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Still the vague distrust； the inexpressible dread possessed him；
and kept him to his chair。 He had put his carpet…bag on the table；
when he first entered the room； and he now took the key from his
pocket； reached out his hand softly； opened the bag； and groped in
it for his travelling writing…case； in which he knew that there was
a small store of matches。 When he had got one of the matches； he
waited before he struck it on the coarse wooden table； and listened
intently again； without knowing why。 Still there was no sound in
the room but the steady； ceaseless； rattling sound of the rain。
He lighted the candle again； without another moment of delay and；
on the instant of its burning up； the first object in the room that
his eyes sought for was the curtained bed。
Just before the light had been put out； he had looked in that
direction； and had seen no change； no disarrangement of any sort；
in the folds of the closely…drawn curtains。
When he looked at the bed； now； he saw； hanging over the side of
it； a long white hand。
It lay perfectly motionless； midway on the side of the bed； where
the curtain at the head and the curtain at the foot met。 Nothing
more was visible。 The clinging curtains hid everything but the
long white hand。
He stood looking at it unable to stir； unable to call out； feeling
nothing； knowing nothing； every faculty he possessed gathered up
and lost in the one seeing faculty。 How long that first panic held
him he never could tell afterwards。 It might have been only for a
moment； it might have been for many minutes together。 How he got
to the bed … whether he ran to it headlong； or whether he
approached it slowly … how he wrought himself up to unclose the
curtains and look in； he never has remembered； and never will
remember to his dying day。 It is enough that he did go to the bed；
and that he did look inside the curtains。
The man had moved。 One of his arms was outside the clothes； his
face was turned a little on the pillow； his eyelids were wide open。
Changed as to position； and as to one of the features； the face
was； otherwise； fearfully and wonderfully unaltered。 The dead
paleness and the dead quiet were on it still
One glance showed Arthur this … one glance； before he flew
breathlessly to the door； and alarmed the house。
The man whom the landlord called 'Ben；' was the first to appear on
the stairs。 In three words； Arthur told him what had happened； and
sent him for the nearest doctor。
I； who tell you this story； was then staying with a medical friend
of mine； in practice at Doncaster； taking care of his patients for
him； during his absence in London； and I； for the time being； was
the nearest doctor。 They had sent for me from the Inn； when the
stranger was taken ill in the afternoon； but I was not at home； and
medical assistance was sought for elsewhere。 When the man from The
Two Robins rang the night…bell； I was just thinking of going to
bed。 Naturally enough； I did not believe a word of his story about
'a dead man who had come to life again。' However； I put on my hat；
armed myself with one or two bottles of restorative medicine； and
ran to the Inn； expecting to find nothing more remarkable； when I
got there； than a patient in a fit。
My surprise at finding that the man had spoken the literal truth
was almost； if not quite； equalled by my astonishment at finding
myself face to face with Arthur Holliday as soon as I entered the
bedroom。 It was no time then for giving or seeking explanations。
We just shook hands amazedly； and then I ordered everybody but
Arthur out of the room； and hurried to the man on the bed。
The kitchen fire had not been long out。 There was plenty of hot
water in the boiler； and plenty of flannel to be had。 With these；
with my medicines； and with such help as Arthur could render under
my direction； I dragged the man； literally； out of the jaws of
death。 In less than an hour from the time when I had been called
in； he was alive and talking in the bed on which he had been laid
out to wait for the Coroner's inquest。
You will naturally ask me； what had been the matter with him； and I
might treat you； in reply； to a long theory； plentifully sprinkled
with； what the children call； hard words。 I prefer telling you
that； in this case； cause and effect could not be satisfactorily
joined together by any theory whatever。 There are mysteries in
life； and the condition of it； which human science has not fathomed
yet； and I candidly confess to you； that； in bringing that man back
to existence； I was； morally speaking； groping haphazard in the
dark。 I know （from the testimony of the doctor who attended him in
the afternoon） that the vital machinery； so far as its action is
appreciable by our senses； had； in this case； unquestionably
stopped； and I am equally certain （seeing that I recovered him）
that the vital principle was not extinct。 When I add； that he had
suffered from a long and complicated illness； and that his whole
nervous system was utterly deranged； I have told you all I really
know of the physical condition of my dead…alive patient at The Two
Robins Inn。
When he 'came to；' as the phrase goes； he was a startling object to
look at； with his colourless face； his sunken cheeks； his wild
black eyes； and his long black hair。 The first question he asked
me about himself； when he could speak； made me suspect that I had
been called in to a man in my own profession。 I mentioned to him
my surmise； and he told me that I was right。
He said he had come last from Paris； where he had been attached to
a hospital。 That he had lately returned to England； on his way to
Edinburgh； to continue his studies； that he had been taken ill on
the journey； and that he had stopped to rest and recover himself at
Doncaster。 He did not add a word about his name； or who he was：
and； of course； I did not question him on the subject。 All I
inquired； when he ceased speaking； was what branch of the
profession he intended to follow。
'Any branch；' he said； bitterly； 'which will put bread into the
mouth of a poor man。'
At this； Arthur； who had been hitherto watching him in silent
curiosity； burst out impetuously in his usual good…humoured way：…
'My dear fellow！' （everybody was 'my dear fellow' with Arthur） 'now
you have come to life again； don't begin by being down…hearted
about your prospects。 I'll answer for it； I can help you to some
capital thing in the medical line … or； if I can't； I know my
father can。'
The medical student looked at him steadily。
'Thank you；' he said； coldly。 Then added； 'May I ask who your
father is？'
'He's well enough known all about this part of the country；'
replied Arthur。 'He is a great manufacturer； and his name is
Holliday。'
My hand was on the man's wrist during this brief conversation。 The
instant the name of Holliday was pronounced I felt the pulse under