0:00

Hi everyone, and welcome back to 1001

0:02

Sherlock Holmes stories and the best of

0:05

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This

0:07

is your host, John Haggadorn. We

0:09

recently completed ACD's favorite 12 Sherlock

0:12

Holmes adventures, which he chose for

0:14

the contest in the Strand magazine.

0:17

The arrangement was that the Strand reader who's list of

0:19

the top 12 came the closest

0:22

to Doyle's would win an autographed edition

0:24

of the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. His

0:27

last collection, the Casebook of

0:29

Sherlock Holmes, had not yet been published.

0:32

Doyle was later asked if he could add

0:34

seven more favorites, and he did. He

0:37

added Silver Blaze as 13, the Adventures

0:39

of the Bruce Partington plans as 14,

0:41

the Crooked Man

0:44

15, the Man with

0:46

the Twisted Lip 16, the Greek

0:48

interpreter 17, the Resident Patient 18,

0:52

and the Naval Treaty, one of my favorites, 19. Here

0:57

is ACD's 17th favorite, the

1:00

Greek interpreter. The

1:02

others will follow in the coming weeks. I

1:05

originally recorded this for 1001 classic

1:07

short stories and tales. Welcome

1:27

back everyone to 1001 Sherlock

1:29

Holmes stories and the best

1:32

of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

1:55

This is your host, John Hagidorn. Thanks

1:57

for joining us today. Our Story

1:59

today is... The Greek Interpreter from

2:01

the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. And.

2:05

Now or story. During.

2:08

My long an intimate acquaints with Mister Sherlock

2:11

Holmes. I had never heard him refer to

2:13

his relations and hardly ever to his own

2:15

early life. This. Reticence upon

2:17

his part had increased the somewhat

2:19

inhuman effect would you produced upon

2:21

me, until sometimes I found myself

2:23

regarding him as an isolated phenomenon,

2:25

a brain without a heart as

2:28

deficient in human sympathy as he

2:30

was preeminent in intelligence. Is

2:32

aversion to women and is disinclination to

2:34

form new friendships were both typical of

2:36

his own emotional character. But.

2:39

Not more so than is complete suppression of

2:41

every reference to his own people. I.

2:43

Come to believe that he was orphaned with no

2:45

relatives living. But. One day, to my

2:48

very great surprise, he began to talk

2:50

to me about his brother. It

2:54

was after t on a summer evenings

2:56

and the conversation which have roamed in

2:58

a desultory spasmodic fashion from golf clubs

3:00

to the causes of a change in

3:02

the book would he have the ecliptic

3:04

came round at last to the question

3:06

of atavism and hereditary aptitudes. The

3:09

point under discussion was how far

3:11

any singular gift in an individual

3:14

was Dude was ancestry. And how

3:16

far to his own early draining. In

3:19

your own case said I. From all

3:21

that you have told me, it seems

3:23

obvious that your faculty of observation and

3:25

your peculiar facility for deduction or did

3:28

your own systematic turning. My.

3:31

Arm to some extent, He

3:33

answered thoughtfully. My. Ancestors were

3:36

country squires who appeared to blood much

3:38

the same lights as is natural to

3:40

their class. Much. Nonetheless,

3:43

Might. Turn that way years and my brains

3:45

and may have come with my grandmother who

3:47

was a sister, a Burnett, the French artist.

3:50

Art. In the blood libel to take

3:52

the strangest forms. But.

3:55

How do you know that it is hereditary? Because.

3:58

My brother. my grub. No

4:00

larger degree that I know. This

4:03

was no dummy indeed. If

4:06

there were another man was such singular powers in

4:08

England, how was it that neither police nor public

4:10

had heard of him. I

4:12

put the question. With. A hint that

4:14

it was my companions modesty which made a big

4:16

knowledge His brother as a superior. Homes.

4:19

Left my suggestion. I.

4:22

Do watch it. Said. He I

4:24

cannot agree with those who ranked modesty

4:26

among the virtues. To. The

4:28

logician all things between exactly as they

4:30

are, and to underestimate oneself as as

4:32

much a departure from truth as to

4:35

exaggerate one's own powers. When.

4:37

I say therefore that Microsoft as better

4:40

powers of observation and I. Your.

4:42

I target, but I'm speaking the exact

4:44

and literal truth. Is

4:47

he your junior? Seven

4:49

years my senior, Outcomes

4:51

of that he is unknown. Always.

4:54

Very well known in his own circle. Where.

4:57

Then. While. And The

4:59

Dire Journeys Club resemble. I.

5:02

Never heard of the institution and my face

5:04

most of proclaimed as much for Sherlock Holmes.

5:06

Pulled out his watch. The. Direction

5:08

is clubbers, a curse club in London and

5:10

my crop one of the queer as men

5:12

is always there from quarter to vibe to

5:15

twenty to aid. It's six now

5:17

so if you care for a stroll this

5:19

beautiful even I shall be very happy to

5:21

introduce you to to curiosities. Five.

5:25

Minutes later, we were in the street walking

5:27

toward Ridges Circus. You.

5:30

Wonder. Said. My companion. Why

5:32

is it that my crop does not use

5:34

his powers for detective work? He.

5:36

Incapable of it. But

5:39

I thought you said. I. Should that

5:41

he was more superior and observation and

5:43

deduction. If the Art of the

5:45

Detective began and ended in recently from an

5:47

armchair, my brother would be the greatest criminal

5:49

aged that ever lived. But. He

5:51

has no ambition and no energy. You.

5:54

Will not even go out of his way to verify his

5:56

own solutions. And would rather be considered

5:58

wrong and take the trouble. Quip himself right?

6:02

Again and again I've taken a problem to

6:04

him and ever see that explanation which is

6:06

afterwards proved to be the correct one. And.

6:09

Yet he was absolutely a capable of working out

6:11

the parts to go boys which must be gone

6:13

into before case could be laid before a judge

6:15

or jury. It. Is not as

6:18

perversion and. Oh no,

6:20

by no means. What is to

6:22

me a means of livelihood is to him the mirrors

6:24

hobby of a deal. He

6:26

has an extraordinary faculty for figures and audits,

6:28

the books, and some of the government departments.

6:32

Minecraft Lodges and Pall Mall and he walked

6:34

around the corner and a white whole every

6:36

morning at birth to remain. From.

6:39

Years and years and he takes no

6:41

other exercise at a C. Nowhere else

6:44

except only the direction is club which

6:46

is just opposite is rooms. I.

6:49

Can't recall the name. Very

6:52

likely not. Are many men

6:54

in London you know who? Some from

6:56

shyness, some from misanthropy have no wish

6:58

for the company of their pillows. Yet

7:01

they're not averse to comfortable chairs and

7:03

the latest periodicals. Is for

7:05

the convenience of these that the diocese club

7:07

or started. At A now contains

7:10

the most on sociable and on playable men

7:12

in town. Know. Members permitted

7:14

to take the least notice of any other wanna.

7:17

Save. And strangers room know

7:19

talking is under any circumstances

7:21

allowed. And three offenses if

7:24

brought to the notice of the committee

7:26

rendered a talker, libeled explosion. My.

7:29

Brother was one of the founders and I have

7:31

my cell phones in a very soothing atmosphere. We.

7:35

Had reached Palmas, we talked and were walking

7:37

down a from the St. James's end. Sherlock.

7:40

Holmes stop at a door some little distance

7:43

from the carlton and cautioning me not to

7:45

speak, he led the way into the hall.

7:48

Through a glass panel in I caught a glimpse

7:50

of a large and luxuries room in which a

7:52

considerable number of men were sitting about and reading

7:55

papers. Each. in his own little nook.

7:58

Home. showed me it was small chamber which looked

8:00

out into Palmall, and then, leaving me

8:02

for a minute, he came back with

8:04

a companion, whom I knew could only

8:06

be his brother. My

8:09

cropped homes was a much larger and stouter man

8:11

than Sherlock. His body was

8:13

absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive,

8:15

had preserved something of the sharpness of

8:17

expression which was so remarkable in that

8:20

of his brother. His

8:22

eyes, which were of a peculiarly

8:24

light, watery grey, seemed to

8:26

always retain that faraway, introspective look which

8:28

I had only observed in Sherlock's when

8:30

he was exerting his full powers. "'I'm

8:33

glad to meet you, sir,' said he, putting

8:35

out a broad, fat hand like the flipper of

8:38

a seal. "'I hear

8:40

of Sherlock everywhere, since you became his chronicler.

8:43

By the way, Sherlock, I expected to see

8:45

you round last week, to consult me over

8:47

that manor-house case. I thought you might be

8:49

a little out of your depth.' "'No,

8:52

I solved it,' said my

8:54

friend, smiling. It was

8:56

Adams, of course. Yes, it

8:58

was Adams. I was sure of

9:00

it from the first. The two

9:02

sat down together in the bow window of the club. "'To

9:05

anyone who wishes to study mankind, this is

9:08

the spot,' said my croft. "'Look

9:10

at the magnificent types. Look

9:12

at these two men who are coming towards us, for example. A

9:15

billiard marker and the other?' "'Precisely.

9:18

What do you make of the other?' The

9:21

two men had stopped opposite the window, some chalk

9:23

marks over the waistcoat pocket with the only signs

9:25

of billiards which I could see in one of

9:27

them. The other was a

9:29

very small, dark fellow, with his hat pushed

9:31

back and several packages under his arm. "'An

9:34

old soldier, I perceive,' said

9:36

Sherlock. "'And very

9:39

recently discharged,' remarked the brother.

9:42

"'Served in India, I see. And

9:45

a noncommissioned officer.' "'Royal

9:48

artillery, I fancy,' said Sherlock. "'And

9:51

a widower. But with

9:53

a child. "'Children, my

9:55

dear boy, children.' "'Come,' said

9:58

I, laughing. "'This is a little too much.' Surely,"

10:02

answered Holmes, "'it is not hard to

10:04

say that a man with that buried

10:06

expression of authority and sun-baked skin is

10:08

a soldier, is more than a private,

10:11

and is not long from India, and

10:13

that he has not left the service long as shown

10:15

by his still wearing his ammunition boots as they are

10:17

called,' observed Mycroft. He

10:21

had not the cavalry's stride, yet he wore his hat

10:23

on one side, as he was shown by the lighter

10:25

skin of that side of his brow. His

10:28

weight is against his being a sapper. He

10:30

is in the artillery. Then,

10:32

of course, his complete mourning shows that he has

10:34

lost someone very dear. The fact that

10:36

he is doing his own shopping looks

10:38

as though it were his wife. He

10:40

has been buying things for children, you perceive. There

10:43

is a rattle, which shows that one of them is very

10:45

young. The wife probably died

10:47

in child-bed. The fact that

10:49

he has a picture-book under his arm shows that there is another

10:51

child to be thought of. I

10:54

began to understand what my friend meant when

10:56

he said that his brother possessed even keener

10:58

faculties than he did himself. He

11:00

glanced across at me and smiled. Mycroft

11:04

took snuff from a tortoiseshell box and brushed

11:06

away the wandering grains from his coat front

11:08

with a large, red silk handkerchief. "'By

11:12

the way, Sherlock,' said he,

11:14

"'I've had something quite after your own

11:16

heart, a most singular problem,' submitted to

11:18

my judgment. I really had not

11:20

the energy to follow it up, save in a very

11:23

incomplete fashion, but it gave me a

11:25

basis for some pleasing speculation. If

11:27

you would care to hear the facts?" "'Go

11:29

ahead, my dear mycroft. I should be delighted.'

11:33

The brother scribbled a note upon a leaf of

11:35

his pocket-book, and ringing the bell, he handed it

11:37

to the waiter. "'I've

11:39

asked Mr. Mieleus to step across. He

11:42

lodges on the floor above me, and I have some

11:44

slight acquaintance with him, which led him to come

11:46

to me and his perplexity. Mr.

11:49

Mieleus is a Greek by extraction, as

11:51

I understand, and he's a remarkable linguist.

11:53

He urges living partly as an interpreter in the

11:55

law courts, and partly by acting as guide to

11:58

any wealthy orientals who may visit the court. the

12:00

Northumberland Avenue hotels. I

12:02

think I will leave him to tell his very remarkable

12:04

experience in his own fashion." We'll

12:08

return to the Greek interpreter right after

12:10

these sponsor messages. And

12:14

now, back to our story. A

12:17

few minutes later we were joined by a

12:19

short, stout man whose olive face and cold

12:21

black hair proclaimed his southern origin, though

12:24

his speech was that of an educated Englishman. He

12:27

shook hands eagerly with Sherlock Holmes, and his

12:29

dark eyes sparkled with pleasure when he understood

12:31

that the specialist was anxious to hear his

12:33

story. "'I do not

12:36

believe that police credit me. On my word

12:38

I do not,' said he in

12:40

a wailing voice. "'Just because they've

12:42

never heard of it before, they think that such

12:44

a thing cannot be. But

12:46

I know that I shall never be easy in

12:48

my mind until I know what has become of

12:51

my poor man with the sticking plaster upon his

12:53

face.' "'I'm all in attention,'

12:55

said Sherlock Holmes. "'This

12:58

is Wednesday evening,' said

13:00

Mr. Miellis. "'Well, then, it was

13:02

Monday night, only two days ago, you

13:05

understand, that all this happened. I

13:08

am an interpreter, as perhaps my neighbor there has

13:10

told you. I interpret all

13:12

languages, or nearly all, but

13:14

as I am Greek by birth, and with a

13:16

Grecian name, it is with that

13:19

particular tongue that I am principally associated. For

13:21

many years I have been the chief Greek interpreter

13:23

in London, and my name is very well known

13:25

in the hotels. It

13:28

happens not unrequently that I am sent

13:30

for at strange hours by foreigners who

13:32

get into difficulties, or by

13:35

travelers who arrive late and wish my services.

13:38

I was not surprised, therefore, on

13:40

Monday night when a Mr. Latimer,

13:42

a very fashionably dressed young man,

13:45

came to my rooms and asked me to accompany him

13:47

in a cab which was waiting at the door. A

13:50

Greek friend had come to see him upon business, he said,

13:52

and as he could speak nothing but

13:54

his own tongue, the services of

13:57

an interpreter were indispensable. to

14:00

understand that his house was some little distance off,

14:02

in Kensington, and he seemed to be in a

14:04

great hurry, bustling me rapidly into

14:06

the cab when we had descended to the street.

14:10

I say into the cab, but I soon

14:12

became doubtful as to whether it was not a carriage in

14:14

which I found myself. It

14:16

was certainly more roomy than the ordinary

14:18

four-wheeled disgrace to London, and

14:21

the fittings, though frayed, were of rich quality.

14:24

Mr. Ladder receded himself opposite to me,

14:26

and we started off through Charing Cross

14:28

and up the Shaftesbury Avenue. We

14:31

had come out upon Oxford Street, and I had

14:33

ventured some remark as to this being a roundabout

14:35

way to Kensington, when my words

14:38

were arrested by the extraordinary conduct of my

14:40

companion. He began

14:42

by drawing a most formidable-looking bludgeon loaded

14:44

with lead from his pocket, and

14:47

switching it backward and forward several times as

14:49

if to test its weight and strength. Then

14:53

he placed it without a word upon the seat beside him. Having

14:56

done this, he drew up the windows on each side,

14:58

and I found to my astonishment that

15:00

they were covered with paper so as to prevent

15:02

my seeing through them. "'I'm

15:05

sorry to cut up your view, Mr. Maelis,' said

15:08

he. The fact is that I have

15:10

no intention that you should see what the place is to

15:12

which we're driving. It might possibly

15:14

be inconvenient to me if you

15:17

could find your way there again.' As

15:20

you can imagine, I was utterly taken aback

15:22

by such an address. My

15:25

companion was a powerful, broad-shouldered young fellow,

15:27

and apart from the weapon, I should

15:29

not have had the slightest chance in a struggle with him. "'This

15:33

is very extraordinary conduct, Mr. Latimer,'

15:36

I stammered. "'You must be aware that

15:38

what you're doing is quite illegal.' "'It

15:41

is somewhat of a liberty, no doubt,' said he,

15:43

but we'll make it up to you. I

15:46

must warn you, however, Mr. Maelis, that

15:48

if any time tonight you attempt to raise

15:50

an alarm or do anything which is against

15:52

my interest, you will find it

15:55

a very serious thing. I

15:57

beg you to remember that no one knows where you

15:59

are." are, and that, whether you are

16:01

in this carriage or in my house, you

16:04

are equally in my power." His

16:07

words were quiet, but he had a rasping way

16:09

of saying them which was very menacing. I

16:12

sat in silence wondering what on earth could

16:14

be his reason for kidnapping me in this

16:16

extraordinary fashion. Whatever it

16:18

might be, it was perfectly clear that there was

16:20

no possible use in my resisting, and

16:22

that I could only wait to see what might befall. For

16:27

nearly two hours we drove without my having the least

16:29

clue as to where we were going. Sometimes

16:32

the rattle of the stones told of a paved

16:34

causeway, and in others our smooth, silent

16:37

course suggested asphalt, but saved

16:39

by this variation in sound, there was nothing at

16:41

all which could in the remotest way help me

16:43

to form a guess as to where we were.

16:45

The paper over each

16:47

window was impenetrable to light, and

16:50

a blue curtain was drawn across the glasswork in front.

16:53

It was a quarter past seven when we left

16:55

Palmall, and my watch showed me that it was

16:57

ten minutes to nine when we at last came

16:59

to a standstill. My

17:01

companion let down a window, and I caught a

17:04

glimpse of a low, arched doorway with a lamp

17:06

burning above it. As

17:08

I was heard from the carriage, it swung

17:10

open, and I found myself inside the house

17:12

with a vague impression of a lawn and

17:14

trees on each side of me as I

17:17

entered. Whether these were private grounds,

17:19

however, or bona fide country, was

17:21

more than I could possibly venture

17:23

to say. There was a colored gas

17:25

lamp inside which was turned so low that I

17:27

could see little say that the hall was of

17:29

some size and hung with pictures. In

17:32

the dim light it could make out that the person who had

17:34

opened the door was a small, mean-looking,

17:36

middle-aged man with rounded shoulders.

17:39

As he turned towards us the glint of light showed me

17:41

that he was wearing glasses. "'Is

17:44

this Mr. Meelis,' Harold?" said

17:46

he. "'Yes.' "'Well

17:49

done! Well done!' "'No

17:52

ill will, Mr. Meelis, I hope, but

17:54

we could not get on without you. If you

17:56

deal pair with us you'll not regret it, but

17:59

if you try any tricks. God help you!"

18:02

He spoke in a nervous, jerky fashion,

18:04

and with little giggling laughs in between,

18:07

but somehow he impressed me with fear more than

18:09

the other. "'What

18:12

do you want with me?' I asked.

18:16

"'Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman

18:18

who is visiting us, and to let

18:20

us have the answers,' he said. But

18:23

say no more than you were told to say, or—" Here

18:26

came that nervous giggle again. "'You'd

18:28

better never have been born.'" As

18:32

he spoke he opened a door and showed the way

18:34

into a room which appeared to be very richly furnished,

18:36

but again the only light was afforded by a

18:39

single lamp half turned down. The

18:41

chamber was certainly large, and the way in which

18:43

my feet sank into the carpet as I stepped

18:45

across it told me of its richness. I

18:49

caught glimpses of velvet chairs, a high

18:51

white marble mantelpiece, and would seem to be a

18:53

suit of Japanese armor at one side of it.

18:57

There was a chair just under the lamp, and

18:59

the elderly man motioned that I should sit in it.

19:02

The younger had left us, but he

19:04

suddenly returned to another door, leading with

19:07

him a gentleman clad in some sort of

19:09

loose dressing gown who moved slowly towards us.

19:12

As he came into the circle of dim light which

19:14

enables me to see him more clearly, I

19:16

was thrilled with horror at his appearance. He

19:19

was deadly pale and terribly emaciated,

19:22

with the protruding brilliant eyes of a man whose

19:24

spirit was greater than his strength. But

19:26

what shocked me more than any signs

19:28

of physical weakness was that his face

19:30

was grotesquely crisscrossed with sticking plaster, and

19:33

that one large pat of it was fastened over his mouth.

19:36

"'Have you the slate, Harold?" cried

19:38

the older man, as this strange being fell

19:41

rather than sat down into a chair. "'Are

19:44

his hands loose? Now then, give

19:46

him the pencil. You are to

19:48

ask the questions, Mr. Melus, and he

19:50

will write the answers. Ask him, first

19:52

of all, whether he is prepared to sign the papers.'" The

19:56

man's eyes flashed fire. "'Never!'

20:00

He wrote in Greek upon the slate. "'On

20:03

no condition,' I asked, at the

20:05

bidding of our tyrant. Only

20:08

if I see her married in my presence by a

20:10

Greek priest whom I know." The

20:13

man giggled again in his venomous way. "'You

20:16

know what awaits you then,' he said. "'I'd

20:19

care nothing for myself,' the old

20:21

man said. These

20:23

are samples of the questions and

20:25

answers which made up our strange,

20:28

half-spoken, half-written conversation. Again

20:30

and again I had to ask him whether he would give

20:32

in and sign the documents. Again

20:34

and again I had the same indignant reply.

20:38

But soon a happy thought came to me. I

20:40

took to adding on little sentences of my own

20:42

to each question, innocent ones at first,

20:45

to test whether either of our companions knew anything

20:47

of the matter, and then, as I

20:50

found that they showed no signs, I played

20:52

a more dangerous game. Our

20:54

conversation ran something like this. "'You

20:57

could do no good by this obstinacy.' "'Who

21:00

are you?' "'I care not,'

21:03

he answered. "'I am a stranger in London.' "'Your

21:06

fate will be upon your own head. How

21:08

long have you been here?' "'Let it be

21:10

so.' "'Three weeks,' he

21:13

said. "'The property can never

21:15

be yours.' "'What ails

21:17

you?' "'It shall not go

21:19

to villains. They are starving me.

21:22

You shall go free if you sign. What

21:25

house is this?' "'I

21:27

will never sign. I do not know.' "'You

21:30

are not doing her any service. What

21:32

is your name?' "'Let

21:34

me hear her say so,' he said. Critedius.'

21:39

"'You shall see her if you sign. Where

21:41

are you from?' "'Then I shall

21:43

never see her.' "'Athens.' "'Another

21:46

five minutes, Mr. Holmes, and I should have wormed

21:48

out the whole story under the very noses. My

21:51

very next question might have cleared the matter up. But

21:54

at that instant the door opened and a woman stepped into

21:56

the room. I could not see her clearly

21:58

enough to know more than that she was told.' tall and

22:00

graceful, with black hair and clad in some

22:02

sort of loose white gown. Harold,

22:05

said she, speaking English with a

22:08

broken accent, I could not

22:10

stay away longer. It is so lonely up

22:12

there with only—" "'Oh, my

22:14

God! It is Paul,' she

22:16

said." These

22:18

last words were in Greek, and at the

22:20

same instant the man with the convulsive effort tore

22:22

the plaster from his lips, and screaming

22:24

out, and Sophie! rushed

22:26

into the woman's arms. Their

22:28

embrace was but for an instant, however, for the

22:30

younger man seized the woman and pushed her out

22:33

of the room, while the elder

22:35

easily overpowered his emaciated victim and

22:37

dragged him away through the other door. For

22:40

a moment I was left alone in the room, and I

22:42

sprang to my feet with some vague idea that I

22:44

might in some way get a clue as to what

22:46

this house was in which I found myself. Fortunately,

22:49

however, I took no steps, for looking up I

22:51

saw that the older man was standing in the

22:54

doorway with his eyes fixed upon me. "'That

22:58

will do, Mr. Melus,' said he. You

23:00

perceive that we have taken you into our confidence

23:02

over some very private business. We

23:04

should not have troubled you, only that our

23:07

friend who speaks Greek and who began these

23:09

negotiations has been forced to return to the

23:11

East. It was quite necessary for

23:13

us to find someone to take his place, and

23:15

we were fortunate in hearing of your powers.' I

23:19

bowed. "'There are

23:21

five sovereigns here,' said he, walking up

23:23

to me, which will, I hope, be

23:25

a sufficient fee. But

23:27

remember,' he added, tapping me lightly

23:29

on the chest and giggling, if

23:32

you speak to a human soul about this, one

23:34

human soul, mind you, well,

23:37

may God have mercy upon your soul. I

23:40

cannot tell you the loathing horror with

23:42

which this insignificant-looking man inspired me. I

23:46

could see him better now as the lamp light shone upon

23:48

him. His features

23:50

were peaky and sallow, and his little-pointed

23:52

beard was thready and ill-nourished. He

23:55

pushed his face forward as he spoke, and his lips

23:57

and eyelids were continually twitching like a man was seeing

23:59

a man's face. bite his dance. I

24:02

could not help thinking that his strange, catchy

24:04

little laugh was also a symptom of some

24:06

nervous malady. The terror

24:08

of his face lay in his eyes, however,

24:10

steel gray, and glistening coldly

24:12

with a malignant, inexorable cruelty

24:15

in their depths. "'We

24:17

shall know if you speak of this,' said

24:19

he. We have our own means of information.

24:23

Now you will find the carriage waiting, and my friend will

24:25

see you on your way." I

24:28

was hurried through the hall and into the

24:30

vehicle, again obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees

24:32

and a garden. Mr. Latimer

24:34

followed closely at my heels and took his

24:36

place opposite to me without a word. In

24:40

silence we again drove for an interminable

24:42

distance with the windows raised until it

24:44

last, just after midnight. The carriage pulled

24:46

up. "'You

24:49

will get down here, Mr. Meelis,' said

24:51

my companion. "'I am sorry to leave you

24:53

so far from your house, but there is

24:55

no alternative. Any attempt upon

24:57

your part to follow the carriage can only

24:59

end an injury to yourself.' He

25:03

opened the doors, he spoke, and I had

25:05

hardly time to spring out when a coachman lashed

25:07

the horse and the carriage rattled away. I looked

25:10

around me in astonishment. I

25:13

was on some sort of a healthy common modeled

25:15

over with dark clumps of furs bushes. Far

25:18

away stretched a line of houses, with a light

25:20

here and there in the upper windows. On

25:23

the other side I saw the red signal lamps of

25:25

a railway. The carriage

25:27

which had brought me was already out of sight. I

25:30

stood gazing round and wondering where on earth I

25:32

might be when I saw someone coming

25:34

towards me in the darkness. As

25:36

he came up to me I made

25:39

out that he was a railway porter.

25:41

"'Can you tell me what place this is?' I

25:43

asked. "'Wandsworth

25:45

Common,' said he. "'Can

25:48

I get a train into town?' "'If

25:50

you muck a mile or so to Clapham Junction,' said

25:52

he, "'you will just be in time for the last

25:54

to go to Victoria.'" So

25:57

that was the end of my adventure, Mr. Holmes. I

26:00

do not know where I was nor whom

26:02

I spoke with nor anything save what I've

26:04

told you, but I know

26:06

that there is foul play going on and I want

26:08

to help that unhappy man if I can. I

26:11

told the whole story to Mr. Mycroft Holmes

26:13

next morning and subsequently to the police." We

26:17

all sat in silence for some little time

26:20

after listening to this extraordinary narrative. Then

26:22

Sherlock looked across at his brother. Any

26:25

steps? He asked. Mycroft

26:28

picked up the daily news which was lying on

26:30

the side table. Anybody

26:32

supplying any information to the whereabouts of

26:35

a Greek gentleman named Paul Critetus from

26:37

Athens, who is unable to speak English,

26:39

will be rewarded. A similar

26:41

reward paid to anyone giving information about a

26:43

Greek lady whose first name is Sophie, X-2473.

26:49

That was all in the dailies, no answer. How

26:53

about the Greek legation? I

26:55

have inquired. They know nothing. I'll

26:58

wire to the head of the Athens police then. Sherlock

27:01

has all the energy of the family," said

27:03

Mycroft, turning to me. Well,

27:05

you take the case up by all means and let me

27:07

know if you do any good." Certainly,

27:11

answered my friend, rising from his chair. I'll

27:14

let you know, and Mr. Meelis also. In

27:17

the meantime, Mr. Meelis, I should certainly

27:19

be on my guard if I were you, for,

27:22

of course, they must know through these advertisements

27:24

that you have betrayed them." As

27:27

we walked home together, Holmes stopped at the

27:30

telegraph office and sent off several wires. "'You

27:33

see, Watson,' he remarked, "'Our

27:35

evening has been by no means wasted. Some

27:38

of my most interesting cases have come to me

27:40

in this way through Mycroft. The

27:42

problem which we have just listened to, although it

27:44

can admit of but one explanation, has

27:46

still some distinguishing features. You

27:49

have hopes of solving it?' Well,

27:51

knowing as much as we do, it will

27:53

be singular indeed if we fail to discover

27:55

the rest. You must yourself have

27:57

formed some theory which will explain the facts to us."

28:00

which we've listened." In

28:02

a vague way, yes. What

28:04

was your idea then? It

28:07

seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl

28:09

had been carried off by the young Englishman named Harold

28:11

Latimer. Carried

28:13

off from where? Athens,

28:16

perhaps. Sherlock

28:18

Holmes shook his head. This

28:20

young man could not talk a word of Greek. The

28:23

lady could talk English fairly well. Perhaps

28:26

that she had been in England some little time, but

28:28

he had not been in Greece. Well

28:31

then, we will presume that she had come on

28:33

a visit to England and that this Harold had persuaded her

28:36

to fly with him. That

28:38

is more probable. Then

28:41

the brother, for that I fancy, must

28:43

be the relationship. Comes

28:45

over from Greece to interfere. He

28:47

imprudently puts himself into the power of the young

28:49

man and his older associate. They

28:52

seize him and use violence towards him in order

28:54

to make him sign some papers to make over

28:56

the girl's fortune, of which he may be trustee

28:58

to them. This he refuses

29:00

to do. In order to

29:02

negotiate with him, they have to get an interpreter,

29:04

and they pitch upon this Mr. Melus, having used

29:07

some other one before. The girl

29:09

is not told of the arrival of her brother and finds

29:11

it out by the merest accident. "'Excellent,

29:14

Watson,' cried Holmes. I really fancy

29:16

that you are not far from the truth. You

29:19

see that we hold all the cards, and we have only

29:21

to fear some sudden act of violence on their part. If

29:24

they give us time, we will have them." But

29:27

how can we find where this house lies? Well,

29:31

if our conjecture is correct and the

29:33

girl's name is or was Sophie Cretidis,

29:36

we should have no difficulty in tracing her. That

29:39

must be our main hope. For the

29:41

brother is, of course, a complete stranger. It

29:43

is clear that some time has elapsed since

29:45

this Harold established these relations with the girl, some

29:48

weeks at any rate, since the brother

29:50

in Greece has had time to hear of it and

29:52

come across. If they have

29:54

been living in the same place during this time,

29:56

it is probable that we shall have some answer

29:58

to Mike Kropff's advertisement. We

30:02

had reached our house in Baker Street while we had been

30:04

talking. Holmes ascended the stair

30:06

first, and as he opened the door of our

30:08

room he gave a start of surprise. Looking

30:11

over his shoulder, I was equally astonished. His

30:14

brother Mycroft was sitting smoking in the armchair.

30:18

"'Ah, come in, Gerlach. Come in, sir,' said

30:21

he blandly, smiling at our surprised faces.

30:24

"'You don't expect such energy from me, do you,

30:26

Gerlach? But somehow this case attracts

30:28

me. "'How did you

30:30

get here? I passed you

30:32

in a handsome.' "'There

30:34

has been some new development.' I

30:37

had an answer to my advertisement. "'Ah!

30:41

Yes, it came within a few minutes of your leaving. After

30:44

what effect?' Mycroft

30:46

Holmes took out a sheet of paper. "'Here

30:48

it is,' said he, written with

30:50

a jay-pan on boiled cream paper by

30:52

a middle-aged man of the weak constitution.

30:55

"'Sir,' he says. "'My

30:58

dear Mycroft, the brother's life is more valuable than

31:00

the sister's story. I

31:27

think we should call it Scotland Yard for

31:29

Inspector Gregson and go straight out to Beckingham.

31:32

We know that a man is being done to death, and

31:35

every hour may be vital.' "'Better

31:37

pick up Mr. Miele's on our way,' I suggested.

31:40

We may need an interpreter.' "'Excellent,'

31:44

said Gerlach Holmes. "'Send the

31:46

boy for a four-wheeler, and we shall be offered once.'

31:49

He opened the table to her as he spoke, and

31:51

I noticed that he slipped his revolver into his pocket.

31:55

"'Yes,' said he, in answer to

31:57

my glance. I should say from what we have heard that we

31:59

are going to be here. we are dealing with a

32:01

particularly dangerous gang." It

32:03

was almost dark before we found ourselves in Palm

32:05

Hall, at the rooms of Mr. Malus. A

32:08

gentleman had just called for him, and he was gone. "'Can

32:12

you tell me where?' asked Mycroft

32:14

Holmes. "'I don't know,

32:16

sir,' answered the woman who had opened the door. I

32:19

only know that he drove away with the

32:21

gentleman in a carriage." "'I did the gentleman give

32:23

a name.' "'No, sir.' "'He

32:26

wasn't a tall, handsome, dark young man.' "'Oh,

32:29

no, sir. He was a little gentleman,

32:31

with glasses, thin in the face, but very

32:34

pleasant in his ways, for he was laughing

32:36

all the time that he was talking.' "'Come

32:38

along,' cried Zirlock Holmes

32:40

abruptly. "'This grows serious,' he observed,

32:42

as we drove to Scotland Yard.

32:45

"'These men have got hold of Malus again. He's

32:48

a man of no physical courage, as they are well

32:50

aware from their experience the other night.' This

32:53

villain was able to terrorize him in the instant that he

32:55

got into his presence. No doubt

32:57

they want his professional services, but, having used him,

32:59

they may be inclined to punish him for what

33:02

they will regard as his treachery. Our

33:05

hope was that, by taking the train, we might

33:08

get to Beckenham as soon or sooner than the

33:10

carriage. On reaching Scotland

33:12

Yard, however, it was more than an hour before

33:14

we could get Inspector Gregson and comply with the

33:16

legal formalities which would enable us to enter the

33:19

house. It was

33:21

a quarter to ten before we reached London Bridge, and

33:23

half passed before the four of us landed on

33:26

the Beckenham platform. A drive

33:28

of half a mile brought us to the myrtles, a

33:30

large, dark house standing back from the road

33:32

in its own grounds. Here

33:34

we dismissed our cab and made our way up

33:37

the drive together. "'The

33:39

windows are all dark,' remarked

33:41

the Inspector. "'The house seems deserted.'

33:44

"'Our birds have flown and the nest is empty,' said

33:47

Holmes. "'Why do you say so? "'A

33:50

carriage heavily loaded with luggage is passed out during

33:52

the last hour.' The

33:55

Inspector laughed. "'I saw the wheel

33:57

tracks in the light of the gate lamp. But where

33:59

does the luggage come in?' You

34:01

may have observed the same wheel tracks going the other

34:03

way, but the outward-bound ones were

34:05

very much deeper, so much so that

34:07

we can say for certainty that there was a very

34:09

considerable weight on the carriage." "'You

34:12

get a trifle beyond me there,' said

34:14

the inspector, shrugging his shoulder. "'It will not be

34:16

an easy door to force, but we will try

34:18

if we cannot make someone hear us.' He

34:22

hammered loudly at the knocker and pulled at the

34:24

bell, but without any success. Holmes

34:26

had slipped away, but he came back in a few minutes. "'I

34:30

have a window open on the other side,' said he.

34:34

"'It is the mercy that you are on the side of

34:36

the force, and not against it,' Mr. Holmes, remarked

34:39

the inspector, as he noted the clever way in which

34:41

my friend had forced back to catch. "'Well,

34:44

I think that under the circumstances we can

34:46

enter without an invitation.' One

34:49

after the other we made our way into a large

34:51

apartment, which was evidently that in which

34:54

Mr. Melus had found himself. The

34:56

inspector had lit his lantern, and by its

34:58

light we could see the two doors, the

35:00

curtain, the lamp, and the suit of Japanese

35:02

mail as he had described them. On

35:05

the table lay two glasses, an empty brandy

35:07

bottle, and the remains of a meal. "'What

35:11

is that?' asked Holmes suddenly.

35:14

We all stood still and listened. A

35:17

low moaning sound was coming from somewhere over our

35:19

heads. Holmes rushed to

35:21

the door and out into the hall. The

35:23

dismal noise came from upstairs. He

35:25

dashed up, the inspector and I had his heels,

35:28

while his brother Mycroft followed as quickly as

35:30

his great bulk would pervert. Three

35:33

doors faced up upon the second floor, and

35:36

it was from the central of these that the sinister

35:38

sounds were issuing, sinking sometimes into

35:40

a dull mumble and rising again to

35:42

a shrill whine. It

35:44

was locked, but the key had been left on the

35:46

outside. Holmes flung open the

35:48

door and rushed in, but he was out

35:51

again in an instant with a hand to his throat. "'It's

35:55

charcoal,' he cried. Give it

35:57

time, it will clear.' Peering

35:59

in. Then we could see that the only light

36:01

in the room came from a dull blue plane

36:03

which flickered from a small brass tripod in the

36:05

center. It threw a

36:07

livid, unnatural circle upon the floor. While

36:10

in the shadows beyond, we saw the vague loom

36:12

of two figures which crouched against the wall. From

36:16

the open door there wreaked a horrible,

36:18

poisonous exhalation which set us gasping and

36:20

coughing. Homes rushed to the top

36:22

of the stairs to draw in the fresh air, and

36:24

then, dashing into the room, he threw

36:26

up the window and hurled a brazen

36:28

tripod out into the garden. We

36:31

can enter in a minute, he gasped, darting

36:34

out again. Where is a candle? I

36:36

doubt if we could strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold

36:39

the light at the door, and we shall get them out in my crop.

36:42

Now! With a rush, we got

36:44

to the poisoned men and dragged them out into the

36:46

well-lit hall. Both of

36:48

them were blue-lipped and insensible, with

36:50

swollen, congested faces and protruding eyes.

36:53

Indeed, so distorted were their features that,

36:55

save for his black beard and stout

36:58

figure, we might have failed to recognize

37:00

in one of them the Greek interpreter who had parted

37:02

from us only a few hours before we were at

37:04

the Diogenes' Club. His hands

37:06

and feet were securely strapped together, and

37:08

he bore over one eye the marks of a burning blow.

37:12

The other, who was secured in a similar

37:14

fashion, was a tall man in the last

37:16

stage of emaciation, with several strips of sticking

37:18

plaster arranged in a grotesque pattern over his

37:20

face. He had ceased to

37:23

moan as we laid him down, and I'm glad it

37:25

showed me that for him at least, our aid had

37:27

come too late. Mr. Miellas,

37:29

however, still lived, and in less than

37:31

an hour, with the aid of ammonia and blondie,

37:33

I had the satisfaction of seeing him open his

37:35

eyes and of knowing that my hand

37:37

had drawn him back from that dark valley in which

37:39

all paths meet. It

37:42

was a simple story which he had to tell,

37:45

and one which did confirm our own deductions. His

37:48

visitor, on entering his rooms, had drawn

37:50

a light preserver from his sleeve, and

37:52

had so impressed him with the fear of instant

37:54

and inevitable death that he had kidnapped him

37:56

for the second time. Indeed,

37:59

it was almost mesmeric, the

38:01

effect which this giggling ruffian had produced

38:03

upon the unfortunate linguist, for

38:05

he could not speak of him saved with trembling hands and

38:07

a blanched cheek. He

38:09

had been taken swiftly to Beckingham and had

38:11

acted as an interpreter in a second interview,

38:14

even more dramatic than the first, in

38:16

which the two Englishmen had met his prisoner with

38:18

instant depth if he did not comply with their

38:21

demands. Finally, finding him

38:23

proof against every threat, they had

38:25

hurled him back into his prison, and

38:27

after reproaching meals with his treachery, which

38:29

appeared from the newspaper advertisement, Gold

38:32

stunned him with a blow from a stick, and he

38:34

remembered nothing more until he found us bending over him.

38:37

And this was the singular case of the Grecian

38:40

interpreter, the explanation of which is

38:42

still involved in some mystery. We

38:44

were able to find out, by communicating with

38:46

the gentleman who had answered the advertisement, that

38:49

the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian

38:51

family, and that she had been on the visit

38:53

to some friends in England. While

38:56

there she had met a young man named Harold Lattimer,

38:58

who had acquired an ascendancy over her and had

39:01

eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her

39:04

friends, shocked at the event, had

39:06

contended themselves with informing her brother at Athens,

39:09

and had then washed their hands of the matter. The

39:12

brother on his arrival in England had impredently

39:14

placed himself in the power of Lattimer

39:16

and of his associate, whose name was Wilson

39:18

Kemp, a man of the foulest

39:20

antecedents. These two,

39:22

finding that through his ignorance of the language he

39:25

was helpless in their hands, had kept him a

39:27

prisoner, and had endeavored by cruelty

39:29

and starvation to make him sign away his

39:31

own and his sister's property. They

39:34

had kept him in the house without the girl's

39:36

knowledge, and the plaster over the face had been

39:38

for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case

39:40

she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her

39:43

feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the

39:46

disguise when, on the occasion of the interpreter's

39:48

visit, she had seen him for the first

39:50

time. The poor girl,

39:52

however, was herself a prisoner, for there was no

39:54

one about the house except the man who acted

39:57

as coachman, and his wife, and his

39:59

wife, both of them. whom were tools of the conspirators.

40:02

Finding that their secret was out and that their prisoner

40:04

was not to be coerced, the two villains

40:07

with the girl had fled away at a few

40:09

hours' notice from the furnished house which they had

40:11

hired, having first, as they thought, taken

40:13

vengeance both upon the man who had defied them

40:16

and the one who had betrayed them. Months

40:19

afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us

40:21

from Budapest. It told how two

40:23

Englishmen who had been traveling with a woman had met

40:25

with a tragic end. They had

40:27

each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian

40:29

police were of an opinion that they had

40:31

quarreled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each

40:33

other. Holmes, however, is,

40:36

I fancy, of a different way of thinking,

40:38

and holds to this day that, if one could

40:41

find the Grecian girl, one might learn

40:43

how the wrongs of herself and her brother came

40:45

to be avenged. Thank

40:49

you for joining us for The Greek Interpreter, A Sherlock

40:51

Holmes Adventure, by Arthur Conan Doyle.

40:54

We always appreciate reviews, and we have a few

40:56

recent reviews for you. The

40:59

first one, Five Stars, wonderful production. Enjoyable.

41:03

While cleaning the house, on my long commutes to

41:05

work, or over a cup of tea in the

41:07

evenings, I've thoroughly enjoyed these good old Sherlock Holmes

41:09

stories. Thanks John, you do a fantastic

41:11

job. Del from Dale Merkel,

41:14

Apple Podcast, U.S. And

41:16

this one, well produced, all-round Doyle. Five

41:20

Stars. This podcast is very

41:22

well produced. The sound is excellent. It is

41:24

well crafted. I love the interspersal

41:26

of Doyle's memoirs and his other stories, as

41:28

well as Sherlock. It adds variety,

41:30

and it is informative, adding color and

41:32

background. It's easy to listen to

41:35

the narrator, and it's both relaxing and

41:37

interesting. Down from Jekyll

41:39

Berry, Apple Podcast, Australia. And

41:41

this one, love this. Five Stars.

41:44

The stories of Sherlock Holmes have long been

41:46

my favorite. I was so excited to find

41:48

these read aloud. I've loved listening to

41:50

each one. Thank you. From

41:52

Pac 5789, Apple Podcast, U.S. And

41:57

this one, so enjoyable, Five Stars. I'm

42:00

glad to come and share that I love your podcast and that

42:02

you do your best to keep the ads to a minimum. I

42:05

appreciate your efforts to do so. So

42:07

this can continue to be a free podcast. The

42:09

material and your skill at its delivery is appreciated

42:11

and helps me get through my day. Professor

42:14

Java, Apple Podcasts, U.S.

42:17

And this one, a wonderful addition to my

42:19

nightly routine. Five stars. I've

42:22

always enjoyed the tales of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John

42:24

Watson, ever since I was a little girl. Now

42:27

these wonderfully animated characters have made their way

42:29

into my nightly routine. I

42:31

often listen to true crime podcasts, but at night I

42:34

try to wind down with stories that are a little

42:36

bit softer and in tune. I

42:38

turn on this podcast to wind down, and

42:40

sometimes I even fall asleep to the soothing

42:42

voices. That's why I always put

42:45

a sleep timer on. I don't want to miss the story.

42:48

Thank you for bringing Holmes, Watson, and Crew to life

42:50

every week. That one's from Live in

42:52

Color, Apple Podcasts, U.S. Thank

42:57

you all so very, very much for taking the time to

42:59

write these reviews. I know they help new

43:01

listers find us. As you

43:03

can tell, I really do enjoy doing Arthur

43:05

Conan Doyle stories, especially the adventures of Sherlock

43:07

Holmes. But his other stories are great as

43:09

well. Please do continue to share

43:12

with a friend. I appreciate that very much. And

43:15

we also appreciate our

43:17

Patreon supporters at patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork.

43:21

They're helping us make it from 1001 stories to 2001 stories.

43:26

Until next Sunday night at 6 p.m. Eastern

43:28

Time, everyone, stay safe, and we'll

43:30

be back soon. Thank

43:33

you for joining us here at 1001 Sherlock Holmes

43:35

Stories and the best of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

43:38

We've had some great reviews lately, and I wanted

43:40

to share them with you. The first, a

43:42

joy to listen to, 1001 Sherlock Holmes Stories, 5

43:44

stars. I

43:47

regret that I must give it 5 stars. It

43:49

deserves 6. That

43:52

one from Technoshaman47, Apple

43:54

Podcast, U.S. And

43:57

this one, Lost World, 1001 Sherlock

43:59

Holmes Stories, 5 stars. stars just

44:01

found this 621 series and so

44:04

enjoyed listening such an adventure that

44:06

one from Meg saline Apple

44:08

podcast us thank

44:10

you so much for sending these reviews

44:12

they're greatly appreciated we

44:15

always appreciate our patreon supporters to who

44:18

join us at patreon.com/1001 stories

44:20

network and contribute

44:22

about the price of a blended cup

44:25

of coffee every month to help us

44:27

get to 2001 stories thank you so

44:29

much all of you listeners and patreon

44:32

supporters for a great year in 2023

44:34

this is your host and storyteller John

44:36

Hagedorn this is 1001 Sherlock Holmes stories

44:38

and the best of Sir Arthur Conan

44:41

Doyle stay safe and

44:43

we'll be back soon