Ourcaptivesatinthecabinoppositetotheironboxwhichhehaddonesomuchandwaitedsolongtogain.Hewasasunburned,reckless-eyedfellow,withanetworkoflinesandwrinklesalloverhismahoganyfeatures,whichtoldofahard,open-airlife.Therewasasingularprominenceabouthisbeardedchinwhichmarkedamanwhowasnottobeeasilyturnedfromhispurpose.Hisagemayhavebeenfiftyorthereabouts,forhisblack,curlyhairwasthicklyshotwithgrey.Hisfaceinreposewasnotanunpleasingone,thoughhisheavybrowsandaggressivechingavehim,asIhadlatelyseen,aterribleexpressionwhenmovedtoanger.Hesatnowwithhishandcuffedhandsuponhislap,andhisheadsunkuponhisbreast,whilehelookedwithhiskeen,twinklingeyesattheboxwhichhadbeenthecauseofhisill-doings.Itseemedtomethattherewasmoresorrowthanangerinhisrigidandcontainedcountenance.Oncehelookedupatmewithagleamofsomethinglikehumourinhiseyes.
“Well,JonathanSmall,”saidHolmes,lightingacigar,“Iamsorrythatithascometothis.”
“AndsoamI,sir,”heanswered,frankly.“Idon’tbelievethatIcanswingoverthejob.IgiveyoumywordonthebookthatIneverraisedhandagainstMr.Sholto.Itwasthatlittlehell-houndTongawhoshotoneofhiscurseddartsintohim.Ihadnopartinit,sir.Iwasasgrievedasifithadbeenmyblood-relation.Iweltedthelittledevilwiththeslackendoftheropeforit,butitwasdone,andIcouldnotundoitagain.”
“Haveacigar,”saidHolmes“andyouhadbesttakeapulloutofmyflask,foryouareverywet.HowcouldyouexpectsosmallandweakamanasthisblackfellowtooverpowerMr.Sholtoandholdhimwhileyouwereclimbingtherope?”
“Youseemtoknowasmuchaboutitasifyouwerethere,sir.ThetruthisthatIhopedtofindtheroomclear.Iknewthehabitsofthehouseprettywell,anditwasthetimewhenMr.Sholtousuallywentdowntohissupper.Ishallmakenosecretofthebusiness.ThebestdefencethatIcanmakeisjustthesimpletruth.Now,ifithadbeentheoldmajorIwouldhaveswungforhimwithalightheart.Iwouldhavethoughtnomoreofknifinghimthanofsmokingthiscigar.Butit’scursedhardthatIshouldbelaggedoverthisyoungS