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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；
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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 e。〃
The other laughed。
〃I should imagine not；〃 he said。 〃And yet； you see； I am here。 Coals
of fire； Holmescoals of fire！〃
〃It is very good of youvery 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 daya strong； hearty young fellow。 It was certainly； as
you said； very surprising that he should have contracted and out…of…the…
way Asiatic disease in the heart of Londona 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 thateh？〃
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。
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〃I'll put the words out of my headI 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 meI've forgotten his namesaid 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 e by post？〃
〃By post？〃
〃A box by chance？〃
〃I'm faintingI'm gone！〃
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〃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 boxan
ivory box？ It came on Wednesday。 You opened itdo 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
boxthis 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 voicea 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 panion。
〃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。