A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
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followed it so close that_the nose of_my horse was within a yard of_his driver the whole way . we rattled across Waterloo bridge and through miles of streets, until, to my astonishment, we_found ourselves back in_the terrace in_which he had boarded . I_could_not imagine what his intention was in returning there; but I went on and pulled up my cab a hundred yards or so from_the house . he entered it, and_his hansom drove away . give_me a glass of water, if_you please . my mouth gets dry with_the talking ."

I handed him the glass, and he drank it down .

" that's better," he_said ." well, I waited for a quarter of an hour, or more, when suddenly there came a noise like people struggling inside the house . next moment the door was flung open and two men appeared, one of whom was Drebber, and_the other was a young chap whom I had never seen before . this fellow had Drebber by_the collar, and when_they came to_the head of_the steps he_gave him a shove and a kick which sent him half across the road .` you hound,' he cried, shaking his stick at him; `I'll teach you to insult an honest girl ! ' he_was so hot that i_think he_would_have thrashed Drebber with_his cudgel, only that_the cur staggered away down the road as fast as his legs would carry him . he ran as far as_the corner, and then, seeing my cab, he hailed me and jumped in .` drive me to Halliday's private hotel,' said he .

" when I had him fairly inside my cab, my heart jumped so with joy that I feared lest at_this last moment my aneurism might go wrong .I drove along slowly, weighing in my own mind what it_was best to_do . I_might take him right out into_the country, and there in some deserted lane have my last interview with_him .I had almost decided upon_this, when he solved the problem for_me . the craze for drink had seized him again, and he ordered me to pull up outside a gin palace . he went in, leaving word that i_should wait for him . there he remained until closing time, and when he_came out he_was so_far gone that I_knew the game was in my own hands .

"Don't imagine that I intended to kill him in cold blood . it would only have_been rigid justice if I had done so, but I_could_not bring myself to_do_it .I had long determined that he_should_have a show for_his life if he chose to_take advantage of it . among_the many billets which I_have filled in America during my wandering life, i_was once janitor and sweeper out_of_the laboratory at York college . one day the professor was lecturing on poisions, {25} and he showed his students some alkaloid, as he_called it, which he had extracted from some south American arrow poison, and which_was so powerful that_the least grain meant instant death .I spotted the bottle in_which this preparation was kept, and when_they were all gone, I helped myself to a little of it . i_was a fairly good dispenser, so I worked this alkaloid into small, soluble pills, and each pill I put in a box with a similar pill made without the poison .I determined at_the_time that when I had my chance, my gentlemen should each have a draw out of one_of_these boxes, while I ate the pill that remained . it would_be quite as deadly, and a good_deal less noisy than firing across a handkerchief . from_that day I had always my pill boxes about with me, and_the time had now come when i_was to use them .

" it_was nearer one than twelve, and a wild, bleak night, blowing hard and raining in torrents . dismal as it_was outside, i_was glad within -- so glad that I_could_have shouted out from pure exultation . if any of you gentlemen have ever pined for a thing, and longed for_it during twenty long years, and then suddenly found it within your reach, you_would understand my feelings .I lit a cigar, and puffed at it to steady my nerves, but my hands were trembling, and my temples throbbing with excitement . as I drove, I could_see old John Ferrier and sweet Lucy looking at me out_of_the darkness and smiling at me, just as plain as I_see you all in_this room . all the way they were ahead of me, one on each side of_the horse until I pulled up at_the house in_the Brixton road .

" there_was not a soul to_be seen, nor a sound to_be heard, except the dripping of_the rain . when I looked in at_the window, I_found Drebber all huddled together in a drunken sleep .I shook him by_the arm, ` it's time to_get out,' I_said .

"` all right, cabby,' said he .

"I suppose he thought we had come to_the hotel that he had mentioned, for he got out without another word, and followed me down the garden .I had to walk beside him to_keep him steady, for he_was still a little top- heavy . when we came to_the door, I opened it, and led him into_the front room .I give_you my word that all the way, the father and_the daughter were walking in front of us .

"` it's infernally dark,' said he, stamping about .

"` we'll soon have a light,' I_said, striking a match and putting it to a wax candle which I had brought with me .` now, Enoch Drebber,' I continued, turning to him, and holding the light to my own face, ` who am I ? '

" he gazed at me with bleared, drunken eyes for a moment, and then I_saw a horror spring up in_them, and convulse his whole features, which showed me that he_knew me . he staggered back with a livid face, and I_saw the perspiration break out upon his brow, while his teeth chattered in_his head . at_the sight, I leaned my back against the door and laughed loud and long .I had always known that vengeance would_be sweet, but I had never hoped for_the contentment of soul which now possessed me .

"` you dog ! ' I_said; ` I_have hunted you from Salt_Lake_City to St . Petersburg, and you_have always escaped me . now, at last your wanderings have come to an end, for either you or I_shall never see to- morrow's sun rise .' he shrunk still further away as I spoke, and I could_see on_his face that he thought i_was mad . so i_was for_the_time . the pulses in my temples beat like sledge-hammers, and I believe i_would_have had a fit of some sort if_the blood had_not gushed from my nose and relieved me .

"` what do_you_think of Lucy Ferrier now ? ' I cried, locking the door, and shaking the key in_his face .` punishment has_been slow in coming, but it has overtaken you at last .' I_saw his coward lips tremble as I spoke . he_would_have begged for_his life, but he_knew well that_it_was useless .

"` would you murder me ? ' he stammered .

"` there_is no murder,' I answered .` who talks of murdering a mad dog ? what mercy had you upon my poor darling, when_you dragged her from her slaughtered father, and bore her away to your accursed and shameless harem .'

"` it_was not I who killed her father,' he cried .

"` but it_was you who broke her innocent heart,' I shrieked, thrusting the box before him .` let the high god judge between_us . choose and eat . there_is death in one and life in_the other . I_shall take what you leave . let_us_see if_there_is justice upon_the earth, or if_we_are ruled by chance .'

" he cowered away with wild cries and prayers for mercy, but I drew my knife and held it to_his throat until he had obeyed me . then I swallowed the other, and we stood facing one another in silence for a minute or more, waiting to_see which_was to live and which_was to die . shall I ever forget the look which came over his face when_the first warning pangs told him that_the poison was in_his system ? I laughed as I_saw it, and held Lucy's marriage ring in front of_his eyes . it_was but for a moment, for_the action of_the alkaloid is rapid .a spasm of pain contorted his features; he threw his hands out in front of him, staggered, and then, with a hoarse cry, fell heavily upon_the floor .I turned him over with my foot, and placed my hand upon his heart . there_was no movement . he_was dead !

" the blood had_been streaming from my nose, but I had taken no notice of it .I don't know what it was_that put it into my head to write upon_the wall with it . perhaps it_was some mischievous idea of setting the police upon a wrong track, for I_felt light-hearted and cheerful .I remembered a German being found in New_York with RACHE written up above him, and it_was argued at_the_time in_the newspapers that_the secret societies must_have done it .I guessed that what puzzled the new Yorkers would puzzle the Londoners, so I dipped my finger in my own blood and printed it on a convenient place on_the wall . then I walked down to my cab and found that there_was nobody about, and_that the night was still very wild .I had driven some distance when I put my hand into_the pocket in_which I usually kept Lucy's ring, and found that_it_was not there . i_was thunderstruck at_this, for_it was_the only memento that I had of her .Thinking that I_might_have dropped it when I stooped over Drebber's body, I drove back, and leaving my cab in a side street, I went boldly up_to_the house -- for i_was ready to dare anything rather than lose the ring . when I arrived there, I walked right into_the arms of a police- officer who was coming out, and only managed to disarm his suspicions by pretending to_be hopelessly drunk .

" that was how Enoch Drebber came to_his end . all I had to_do then was to_do as_much for Stangerson, and so pay off John Ferrier's debt . I_knew that he_was staying at Halliday's private hotel, and I hung about all day, but he never came out .{26} fancy that he suspected something when Drebber failed to_put in an appearance . he_was cunning, was Stangerson, and always on_his guard . if he thought he_could keep me off by staying indoors he_was very_much mistaken .I soon found out which_was the window of_his bedroom, and early next morning i_took advantage of some ladders which were lying in_the lane behind the hotel, and so made my way into his room in_the grey of_the dawn .I woke him up and told him that_the hour had come when he_was to answer for_the life he had taken so_long before .I described Drebber's death to him, and I_gave him the same choice of_the poisoned pills . instead of grasping at_the chance of safety which that offered him, he sprang from_his bed and flew at my throat . in self-defence I stabbed him to_the heart . it would_have_been the same in any case, for Providence would never have allowed his guilty hand to pick out anything but the poison .

" I_have little more to_say, and it's as_well, for I_am about done up .I went on cabbing it for a day or so, intending to_keep at it until I_could save enough to_take me back to America . i_was standing in_the yard when a ragged youngster asked if there_was acabby there called Jefferson hope, and said that his cab was wanted by a gentleman at 221B, baker street .I went round, suspecting no harm, and_the next thing I_knew, this young man here had the bracelets on my wrists, and as neatly snackled {27} as ever I_saw in my life . that's the whole of_my story, gentlemen . you_may consider me to_be a murderer; but I hold that I_am just as_much an officer of justice as_you_are ."

so thrilling had the man's narrative been, and_his manner was so impressive that we had sat silent and absorbed . even the professional detectives, blase {28} as_they were in every detail of crime, appeared to_be keenly interested in_the man's story . when he finished we sat for some minutes in a stillness which_was only broken by_the scratching of Lestrade's pencil as he_gave the finishing touches to_his shorthand account .

" there_is only_one point on_which i_should like a little more information," Sherlock Holmes said at last ." who was your accomplice who came for_the ring which I advertised ? "

the prisoner winked at my friend jocosely ." I_can tell my own secrets," he_said, " but I don't get other people into trouble . I_saw your advertisement, and i_thought it might_be a plant, or it might_be the ring which i_wanted . my friend volunteered to_go and_see . i_think you'll own he_did it smartly ."

" not a doubt of_that," said Holmes heartily .

" now, gentlemen," the inspector remarked gravely, " the forms of_the law must_be complied with . on Thursday the prisoner will_be brought before_the magistrates, and your attendance will_be required . until then i_will_be responsible for him ." he rang the bell as he spoke, and Jefferson hope was led off by a couple of warders, while my friend and I_made our way out_of_the station and took a cab back to baker street .

chapter VII .

the conclusion .

we had all been warned to appear before_the magistrates upon_the Thursday; but when_the Thursday came there_was no occasion for_our testimony .a higher judge had taken the matter in hand, and Jefferson hope had_been summoned before a tribunal where strict justice would_be meted out to him . on_the very night after his capture the aneurism burst, and he_was found in_the

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