George! And it may as well leave the room in mypocket. There goes your last shred of evidence. But you have thetruth now, Holmes, and you can die with the knowledge that I killedyou. You knew too much of the fate of Victor Savage, so I have sentyou to share it. You are very near your end, Holmes. I will sit hereand 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 beginto fall, do they? Yes, I will turn it up, that I may see you thebetter." He crossed the room and the light suddenly brightened. "Isthere 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 hisnatural voice--a little weak, perhaps, but the very voice I knew.There was a long pause, and I felt that Culverton Smith was standing insilent amazement looking down at his companion.
"What's the meaning of this?" I heard him say at last in a dry, raspingtone.
"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 nordrink 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 somecigarettes." I heard the striking of a match. "That is very muchbetter. Halloa! halloa! Do I hear the step of a friend?"
There were footfalls outside, the door opened, and Inspector Mortonappeared.
"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," heconcluded.
"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 byturning up the gas. By the way, the prisoner has a small box in theright-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 downhere. It may play its part in the trial."
There was a sudden rush and a scuffle, followed by the clash of ironand 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 intothe dock, Holmes, not me. He asked me to come here to cure him. I wassorry for him and I came. Now he will pretend, no doubt, that I havesaid anything which he may invent which will corroborate his insanesuspicions. You can lie as you like, Holmes. My word is always as goodas yours."
"Good heavens!" cried Holmes. "I had totally forgotten him. My dearWatson, I owe you a thousand apologies. To think that I should haveoverlooked you! I need not introduce you to Mr. Culverton Smith, sinceI understand that you met somewhat earlier in the evening. Have you thecab below? I will follow you when I am dressed, for I may be of someuse at the station.
"I never needed it more," said Holmes as he refreshed himself with aglass of claret and some biscuits in the intervals of his toilet."However, as you know, my habits are irregular, and such a feat meansless to me than to most men. It was very essential that I shouldimpress Mrs. Hudson with the reality of my condition, since she was toconvey it to you, and you in turn to him. You won't be offended,Watson? You will realize that among your many talents dissimulationfinds no place, and that if you had shared my secret you would neverhave been able to impress Smith with the urgent necessity of hispresence, which was the vital point of the whole scheme. Knowing hisvindictive nature, I was perfectly certain that he would come to lookupon 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. Withvaseline upon one's forehead, belladonna in one's eyes, rouge over thecheek-bones, and crusts of beeswax round one's lips, a very satisfyingeffect can be produced. Malingering is a subject upon which I havesometimes thought of writing a monograph. A little occasional talkabout half-crowns, oysters, or any other extraneous subject produces apleasing effect of delirium."
"But why would you not let me near you, since there was in truth noinfection?"
"Can you ask, my dear Watson? Do you imagine that I have no respectfor your medical talents? Could I fancy that your astute judgmentwould pass a dying man who, however weak, had no rise of pulse ortemperature? At four yards, I could deceive you. If I failed to doso, who would bring my Smith within my grasp? No, Watson, I would nottouch that box. You can just see if you look at it sideways where thesharp spring like a viper's tooth emerges as you open it. I dare sayit was by some such device that poor Savage, who stood between thismonster and a reversion, was done to death. My correspondence,however, is, as you know, a varied one, and I am somewhat upon my guardagainst any packages which reach me. It was clear to me, however, thatby pretending that he had really succeeded in his design I mightsurprise a confession. That pretence I have carried out with thethoroughness of the true artist. Thank you, Watson, you must help meon with my coat. When we have finished at the police-station I thinkthat something nutritious at Simpson's would not be out of place."
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