Klassiker leicht erzählt A2 · Easy Classics A2 · Geschichte 2
Das Zeichen der Vier
Arthur Conan Doyle
In each language: The Sign of the Four · Das Zeichen der Vier
The whole of Sherlock Holmes's second great case, retold in easy English. Every year, a young governess, Mary Morstan, gets a beautiful pearl from an unknown sender. Ten years ago her father disappeared in London. Now a letter asks her to come to a theatre at night. Holmes and Dr Watson go with her, and the trail leads to a locked room, a lost Indian treasure, a man with a wooden leg and a wild chase on the river Thames.
In English and German · 12 chapters · 3 h 15 min – 6 h 30 min to read.
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How it begins
Die Wissenschaft der Schlussfolgerung
The Science of Deduction
Sherlock Holmes hat eine kleine Flasche aus dem Regal über dem Kamin genommen. Dann hat er eine Nadel aus ihrem ordentlichen Lederetui geholt. Seine langen, weißen Finger haben die Nadel vorbereitet, und er hat seinen linken Ärmel zurückgeschoben.
Sherlock Holmes took a small bottle from the shelf above the fire. Then he took a needle out of its neat leather case. His long, white fingers got the needle ready, and he pushed back his left sleeve.
Einen Moment hat er seinen dünnen, starken Arm angesehen. Auf dem Arm waren viele kleine Spuren von alten Nadeln. Dann hat er die Nadel in seinen Arm gestochen. Er hat sich in seinem weichen Sessel zurückgelehnt und lange und glücklich ausgeatmet.
For a moment he looked at his thin, strong arm. There were many small marks of old needles on it. Then he pushed the needle into his arm. He sat back in his soft armchair and let out a long, happy breath.
Languages
- The Sign of the Four · English (original)A2 Easy · 35,165 words · ~6 h 30 min
- Das Zeichen der Vier · German35,776 words · ~3 h 15 min
Open in the reader: German with English · English with German
Reading it as a parallel text
A parallel text puts a story next to its translation, paragraph by paragraph. Read in the language you are working on and glance across only when a sentence stops you: the story keeps moving, and the words you look up stay in context. More in how to read with a parallel text.
Questions
- Which languages can I read The Sign of the Four in?
- English and German. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.
- What level is it?
- The original English is A2 Easy. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
- How long is it?
- About 35,165 words in 12 chapters: around 3 h 15 min – 6 h 30 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.
- Is it free?
- Yes. Read it online with no account. The e-reader files (EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account; the PDF doesn't.
- Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?
- Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.