The Sign of the Four

Dr. John Watson

Also known as Watson · the narrator · the doctor

A former army surgeon and Sherlock Holmes’s companion, who narrates the story. He served in Afghanistan and has a wounded leg; he becomes engaged to Mary Morstan.

Sherlock Holmes

Also known as Holmes · the only unofficial consulting detective

A consulting detective known for observation and deduction. Watson is his friend and colleague.

Inspector Gregson

Also known as Gregson

A police detective who sometimes consults Holmes when a case is beyond him.

Inspector Lestrade

Also known as Lestrade

A police detective who sometimes consults Holmes when a case is beyond him.

Athelney Jones

Also known as Jones

A Scotland Yard detective who wrongly arrests Thaddeus Sholto and others, then joins Holmes’s pursuit of Jonathan Small. He captures Small and claims credit for part of the case.

Jefferson Hope

The central figure in a case Holmes solved, later recounted by Watson in *A Study in Scarlet*.

François Le Villard

Also known as Le Villard

A French detective who consulted Holmes about a will case and is translating Holmes’s technical writings into French.

Watson’s elder brother

Also known as Watson’s brother

Watson’s late elder brother inherited their father’s watch. Holmes deduces that he was careless, periodically short of money, and died after taking to drink.

Watson’s father

Watson’s late father, who owned the watch later inherited by Watson’s elder brother.

Mrs. Hudson

Holmes and Watson’s landlady, who announces Mary Morstan’s visit and worries about Holmes when he paces restlessly.

Mary Morstan

Also known as Miss Morstan

A governess whose father disappeared in London. She receives the Agra treasure as her inheritance but it is lost; she accepts Watson’s proposal.

Mrs. Cecil Forrester

Mary Morstan’s employer and trusted friend, whom Holmes once helped with a domestic complication.

Captain Arthur Morstan

Also known as Captain Morstan · Arthur Morstan · Mary Morstan’s father

Mary’s father, an officer of the 34th Bombay Infantry who disappeared in London in 1878. Jonathan Small’s account says he helped Major Sholto steal the Agra treasure from the four men.

Major Sholto

Also known as Major John Sholto · John Sholto · Mary Morstan’s father’s friend

A retired officer of the 34th Bombay Infantry and father of Thaddeus and Bartholomew Sholto. He concealed Captain Morstan’s death and kept the Agra treasure, betraying Jonathan Small and his three companions after agreeing to help them escape.

Jonathan Small

A former convict and one of the four men associated with the Agra treasure. He has a wooden leg and returns to England seeking the treasure and revenge; he says Tonga killed Bartholomew Sholto without his consent.

Mahomet Singh

One of the four men who helped kill Achmet and hide the Agra treasure. A Sikh soldier, he stood guard at Agra Fort and later became a convict in the Andamans.

Abdullah Khan

One of the four men who helped kill Achmet and hide the Agra treasure. A Sikh soldier, he joined Jonathan Small’s plot at Agra Fort and was later imprisoned.

Dost Akbar

One of the four men who helped kill Achmet and hide the Agra treasure. Abdullah Khan’s foster-brother, he devised the plan to ambush Achmet and was later imprisoned.

The coachman who meets the party

Also known as Williams

A former lightweight champion and prize-fighter who drives Mary Morstan, Holmes, and Watson to Thaddeus Sholto. He had earlier served as a bodyguard at Pondicherry Lodge.

The street Arab

An unnamed boy who brings a four-wheeler to the party outside the Lyceum Theatre.

The Hindoo servant

Also known as the khitmutgar

An unnamed Indian servant at Thaddeus Sholto’s house who admits visitors and announces them. He is arrested after Bartholomew’s murder, then released.

Thaddeus Sholto

Also known as Mr. Sholto

The nervous, hypochondriacal son of Major John Sholto and twin brother of Bartholomew. His share of the Agra treasure is lost when Jonathan Small throws it into the Thames.

Bartholomew Sholto

Also known as Brother Bartholomew · Mr. Bartholomew Sholto

Thaddeus’s twin brother and Major John Sholto’s son. He discovered the treasure at Pondicherry Lodge and was killed by Tonga, who acted without Jonathan Small’s approval.

Lal Chowdar

Also known as Lal Chowdar

Major Sholto’s former servant, now dead. He helped Major Sholto conceal Captain Morstan’s body.

The wooden-legged tradesman

Also known as the wooden-legged man

An unnamed, apparently harmless tradesman who canvassed for orders. Major Sholto once mistook him for a threat and fired at him; Holmes identifies him as Jonathan Small.

The bearded intruder

Also known as the face at the window · the unknown man

An unidentified man with a bearded, hairy face and cruel eyes who appeared at Major Sholto’s window shortly before the major died. His visit was followed by the discovery of a “Sign of the Four” note.

The housekeeper at Pondicherry Lodge

Also known as Mrs. Bernstone · old Mrs. Bernstone

An elderly housekeeper at Pondicherry Lodge who is distressed when Bartholomew Sholto locks himself in his room and does not answer. She is arrested after his murder, then released.

McMurdo

The short, deep-chested porter at Pondicherry Lodge. A former prize-fighter, he recognizes Holmes and lets the party into the grounds; police arrest him as an accessory.

The police jury members

Also known as the twelve tradesmen in a jury-box

An unnamed group Major Sholto feared would judge him if Captain Morstan’s death became a public inquiry.

The woman convicted of poisoning children

An unnamed woman Holmes cites as the most winning woman he ever knew; she was hanged for poisoning three children for their insurance money.

The philanthropist

An unnamed man Holmes describes as the most repellant person he knew, despite spending a large sum on London’s poor.

The Indian islander

Also known as the associate · the other man · Tonga · little Tonga

An Andaman Islander who becomes Jonathan Small’s devoted companion and helps him escape prison. He kills Bartholomew Sholto with a poisoned dart, then dies in the Thames after being shot during the pursuit.

Mr. Sherman

Also known as Sherman · the old naturalist

An elderly animal keeper and naturalist in Pinchin Lane who provides Holmes with Toby, his scent-tracking dog.

Toby

Also known as the mongrel

Sherman’s ugly, long-haired dog, half spaniel and half lurcher. Holmes uses Toby to follow the creosote scent left by the fugitives.

Mrs. Smith

Also known as Mordecai Smith’s wife

The wife of boatman Mordecai Smith, who tells Holmes that her husband and son left in the steam launch Aurora with a wooden-legged man.

Jack Smith

Also known as Jack

The six-year-old son of Mordecai and Mrs. Smith, seen at their home as Holmes questions his mother.

Mordecai Smith

Also known as Mr. Smith · old Smith

A boatman who owns the steam launch Aurora. Jonathan Small hires him for an escape voyage without telling him about the crime; he is arrested during the pursuit.

Jim Smith

Also known as Jim

Mordecai Smith’s eldest son, who leaves with his father aboard the Aurora.

Wiggins

The older, self-assured leader of Holmes’s Baker Street Irregulars, a group of street boys who search for the Aurora and signals Holmes during the pursuit.

Jean Paul

A writer whose observation about recognizing one’s own smallness Holmes quotes while discussing human greatness.

Carlyle

A writer Watson says he read before turning to Jean Paul.

Goethe

A writer Holmes quotes while anticipating the police detective’s mockery and later recalls in verse.

Richter

A writer Holmes recommends as a source of thought; the passage connects this name with his discussion of Jean Paul.

Blondin

A person Holmes invokes by name while telling Watson to release Toby and watch for the trail.

Winwood Reade

A writer Holmes cites for the idea that individual people are unpredictable, while human behavior in aggregate can be statistically predictable.

The inspector accompanying Watson

An unnamed, genial police inspector assigned to accompany Watson while he transports the Agra treasure. He laments losing the reward when the box proves empty.

Sam Brown

A police inspector or colleague whose expected share of the reward is mentioned by the inspector accompanying Watson.

John Holder

Also known as company sergeant Holder

Jonathan Small’s company sergeant in India, who saves him from drowning after a crocodile bites off his right leg.

Abel White

Also known as Mr. Abel White

An indigo planter in India who employs Jonathan Small as an overseer and is killed during the Indian Mutiny.

Dawson

A manager who worked for Abel White and was killed during the Indian Mutiny. His wife was also killed.

Dawson’s wife

An unnamed woman who worked with her husband Dawson at Abel White’s plantation; she is killed during the Indian Mutiny.

The company colonel

An unnamed colonel who takes an interest in Jonathan Small after his injury and recommends him for work with Abel White.

The rajah

An unnamed ruler whose treasure includes the gems later called the Agra treasure. He sends the jewels to Agra Fort for safekeeping during the Indian Mutiny.

Achmet

Also known as the merchant Achmet · the pretended merchant

A trusted servant of the rajah who carries the Agra treasure to Agra Fort disguised as a merchant. He is killed by the four conspirators, and his body is hidden in the fort.

The rajah’s second servant

Also known as the spy

An unnamed servant sent to keep Achmet under surveillance. He follows Achmet to Agra Fort, discovers his disappearance, and alerts the authorities, leading to the conspirators’ arrest.

The sergeant of guides

An unnamed sergeant who hears the rajah’s second servant’s report about Achmet’s disappearance and brings it to the fort commandant.

The commandant of Agra Fort

Also known as the commandant

An unnamed military officer who orders a search after hearing that Achmet has disappeared inside the fort.

The officer of the night

Also known as the rounds

An unnamed officer who makes rounds among the guarded posts at Agra Fort during Jonathan Small’s watch.

Lieutenant Bromley Brown

Also known as Bromley Brown

A lieutenant among the officers stationed in the Andaman Islands. He plays cards with Major Sholto and Captain Morstan.

Dr. Somerton

Also known as the surgeon

A young surgeon at the Andaman convict settlement. Jonathan Small learns to dispense drugs under him and later treats Tonga while Somerton is ill.

The Pathan guard

Also known as the convict-guard

An unnamed guard at the Andaman convict settlement who had repeatedly insulted and injured Jonathan Small. Small kills him while escaping.

Lal Rao

Also known as the butler

A butler at Pondicherry Lodge whom Holmes identifies as the confederate who helped Jonathan Small’s party.