"'Then I shall never see her. Athens.'
"Another five minutes, Mr. Holmes, and I should have wormed out thewhole story under their very noses. My very next question might havecleared the matter up, but at that instant the door opened and a womanstepped into the room. I could not see her clearly enough to know morethan that she was tall and graceful, with black hair, and clad in somesort of loose white gown.
"'Harold,' said she, speaking English with a broken accent. 'I could notstay away longer. It is so lonely up there with only--Oh, my God, it isPaul!'
"These last words were in Greek, and at the same instant the man witha convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips, and screaming out'Sophy! Sophy!' rushed into the woman's arms. Their embrace was but foran instant, however, for the younger man seized the woman and pushedher out of the room, while the elder easily overpowered his emaciatedvictim, and dragged him away through the other door. For a moment I wasleft alone in the room, and I sprang to my feet with some vague ideathat I might in some way get a clue to what this house was in which Ifound myself. Fortunately, however, I took no steps, for looking up Isaw that the older man was standing in the door-way with his eyes fixedupon me.
"'That will do, Mr. Melas,' said he. 'You perceive that we have takenyou into our confidence over some very private business. We should nothave troubled you, only that our friend who speaks Greek and who beganthese negotiations has been forced to return to the East. It wasquite necessary for us to find some one to take his place, and we werefortunate in hearing of your powers.'
"I bowed.
"'There are five sovereigns here,' said he, walking up to me, 'whichwill, I hope, be a sufficient fee. But remember,' he added, tapping melightly on the chest and giggling, 'if you speak to a human soul aboutthis--one human soul, mind--well, may God have mercy upon your soul!"
"I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which thisinsignificant-looking man inspired me. I could see him better now as thelamp-light shone upon him. His features were peaky and sallow, and hislittle pointed beard was thready and ill-nourished. He pushed his faceforward as he spoke and his lips and eyelids were continually twitchinglike a man with St. Vitus's dance. I could not help thinking that hisstrange, catchy little laugh was also a symptom of some nervous malady.The terror of his face lay in his eyes, however, steel gray, andglistening coldly with a malignant, inexorable cruelty in their depths.
"'We shall know if you speak of this,' said he. 'We have our own meansof information. Now you will find the carriage waiting, and my friendwill see you on your way.'
"I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle, again obtainingthat momentary glimpse of trees and a garden. Mr. Latimer followedclosely at my heels, and took his place opposite to me without a word.In silence we again drove for an interminable distance with the windowsraised, until at last, just after midnight, the carriage pulled up.
"'You will get down here, Mr. Melas,' said my companion. 'I am sorryto leave you so far from your house, but there is no alternative. Anyattempt upon your part to follow the carriage can only end in injury toyourself.'
"He opened the door as he spoke, and I had hardly time to spring outwhen the coachman lashed the horse and the carriage rattled away. Ilooked around me in astonishment. I was on some sort of a heathy commonmottled over with dark clumps of furze-bushes. Far away stretched aline of houses, with a light here and there in the upper windows. On theother side I saw the red signal-lamps of a railway.
"The carriage which had brought me was already out of sight. I stoodgazing round and wondering where on earth I might be, when I saw someone coming towards me in the darkness. As he came up to me I made outthat he was a railway porter.
"'Can you tell me what place this is?' I asked.
"'Wandsworth Common,' said he.
"'Can I get a train into town?'
"'If you walk on a mile or so to Clapham Junction,' said he, 'you'lljust be in time for the last to Victoria.'
"So that was the end of my adventure, Mr. Holmes. I do not know where Iwas, nor whom I spoke with, nor anything save what I have told you. ButI know that there is foul play going on, and I want to help that unhappyman if I can. I told the whole story to Mr. Mycroft Holmes next morning,and subsequently to the police."
We all sat in silence for some little time after listening to thisextraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock looked across at his brother.
"Any steps?" he asked.
Mycroft picked up the Daily News, which was lying on the side-table.
"'Anybody supplying any information to the whereabouts of a Greekgentleman named Paul Kratides, from Athens, who is unable to speakEnglish, will be rewarded. A similar reward paid to any one givinginformation about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophy. X 2473.' Thatwas in all the dailies. No answer."
"How about the Greek Legation?"
"I have inquired. They know nothing."
"A wire to the head of the Athens police, then?"
"Sherlock has all the energy of the family," said Mycroft, turning tome. "Well, you take the case up by all means, and let me know if you doany good."
"Certainly," answered my friend, rising from his chair. "I'll let youknow, and Mr. Melas also. In the meantime, Mr. Melas, I should certainlybe on my guard, if I were you, for of course they must know throughthese advertisements that you have betrayed them."
As we walked home together, Holmes stopped at a telegraph office andsent off several wires.
"You see, Watson," he remarked, "our evening has been by no meanswasted. Some of my most interesting cases have come to me in this waythrough Mycroft. The problem which we have just listened to, althoughit can admit of but one explanation, has still some distinguishingfeatures."
"You have hopes of solving it?"