Chapter V The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge

behindwiththefrightenedhousekeeper. Thethirdflightofstairsendedinastraightpassageofsomelength,withagreatpictureinIndiantapestryupontherightofitandthreedoorsupontheleft.Holmesadvancedalongitinthesameslowandmethodicalway,whilewekeptcloseathisheels,withourlongblackshadowsstreamingbackwardsdownthecorridor.Thethirddoorwasthatwhichwewereseeking.Holmesknockedwithoutreceivinganyanswer,andthentriedtoturnthehandleandforceitopen.Itwaslockedontheinside,however,andbyabroadandpowerfulbolt,aswecouldseewhenwesetourlampupagainstit.Thekeybeingturned,however,theholewasnotentirelyclosed.SherlockHolmesbentdowntoit,andinstantlyroseagainwithasharpintakingofthebreath. “Thereissomethingdevilishinthis,Watson,”saidhe,moremovedthanIhadeverbeforeseenhim.“Whatdoyoumakeofit?” Istoopedtothehole,andrecoiledinhorror.Moonlightwasstreamingintotheroom,anditwasbrightwithavagueandshiftyradiance.Lookingstraightatme,andsuspended,asitwere,intheair,forallbeneathwasinshadow,therehungaface,—theveryfaceofourcompanionThaddeus.Therewasthesamehigh,shininghead,thesamecircularbristleofredhair,thesamebloodlesscountenance.Thefeatureswereset,however,inahorriblesmile,afixedandunnaturalgrin,whichinthatstillandmoonlitroomwasmorejarringtothenervesthananyscowlorcontortion.SolikewasthefacetothatofourlittlefriendthatIlookedroundathimtomakesurethathewasindeedwithus.ThenIrecalledtomindthathehadmentionedtousthathisbrotherandheweretwins. “Thisisterrible!”IsaidtoHolmes.“Whatistobedone?” “Thedoormustcomedown,”heanswered,and,springingagainstit,heputallhisweightuponthelock.Itcreakedandgroaned,butdidnotyield.Togetherweflungourselvesuponitoncemore,andthistimeitgavewaywithasuddensnap,andwefoundourselveswithinBartholomewSholto’schamber. Itappearedtohavebeenfittedupasachemicallaboratory.Adoublelineofglass-stopperedbottleswasdrawnupuponthewalloppositethedoor,andthetablewaslitteredoverwithBunsenburners,test-tubes,andretorts.Inthecornersstoodcarboysofacidinwickerbaskets.Oneoftheseappearedtoleakortohavebeenbroken,forastreamofdark-colouredliquidhadtrickledoutfromit,andtheairwasheavywithapeculiarlypungent,tar-likeodour.Asetofstepsstoodatonesideoftheroom,inthemidstofalitteroflathandplaster,andabovethemtherewasanopeningintheceilinglargeenoughforamantopassthrough.Atthefootofthestepsalongcoilofropewasthrowncarelesslytogether. Bythetable,inawoodenarm