come."
The man motioned me to a chair, and turned to resume his own. As hedid so I caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror over themantelpiece. I could have sworn that it was set in a malicious andabominable smile. Yet I persuaded myself that it must have been somenervous contraction which I had surprised, for he turned to me aninstant later with genuine concern upon his features.
"I am sorry to hear this," said he. "I only know Mr. Holmes throughsome business dealings which we have had, but I have every respect forhis talents and his character. He is an amateur of crime, as I am ofdisease. For him the villain, for me the microbe. There are myprisons," he continued, pointing to a row of bottles and jars whichstood upon a side table. "Among those gelatine cultivations some of thevery worst offenders in the world are now doing time."
"It was on account of your special knowledge that Mr. Holmes desired tosee you. He has a high opinion of you and thought that you were theone man in London who could help him."
The little man started, and the jaunty smoking-cap slid to the floor.
"Why?" he asked. "Why should Mr. Homes think that I could help him inhis trouble?"
"Because of your knowledge of Eastern diseases."
"But why should he think that this disease which he has contracted isEastern?"
"Because, in some professional inquiry, he has been working amongChinese sailors down in the docks."
Mr. Culverton Smith smiled pleasantly and picked up his smoking-cap.
"Oh, that's it--is it?" said he. "I trust the matter is not so graveas you suppose. How long has he been ill?"
"About three days."
"Is he delirious?"
"Occasionally."
"Tut, tut! This sounds serious. It would be inhuman not to answer hiscall. I very much resent any interruption to my work, Dr. Watson, butthis case is certainly exceptional. I will come with you at once."
I remembered Holmes's injunction.
"I have another appointment," said I.
"Very good. I will go alone. I have a note of Mr. Holmes's address.You can rely upon my being there within half an hour at most."
It was with a sinking heart that I reentered Holmes's bedroom. For allthat I knew the worst might have happened in my absence. To my enormousrelief, he had improved greatly in the interval. His appearance was asghastly as ever, but all trace of delirium had left him and he spoke ina feeble voice, it is true, but with even more than his usual crispnessand lucidity.
"Well, did you see him, Watson?"
"Yes; he is coming."
"Admirable, Watson! Admirable! You are the best of messengers."
"He wished to return with me."
"That would never do, Watson. That would be obviously impossible. Didhe ask what ailed me?"
"I told him about the Chinese in the East End."
"Exactly! Well, Watson, you have done all that a good friend could.You can now disappear from the scene."
"I must wait and hear his opinion, Holmes."
"Of course you must. But I have reasons to suppose that this opinionwould be very much more frank and valuable if he imagines that we arealone. 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 itselfto concealment, which is as well, as it is the less likely to arousesuspicion. 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'tbudge, whatever happens--whatever happens, do you hear? Don't speak!Don't move! Just listen with all your ears." Then in an instant hissudden access of strength departed, and his masterful, purposeful talkdroned away into the low, vague murmurings of a semi-delirious man.
From the hiding-place into which I had been so swiftly hustled I heardthe footfalls upon the stair, with the opening and the closing of thebedroom door. Then, to my surprise, there came a long silence, brokenonly by the heavy breathings and gaspings of the sick man. I couldimagine that our visitor was standing by the bedside and looking downat the sufferer. At last that strange hush was broken.
"Holmes!" he cried. "Holmes!" in the insistent tone of one who awakensa sleeper. "Can't you hear me, Holmes?" There was a rustling, as ifhe had shaken the sick man roughly by the shoulder.
"Is that you, Mr. Smith?" Holmes whispered. "I hardly dared hope thatyou would come."
The other laughed.
"I should imagine not," he said. "And yet, you see, I am here. Coalsof fire, Holmes--coals of fire!"
"It is very good of you--very noble of you. I appreciate your specialknowledge."
Our visitor sniggered.
"You do. You are, fortunately, the only man in London who does. Do youknow 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 ifit WERE the same. A bad lookout for you if it is. Poor Victor was adead man on the fourth day--a strong, hearty young fellow. It wascertainly, as you said, very surprising that he should have contractedan out-of-the-way Asiatic disease in the heart of London--a disease,too, of which I had made such a very special study. Singularcoincidence, Holmes. Very smart of you to notice it, but ratheruncharitable 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 whatdo you think of yourself spreading reports about me like that, and thencrawling to me for help the moment you are in trouble? What sort of agame is that--eh?"
I heard the rasping, laboured breathing of the sick man. "Give me thewater!" he gasped.
"You're precious near your end, my friend, but I don't want you to gotill 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'llput the words out of my head--I swear I will. Only cure me, and I'llforget it."
"Forget what?"
"Well, about Victor Savage's death. You as good as admitted just nowthat you had done it. I'll forget it."
"You can forget it or remember it, just as you like. I don't see youin the witnessbox. Quite another shaped box, my good Holmes, I assureyou. 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 youcontracted 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 yourselfsmart, 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 youcould 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 areand 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 towardsthe end. Takes you as cramp, I fancy."
"Yes, yes; it is cramp."
"Well, you can hear what I say, anyhow. Listen now! Can you rememberany unusual incident in your life just about the time your symptomsbegan?"
"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 dyingman, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quiet in myhiding-place. "You must hear me. You SHALL hear me. Do you remembera box
--an ivory box? It came on Wednesday. You opened it--do youremember?"
"Yes, yes, I opened it. There was a sharp spring inside it. Somejoke--"
"It was no joke, as you will find to your cost. You fool, you wouldhave it and you have got it. Who asked you to cross my path? If youhad left me alone I would not have hurt you."
"I remember," Holmes gasped. "The spring! It drew blood. Thisbox--this on the table."
"The very one, by