Thetwomenhadstoppedoppositethewindow。SomechalkmarksoverthewaistcoatpocketweretheonlysignsofbilliardswhichIcouldseeinoneofthem。
　　Theotherwasaverysmall，darkfellow，withhishatpushedbackandseveralpackagesunderhisarm。”Anoldsoldier，Iperceive，”saidSherlock。”Andveryrecentlydischarged，”remarkedthebrother。”ServedinIndia，Isee。””Andanon-commissionedofficer。””RoyalArtillery，Ifancy，”saidSherlock。”Andawidower。””Butwithachild。””Children，mydearboy，children。””Come，”saidI，laughing，”thisisalittletoomuch。””Surely，”answeredHolmes，”itisnothardtosaythatamanwiththatbearing，expressionofauthority，andsunbakedskin，isasoldier，ismorethanaprivate，andisnotlongfromIndia。””Thathehasnotlefttheservicelongisshownbyhisstillwearingisammunitionboots，astheyarecalled，”observedMycroft。”Hehadnotthecavalrystride，yetheworehishatononeside，asisshownbythelighterskinofthatsideofhisbrow。Hisweightisagainsthisbeingasapper。Heisintheartillery。””Then，ofcourse，hiscompletemourningshowsthathehaslostsomeoneverydear。Thefactthatheisdoinghisownshoppinglooksasthoughitwerehiswife。Hehasbeenbuyingthingsforchildren，youperceive。Thereisarattle，whichshowsthatoneofthemisveryyoung。Thewifeprobablydiedinchildbed。Thefactthathehasapicture-bookunderhisarmshowsthatthereisanotherchildtobethoughtof。”
　　Ibegantounderstandwhatmyfriendmeantwhenhesaidthathisbrotherpossessedevenkeenerfacultiesthathedidhimself。Heglancedacrossatmeandsmiled。Mycrofttooksnufffromatortoise-shellbox，andbrushedawaythewanderinggrainsfromhiscoatfrontwithalarge，redsilkhandkerchief。”Bytheway，Sherlock，”saidhe，”Ihavehadsomethingquiteafteryourownheart——amostsingularproblem——submittedtomyjudgment。Ireallyhadnottheenergytofollowitupsaveinaveryincompletefashion，butitgavemeabasisforsomepleasingspeculation。Ifyouwouldcaretohearthefacts——””MydearMycroft，Ishouldbedelighted。”
　　Thebrotherscribbledanoteuponaleafofhispocket-book，and，ringingthebell，hehandedittothewaiter。”IhaveaskedMr。Melastostepacross，”saidhe。”Helodgesontheflooraboveme，andIhavesomeslightacquaintancewithhim，whichledhimtocometomeinhisperplexity。Mr。MelasisaGreekbyextraction，asIunderstand，andheisaremarkablelinguist。HeearnshislivingpartlyasinterpreterinthelawcourtsandpartlybyactingasguidetoanywealthyOrientalswhomayvisittheNorthumberlandAvenuehotels。IthinkIwillleavehimtotellhisveryremarkableexperienceinhisownfashion。”
　　Afewminuteslaterwewerejoinedbyashort，stoutmanwhoseolivefaceandcoal-blackhairproclaimedhisSouthernorigin，thoughhisspeechwasthatofaneducatedEnglishman。HeshookhandseagerlywithSherlockHolmes，andhisdarkeyessparkledwithpleasurewhenheunderstoodthatthespecialistwasanxioustohearhisstory。”Idonotbelievethatthepolicecreditme——onmyword，Idonot，”saidheinawailingvoice。”Justbecausetheyhaveneverheardofitbefore，theythinkthatsuchathingcannotbe。ButIknowthatIshallneverbeeasyinmyminduntilIknowwhathasbecomeofmypoormanwiththesticking-plasteruponhisface。””Iamallattention，”saidSherlockHolmes。”ThisisWednesdayevening，”saidMr。Melas。”Wellthen，itwasMondaynight——onlytwodaysago，youunderstand——thatallthishappened。Iamaninterpreter，asperhapsmyneighbortherehastoldyou。Iinterpretalllanguages——ornearlyall——butasIamaGreekbybirthandwithaGrecianname，itiswiththatparticulartonguethatIamprincipallyassociated。FormanyyearsIhavebeenthechiefGreekinterpreterinLondon，andmynameisverywellknowninthehotels。
　　IthappensnotunfrequentlythatIamsentforatstrangehoursbyforeignerswhogetintodifficulties，orbytravelerwhoarrivelateandwishmyservices。
　　Iwasnotsurprised，therefore，onMondaynightwhenaMr。Latimer，averyfashionablydressedyoungman，cameuptomyroomsandaskedmetoaccompanyhiminacabwhichwaswaitingatthedoor。AGreekfriendhadcometoseehimuponbusiness，hesaid，andashecouldspeaknothingbuthisowntongue，theservicesofaninterpreterwereindispensable。Hegavemetounderstandthathishousewassomelittledistanceoff，inKensington，andheseemedtobeinagreathurry，bustlingmerapidlyintothecabwhenwehaddescendedtothestreet。”Isayintothecab，butIsoonbecamedoubtfulastowhetheritwasnotacarriageinwhichIfoundmyself。
　　Itwascertainlymoreroomythantheordinaryfour-wheeleddisgracetoLondon，andthefittings，thoughfrayed，wereofrichquality。Mr。LatimerseatedhimselfoppositetomeandwestartedoffthroughCharingCrossanduptheShaftesburyAvenue。
　　WehadcomeoutuponOxfordStreetandIhadventuredsomeremarkastothisbeingaroundaboutwaytoKensington，whenmywordswerearrestedbytheextraordinaryconductofmycompanion。”Hebeganbydrawingamostformidable-lookingbludgeonloadedwithleadfromhispocket，andswitchingitbackwardandforwardseveraltimes，asiftotestitsweightandstrength。Thenheplaceditwithoutawordupontheseatbesidehim。Havingdonethis，hedrewupthewindowsoneachside，andIfoundtomyastonishmentthattheywerecoveredwithpapersoastopreventmyseeingthroughthem。”’Iamsorrytocutoffyourview，Mr。Melas，’saidhe。’ThefactisthatIhavenointentionthatyoushouldseewhattheplaceistowhichwearedriving。
　　Itmightpossiblybeinconvenienttomeifyoucouldfindyourwaythereagain。’”Asyoucanimagine，Iwasutterlytakenabackbysuchanaddress。Mycompanionwasapowerful，broad-shoulderedyoungfellow，and，apartfromtheweapon，Ishouldnothavehadtheslightestchanceinastrugglewithhim。”’Thisisveryextraordinaryconduct，Mr。Latimer，’I
　　stammered。’Youmustbeawarethatwhatyouaredoingisquiteillegal。’”’Itissomewhatofaliberty，nodoubt，’saidhe，’butwe’llmakeituptoyou。Imustwarnyou，however，Mr。Melas，thatifatanytimeto-nightyouattempttoraiseanalarmordoanythingwhichisagainstmyinterests，youwillfinditaveryseriousthing。Ibegyoutorememberthatnooneknowswhereyouare，andthat，whetheryouareinthiscarriageorinmyhouse，youareequallyinmypower。’”Hiswordswerequiet，buthehadaraspingwayofsayingthemwhichwasverymenacing。Isatinsilencewonderingwhatonearthcouldbehisreasonforkidnappingmeinthisextraordinaryfashion。Whateveritmightbe，itwasperfectlyclearthattherewasnopossibleuseinmyresisting，andthatIcouldonlywaittoseewhatmightbefall。”Fornearlytwohourswedrovewithoutmyhavingtheleastclueastowhereweweregoing。Sometimestherattleofthestonestoldofapavedcauseway，andatothersoursmooth，silentcoursesuggestedasphalt；
　　but，savebythisvariationinsound，therewasnothingatallwhichcouldintheremotestwayhelpmetoformaguessastowherewewere。Thepaperovereachwindowwasimpenetrabletolight，andabluecurtainwasdrawnacrosstheglassworkinfront。Itwasaquarter-pastsevenwhenweleftPallMall，andmywatchshowedmethatitwastenminutestoninewhenweatlastcametoastandstill。Mycompanionletdownthewindow，andIcaughtaglimpseofalow，archeddoorwaywithalampburningaboveit。AsIwashurriedfromthecarriageitswungopen，andIfoundmyselfinsidethehouse，withavagueimpressionofalawnandtreesoneachsideofmeasIentered。
　　Whetherthesewereprivategrounds，however，orbona-fidecountrywasmorethanIcouldpossiblyventuretosay。”Therewasacoloredgas-lampinsidewhichwasturnedsolowthatIcouldseelittlesavethatthehallwasofsomesizeandhungwithpictures。InthedimlightIcouldmakeoutthatthepersonwhohadopenedthedoorwasasmall，mean-looking，middle-agedmanwithroundedshoulders。Asheturnedtowardsustheglintofthelightshowedmethathewaswearingglasses。”’IsthisMr。Melas，Harold?’saidhe。”’Yes。’”’Welldone，welldone！Noill-will，Mr。Melas，I
　　hope，butwecouldnotgetonwithoutyou。Ifyoudealfairwithusyou’llnotregretit，butifyoutryanytricks，Godhelpyou！’Hespokeinanervous，jerkyfashion，andwithlittlegigglinglaughsinbetween，butsomehowheimpressedmewithfearmorethantheother。”’Whatdoyouwantwithme?’Iasked。”’OnlytoaskafewquestionsofaGreekgentlemanwhoisvisitingus，andtoletushavetheanswers。Butsaynomorethanyouaretoldtosay，or——’herecamethenervousgiggleagain——’youhadbetterneverhavebeenborn。’”Ashespokeheopenedadoorandshowedthewayintoaroomwhichappearedtobeveryrichlyfurnished，butagaintheonlylightwasaffordedbyasinglelamphalf-turneddown。Thechamberwascertainlylarge，andthewayinwhichmyfeetsankintothecarpetasI