steppedacrossittoldmeofitsrichness。Icaughtglimpsesofvelvetchairs，ahighwhitemarblemantel-piece，andwhatseemedtobeasuitofJapanesearmoratonesideofit。Therewasachairjustunderthelamp，andtheelderlymanmotionedthatIshouldsitinit。Theyoungerhadleftus，buthesuddenlyreturnedthroughanotherdoor，leadingwithhimagentlemancladinsomesortofloosedressing-gownwhomovedslowlytowardsus。AshecameintothecircleofdimlightwhichenablesmetoseehimmoreclearlyIwasthrilledwithhorrorathisappearance。Hewasdeadlypaleandterriblyemaciated，withtheprotruding，brillianteyesofamanwhosespiritwasgreaterthanhisstrength。Butwhatshockedmemorethananysignsofphysicalweaknesswasthathisfacewasgrotesquelycriss-crossedwithsticking-plaster，andthatonelargepadofitwasfastenedoverhismouth。”’Haveyoutheslate，Harold?’criedtheolderman，asthisstrangebeingfellratherthansatdownintoachair。’Arehishandsloose?Now，then，givehimthepencil。Youaretoaskthequestions，Mr。Melas，andhewillwritetheanswers。Askhimfirstofallwhetherheispreparedtosignthepapers?’”Theman’seyesflashedfire。”’Never！’hewroteinGreekupontheslate。”’Onnocondition?’Iasked，atthebiddingofourtyrant。”’OnlyifIseehermarriedinmypresencebyaGreekpriestwhomIknow。’”Themangiggledinhisvenomousway。”’Youknowwhatawaitsyou，then?’”’Icarenothingformyself。’”Thesearesamplesofthequestionsandanswerswhichmadeupourstrangehalf-spoken，half-writtenconversation。AgainandagainIhadtoaskhimwhetherhewouldgiveinandsignthedocuments。
AgainandagainIhadthesameindignantreply。Butsoonahappythoughtcametome。Itooktoaddingonlittlesentencesofmyowntoeachquestion，innocentonesatfirst，totestwhethereitherofourcompanionsknewanythingofthematter，andthen，asI
foundthattheyshowednosignsIplayedamoredangerousgame。Ourconversationransomethinglikethis：”’Youcandonogoodbythisobstinacy。Whoareyou?’”’Icarenot。IamastrangerinLondon。’”’Yourfatewillbeuponyourownhead。Howlonghaveyoubeenhere?’”’Letitbeso。Threeweeks。’”’Thepropertycanneverbeyours。Whatailsyou?’”’Itshallnotgotovillains。Theyarestarvingme。’”’Youshallgofreeifyousign。Whathouseisthis?’”’Iwillneversign。Idonotknow。’”’Youarenotdoingheranyservice。Whatisyourname?’”’Letmehearhersayso。Kratides。’”’Youshallseeherifyousign。Whereareyoufrom?’”’ThenIshallneverseeher。Athens。’”Anotherfiveminutes，Mr。Holmes，andIshouldhavewormedoutthewholestoryundertheirverynoses。Myverynextquestionmighthaveclearedthematterup，butatthatinstantthedooropenedandawomansteppedintotheroom。Icouldnotseeherclearlyenoughtoknowmorethanthatshewastallandgraceful，withblackhair，andcladinsomesortofloosewhitegown。”’Harold，’saidshe，speakingEnglishwithabrokenaccent。’Icouldnotstayawaylonger。Itissolonelyuptherewithonly——Oh，myGod，itisPaul！’”TheselastwordswereinGreek，andatthesameinstantthemanwithaconvulsiveefforttoretheplasterfromhislips，andscreamingout’Sophy！
Sophy！’rushedintothewoman’sarms。Theirembracewasbutforaninstant，however，fortheyoungermanseizedthewomanandpushedheroutoftheroom，whiletheeldereasilyoverpoweredhisemaciatedvictim，anddraggedhimawaythroughtheotherdoor。ForamomentIwasleftaloneintheroom，andIsprangtomyfeetwithsomevagueideathatImightinsomewaygetacluetowhatthishousewasinwhichIfoundmyself。
Fortunately，however，Itooknosteps，forlookingupIsawthattheoldermanwasstandinginthedoor-waywithhiseyesfixeduponme。”’Thatwilldo，Mr。Melas，’saidhe。’Youperceivethatwehavetakenyouintoourconfidenceoversomeveryprivatebusiness。Weshouldnothavetroubledyou，onlythatourfriendwhospeaksGreekandwhobeganthesenegotiationshasbeenforcedtoreturntotheEast。Itwasquitenecessaryforustofindsomeonetotakehisplace，andwewerefortunateinhearingofyourpowers。’”Ibowed。”’Therearefivesovereignshere，’saidhe，walkinguptome，’whichwill，Ihope，beasufficientfee。Butremember，’headded，tappingmelightlyonthechestandgiggling，’ifyouspeaktoahumansoulaboutthis——onehumansoul，mind——well，mayGodhavemercyuponyoursoul！””Icannottellyoutheloathingandhorrorwithwhichthisinsignificant-lookingmaninspiredme。Icouldseehimbetternowasthelamp-lightshoneuponhim。