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〃'Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest whom
I know。'
〃The man giggled in his venomous way。
〃'You know what awaits you； then？'
〃'I care nothing for myself。'
〃These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our
strange half…spoken； half…written conversation。 Again and again I
had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents。
Again and again I had the same indignant reply。 But soon a happy
thought came to me。 I took to adding on little sentences of my own
to each question； innocent ones at first； to test whether either of
our companions knew anything of the matter； and then； as I found
that they showed no sign I played a more dangerous game。 Our
conversation ran something like this：
〃'You can do no good by this obstinacy。 Who are you？'
〃'I care not。 I am a stranger in London。'
〃'Your fate will be on your own head。 How long have you been here？'
〃'Let it be so。 Three weeks。'
〃'The property can never be yours。 What ails you？'
〃'It shall not go to villains。 They are。'
〃'You shall go free if you sign。 What house is this？'
〃'I will never sign。 I do not know。'
〃'You are not doing her any service。 What is your name？'
〃'Let me hear her say so。 Kratides。'
〃'You shall see her if you sign。 Where are you from？'
〃'Then I shall never see her。 Athens。'
〃Another five minutes； Mr。 Holmes； and I should have wormed out
the whole story under their very noses。 My very next question might
have cleared the matter up； but at that instant the door opened and
a woman stepped into the room。 I could not see her clearly enough to
know more than that she was tall and graceful with black hair； and
clad in some sort of loose white gown。
〃'Harold；' said she； speaking English with a broken accent。 'I could
not stay away longer。 It is so lonely up there with only…Oh； my God；
it is Paul！'
〃These last words were in Greek； and at the same instant the man
with a convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips； and screaming
out 'Sophy！ Sophy！' rushed into the woman's arms。 Their embrace was
but for an instant； however； for the younger man seized the woman
and pushed her out of the room； while the elder easily overpowered his
emaciated victim and dragged him away through the other door。 For a
moment I was left alone in the room； and I sprang to my feet with some
vague idea that I might in some way get a clue to what this house
was in which I found myself。 Fortunately； however； I took no steps；
for looking up I saw that the older man was standing in the doorway；
with his eyes fixed upon me。
〃'That will do； Mr。 Melas；' said he。 'You perceive that we have
taken you into our confidence over some very private business。 We
should not have troubled you； only that our friend who speaks Greek
and who began these negotiations has been forced to return to the
East。 It was quite necessary for us to find someone to take his place；
and we were fortunate in hearing of your powers。'
〃I bowed。
〃'There are five sovereigns here；' said he； walking up to me； 'which
will； I hope； be a sufficient fee。 But remember；' he added； tapping me
lightly on the chest and giggling； 'if you speak to a human soul about
this…one human soul； mind…well； may God have mercy upon your soul！'
〃I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which this
insignificant…looking man inspired me。 I could see him better now as
the lamp…light shone upon him。 His features were peaky and sallow； and
his little pointed beard was thready and ill…nourished。 He pushed
his face forward as he spoke and his lips and eyelids were continually
twitching like a man with St。 Vitus's dance。 I could not help thinking
that his strange； catchy little laugh was also a symptom of some
nervous malady。 The terror of his face lay in his eyes； however； steel
gray； and glistening coldly with a malignant inexorable cruelty in
their depths。
〃'We shall know if you speak of this；' said he。 'We have our own
means of information。 Now you will find the carriage waiting； and my
friend will see you on your way。'
〃I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle； again
obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees and a garden。 Mr。 Latimer
followed closely at my heels and took his place opposite to me without
a word。 In silence we again drove for an interminable distance with
the windows raised； until at last； just after midnight； the carriage
pulled up。
〃'You will get down here； Mr。 Melas；' said my companion。 'I am sorry
to leave you so far from your house； but there is no alternative。
Any attempt upon your part to follow the carriage can only end in
injury to yourself。'
〃He opened the door as he spoke； and I had hardly time to spring out
when the coachman lashed the horse and the carriage rattled away。 I
looked around me in astonishment。 I was on some sort of a heathy
common mottled over with dark clumps of furze…bushes。 Far away
stretched a line of houses； with a light here and there in the upper
windows。 On the other side I saw the red signal…lamps of a railway。
〃The carriage which had brought me was already out of sight。 I stood
gazing 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 out that 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'll
just be in time for the last to Victoria。'
〃So that was the end of my adventure； Mr。 Holmes。 I do not know
where I was； nor whom I spoke with； nor anything save what I have told
you。 But I know that there is foul play going on； and I want to help
that unhappy man 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 this
extraordinary 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 as to the whereabouts of a
Greek gentleman named Paul Kratides； from Athens； who is unable to
speak English； will be rewarded。 A similar reward paid to anyone
giving information about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophy。 X
2473'
〃That was 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 to
me。 〃Well； you take the case up by all means and let me know if you do
any good。〃
〃Certainly；〃 answered my friend； rising from his chair。 〃I'll let
you know； and Mr。 Melas also。 In the meantime； Mr。 Melas； I should
certainly be on my guard if I were you； for of course they must know
through these advertisements that you have betrayed them。〃
As we walked home together； Holmes stopped at a telegraph office and
sent of several wires。
〃You see； Watson；〃 he remarked； 〃our evening has been by no means
wasted。 Some of my most interesting cases have come to me in this
way through Mycroft。 The problem which we have just listened to；
although it can admit of but one explanation； has still some
distinguishing features。〃
〃You have hopes of solving it？〃
〃Well； knowing as much as we do； it will be singular indeed if we
fail to discover the rest。 You must yourself have formed some theory
which will explain the facts to which we have listened。〃
〃In a vague way； yes。〃
〃What was your idea； then？〃
〃It seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl had been carried
off by the young Englishman named Harold Latimer。〃
〃Carried off from where？〃
〃Athens； perhaps。〃
Sherlock Holmes shook his head。 〃This young man could not talk a
word of Greek。 The lady could talk English fairly well。 Inference…that
she had been in England some little time； but he had not been in
Greece。〃
〃Well； then； we will presume that she had once come on a visit to
England； and that this Harold had persuaded her to fly with him。〃
〃That is more probable。〃
〃Then the brother…for that； I fancy； must be the
relationship…comes over from Greece to interfere。 He imprudently
puts himself into the power of the young man and his older
associate。 They seize him and use violence towards him in order to
make him sign some papers to make over the girl's fortune…of which
he may be trustee…to them。 This he refuses to do。 In order to
negotiate with him they have to get an interpreter； and they pitch
upon this Mr。 Melas； having used some other one before。 The girl is
not told of the arrival of her brother and finds it out by the
merest accident。
〃Excellent； Watson！〃 cried Holmes。 〃I really fancy that you are
not far from the truth。 You see that we hold all the cards； and we
have only to fear some sudden act of violence on their part。 If they
give us time we must have them。〃
〃But how can we find where this house lies？〃