The Adventure of the Devil's Foot* by Arthur Conan Doyle
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hear the facts this afternoon from_his own lips .Ah ! he_is a little before his time . perhaps you_would kindly step this_way, Dr . Leon Sterndale . we_have_been conducting a chemical experiment indoors which_has left our little room hardly fit for_the reception of so distinguished a visitor ."

I had heard the click of_the garden gate, and now the majestic figure of_the great African explorer appeared upon_the path . he turned in some surprise towards the rustic arbour in_which we sat .

" you sent for_me, Mr Holmes .I had your note about an hour ago, and I_have come, though I really do_not know why i_should obey your summons ."

" perhaps we_can clear the point up before we separate," said Holmes ." meanwhile, I_am much obliged to_you for your courteous acquiescence . you_will excuse this informal reception in_the open air, but my friend Watson and I_have nearly furnished an additional chapter to what the papers call the Cornish horror, and we prefer a clear atmosphere for_the_present . perhaps, since_the matters which we_have to discuss will affect you personally in a very intimate fashion, it_is as_well that we_should talk where there can_be no eavesdropping ."

the explorer to_his cigar from_his lips and gazed sternly at my companion .

" I_am at a loss to_know, sir," he_said, " what you_can_have to_speak about_which affects me personally in a very intimate fashion ."

" the killing of Mortimer Tregennis," said Holmes .

for a moment I wished that I were armed .Sterndale's fierce face turned to a dusky red, his eyes glared, and_the knotted, passionate veins started out in_his forehead, while he sprang forward with clenched hands towards my companion . then he stopped, and with a violent effort he resumed a cold, rigid calmness, which_was, perhaps, more suggestive of danger than his hot- headed outburst .

" I_have lived so_long among savages and beyond the law," said he, " that I_have got into_the way of being a law to myself . you_would do well, Mr Holmes, not to forget it, for I_have no desire to do_you an injury ."

" nor have I any desire to do_you an injury Dr .Sterndale . surely the clearest proof of it is_that, knowing what I_know, I_have sent for_you and not for_the police ."

Sterndale sat down with a gasp, overawed for, perhaps, the first time in_his adventurous life . there_was a calm assurance of power in Holmes's manner which could_not_be withstood . our visitor stammered for a moment, his great hands opening and shutting in_his agitation .

" what do_you_mean ? " he asked at last ." if_this_is bluff upon your part, Mr Holmes, you_have chosen a bad man for your experiment . let_us_have no more beating about_the bush . what do_you_mean ? "

" i_will tell you," said Holmes, " and_the reason why I tell you is_that I_hope frankness may beget frankness . what the next step may_be will depend entirely upon_the nature of your own defence ."

" my defence ? "

" yes, sir ."

" my defence against what ? "

" against the charge of killing Mortimer Tregennis ."

Sterndale mopped his forehead with_his handkerchief ." upon my word, you_are getting on," said he ." do all your successes depend upon_this prodigious power of bluff ? "

" the bluff," said Holmes sternly, " is upon your side, Dr . Leon Sterndale, and not upon mine . as a proof i_will tell you some_of_the facts upon_which my conclusions are based . of your return from Plymouth, allowing much of your property to_go on to Africa, i_will say nothing save that_it first informed me that you were one_of_the factors which had to_be taken into account in reconstructing this drama-"

" I_came back-"

" I_have heard your reasons and regard them as unconvincing and inadequate . we_will pass that . you came down here to ask me whom I suspected .I refused to answer you . you then went to_the vicarage, waited outside it for some_time, and finally returned to your cottage ."

" how do_you_know that ? "

"I followed you ."

" I_saw no one ."

" that_is what you_may expect to_see when I follow you . you spent a restless night at your cottage, and you formed certain plans, which in_the early morning you proceeded to_put into execution . leaving your door just as day was breaking, you filled your pocket with some reddish gravel that was lying heaped beside your gate ."

Sterndale gave a violent start and looked at Holmes in amazement .

" you then walked swiftly for_the mile which separated you from_the vicarage . you were wearing, I_may remark, the same pair of ribbed tennis shoes which are at_the present moment upon your feet . at_the vicarage you passed through_the orchard and_the side hedge, coming out under the window of_the lodger Tregennis . it_was now daylight, but the household was not yet stirring . you drew some_of_the gravel from your pocket, and you threw it up at_the window above you ."

Sterndale sprang to_his feet .

"I believe that you_are the devil himself ! " he cried .

Holmes smiled at_the compliment ." it took two, or possibly three, handfuls before_the lodger came to_the window . you beckoned him to_come down . he dressed hurriedly and descended to_his sitting- room . you entered by_the window . there_was an interview- a short one- during which you walked up and down the room . then you passed out and closed the window, standing on_the lawn outside smoking a cigar and watching what occurred . finally, after_the death of Tregennis, you withdrew as_you had come . now, Dr .Sterndale, how do_you justify such conduct, and what_are the motives for your actions ? if_you prevaricate or trifle with me, I give_you my assurance that_the matter will pass out of_my hands forever ."

our visitor's face had turned ashen gray as he listened to_the words of_his accuser . now he sat for some_time in thought with_his face sunk in_his hands . then with a sudden impulsive gesture he plucked a photograph from_his breast- pocket and threw it on_the rustic table before_us .

" that_is why I_have_done it," said he .

it showed the bust and face of a very beautiful woman .Holmes stooped over it .

"Brenda Tregennis," said he .

" yes, Brenda Tregennis," repeated our visitor ." for years I_have loved her . for years she has loved me . there_is the secret of_that Cornish seclusion which people have marvelled at . it has brought me close to_the one_thing on earth that was dear to_me . I_could_not marry her, for I_have a wife who has left me for years and yet whom, by_the deplorable laws of England, I_could_not divorce . for years Brenda waited . for years I waited . and this_is what we_have waited for ." a terrible sob shook his great frame, and he clutched his throat under his brindled beard . then with an effort he mastered himself and spoke on:

" the vicar knew . he_was in_our confidence . he_would tell you that she was an angel upon earth . that was why he telegraphed to_me and I returned . what_was my baggage or Africa to_me when I learned that such a fate had come upon my darling ? there you_have the missing clue to my action, Mr Holmes ."

" proceed," said my friend .

Dr .Sterndale drew from_his pocket a paper packet and laid it upon_the table . on_the outside was written " radix pedis diaboli" with a red poison label beneath it . he pushed it towards me ."I understand that you_are a doctor, sir . have_you ever heard of_this preparation ? "

" devil's- foot root ! no, I_have never heard of it ."

" it_is no reflection upon your professional knowledge," said he, " for I believe that, save for_one sample in a laboratory at Buda, there_is no other specimen in Europe . it has_not_yet found its way either into_the pharmacopoeia or into_the literature of toxicology . the root is shaped like a foot, half human, half goatlike; hence the fanciful name given by abotanical missionary . it_is used as an ordeal poison by_the medicine- men in certain districts of west Africa and_is kept as a secret among them . this particular specimen I obtained under very extraordinary circumstances in_the Ubangi country ." he opened the paper as he spoke and disclosed a heap of reddish- brown, snuff- like powder .

" well, sir ? " asked Holmes sternly .

" I_am about to_tell you, Mr Holmes, all that actually occurred, for_you already know so_much that_it_is clearly to my interest that you_should know all . I_have already explained the relationship in_which I stood to_the Tregennis family . for_the sake of_the sister i_was friendly with_the brothers . there_was a family quarrel about money which estranged this man Mortimer, but it_was supposed to_be made up, and I afterwards met him as I_did the others . he_was a sly, subtle, scheming man, and several things arose which gave_me a suspicion of him, but I had no cause for any positive quarrel .

" one day, only a couple of weeks_ago, he_came down to my cottage and I showed him some of_my African curiosities . among other things I exhibited this powder, and i_told him of_its strange properties, how it stimulates those brain centres which control the emotion of fear, and how either madness or death is_the fate of_the unhappy native who_is subjected to_the ordeal by_the priest of_his tribe . i_told him also how powerless European science would_be to detect it . how he_took it I cannot_say, for I never left the room, but there_is no_doubt that_it_was then, while i_was opening cabinets and stooping to boxes, that he managed to abstract some_of_the devil's- foot root .I well remember how he plied me with questions as_to_the amount and_the time that was needed for its effect, but I little dreamed that he could_have a personal reason for asking .

" i_thought no more of_the matter until the vicar's telegram reached me at Plymouth . this villain had thought that i_would_be at sea before_the news could reach me, and_that i_should_be lost for years in Africa . but I returned at once . of_course, I_could_not listen to_the details without feeling assured that my poison had_been used . I_came round to_see you on_the chance that some other explanation had suggested itself to_you . but there could_be none . i_was convinced that Mortimer Tregennis was_the murderer; that for_the sake of money, and with_the idea, perhaps, that if_the other members of_his family were all insane he_would_be the sole guardian of_their joint property, he had used the devil's- foot powder upon them, driven two of_them out of_their senses, and killed his sister Brenda, the one human being whom I_have ever loved or who has ever loved me . there_was his crime; what_was to_be his punishment ?

" should I appeal to_the law ? where were my proofs ? I_knew that_the facts were true, but could I help to_make a jury of countrymen believe so fantastic a story ? I_might or I might_not . but I_could_not afford to fail . my soul cried out for revenge . I_have said to_you once before, Mr Holmes, that I_have spent much of_my life outside the law, and_that I_have come at last to_be a law to myself . so it_was now .I determined that_the fate which he had given to others should_be shared by himself . either that or i_would do justice upon him with my own hand . in all England there can_be no man who sets less value upon his own life than I_do at_the present moment .

" now I_have told you all . you_have yourself supplied the rest . I_did, as_you say, after a restless night, set off early from my cottage .I foresaw the difficulty of arousing him, so I gathered some gravel from_the pile which you_have mentioned, and I used it to throw up to_his window . he_came down and admitted me through_the window of_the sitting- room .I laid his offence before him . i_told him that I had come both as judge and executioner . the wretch sank into a chair, paralyzed at_the sight of_my revolver .I lit the lamp, put the powder above it, and stood outside the window, ready to carry out my threat to shoot him should he try to leave the room . in five minutes he died . my god ! how he died ! but my heart was flint, for he endured nothing which my innocent darling had_not felt before him . there_is my story, Mr Holmes . perhaps, if_you loved a woman, you_would_have done as_much yourself . at any rate, I_am in your hands . you_can take what steps you like . as I_have already said, there_is no man living who_can fear death less_than I_do ."

Holmes sat for some little time in silence .

" what were your plans ? " he asked at last .

"I had intended to bury myself in central Africa . my work there_is but half finished ."

" go and do_the other half," said Holmes ."I at_least, am not prepared to_prevent you ."

Dr .Sterndale raised his giant figure, bowed gravely, and walked from_the arbour .Holmes lit his pipe and handed me his pouch .

" some fumes which are_not poisonous would_be a welcome change," said he ." i_think you_must agree, Watson, that_it_is not a case in which_we_are called upon to interfere . our investigation has_been independent, and_our action shall be so also . you_would_not denounce the man ? "

" certainly not," I answered .

" I_have never loved, Watson, but if I_did and if_the woman I loved had met such an end, I_might_have done as our lawless lion- hunter has_done . who knows ? well, Watson, i_will_not offend your intelligence by explaining what_is obvious . the gravel upon_the window sill was, of_course, the starting- point of_my research . it_was unlike anything in_the vicarage garden . only when my attention had_been drawn to Dr .Sterndale and_his cottage did I_find its counterpart . the lamp shining in broad daylight and_the remains of powder upon_the shield were successive links in a fairly obvious chain . and now, my dear Watson, i_think we_may dismiss the matter from_our mind and go back with a clear conscience to_the study of_those Chaldean roots which are surely to_be traced in_the Cornish branch of_the great Celtic speech ."

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