“You can forget it or remember it, just as you like. I don’t seeyou in the witness-box. Quite another shaped box, my goodHolmes, I assure you. It matters nothing to me that you shouldknow how my nephew died. It’s not him we are talking about. It’syou.”
“Yes, yes.”
“The fellow who came for me—I’ve forgotten his name—saidthat 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? Thinkyourself smart, don’t you? You came across someone who wassmarter this time. Now cast your mind back, Holmes. Can youthink 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 youare 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 towardsthe end. Takes you as cramp, I fancy.”
“Yes, yes; it is cramp.”
“Well, you can hear what I say, anyhow. Listen now! Can youremember any unusual incident in your life just about the timeyour 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 thedying man, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quietin my hiding-place. “You must hear me. You shall hear me. Doyou remember a box—an ivory box? It came on Wednesday. Youopened it—do you remember?”
“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? Ifyou had 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 George! And it may as well leave the room inmy pocket. There goes your last shred of evidence. But you havethe truth now, Holmes, and you can die with the knowledge thatI killed you. You knew too much of the fate of Victor Savage, soI have sent you to share it. You are very near your end, Holmes. Iwill 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 shadowsbegin to 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 wasspeaking in his natural voice—a little weak, perhaps, but the veryvoice I knew. There was a long pause, and I felt that CulvertonSmith was standing in silent amazement looking down at hiscompanion.
“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,” saidHolmes. “I give you my word that for three days I have tastedneither food nor drink until you were good enough to pour meout that glass of water. But it is the tobacco which I find mostirksome. Ah, here are some cigarettes.” I heard the striking of amatch. “That is very much better. Halloa! halloa! Do I hear thestep of a friend?”
There were footfalls outside, the door opened, and InspectorMorton 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 SherlockHolmes,” remarked my friend with a chuckle. “To save an invalidtrouble, Inspector, Mr. Culverton Smith was good enough to giveour signal by turning up the gas. By the way, the prisoner has asmall box in the right-hand pocket of his coat which it would beas well to remove. Thank you. I would handle it gingerly if I wereyou. Put it down here. It may play its part in the trial.”
There was a sudden rush and a scuffle, followed by the clash ofiron 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 youinto the dock, Holmes, not me. He asked me to come here tocure him. I was sorry for him and I came. Now he will pretend, nodoubt, that I have said anything which he may invent which willcorroborate 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 thatI should have overlooked you! I need not introduce you to Mr.
Culverton Smith, since I understand that you met somewhatearlier in the evening. Have you the cab below? I will follow youwhen I am dressed, for I may be of some use at the station.
“I never needed it more,” said Holmes as he refreshed himselfwith a glass of claret and some biscuits in the intervals of histoilet. “However, as you know, my habits are irregular, and such afeat means less to me than to most men. It was very essential thatI should impress Mrs. Hudson with the reality of my condition,since she was to convey it to you, and you in turn to him. Youwon’t be offended, Watson? You will realize that among your manytalents dissimulation finds no place, and that if you had sharedmy secret you would never have been able to impress Smith withthe urgent necessity of his presence, which was the vital point ofthe whole scheme. Knowing his vindictive nature, I was perfectlycertain that he would come to look upon his handiwork.”
“But your appearance, Holmes—your ghastly face?”
