took a chance of speaking to him I wish to have your advice major said I well small what 499 00:44:00,140 --> 00:44:07,780 is it he asked taking his cherry root from his lips I wanted to ask you sir who is the proper 500 00:44:07,780 --> 00:44:12,860 person to whom hidden treasure should be handed over I know we're half a million worth 501 00:44:12,860 --> 00:44:19,860 lies and as I cannot use it myself I thought perhaps the best thing I could do would be to 502 00:44:19,860 --> 00:44:24,900 hand it over to the proper authorities and then perhaps they could get my sentence shortened 503 00:44:24,900 --> 00:44:32,100 for me half a million small he got looking hard at me to see if I was an earnest quite 504 00:44:32,100 --> 00:44:38,540 that sir in jewels and pearls it lies there ready for anyone and the queer thing about it 505 00:44:38,540 --> 00:44:44,340 is the real owner is outlawed and cannot hold property so that it belongs to the first 506 00:44:44,340 --> 00:44:51,340 come a to government small he stammered to government but he said it in a halting fashion 507 00:44:51,340 --> 00:44:57,940 and I knew in my heart that I'd got him you think then sir that I should give the information 508 00:44:57,940 --> 00:45:04,180 to the governor general said I quietly well well you must not do anything rash or you might 509 00:45:04,180 --> 00:45:11,540 repent let me hear all about it small give me the facts I told him the whole story with 510 00:45:11,540 --> 00:45:18,300 small changes so that he could not identify the places when I finished he stood stock still 511 00:45:18,300 --> 00:45:23,560 and full of thought I could see by the twitch of his lip that there was a struggle going 512 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:29,940 on within him this is a very important matter small he said at last you must not say 513 00:45:29,940 --> 00:45:37,460 were to anyone about it and I shall see you again soon to nights later he and his friend 514 00:45:37,460 --> 00:45:43,380 captain morston came to my heart in the dead of night with a lantern I want you just to 515 00:45:43,380 --> 00:45:50,140 let captain morston hear the story from your own lips small city I repeated it as I told 516 00:45:50,140 --> 00:45:58,940 it before it rings true it said he it's good enough to act upon captain morston nodded 517 00:45:58,940 --> 00:46:04,780 look here small said the major we have been talking it over my friend here and we've come to 518 00:46:04,780 --> 00:46:10,060 the conclusion that this secret of yours is hardly a government matter after all but 519 00:46:10,060 --> 00:46:15,340 is a private concern of your own which of course you have the power of disposing as you 520 00:46:15,340 --> 00:46:22,500 think best now the question is what price would you ask for it we might be inclined to take 521 00:46:22,500 --> 00:46:29,580 it up and at least look into it if we could agree as to terms he tried to speak in a cool 522 00:46:29,580 --> 00:46:36,300 careless way but his eyes were shining with excitement and greed why as to that gentleman 523 00:46:36,300 --> 00:46:42,900 I answered trying to be as cool as I could but feeling as excited as he did there is only 524 00:46:42,900 --> 00:46:48,940 one bargain which a man in my position can make I shall want you to help me to my freedom 525 00:46:48,940 --> 00:46:54,500 and to help my three companions to theirs we shall then take you to the partnership and 526 00:46:54,500 --> 00:47:01,980 give you a fifth share to divide between you a fifth that's not very tempting it would 527 00:47:01,980 --> 00:47:08,100 come to fifty thousand a piece that I but how can we gain your freedom you know very 528 00:47:08,100 --> 00:47:14,380 well you are asking impossibility nothing of the sort I answered I have thought at all to 529 00:47:14,380 --> 00:47:20,620 the last detail the only bar to our escape is that we can get no boat fit for voyage and 530 00:47:20,620 --> 00:47:27,100 no provisions to last us for longer time there are plenty of little yachts and yawls at 531 00:47:27,100 --> 00:47:33,900 Calcutta or Madras which would serve our turn well do bring one over we shall engage to 532 00:47:33,900 --> 00:47:39,260 get abroad her by night and if you will drop us any part the ending coast you will have 533 00:47:39,260 --> 00:47:47,140 done your part of the bargain if there were only one he said none or all I answered we have 534 00:47:47,140 --> 00:47:54,300 sworn it the four of us must always act together you see Mauston said he small as man of 535 00:47:54,300 --> 00:48:01,540 his word he does not flinch from his friend I think we may very well trust him it's a dirty 536 00:48:01,540 --> 00:48:08,380 business the other answered yet as you say the money would save our commissions handsomely 537 00:48:08,380 --> 00:48:14,820 old small said the major we must I suppose try and meet you we must first of course test 538 00:48:14,820 --> 00:48:20,380 the truth of your story tell me where the box is hid and I shall get leave of absence and 539 00:48:20,380 --> 00:48:27,300 go back to India in the monthly relief rotor to inquire into the affair not so far said 540 00:48:27,300 --> 00:48:33,820 I growing colder as he got hot I must have the consent of my three comrades I tell you 541 00:48:33,820 --> 00:48:40,420 that it is for or none with us nonsensey broken we have three black fellows to do with our 542 00:48:40,420 --> 00:48:48,500 agreement black or blue said I they are in with me and we are all together well the matter 543 00:48:48,500 --> 00:48:56,180 ended by second meeting at which Moham as sing Abdullah Khan and Dost Akbar were all present 544 00:48:56,180 --> 00:49:02,140 we talked the matter over again and at last we came to an arrangement we were to provide 545 00:49:02,140 --> 00:49:06,940 the officers with charts the parts of the agra fort and marked the place in the wall where 546 00:49:06,940 --> 00:49:14,380 the treasure was hid major sholter was go to India to test our story if he found a box he 547 00:49:14,380 --> 00:49:19,940 was to leave it there to send out a small yacht provisioned for a voyage which was to lie 548 00:49:19,940 --> 00:49:25,980 off Rutland island and to which we were to make our way and finally to return to his duties 549 00:49:25,980 --> 00:49:33,260 captain morston was then to apply for leave of absence to meet us agra and there we were 550 00:49:33,260 --> 00:49:40,220 to have a final division of the treasure he taking the measures share as well is his own 551 00:49:40,220 --> 00:49:47,980 all this we sealed by the most solemn of oaths and that for the mine could utter I sat up all 552 00:49:47,980 --> 00:49:53,620 night with paper and ink and by morning I had two charts already signed with the sign of 553 00:49:53,620 --> 00:50:02,260 the four that is Abdullah Akbar Mohammed and myself well gentlemen I weary you with my long 554 00:50:02,260 --> 00:50:08,900 story and I know that my friend mr jones is impatient to get me safely stowed in choky I'll 555 00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:14,980 make it as short as I can the villain sholter went off to India but he never came back again 556 00:50:14,980 --> 00:50:21,700 captain morston showed me his name among a list of passengers in one of the male boats very shortly 557 00:50:21,700 --> 00:50:29,620 afterwards his uncle had died leaving him a fortune and he had left the army yet he could not stoop 558 00:50:29,620 --> 00:50:36,500 to treat five men as he had treated us morston went over to agra shortly afterwards and found as 559 00:50:36,500 --> 00:50:43,780 we expected that the in treasure was indeed gone the scoundrel had stolen it all without carrying one 560 00:50:43,780 --> 00:50:49,540 of the five conditions which we had sold in the secret from that day I lived only for vengeance 561 00:50:50,260 --> 00:50:57,060 I thought of it by day and I nursed it by night it became an overpowering absorbing passion with me 562 00:50:57,060 --> 00:51:05,540 I cared nothing for the law nothing for the gallows to escape to track down sholter to have my hand 563 00:51:05,540 --> 00:51:12,900 upon his throat that was my one thought even the agra treasured come to be a smaller thing in my mind 564 00:51:12,900 --> 00:51:20,180 than slaying of sholter well I have set my mind on many things in my life and never 565 00:51:20,180 --> 00:51:28,180 won which I did not carry out but I was weary for the years of my time came I have told you that I'd 566 00:51:28,180 --> 00:51:35,220 picked up something of medicine one day when dr. summison was down with a fever a little adamant 567 00:51:35,220 --> 00:51:41,780 islander was picked up by a convict gang in the woods he was sick to death and had gone to a lonely 568 00:51:41,780 --> 00:51:49,140 place to die I took him in hand though he was venomous as a young snake and after a couple of months 569 00:51:49,140 --> 00:51:56,020 I got a mort right unable to walk he took a kind of fancy to me then and would hardly go back to his 570 00:51:56,020 --> 00:52:04,020 woods but he was always hanging about by my heart I learned a little of his lingo and this made him 571 00:52:04,020 --> 00:52:11,860 all the more funter of me Tonga that was his name was a fine boatman and owned a big roomy canoe 572 00:52:11,860 --> 00:52:18,420 of his own when I found that he had devoted to me and would do anything to serve me I saw my 573 00:52:18,420 --> 00:52:24,900 chance of escape I talked over with him and he was to bring his boat round on a certain night 574 00:52:24,900 --> 00:52:31,860 to an old wharf which was never guarded and there he was to pick me up I gave him directions to 575 00:52:31,860 --> 00:52:39,860 have several goards of water and a lot of yams and coconuts and sweet potatoes he was starch and 576 00:52:39,860 --> 00:52:47,620 true was little Tonga no man had ever been more faithful at the night named he had his boat at the 577 00:52:47,620 --> 00:52:54,100 wharf as it chance however there was one of the convict guard down there a vile patent who had never 578 00:52:54,100 --> 00:53:00,340 missed a chance of insulting or injuring me I had always vowed vengeance and now I had my chance 579 00:53:00,340 --> 00:53:06,500 it was as if fate had placed him in my way that I may pay my debt before I left the island 580 00:53:06,500 --> 00:53:11,860 he stood on the bank with his back to me and his car buying on his shoulder 581 00:53:12,820 --> 00:53:19,940 I looked about for a stone to beat out his brains with but none I could see then a queer thought came 582 00:53:19,940 --> 00:53:26,340 into my head and show me where I could lay my hands on a weapon I sat down in the darkness 583 00:53:26,340 --> 00:53:33,460 and unstrap my wooden leg with three long hops I was on him he put his carbine to his shoulder but 584 00:53:33,460 --> 00:53:39,940 I struck him full and knocked the whole front of his skull and you can see the split of the wood now 585 00:53:39,940 --> 00:53:47,300 where I hid him we both went down together for I could not keep my balance but when I got up I found 586 00:53:47,300 --> 00:53:55,700 him still lying quiet enough I made for the boat and in an hour we were all out to sea Tonga had 587 00:53:55,700 --> 00:54:02,580 brought all his unearthly possessions with him his arms and his gods among other things he had a long 588 00:54:02,580 --> 00:54:11,300 bamboo spear and some and a man coconut matting which it made a sort of sale for ten days we were 589 00:54:11,300 --> 00:54:17,860 beating about trusting to luck and on the eleventh we were picked up by a trader which was going from 590 00:54:17,860 --> 00:54:26,020 Singapore to Jitter with a cargo of malai pilgrims they were a rum crowd and Tonga and I soon managed 591 00:54:26,020 --> 00:54:32,500 to settle down among them they had one very good quality they let you alone and asked no questions 592 00:54:32,500 --> 00:54:39,860 well if I were to tell you about all the adventures that my little chairman I went through you would 593 00:54:39,860 --> 00:54:46,500 not thank me for I would have you here until the sun was shining here and there we drifted about 594 00:54:46,500 --> 00:54:53,140 the world something always turning up to keep us from landing all the time however I never lost 595 00:54:53,140 --> 00:55:00,260 sight of my purpose I would dream of shaltto at the night a hundred times I've killed him in my sleep 596 00:55:00,260 --> 00:55:08,900 at last however some three or four years ago we found ourselves in England I had no great difficulty 597 00:55:08,900 --> 00:55:15,460 in finding where shaltto lived I set to work to discover whether he had realized the treasure 598 00:55:15,460 --> 00:55:21,940 or if he was still had it I'd made friends with someone who could help me I named no names 599 00:55:21,940 --> 00:55:27,700 friedo want anyone to get into a false hole and I soon found that he still had the jewels 600 00:55:28,340 --> 00:55:36,180 then I tried to get at him in many ways but he was pretty sly and had always two price fighters 601 00:55:36,180 --> 00:55:44,660 besides his sons and his kitmurga on the guard over him one day however I got word that he was 602 00:55:44,660 --> 00:55:50,820 dying I hurried at once to the garden mad that he would slip out of my clutches like that 603 00:55:50,820 --> 00:55:57,140 and looking through the window I saw him lying in his bed with his sons each side of him 604 00:55:57,300 --> 00:56:04,260 I have come through and take my chance with the three of them only even as I looked at them and I saw 605 00:56:04,260 --> 00:56:12,580 his jaw dropped I knew that he was gone I got into his room the same night and I searched his papers to 606 00:56:12,580 --> 00:56:20,100 see if there was any record of where he'd hid my jewels there was not a line however so I came away 607 00:56:20,100 --> 00:56:28,180 bitter and savage as a man could be before I left I thought myself that should I ever meet my 608 00:56:28,180 --> 00:56:33,780 seek friends again it would be a satisfaction to know that I'd left some mark of our hatred 609 00:56:33,780 --> 00:56:40,180 so I scroll down the sign of the four of us as it had been on the chart and I pinned it on his 610 00:56:40,180 --> 00:56:47,140 bism it was too much that he should be taken to the grave without some token from the men who he had 611 00:56:47,140 --> 00:56:55,140 robbed him before we earned a living at this time by my exhibiting poor tomgur at fairs and other 612 00:56:55,140 --> 00:57:01,940 such places of the black cannibal he would eat raw meat and dance in the ward dance so we always had 613 00:57:01,940 --> 00:57:08,580 a hat full of pennies after a day's work I still heard all the news from Bondickry Lodge and for 614 00:57:08,580 --> 00:57:15,380 some years there was no news to hear except that they were hunting for the treasure at last however 615 00:57:15,940 --> 00:57:22,580 came what we'd waited for for so long the treasure had been found it was up at the top of the house 616 00:57:22,580 --> 00:57:30,020 in mr bar tholamue shaltos chemical laboratory I came at once and had a look at the place but I could 617 00:57:30,020 --> 00:57:36,740 not see how my wooden leg and I was able to make why why I I learned however about a trap door in 618 00:57:36,740 --> 00:57:43,780 the roof and also about mr shaltos supper hour it seemed to me that I could manage the thing easily 619 00:57:43,780 --> 00:57:52,020 through tonga I brought him out with me for a long rope wound around his waist he could climb like a cat 620 00:57:52,020 --> 00:57:57,540 and he had soon made his way through the roof but ill luck would have it botholamue shaltos was 621 00:57:57,540 --> 00:58:04,260 still in the room to his cost tonga thought he had done something very clever in killing him for 622 00:58:04,260 --> 00:58:11,140 when I came up by the rope I found him strutting about as proud as a peacock very much surprised was 623 00:58:11,140 --> 00:58:15,780 he when I made him with the rope sending cursed him for the little blood thirsty him 624 00:58:15,780 --> 00:58:22,980 I took the treasure box and let it down and then slid down the rope myself having first left the 625 00:58:22,980 --> 00:58:29,380 signer the forer upon the table to show that the jewels had come back at last to those who had most 626 00:58:29,380 --> 00:58:35,780 right to them tonga then pulled the rope up closed the window and made off the way he had come 627 00:58:37,620 --> 00:58:43,460 I don't know that I have anything else to tell you I heard a watermelon speaker the speed of the 628 00:58:43,460 --> 00:58:50,420 Smith's launch of the aurora so I thought she would be a handy craft for our escape I engaged with 629 00:58:50,420 --> 00:58:56,820 old mr smith and was to give him a big sum if he got us saved to our ship he knew no doubt that 630 00:58:56,820 --> 00:59:03,380 was there was some screw loose but he was not in our secrets all this is the truth and if I tell 631 00:59:03,380 --> 00:59:09,940 it to you gentlemen it is not to amuse you for you have not done me a very good turn but it is because 632 00:59:09,940 --> 00:59:16,820 I believe the best offense I can make is just a whole back nothing but let all the world know how badly 633 00:59:16,820 --> 00:59:24,820 I have been served myself by major shaltto and how innocent I am of the death of his son a very 634 00:59:24,820 --> 00:59:30,820 remarkable account said mr. Sherlock Holmes a fitting wind up to an extremely interesting case 635 00:59:31,620 --> 00:59:36,660 there is nothing at all new to me in the latter part of your narrative except that you brought your 636 00:59:36,660 --> 00:59:43,620 own rope that I did not know by the way I had hoped that tonga had lost all his darts yet he managed 637 00:59:43,620 --> 00:59:50,100 to shoot one of us in the boot he had lost them all sir except the one which was in his blowpipe 638 00:59:50,100 --> 00:59:57,620 at the time of course mr. Holmes I had not thought of that is there any other point which you 639 00:59:57,620 --> 01:00:04,420 would like to ask about ask the convict affably I think not thank you my companions answered 640 01:00:04,420 --> 01:00:11,860 well Holmes said a thelny Jones you are man to be humid and we all know that you are a connoisseur 641 01:00:11,860 --> 01:00:18,260 of crime but duty is duty and I have gone rather far in doing what you and your friends asked me 642 01:00:18,260 --> 01:00:23,780 I shall feel more ease when we have our storyteller here safe under lock and key 643 01:00:24,420 --> 01:00:30,660 the cab still awaits then there are two inspectors downstairs I am much obliged to you both for your 644 01:00:30,660 --> 01:00:37,620 assistance of course you will be wanted at the trial goodnight to you goodnight gentlemen both said 645 01:00:37,620 --> 01:00:44,740 Jonathan small you first small remark the wary Jones as they left the room I'll take a particular 646 01:00:44,740 --> 01:00:50,100 care of you that you don't club me with your wooden leg whatever you may have done to the gentleman 647 01:00:50,100 --> 01:00:57,700 at the Andaman Isles well and there is the end of our little drama I remarked after we had set up 648 01:00:57,700 --> 01:01:03,460 sometimes smoking in silence I fear that I may be the last investigation which I shall have the 649 01:01:03,460 --> 01:01:09,940 chance of studying your methods miss morston has done me the honour to accept me as a husband in 650 01:01:09,940 --> 01:01:18,420 perspective he gave the most dismal groan I feared it much said he I really cannot congratulate you 651 01:01:19,380 --> 01:01:24,900 I was a little hurt have you ever been reasoned to be disassafied with my choice I asked 652 01:01:24,900 --> 01:01:32,020 not at all I think she is one of the most charming and ladies I've ever met and might have been the 653 01:01:32,020 --> 01:01:39,460 most useful in such work if we've been doing she had a decided genius that way witness the way in 654 01:01:39,460 --> 01:01:45,620 which you preserved that agra plan for all the other papers of her father but love is an emotional 655 01:01:45,620 --> 01:01:51,940 thing and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason what I have placed above all 656 01:01:51,940 --> 01:02:00,660 things I should never marry myself lest I bias my judgment I trust said I laughing that my judgment 657 01:02:00,660 --> 01:02:08,340 may survive the ordeal but you look weary yes the reaction is already upon me I should be a limp 658 01:02:08,340 --> 01:02:16,180 as a rag for a week strange said I how terms of what in another man I should call laziness alternate 659 01:02:16,180 --> 01:02:24,420 with your fits of splendid energy and vigol yes he answered there are in me the makings of a very 660 01:02:24,420 --> 01:02:33,220 fine loafer and also of a pretty spryce or tovello I often think of those lines of the old guff by the way 661 01:02:34,580 --> 01:02:40,500 purpose of this norwood business you see that they had as I surmised a confederate in the house 662 01:02:40,500 --> 01:02:47,940 it could be the none other than lorale the butler so jones actually had the undivided honour of 663 01:02:47,940 --> 01:02:55,620 having caught one fish in this great hall the division seems rather unfair I remarked you have done 664 01:02:55,620 --> 01:03:03,060 all the work in this business I get a wife out of it jones gets the credit pray what remains for you 665 01:03:04,020 --> 01:03:11,060 for me said Sherlock Holmes they still remains the cocaine bottle and he stretched his long white 666 01:03:11,060 --> 01:03:13,380 hand up for it 667 01:03:13,380 --> 01:03:15,180