His Last Bow Part 9 (1/2)
He was indeed a deplorable spectacle In the diloo at me from the bed which sent a chill to htness of fever, there was a hectic flush upon either cheek, and dark crusts clung to his lips; the thin hands upon the coverlet twitched incessantly, his voice was croaking and spasht of nition to his eyes
”Well, Watson, we seem to have fallen upon evil days,” said he in a feeble voice, but with so of his old carelessness ofhiht back!” said he with the sharp imperiousness which I had associated only with moments of crisis ”If you approach me, Watson, I shall order you out of the house”
”But why?”
”Because it is ht He was more masterful than ever It was pitiful, however, to see his exhaustion
”I only wished to help,” I explained
”Exactly! You will help best by doing what you are told”
”Certainly, Holmes”
He relaxed the austerity of hisfor breath
Poor devil, how could I be angry when I saw hiht before me?
”It's for your own sake, Watson,” he croaked
”For MY sake?”
”I knohat is thethat the Dutch know h they haveonly is certain It is infallibly deadly, and it is horribly contagious”
He spoke noith a feverish energy, the long hands twitching and jerking as he ious by touch, Watson--that's it, by touch Keep your distance and all is well”
”Good heavens, Holhs with me of an instant? It would not affect ine it would prevent ain I advanced, but he repulsed er
”If you will stand there I will talk If you do not you must leave the room”
I have so deep a respect for the extraordinary qualities of Holmes that I have always deferred to his wishes, even when I least understood them But now all my professional instincts were aroused Let him be my master elsewhere, I at least was his in a sick room
”Holmes,” said I, ”you are not yourself A sick man is but a child, and so I will treat you Whether you like it or not, I will examine your symptoms and treat you for them”
He looked at me with venomous eyes
”If I am to have a doctor whether I will or not, let me at least have someone in whom I have confidence,” said he
”Then you have none in me?”
”In your friendshi+p, certainly But facts are facts, Watson, and, after all, you are only a general practitioner with very limited experience and mediocre qualifications It is painful to have to say these things, but you leave me no choice”
I was bitterly hurt
”Such a remark is unworthy of you, Holmes It shows me very clearly the state of your own nerves But if you have no confidence inSir Jasper Meek or Penrose Fisher, or any of the best men in London But someone you MUST have, and that is final If you think that I a youanyone else to help you, then you have mistaken your man”
”Youbetween a sob and a groan ”Shall I denorance? What do you know, pray, of Tapanuli fever? What do you know of the black Formosa corruption?”
”I have never heard of either”
”There are ical possibilities, in the East, Watson” He paused after each sentence to collect his failing strength ”I have learned sosome recent researches which have a medico-criminal aspect It was in the course of the”
”Possibly not But I happen to know that Dr Ainstree, the greatest living authority upon tropical disease, is now in London All re this instant to fetch him” I turned resolutely to the door
Never have I had such a shock! In an instant, with a tiger- spring, the dying man had intercepted me I heard the sharp snap of a twisted key The nextafter his one trey
”You won't take the key froot you, my friend Here you are, and here you will stay until I will otherwise But I'll hules for breath between) ”You've only ood at heart Of course I know that very well You shall have your way, but give th Not now, Watson, not now It's four o'clock At six you can go”
”This is insanity, Holo at six Are you content to wait?”
”I seem to have no choice”
”None in the world, Watson Thank you, I need no help in arranging the clothes You will please keep your distance Now, Watson, there is one other condition that I would make You will seek help, not from the man you mention, but from the one that I choose”
”By all means”
”The first three sensible words that you have uttered since you entered this room, Watson You will find some books over there I am somewhat exhausted; I wonder how a battery feels when it pours electricity into a non-conductor? At six, Watson, we resume our conversation”
But it was destined to be resuaveto the door I had stood for soure in the bed His face was almost covered by the clothes and he appeared to be asleep Then, unable to settle down to reading, I walked slowly round the roo the pictures of celebrated criminals hich every as adorned Finally, in my aimless perambulation, I came to the es, penknives, revolver-cartridges, and other debris was scattered over it In the midst of these was a s lid It was a neat little thing, and I had stretched out my hand to exaave--a yell which ht have been heard down the street My skin went cold and ht a glimpse of a convulsed face and frantic eyes I stood paralyzed, with the little box in my hand
”Put it down! Down, this instant, Watson--this instant, I say!” His head sank back upon the pillow and he gave a deep sigh of relief as I replaced the box upon the s touched, Watson You know that I hate it You fidget h to drive a patient into an asylum Sit down, man, and let me have my rest!”
The incident left a most unpleasant impression upon my mind The violent and causeless excitement, followed by this brutality of speech, so far removed froanization of his mind Of all ruins, that of a noble mind is the most deplorable I sat in silent dejection until the stipulated ti the clock as well as I, for it was hardly six before he began to talk with the same feverish animation as before
”Now, Watson,” said he ”Have you any change in your pocket?”
”Yes”