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glanced across at me and smiled。 Mycroft took snuff from a
tortoise…shell box and brushed away the wandering grains from his coat
front with a large； red silk handkerchief。
〃By the way； Sherlock；〃 said he； 〃I have had something quite after
your own heart…a most singular problem…submitted to my judgment。 I
really had not the energy to follow it up save in a very incomplete
fashion； but it gave me a basis for some pleasing speculations。 If you
would care to hear the facts…〃
〃My dear Mycroft； I should be delighted。〃
The brother scribbled a note upon a leaf of his pocket…book； and；
ringing the bell； he handed it to the waiter。
〃I have asked Mr。 Melas to step across；〃 said he。 〃He lodges on
the floor above me； and I have some slight acquaintance with him；
which led him to come to me in his perplexity。 Mr。 Melas is a Greek by
extraction； as I understand； and he is a remarkable linguist。 He earns
his living partly as interpreter in the law courts and partly by
acting as guide to any wealthy Orientals who may visit the
Northumberland Avenue hotels。 I think I will leave him to tell his
very remarkable experience in his own fashion。〃
A few minutes later we were joined by a short； stout man whose olive
face and coal black hair proclaimed his Southern origin； though his
speech was that of an educated Englishman。 He shook hands eagerly with
Sherlock Holmes； and his dark eyes sparkled with pleasure when he
understood that the specialist was anxious to hear his story。
〃I do not believe that the police credit me…on my word； I do not；〃
said he in a wailing voice。 〃Just because they have never heard of
it before； they think that such a thing cannot be。 But I know that I
shall never be easy in my mind until I know what has become of my poor
man with the sticking…plaster upon his face。〃
〃I am all attention；〃 said Sherlock Holmes。
〃This is Wednesday evening；〃 said Mr。 Melas。 〃Well； then； it was
Monday night…only two days ago； you understand…that all this happened。
I am an interpreter； as perhaps my neighbour there has told you。 I
interpret all languages…or nearly all…but as I am a Greek by birth and
with a Grecian name； it is with that particular tongue that I am
principally associated。 For many years I have been the chief Greek
interpreter in London； and my name is very well known in the hotels。
〃It happens not unfrequently that I am sent for at strange hours
by foreigners who get into difficulties； or by travellers who arrive
late and wish my services。 I was not surprised； therefore； on Monday
night when a Mr。 Latimer； a very fashionably dressed young man； came
up to my rooms and asked me to accompany him in a cab which was
waiting at the door。 A Greek friend had come to see him upon business；
he said； and as he could speak nothing but his own tongue； the
services of an interpreter were indispensable。 He gave me to
understand that his house was some little distance off； in Kensington；
and he seemed to be in a great hurry； bustling me rapidly into the cab
when we had descended to the street。
〃I say into the cab； but I soon became doubtful as to whether it was
not a carriage in which I found myself。 It was certainly more roomy
than the ordinary four…wheeled disgrace to London； and the fittings；
though frayed； were of rich quality。 Mr。 Latimer seated himself
opposite to me and we started off through Charing Cross and up the
Shaftesbury Avenue。 We had come out upon Oxford Street and I had
ventured some remark as to this being a roundabout way to
Kensington； when my words were arrested by the extraordinary conduct
of my companion。
〃He began by drawing a most formidable…looking bludgeon loaded
with lead from his pocket； and switching it backward and forward
several times； as if to test its weight and strength。 Then he placed
it without a word upon the seat beside him。 Having done this； he
drew up the windows on each side； and I found to my astonishment
that they were covered with paper so as to prevent my seeing through
them。
〃'I am sorry to cut off your view； Mr。 Melas；' said he。 'The fact is
that I have no intention that you should see what the place is to
which we are driving。 It might possibly be inconvenient to me if you
could find your way there again。'
〃As you can imagine； I was utterly taken aback by such an address。
My companion was a powerful； broad…shouldered young fellow； and； apart
from the weapon； I should not have had the slightest chance in a
struggle with him。
〃'This is very extraordinary conduct； Mr。 Latimer；' I stammered。
'You must be aware that what you are doing is quite illegal。'
〃'It is somewhat of a liberty； no doubt；' said he； 'but we'll make
it up to you。 I must warn you； however； Mr。 Melas； that if at any time
to…night you attempt to raise an alarm or do anything which is against
my interest； you will find it a very serious thing。 I beg you to
remember that no one knows where you are； and that； whether you are in
this carriage or in my house； you are equally in my power。'
〃His words were quiet but he had a rasping way of saying them； which
was very menacing。 I sat in silence wondering what on earth could be
his reason for kidnapping me in this extraordinary fashion。 Whatever
it might be； it was perfectly clear that there was no possible use
in my resisting； and that I could only wait to see what might befall。
〃For nearly two hours we drove without my having the least clue as
to where we were going。 Sometimes the rattle of the stones told of a
paved causeway； and at others our smooth； silent course suggested
asphalt； but； save by this variation in sound； there was nothing at
all which could in the remotest way help me to form a guess as to
where we were。 The paper over each window was impenetrable to light；
and a blue curtain was drawn across the glasswork in front。 It was a
quarter past seven when we left Pall Mall； and my watch showed me that
it was ten minutes to nine when we at last came to a standstill。 My
companion let down the window； and I caught a glimpse of a low； arched
doorway with a lamp burning above it。 As I was hurried from the
carriage it swung open； and I found myself inside the house； with a
vague impression of a lawn and trees on each side of me as I
entered。 Whether these were private grounds； however； or bona…fide
country was more than I could possibly venture to say。
〃There was a coloured gaslamp inside which was turned so low that
I could see little save that the hall was of some size and hung with
pictures。 In the dim light I could make out that the person who had
opened the door was a small； mean…looking； middle…aged man with
rounded shoulders。 As he turned towards us the glint of the light
showed me that he was wearing glasses。
〃'Is this Mr。 Melas； Harold？' said he。
〃'Yes。'
〃'Well done； well done！ No ill…will； Mr。 Melas； I hope； but we could
not get on without you。 If you deal fair with us you'll not regret it；
but if you try any tricks； God help you！' He spoke in a nervous； jerky
fashion； and with little giggling laughs in between； but somehow he
impressed me with fear more than the other。
〃'What do you want with me？' I asked。
〃'Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman who is visiting
us； and to let us have the answers。 But say no more than you are
told to say； or…' here came the nervous giggle again…'you had better
never have been born。'
〃As he spoke he opened a door and showed the way into a room
which appeared to be very richly furnished； but again the only light
was afforded by a single lamp half…turned down。 The chamber was
certainly large； and the way in which my feet sank into the carpet
as I stepped across it told me of its richness。 I caught glimpses of
velvet chairs； a high white marble mantelpiece； and what seemed to
be a suit of Japanese armour at one side of it。 There was a chair just
under the lamp； and the elderly man motioned that I should sit in
it。 The younger had left us； but he suddenly returned through
another door； leading with him a gentleman clad in some sort of
loose dressing…gown who moved slowly towards us。 As he came into the
circle of dim light which enabled me to see him more clearly I was
thrilled with horror at his appearance。 He was deadly pale and
terribly emaciated； with the protruding； brilliant eyes of a man whose
spirit was greater than his strength。 But what shocked me more than
any signs of physical weakness was that his face was grotesquely
criss…crossed with sticking…plaster and that one large pad of it was
fastened over his mouth。
〃'Have you the slate； Harold？' cried the older man； as this
strange being fell rather than sat down into a chair。 'Are his hands
loose？ Now； then； give him the pencil。 You are to ask the questions；
Mr。 Melas； and he will write the answers。 Ask him first of all whether
he is prepared to sign the papers？'
〃The man's eyes flashed fire。
〃'Never！' he wrote in Greek upon the slate。
〃'On no conditions？' I asked at the bidding of our tyrant。
〃'Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest