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Page 107
"'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 door-way
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 some
one 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.
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