No. 10 The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter by Arthur Conan Doyle
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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 interests, 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 arasping 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 glass work 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 acoloured gas- lamp 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 mantel- piece, 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 enables 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 condition ? ' I asked, at_the bidding of_our tyrant .

"' 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 signs 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 upon 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 starving me .'

"' 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 aclue 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 grey, 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 aheathy 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 some one 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 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 any_one 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 off 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 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

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