<s> GOOD </s><s> YOU CAN NOW GO AND FETCH MR. CULVERTON SMITH OF THIRTEEN LOWER BURKE STREET </s><s> TO TELL THE TRUTH MY DESIRE TO FETCH A DOCTOR HAD SOMEWHAT WEAKENED FOR POOR HOLMES WAS SO OBVIOUSLY DELIRIOUS THAT IT SEEMED DANGEROUS TO LEAVE HIM </s><s> HOWEVER HE WAS AS EAGER NOW TO CONSULT THE PERSON NAMED AS HE HAD BEEN OBSTINATE IN REFUSING </s><s> I NEVER HEARD THE NAME SAID I </s><s> QUOTE POSSIBLY NOT MY GOOD WATSON </s><s> IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW THAT THE MAN UPON EARTH WHO IS BEST VERSED IN THIS DISEASE IS NOT A MEDICAL MAN BUT A PLANTER </s><s> MR. CULVERTON SMITH IS A WELLKNOWN RESIDENT OF SUMATRA NOW VISITING LONDON </s><s> AN OUTBREAK OF THE DISEASE UPON HIS PLANTATION WHICH WAS DISTANT FROM MEDICAL AID CAUSED HIM TO STUDY IT HIMSELF WITH SOME RATHER FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES </s><s> HE IS A VERY METHODICAL PERSON AND I DID NOT DESIRE YOU TO START BEFORE SIX BECAUSE I WAS WELL AWARE THAT YOU WOULD NOT FIND HIM IN HIS STUDY </s><s> IF YOU COULD PERSUADE HIM TO COME HERE AND GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF HIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF THIS DISEASE THE INVESTIGATION OF WHICH HAS BEEN HIS DEAREST HOBBY I CANNOT DOUBT THAT HE COULD HELP ME </s><s> I GIVE HOLMES'S REMARKS AS A CONSECUTIVE WHOLE AND WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO INDICATE HOW THEY WERE INTERRUPTED BY GASPINGS FOR BREATH AND THOSE CLUTCHINGS OF HIS HANDS WHICH INDICATED THE PAIN FROM WHICH HE WAS SUFFERING </s><s> HIS APPEARANCE HAD CHANGED FOR THE WORSE DURING THE FEW HOURS THAT I HAD BEEN WITH HIM </s><s> THOSE HECTIC SPOTS WERE MORE PRONOUNCED THE EYES SHONE MORE BRIGHTLY OUT OF DARKER HOLLOWS AND A COLD SWEAT GLIMMERED UPON HIS BROW </s><s> HE STILL RETAINED HOWEVER THE JAUNTY GALLANTRY OF HIS SPEECH </s><s> TO THE LAST GASP HE WOULD ALWAYS BE THE MASTER </s><s> YOU WILL TELL HIM EXACTLY HOW YOU HAVE LEFT ME SAID HE </s><s> YOU WILL CONVEY THE VERY IMPRESSION WHICH IS IN YOUR OWN MIND A DYING MAN A DYING AND DELIRIOUS MAN </s><s> INDEED I CANNOT THINK WHY THE WHOLE BED OF THE OCEAN IS NOT ONE SOLID MASS OF OYSTERS SO PROLIFIC THE CREATURES SEEM </s><s> AH I AM WANDERING </s><s> STRANGE HOW THE BRAIN CONTROLS THE BRAIN </s><s> WHAT WAS I SAYING WATSON </s><s> MY DIRECTIONS FOR MR. CULVERTON SMITH </s><s> QUOTE AH YES I REMEMBER </s><s> MY LIFE DEPENDS UPON IT </s><s> PLEAD WITH HIM WATSON </s><s> THERE IS NO GOOD FEELING BETWEEN US </s><s> HIS NEPHEW WATSON I HAD SUSPICIONS OF FOUL PLAY AND I ALLOWED HIM TO SEE IT </s><s> THE BOY DIED HORRIBLY </s><s> HE HAS A GRUDGE AGAINST ME </s><s> YOU WILL SOFTEN HIM WATSON </s><s> BEG HIM PRAY HIM GET HIM HERE BY ANY MEANS </s><s> HE CAN SAVE ME ONLY HE </s><s> I WILL BRING HIM IN A CAB IF I HAVE TO CARRY HIM DOWN TO IT </s><s> YOU WILL DO NOTHING OF THE SORT </s><s> YOU WILL PERSUADE HIM TO COME </s><s> AND THEN YOU WILL RETURN IN FRONT OF HIM </s><s> MAKE ANY EXCUSE SO AS NOT TO COME WITH HIM </s><s> DON'T FORGET WATSON </s><s> YOU WON'T FAIL ME </s><s> YOU NEVER DID FAIL ME </s><s> NO DOUBT THERE ARE NATURAL ENEMIES WHICH LIMIT THE INCREASE OF THE CREATURES </s><s> YOU AND I WATSON WE HAVE DONE OUR PART </s><s> SHALL THE WORLD THEN BE OVERRUN BY OYSTERS </s><s> NO NO HORRIBLE </s><s> YOU'LL CONVEY ALL THAT IS IN YOUR MIND </s><s> I LEFT HIM FULL OF THE IMAGE OF THIS MAGNIFICENT INTELLECT BABBLING LIKE A FOOLISH CHILD </s><s> HE HAD HANDED ME THE KEY AND WITH A HAPPY THOUGHT I TOOK IT WITH ME LEST HE SHOULD LOCK HIMSELF IN </s><s> MRS. HUDSON WAS WAITING TREMBLING AND WEEPING IN THE PASSAGE </s><s> BEHIND ME AS I PASSED FROM THE FLAT I HEARD HOLMES'S HIGH THIN VOICE IN SOME DELIRIOUS CHANT </s><s> BELOW AS I STOOD WHISTLING FOR A CAB A MAN CAME ON ME THROUGH THE FOG </s><s> HOW IS MR. HOLMES SIR HE ASKED </s><s> IT WAS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE INSPECTOR MORTON OF SCOTLAND YARD DRESSED IN UNOFFICIAL TWEEDS </s><s> QUOTE HE IS VERY ILL QUOTE I ANSWERED </s><s> HE LOOKED AT ME IN A MOST SINGULAR FASHION </s><s> HAD IT NOT BEEN TOO FIENDISH I COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT THE GLEAM OF THE FANLIGHT SHOWED EXULTATION IN HIS FACE </s><s> I HEARD SOME RUMOUR OF IT SAID HE </s><s> THE CAB HAD DRIVEN UP AND I LEFT HIM </s><s> LOWER BURKE STREET PROVED TO BE A LINE OF FINE HOUSES LYING IN THE VAGUE BORDERLAND BETWEEN NOTTING HILL AND KENSINGTON </s><s> THE PARTICULAR ONE AT WHICH MY CABMAN PULLED UP HAD AN AIR OF SMUG AND DEMURE RESPECTABILITY IN ITS OLD FASHIONED IRON RAILINGS ITS MASSIVE FOLDING DOOR AND ITS SHINING BRASSWORK </s><s> ALL WAS IN KEEPING WITH A SOLEMN BUTLER WHO APPEARED FRAMED IN THE PINK RADIANCE OF A TINTED ELECTRIC LIGHT BEHIND HIM </s><s> YES MR. CULVERTON SMITH IS IN </s><s> DOCTOR WATSON </s><s> VERY GOOD SIR I WILL TAKE UP YOUR CARD </s><s> MY HUMBLE NAME AND TITLE DID NOT APPEAR TO IMPRESS MR. CULVERTON SMITH </s><s> THROUGH THE HALF OPEN DOOR I HEARD A HIGH PETULANT PENETRATING VOICE </s><s> WHO IS THIS PERSON </s><s> WHAT DOES HE WANT </s><s> DEAR ME STAPLES HOW OFTEN HAVE I SAID THAT I AM NOT TO BE DISTURBED IN MY HOURS OF STUDY </s><s> THERE CAME A GENTLE FLOW OF SOOTHING EXPLANATION FROM THE BUTLER </s><s> QUOTE WELL I WON'T SEE HIM STAPLES </s><s> I CAN'T HAVE MY WORK INTERRUPTED LIKE THIS </s><s> I AM NOT AT HOME </s><s> SAY SO </s><s> TELL HIM TO COME IN THE MORNING IF HE REALLY MUST SEE ME </s><s> AGAIN THE GENTLE MURMUR </s><s> WELL WELL GIVE HIM THAT MESSAGE </s><s> HE CAN COME IN THE MORNING OR HE CAN STAY AWAY </s><s> MY WORK MUST NOT BE HINDERED </s><s> I THOUGHT OF HOLMES TOSSING UPON HIS BED OF SICKNESS AND COUNTING THE MINUTES PERHAPS UNTIL I COULD BRING HELP TO HIM </s><s> IT WAS NOT A TIME TO STAND UPON CEREMONY </s><s> HIS LIFE DEPENDED UPON MY PROMPTNESS </s><s> BEFORE THE APOLOGETIC BUTLER HAD DELIVERED HIS MESSAGE I HAD PUSHED PAST HIM AND WAS IN THE ROOM </s><s> WITH A SHRILL CRY OF ANGER A MAN ROSE FROM A RECLINING CHAIR BESIDE THE FIRE </s><s> I SAW A GREAT YELLOW FACE COARSE GRAINED AND GREASY WITH HEAVY DOUBLE CHIN AND TWO SULLEN MENACING GRAY EYES WHICH GLARED AT ME FROM UNDER TUFTED AND SANDY BROWS </s><s> A HIGH BALD HEAD HAD A SMALL VELVET SMOKING CAP POISED COQUETTISHLY UPON ONE SIDE OF ITS PINK CURVE </s><s> THE SKULL WAS OF ENORMOUS CAPACITY AND YET AS I LOOKED DOWN I SAW TO MY AMAZEMENT THAT THE FIGURE OF THE MAN WAS SMALL AND FRAIL TWISTED IN THE SHOULDERS AND BACK LIKE ONE WHO HAS SUFFERED FROM RICKETS IN HIS CHILDHOOD </s><s> WHAT'S THIS HE CRIED IN A HIGH SCREAMING VOICE </s><s> WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INTRUSION </s><s> DIDN'T I SEND YOU WORD THAT I WOULD SEE YOU TO MORROW MORNING QUOTE </s><s> I AM SORRY SAID I BUT THE MATTER CANNOT BE DELAYED </s><s> MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES </s><s> THE MENTION OF MY FRIEND'S NAME HAD AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFECT UPON THE LITTLE MAN </s><s> THE LOOK OF ANGER PASSED IN AN INSTANT FROM HIS FACE </s><s> HIS FEATURES BECAME TENSE AND ALERT </s><s> HAVE YOU COME FROM HOLMES HE ASKED </s><s> I HAVE JUST LEFT HIM </s><s> WHAT ABOUT HOLMES </s><s> HOW IS HE QUOTE </s><s> HE IS DESPERATELY ILL </s><s> THAT IS WHY I HAVE COME </s><s> THE MAN MOTIONED ME TO A CHAIR AND TURNED TO RESUME HIS OWN </s><s> AS HE DID SO I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF HIS FACE IN THE MIRROR OVER THE MANTELPIECE </s><s> I COULD HAVE SWORN THAT IT WAS SET IN A MALICIOUS AND ABOMINABLE SMILE </s><s> YET I PERSUADED MYSELF THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME NERVOUS CONTRACTION WHICH I HAD SURPRISED FOR HE TURNED TO ME AN INSTANT LATER WITH GENUINE CONCERN UPON HIS FEATURES </s><s> I AM SORRY TO HEAR THIS SAID HE </s><s> I ONLY KNOW MR. HOLMES THROUGH SOME BUSINESS DEALINGS WHICH WE HAVE HAD BUT I HAVE EVERY RESPECT FOR HIS TALENTS AND HIS CHARACTER </s><s> HE IS AN AMATEUR OF CRIME AS I AM OF DISEASE </s><s> FOR HIM THE VILLAIN FOR ME THE MICROBE </s><s> THERE ARE MY PRISONS HE CONTINUED POINTING TO A ROW OF BOTTLES AND JARS WHICH STOOD UPON A SIDE TABLE </s><s> QUOTE AMONG THOSE GELATINE CULTIVATIONS SOME OF THE VERY WORST OFFENDERS IN THE WORLD ARE NOW DOING TIME QUOTE </s><s> IT WAS ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE THAT MR. HOLMES DESIRED TO SEE YOU </s><s> HE HAS A HIGH OPINION OF YOU AND THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE THE ONE MAN IN LONDON WHO COULD HELP HIM </s><s> THE LITTLE MAN STARTED AND THE JAUNTY SMOKING CAP SLID TO THE FLOOR </s><s> WHY HE ASKED </s><s> WHY SHOULD MR. HOLMES THINK THAT I COULD HELP HIM IN HIS TROUBLE </s><s> BECAUSE OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF EASTERN DISEASES </s><s> QUOTE BUT WHY SHOULD HE THINK THAT THIS DISEASE WHICH HE HAS CONTRACTED IS EASTERN QUOTE </s><s> BECAUSE IN SOME PROFESSIONAL INQUIRY HE HAS BEEN WORKING AMONG CHINESE SAILORS DOWN IN THE DOCKS </s><s> MR. CULVERTON SMITH SMILED PLEASANTLY AND PICKED UP HIS SMOKING CAP </s><s> OH THAT'S IT IS IT SAID HE </s><s> I TRUST THE MATTER IS NOT SO GRAVE AS YOU SUPPOSE </s><s> HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN ILL </s><s> ABOUT THREE DAYS </s><s> QUOTE IS HE DELIRIOUS QUOTE </s><s> OCCASIONALLY </s><s> TUT TUT </s><s> THIS SOUNDS SERIOUS </s><s> IT WOULD BE INHUMAN NOT TO ANSWER HIS CALL </s><s> I VERY MUCH RESENT ANY INTERRUPTION TO MY WORK DOCTOR WATSON BUT THIS CASE IS CERTAINLY EXCEPTIONAL </s><s> I WILL COME WITH YOU AT ONCE </s><s> I REMEMBERED HOLMES'S INJUNCTION </s><s> I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT SAID I </s><s> VERY GOOD </s><s> I WILL GO ALONE </s><s> I HAVE A NOTE OF MR. HOLMES'S ADDRESS </s><s> YOU CAN RELY UPON MY BEING THERE WITHIN HALF AN HOUR AT MOST QUOTE </s><s> IT WAS WITH A SINKING HEART THAT I REENTERED HOLMES'S BEDROOM </s><s> FOR ALL THAT I KNEW THE WORST MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IN MY ABSENCE </s><s> TO MY ENORMOUS RELIEF HE HAD IMPROVED GREATLY IN THE INTERVAL </s><s> HIS APPEARANCE WAS AS GHASTLY AS EVER BUT ALL TRACE OF DELIRIUM HAD LEFT HIM AND HE SPOKE IN A FEEBLE VOICE IT IS TRUE BUT WITH EVEN MORE THAN HIS USUAL CRISPNESS AND LUCIDITY </s><s> WELL DID YOU SEE HIM WATSON </s><s> YES HE IS COMING </s><s> ADMIRABLE WATSON </s><s> ADMIRABLE </s><s> YOU ARE THE BEST OF MESSENGERS </s><s> HE WISHED TO RETURN WITH ME </s><s> QUOTE THAT WOULD NEVER DO WATSON </s><s> THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE </s><s> DID HE ASK WHAT AILED ME </s><s> I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE CHINESE IN THE EAST END </s><s> EXACTLY </s><s> WELL WATSON YOU HAVE DONE ALL THAT A GOOD FRIEND COULD </s><s> YOU CAN NOW DISAPPEAR FROM THE SCENE </s><s> I MUST WAIT AND HEAR HIS OPINION HOLMES </s><s> QUOTE OF COURSE YOU MUST </s><s> BUT I HAVE REASONS TO SUPPOSE THAT THIS OPINION WOULD BE VERY MUCH MORE FRANK AND VALUABLE IF HE IMAGINES THAT WE ARE ALONE </s><s> THERE IS JUST ROOM BEHIND THE HEAD OF MY BED WATSON </s><s> MY DEAR HOLMES </s><s> I FEAR THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE WATSON </s><s> THE ROOM DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO CONCEALMENT WHICH IS AS WELL AS IT IS THE LESS LIKELY TO AROUSE SUSPICION </s><s> BUT JUST THERE WATSON I FANCY THAT IT COULD BE DONE </s><s> SUDDENLY HE SAT UP WITH A RIGID INTENTNESS UPON HIS HAGGARD FACE </s><s> THERE ARE THE WHEELS WATSON </s><s> QUICK MAN IF YOU LOVE ME </s><s> AND DON'T BUDGE WHATEVER HAPPENS WHATEVER HAPPENS DO YOU HEAR </s><s> DON'T SPEAK </s><s> DON'T MOVE </s><s> JUST LISTEN WITH ALL YOUR EARS QUOTE </s><s> THEN IN AN INSTANT HIS SUDDEN ACCESS OF STRENGTH DEPARTED AND HIS MASTERFUL PURPOSEFUL TALK DRONED AWAY INTO THE LOW VAGUE MURMURINGS OF A SEMI DELLRIOUS MAN </s><s> FROM THE HIDING PLACE INTO WHICH I HAD BEEN SO SWIFTLY HUSTLED I HEARD THE FOOTFALLS UPON THE STAIR WITH THE OPENING AND THE CLOSING OF THE BEDROOM DOOR </s><s> THEN TO MY SURPRISE THERE CAME A LONG SILENCE BROKEN ONLY BY THE HEAVY BREATHINGS AND GASPINGS OF THE SICK MAN </s><s> I COULD IMAGINE THAT OUR VISITOR WAS STANDING BY THE BEDSIDE AND LOOKING DOWN AT THE SUFFERER </s><s> AT LAST THAT STRANGE HUSH WAS BROKEN </s><s> HOLMES HE CRIED </s><s> HOLMES IN THE INSISTENT TONE OF ONE WHO AWAKENS A SLEEPER </s><s> CAN'T YOU HEAR ME HOLMES </s><s> THERE WAS A RUSTLING AS IF HE HAD SHAKEN THE SICK MAN ROUGHLY BY THE SHOULDER </s><s> IS THAT YOU MR. SMITH </s><s> HOLMES WHISPERED </s><s> I HARDLY DARED HOPE THAT YOU WOULD COME </s>