The Sign of Four PDF

The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the second novel featuring the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal companion Dr. John Watson. First published in 1890, it combines mystery, adventure, romance, and colonial intrigue.

Summary:

The story begins when a young woman named Mary Morstan visits Sherlock Holmes. Ten years ago, her father disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Since then, she has been receiving anonymous gifts of rare pearls. Now, she has received a letter asking her to meet the sender and bring two companions — so she turns to Holmes and Watson for help.

The meeting leads them to Thaddeus Sholto, who reveals that Mary's father, Captain Arthur Morstan, died years ago after visiting Major Sholto, Thaddeus’s father. Major Sholto had kept the death a secret because he feared it would jeopardize a treasure both men had discovered in India. The treasure, however, disappeared after Major Sholto’s death.

The mystery deepens when Thaddeus’s twin brother, Bartholomew, is found dead in his locked room, and the treasure is missing again. Holmes investigates and discovers the murder was committed by a man with a wooden leg named Jonathan Small, who escaped from prison with the help of a native accomplice named Tonga.

A thrilling boat chase on the River Thames leads to Small’s capture. He reveals the backstory: he and three others (the “Sign of Four”) had found a great treasure during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, but were imprisoned for the crime. Small later made a deal with Major Sholto to share the treasure in exchange for helping him escape, but Sholto betrayed him and took the treasure for himself.

In the end, the treasure is lost forever, but Watson falls in love with Mary Morstan, setting the stage for future developments in the Holmes series.

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