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41 The Dying Detective from His Last Bow Reminiscenc · Sherlock Holmes

0:01
Speaker 1: The adventure of the dying detective Missus Hudson. The landlady
0:08
Speaker 1: of Sherlock Holmes was a long suffering woman. Not only
0:13
Speaker 1: was her first floor flat invaded at all hours by
0:16
Speaker 1: throngs of singular and often undesirable characters, but her remarkable
0:22
Speaker 1: lodger showed an eccentricity and irregularity in his life which
0:26
Speaker 1: must have sorely tried her patience. His incredible untidiness, his
0:31
Speaker 1: addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice
0:36
Speaker 1: within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments, and
0:43
Speaker 1: the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him
0:46
Speaker 1: made him the very worst tenant in London. On the
0:50
Speaker 1: other hand, his payments were princely. I have no doubt
0:54
Speaker 1: that the house might have been purchased at the price
0:56
Speaker 1: which Holmes paid for his rooms. During the years that
0:59
Speaker 1: I was with him, the landlady stood in the deepest
1:02
Speaker 1: owe of him, and never dared to interfere with him,
1:05
Speaker 1: however outrageous his proceedings might seem. She was fond of
1:09
Speaker 1: him too, for he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy
1:13
Speaker 1: in his dealings with women he disliked and distrusted the sex,
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Speaker 1: but he was always a chivalrous opponent. Knowing how genuine
1:22
Speaker 1: was her regard for him, I listened earnestly to her
1:25
Speaker 1: story when she came to my rooms in the second
1:28
Speaker 1: year of my married life and told me of the
1:31
Speaker 1: sad condition to which my poor friend was reduced. He's dying, doctor, Watson,
1:37
Speaker 1: said she. For three days he has been sinking, and
1:40
Speaker 1: I doubt if he will last the day. He would
1:43
Speaker 1: not let me get a doctor this morning, when I
1:46
Speaker 1: saw his bones sticking out of his face and his
1:48
Speaker 1: great bright eyes looking at me, I could stand no
1:51
Speaker 1: more of it. With your leave or without it, mister Holmes,
1:54
Speaker 1: I am going for a doctor this very hour, said
1:57
Speaker 1: I let it be. Watson then said he I wouldn't
2:01
Speaker 1: waste an hour in coming to him, sir, or you
2:03
Speaker 1: may not see him alive. I was horrified, for I
2:07
Speaker 1: had heard nothing of his illness. I need not say
2:10
Speaker 1: that I rushed for my coat and my hat. As
2:13
Speaker 1: we drove back. I asked for the details. There is
2:17
Speaker 1: little I can tell you, sir. He's been working at
2:19
Speaker 1: a case down at Rotherhithe in an alley near the river,
2:23
Speaker 1: and he has brought this illness back with him. He
2:26
Speaker 1: took to his bed on Wednesday afternoon and has never
2:28
Speaker 1: moved since. For these three days, neither food nor drink
2:32
Speaker 1: has passed his lips. Good God, why did you not
2:35
Speaker 1: call in a doctor? He wouldn't have it, sir, You
2:38
Speaker 1: know how masterful he is. I didn't dare to disobey him.
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Speaker 1: But he's not long for this world, as you'll see
2:45
Speaker 1: for yourself the moment that you set eyes on him.
2:48
Speaker 1: He was indeed a deplorable spectacle in the dim light
2:52
Speaker 1: of a foggy November day. The sick room was a
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Speaker 1: gloomy spot, but it was that gaunt, wasted face stare
3:00
Speaker 1: at me from the bed which sent a chill to
3:02
Speaker 1: my heart. His eyes had the brightness of fever. There
3:06
Speaker 1: was a hectic flush upon either cheek, and dark crusts
3:10
Speaker 1: clung to his lips. The thin hands upon the coverlet
3:14
Speaker 1: twitched incessantly. His voice was croaking and spasmodic. He lay
3:20
Speaker 1: listlessly as I entered the room, but the sight of
3:23
Speaker 1: me brought a gleam of recognition to his eyes. Well, Watson,
3:28
Speaker 1: we seem to have fallen upon evil days, said he,
3:32
Speaker 1: in a feeble voice, but with something of his old
3:35
Speaker 1: carelessness of manner, My dear fellow, I cried, approaching him.
3:39
Speaker 1: Stand back, stand right back, said he, with the sharp
3:43
Speaker 1: imperiousness which I had associated only with moments of crisis.
3:47
Speaker 1: If you approach me, Watson, I shall order you out
3:50
Speaker 1: of the house. But why because it is my desire?
3:54
Speaker 1: Is that not enough? Yes, missus Hudson was right. He
3:59
Speaker 1: was more must fall than ever. It was pitiful, however,
4:03
Speaker 1: to see his exhaustion. I only wish to help, I
4:06
Speaker 1: explained exactly. You will help best by doing what you
4:10
Speaker 1: are told. Certainly, Holmes, he relaxed, the austerity of his manner.
4:16
Speaker 1: You are not angry, he asked, gasping for breath, poor devil.
4:22
Speaker 1: How could I be angry when I saw him lying
4:24
Speaker 1: in such a plight before me. It's for your own sake, Watson,
4:29
Speaker 1: he croaked, For my sake. I know what is the
4:32
Speaker 1: matter with me. It is a coolly disease from Sumatra,
4:37
Speaker 1: a thing that the Dutch know more about than we,
4:40
Speaker 1: though they have made little of it up to date.
4:43
Speaker 1: One thing only is certain. It is infallibly deadly, and
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Speaker 1: it is horribly contagious. He spoke now with the feverish energy,
4:52
Speaker 1: the long hands twitching and jerking as he motioned me away. Contagious.
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Speaker 1: By touch, Watson, that's it, by touch. Keep your distance,
5:00
Speaker 1: and all is well. Good heavens, Holmes, do you suppose
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Speaker 1: that such a consideration weighs with me for an instant?
5:07
Speaker 1: It would not affect me in the case of a stranger.
5:10
Speaker 1: Do you imagine it would prevent me from doing my
5:12
Speaker 1: duty to so old a friend? Again, I advanced, but
5:16
Speaker 1: he repulsed me with a look of furious anger. If
5:19
Speaker 1: you will stand there, I will talk. If you do not,
5:23
Speaker 1: you must leave the room. I have so deep a
5:27
Speaker 1: respect for the extraordinary qualities of homes that I have
5:30
Speaker 1: always deferred to his wishes, even when I least understood them.
5:35
Speaker 1: But now all my professional instincts were aroused. Let him
5:39
Speaker 1: be my master elsewhere I at least was his. In
5:42
Speaker 1: a sick room, Holmes said, I, you are not yourself.
5:46
Speaker 1: A sick man, is but a child, and so I
5:48
Speaker 1: will treat you, whether you like it or not. I
5:51
Speaker 1: will examine your symptoms and treat you for them. He
5:54
Speaker 1: looked at me with venomous eyes. If I am to
5:57
Speaker 1: have a doctor, whether I will or not, let me
6:01
Speaker 1: at least have someone in whom I have confidence, said he.
6:05
Speaker 1: Then you have none in me in your friendship, certainly.
6:08
Speaker 1: But facts are facts, Watson, And after all you are
6:12
Speaker 1: only a general practitioner with very limited experience and limited qualifications.
6:20
Speaker 1: It is painful to have to say these things, but
6:22
Speaker 1: you leave me no choice. I was bitterly hurt. Such
6:28
Speaker 1: a remark is unworthy of you, Holmes. It shows me
6:32
Speaker 1: very clearly the state of your own nerves. But if
6:35
Speaker 1: you have no confidence in me, I would not intrude
6:37
Speaker 1: my services. Let me bring Sir Jasper Meek or Penrose Fisher,
6:42
Speaker 1: or any of the best men in London. But some
6:45
Speaker 1: one you must have, and that is final. If you
6:49
Speaker 1: think that I Am going to stand here and see
6:50
Speaker 1: you die without either helping you myself or bringing any
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Speaker 1: one else to help you, then you have mistaken your man.
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Speaker 1: You mean well, Watson, said the sick man, with something
7:01
Speaker 1: between a sob and a groan. Shall I demonstrate your
7:04
Speaker 1: own ignorance? What do you know, prey of taper newly Fever?
7:09
Speaker 1: What do you know of the black Foremosa corruption? I
7:14
Speaker 1: have never heard of either. There are many problems of disease,
7:18
Speaker 1: many strange pathological possibilities in the east, Watson. He paused
7:23
Speaker 1: after each sentence to collect his failing strength. I have
7:27
Speaker 1: learned so much during some recent researches, which have a
7:30
Speaker 1: medico criminal aspect. It was in the course of them
7:34
Speaker 1: that I contracted this complaint. You can do nothing, possibly not.
7:41
Speaker 1: But I happen to know that doctor Ainstrie, the greatest
7:44
Speaker 1: living authority upon tropical disease, is now in London, all
7:48
Speaker 1: remonstrances useless homes. I'm going this instant to fetch him.
7:52
Speaker 1: I turned resolutely to the door. Never have I had
7:58
Speaker 1: such a shock in an an instant. With a tiger spring,
8:02
Speaker 1: the dying man had intercepted me. I heard the sharp
8:05
Speaker 1: snap of a twisted key. The next moment he had
8:09
Speaker 1: staggered back to his bed, exhausted and panting after his
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Speaker 1: one tremendous outflame of energy. You won't take the key
8:17
Speaker 1: from me by force, Watson. I've got you, my friend.
8:20
Speaker 1: Here you are, and here you will stay until I
8:23
Speaker 1: will otherwise. But I'll humor you all this in little gasps,
8:28
Speaker 1: with terrible struggles for breath between. You've only my own
8:32
Speaker 1: good at heart. Of course, I know that very well.
8:35
Speaker 1: You shall have your way, but give me time to
8:38
Speaker 1: get my strength. Not now, Watson, Not now. It's four o'clock.
8:43
Speaker 1: At six, you can go. This is insanity, Holmes, only
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Speaker 1: two hours, Watson. I promise you will go at six.
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Speaker 1: Are you content to wait? I seem to have no choice,
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Speaker 1: none in the world. Watson, Thank you. I need no
8:58
Speaker 1: help in arranging the clothes. You will please keep your
9:01
Speaker 1: distance now, Watson, there is one other condition that I
9:04
Speaker 1: would make. You will seek help, not from the man
9:08
Speaker 1: you mention, but from the one that I choose by
9:13
Speaker 1: all means, the first three sensible words that you have
9:16
Speaker 1: uttered since you entered this room. Watson. You will find
9:20
Speaker 1: some books over there. I am somewhat exhausted. I wonder
9:24
Speaker 1: how a battery feels when it pours electricity into a
9:28
Speaker 1: non conductor. At six, Watson, we resume our conversation. But
9:35
Speaker 1: it was destined to be resumed long before that hour,
9:38
Speaker 1: and in circumstances which gave me a shock hardly second
9:42
Speaker 1: that caused by his spring to the door. I had
9:45
Speaker 1: stood for some minutes looking at the silent figure in
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Speaker 1: the bed. His face was almost covered by the clothes,
9:52
Speaker 1: and he appeared to be asleep. Then, unable to settle
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Speaker 1: down to reading, I walked slowly round the room aammining
10:00
Speaker 1: the pictures of celebrated criminals with which every wall was adorned. Finally,
10:05
Speaker 1: in my aimless perambulation, I came to the mantelpiece. A
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Speaker 1: litter of pipes, tobacco pouches, syringes, pen knives, revolver cartridges,
10:16
Speaker 1: and other debris was scattered over it. In the midst
10:20
Speaker 1: of these was a small black and white ivory box
10:23
Speaker 1: with a sliding lid. It was a neat little thing,
10:27
Speaker 1: and I had stretched out my hand to examine it
10:29
Speaker 1: more closely when it was a dreadful cry that he gave,
10:34
Speaker 1: a yell which might have been heard down the street.
10:38
Speaker 1: My skin went cold and my hair bristled at that
10:40
Speaker 1: horrible scream. As I turned, I caught a glimpse of
10:44
Speaker 1: a convulsed face and frantic eyes. I stood paralyzed with
10:48
Speaker 1: the little box in my hand. Put it down. Watson, down,
10:51
Speaker 1: this instant, Watson, this instant, I say. His head sank
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Speaker 1: back upon the pillow, and he gave a deep sigh
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Speaker 1: of relief as I replaced the box upon the mantelpiece.
11:02
Speaker 1: I hate to have my things touched. Watson, you know
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Speaker 1: that I hate it. You fidget me beyond endurance. You
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Speaker 1: a doctor, you are enough to drive a patient into
11:13
Speaker 1: an asylum. Sit down, man, and let me have my rest.
11:18
Speaker 1: The incident left a most unpleasant impression upon my mind.
11:21
Speaker 1: The violent and causeless excitement followed by this brutality of speech,
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Speaker 1: so far removed from his usual suavity, showed me how
11:31
Speaker 1: deep was the disorganization of his mind. Of all ruins,
11:35
Speaker 1: that of a noble mind is the most deplorable. I
11:39
Speaker 1: sat in silent dejection until the stipulated time had passed.
11:45
Speaker 1: He seemed to have been watching the clerk as well
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Speaker 1: as I, for it was hardly six before he began
11:51
Speaker 1: to talk with the same feverish animation as before. Naw
11:55
Speaker 1: Watson said he have you any change in your pocket? Yes?
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Speaker 1: Any silver? A good deal? How many half crowns? I have? Five? Ah,
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Speaker 1: too few, too few, How very unfortunate, Watson. However, such
12:09
Speaker 1: as they are, you can put them in your watch pocket,
12:12
Speaker 1: and all the rest of your money in your left
12:14
Speaker 1: trouser pocket. Thank you. It will balance you so much better.
12:17
Speaker 1: Like that, this was raving insanity. He shuddered and again
12:23
Speaker 1: made a sound between a cough and a sob. You
12:26
Speaker 1: will now light the gas, Watson, but you will be
12:29
Speaker 1: very careful that not for one instant shall it be
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Speaker 1: more than half on. I implore you to be careful, Watson.
12:36
Speaker 1: Thank you. That is excellent. No, you need not draw
12:40
Speaker 1: the blind. Now you will have the kindness to place
12:43
Speaker 1: some letters and papers upon this table within my reach.
12:46
Speaker 1: Thank you. Now some of that litter from the mantelpiece. Excellent, Watson,
12:52
Speaker 1: there is a sugar tongs there. Kindly raise that small
12:57
Speaker 1: ivory box with its assistance, place it here among the papers. Good.
13:03
Speaker 1: You could now go and fetch mister Culvert and Smith
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Speaker 1: of thirteen Lower Burke Street. To tell the truth, my
13:11
Speaker 1: desire to fetch a doctor had somewhat weakened, for poor
13:15
Speaker 1: Holmes were so obviously delirious that it seemed dangerous to
13:18
Speaker 1: leave him. However, he was as eager now to consult
13:22
Speaker 1: the person named as he had been obstinate in refusing.
13:27
Speaker 1: I never heard the name, said I possibly not, my
13:30
Speaker 1: good Watson. It may surprise you to know that the
13:33
Speaker 1: man upon earth who is best versed in this disease
13:36
Speaker 1: is not a medical man, but a planter. Mister Culvert
13:39
Speaker 1: and Smith is a well known resident of Sumatra, now
13:43
Speaker 1: visiting London. An outbreak of the disease upon his plantation,
13:48
Speaker 1: which was distant from medical aid, caused him to study
13:51
Speaker 1: it himself, with some rather far reaching consequences. He is
13:55
Speaker 1: a very methodical person, and I did not desire you
13:59
Speaker 1: to start for six because I was well aware that
14:02
Speaker 1: you would not find him in his study. If you
14:04
Speaker 1: could persuade him to come here and give us the
14:07
Speaker 1: benefit of his unique experience of this disease, the investigation
14:12
Speaker 1: of which has been his dearest hobby, I cannot doubt
14:16
Speaker 1: that he could help me. I give Holmes's remarks as
14:20
Speaker 1: a consecutive whole, and will not attempt to indicate how
14:23
Speaker 1: they were interrupted by gaspings for breath and those clutchings
14:27
Speaker 1: of his hands, which indicated the pain from which he
14:30
Speaker 1: was suffering. His appearance had changed for the worse during
14:34
Speaker 1: the few hours that I had been with him. Those
14:37
Speaker 1: hectic spots were more pronounced, the eyes shone more brightly
14:41
Speaker 1: out of darker hollows, and a cold sweat glimmered upon
14:45
Speaker 1: his brow. He still retained, however, the jaunty gallantry of
14:50
Speaker 1: his speech to the last gasp, he would always be
14:53
Speaker 1: the master. You will tell him exactly how you have
14:57
Speaker 1: left me, said, he will they the very impression which
15:01
Speaker 1: is on your own mind, A dying man, dying and
15:07
Speaker 1: delirious man. Indeed, I cannot think why the whole bed
15:12
Speaker 1: of the ocean is not one solid mass of oysters.
15:16
Speaker 1: So prolific the creatures seem. Ah, I am wandering strange
15:22
Speaker 1: how the brain controls the brain. What was I saying, Watson?
15:25
Speaker 1: My directions for mister Culvert and Smith? Ay? Yes, I remember,
15:30
Speaker 1: My life depends upon it. Plead with him, Watson. There
15:33
Speaker 1: is no good feeling between us, his nephew, Watson. I
15:37
Speaker 1: had suspicions of foul play, and I allowed him to
15:40
Speaker 1: see it. The boy died horribly. He has a grudge
15:44
Speaker 1: against me. You will soften him, Watson, Beg him, pray him,
15:49
Speaker 1: get him here by any means. He can save me
15:53
Speaker 1: only he. I will bring him in a cab. If
15:56
Speaker 1: I have to carry him down to it. You will
15:59
Speaker 1: do nothing of the sort. You will persuade him to come,
16:03
Speaker 1: and then you will return in front of him, make
16:06
Speaker 1: any excuse so as not to come with him. Don't
16:09
Speaker 1: forget Watson. You won't fail me. You never did fail me,
16:14
Speaker 1: no doubt. There are natural enemies which limit the increase
16:17
Speaker 1: of the creatures. You and I, Watson, we have done
16:21
Speaker 1: our part. Shall the world then be overrun by oysters? No, no, horrible,
16:29
Speaker 1: You'll convey all that is in your mind. I left
16:32
Speaker 1: him full of the image of this magnificent intellect, babbling
16:36
Speaker 1: like a foolish child. He had handed me the key,
16:40
Speaker 1: and with a happy thought I took it with me,
16:43
Speaker 1: lest he should lock himself in. Missus Hudson was waiting,
16:47
Speaker 1: trembling and weeping in the passage behind me. As I
16:51
Speaker 1: passed from the flat, I heard Holmes's high, thin voice
16:54
Speaker 1: in some delirious chant below. As I stood whistling for
16:58
Speaker 1: a cab, a man came on me through the fog.
17:02
Speaker 1: How is mister Holmes, sir? He asked. It was an
17:05
Speaker 1: old acquaintance, Inspector Morton of Scotland Yard, dressed in unofficial tweeds.
17:12
Speaker 1: He is very ill, I answered. He looked at me
17:15
Speaker 1: in a most singular fashion. Had it not been too fiendish,
17:20
Speaker 1: I could have imagined that the gleam of the fan
17:22
Speaker 1: light showed exultation in his face. I heard some rumor
17:26
Speaker 1: of it, said he the cab had driven up and
17:29
Speaker 1: I left him. Lower Burke Street proved to be a
17:33
Speaker 1: line of fine houses lying in the vague borderland between
17:37
Speaker 1: notting Hill and Kensington. The particular one at which my
17:41
Speaker 1: cabin pulled up had an air of smug and demure
17:44
Speaker 1: respectability in its old fashioned iron railings, its massive folding door,
17:48
Speaker 1: and its shining brass work. All was in keeping with
17:52
Speaker 1: a solemn butler who appeared framed in the pink radiance
17:55
Speaker 1: of a tinted electric light behind him. Yes, mister Calverton
18:00
Speaker 1: Smith is in Dr Watson. Very good, sir, I will
18:04
Speaker 1: take up your card. My humble name and title did
18:08
Speaker 1: not appear to impress mister Culvert and Smith. Through the
18:11
Speaker 1: half open door, I heard a high, petulant, penetrating voice.
18:15
Speaker 1: Who is this person? What does he want? Dear miss Staples?
18:18
Speaker 1: How often have I said that I am not to
18:19
Speaker 1: be disturbed in my hours of study? There came a
18:23
Speaker 1: gentle flow of soothing explanation from the butler. Well, I
18:27
Speaker 1: won't see him, Staples. I can't have my work interrupted
18:29
Speaker 1: like this. I am not at home. Say so, tell
18:32
Speaker 1: him to come in the morning. If he really must
18:34
Speaker 1: see me again. The gentle murmur, well, well, give in
18:38
Speaker 1: that message. He can come in the morning, or he
18:41
Speaker 1: can stay away. My work must not be hindered. I
18:45
Speaker 1: thought of Holmes, tossing upon his bed of sickness and
18:48
Speaker 1: counting the minutes, perhaps until I should bring help to him.
18:52
Speaker 1: It was not a time to stand upon ceremony. His
18:55
Speaker 1: life depended upon my promptness. Before the apologetic butler had
18:59
Speaker 1: delivered at his message, I had pushed past him and
19:02
Speaker 1: was in the room with a shrill cry of anger.
19:05
Speaker 1: A man rose from a reclining chair beside the fire.
19:09
Speaker 1: I saw a great yellow face, coarse grained and greasy,
19:13
Speaker 1: with heavy double chin, and two sullen menacing gray eyes
19:16
Speaker 1: which glared at me from under tufted and sandy brows.
19:20
Speaker 1: A high bald head had a small velvet smoking cap
19:24
Speaker 1: poised coquettishly upon one side of its pink curve. The
19:28
Speaker 1: skull was of enormous capacity, and yet as I looked down,
19:33
Speaker 1: I saw, to my amazement that the figure of the
19:35
Speaker 1: man was small and frail, twisted in the shoulders and back,
19:39
Speaker 1: like one who has suffered from rickets in his childhood.
19:42
Speaker 1: What's this? He cried? In a high screaming voice. What
19:46
Speaker 1: is the meaning of this intrusion? Didn't I send you
19:48
Speaker 1: word that I would see you tomorrow morning. I'm sorry,
19:52
Speaker 1: said I, but the matter cannot be delayed. Mister Sherlock Holmes.
19:56
Speaker 1: The mention of my friend's name had an extraordinary effect
19:59
Speaker 1: upon the little man. The look of anger passed in
20:02
Speaker 1: an instant from his face. His features became tense and alert.
20:06
Speaker 1: Have you come from Holmes? He asked, I have just
20:09
Speaker 1: left him. What about Holmes? How is he? He is
20:12
Speaker 1: desperately ill. That is why I have come. The man
20:16
Speaker 1: motioned me to a chair and turned to resume his own.
20:20
Speaker 1: As he did so, I caught a glimpse of his
20:22
Speaker 1: face in the mirror over the mantelpiece. I could have
20:26
Speaker 1: sworn that it was set in a malicious and abominable smile.
20:30
Speaker 1: Yet I persuaded myself that it must have been some
20:33
Speaker 1: nervous contraction which I had surprised for. He turned to
20:36
Speaker 1: me an instant later, with genuine concern upon his features.
20:40
Speaker 1: I am sorry to hear this, said he. I only
20:44
Speaker 1: know mister Holmes through some business dealings which we have
20:47
Speaker 1: had that I have every respect for his talents. And
20:50
Speaker 1: his character. He is an amateur of crime as I
20:54
Speaker 1: am of disease. For him the villain, for me the microbe.
20:59
Speaker 1: There are my prisoners, he continued, pointing to a row
21:02
Speaker 1: of bottles and jars which stood upon a side table.
21:05
Speaker 1: Among those gelatine cultivations, some of the very worst offenders
21:10
Speaker 1: in the world are now doing time. It was on
21:14
Speaker 1: account of your special knowledge that mister Holmes desired to
21:17
Speaker 1: see you. He has a high opinion of him, and
21:21
Speaker 1: thought that you were the one man in London who
21:23
Speaker 1: could help him. The little man started, and the jaunt
21:27
Speaker 1: smoking cap slid to the floor. Why, he asked, Why
21:31
Speaker 1: should mister Holmes think that I could help him in
21:33
Speaker 1: his trouble because of your knowledge of Eastern diseases? But
21:37
Speaker 1: why should he think that this disease which he has
21:40
Speaker 1: contracted is Eastern? Because in some professional inquiry he has
21:45
Speaker 1: been working among Chinese sailors down in the docks. Mister
21:49
Speaker 1: Culvert and Smith smiled pleasantly and picked up his smoking cap.
21:53
Speaker 1: Oh that's it is, it, said he. I trust the
21:56
Speaker 1: matter is not so grave as you suppose. How long
21:59
Speaker 1: has he been ill? About three days? Is he delirious?
22:03
Speaker 1: Occasionally Tut tut. This sound serious. It would be inhuman
22:07
Speaker 1: not to answer his call. I very much resent any
22:10
Speaker 1: interruption to my work, doctor Watson, but this case is
22:13
Speaker 1: certainly exceptional. I will come with you at once, I
22:17
Speaker 1: remembered Holmes's injunction. I have another appointment, said I, very good,
22:22
Speaker 1: I will go alone. I have a note of mister
22:24
Speaker 1: Holmes's address. You can rely upon my being there within
22:28
Speaker 1: half an hour at most. It was with a sinking
22:31
Speaker 1: heart that I re entered Holmes's bedroom. For all that
22:35
Speaker 1: I knew the worst might have happened in my absence.
22:38
Speaker 1: To my enormous relief, he had improved greatly in the interval.
22:42
Speaker 1: His appearance was as ghastly as ever, but all trace
22:45
Speaker 1: of delirium had left him, and he spoke in a
22:47
Speaker 1: feeble voice. It is true, but with even more than
22:50
Speaker 1: his usual crispness and lucidity. Well did you see him, Watson, Yes,
22:55
Speaker 1: he is coming. Admirable Watson, admirable, you are the best
22:59
Speaker 1: of messengers. He wished to return with me. That would
23:03
Speaker 1: never do, Watson, That would be obviously impossible. Did he
23:06
Speaker 1: ask what ailed me? I told him about the Chinese
23:09
Speaker 1: in the East End, exactly well, Watson, you have done
23:13
Speaker 1: all that a good friend could. You can now disappear
23:17
Speaker 1: from the scene. I must wait and hear his opinion. Homes,
23:20
Speaker 1: of course you must. But I have reasons to suppose
23:24
Speaker 1: that this opinion would be very much more frank and
23:26
Speaker 1: valuable if he imagines that we are alone. There is
23:31
Speaker 1: just room behind the head of my bed, Watson, my
23:34
Speaker 1: dear Holmes, I fear there is no alternative, Watson. The
23:38
Speaker 1: room does not lend itself to concealment, which is as
23:41
Speaker 1: well as it is, the less likely to arouse suspicion.
23:45
Speaker 1: But just there, Watson, I fancy that it could be done.
23:49
Speaker 1: Suddenly he sat up, with a rigid intentness upon his
23:52
Speaker 1: haggard face. There are the wheels, Watson, quick man, if
23:56
Speaker 1: you love me, and don't budge whatever happens, whatever happens
24:01
Speaker 1: to you hear, don't speak, don't move, just listen with
24:04
Speaker 1: all your ears. Then in an instant, his sudden access
24:08
Speaker 1: of strength departed, and his masterful, purposeful talk droned away
24:13
Speaker 1: into the low, vague murmurings of a semi delirious man.
24:18
Speaker 1: From the hiding place into which I had been so
24:20
Speaker 1: swiftly hustled, I heard the footfalls upon the stair, with
24:24
Speaker 1: the opening and the closing of the bedroom door. Then,
24:28
Speaker 1: to my surprise, there came a long silence, broken only
24:33
Speaker 1: by the heavy breathings and gaspings of the sick man.
24:37
Speaker 1: I could imagine that our visitor was standing by the
24:40
Speaker 1: bedside and looking down at the sufferer. At last, that
24:44
Speaker 1: strange hush was broken, Holmes, he cried Holmes, in the
24:49
Speaker 1: insistent tone of one who awakens a sleeper. Can't you
24:52
Speaker 1: hear me? Holmes? There was a rustling, as if he
24:56
Speaker 1: had shaken the sick man roughly by the shoulder. Is
24:59
Speaker 1: that you, mister Smith, Holmes, whispered I hardly dared hope
25:04
Speaker 1: that you would come. The other laughed. I should imagine not,
25:08
Speaker 1: he said, And yet you see I am here coals
25:12
Speaker 1: of fire, homes coals of fire. It is very good
25:16
Speaker 1: of you, very noble of you. I appreciate your special knowledge.
25:21
Speaker 1: Our visitor snickered. You do you are fortunately the only
25:27
Speaker 1: man in London who does. Do you know what is
25:30
Speaker 1: the matter with you? The same said Holmes, Ah, you
25:35
Speaker 1: recognize the symptoms only too well. Well, I shouldn't be surprised, Holmes,
25:41
Speaker 1: I shouldn't be surprised if it were the same, A
25:45
Speaker 1: bad look out for you if it is. Poor Victor
25:48
Speaker 1: was a dead man on the fourth day, Strong hearty,
25:51
Speaker 1: young fellow. It was certainly, as you said, very surprising
25:55
Speaker 1: that he should have contracted and out of the way
25:57
Speaker 1: asiatic disease in the heart of London, the disease too,
26:01
Speaker 1: of which I had made such a very special study
26:04
Speaker 1: singular coincidence homes. Very smart of you to notice it,
26:09
Speaker 1: but rather uncharitable to suggest that it was cause and effect.
26:14
Speaker 1: I knew that you did it. Oh you did, did you? Well?
26:18
Speaker 1: You couldn't prove it anyhow. But what do you think
26:22
Speaker 1: of yourself spreading reports about me like that and then
26:25
Speaker 1: crawling to me for help the moment you are in trouble?
26:28
Speaker 1: What sort of a game is that? Eh? I heard
26:31
Speaker 1: the rasping, labored breathing of the sick man. Give me
26:35
Speaker 1: the water, he gasped. You're precious near your end, my friend.
26:40
Speaker 1: But I don't want you to go till I have
26:42
Speaker 1: had a word with you. That's why I give you water. There,
26:46
Speaker 1: don't slop it about, That's right. Can you understand what
26:51
Speaker 1: I say? Holmes groaned? Do what you can for me?
26:56
Speaker 1: Let bygones be bygones, he whispered. I'll put the words
27:01
Speaker 1: out of my head. I swear, I will only cure me,
27:06
Speaker 1: and I'll forget it. Forget what well about Victor Savage's death.
27:13
Speaker 1: You as good as admitted it, just now that you
27:15
Speaker 1: had done it, I'll forget it. You can't forget it
27:19
Speaker 1: or remember it just as you like. I don't see
27:22
Speaker 1: you in the witness box. Quite another shaped box, my
27:26
Speaker 1: good homes, I assure you. It matters nothing to me
27:29
Speaker 1: that you should know how my nephew died. It's not
27:33
Speaker 1: him we are talking about. It's you. Yes, Yes. The
27:37
Speaker 1: fellow who came for me I've forgotten his name, said
27:40
Speaker 1: that you contracted it down in the East End among
27:43
Speaker 1: the sailors. I could only account for it. So you
27:47
Speaker 1: are proud of your brains' homes? Are you not think
27:50
Speaker 1: yourself smart? Don't you? You came across someone who was
27:54
Speaker 1: smarter this time. Now cast your mind back, homes, and
27:59
Speaker 1: you think of no other the way you could have
28:01
Speaker 1: got this thing. I can't think. My mind is gone.
28:05
Speaker 1: For Heaven's sake, help me, Yes, I will help you.
28:09
Speaker 1: I'll help you to understand just where you are and
28:12
Speaker 1: how you got there. I'd like you to know before
28:15
Speaker 1: you die. Give me something to ease my pain? Painful?
28:20
Speaker 1: Is it? Yes? The cool is used to do some
28:23
Speaker 1: squealing towards the end takes you as cramp. I fancy, Yes,
28:28
Speaker 1: yes it is cramp. Well you can hear what I say. Anyhow,
28:33
Speaker 1: listen now, can you remember any unusual incident in your
28:37
Speaker 1: life just about the time your symptoms began? No? No, nothing,
28:42
Speaker 1: Think again, I'm too ill to think. Well, then I'll
28:46
Speaker 1: help you. Did anything come by post by post? A box?
28:52
Speaker 1: By chance? I'm fainting, I'm gone. Listen, Holmes. There was
28:59
Speaker 1: a sound as if he were shaking the dying man.
29:03
Speaker 1: And it was all that I could do to hold
29:04
Speaker 1: myself quiet in my hiding place. You must hear me,
29:09
Speaker 1: You shall hear me. Do you remember a box? An
29:13
Speaker 1: ivory box? It came on Wednesday? You opened it? Do
29:19
Speaker 1: you remember? Yes? Yes, I opened it. There was a
29:23
Speaker 1: sharp spring inside it. Some joke. It was no joke,
29:28
Speaker 1: as you will find to your caste, you fool. You
29:31
Speaker 1: would have it, and you have got it. Who asked
29:34
Speaker 1: you to cross my path? If you had left me alone?
29:37
Speaker 1: I would not have hurt you. I remember, Holmes gasped
29:41
Speaker 1: the spring it drew blood. This box, this box on
29:47
Speaker 1: the table, the very one by George, and it may
29:51
Speaker 1: as well leave the room in my pocket. There goes
29:54
Speaker 1: your last shread of evidence. But you have the truth now, Holmes,
29:58
Speaker 1: and you can die with the knowledge that I killed you.
30:00
Speaker 1: You knew too much of the fate of Victor Savage,
30:03
Speaker 1: so I have sent you to share it. You are
30:06
Speaker 1: very near your end, Holmes. I will sit here and
30:10
Speaker 1: I will watch you die. Holmes's voice had shrunk to
30:14
Speaker 1: an almost inaudible whisper. What is that, said Smith? Turn
30:20
Speaker 1: up the gas ah, the shadows begin to fall, do they? Yes,
30:25
Speaker 1: I will turn it up that I may see you
30:28
Speaker 1: the better. He crossed the room, and the lights suddenly brightened.
30:33
Speaker 1: Is there any other little service that I can do you,
30:35
Speaker 1: my friend? A match and a cigarette? I nearly called out,
30:40
Speaker 1: in my joy and my amazement. He was speaking in
30:44
Speaker 1: his natural voice, a little weak, perhaps, but the very
30:48
Speaker 1: voice I knew. There was a long pause, and I
30:52
Speaker 1: felt that Culvert and Smith was standing in silent amazement,
30:55
Speaker 1: looking down at his companion. What's the meaning of this?
31:00
Speaker 1: I heard him say at last, in a dry rasping tone.
31:04
Speaker 1: The best way of successfully acting a part is to
31:08
Speaker 1: be it, said Holmes. I give you my word that
31:11
Speaker 1: for three days I have tasted neither food nor drink
31:14
Speaker 1: until you were good enough to pour me out that
31:16
Speaker 1: glass of water. But it is the tobacco which I
31:20
Speaker 1: find most irksome. Ah, here as some cigarettes. I heard
31:25
Speaker 1: the striking of a match. That is very much better. Hello, Hello,
31:30
Speaker 1: do I hear the step of a friend? There were
31:33
Speaker 1: footfalls outside. The door opened and Inspector Morton appeared. All
31:38
Speaker 1: is in order, and this is your man, said Holmes.
31:42
Speaker 1: The officer gave the usual cautions. I arrest you on
31:45
Speaker 1: the charge of the murder of one Victor Savage, he concluded,
31:49
Speaker 1: and you might add of the attempted murder of one Sherlock.
31:52
Speaker 1: Holmes remarked, my friend with a chuckle. To save an
31:56
Speaker 1: invalid trouble, Inspector mister Culverton Smith was good enough to
32:00
Speaker 1: give our signal by turning up the gas. By the way,
32:04
Speaker 1: the prisoner has a small box in the right hand
32:07
Speaker 1: pocket of his coat, which it would be as well
32:09
Speaker 1: to remove. Thank you. I would handle it gingerly if
32:12
Speaker 1: I were you put it down here It may play
32:16
Speaker 1: its part in the trial. There was a sudden rush
32:19
Speaker 1: and a scuffle, followed by the clash of iron and
32:22
Speaker 1: a cry of pain. You'll only get yourself hurt, said
32:26
Speaker 1: the inspector. Stand still, will you? There was the click
32:29
Speaker 1: of the closing handcuffs. A nice trap, cried the high,
32:33
Speaker 1: snarling voice. It will bring you into the dock. Holmes,
32:37
Speaker 1: not me. He asked me to come here to cure him.
32:41
Speaker 1: I was sorry for him, and I came now. He
32:44
Speaker 1: will pretend no doubt that I have said anything which
32:47
Speaker 1: he may invent which will corroborate his insane suspicions. You
32:51
Speaker 1: can lie as you like, Holmes. My word is always
32:53
Speaker 1: as good as yours. Good Heavens, cried Holmes. I had
32:57
Speaker 1: totally forgotten him, My dear, I owe you a thousand
33:02
Speaker 1: apologies to think that I should have overlooked you. I
33:06
Speaker 1: need not introduce you to mister Culvert and Smith, since
33:09
Speaker 1: I understand that you met somewhat earlier in the evening.
33:13
Speaker 1: Have you the cab below. I will follow you when
33:15
Speaker 1: I am dressed, for I may be of some use
33:18
Speaker 1: at the station. I never needed it more, said Holmes
33:22
Speaker 1: as he refreshed himself with a glass of claret and
33:25
Speaker 1: some biscuits in the intervals of his toilet. However, as
33:29
Speaker 1: you know, my habits are irregular, and such a feat
33:32
Speaker 1: means less to me than most men. It was very
33:35
Speaker 1: essential that I should impress Missus Hudson with the reality
33:39
Speaker 1: of my condition, since she was to convey it to you,
33:43
Speaker 1: and you in turn to him. You won't be offended, Watson.
33:46
Speaker 1: You will realize that among your many talents, dissimulation finds
33:50
Speaker 1: no place, and that if you had shared my secret,
33:54
Speaker 1: you would never have been able to impress Smith with
33:56
Speaker 1: the urgent necessity of his presence, which was the vital
34:00
Speaker 1: to the whole scheme. Knowing his vindictive nature, I was
34:04
Speaker 1: perfectly certain that he would come to look upon his handiwork.
34:08
Speaker 1: But your appearance homes, your ghastly face. Three days of
34:13
Speaker 1: absolute fast does not improve one's beauty, Watson. For the rest,
34:17
Speaker 1: there is nothing which a sponge may not cure. With
34:21
Speaker 1: vasoline upon one's forehead, belladonna in one's eyes, rouge over
34:25
Speaker 1: the cheek bones, and crusts of bees wax round one's lips,
34:29
Speaker 1: a very satisfying effect can be produced. Malingering is a
34:34
Speaker 1: subject upon which I have sometimes thought of writing a monograph.
34:37
Speaker 1: A little occasional talk about half crowns, oysters or any
34:41
Speaker 1: other extraneous subject produces a pleasing effect of delirium. But
34:47
Speaker 1: why would you not let me near you? Since there was,
34:50
Speaker 1: in truth no infection? Can you ask, my dear Watson,
34:54
Speaker 1: do you imagine that I have no respect for your
34:57
Speaker 1: medical talents? Could I fancy that your astute judgment would
35:01
Speaker 1: pass a dying man, who, however weak, had no rise
35:05
Speaker 1: of pulse or temperature? At four yards? I could deceive you.
35:11
Speaker 1: If I failed to do so, who would bring my
35:14
Speaker 1: smith within my grasp? No, Watson, I would not touch
35:18
Speaker 1: that box. You can just see if you look at
35:21
Speaker 1: its sideways, where the sharp spring like a viper's tooth,
35:25
Speaker 1: emerges as you open it. I dare say it was
35:28
Speaker 1: by some such device that poor Savage, who stood between
35:32
Speaker 1: this monster and a reversion, was done to death. My correspondence, however, is,
35:39
Speaker 1: as you know, a varied one, and I am somewhat
35:41
Speaker 1: upon my guard against any packages which reached me. It
35:45
Speaker 1: was clear to me, however, that by pretending that he
35:48
Speaker 1: had really succeeded in his design, I might surprise a
35:51
Speaker 1: confession that pretense I have carried out with the thoroughness
35:56
Speaker 1: of the true artist. Thank you, Watson. You must help
36:00
Speaker 1: me on with my coat when we have finished at
36:03
Speaker 1: the police station. I think that something nutritious at Simpson's
36:08
Speaker 1: would not be out of place. That is the end
36:15
Speaker 1: of the adventure of the Dying Detective From His Last
36:20
Speaker 1: Bow nineteen seventeen by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, read by
36:26
Speaker 1: Greg Wagland for Magpie Audio twenty sixteen.