No. 5 The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire by Arthur Conan Doyle
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strange start in life . nurse, i_should wish to_have a word with_you in private ."

he_took her aside and spoke earnestly for_a_few_minutes .I only heard the last words, which were: " your anxiety will soon, I_hope, be set at rest ." the woman, who seemed to_be a sour, silent kind of creature, withdrew with_the child .

" what_is Mrs mason like ? " asked Holmes .

" not very prepossessing externally, as_you_can see, but a heart of gold, and devoted to_the child ."

" do_you like her, jack ? " Holmes turned suddenly upon_the boy . his expressive Mobile face shadowed over, and he shook his head .

"Jacky has very strong likes and dislikes," said Ferguson, putting his arm round the boy ." luckily I_am one of_his likes ."

the boy cooed and nestled his head upon his father's breast . Ferguson gently disengaged him .

" run away, little Jacky," said he, and he watched his son with loving eyes until he disappeared ." now, Mr Holmes," he continued when_the boy was gone, "I really feel that I_have brought you on a fool's errand, for what can_you possibly do save give_me your sympathy ? it must_be an exceedingly delicate and complex affair from your point of view ."

" it_is certainly delicate," said my friend with an amused smile, " but I have_not_been struck up_to now with its complexity . it_has_been a case for intellectual deduction, but when_this original intellectual deduction is confirmed point by point by quite a number of independent incidents, then the subjective becomes objective and we can_say confidently that we_have reached our goal .I had, in_fact, reached it before we left baker street, and_the rest has merely been observation and confirmation ."

Ferguson put his big hand to_his furrowed forehead .

" for heaven's sake, Holmes," he_said hoarsely; " if_you_can see the truth in_this_matter, do_not keep me in suspense . how do I stand ? what shall I_do ? I care nothing as_to how you_have found your facts so_long as_you_have really got them ."

" certainly I owe you an explanation, and you_shall_have it . but you_will permit me to handle the matter in my own way ? is_the lady capable of seeing us, Watson ? "

" she_is ill, but she_is quite rational ."

" very_good . it_is only in her presence that we_can clear the matter up . let_us go up_to her ."

" she will not see me," cried Ferguson .

"Oh, yes, she will," said Holmes . he scribbled a few lines upon a sheet of paper ." you at_least have the entree, Watson . will_you have the goodness to_give the lady this note ? "

I ascended again and handed the note to Dolores, who cautiously opened the door .a minute later I heard a cry from within, a cry in_which joy and surprise seemed to_be blended . Dolores looked out .

" she will see them . she will leesten," said she .

at my summons Ferguson and Holmes came up . as_we entered the room Ferguson took a step or two towards his wife, who had raised herself in_the bed, but she held out her hand to repulse him . he sank into an armchair, while Holmes seated himself beside him, after bowing to_the lady, who looked at him with wide- eyed amazement .

" i_think we_can dispense with Dolores," said Holmes ."Oh, very_well, madame, if_you_would rather she stayed I_can_see no objection . now, Mr Ferguson, I_am a busy man wlth many calls, and my methods have to_be short and direct . the swiftest surgery is_the least painful . let me first say what_will ease your mind . your wife is a very_good, a very loving, and a very ill- used woman ."

Ferguson sat up with a cry of joy .

" prove that, Mr Holmes, and I_am your debtor forever ."

" i_will do_so, but in doing_so I_must wound you deeply in another direction ."

"I care nothing so_long as_you clear my wife . everything on earth is insignificant compared to_that ."

" let me tell you, then, the train of reasoning which passed through my mind in baker street . the idea of a vampire was to_me absurd . such things do_not happen in criminal practice in England . and yet your observation was precise . you had seen the lady rise from beside the child's cot with_the blood upon her lips ."

" I_did ."

" did it not occur to_you that ableeding wound may_be sucked for some other purpose than to draw the blood from_it ? was there not a queen in English history who sucked such a wound to draw poison from_it ? "

" poison ! "

"A south American household . my instinct felt the presence of_those weapons upon_the wall before my eyes ever saw them . it might_have_been other poison, but that was what occurred to_me . when I_saw that little empty quiver beside the small birdbow, it_was just what I expected to_see . if_the child were pricked with one of_those arrows dipped in curare or some other devilish drug, it would mean death if_the venom were_not sucked out .

" and_the dog ! if one were to use such a poison, would one not try it first in_order_to_see that_it had_not lost its power ? I_did_not foresee the dog, but at_least I understand him and he fitted into my reconstruction .

" now do_you understand ? your wife feared such an attack . she saw it made and saved the child's life, and yet she shrank from telling you all the truth, for she knew how you loved the boy and feared lest it break your heart ."

"Jacky ! "

"I watched him as_you fondled the child just now . his face was clearly reflected in_the glass of_the window where the shutter formed a background . I_saw such jealousy, such cruel hatred, as I_have seldom seen in a human face ."

" my Jacky ! "

" you_have to_face it, Mr Ferguson . it_is_the more painful because it_is a distorted love, a maniacal exaggerated love for_you, and possibly for_his dead mother, which_has prompted his action . his very soul is consumed with hatred for_this splendid child, whose health and beauty are a contrast to_his own weakness ."

" good god ! it_is incredible ! "

" have I spoken the truth, madame ? "

the lady was sobbing, with her face buried in_the pillows . now she turned to her husband .

" how could I tell you, Bob ? I_felt the blow it would_be to_you . it_was better that i_should wait and_that it should come from some other lips than mine . when_this gentleman, who seems to_have powers of magic, wrote that he_knew all, i_was glad ."

" i_think a year at sea would_be my prescription for master Jacky," said Holmes, rising from_his chair ." only one_thing is still clouded, madame . we_can quite understand your attacks upon master Jacky . there_is a limit to a mother's patience . but how did you dare to leave the child these last two days ? "

"I had told Mrs mason . she knew ."

" exactly . so I imagined ."

Ferguson was standing by_the bed, choking, his hands outstretched and quivering .

" this, I fancy, is_the time for_our exit, Watson," said Holmes in a whisper ." if_you_will take one elbow of_the too faithful Dolores, i_will take_the other . there, now," he added as he closed the door behind him, " i_think we_may leave them to settle the rest among themselves ."

I_have only_one further note of this_case . it_is_the letter which Holmes wrote in final answer to_that with_which the narrative begins . it ran thus:

baker street,
Nov .21st .
Re Vampires
sir:
Referring to your letter of_the 19th, I beg to state that I_have looked into_the inquiry of your client, Mr Robert Ferguson, of Ferguson and Muirhead, tea brokers, of Minc- ing Lane, and_that the matter has_been brought to asatisfac- Tory conclusion . with thanks for your recommendation, I_am, sir,

Faithfully yours,

SHERLOCK HOLMES .

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