English For All

The Sign of Four

The Sign of Four Chapter II The Statement (introduction) of the Case        Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. She was a young lady, small, dainty, well <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;h4&gt;wearing a glove. हातमोजे घातलेली&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;img class=&quot;alignnone size-medium wp-image-10662&quot; src=&quot;https://arsodenglishclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/gg-166x300.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;gg&quot; width=&quot;166&quot; height=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/gloved/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>gloved, and dressed in the most perfect taste.  There was, however, a   plainness   and   simplicity   about   her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. The dress was a somber grayish beige, untrimmed and unbraided, and she wore a small <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;blockquote&gt;
&lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt; पगड़ी&lt;img class=&quot;alignnone size-medium wp-image-13277&quot; src=&quot;https://arsodenglishclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/05akshay-204x300.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;05akshay&quot; width=&quot;204&quot; height=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;/blockquote&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/turban-2/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>turban of the same dull <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;colour&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/tone&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/shade&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/tint&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/tinge&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/cast&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/tincture&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;/रंग&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;img class=&quot;alignnone size-medium wp-image-10887&quot; src=&quot;https://arsodenglishclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/color-whee-300x209.webp&quot; alt=&quot;color-whee&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;209&quot; /&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/hue/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>hue, relieved only by a <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;h1&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;    intuition / feeling / &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;h1&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;    impression / अविश्वास&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/suspicion/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">suspicion of white feather in the side.              Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty of complexion, but her expression was sweet and amiable, and her large blue eyes were singularly spiritual and sympathetic. In an experience of women which extends over many nations and   three   separate   continents,  I   have never looked upon  a face  which  gave  a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature.  I could not but observe that as she took the seat which Sherlock Holmes placed for her, her lip trembled, her hand quivered, and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation.        “I have come to you, Mr.  Holmes,” she said, “because you once enabled my employer, Mrs. Cecil Forrester, to unravel a little domestic complication.  She was much impressed by your kindness  and skill.”        “Mrs. Cecil Forrester,” he repeated thoughtfully. “I believe that I was of some slight service to her. The case, however, as I remember it, was a very simple one.”       “She did not think so. But at least you cannot say the same of mine. I can hardly imagine anything more strange, more utterly inexplicable, than the situation in which I find myself.”   Holmes rubbed his hands, and his eyes glistened. He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut, hawk - like features. “State your case,” said he, in brisk, business tones.  I felt   that   my   position   was   an embarrassing one. “You will, I am sure, excuse me,” I said, rising from my chair.       To my surprise, the young lady held up her <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;h4&gt;wearing a glove. हातमोजे घातलेली&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;img class=&quot;alignnone size-medium wp-image-10662&quot; src=&quot;https://arsodenglishclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/gg-166x300.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;gg&quot; width=&quot;166&quot; height=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/gloved/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex='0' role='link'>gloved hand to detain me. “If your friend,” she said, “would be good enough to stop, he might be of inestimable service to me.” I relapsed into my chair.        “Briefly,” she  continued,  “the  facts are  these.  My  father  was  an  officer  in an  Indian  regiment  who  sent  me  home when I was quite a child. My mother was dead, and I  had  no  relative in England. I was placed, however, in a comfortable boarding establishment   at   Edinburgh, and there I remained until I was seventeen years of age. In the year 1878 my father, who was senior captain of his regiment, obtained twelve months’ leave and came home. He telegraphed to me from London  that  he  had  arrived  all  safe, and directed me  to  come  down  at  once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address. His message, as I remember, was full of kindness and love. On reaching London I drove to the Langham, and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there, but that he had gone out the night before and had not yet returned.  I waited all day without news of him. That night, on the advice of the manager of the hotel, I communicated with the police, and next morning we advertised in all the papers.     Our inquiries led to no result; and from that day to this no word has ever been heard of my unfortunate father. He came home with his heart full of hope, to find some peace, some comfort, and instead—” She put her hand to her throat, and a choking sob cut <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;img class=&quot;alignnone size-medium wp-image-11011 aligncenter&quot; src=&quot;https://arsodenglishclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/mary-1-1-300x300.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;mary (1)&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; height=&quot;300&quot; /&gt;
&lt;h1&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/cut-short-the-sentence/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">short the sentence. “The date?” asked Holmes, opening his note-book. “He disappeared upon the 3rd of December, 1878. —nearly ten years ago.  “His luggage?”  “Remained at the hotel. There was nothing in it to suggest a clue,-some clothes, some books, and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman  Islands.  He had been  one of the officers in charge of the convict - guard there.” “Had he any friends in town?” “Only one that we know of,—Major Sholto, of his  own  regiment, the 34th Bombay Infantry. The major had retired some little time before, and lived at Upper Norwood. We communicated with him, of course, but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England.” “A singular case,” remarked Holmes. “I have not yet described to you the most singular part. About six years ago— to be exact, upon the 4th of May, 1882— an advertisement appeared in the Times asking  for  the  address  of  Miss  Mary Morstan  and  stating  that  it  would  be  to her  advantage  to  come  forward.  There was no name or  address  <a class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;attached ( add
attach / affix /
adjoin / include) to the &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;h1 style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #ff0000;&quot;&gt;end of a written document. i.e. address&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&nbsp;</div>" href="https://arsodenglishclasses.com/glossary/appended/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">appended .  I had at that time  just  entered  the  family of Mrs. Cecil Forrester in the capacity of governess. By her advice I published my address in the advertisement column. The same day there arrived through the post a small card-board box addressed to me, which I found to contain a very large and lustrous pearl.  No word of  writing  was enclosed. Since then every year upon the same  date  there  has  always  appeared  a similar  box,  containing  a  similar  pearl, without  any  clue  as  to  the  sender. They have been pronounced by  an  expert  to be of a rare variety and of considerable value.  You can see  for  yourselves  that they are very handsome.” She opened a flat box as she spoke, and showed me six of the finest pearls that I had ever seen. “Your statement is most interesting,” said Sherlock  Holmes.  “Has anything else occurred to you?” “Yes  and  no  later  than  to-day.  That is why I have come to you. This morning I   received this   letter,   which   you   will perhaps read for yourself.” “Thank   you,”   said   Holmes.  “The envelope too, please. Postmark, London, S.W. Date, July 7.  Hum!  Man’s  thumb- mark on corner—probably postman. Best quality paper.  Envelopes at