the adventure of the dying detective-第3章

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broken　only　by　the　heavy　breathings　and　gaspings　of　the　sick　man。　I

could　imagine　that　our　visitor　was　standing　by　the　bedside　and　looking

down　at　the　sufferer。　At　last　that　strange　hush　was　broken。

　　〃Holmes！〃　he　cried。　〃Holmes！〃　in　the　insistent　tone　of　one　who

awakens　a　sleeper。　〃Can't　you　hear　me；　Holmes？〃　There　was　a

rustling；　as　if　he　had　shaken　the　sick　man　roughly　by　the　shoulder。

　　〃Is　that　you；　Mr。　Smith？〃　Holmes　whispered。　〃I　hardly　dared　hope

that　you　would　come。〃

　　The　other　laughed。

　　〃I　should　imagine　not；〃　he　said。　〃And　yet；　you　see；　I　am　here。　Coals

of　fire；　Holmes…　coals　of　fire！〃

　　〃It　is　very　good　of　you…　very　noble　of　you。　I　appreciate　your

special　knowledge。〃

　　Our　visitor　sniggered；　〃You　do。　You　are；　fortunately；　the　only　man

in　London　who　does。　Do　you　know　what　is　the　matter　with　you？〃

　　〃The　same；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Ah！　You　recognize　the　symptoms？〃

　　〃Only　too　well。〃

　　〃Well；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised；　Holmes。　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if

it　were　the　same。　A　bad　lookout　for　you　if　it　is。　Poor　Victor　was　a

dead　man　on　the　fourth　day…　a　strong；　hearty　young　fellow。　It　was

certainly；　as　you　said；　very　surprising　that　he　should　have　contracted

an　out…of…the…way　Asiatic　disease　in　the　heart　of　London…　a　disease；

too；　of　which　I　had　made　such　a　very　special　study。　Singular

coincidence；　Holmes。　Very　smart　of　you　to　notice　it；　but　rather

uncharitable　to　suggest　that　it　was　cause　and　effect。〃

　　〃I　knew　that　you　did　it。〃

　　〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？　Well；　you　couldn't　prove　it；　anyhow。　But　what

do　you　think　of　yourself　spreading　reports　about　me　like　that；　and

then　crawling　to　me　for　help　the　moment　you　are　in　trouble？　What

sort　of　a　game　is　that…　eh？〃

　　I　heard　the　rasping；　laboured　breathing　of　the　sick　man。　〃Give　me

the　water！〃　he　gasped。

　　〃You're　precious　near　your　end；　my　friend；　but　I　don't　want　you　to

go　till　I　have　had　a　word　with　you。　That's　why　I　give　you　water。

There；　don't　slop　it　about！　That's　right。　Can　you　understand　what　I

say？〃

　　Holmes　groaned。

　　〃Do　what　you　can　for　me。　Let　bygones　be　bygones；〃　he　whispered。

〃I'll　put　the　words　out　of　my　head…　I　swear　I　will。　Only　cure　me；

and　I'll　forget　it。〃

　　〃Forget　what？〃

　　〃Well；　about　Victor　Savage's　death。　You　as　good　as　admitted　just　now

that　you　had　done　it。　I'll　forget　it。〃

　　〃You　can　forget　it　or　remember　it；　just　as　you　like。　I　don't　see　you

in　the　witnessbox。　Quite　another　shaped　box；　my　good　Holmes；　I

assure　you。　It　matters　nothing　to　me　that　you　should　know　how　my

nephew　died。　It's　not　him　we　are　talking　about。　It's　you。〃

　　〃Yes；　yes。〃

　　〃The　fellow　who　came　for　me…　I've　forgotten　his　name…　said　that

you　contracted　it　down　in　the　East　End　among　the　sailors。〃

　　〃I　could　only　account　for　it　so。〃

　　〃You　are　proud　of　your　brains；　Holmes；　are　you　not？　Think　yourself

smart；　don't　you？　You　came　across　someone　who　was　smarter　this　time。

Now　cast　your　mind　back；　Holmes。　Can　you　think　of　no　other　way　you

could　have　got　this　thing？〃

　　〃I　can't　think。　My　mind　is　gone。　For　heaven's　sake　help　me！〃

　　〃Yes；　I　will　help　you。　I'll　help　you　to　understand　just　where　you

are　and　how　you　got　there。　I'd　like　you　to　know　before　you　die。〃

　　〃Give　me　something　to　ease　my　pain。〃

　　〃Painful；　is　it？　Yes；　the　coolies　used　to　do　some　squealing

towards　the　end。　Takes　you　as　cramp；　I　fancy。〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；　it　is　cramp。〃

　　〃Well；　you　can　hear　what　I　say；　anyhow。　Listen　now！　Can　you　remember

any　unusual　incident　in　your　life　just　about　the　time　your　symptoms

began？〃

　　〃No；　no；　nothing。〃

　　〃Think　again。〃

　　〃I'm　too　ill　to　think。〃

　　〃Well；　then；　I'll　help　you。　Did　anything　come　by　post？〃

　　〃By　post？〃

　　〃A　box　by　chance？〃

　　〃I'm　fainting…　I'm　gone！〃

　　〃Listen；　Holmes！〃　There　was　a　sound　as　if　he　was　shaking　the　dying

man；　and　it　was　all　that　I　could　do　to　hold　myself　quiet　in　my

hiding…place。　〃You　must　hear　me。　You　shall　hear　me。　Do　you　remember

a　box…　an　ivory　box？　It　came　on　Wednesday。　You　opened　it…　do　you

remember？〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　opened　it。　There　was　a　sharp　spring　inside　it。　Some

joke…〃

　　〃It　was　no　joke；　as　you　will　find　to　your　cost。　You　fool；　you

would　have　it　and　you　have　got　it。　Who　asked　you　to　cross　my　path？

If　you　had　left　me　alone　I　would　not　have　hurt　you。〃

　　〃I　remember；〃　Holmes　gasped。　〃The　spring！　It　drew　blood。　This　box…

this　on　the　table。〃

　　〃The　very　one；　by　George！　And　it　may　as　well　leave　the　room　in　my

pocket。　There　goes　your　last　shred　of　evidence。　But　you　have　the　truth

now；　Holmes；　and　you　can　die　with　the　knowledge　that　I　killed　you。　You

knew　too　much　of　the　fate　of　Victor　Savage；　so　I　have　sent　you　to

share　it。　You　are　very　near　your　end；　Holmes。　I　will　sit　here　and　I

will　watch　you　die。〃

　　Holmes's　voice　had　sunk　to　an　almost　inaudible　whisper。

　　〃What　is　that？〃　said　Smith。　〃Turn　up　the　gas？　Ah；　the　shadows

begin　to　fall；　do　they？　Yes；　I　will　turn　it　up；　that　I　may　see　you　the

better。〃　He　crossed　the　room　and　the　light　suddenly　brightened。　〃Is

there　any　other　little　service　that　I　can　do　you；　my　friend？〃

　　〃A　match　and　a　cigarette。〃

　　I　nearly　called　out　in　my　joy　and　my　amazement。　He　was　speaking　in

his　natural　voice…　a　little　weak；　perhaps；　but　the　very　voice　I

knew。　There　was　a　long　pause；　and　I　felt　that　Culverton　Smith　was

standing　in　silent　amazement　looking　down　at　his　companion。

　　〃What's　the　meaning　of　this？〃　I　heard　him　say　at　last　in　a　dry；

rasping　tone。

　　〃The　best　way　of　successfully　acting　a　part　is　to　be　it；〃　said

Holmes。　〃I　give　you　my　word　that　for　three　days　I　have　tasted

neither　food　nor　drink　until　you　were　good　enough　to　pour　me　out

that　glass　of　water。　But　it　is　the　tobacco　which　I　find　most

irksome。　Ah；　here　are　some　cigarettes。〃　I　heard　the　striking　of　a

match。　That　is　very　much　better。　Halloa！　halloa！　Do　I　hear　the　step　of

a　friend？〃

　　There　were　footfalls　outside；　the　door　opened；　and　Inspector

Morton　appeared。

　　〃All　is　in　order　and　this　is　your　man；〃　said　Holmes。

　　The　officer　gave　the　usual　cautions。

　　〃I　arrest　you　on　the　charge　of　the　murder　of　one　Victor　Savage；〃

he　concluded。

　　〃And　you　might　add　of　the　attempted　murder　of　one　Sherlock

Holmes；〃　remarked　my　friend　with　a　chuckle。　〃To　save　an　invalid

trouble；　Inspector；　Mr。　Culverton　Smith　was　good　enough　to　give　our

signal　by　turning　up　the　gas。　By　the　way；　the　prisoner　has　a　small　box

in　the　right…hand　pocket　of　his　coat　which　it　would　be　as　well　to

remove。　Thank　you。　I　would　handle　it　gingerly　if　I　were　you。　Put　it

down　here。　It　may　play　its　part　in　the　trial。〃

　　There　was　a　sudden　rush　and　a　scuffle；　followed　by　the　clash　of　iron

and　a　cry　of　pain。

　　〃You'll　only　get　yourself　hurt；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃Stand　still；

will　you？〃　There　was　the　click　of　the　closing　handcuffs。

　　〃A　nice　trap！〃　cried　the　high；　snarling　voice。　〃It　will　bring　you

into　the　dock；　Holmes；　not　me。　He　asked　me　to　come　here　to　cure　him。　I

was　sorry　for　him　and　I　came。　Now　he　will　pretend；　no　doubt；　that　I

have　said　anything　which　he　may　invent　which　will　corroborate　his

insane　suspicions。　You　can　lie　as　you　like；　Holmes。　My　word　is

always　as　good　as　yours。〃

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Holmes。　〃I　had　totally　forgotten　him。　My

dear　Watson；　I　owe　you　a　thousand　apologies。　To　think　that　I　should

have　overlooked　you！　I　need　not　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Culverton

Smith；　since　I　understand　that　you　met　somewhat　earlier　in　the

evening。　Have　you　the　cab　below？　I　will　follow　you　when　I　am

dressed；　for　I　may　be　of　some　use　at　the　station。

　　〃I　never　needed　it　more；〃　said　Holmes　as　he　refreshed　himself　with　a

glass　of　claret　and　some　biscuits　in　the　intervals　of　his　toilet。

〃However；　as　you　know；　my　habits　are　irregular；　and　such　a　feat

means　less　to　me　than　to　most　men。　It　was　very　essential　that　I　should

impress　Mrs。　Hudson　with　the　reality　of　my　condition；　since　she　was　to

convey　it　to　you；　and　you　in　turn　to　him。　You　won't　be　offended；

Watson？　You　will　realize　that　among　your　many　talents　dissimulation

finds　no　place；　and　that　if　you　had　shared　my　secret　you　would　never

have　been　able　to　impress　Smith　with　the　urgent　necessity　of　his

presence；　which　was　the　vital　point　of　the　whole　scheme。　Knowing　his

vindictive　nature；　I　was　perfectly　certain　that　he　would　come　to

look　upon　his　handiwork。〃

　　〃But　your　appearance；　Holmes…　your　ghastly　face？〃

　　〃Three　days　of　absolute　fast　does　not　improve　one's　beauty；

Watson。　For　the　rest；　there　is　nothing　which　a　sponge　may　not　cure。

With　vaseline　upon　one's　forehead；　belladonna　in　one's　eyes；　rouge

over　the　cheek…bones；　and　crusts　of　beeswax　round　one's　lips；　a　very

satisfying　effect　can　be　produced。　Malingering　is　a　subject　upon　which

I　have　sometimes　thought　of　writing　a　monograph。　A　little　occasional

talk　about　half…crowns；　oysters；　or　any　other　extraneous　subject

produces　a　pleasing　effect　of　delirium。〃

　　〃But　why　would　you　not　let　me　near　you；　since　there　was　in　truth

no　infection？〃

　　〃Can　you　ask；　my　dear　Watson？　Do　you　imagine　that　I　have　no

respect　for　your　medical　talents？　Could　I　fancy　that　your　astute

judgment　would　pass　a　dying　man　who；　however　weak；　had　no　rise　of

pulse　or　temperature？　At　four　yards；　I　could　deceive　you。　If　I

failed　to　do　so；　who　would　bring　my　Smith　within　my　grasp？　No；　Watson；

I　would　not　touch　that　box。　You　can　just　see　if　you　look　at　it

sideways　where　the　sharp　spring　like　a　viper's　tooth　emerges　as　you

open　it。　I　dare　say　it　was　by　some　such　device　that　poor　Savage；　who

stood　between　this　monster　and　a　reversion；　was　done　to　death。　My

correspondence；　however；　is；　as　you　know；　a　varied　one；　and　I　am

somewhat　upon　my　guard　against　any　packages　which　reach　me。　It　was

clear　to　me；　however；　that　my　pretending　that　he　had　really

succeeded　in　his　design　I　might　surprise　a　confession。　That　pretence　I

have　carried　out　with　the　thoroughness　of　the　true　artist。　Thank

you；　Watson；　you　must　help　me　on　with　my　coat。　When　we　have　finished

at　the　police　station　I　can　think　that　something　nutritious　at

Simpson's　would　not　be　out　of　place。〃





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