the adventure of the dying detective(垂死侦探历险记)-第4部分
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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。 Ah； here ARE some
cigarettes。〃 I heard the striking of a match。 〃That is very much better。
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Halloa！ halloa！ Do I hear the step of a friend？〃
There were footfalls outside； the door opened； and Inspector Morton
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 Sherlock
Holmes；〃 remarked my friend with a chuckle。 〃To save an invalid
trouble； Inspector； Mr。 Culverton Smith was good enough to give our
signal by turning up the gas。 By the way； the prisoner has a small box in
the right…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 down here。
It may play its part in the trial。〃
There was a sudden rush and a scuffle； followed by the clash of iron
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 YOU into
the dock； Holmes； not me。 He asked me to e here to cure him。 I
was sorry for him and I came。 Now he will pretend； no doubt； that I have
said anything which he may invent which will corroborate 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 that I should
have overlooked you！ I need not introduce you to Mr。 Culverton Smith；
since I understand that you met somewhat earlier in the evening。 Have you
the cab below？ I will follow you when I am dressed； for I may be of
some use at the station。
〃I never needed it more；〃 said Holmes as he refreshed himself with a
glass of claret and some biscuits in the intervals of his toilet。 〃However；
as you know； my habits are irregular； and such a feat means less to me
than to most men。 It was very essential that I should impress Mrs。
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Hudson with the reality of my condition； since she was to convey it to you；
and you in turn to him。 You won't be offended； Watson？ You will
realize that among your many talents dissimulation finds no place； and that
if you had shared my secret you would never have been able to impress
Smith with the urgent necessity of his presence； which was the vital point
of the whole scheme。 Knowing his vindictive nature； I was perfectly
certain that he would e to look upon his handiwork。〃
〃But your appearance； Holmesyour 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。 With vaseline
upon one's forehead； belladonna in one's eyes； rouge over the cheek…bones；
and crusts of beeswax round one's lips； a very satisfying effect can be
produced。 Malingering is a subject upon which I have sometimes thought
of writing a monograph。 A little occasional talk about half…crowns；
oysters； or any other extraneous subject produces a pleasing effect of
delirium。〃
〃But why would you not let me near you； since there was in truth no
infection？〃
〃Can you ask； my dear Watson？ Do you imagine that I have no
respect for your medical talents？ Could I fancy that your astute judgment
would pass a dying man who； however weak； had no rise of pulse or
temperature？ At four yards； I could deceive you。 If I failed to do so；
who would bring my Smith within my grasp？ No； Watson； I would not
touch that box。 You can just see if you look at it sideways where the
sharp spring like a viper's tooth emerges as you open it。 I dare say it was
by some such device that poor Savage； who stood between this monster
and a reve
