A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
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face in a window, but that one glance told him that Cleveland in Ohio possessed the men whom he_was in pursuit of . he returned to_his miserable lodgings with_his plan of vengeance all arranged . it chanced, however, that Drebber, looking from_his window, had recognized the vagrant in_the street, and had read murder in_his eyes . he hurried before a justice of_the peace, accompanied by Stangerson, who had become his private secretary, and represented to him that_they were in danger of_their lives from_the jealousy and hatred of an old rival . that evening Jefferson hope was taken into custody, and not being able to_find sureties, was detained for some weeks . when at last he_was liberated, it_was only to_find that Drebber's house was deserted, and_that he and_his secretary had departed for Europe .

again the avenger had_been foiled, and again his concentrated hatred urged him to_continue the pursuit .Funds were wanting, however, and for some_time he had to return to work, saving every dollar for_his approaching journey . at last, having collected enough to_keep life in him, he departed for Europe, and tracked his enemies from city to city, working his way in any menial capacity, but never overtaking the fugitives . when he reached St . Petersburg they had departed for Paris; and when he followed them there he learned that_they had just set off for Copenhagen . at_the Danish capital he_was again a few_days late, for they had journeyed on to London, where he at last succeeded in running them to earth . as_to what occurred there, we_cannot do better than quote the old hunter's own account, as duly recorded in Dr .Watson's journal, to which_we_are already under such obligations .

chapter VI .

a continuation of_the REMINISCENCES of JOHN WATSON, M .D .

our prisoner's furious resistance did_not apparently indicate any ferocity in_his disposition towards ourselves, for on finding himself powerless, he smiled in an affable manner, and expressed his hopes that he had_not hurt any of us in_the scuffle ."I guess you're going to_take me to_the police- station," he remarked to Sherlock Holmes ." my cab's at_the door . if_you'll loose my legs I'll walk down to_it .I'm not so light to lift as I used to_be ."

Gregson and Lestrade exchanged glances as if_they thought this proposition rather a bold one; but Holmes at once took the prisoner at his word, and loosened the towel which we had bound round his ancles .{23} he rose and stretched his legs, as_though to assure himself that_they were free once more .I remember that i_thought to myself, as I eyed him, that I had seldom seen a more powerfully built man; and_his dark sunburned face bore an expression of determination and energy which_was as formidable as his personal strength .

" if there's a vacant place for a chief of_the police, I reckon you_are the man for_it," he_said, gazing with undisguised admiration at my fellow- lodger ." the way you kept on my trail was a caution ."

" you had better come with me," said Holmes to_the two detectives .

" I_can drive you," said Lestrade .

" good ! and Gregson can come inside with me . you too, doctor, you_have taken an interest in_the case and may as_well stick to_us ."

I assented gladly, and we all descended together . our prisoner made no attempt at escape, but stepped calmly into_the cab which had_been his, and we followed him .Lestrade mounted the box, whipped up the horse, and brought us in a very short time to our destination . we were ushered into a small chamber where a police inspector noted down our prisoner's name and_the names of_the men with whose murder he had_been charged . the official was a white- faced unemotional man, who went through his duties in a dull mechanical way ." the prisoner will_be put before_the magistrates in_the course of_the week," he_said; " in_the mean time, Mr Jefferson hope, have_you anything that you wish_to_say ? I_must warn you that your words will_be taken down, and may_be used against you ."

"I've got a good_deal to_say," our prisoner said slowly ." i_want to_tell you gentlemen all about_it ."

"Hadn't you better reserve that for your trial ? " asked the inspector .

" I_may never be tried," he answered ." you needn't look startled . it isn't suicide I_am thinking of . are_you a doctor ? " he turned his fierce dark eyes upon me as he asked this last question .

" yes; I_am," I answered .

" then put your hand here," he_said, with a smile, motioning with_his manacled wrists towards his chest .

I_did so; and became at once conscious of an extraordinary throbbing and commotion which_was going on inside . the walls of_his chest seemed to thrill and quiver as a frail building would do inside when some powerful engine was at work . in_the silence of_the room I_could hear a dull humming and buzzing noise which proceeded from_the same source .

" why," I cried, " you_have an aortic aneurism ! "

" that's what they call it," he_said, placidly ."I went to a doctor last week about_it, and he_told me that_it_is bound to burst before_many days passed . it_has_been getting worse for years .I got it from over- exposure and under-feeding among_the salt lake Mountains .I've done my work now, and I don't care how soon I go, but i_should like to leave some account of_the business behind me .I don't want to_be remembered as a common cut- throat ."

the inspector and_the two detectives had ahurried discussion as_to_the advisability of allowing him to_tell his story .

" do_you consider, doctor, that_there_is immediate danger ? " the former asked, {24}

" most certainly there_is," I answered .

" in_that case it_is clearly our duty, in_the interests of justice, to_take his statement," said the inspector ." you_are at liberty, sir, to_give your account, which I again warn you_will_be taken down ."

"I'll sit down, with your leave," the prisoner said, suiting the action to_the word ." this aneurism of_mine makes me easily tired, and_the tussle we had half an hour ago has_not mended matters .I'm on_the brink of_the grave, and I_am not likely to lie to_you . every word I_say is_the absolute truth, and how you use it_is a matter of no consequence to_me ."

with_these words, Jefferson hope leaned back in_his chair and began the following remarkable statement . he spoke in a calm and methodical manner, as_though the events which he narrated were commonplace enough . I_can vouch for_the accuracy of_the subjoined account, for I_have_had access to Lestrade's note- book, in_which_the prisoner's words were taken down exactly as_they were uttered .

" it don't much matter to_you why I hated these men," he_said; " it's enough that_they were guilty of_the death of two human beings -- a father and a daughter -- and that_they had, therefore, forfeited their own lives . after_the lapse of_time that has passed since their crime, it_was impossible for_me to secure aconviction against them in any court . I_knew of_their guilt though, and I determined that i_should_be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one . you'd have_done the same, if_you_have any manhood in you, if_you had_been in my place .

" that girl that I spoke of was to_have married me twenty years_ago . she was forced into marrying that same Drebber, and broke her heart over it . i_took the marriage ring from her dead finger, and I vowed that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring, and_that his last thoughts should_be of_the crime for_which he_was punished . I_have carried it about with me, and_have followed him and_his accomplice over two continents until I caught them . they thought to tire me out, but they_could_not do_it . if I die to- morrow, as is likely enough, I die knowing that my work in_this world is done, and well done . they_have perished, and by my hand . there_is nothing left for_me to hope for, or to desire .

" they were rich and i_was poor, so that_it_was no easy matter for_me to_follow them . when I got to London my pocket was about empty, and I_found that I_must turn my hand to something for_my living .Driving and riding are as natural to_me as walking, so I applied at acabowner's office, and soon got employment . i_was to bring a certain sum a week to_the owner, and whatever was over that I_might keep for_myself . there_was seldom much over, but I managed to scrape along somehow . the hardest job was to learn my way about, for I reckon that of all the mazes that ever were contrived, this city is_the most confusing .I had a map beside me though, and when once I had spotted the principal hotels and stations, I got on pretty well .

" it_was some_time before I_found out where my two gentlemen were living; but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them . they were at aboarding- house at Camberwell, over on_the other side of_the river . when once I_found them out I_knew that I had them at my mercy .I had grown my beard, and there_was no chance of_their recognizing me . i_would dog them and follow them until I_saw my opportunity . i_was determined that_they should_not escape me again .

" they were very near doing it for all that . go where they_would about London, i_was always at their heels .Sometimes I followed them on my cab, and sometimes on foot, but the former was_the best, for then they_could_not get away from me . it_was only early in_the morning or late at night that I_could earn anything, so_that I began to_get behind hand with my employer . I_did_not mind that, however, as long as I_could lay my hand upon_the men i_wanted .

" they were very cunning, though . they_must_have thought that there_was some chance of_their being followed, for they_would never go out alone, and never after nightfall . during two weeks I drove behind them every day, and never once saw them separate .Drebber himself was drunk half the time, but Stangerson was not to_be caught napping .I watched them late and early, but never saw the ghost of a chance; but i_was not discouraged, for something told me that_the hour had almost come . my only fear was that_this thing in my chest might burst a little too soon and leave my work undone .

" at last, one evening i_was driving up and down Torquay terrace, as_the street was called in_which they boarded, when I_saw a cab drive up to_their door . presently some luggage was brought out, and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off .I whipped up my horse and kept within sight of_them, feeling very ill at ease, for I feared that_they were going to shift their quarters . at Euston station they got out, and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to_the platform .I heard them ask for_the Liverpool train, and_the guard answer that one had just gone and there would_not_be another for some hours .Stangerson seemed to_be put out at_that, but Drebber was rather pleased than otherwise .I got so close to_them in_the bustle that I_could hear every word that passed between_them .Drebber said that he had a little business of_his own to_do, and_that if_the other would wait for him he_would soon rejoin him . his companion remonstrated with_him, and reminded him that_they had resolved to stick together .Drebber answered that_the matter was a delicate one, and_that he_must go alone . I_could_not catch what Stangerson said to_that, but the other burst out swearing, and reminded him that he_was nothing more than his paid servant, and_that he_must not presume to dictate to him . on that_the secretary gave it up as a bad job, and simply bargained with_him that if he missed the last train he_should rejoin him at Halliday's private hotel; to_which Drebber answered that he_would_be back on_the platform before eleven, and made his way out_of_the station .

" the moment for_which I had waited so_long had at last come .I had my enemies within my power . together they_could protect each_other, but singly they were at my mercy . I_did_not act, however, with undue precipitation . my plans were already formed . there_is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has time to realize who it is_that strikes him, and why retribution has_come upon him .I had my plans arranged by_which i_should_have the opportunity of making the man who had wronged me understand that his old sin had found him out . it chanced that some days before a gentleman who had_been engaged in looking over some houses in_the Brixton road had dropped the key of one_of_them in my carriage . it_was claimed that same evening, and returned; but in_the interval I had taken amoulding of it, and had a duplicate constructed . by_means of_this I had access to at_least one spot in_this great city where I_could rely upon being free from interruption . how to_get Drebber to_that house was_the difficult problem which I had now to solve .

" he walked down the road and went into one_or_two liquor shops, staying for nearly half- an- hour in_the last of_them . when he_came out he staggered in_his walk, and was evidently pretty well on . there_was a hansom just in front of me, and he hailed it .I followed

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