Romantikus fantasy. Egy elfeledett idegen lépked végig a macskak?veken. Nem hagyja, hogy láncra vert érzései eluralkodjanak felette. De amikor szembe kell néznie családja gy?l?letével, húga balesetével, a város suttogásával, egyre nehezebb nyugodtnak maradnia. Márpedig nem lehet düh?s, nemfélhet, mert akkor kit?r a káosz. Elég egyetlen bizonytalan pillanat, hogy megremegjenek a város szobrai. Fellélegzik a k?szarvas, pislogni kezd az acélbika. Alig várják, hogy tombolhassanak.Egy láthatatlan árny suhan a s?tétben. Nem tartozik sehova, nincsenek emlékei, nincsenek tervei. Otthona az éjszaka, ami elrejti ?t a kíváncsi szemek el?l. Fogai feltépik a b?rt, k?rme véres csíkokat hagy áldozata testén. ?rezni akar. Az izgalmat üld?zi, ami véget vet a szívében kongó ürességnek.Egyikük sem ismeri a másikat. Fogalmuk sincs róla, hogy sorsuk egybeforrt, és a válaszokat nem ?nmagukban, hanem egymásban kell keresni.

Mary Lennox is a sour-faced 10-year-old girl, who is born in India to selfish wealthy British parents who had not wanted her and were too wrapped up in their own lives. She was taken care of primarily by servants, who pacify her as much as possible to keep her out of the way. Spoiled and with a temper, she is unaffectionate, angry, rude and obstinate. Later, there is a cholera epidemic which hits India and kills her mother, father and all the servants. She is discovered alone but alive after the house is empty. She is sent to Yorkshire, England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven at his home called Misselthwaite Manor.

A nagy író kezében arannyá válik, amihez hozzányul. Gárdonyi egy-egy ritka kirándulása a színm? területére páratlan remekm?vekben jut kifejezésre. Az Annuska vidéki t?rténet. Egyszer?, természetes, vonzó, csupa der?, csupa napsugár és emellett mélyen emberi.

Sorsdráma. Szrny, barbár mese. Véres és szexuális talányok. Elnyomott emlékek és gyermekkori borzalmak flkeverése. Hirtelen, képtelen, elre tudott és mégis elháríthatatlan katasztrófa. Babona, vallás és matematika külns fonadékú szvete. A sors irracionális gykereinek ízeit érezzük. Micsoda ellentét forma és tartalom kzt! Ilyen vad, si, nyers, babonás mélyeket éppen csak az emberi tudat és kultúra leglucidasabb mvészete tár fl: annál megrendítbb! A Szophoklész mvészete” – írja Babits Mihály Az európai irodalom trténeté-ben.

A Tartuffe-ben, a képmutatók zsarnoki uralmának e pompás torzképében minden id?k egyik legnagyszer?bb komikus remekm?vét tiszteli az egész m?velt világ. A korabeli francia udvarban annyian gúnyolva érezték magukat, hogy betiltatták az uralkodóval a bemutatót.

The book tells the adventures of five American prisoners of war on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. Begining in the American Civil War, as famine and death ravage the city of Richmond, Virginia, five northern POWs decide to escape in a rather unusual way – by hijacking a balloon! This is only the beginning of their adventures...

THE MAN IN THE MOON.THE Man in the MoonCame tumbling down,And asked his way to Norwich;They told him south,And he burnt his mouthWith eating cold pease-porridge. TO MARKET, TO MARKET.TO market, to market, to buy a fat Pig;Home again, home again, dancing a jig. The Man In the Moon.To Market, to Market.There Was a Man.The Lion and the Unicorn.Little Miss Muffet.Oranges and Lemons.Goosey, Goosey Gander.Humpty Dumpty.Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.The Three Wise Men of Gotham. STORIES: - The Man In the Moon.- To Market, to Market.- There Was a Man.- The Lion and the Unicorn.- Little Miss Muffet.- Oranges and Lemons.- Goosey, Goosey Gander.- Humpty Dumpty.- Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.- The Three Wise Men of Gotham.

Tényleg azt hitted, hogy kamasznak lenni k?nny?? Bár a tizen?t éves Pataki Emma élete igen távol áll a t?kéletest?l, hiszen anya nélkül kell feln?nie alkoholista apukája és nagymamája szigorú kontrollja alatt, ? mégis megpróbálja élni a tinik szokásos mindennapjait. Bulizik a barátaival, mindent megbeszél b?lcs barátn?jével és még szerelmes is az elb?v?l? mosolyú osztálytársába. Az eszes kaposvári lány ügyesen lavíroz az ellentmondást nem t?r? apa elvárásai és a barátok napról napra féktelenebbé váló kicsapongásai k?z?tt. Az élet azonban nem t?ri sokáig ezt a t?rékeny egyensúlyt, szemberohan Emmával, hogy minél hamarabb g?rdíthessen elé megoldhatatlannak t?n? nehézségeket. A méretes akadályok k?z?tt botladozó lány mindinkább kétségbeesik, és kérdéses, hogy sikerülhet-e átverekednie magát az ?t elgáncsolni látszó problémákon. Vajon meg tud birkózni Emma az emberfeletti er?t kívánó kihívásokkal? Képes helytállni és feln?ttként viselkedni olyan helyzetekben, amik még sok valódi feln?ttnek is feladnák a leckét? ?s vajon ráj?n, hogy milyen súlyos titkot rejteget el?le a családja? Gombos Tünde a Margó-díjra jel?lt Szerelemtánc után megint egy embert próbáló helyzetbe került fiatal t?rténetét meséli el a t?le már megszokott stílusban, hol humorosan, hol szívhez szólóan.

Kívánom, adjanak er?t ezek a k?ltemények sokaknak! Azokhoz szólok most, akiknek valamikor, valamije fájt már életében, és/vagy ismernek olyan embert, aki tudja, hogy a szó szoros értelmében mit jelent az a szó: jaj! Tetovált társaim! Ti egyt?l egyig tisztában vagytok ennek a fogalomnak a jelentésével, és azzal is, hogy ez a választott életérzés megéri, méghozzá busásan. Akiknek jelen pillanatban is fáj valami, azoknak pedig… Nekik drukkolok leginkább!

When does life begin?... A well-known book says "forty". A well-known radio program says "eighty". Some folks say it's mental, others say it's physical. But take the strange case of Mel Carlson who gave a lot of thought to the matter. Mel felt as if he were floating on clouds in the deepest, most intense dark he had ever experienced. He tried opening his eyes but nothing happened, only a sharp pain. Little bits of memory flashed back and he tried to figure out what could have happened, where he was. The last thing he could remember was the little lab hidden back in the mountains in an old mine tunnel. Remote, but only an hour's drive from the city. What had he been doing? Oh yes, arguing with Neil again. He even recalled the exact words."Damn it, Mel," his partner had said. "We've gone about as far as possible working with animal brains. We've got to get a human one." "We can't," Mel had disagreed. "There'd be enough of an uproar if the papers got hold of what we've been doing with animals. If we did get someone in a hospital to agree to let us use his brain on death, they would close us up tighter than a drum.""But our lab's too well hidden, they'd never know." "It wouldn't work anyway. The brain might be damaged for lack of oxygen and all of our work would go for nothing. Worse, it might indicate failure where a fresh, healthy brain would mean success.""We'll never know unless we try," said Neil almost violently, dark eyes glittering. "Our funds aren't going to last forever."

The Divine Comedy describes Dante's journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso), guided first by the Roman poet Virgil and then by Beatrice, the subject of his love and of another of his works, La Vita Nuova. While the vision of Hell, the Inferno, is vivid for modern readers, the theological niceties presented in the other books require a certain amount of patience and knowledge to appreciate. Purgatorio, the most lyrical and human of the three, also has the most poets in it; Paradiso, the most heavily theological, has the most beautiful and ecstatic mystic passages in which Dante tries to describe what he confesses he is unable to convey (e.g., when Dante looks into the face of God: "all'alta fantasia qui mancò possa" — "at this high moment, ability failed my capacity to describe," Paradiso, XXXIII, 142). His glory, by whose might all things are mov'd,Pierces the universe, and in one partSheds more resplendence, elsewhere less. In heav'n,That largeliest of his light partakes, was I,Witness of things, which to relate againSurpasseth power of him who comes from thence;For that, so near approaching its desireOur intellect is to such depth absorb'd,That memory cannot follow. Nathless all,That in my thoughts I of that sacred realmCould store, shall now be matter of my song. Benign Apollo! this last labour aid,And make me such a vessel of thy worth,As thy own laurel claims of me belov'd.Thus far hath one of steep Parnassus' browsSuffic'd me; henceforth there is need of bothFor my remaining enterprise Do thouEnter into my bosom, and there breatheSo, as when Marsyas by thy hand was dragg'dForth from his limbs unsheath'd. O power divine!If thou to me of shine impart so much,That of that happy realm the shadow'd formTrac'd in my thoughts I may set forth to view,Thou shalt behold me of thy favour'd treeCome to the foot, and crown myself with leaves;For to that honour thou, and my high themeWill fit me. If but seldom, mighty Sire!To grace his triumph gathers thence a wreathCaesar or bard (more shame for human willsDeprav'd) joy to the Delphic god must springFrom the Pierian foliage, when one breastIs with such thirst inspir'd. From a small sparkGreat flame hath risen: after me perchanceOthers with better voice may pray, and gainFrom the Cirrhaean city answer kind. About Dante: Durante degli Alighieri, simply referred to as Dante (1265–1321), was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called La Comedia and later called Divina by Boccaccio, is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature. In Italy he is known as il Sommo Poeta ("the Supreme Poet") or just il Poeta. He, Petrarch and Boccaccio are also known as "the three fountains" or "the three crowns". Dante is also called the "Father of the Italian language".

Soman Chainani els? regénye, a New York Times bestseller Jók és Rosszak Iskolája folytatásában Sophie és Agatha visszatér Gavaldonba, és boldogan élnek saját világukban, ám az élet nem olyan tündérmese, amilyennek képzelték… Agatha már úgy érzi, bárcsak más boldog befejezést kívánt volna a mesének, ám ekkor véletlenül megtalálja és kinyitja a Jók és Rosszak Iskolájának kapuját. A lányok azzal szembesülnek, hogy az a világ, amit az els? tanévben tapasztaltak, megváltozott. A boszorkányok és a hercegn?k a Lányok Iskolájában laknak. Elhatározták, hogy kirekesztik életükb?l a hercegeket. Tedros és a fiúk a Rossz Iskolája régi tornyainak lakói lettek. A két iskola k?z?tt háború van kit?r?ben. Vajon Agatha és Sophie helyre tudják állítani a békét? Vajon Sophie jó tud maradni úgy, hogy Tedros állandóan üld?zi? ?s kihez húz Agatha szíve? A barátn?jéhez vagy a hercegéhez? Soman Chainani kül?nleges világot teremtett. A Newbery-díj legutóbbi jutalmazottja, Ann M. Martin ?páratlan mesének” nevezi, amely ?csupa romantika, varázslat, humor és rejtvény. Legszívesebben egyhuzamban olvasnánk végig.”

K?zben éltem is.Mégis az álmaim t?ntek valóságosabbnak.Néha szerettem.Mégis mindig csalódtam magamban.Mindig harcoltam.Mégsem tudtam legy?zni ?nmagam.Egy nap mindent elveszítettem.Mégis volt mit elvesztenem másnap.

A horoszkóp, az univerzum k?re, életünk kerete adott. Születésünk pillanatában megérkezünk a magunk választotta pontjára, valamilyen céllal, megoldandó feladattal. Ez a sorsunk, a karmánk, ezt kell megcselekednünk. A j?v?nk kulcsa, a megoldás abban rejlik, hogy felismerjük-e a karmánk szabta feladatot, és hogy azt hogyan teljesítjük.Az asztrológia nem jóslás, hanem a sorsfeladatunk tudatosításáról és elfogadásáról szól.Ez az asztrológiai kézik?nyv a lehet? legegyszer?bb alapokon nyugszik: elegend? ismerni a Szaturnusz, a Jupiter, valamint a Nap jegy és az uralkodó bolygójának elhelyezkedését a horoszkópban jegyek és házak szerint.A k?nyv els?sorban azoknak szól, akik alapvet? asztrológiai ismeretekkel rendelkeznek, és szeretnének k?nnyen eligazodni, esetleg másoknak is tanácsot adni, hogy miként ismerhetik fel a nekik rendelt utat.

Боли в руках, ногах, коленях периодически испытывают многие, а с возрастом болевые ощущения усиливаются. В этой книге представлена подробная информация о заболеваниях, которые становятся причиной неприятных симптомов. Вы вновь ощутите радость от движения без боли! ? Клинические симптомы, диагностика и лечение заболеваний: артрит, остеоартроз, синдром усталых ног, подагра и др. ? Народные методы лечения: настои, отвары, компрессы, ванны ? Лечебная гимнастика, массаж и самомассаж, рефлексо- и парафинотерапия ? Рецепты здорового питания ? Очищение организма и профилактика заболеваний ? ?Скорая помощь? для снятия боли. Boli v rukah, nogah, kolenjah periodicheski ispytyvajut mnogie, a s vozrastom bolevye oshhushhenija usilivajutsja. V jetoj knige predstavlena podrobnaja informacija o zabolevanijah, kotorye stanovjatsja prichinoj neprijatnyh simptomov. Vy vnov' oshhutite radost' ot dvizhenija bez boli! ? Klinicheskie simptomy, diagnostika i lechenie zabolevanij: artrit, osteoartroz, sindrom ustalyh nog, podagra i dr. ? Narodnye metody lechenija: nastoi, otvary, kompressy, vanny ? Lechebnaja gimnastika, massazh i samomassazh, reflekso- i parafinoterapija ? Recepty zdorovogo pitanija ? Ochishhenie organizma i profilaktika zabolevanij ? ?Skoraja pomoshh'? dlja snjatija boli.

Автор – лауреат Пултцервсько прем Понад 60 тижнв у списку бестселерв The New York Times Входить до довгого списку рейтингу Financial Times Як звички впливают на життя Як, змнивши лише один шаблон поведнки, рзн люди змогли досягти успху: стати директором, придбати будинок, пробгти марафон В основу ц книжки лягли нтерв’ю з трьома сотнями науковцв директорв пдпримств, дослдження, проведен в десятках компанй. Проаналзувавши все це, автор зрозумв, як кожна людина може контролювати сво звички, щоб досягти успху. Дзнавшись, як створюються та руйнуються звички, ви зможете перебудувати шаблони поведнки, як соб забажате. Ви зрозумте, як змусити себе не палити, менше сти, займатися спортом, не кричати на близьких, ефективнше працювати. Avtor – laureat Pultcervs'ko prem Ponad 60 tizhnv u spisku bestselerv The New York Times Vhodit' do dovgogo spisku rejtingu Financial Times Jak zvichki vplivajut na zhittja Jak, zmnivshi lishe odin shablon povednki, rzn ljudi zmogli dosjagti usphu: stati direktorom, pridbati budinok, probgti marafon V osnovu c knizhki ljagli nterv’ju z tr'oma sotnjami naukovcv direktorv pdprimstv, dosldzhennja, proveden v desjatkah kompanj. Proanalzuvavshi vse ce, avtor zrozumv, jak kozhna ljudina mozhe kontroljuvati svo zvichki, shhob dosjagti usphu. Dznavshis', jak stvorjujut'sja ta rujnujut'sja zvichki, vi zmozhete perebuduvati shabloni povednki, jak sob zabazhate. Vi zrozumte, jak zmusiti sebe ne paliti, menshe sti, zajmatisja sportom, ne krichati na bliz'kih, efektivnshe pracjuvati.

Видано 45 мовами! Донна Тартт — лауреат Пул?тцер?всько? прем?? № 1 у списку 100 видатних книжок за верс??ю The New York Times Отямившись п?сля вибуху в музе?, тринадцятир?чний Тео ще не розум??, що там, п?д уламками, залишилися його мат?р ? його дитинство. Пробираючись до виходу, повз кам?ння та т?ла, в?н п?дбира? безц?нну картину фламандського майстра, яку так любила його мати. Дивний старий, вмираючи, в?дда? йому свого персня та просить винести картину зв?дси... Тео буде кидати ?з родини в родину, ?з Нью-Йорка до Амстердама, ?з глибин в?дчаю до ейфор??. Викрадений ?Щиголь? стане його прокляттям та над??ю на порятунок... Vidano 45 movami! Donna Tartt — laureat Pul?tcer?vs'ko? prem?? № 1 u spisku 100 vidatnih knizhok za vers??ju The New York Times Otjamivshis' p?slja vibuhu v muze?, trinadcjatir?chnij Teo shhe ne rozum??, shho tam, p?d ulamkami, zalishilisja jogo mat?r ? jogo ditinstvo. Probirajuchis' do vihodu, povz kam?nnja ta t?la, v?n p?dbira? bezc?nnu kartinu flamands'kogo majstra, jaku tak ljubila jogo mati. Divnij starij, vmirajuchi, v?dda? jomu svogo persnja ta prosit' vinesti kartinu zv?dsi... Teo bude kidati ?z rodini v rodinu, ?z N'ju-Jorka do Amsterdama, ?z glibin v?dchaju do ejfor??. Vikradenij ?Shhigol'? stane jogo prokljattjam ta nad??ju na porjatunok...

We sailed from Peru, (where we had continued for the space of one whole year) for China and Japan, by the South Sea; taking with us victuals for twelve months; and had good winds from the east, though soft and weak, for five months space, and more. But the wind came about, and settled in the west for many days, so as we could make little or no way, and were sometime in purpose to turn back. But then again there arose strong and great winds from the south, with a point east, which carried us up (for all that we could do) towards the north; by which time our victuals failed us, though we had made good spare of them. So that finding ourselves, in the midst of the greatest wilderness of waters in the world, without victuals, we gave ourselves for lost men and prepared for death. Yet we did lift up our hearts and voices to God above, who showeth his wonders in the deep, beseeching him of his mercy, that as in the beginning he discovered the face of the deep, and brought forth dry land, so he would now discover land to us, that we might not perish. And it came to pass that the next day about evening we saw within a kenning before us, towards the north, as it were thick clouds, which did put us in some hope of land; knowing how that part of the South Sea was utterly unknown; and might have islands, or continents, that hitherto were not come to light. Wherefore we bent our course thither, where we saw the appearance of land, all that night; and in the dawning of the next day, we might plainly discern that it was a land; flat to our sight, and full of boscage; which made it show the more dark. And after an hour and a half's sailing, we entered into a good haven, being the port of a fair city; not great indeed, but well built, and that gave a pleasant view from the sea: and we thinking every minute long, till we were on land, came close to the shore, and offered to land. But straightways we saw divers of the people, with bastons in their hands (as it were) forbidding us to land; yet without any cries of fierceness, but only as warning us off, by signs that they made. Whereupon being not a little discomforted, we were advising with ourselves, what we should do. During which time, there made forth to us a small boat, with about eight persons in it; whereof one of them had in his hand a tipstaff of a yellow cane, tipped at both ends with blue, who came aboard our ship, without any show of distrust at all. And when he saw one of our number, present himself somewhat before the rest, he drew forth a little scroll of parchment (somewhat yellower than our parchment, and shining like the leaves of writing tables, but otherwise soft and flexible,) and delivered it to our foremost man. In which scroll were written in ancient Hebrew, and in ancient Greek, and in good Latin of the school, and in Spanish, these words: Land ye not, none of you; and provide to be gone from this coast, within sixteen days, except you have further time given you. Meanwhile, if you want fresh water or victuals, or help for your sick, or that your ship needeth repairs, write down your wants, and you shall have that, which belongeth to mercy. This scroll was signed with a stamp of cherubim: wings, not spread, but hanging downwards; and by them a cross. This being delivered, the officer returned, and left only a servant with us to receive our answer. F. BACON About Author: Francis Bacon, 1561 – 1626), was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, essayist, and author. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. After his death, he remained extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific method during the scientific revolution.Bacon has been called the father of empiricism. His works established and popularised inductive methodologies for scientific inquiry, often called the Baconian method, or simply the scientific method. His demand for a planned procedure of investigating all things natural marked a new turn in the rhetorical and theoretical framework for science, much of which still surrounds conceptions of proper methodology today.Bacon was knighted in 1603, and created Baron Verulam in 1618 and Viscount St. Alban in 1621; as he died without heirs, both peerages became extinct upon his death. He famously died of pneumonia, contracted while studying the effects of freezing on the preservation of meat. The succession of James I brought Bacon into greater favour. He was knighted in 1603. In another shrewd move, Bacon wrote his Apologies in defence of his proceedings in the case of Essex, as Essex had favoured James to succeed to the throne. The following year, during the course of the uneventful first parliament session, Bacon married Alice Barnham. In June 1607 he was at last rewarded with the office of solicitor general. The following year, he began working as the Clerkship of the Star Chamber. Despite a generous income, old debts still co

The third novel, The Vicomte de Bragelonne (serialized October, 1847—January, 1850), has enjoyed a strange history in its English translation. It has been split into three, four, or five volumes at various points in its history. The five-volume edition generally does not give titles to the smaller portions, but the others do. In the three-volume edition, the novels are entitled The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask. For the purposes of this etext, I have chosen to split the novel as the four-volume edition does, with these titles: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Ten Years Later, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask. In the first three etexts: The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Etext 2609): It is the year 1660, and D'Artagnan, after thirty-five years of loyal service, has become disgusted with serving King Louis XIV while the real power resides with the Cardinal Mazarin, and has tendered his resignation. He embarks on his own project, that of restoring Charles II to the throne of England, and, with the help of Athos, succeeds, earning himself quite a fortune in the process. D'Artagnan returns to Paris to live the life of a rich citizen, and Athos, after negotiating the marriage of Philip, the king's brother, to Princess Henrietta of England, likewise retires to his own estate, La Fere. Meanwhile, Mazarin has finally died, and left Louis to assume the reigns of power, with the assistance of M. Colbert, formerly Mazarin's trusted clerk. Colbert has an intense hatred for M. Fouquet, the king's superintendent of finances, and has resolved to use any means necessary to bring about his fall. With the new rank of intendant bestowed on him by Louis, Colbert succeeds in having two of Fouquet's loyal friends tried and executed. He then brings to the king's attention that Fouquet is fortifying the island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, and could possibly be planning to use it as a base for some military operation against the king. Louis calls D'Artagnan out of retirement and sends him to investigate the island, promising him a tremendous salary and his long-promised promotion to captain of the musketeers upon his return. At Belle-Isle, D'Artagnan discovers that the engineer of the fortifications is, in fact, Porthos, now the Baron du Vallon, and that's not all. The blueprints for the island, although in Porthos's handwriting, show evidence of another script that has been erased, that of Aramis. D'Artagnan later discovers that Aramis has become the bishop of Vannes, which is, coincidentally, a parish belonging to M. Fouquet. Suspecting that D'Artagnan has arrived on the king's behalf to investigate, Aramis tricks D'Artagnan into wandering around Vannes in search of Porthos, and sends Porthos on an heroic ride back to Paris to warn Fouquet of the danger. Fouquet rushes to the king, and gives him Belle-Isle as a present, thus allaying any suspicion, and at the same time humiliating Colbert, just minutes before the usher announces someone else seeking an audience with the king. Ten Years Later (Etext 2681): As 1661 approaches, Princess Henrietta of England arrives for her marriage, and throws the court of France into complete disorder. The jealousy of the Duke of Buckingham, who is in love with her, nearly occasions a war on the streets of Le Havre, thankfully prevented by Raoul's timely and tactful intervention. After the marriage, though, Monsieur Philip becomes horribly jealous of Buckingham, and has him exiled. Before leaving, however, the duke fights a duel with M. de Wardes at Calais. De Wardes is a malicious and spiteful man, the sworn enemy of D'Artagnan, and, by the same token, that of Athos, Aramis, Porthos, and Raoul as well. Both men are seriously wounded, and the duke is taken back to England to recover. Raoul's friend, the Comte de Guiche, is the next to succumb to Henrietta's charms, and Monsieur obtains his exile as well, though De Guiche soon effects a reconciliation.

Кра?на стр?мко летить у пр?рву: моторошна криза охоплю? вс? царини людського життя. Псевдовчен? наполегливо пропагують: мислення – це ?люз?я, пошук будь-якого сенсу – абсурд, ? зрештою уряд оголошу? моратор?й на розум. Талано- вит? п?дпри?мц? безсл?дно зникають, кидаючи сво? виробництво напризволяще або знищуючи його. Головн? геро? роману – Да?н? Та??арт ? Генк Р?арден – в?дчайдушно намагаються в?двернути катастрофу. Да?н? переконана, що в кра?н? з’явився та?м- ничий Руйн?вник, ц?ль якого – крах економ?ки ? тотальна деградац?я людей. Ж?нка не покида? над?? в?дтворити досконалий двигун, але перспективний молодий нау- ковець, який погодився допомогти ?й, в?дмовля?ться працювати на благо нев?глас?в. Да?н? не хоче в?дмовлятися в?д свого задуму, тож ?де на зустр?ч з? знев?реним до- сл?дником, а в дороз? знайомиться з волоцюгою. Свого часу в?н працював там, де й зародилося ?чисте зло?, яке зараз пожира? кра?ну… Друга частина роману м?стить блискуч? св?тоглядн? монологи, вкладен? в уста Франциско Д’Анкон?? та Генка Р?ардена.

In 1888 a client, Mary Morstan, comes with two puzzles for Holmes. The first is the disappearance of her father Captain Arthur Morstan in December 1878 and the second is that she has received 6 pearls in the mail from an anonymous benefactor once a year since 1882, since she answered an anonymous newspaper query inquiring for her. With the last pearl she has received a letter remarking that she has been a wronged woman and asks for meeting. Holmes takes the case and soon discovers that Major Sholto — Morstan's only friend who had denied seeing Morstan — had died in 1882 and that within a short span of time Mary began to receive the pearls, implying a connection. The only clue Mary can give Holmes is a map of a fortress with the names of Jonathan Small and three Sikhs, who are named Dost Akbar, Abdullah Khan, and Mahomet Singh. Holmes, Watson, and Mary meet Thaddeus Sholto, the son of the late Major Sholto and Capt Morstan's Army friend who has sent her the pearls. Thaddeus remarks that his father had a paranoid fear of one-legged men and confirms that Mary's father had seen the Major the night he died. That night, in a quarrel about an Agra Treasure, Morstan — who was in weak health — suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to bring attention to the object of the quarrel to public notice, Sholto disposed of the body and hid the treasure. However his own health became worse when he received a letter from India. Dying, he called his two sons and confessed to Morstan's death and was about to divulge the location of the treasure when he suddenly cried "Keep him out!". The puzzled sons glimpsed a face in the window but the only trace was a single footstep in the dirt. On their father's body is a note reading "The Sign of Four". Both brothers quarreled over whether a legacy should be left to Mary Morstan and Thaddeus left his brother Bartholomew, taking a chaplet and sending its pearls to Mary. The reason he sent the letter is that Bartholomew has found the treasure and possibly Thaddeus and Mary might confront him for a division of it. Bartholomew is found dead in his home from a poison dart and the treasure is missing. While the police wrongly take Thaddeus in as a suspect Holmes deduces that there are two persons involved in the murder: a one-legged man, Jonathan Small, as well as another "small" accomplice. He traces them to a boat landing where Small has hired a launch named the Aurora. With the help of his Baker Street Irregulars and his own disguise Holmes traces the launch. In a Police launch Holmes and Watson chase the Aurora and capture it but in the process end up killing the "small" companion after he attempts to kill Holmes with a poisoned dart shot from a blow-pipe. Small tries to escape but is captured. However the iron treasure box is empty; Small claims to have dumped the treasure over the side during the chase.