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would be very much more frank and valuable if he imagines that we
are alone。 There is just room behind the head of my bed； Watson。〃
〃My dear Holmes！〃
〃I fear there is no alternative； Watson。 The room does not lend
itself to concealment； which is as well； as it is the less likely to
arouse suspicion。 But just there； Watson； I fancy that it could be
done。〃 Suddenly he sat up with a rigid intentness upon his haggard
face。 〃There are the wheels； Watson。 Quick； man； if you love me！ And
don't budge； whatever happens… whatever happens； do you hear？ Don't
speak！ Don't move！ Just listen with all your ears。〃 Then in an instant
his sudden access of strength departed； and his masterful；
purposeful talk droned away into the low； vague murmurings of a
semi…delirious man。
From the hiding…place into which I had been so swiftly hustled I
heard the footfalls upon the stair； with the opening and the closing
of the bedroom door。 〃Then； to my surprise； there came a long silence；
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