4.4 The sign of four
* Introduction -
The Sign of the Four (1890), also called The Sign of Four, is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring the fictional detective.
* Plot -
On a foggy day in 1888, Dr. Watson remonstrates with Holmes about his cocaine usage. Holmes claims he needs a problem to solve and is bored; shortly thereafter, Miss Mary Morstan arrives with a case.
Miss Morstan explains that, in December 1878, her father Captain Morstan had arrived in London, on leave from his post as a convict guard in the Andaman Islands. He requested her to meet him at the Langham Hotel, but he was not there when she arrived. Mary contacted Major John Sholto, a former convict guard who had known her father and was now living in England; however, he denied having seen Morstan, and Morstan was never heard from again. Four years later, Miss Morstan answered an anonymous newspaper advertisement, asking for her whereabouts. She then received a large and valuable pearl in the post, a gift repeated once a year for six years. With the sixth pearl, she received a letter asking for a meeting, claiming she has been "wronged". Holmes takes the case, and soon discovers that Major Sholto had died in 1882; within a week of his death, Mary received the first pearl. The only further clue Mary can give Holmes is a map of a fortress found in her father's desk, appended with the words "The Sign of the Four: Jonathan Small, Mahomet Singh, Abdullah Khan, and Dost Akbar" .
Holmes, Watson, and Mary meet with Major Sholto's son Thaddeus, the anonymous sender of the pearls. Thaddeus explains that Morstan had visited Major Sholto, to demand his half of a great treasure that Sholto had secretly brought back from India. The two men quarreled, and Captain Morstan suffered a heart attack and died, striking his head on the brazen treasure box as he fell. Afraid he would be suspected of murder, Major Sholto buried the body and hid the treasure, leaving out a small gold chaplet studded with twelve pearls. Thaddeus and his twin brother Bartholomew knew nothing of these events, until an unexpected letter from India caused their father to faint, and sicken to his death. On his deathbed, he confessed the truth to them; he was about to reveal to them where the treasure was hidden, when a bearded man appeared at the window and the Major died of sheer fright. The man fled, but the brothers later found a note reading "The Sign of the Four" pinned to their dead father's body. Thaddeus began sending Mary the pearls to make things right, and the brothers searched for the treasure. Six years later, Bartholomew found and withheld it; Thaddeus has contacted Mary so they can both confront Bartholomew and demand their shares.
The party heads to Bartholomew's house, Pondicherry Lodge, only to find that he is dead from a poisoned dart, and the treasure is missing. While the police wrongly take Thaddeus in as a suspect, Holmes deduces from several clues that there are two persons involved in the murder: a one-legged white man named Jonathan Small, and a very small, tribal Andamanese accomplice. Borrowing Toby, a trained scent hound, from a naturalist, Holmes traces the pair to a boat landing. Learning Small has hired a steam launch named the Aurora, Holmes, with the help of the Baker Street Irregulars and his own disguises, traces the boat to a repair yard. In a police launch, Holmes and Watson pursue the Aurora when it flees the yard; the islander attempts to shoot a dart at Holmes, and is shot dead himself. Small attempts to flee, running the Aurora aground, but is captured. However, the brass box is empty; Small, not wanting to surrender the gems, scattered them overboard into the Thames.
Small confesses that he was once a soldier of the Third Buffs in India, and lost his right leg to a crocodile while bathing in the Ganges. He then became an overseer on an indigo plantation; the 1857 rebellion occurred, and he was forced to flee to the Agra fortress. While standing guard one night, he was overpowered by some Sikh troopers, who gave him a choice; be immediately killed, or help them waylay Achmed, a disguised servant of an outlawed rajah, who had sent Achmed with a box of jewelry to the British for safekeeping. The robbery and murder took place, but the crime was discovered, although the hidden jewels were not. Small and his accomplices got penal servitude on the Andaman Islands.
Many years later, Small learned that Major Sholto and Captain Morstan had lost much money at cards. Small saw his chance, and made a deal with the officers; Sholto would recover the treasure, and in return send a boat to pick up Morstan, Small and the Sikhs so they could all meet and divide it. However, Sholto stole the treasure for himself, returning to England after inheriting a fortune from his uncle. Morstan went after Sholto but never returned, and Small vowed vengeance against Sholto. Four years later, Small escaped prison with the help of an islander named Tonga, whose life Small had once saved. It was the news of this escape that shocked Sholto into his fatal illness. Small arrived too late to hear of the treasure's location, but left the note in the room anyway. When Bartholomew found the treasure, Small only planned to steal it; however, a miscommunication led Tonga to kill Bartholomew before Small could stop him. Small decides the treasure brings nothing but bad luck to anyone who has it; to Achmed and Bartholomew, death; to Major Sholto, fear and guilt; and for Small himself, penal servitude for life.
Mary is left with no treasure, save the pearls; however, she and Watson have fallen in love over the course of the adventure. Watson reveals to Holmes that he has proposed to her and that she has accepted, much to Holmes' annoyance.
4.4 चार चिन्ह
*परिचय-
द साइन ऑफ द फोर (1890), ज्याला द साइन ऑफ फोर देखील म्हणतात, ही ब्रिटिश लेखक सर आर्थर कॉनन डॉयल यांची शेरलॉक होम्सची दुसरी कादंबरी आहे. डॉयलने काल्पनिक गुप्तहेर असलेल्या चार कादंबऱ्या आणि 56 लघुकथा लिहिल्या.
* प्लॉट -
1888 मध्ये एका धुक्याच्या दिवशी, डॉ. वॉटसन होम्सला त्याच्या कोकेनच्या वापराबद्दल दाखवून देतात. होम्सचा दावा आहे की त्याला समस्या सोडवण्याची गरज आहे आणि त्याला कंटाळा आला आहे; त्यानंतर लवकरच, मिस मेरी मॉर्स्टन केस घेऊन आली.
मिस मॉर्स्टन स्पष्ट करतात की, डिसेंबर 1878 मध्ये, तिचे वडील कॅप्टन मॉर्स्टन अंदमान बेटांवर दोषी रक्षक म्हणून रजेवर लंडनला आले होते. त्याने तिला लँगहॅम हॉटेलमध्ये भेटण्याची विनंती केली, परंतु ती आली तेव्हा तो तेथे नव्हता. मेरीने मेजर जॉन शोल्टोशी संपर्क साधला, एक माजी दोषी रक्षक जो तिच्या वडिलांना ओळखत होता आणि आता इंग्लंडमध्ये राहत होता; तथापि, त्याने मॉर्सनला पाहिल्याचे नाकारले आणि मॉर्सनचे पुन्हा कधीही ऐकले नाही. चार वर्षांनंतर, मिस मॉर्स्टनने एका निनावी वृत्तपत्रातील जाहिरातीला उत्तर दिले आणि तिचा ठावठिकाणा विचारला. त्यानंतर तिला पोस्टमध्ये एक मोठा आणि मौल्यवान मोती मिळाला, ही भेट सहा वर्षांसाठी वर्षातून एकदा पुनरावृत्ती केली जाते. सहाव्या मोत्यासह, तिला भेटीसाठी विचारणा करणारे पत्र प्राप्त झाले आणि दावा केला की तिच्यावर "चुकीचा" झाला आहे. होम्सने केस घेतली आणि लवकरच कळले की मेजर शोल्टो 1882 मध्ये मरण पावला होता; त्याच्या मृत्यूच्या एका आठवड्यात, मेरीला पहिला मोती मिळाला. मेरीने होम्सला दिलेला आणखी एक सुगावा म्हणजे तिच्या वडिलांच्या डेस्कवर सापडलेल्या किल्ल्याचा नकाशा, "द साइन ऑफ द फोर: जोनाथन स्मॉल, महोमेट सिंग, अब्दुल्ला खान आणि दोस्त अकबर" असे शब्द जोडलेले आहेत.
होम्स, वॉटसन आणि मेरी मेजर शोल्टोचा मुलगा थॅडियसला भेटतात, जो मोत्यांचा निनावी प्रेषक होता. थॅडियसने स्पष्ट केले की मोर्स्टनने मेजर शोल्टोला भेट दिली होती, शोल्टोने गुप्तपणे भारतातून परत आणलेल्या त्याच्या अर्ध्या खजिन्याची मागणी करण्यासाठी. त्या दोघांचे भांडण झाले आणि कॅप्टन मॉर्सनला हृदयविकाराचा झटका आला आणि तो खाली पडतानाच ब्रेझन ट्रेझर बॉक्सवर डोके आपटून त्याचा मृत्यू झाला. त्याला हत्येचा संशय येईल या भीतीने मेजर शोल्टोने मृतदेह पुरला आणि खजिना लपवून ठेवला आणि बारा मोत्यांनी जडवलेला एक लहानसा सोन्याचा चॅपलेट सोडला. थॅडियस आणि त्याचा जुळा भाऊ बार्थोलोम्यू यांना या घटनांबद्दल काहीही माहिती नव्हते, जोपर्यंत भारताकडून आलेल्या अनपेक्षित पत्रामुळे त्यांचे वडील बेशुद्ध झाले आणि त्यांचा मृत्यू झाला. मृत्यूशय्येवर त्यांनी त्यांच्यासमोर सत्य कबूल केले; तो खजिना कुठे लपला आहे हे त्यांना सांगणारच होता, तेव्हा खिडकीत एक दाढीवाला माणूस दिसला आणि मेजर भयभीत होऊन मरण पावला. तो माणूस पळून गेला, पण नंतर भाऊंना त्यांच्या मृत वडिलांच्या शरीरावर "द साइन ऑफ द फोर" अशी चिठ्ठी सापडली. थॅडियसने गोष्टी व्यवस्थित करण्यासाठी मेरीला मोती पाठवायला सुरुवात केली आणि भावांनी खजिना शोधला. सहा वर्षांनंतर, बार्थोलोम्यूने ते शोधून काढून ठेवले; थॅडियसने मेरीशी संपर्क साधला आहे जेणेकरून ते दोघे बार्थोलोम्यूचा सामना करू शकतील आणि त्यांच्या समभागांची मागणी करू शकतील.
पक्ष बार्थोलोम्यूच्या घरी, पॉंडिचेरी लॉजकडे जातो, फक्त तो विषबाधा झालेल्या डार्टमुळे मरण पावला आहे आणि खजिना गहाळ आहे. पोलिसांनी थॅड्यूसला संशयित म्हणून चुकीच्या पद्धतीने ताब्यात घेतले असताना, होम्सने अनेक संकेतांवरून निष्कर्ष काढला की हत्येमध्ये दोन व्यक्ती सामील आहेत: जोनाथन स्मॉल नावाचा एक पाय असलेला गोरा माणूस आणि एक अतिशय लहान, आदिवासी अंदमानी साथीदार. टोबी, एक प्रशिक्षित सुगंधी शिकारी प्राणी, एका निसर्गशास्त्रज्ञाकडून उधार घेत, होम्स या जोडीला बोटीतून उतरवतो. लर्निंग स्मॉलने बेकर स्ट्रीट इरिग्युलर आणि त्याच्या स्वत:च्या वेशात बोटीला दुरूस्तीच्या आवारात ट्रेस करून अरोरा, होम्स नावाचे स्टीम लॉन्च भाड्याने घेतले आहे. पोलिस प्रक्षेपणात, होम्स आणि वॉटसन जेव्हा अरोरा अंगणातून पळून जातात तेव्हा त्याचा पाठलाग करतात; बेटवासी होम्सवर डार्ट गोळी घालण्याचा प्रयत्न करतो आणि त्याला गोळ्या घालून ठार मारले जाते. पळून जाण्याचा छोटासा प्रयत्न, अरोरा जमिनीवर धावतो, पण पकडला जातो. मात्र, पितळी पेटी रिकामीच आहे; लहान, रत्ने आत्मसमर्पण करू इच्छित नसल्यामुळे, त्यांना टेम्समध्ये विखुरले.
स्मॉल कबूल करतो की तो एकेकाळी भारतातील थर्ड बफ्सचा सैनिक होता आणि गंगेत स्नान करताना त्याचा उजवा पाय मगरीने गमावला. त्यानंतर तो एका नीळ मळ्यात पर्यवेक्षक बनला; 1857 चे बंड झाले आणि त्याला आग्रा किल्ल्यावर पळून जावे लागले. एका रात्री पहारा देत असताना, काही शीख सैनिकांनी त्याच्यावर जबरदस्ती केली, त्यांनी त्याला पर्याय दिला; ताबडतोब मारले जावे, किंवा त्यांना मदत करा, अचमेद हा बेकायदेशीर राजाचा वेश धारण करणारा नोकर होता, ज्याने अचमेदला दागिन्यांचा बॉक्स देऊन ब्रिटिशांकडे सुरक्षिततेसाठी पाठवले होते. दरोडा आणि खून झाला, पण लपवलेले दागिने नसले तरी गुन्हा उघड झाला. लहान आणि त्याच्या साथीदारांना अंदमान बेटांवर दंडात्मक गुलामगिरी मिळाली.
बर्याच वर्षांनंतर, स्मॉलला कळले की मेजर शोल्टो आणि कॅप्टन मॉर्स्टन कार्ड्सवर बरेच पैसे गमावले आहेत. स्मॉलने त्याची संधी पाहिली आणि अधिकाऱ्यांशी करार केला; शोल्टो खजिना परत मिळवेल आणि त्या बदल्यात मोर्सन, स्मॉल आणि शिखांना पकडण्यासाठी एक बोट पाठवेल जेणेकरून ते सर्व भेटून ते विभाजित करू शकतील. तथापि, शोल्टोने स्वतःसाठी खजिना चोरला आणि काकांकडून संपत्ती वारसा घेऊन इंग्लंडला परतला. मॉर्स्टन शोल्टोच्या मागे गेला पण परत आला नाही आणि स्मॉलने शोल्टोविरुद्ध सूड उगवण्याची शपथ घेतली. चार वर्षांनंतर, स्मॉल टोंगा नावाच्या बेटाच्या मदतीने तुरुंगातून सुटला, ज्याचा जीव स्मॉलने एकदा वाचवला होता. या पलायनाच्या बातमीने शोल्टोला त्याच्या जीवघेण्या आजाराचा धक्का बसला. खजिन्याचे स्थान ऐकून स्मॉल खूप उशीरा पोहोचला, पण तरीही त्याने ती चिठ्ठी खोलीत ठेवली. जेव्हा बार्थोलोम्यूला खजिना सापडला तेव्हा स्मॉलने तो चोरण्याची योजना आखली; तथापि, स्मॉलने त्याला थांबवण्याआधीच टोंगाने बार्थोलोम्यूला ठार मारले. स्मॉल ठरवते की खजिना ज्याच्याकडे आहे त्याच्यासाठी दुर्दैवाशिवाय काहीही आणत नाही; Achmed आणि Bartholomew, मृत्यू; मेजर शोल्टो, भीती आणि अपराधीपणा; आणि लहान स्वत: साठी, जीवनासाठी दंडनीय गुलामगिरी.
मेरीकडे खजिना शिल्लक नाही, मोती वाचवा; तथापि, ती आणि वॉटसन या साहसाच्या काळात प्रेमात पडले आहेत. वॉटसनने होम्सला खुलासा केला की त्याने तिला प्रपोज केले आहे आणि तिने ते स्वीकारले आहे, होम्सला खूप त्रास होतो.
Lesson from textbook
* The elements of novel -
1.Theme. ▪ Plot. ▪ Character. ▪ Setting. . ▪ Language/Style
* Introduction -
▪ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle born on 22nd May 1859 and died on 7 th July 1930. He was a British writer who created character of Sherlock Holmes. He published short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are generally considered as milestones in the field of crime fiction. Doyle was a prolific writer. Doyle was originally a physician.
▪ The sign of four is the second novel of author conan Doyle in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson solve the mystery of the hidden treasure and the murder.
SUMMARY-THE SIGN OF FOUR
The Sign of Four is a suspense novel written by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle. The plot revolves around the mysteries. The important character Miss Marston hired a detective Sherlock Holmes to solve the case. Her father was mysteriously disappeared ten years ago. Miss. Marston had received a letter to meet an unknown person who knew about her father. Sherlock Holmes promised her to solve the case. Holmes, Miss .Morston and Dr . Watson met the stranger. The stranger was Sholto the son of Major Sholto- friend of her father. Mr.Morston was dead due to heart attack. Sholto also added that she would get the share in treasure found by them. It was the treasure brought by their father. As they reached to get the treasure at Pondicherry lodge. They were shocked as Sholto’s brother Bartholomew was murdered. Police arrested Thaddeus Sholto as a suspect. At last Holmes finds the murderer Jonathan Small and Tonga who murdered Bartholomew and looted the treasure. Jonathan Small was betrayed by Major Sholto so he revenged. He also revealed the secret of Sign of four.
Key plot details -
1. Miss Mary Morstan arrives and ask s for help with a mystery .
▪ 2. Holmes and Watson accompany her to Thaddeus Sholto’s house and learn about the Agra treasure.
▪ 3. Bartholomew Sholto is found dead at Pondicherry Lodge.
▪ 4. Holmes investingates the clues and calls the police.Athelney Jones arrests Thaddeus Sholto. Holmes sends Watson to borrow Toby , the dog.
▪ 5. Holmes employs the Baker Street Irregulars as spies and eventually puts on a disguise to track down the Aurora launch.
▪ 6. Watson, Holmes and Inspector Jones pursue the villains along the River Thames and catch up with them.The treasure chest is empty .
▪ 7. Jonathan Small is arrested and confesses his whole story. Watson and Mary Morstan are engaged to be married.
Character Analysis -
1.Sherlock Holmes -
▪ Sherlock Holmes is a brilliant detective , withan exceptionally keen eye for detail . He is known for his disguises , his logical deduction , and his early use of forensic science. Holmes is the one who solves the case.He is deeply concerned with his own mental stimulation, and tries to keep his mind occupied . As such , when waiting for news , he tends to perform chemical experiments . Holmes shows little emotion , and only really cares about the facts of the case . This separates him from the common man , and makes him seem different . He worked as a consulting detective for 23 years , and 17 of those were with John Watson . Holmes’s only true friend is Doctor John Watson . Holmes maintains little to no connection with any females , except for his housekeeper , Mrs. Hudson.
2.John Watson -
▪ Watson is Holmes’ partner and room mate . He also narrates all but four of Holmes’s adventures . He was originally named’ Or mund Sacker’ before Conan Doyle decide don 'John Watson’ . He was a doctor in the army and has a bullet in his leg , which can occasionally impede his movement . He is also a very good shot . Wats on has a strong sense of honor and discretion . On occasion , he tries to solve cases without Holmes , with a limited degree of success . He is a more empathetic and human counter part to Holmes . He is very intelligent , but lacking in powers of observation . Watson is later married to Ms.
3.Mary Morstan -
▪ Brings the case to Holmes and Watson’s attention. She has been searching unsuccessfully for her fat her and has received several mysterious pearls in the mail . Mary is described as blonde, with pale skin . She was working as a governess when she contacted Holmes . Her mother died soon after Mary ’s birth , and Mary was educated in England. At the end of the story ,Watson proposes to Ms. Morstan and she accepts. She is 27 year sol d when in traduced . Mary isn’t really interested in the treasure and the fortune it would bring , and she is happy when the chest is empty .Mary ’ s fat her was a senior captain within his group and disappeared in London when visiting his daughter . He was a good man , who felt guilty about his acti onsin the war . He died when his heart gave out and he fell , cracking his skull.
4 ▪ Jonathan Small -
▪ Small is the antagonist of the story . Smal l has a wooden leg, which he got following an accident involving a crocodile. He was one of“ the four , "a group of men who discovered a cache of jewels. After this, an uprising occurred and Small was captured. In prison, he passes on the secret to Majors Morstan and Sholto. Morstan retrieves the jewels, but betrays the others, leaving Small in prison. When Small gets out he heads to England to try to get his share. He believes that he and the rest of“ the four ”are the only ones entitled to the treasure. When almost captured, he dumps the jewels in the river .He enlisted Tonga to help him in his quest . Small is not afraid to resort to violence to achieve his goals, although he was displeased when Tonga killed Bartholomew. Small has a beard and is very tan. He also has a very lined face.
4.Tonga -
▪ Tonga is an islander who is absolutely devoted to Small . Small nursed Tonga back to health when Tonga was ill . He helps Small escape and break into Sholto’s house. Tonga is the one who killed Bartholomew. He is now considered to be a rather racist character, with Doyle describing him as“ animalistic” and“ savage. "This reflects the Eurocentric mind set of Doyle’s time.
4.Thaddeus Sholto -
▪ Major Sholto’s son, Thaddeus is the one who sends the pearls to Mary Morstan . He does this to try to share his wealth after finding that his father was involved in Major Morstan’s death. He collects art ,and contacts Holmes when he finds that his brother has located the treasure chest . He is heavily disappointed in his father ’s actions. He is in constantly poor health, and is very twitchy and nervous. Thaddeus is originally arrested as a suspect in his brother ’s murder, as it was known that they fought the night before the murder.
5.Bartholomew Sholto -
▪Bartholomew is Thaddeus’s twin brother and Major Sholto’ s son . He doesn’ t like to share wealth or information with Holmes or Morstan . Bartholomew discovers the chest and is later killed by Tonga with a poisondart.
6.Captain Morstan -
▪ Captain Morstan was an officer in the British army who served in India . He is Mary Morstan’sfather , and his unexplained disappearance is the catalyst for the novella’splot . He was friends with Major Sholto and had agreed with him to facilitate Jonathan Small ’s escape from the Andaman Islands penal colony —where he and Sholto were working—in exchange for a share of the Agra treasure. Sholto deceives him and takes the treasure for himself .According to Thaddeus Sholto—which in turn is according to Major Sholto—Captain Morstan died from a heart attack during an argument with Sholto. Sholto then hid his body to avoid suspicion and the detection of the treasure.
7 ▪ Major Sholto -
▪ Major Sholto was an officer and friend of Arthur Morstan . He was the one who was originally approached about the location of the treasure, as Jonathan Small believed that his greed would make him an easy target .Sholto is tasked with the retrieval of the treasure, but takes it all for himself ,leaving Small and Morstan without anything. When Morstan later confronts him, Morstan has a heart attack and dies . Sholto hides the body and keeps the treasure. He lives the rest of his life plagued by extreme guilt and fear .He dies after seeing Jonat han Small ’s face in a window.
8.Abdullah Khan -
▪Abdullah Khan is an Indian man and one of the signatories of“ the sign of the four ”and the man who told Jonathan Small about the Agra treasure. The plan to kill the merchant carrying the treasure was mostly Abdullah’s idea , but he was imprisoned for the murder before he could enjoy his riches.