Chapter 9
Watson wakes up and discovers that Sherlock is annoyed about the slow progress of the case, and is also angry at himself for not solving it. Watson then decides to visit Mary and Mrs. Cecil Forrester.
Watson informs them of the case and Mrs Forrester describes the events as something akin to a romance. Watson, however, is relieved to find that Mary is not at all concerned with her perhaps lost fortune. On the contrary, she appears to have the safety of Thaddeus at heart.
Upon returning back home, Watson faces a few days of Sherlocks typical mental anguish. Night spent listening to Mr Holmes pottering up-and-down and tinkering with allsorts of experiments. One morning, however, Sherlock decides it is best to track the Aurora for himself and he instructs Watson to remain in the flat and await a telegram or something along those lines.
Watson is alerted when he notices an advertisement in the newspaper, requesting Mordecai Smith’s whereabouts with the flat’s address being offered. He assumes this must be the work of Sherlock. In the evening,
Junes visits Baker Street and Watson offers him a cigar and some whiskey whilst they wait for Sherlock to return. Jones informs Watson that he received a telegram from Mr Holmes telling him to arrive at Baker Street and that he is closing in on the culprits.
Suddenly an old man enters the apartment and asks for Holmes, saying that he has all the answers he needs regarding Aurora. However, as the old man notices that Sherlock is not present, he makes to leave, saying that he will only speak to Mr Holmes.
Jones then blocks the door so that the older chap cannot flee but the voice of Sherlock reveals to all present that the elderly fellow was in fact Sherlock in disguise. Holmes then requests full control over the investigation, to which Jones agrees, and he starts by requesting a police boat and some men to be at the Westminster Stairs of the Thames by 7 that evening.
Holmes also requests that, upon the capture, he is allowed to speak to Jonathan on his own. He also wants Watson to take the treasure to Mary himself. Jones agrees. Sherlock, pleased by Jones’ acceptance, invites them all to eat for dinner.
The Sign of Four
The Sign of the Four is the second of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels. In it the detective and his companion Dr Watson unravel a mystery of hidden treasure and murder.
Miss Mary Morstan arrives at 221B, Baker Street to request help with the mystery of her missing father, her mysterious gifts of pearls and a letter requesting her to meet an unknown person that evening. Holmes takes on the case and the story begins.
Watson narrates the tale that sees the detective tracking down hidden treasure and murderers. By the end, the criminals are either dead or arrested, and Miss Mary Morstan and Watson are engaged to be married.