VIII.THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND

Shewasbutthirtyatthetimeofherdeath,andyetherhairhadalreadybeguntowhiten,evenasminehas.” “Yoursisterisdead,then?” “Shediedjusttwoyearsago,anditisofherdeaththatIwishtospeaktoyou.Youcanunderstandthat,livingthelifewhichIhavedescribed,wewerelittlelikelytoseeanyoneofourownageandposition.Wehad,however,anaunt,mymother’smaidensister,MissHonoriaWestphail,wholivesnearHarrow,andwewereoccasionallyallowedtopayshortvisitsatthislady’shouse.JuliawentthereatChristmastwoyearsago,andmetthereahalf-paymajorofmarines,towhomshebecameengaged.Mystepfatherlearnedoftheengagementwhenmysisterreturnedandofferednoobjectiontothemarriagebutwithinafortnightofthedaywhichhadbeenfixedforthewedding,theterribleeventoccurredwhichhasdeprivedmeofmyonlycompanion.” SherlockHolmeshadbeenleaningbackinhischairwithhiseyesclosedandhisheadsunkinacushion,buthehalfopenedhislidsnowandglancedacrossathisvisitor. “Praybepreciseastodetails,”saidhe. “Itiseasyformetobeso,foreveryeventofthatdreadfultimeissearedintomymemory.Themanor-houseis,asIhavealreadysaid,veryold,andonlyonewingisnowinhabited.Thebedroomsinthiswingareonthegroundfloor,thesitting-roomsbeinginthecentralblockofthebuildings.OfthesebedroomsthefirstisDr.Roylott’s,thesecondmysister’s,andthethirdmyown.Thereisnocommunicationbetweenthem,buttheyallopenoutintothesamecorridor.DoImakemyselfplain?” “Perfectlyso.” “Thewindowsofthethreeroomsopenoutuponthelawn.ThatfatalnightDr.Roylotthadgonetohisroomearly,thoughweknewthathehadnotretiredtorest,formysisterwastroubledbythesmellofthestrongIndiancigarswhichitwashiscustomtosmoke.Sheleftherroom,therefore,andcameintomine,whereshesatforsometime,chattingaboutherapproachingwedding.Ateleveno’clocksherosetoleaveme,butshepausedatthedoorandlookedback. “‘Tellme,Helen,’saidshe,‘haveyoueverheardanyonewhistleinthedeadofthenight?’ “‘Never,’saidI. “‘Isupposethatyoucouldnotpossiblywhistle,yourself,inyoursleep?’ “‘Certainlynot.Butwhy?’ “‘BecauseduringthelastfewnightsIhavealways,aboutthreeinthemorning,heardalow,clearwhistle.Iamalightsleeper,andithasawakenedme.Icannottellwhereitcamefrom—perhapsfromthenextroom,perhapsfromthelawn.IthoughtthatIwouldjustaskyouwhetheryouhadheardit.’ “‘No,Ihavenot.Itmustbethosewretchedgipsiesintheplantation.’ “‘Verylikely.Andyetifitwereonthelawn,Iwonderthatyoudidnothearitalso.’ “‘Ah,butIsleepmoreheavilythanyou.’ “‘Well,itisofnogreatconsequence,atanyrate.’Shesmiledbackatme,closedmydoor,andafewmomentslaterIheardherkeyturninthelock.” “Indeed,”saidHolmes.“Wasityourcustomalwaystolockyourselvesinatnight?” “Always.” “Andwhy?” “IthinkthatImentionedtoyouthattheDoctorkeptacheetahandababoon.Wehadnofeelingofsecurityunlessourdoorswerelocked.” “Quiteso.Prayproceedwithyourstatement.” “Icouldnotsleepthatnight.Avaguefeelingofimpendingmisfortuneimpressedme.MysisterandI,youwillrecollect,weretwins,andyouknowhowsubtlearethelinkswhichbindtwosoulswhicharesocloselyallied.Itwasawildnight.Thewindwashowlingoutside,andtherainwasbeatingandsplashingagainstthewindows.Suddenly,amidallthehubbubofthegale,thereburstforththewildscreamofaterrifiedwoman.Iknewthatitwasmysister’svoice.Isprangfrommybed,wrappedashawlroundme,andrushedintothecorridor.AsIopenedmydoorIseemedtohearalowwhistle,suchasmysisterdescribed,andafewmomentslateraclangingsound,asifamassofmetalhadfallen.AsIrandownthepassage,mysister’sdoorwasunlocked,andrevolvedslowlyuponitshinges.Istaredatithorror-stricken,notknowingwhatwasabouttoissuefromit.Bythelightofthecorridor-lampIsawmysisterappearattheopening,herfaceblanchedwithterror,herhandsgropingforhelp,herwholefigureswayingtoandfrolikethatofadrunkard.Irantoherandthrewmyarmsroundher,butatthatmomentherkneesseemedtogivewayandshefelltotheground.Shewrithedasonewhoisinterriblepain,andherlimbsweredreadfullyconvulsed.AtfirstIthoughtthatshehadnotrecognisedme,butasIbentoverhershesuddenlyshriekedoutinavoicewhichIshallneverforget,‘Oh,myGod!Helen!Itwastheband!Thespeckledband!’Therewassomethingelsewhichshewouldfainhavesaid,andshestabbedwithherfingerintotheairinthedirectionoftheDoctor’sroom,butafreshconvulsionseizedherandchokedherwords.Irushedout,callingloudlyformystepfather,andImethimhasteningfromhisroominhisdressing-gown.Whenhereachedmysister’ssideshewasunconscious,andthoughhepouredbrandydownherthroatandsentformedicalaidfromthevillage,alleffortswereinvain,forsheslowlysankanddiedwithouthavingrecoveredherconsciousness.Suchwasthedreadfulendofmybelovedsister.” “Onemoment,”saidHolmes,“areyousureaboutthiswhistleandmetallicsound?Couldyousweartoit?” “Thatwaswhatthecountycoroneraskedmeattheinquiry.ItismystrongimpressionthatIheardit,andyet,amongthecrashofthegaleandthecreakingofanoldhouse,Imaypossiblyhavebeendeceived.” “Wasyoursisterdressed?” “No,shewasinhernight-dress.Inherrighthandwasfoundthecharredstumpofamatch,andinherleftamatch-box.” “Showingthatshehadstruckalightandlookedaboutherwhenthealarmtookplace.Thatisimportant.Andwhatconclusionsdidthecoronercometo?” “Heinvestigatedthecasewithgreatcare,forDr.Roylott’sconducthadlongbeennotoriousinthecounty,buthewasunabletofindanysatisfactorycauseofdeath.Myevidenceshowedthatthedoorhadbeenfastenedupontheinnerside,andthewindowswereblockedbyold-fashionedshutterswithbroadironbars,whichweresecuredeverynight.Thewallswerecarefullysounded,andwereshowntobequitesolidallround,andtheflooringwasalsothoroughlyexamined,withthesameresult.Thechimneyiswide,butisbarredupbyfourlargestaples.Itiscertain,therefore,thatmysisterwasquitealonewhenshemetherend.Besides,therewerenomarksofanyviolenceuponher.” “Howaboutpoison?” “Thedoctorsexaminedherforit,butwithoutsuccess.” “Whatdoyouthinkthatthisunfortunateladydiedof,then?” “Itismybeliefthatshediedofpurefearandnervousshock,thoughwhatitwasthatfrightenedherIcannotimagine.” “Weretheregipsiesintheplantationatthetime?” “Yes,therearenearlyalwayssomethere.” “Ah,andwhatdidyougatherfromthisallusiontoaband—aspeckledband?” “SometimesIhavethoughtthatitwasmerelythewildtalkofdelirium,sometimesthatitmayhavereferredtosomebandofpeople,perhapstotheseverygipsiesintheplantation.Idonotknowwhetherthespottedhandkerchiefswhichsomanyofthemwearovertheirheadsmighthavesuggestedthestrangeadjectivewhichsheused.” Holmesshookhisheadlikeamanwhoisfarfrombeingsatisfied. “Theseareverydeepwaters,”saidhe“praygoonwithyournarrative.” “Twoyearshavepassedsincethen,andmylifehasbeenuntillatelylonelierthanever.Amonthago,however,adearfriend,whomIhaveknownformanyyears,hasdonemethehonourtoaskmyhandinmarriage.HisnameisArmitage—PercyArmitage—thesecondsonofMr.Armitage,ofCraneWater,nearReading.Mystepfatherhasofferednooppositiontothematch,andwearetobemarriedinthecourseofthespring.Twodaysagosomerepairswerestartedinthewestwingofthebuilding,andmybedroomwallhasbeenpierced,sothatIhavehadtomoveintothechamberinwhichmysisterdied,andtosleepintheverybedinwhichsheslept.Imagine,then,mythrillofterrorwhenlastnight,asIlayawake,thinkingoverherterriblefate,Isuddenlyheardinthesilenceofthenightthelowwhistlewhichhadbeentheheraldofherowndeath.Isprangupandlitthelamp,butnothingwastobeseenintheroom.Iwastooshakentogotobedagain,however,soIdressed,andassoonasitwasdaylightIslippeddown,gotadog-cartattheCrownInn,whichisopposite,anddrovetoLeatherhead,fromwhenceIhavecomeonthismorningwiththeoneobjectofseeingyouandaskingyouradvice.” “Youhavedonewisely,”saidmyfriend.“Buthaveyoutoldmeall?” “Yes,all.” “MissRoylott,youhavenot.Youarescreeningyourstepfather.” “Why,whatdoyoumean?” ForanswerHolmespushedbackthefrillofblacklacewhichfringedthehandthatlayuponourvisitor’sknee.Fivelittlelividspots,themarksoffourfingersandathumb,wereprinteduponthewhitewrist. “Youhavebeencruellyused,”saidHolmes. Theladycoloureddeeplyandcoveredoverherinjuredwrist.“Heisahardman,”shesaid,“andperhapshehardlyknowshisownstrength.” Therewasalongsilence,duringwhichHolmesleanedhischinuponhishandsandstaredintothecracklingfire. “Thisisaverydeepbusiness,”hesaidatlast.“ThereareathousanddetailswhichIshoulddesiretoknowbeforeIdecideuponourcourseofaction.Yetwehavenotamomenttolose.IfweweretocometoStokeMoranto-day,woulditbepossibleforustoseeovertheseroomswithouttheknowledgeofyourstepfather?” “Asithappens,hespokeofcomingintotownto-dayuponsomemostimportantbusiness.Itisprobablethathewillbeawayallday,andthattherewouldbenothingtodisturbyou.Wehaveahousekeepernow,butsheisoldandfoolish,andIcouldeasilygetheroutoftheway.” “Excellent.Youarenotaversetothistrip,Watson?” “Bynomeans.” “Thenweshallbothcome.Whatareyougoingtodoyourself?” “IhaveoneortwothingswhichIwouldwishtodonowthatIamintown.ButIshallreturnbythetwelveo’clocktrain,soastobethereintimeforyourcoming.” “Andyoumayexpectusearlyintheafternoon.Ihavemyselfsomesmallbusinessmatterstoattendto.Willyounotwaitandbreakfast?” “No,Imustgo.MyheartislightenedalreadysinceIhaveconfidedmytroubleto