O Signo dos Quatro

De Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Uma vez por ano, a senhorita Mary Morstan recebe pelo correio uma pérola, sem qualquer menção quanto a quem seria o remetente. Quando seu misterioso admirador pede um encontro, Sherlock Holmes e Dr. Watson começam a trabalhar no caso. Uma morte terrível e o desaparecimento de um tesouro levam a uma caçada pelas ruas escuras de Londres e pelas margens do rio Tâmisa. Os personagens deste grande romance de mistério incluem os mal-aventurados gêmeos Sholto e o homem da perna de pau, que povoam cenários na Inglaterra vitoriana – mais sombria do que em qualquer outra história de Sherlock Holmes.

• Idioma: Português
• Editora: L&PM Pocket
• Data de lançamento: 1 de mai. de 2005
• ISBN: 9788525424716

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author best known for his classic detective fiction, although he wrote in many other genres including dramatic work, plays, and poetry. He began writing stories while studying medicine and published his first story in 1887. His Sherlock Holmes character is one of the most popular inventions of English literature, and has inspired films, stage adaptions, and literary adaptations for over 100 years.

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

(1859-1930)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle nasceu em Edimburgo, na Escócia, em 1859. Formou-se em Medicina pela Universidade de Edimburgo em 1885, quando montou um consultório e começou a escrever histórias de detetive. Um estudo em vermelho, publicado em 1887 pela revista Beeton’s Christmas Annual, introduziu ao público aqueles que se tornariam os mais conhecidos personagens de histórias de detetive da literatura universal: Sherlock Holmes e dr. Watson. Com eles, Conan Doyle imortalizou o método de dedução utilizado nas investigações e o ambiente da Inglaterra vitoriana. Seguiram-se outros três romances com os personagens, além de inúmeras histórias, publicadas nas revistas Strand, Collier’s e Liberty e posteriormente reunidas em cinco livros. Outros trabalhos de Conan Doyle foram frequentemente obscurecidos por sua criação mais famosa, e, em dezembro de 1893, ele matou Holmes (junto com o vilão professor Moriarty), tendo a Áustria como cenário, no conto O problema final (Memórias de Sherlock Holmes). Holmes ressuscitou no romance O cão dos Baskerville, publicado entre 1902 e 1903, e no conto A casa vazia (A ciclista solitária), de 1903, quando Conan Doyle sucumbiu à pressão do público e revelou que o detetive conseguira burlar a morte. Conan Doyle foi nomeado cavaleiro em 1902 pelo apoio à política britânica na guerra da África do Sul. Morreu em 1930.

Capítulo 1

A ciência da dedução

Sherlock Holmes

pegou o frasco de cima do console da lareira e a seringa hipodérmica do elegante estojo marroquim. Com seus dedos longos, brancos e nervosos, ajustou a agulha fina e arregaçou o punho esquerdo da camisa. Por pouco tempo seus olhos pousaram pensativamente sobre o pulso e o antebraço vigoroso, todo manchado e marcado com inúmeras marcas de picadas. Finalmente, estocou a ponta aguda no braço, pressionou o pequeno êmbolo e afundou de volta na poltrona forrada de veludo com um longo suspiro de satisfação.

Três vezes ao dia, por muitos meses, fui testemunha dessa operação, mas o hábito não havia acostumado minha mente a ela. Ao contrário, a cada dia eu me tornara mais irritável com a visão, e minha consciência pesava à noite ao pensar que não tivera a coragem de protestar. Repetidas vezes havia jurado que devotaria minha alma ao assunto; mas havia algo no ar reservado e senhor de si do meu companheiro que o tornava o último homem com quem uma pessoa tomaria algo próximo de uma liberdade. Sua enorme capacidade, o modo imperioso e a experiência que tive de suas muitas qualidades extraordinárias, tudo isso me tornou hesitante e relutante em contrariá-lo.

No entanto naquela tarde, quer seja o Beaune que havia tomado no almoço, ou a exasperação adicional produzida pela sua maneira absolutamente metódica, subitamente senti que não conseguiria mais me segurar.

– O que é hoje – perguntei –, morfina ou cocaína?

Ele ergueu os olhos languidamente do velho volume com letras góticas que havia aberto.

– É cocaína – disse ele –, uma solução a sete por cento. Você gostaria de provar?

– Não, muito obrigado – respondi bruscamente. – Minha saúde ainda não se recuperou da campanha do Afeganistão. Não posso me dar ao luxo de forçá-la mais.

Ele sorriu ante a minha veemência.

– Talvez você esteja certo, Watson – disse ele. – Eu suponho que a influência da droga seja fisicamente ruim. Considero, no entanto, que ela é tão extraordinariamente estimulante e esclarecedora para a mente, que o seu efeito secundário é uma questão de pouca importância.

– Mas reflita! – eu disse com veemência. – Avalie o custo disso! O seu cérebro pode, como você diz, estar estimulado e excitado, mas trata-se de um processo patológico e mórbido, que envolve uma alteração dos tecidos cada vez maior e pode deixar no mínimo uma debilidade permanente. Você conhece também a depressão que se segue. Certamente o jogo não vale a pena. Por que você arriscaria, por um mero prazer passageiro, a perda das grandes capacidades com as quais você foi dotado? Lembre que eu não falo somente de um camarada para outro, mas como um médico até certo ponto responsável por sua saúde.

Ele não pareceu ofendido. Ao contrário, juntou as pontas dos dedos e apoiou os cotovelos nos braços da poltrona, como uma pessoa que aprecia uma conversa.

– Minha mente – disse ele – rebela-se contra a estagnação. Dê-me problemas, dê-me trabalho, dê-me o criptograma mais obscuro ou a mais intrincada análise, e estarei em meu elemento. Eu posso viver então sem estimulantes artificiais. Mas eu abomino a rotina monótona da existência. Eu anseio por excitação mental. Essa é a razão por que escolhi a minha própria profissão, ou, melhor dizendo, criei-a, pois sou o único no mundo.

– O único detetive particular? – perguntei, erguendo as sobrancelhas.

– O único detetive particular consultor – respondeu ele. – Eu sou a última e mais alta corte de apelação em investigação. Quando Gregson, ou Lestrade, ou Athelney Jones estão fora do seu ambiente – o que, aliás, é o seu estado natural –, o assunto me é apresentado. Eu examino os dados, como um perito, e dou um parecer de especialista. Não reivindico crédito algum nesses casos. Meu nome não aparece em nenhum jornal. O trabalho em si, o prazer de encontrar um campo para minhas aptidões peculiares, é a minha maior recompensa. Mas você mesmo teve alguma experiência dos meus métodos de trabalho no caso Jefferson Hope.

– Sim, realmente – eu disse cordialmente. – Nunca fiquei tão impressionado com algo em minha vida. Eu cheguei a incluí-lo em um folheto com o título de certa forma fantástico de Um estudo em vermelho.

Ele balançou a cabeça pesaroso.

– Eu passei os olhos nele – ele disse. – Honestamente, não posso congratulá-lo por isso. A investigação é, ou deve ser, uma ciência exata, e deve ser tratada da mesma forma fria e sem emoção. Você tentou dar um toque de romance nela, o que produz o mesmo efeito de se colocar uma história de amor, ou uma fuga para casar-se com o amante, na quinta proposição de Euclides.

– Mas o romance estava lá – protestei. – Eu não poderia adulterar os fatos.

– Alguns fatos devem ser suprimidos ou, pelo menos, um senso justo de proporção deve ser observado ao tratá-los. O único ponto no caso que merecia ser mencionado era a singular análise da relação entre os efeitos e as causas, através do qual consegui desvendá-lo.

Essa crítica a um trabalho feito especialmente para agradá-lo me incomodava. Confesso, também, que estava irritado com o egoísmo que parecia demandar que cada linha do meu folheto fosse devotada às suas proezas. Mais de uma vez, durante os anos em que vivi com ele em Baker Street, observei que havia uma pequena vaidade por trás do jeito calado e didático de meu companheiro. Não fiz comentário algum, entretanto, e continuei sentado acariciando minha perna ferida. Uma bala de mosquete afegão a havia trespassado algum tempo atrás, e apesar de isso não me impedir de caminhar, doía-me bastante a qualquer mudança do tempo.

– Meu exercício profissional expandiu-se recentemente para o continente europeu – disse Holmes após um tempo, enchendo o seu velho cachimbo de raiz de roseira. – Fui consultado semana passada por François le Villard, que, como você provavelmente sabe, tem se destacado no serviço francês de investigação. Ele tem o talento celta para a dedução rápida, mas é deficiente na ampla gama de conhecimentos exatos que é essencial para um maior desenvolvimento de sua arte. O caso dizia respeito a um testamento e possuía algumas características interessantes. Eu pude referir-lhe a dois casos paralelos, um em Riga, em 1857, e o outro em St. Louis, em 1871, que lhe sugeriram a verdadeira solução. Aqui está uma carta que recebi essa manhã agradecendo minha ajuda.

Enquanto falava, ele me jogou uma folha amassada de papel de carta estrangeiro. Lancei um olhar sobre ela, notando a profusão de exclamações de admiração, com magnifiques, coup-de-maîtres e tours-de-force espalhados pelo texto, todas comprovando a reverência ardente do francês.

– Ele fala como um discípulo para o seu mestre – eu disse.

– Oh, ele valoriza em demasia minha ajuda – disse Sherlock Holmes indiferente. – Ele tem talentos consideráveis. Possui duas das três qualidades necessárias para o detetive ideal. Tem a capacidade da observação e da dedução. Só lhe falta o conhecimento, e isso virá com o tempo. Ele está agora traduzindo meus pequenos trabalhos para o francês.

– Seus trabalhos?

– Oh, você não sabia? – ele exclamou rindo. – Sim, sou responsável por várias monografias. São todas sobre questões técnicas. Aqui, por exemplo, está uma: Sobre a distinção entre as cinzas de vários tabacos. Nela enumero 140 tipos de tabaco usados em charutos, cigarros e cachimbos, com lâminas coloridas ilustrando as diferenças nas cinzas. Trata-se de um ponto que está continuamente aparecendo nos processos criminais e que algumas vezes é de suprema importância como prova. Se você pode dizer com toda certeza, por exemplo, que um assassinato foi cometido por um homem que estava fumando um charuto lunkah hindu, isso obviamente estreitará o seu campo de pesquisa. Para o olho treinado, existe tanta diferença entre a cinza negra de um charuto Trichinopoly feito com o tabaco escuro do sul da Índia e o farelo branco de um caporal quanto entre uma couve e uma batata.

– Você tem um gênio extraordinário para minúcias – observei.

– Eu aprecio a sua importância. Aqui está a minha monografia sobre o rastreamento de pegadas, com algumas considerações sobre o uso de gesso de Paris como um conservador de impressões. Aqui, também, há um pequeno trabalho singular sobre a influência do ofício sobre a forma da mão, com litografias das mãos de telhadores, marinheiros, corticeiros, compositores, tecelões e lapidadores de diamantes. Trata-se de uma questão de grande interesse prático para o detetive científico – especialmente nos casos de corpos não identificados ou na descoberta dos antecedentes de criminosos. Mas eu o estou cansando com meu passatempo.

– Não, de forma alguma – respondi sinceramente. – Isto me interessa muito, especialmente levando-se em consideração que já tive a oportunidade de observar a sua aplicação prática. Mas você falou agora de observação e dedução. Seguramente, até certo ponto uma implica na outra.

– Dificilmente – respondeu ele, recostando-se voluptuosamente na sua poltrona e soltando anéis densos de fumaça azulada do cachimbo. – Por exemplo, a observação me mostra que você esteve na agência de correios de Wigmore Street nesta manhã, mas a dedução me diz que, ali chegando, você enviou um telegrama.

– Correto! – eu disse. – Correto em ambos os pontos! Mas confesso que não sei como você chegou a essa conclusão. Foi um impulso repentino de minha parte e não o mencionei para ninguém.

– Trata-se da simplicidade em si – observou ele, rindo irônico de minha surpresa –, tão absurdamente simples que uma explicação é supérflua; e, no entanto, pode servir para definir os limites da observação e da dedução. A observação me diz que você tem um pouco de barro avermelhado na sola do sapato. Exatamente na frente da agência de Wigmore Street, eles levantaram a calçada e jogaram um pouco de terra no caminho, que se encontra de tal forma que é difícil evitar pisar nela ao entrar. A terra é de uma tonalidade avermelhada peculiar que não é encontrada, que eu saiba, em nenhum outro lugar no bairro. Até aí é observação. O resto é dedução.

– Como, então, você deduziu o telegrama?

– Mas é claro, eu sabia que você não tinha escrito uma carta, visto que passei a manhã inteira sentado à sua frente. Também vejo que você tem uma folha de selos e um grosso maço de postais em sua escrivaninha aberta. Qual a razão para você ir à agência dos correios a não ser para enviar um telegrama? Elimine todos os outros fatores, e aquele que restar deve ser a verdade.

– Nesse caso certamente é assim – respondi, após pensar um pouco. – A coisa é, entretanto, como você diz, da maior simplicidade. Você me consideraria impertinente se eu fizesse um teste mais severo às suas teorias?

– Ao contrário – respondeu ele. – Isso evitaria que eu injetasse uma segunda dose de cocaína. Eu teria o maior prazer em analisar qualquer problema que você me submetesse.

– Ouvi dizer que é difícil para um homem ter qualquer objeto de uso diário sem deixar a marca da sua individualidade sobre ele, de tal forma que um observador treinado não possa interpretá-la. Agora, eu tenho aqui um relógio que recentemente passou a ser meu.

Avaliações de O Signo dos Quatro

[robinrowlesauthor · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

The Sign of Four means murder! Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson accompany a beautiful young woman to a sinister assignation. Mary Morstan receives a mystery letter telling her she is a wronged woman. In order to seek justice she's to meet her unknown benefactor, bringing with her two companions. But surprise, surprise, there are others stalking in the fog of London! A one-legged ruffian has revenge on his mind - and his companions, who place no value on human life!
This story has non-stop action and it's certainly believable (bearing in mind when it was written)- It has a really surprising ending - jewel-thieves at its best. With greed another factor, there is plenty of adventure and mystery to get you turning-over the page. There's also a destination of love for Dr Watson with Mary Morstan!
Yes, at times it's certainly curious and intriguing.. along with its whodunit theme.
A well written story with lots of very good description and detail. Some really great characters.

[theeclecticbookworm · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

I listened to this book for a few days on my way to/from work, which was easy to do. I hadn't heard of this story before and I'm not really surprised. It was okay, and i liked it, but I don't think I'd bother to listen to it again, or to read it.

[asxz-2 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Opens with Sherlock self-administering class-A drugs intravenously... because he's bored. How very Trainspotting. Another romp through the streets of London or rather down the Thames in this instance. A locked-room mystery instantly solved and love at first sight for Dr. Watson. Charming and fun.

[ruthich · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Not quite the classic of Study in Scarlet or Valley of Fear, an adventure that roams to an Indian hard labour camp, where some of the inmates get involved with jewels and crooked British Officers.

[andrew1theqm · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

3.5 Stars. Didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one.

[adilinaria · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This one had a lot of the dated language and imagery I'd expect from a Victorian novel unfortunately, so be aware of that going in. Colonialism was strong here. Besides that it had something that I think a lot of the short stories lack, and I really found that fun. The 'high speed boat chase' was absolutely hilarious to me, though I enjoyed it. After reading Lindsey Faye's Sherlock shorts now I'm seeing the constant romanticized descriptions of women and it's just so over the top and ridiculous. I did like seeing Watson and Mary's relationship though, that was very cute. Sadly the mystery in this one was not very mysterious, I was a bit bummed on how simple it worked out to be. Ah well!

[bauernfeind · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

A good old comfortable read

[dulac3_1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

_The Sign of the Four_ isn't a bad mystery, but I didn't quite like it as much as _A Study in Scarlet_ or most of the stories in _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes_. I'm starting to think, however, that these stories aren't always of interest because of the mystery itself (though sometimes they certainly are), but more because of the revelations they disclose about the character of Sherlock Holmes himself. Did you know that he had fought a prize fighter and won? I didn't before, but now I do. We also get to see first hand what happens to Holmes when he has no work of sufficient interest to tax his incredible mind and he slumps into malaise and cocaine use to take the edge off.

This is also an important story for the genial Dr. Watson as he meets and falls in love with his future wife, Mary Morston. Good thing it turns out she was a client of Holmes' in these early days of their acquaintance since it helps to explain why she lets her husband go gallivanting around London with him all the time with nary a complaint. She owes him.

The central mystery revolves around a lost treasure and a missing soldier (Mary's father) who disappeared mysteriously years before. A man murdered in a locked room proves to pose a problem for the police, but not for Holmes of course. Along the way Watson discovers love and Holmes once again helps the police solve a mystery for which he receives no credit. As I said, not a bad story, but not one of my favourites thus far.

[melydia_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This second novel of Holmes's adventures is a tale of stolen treasure, betrayal, and of course murder. Holmes is his usual self, driving the police absolutely mad with just how right he is all the time. One of the things that most captivates me about Sherlock Holmes's detective work is that it all takes place before the advent of fingerprinting. There are so many inferences he would never need to make today if he could show who touched what. Anyway, back to the story. The plot was pleasantly complex. Watson's romance was adorable. My favorite part, though, was when the pair found themselves on the wrong trail and suddenly burst into laughter. While I certainly enjoy witnessing Holmes's amazing (and often unlikely) feats of deduction and inference, its his friendship with Watson that truly makes the stories come alive.

[justabookreader · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

I used to read a lot of Sherlock Holmes stories. Of course, this was years ago and I think I must have overdid it because I avoided Conan Doyle for years. Like the plague. Then I came across a few short stories when purging the shelves and thought it would be nice to take a look again, and it turns out, I still like me a bit of Sherlock and his handy sidekick, Doctor Watson. Feeling confident, I downloaded The Sign of Four from The Gutenberg Project and decided I would get re-acquainted with the duo. Not so much joy ensued.Here’s the general overview: a man has gone missing, a treasure has been misplaced, and Sherlock is asked to stick his nose in and sort out the conflicting mess. It’s wildly more complicated than that but I’ll be honest, I couldn’t get into this one and barely trudged to the end. The mystery was bland to me and this is supposed to be one his most revered Sherlockian works. People supposedly love this one and to a high degree I might add. I may not have had much interest in the actual mystery but what I did find interesting in this story was the drug use. Yep, right at the start Sherlock is getting high on cocaine. It made me wonder why anyone would hire someone who seemed, at least here, to be mildly stoned for most of the day to solve a mystery. Also of interest, we get to meet the future Mrs. Watson.I want to tell you more but I fear that my boredom with the story will cause me to give too much away. Besides, there are many favorable reviews of this book out there that if you like Sherlock, google it then read it. It might do wonders for you.

[jasonlf · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Excellent for what it is, of course. This is the second Holmes novella, fits the formula perfectly, and is enjoyable from beginning to end. It features a locked room mystery (sort of), the usual mysteries that had their origin overseas, and even a little romantic interest for Watson. It is not quite as confounding and mysterious, nor is the solution quite as satisfying, as many of the later Holmes stories. But still excellent.

[shanaqui_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Things I learned in this book: Watson is way more appealing a character, much of the time, than Holmes. The wrestling really is part of his character. So is the cocaine. Holmes is really irritating when he refuses to share his ideas.

It's funny reading reviews, because there are wildly differing ideas about whether this one is any good or not. Some say yes, some cry no. I enjoyed it well enough, and I thought the structure of it was better than A Study In Scarlet, with a decent transition into the flashback bit. I wasn't really expecting that to be such an important bit of the book -- it took up a decent chunk of it! -- and I wonder if all of them are like that. I shall find out anon, I imagine.

I'm also interested that, of the two of them, Sherlock Holmes is the bigger icon, and yet Watson is rather more likeable. His "romance" with Mary Morstan isn't exactly subtle, but there's something about his frankness about how she distracts him and enchants him which is touching and nice.

[spyderman58 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Anxious to get to the next one. Was a bit surprised to see that SH is a coke head.

[jessiqa_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This is the second Sherlock Holmes novel. I was surprised to find that Holmes was already using cocaine this early in the series. I had been told in class that Conan Doyle had introduced Holmes' drug use in order to make him less likable, because he didn't wish to continue writing about him. That seems an unlikely motive for the second published work, so I guess I can throw that theory out the window.The client in this story is Mary Morstan, whose father disappeared under mysterious circumstances and who is now receiving very strange letters from an anonymous benefactor. This is learned to be Thaddeus Sholto, whose father had hidden a treasure that Miss Morstan's father also had a claim to. The treasure is located by Thaddeus Shoto's brother Benjamin, and when Holmes, Watson and Miss Morstan go with Thaddeus to his brother's home, they find Benjamin dead inside a locked bedroom with the windows all locked shut. Homes deduces the means of the killers' entry and exit and uses a dog to follow the trail, as well as his Baker Street Irregulars. He even uses a disguise to do a bit of snooping himself. This, of course, is what pays off. Once the killer is caught, he relates his whole tale to Holmes, Watson, and Inspector Athelny Jones.There is a bit of a love story in this one too: Watson and Mary fall in love and are engaged by the end of the book. Holmes sighs at Watson's decision to marry since love is so illogical, but he pays Mary the compliment in saying that she "had a decided genius in that way," meaning in investigative work. Quite high praise coming from him.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[bookworm12_1 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Watson and Sherlock are back in this delicious mystery, one of only four full Sherlock novels. This one has it all and is my personal favorite. It opens with Sherlock shooting cocaine as a concerned Watson questions the addiction. Things just get better from there. We have a mysterious treasure from India passed down from father to son, murder, great disguises from Sherlock and even a bit of romance for Watson. I love that this novel gives us the full range of Sherlock’s emotions. He is obviously troubled, both when he is bored and when he is frustrated by a case. At other times he is completely joyous and playful as his mind ticks at a rapid pace, miles ahead of everyone else as he connects the dots. The relationship between Watson and Sherlock is at its best here. It’s still in its infancy in A Study in Scarlet and it’s almost completely missing in The Hound of the Baskervilles. This book captures the core of their friendship. They balance each other, Sherlock needs someone to think of the emotional side of things and Watson loves being involved in the thrill of a new case, though he wouldn’t pursue this line of work on his own. We also have Sherlock’s fussy landlady, Mrs. Hudson, who worries about her tenant and the client, Miss Mary Morstan, who catches Watson’s eye. Then there’s the Baker Street Irregulars, a ragtag group of boys who occasionally help Sherlock with his cases. The novel also has a helpful dog named Toby and some of Sherlock’s most infamous lines. You can’t go wrong with this one. BOTTOM LINE: This is definitely my favorite Sherlock Holmes novel so far. I also think it would be a great starting point for anyone who is new to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work. "My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession, or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world." "The chief proof of man's real greatness lies in his perception of his own smallness." “No, I am not tired. I have a curious constitution. I never remember feeling tired by work, though idleness exhausts me completely." “Miss Morstan and I stood together, and her hand was in mine. A wondrous subtle thing is love, for here were we two who had never seen each other before that day, between whom no word or even look of affection had ever passed, and yet now in an hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other.” “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

[jwhenderson_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Having already read The Hound of the Baskervilles, I turned to another one of the published Holmes novels, The Sign of Four, in part because it is available in a Penguin Classics edition. Felicitously, I found it to be one of the best detective novels of its time.The story is wonderfully paced with plenty of excitement, from chasing down the criminals through the use of a dog to another appearance by the Baker Street irregulars, and a thrilling boat chase for the climax of the story. More than a century after it was first written, the novel shows little sign of its age. The Sign of Four is well-paced, exciting, and even action packed story. It represents Doyle at his finest in many ways. The mystery is somewhat bizarre with its use of exotic weapons and strange footprints, but not too outre as seemed to be the case in some of the later Holmes stories such as "The Creeping Man." As is often the case it involves a young woman, with the added attraction of a treasure making the case even more interesting.I think that while in Study in Scarlet, we learned about Holmes, in this book we begin to see Holmes' personality: the genius who is so driven to avoid hum drum existence, who seeks problems and trouble to find some problem to keep his attention. The novel is also noteworthy for its focus on Holmes' use of Cocaine in the beginning and end. Dr. Watson (and by extension Dr. Doyle) were concerned about the use of Cocaine in the late 19th Century and its negative effects. However, Doyle wasn't heavy handed in his approach, and so Watson's concern sounds more like a modern doctor's concern with any popular addiction. And Holmes is blaise about it, leading to some interactions and statement that may seem surreal or humorous to the modern reader.

[port22_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

It seems that Holmes is an early discoverer ("I have chosen my own particular profession, or rather created it...") of a new didactic method of working out crimes: "Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner." Three qualities are necessary to make the ideal detective -- power of observation, deduction, and technical subjects; it is all a work of precision: "No, no: I never guess. It is a shocking habit, destructive to the logical faculty."Holmes uses cocaine as a substitute of craved mental stimulant which detective's work provides to him: "My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere." When confronted by Watson he is not irritated, "On the contrary, he put his finger-tips together and leaned his elbows on the arms of this chair, like one who has a relish for conversation."And that morning, to Watson's astonishment, Holmes demonstrates that "For example, observation shows me that you have been to Wigmore Street Post-Office, but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram."The plot arch is uncovered in a straight forward story which Dr. Watson recounts in first person: A young lady, Mary Mortan, seeks the assistance of able men to accompany her to a meeting with a mysterious someone who promises to reveal to her how her father died and a commitment to relinquish her fair share of a supposed treasure she inherited. Then, the entire action is compressed into the following 3 days.Reading Conan Doyle is also a bit of an archeological window into the language of the 19th century. For me, the smattering of quaint phraseology only adds an element of authenticity to the book.The book excels in unfolding the detective story (the "what"). Tightly paced and compact. One mildly unsatisfactory element is the choice of a deus-ex-machina plot device in explaining the "why". An entire chapter of the book is filled by a guy who sits in a chair and tells a story that puts put the motives behind the crime that was investigated by Holmes and Watson. One defense to this decision could be that this way Conan Doyle preserves the consistency of the book of being entirely told from the point of view of Dr. Watson and written in the first person.

[hashford_2 · Nota: 2 de 5 estrelas]

I’m sorry, I have tried to like Sherlock Holmes, I really have. But I just can’t get on with the superior attitude, and the casual racism and sexism scattered throughout the stories.As other reviewers have said, this isn’t one of Conan Doyle’s best. The story is incredibly slow, and doesn’t seem to know when it’s finished. The whole of the last CD (a quarter of the book!) is unnecessary and feels very unrealistic – why would the criminal feel the need to tell his tale quite so thoroughly?. Also, Watson’s “love interest” seems contrived and isn’t followed through anyway, so why is it there?And I’m really sorry (and I know I’m in a minority here!), but I didn’t like Derek Jacobi’s reading either. I would have liked more differentiation between Watson’s and Holmes’ voices – often, picking up the story after a few hours gap I had to work out who was speaking from the content (when I think it should be immediately obvious from the voice). His regional / international accents are wobbly to say the least and he struggles to do women effectively.All in all, listening to this in the car on the school run with my daughter felt far too much like hard work!

[ursula_2 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

What is there to say about Sherlock Holmes and Watson that everyone else hasn't already said? That won't stop me, though. I am reading them in order, so this is my second encounter with Holmes and Watson. Here you begin to see what would become the basis for endless film and tv representations of their characters. Holmes is treating his boredom with cocaine; Watson is a bit of a nervous aunt as he inquires as to the wisdom of the treatment. But before we have to delve too deeply into Holmes' psyche, a case comes calling in the person of Mary Morstan. The case involves a death, and a hidden treasure from India. We get a lot of brilliant deduction, followed by various methods employed by Holmes to fill in the gaps in his knowledge - the Baker Street irregulars (street urchins he employs from time to time), disguise, a chase, etc. Ultimately, once the villain is discovered and safely in custody, it's time for him to spill the entire back story so we can see how right Holmes was.Recommended for: everyone (come on, it's Sherlock Holmes!).Quote: "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, HOWEVER IMPROBABLE, must be the truth?"

[oscarwilde87_1 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

The Sign of the Four is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes and was published in 1890. It is actually not that easy to sum up the plot of this novel in a few words as it is very complex. The novel is about a stolen treasure, kept secret by a group of four convicts, and about the disappearance of Captain Arthur Morstan, father of Mary Morstan, Sherlock Holmes' new client. Soon, the detective finds a connection between the treasure and Captain Morstan's disappearance. Thaddeus Sholto, the son of a former comrade of Arthur Morstan, reveals that Morstan died of a heart attack and that Sholto had come into possession of information about the stolen treasure. During the investigation, Dr. Watson falls in love with Mary Morstan, who is to become his wife.What I found more exciting about The Sign of the Four than its plot, though, was the depiction of its main character, Sherlock Holmes. Compared to the first novel, there is a change in the depiction of Holmes right in the beginning of The Sign of the Four when the reader learns about Holmes using cocaine. While the first novel depicts Holmes as a great detective with a vast knowledge in various fields of study, and someone who perfected the art of deduction, the second novel makes him seem more human. He is less perfect than in the first novel and this makes him a rounder character.While I liked the character development in this novel, the plot was not really too exciting and a little too complex at times. On the whole, the second Sherlock Holmes novel is still a fairly good read. 3 stars.

[aprilann0814 · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to teach this one since Sherlock Holmes does cocaine and heroin and John Watson doesn't stop him, but it's still a wonderful story. The many layers of mysteries SH keeps track of and finds is impressive. To SH, there are no red herring clues, though some may seem that way to JW and the reader. I can't help but wonder what a novel by SH would look like. Of course, he would never waste his time on something so trivial.

[ctpress_1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Watson: I fear that it may be the last investigation in which I shall have the chance of studying your methods. Miss Morstan has done me the honor to accept me as a husband in prospective.Sherlock Holmes gave a most dismal groan. “I feared as much,” said he. “I cannot really congratulate you.”I was a little hurt. “Have you any reason to be dissatisfied with my choice?” I asked. “Not at all. I think she is one of the most charming young ladies I ever met….But love is an emotional thing and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things. I should never marry myself, lest I bias my judgment. "I trust,” said I, laughing, “that my judgment may survive the ordeal.”Sorry for a lengthy quote but I couldn’t resist. I will remember this second novel in the Sherlock Holmes series for the blooming romance between our dear friend Dr. Watson and the woman in peril, Miss Mary Morstan. When you get romance in Sherlock Holmes you have to cherish it. And Holmes’ cold reaction towards it. There’s a guy who stays true to character. Of other novelties in the novel one can mention the opening scene where Holmes with much indifference is sniffing cocaine out of boredom. Watson is shocked and warns Holmes of his dangerous cocain habit. So we come to the mystery itself. Well, all I have to say: This is a short, fast-paced story that takes place all over London - about Miss Morstan and her missing father, a hidden treasure, treachery, murder and greed among the ingredients. Here’s the books concluding remark: Watson to Holmes: You have done all the work in this business. I geet a wife out of it, Jones (the police investigator) gets the credit, pray what remains for you?“For me,” said Sherlock Holmes, “there still remains the cocaine-bottle.” And he stretched his long white hand up for it.

[theokester · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Similar to the first full length Holmes novel, The Sign of Four lets us get to know more about Sherlock Holmes through the unraveling of an intricate case. It gives a greater glimpse into Holmes’ drug habit and his pompous and abrasive personality. This time, Holmes and Watson are presented with a mystery at least ten years in the making when a young woman approaches Holmes with a story of her father who vanished ten years ago and her subsequent receipt of precious jewels and now an invitation to meet someone who promises to shed light on the mystery.Many times through the story, Holmes makes it a point to say that he has a number of theories but doesn’t want to expound on any of them until he has the appropriate facts. Contrary to Holmes’ abundance of theories, the reader walks alongside Watson in confusion as more and more diverse elements pile up without having any clear indication as to their relationship to one another or to the central case. What starts off as the hope of solving a decade old disappearance turns into a case of murder and grand larceny as the crew stumbles upon a corpse and a missing treasure. As the case grows more intricate Holmes annoyingly goes “off stage” a few times to work on some of his own theories. I found these moments annoying because Watson remains in Baker Street waiting for Holmes and as a result we only get a few sentences of explanation as to these elements of Holmes’ adventures or investigations. Some of these moments involve moments of disguise and subterfuge. It’s entirely possible, based on some of the other elements in this book and the previous novel, Study in Scarlet, that these scenes were deemed to be too dull for inclusion and if that is the case then I applaud Conan Doyle for leaving them out. Still, part of me wanted to see more of Holmes in action rather than Holmes in narrative. As the mystery wraps up and we reach the conclusion, we once again receive a lengthy narrative retelling a story that happened decades prior. I found this story a bit more interesting to read than the story told at the end of Study in Scarlet, but I was still a little bored by the lengthy narrative. Much of the action and intrigue of the story was boiled down to its most basic elements or left out entirely as the narrator simply presented the base facts from memory. The overall concept of this particular mystery was fairly intriguing and I liked the way that it played out. I found myself liking this novel slightly better than the first Holmes story but still felt a little underwhelmed as to the overall style and structure. The nature of his intelligent deductions is fun and while his character is abrasive, I enjoy getting to know more about Holmes. A solid sequel.***3 out of 5 stars

[swampygirl-1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

While most Sherlock stories are intriguing, this one stood out to me as perhaps the most interesting. Not because of the crime, but because of all the original stories I have read thus far this one seems the most interested in Sherlock's motivation and character- fleshed him out as it were.

I also can't help but be amused by Doyle's treatment of Sherlock's drug addiction and apparent manic depression. No apologies. This may merit further investigation.

[slpenney07 · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Summary: A young lady has been sent pearls. Sherlock and Watson investigate their origin, along with a cryptic letter that promises to explain all.The Take-Away: My love of the classics is two-fold: I love stories that well told even by modern standards; I love seeing how the world has changed. For instance, Sherlock Holmes was a cocaine user. When he wasn't solving mysteries, he was so bored with life, that a 7% solution was one of the two things that made life tolerable -- the other being morphine.I also love seeing how writing has changed. "Editing" the title helps me to think through what would need to be done to make it sell in today's market. Working out that muscle also helps my own writing.Sherlock isn't nearly as interesting as Watson. Sherlock is cool and undistribed, always right whereas Watson is emotional and often overlooks what Sherlock considers a clue. Indulge me a bit here: Sherlock is always right, because the author makes sure he is. If Sherlock missed a clue, here and there, like Watson often does, would the books be considered as great? Is it because Sherlock is a larger than life character that they've carried through the years?Recommendation: If you like classics, Sherlock is a great detective.

[therebelprince · Nota: 2 de 5 estrelas]

After being disappointed with "A Study in Scarlet", I decided to tackle a second Holmes novel in the hopes that things would improve. Sadly, they didn't. I'm not beaten yet - I'll be attempting "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" as my next train-to-work novel - but so far, this doesn't do anything for me.

There are some good elements here: Holmes of course is an enjoyable response to the crime fiction that existed at the time. His methods of deduction, while sometimes ponderous, are always clever. Unfortunately, there's very little else to be said for this book.

Watson continues to be an uninteresting narrator; the supporting characters are mostly forgettable, with the exception (oddly) of the police characters, who so far I have found pleasant; and Holmes himself, as many other reviewers seem to note, is at his least likeable here. Obviously, we're supposed to be somewhat confounded by his aloof personality, but his treatment of other members of the human race is extremely off-putting. Like the 2000s versions - Dr. House, etc. - it's supposedly tempered by his desire to help the innocent and fearful, but really the fact that he only seems to have a heart for small children just leads me to assume he is a sociopath.

And then there is the mystery itself: here, Conan Doyle reveals himself as mostly a pulp writer, it seems. Like "A Study in Scarlet", this mystery is decidedly outlandish: cannibalistic midgets, wooden legs, etc, etc. Yes it's escapism and I accept that, but the problem is these mysteries are almost tailor-made for Sherlock Holmes. No human being could possibly be expected to guess from a simple murder that it involved so many elaborate contrivances and foreign devils. It seems strange to say it, but if Holmes could instead investigate a (complex) drawing-room mystery or the like, I might be drawn into the work more, as this would require him to piece together clues within my human scope of comprehension. I'm not asking for an easy mystery, just one that has more of a human element.

Anyway, I'll be interested to continue reading the Holmes books (although I may slow down, as I do have the rest of my life), and perhaps find out why he has become such a mythical figure!

[scorched_earth · Nota: 5 de 5 estrelas]

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four, which is the second book featuring the famed detective Sherlock Holmes, the authors vivid imagination tells another riveting detective story. The book begins and ends with Sherlock Holmes injecting himself with cocaine simply because he is bored due to not having a murder case to occupy his mind. Readers get to know Holmes and Dr. Watson a little better in this book. The story is so detailed and well conceived that it almost seems real. I will be looking forward to the next installment in this series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

[msaucier818 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

This was my second Sherlock Holmes book and I enjoyed it as much as the first. This book introduces us to Holmes' cocaine habit, and Watson meets a girl he likes, so it was nice to have that type of character development. The way Holmes uses logic to solve the crime of the story is again interesting and fun to read. I also liked the bit of history mixed into the story - this time dealing with British rule in India. A quick read and I will continue to read the Holmes' stories in the future.

[lgandt · Nota: 3 de 5 estrelas]

Liked the book far more than any of the screen adaptations I have seen, well worth the reading.

[marcusbastos-1 · Nota: 4 de 5 estrelas]

Holmes and The Science of Deduction This is chronologically the second book of Sherlock Holmes cases. The story evolves around a treasure that came from India in an exquisite manner. The possession of the treasure’s riches cause, as one can expect, some murders. Holmes is called to discovery the reason for the disappearance of Mary Morstan’s father, which appears to have direct connection with the treasury. With the help of Watson, the famous “consulting detective” used all his abilities to solve the mystery. Careful observation added with the special ability of deduction help Holmes to find the answers. In this adventure Watson knows someone who will have an important place in his heart and ultimately in his life. The story has a lot of action and the finish is somewhat surprisingly. After “A Study in Scarlet”, the reader knows a little bit more of Holmes and Watson and the relationship both build.