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linguist； for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands
and a blanched cheek。 He had been taken swiftly to Beckenham； and
had acted as interpreter in a second interview； even more dramatic
than the first； in which the two Englishmen had menaced their prisoner
with instant death if he did not comply with their demands。 Finally；
finding him proof against every threat； they had hurled him back
into his prison； and after reproaching Melas with his treachery； which
appeared from the newspaper advertisement； they had stunned him with a
blow from a stick； and he remembered nothing more until he found us
bending over him。
And this was the singular case of the Grecian Interpreter； the
explanation of which is still involved in some mystery。 We were able
to find out； by communicating with the gentleman who had answered
the advertisement； that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy
Grecian family； and that she had been on a visit to some friends in
England。 While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer； who
had acquired an ascendency over her and had eventually persuaded her
to fly with him。 Her friends； shocked at the event； had contented
themselves with informing her brother at Athens； and had then washed
their hands of the matter。 The brother； on his arrival in England； had
imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his
associate； whose name was Wilson Kemp…a man of the foulest
antecedents。 These two； finding that through his ignorance of the
language he was helpless in their hands； had kept him a prisoner；
and had endeavoured by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away
his own and his sister's property。 They had kept him in the house
without the girl's knowledge； and the plaster over the face had been
for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should
ever catch a glimpse of him。 Her feminine perceptions； however； had
instantly seen through the disguise when； on the occasion of the
interpreter's visit； she had seen him for the first time。 The poor
girl； however； was herself a prisoner； for there was no one about
the house except the man who acted as coachman； and his wife； both
of whom were tools of the conspirators。 Finding that their secret
was out； and that their prisoner was not to be coerced； the two
villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the
furnished house which they had hired； having first； as they thought；
taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied and the one who had
betrayed them。
Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from
Budapest。 It told how two Englishmen who had been travelling with a
woman had met with a tragic end。 They had each been stabbed； it seems；
and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarrelled
and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other。 Holmes； however；
is； I fancy； of a different way of thinking； and he holds to this
day that； if one could find the Grecian girl； one might learn how
the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged。
THE END
。