"I don't quite know how her clear , Watson Perhaps meet her before through, and use your own gift of words beautiful, but ethereal other-world beauty of some fanatic whose thoughts are set on high such faces pictures old masters Middle Ages How beastman laid his vile paws being beyond imagine noticed how extremes call to , the spiritual animal, the cave-man angel You never saw worse case than this

"She knew what we had come for, -- that villain had lost no time in poisoning her mind against us Miss Winter's advent rather amazed her, , but she waved us into our respective chairs like reverend abbess receiving two rather leprous mendicants If your head is inclined to swell my dear Watson, take course of Miss Violet de Merville

" 'Well, sir,' said she in voice like the wind from an iceberg, ' is familiar called as I understand, to malign my fiance, Baron Gruner only by my father's request that you at all, and I warn you in advance that anything you possibly have the slightest effect upon my mind '

" sorry for her, Watson of her moment as thought of daughter own not often eloquent I use my head, not my heart But I really did plead with her with all the warmth of words that find in my nature I pictured to her the awful position woman who only wakes to man's character after his wife -- woman who submit caressed by bloody hands and lecherous lips I spared her nothing -- the shame, the fear, the agony, the hopelessness of it all All my hot words bring one tinge of colour ivory cheeks or one gleam of emotion abstracted eyes of what the rascal had said about post-hypnotic influence One could really believe that she was living above the earth in some ecstatic dream Yet nothing indefinite in her replies

" ' listened with patience, Mr Holmes,' said she 'The effect upon my mind is exactly as predicted aware that Adelbert, that my fiance, has had stormy life he has incurred bitter hatreds and most unjust aspersions only the last of series brought their slanders before me Possibly you mean well, though I learn that paid agent equally willing to act Baron as against him But in any case you to understand once for all that I love him he loves me, and opinion of all the world is no more twitter birds outside the window If his noble nature has ever for an instant fallen, it that specially sent to raise it to its true and lofty level not clear' -- here she turned eyes upon my companion -- 'who this young lady '

" about to answer girl broke in like whirlwind If ever you saw flame and ice , those two women

" 'I'll tell you who ,' she cried, springing out of her chair, her mouth all twisted with passion -- ' his last mistress one of hundred that he has tempted and used and ruined and thrown refuse heap, as he also Your refuse heap is more likely grave, and maybe that's the best I tell you, you foolish woman, marry this man he'll be the death of you It broken heart or it broken neck, but he'll or the other It's not out of love I'm speaking I don't care tinker's curse whether you live or die It's out of hate for him and to spite him and back on him for what But it's all the same, and you needn't look at me like that, my fine lady, for lower than through with it '

" ' prefer not to discuss such matters,' said Miss de Merville coldly 'Let me say once for all that aware of three passages in my fiance's life he became entangled with designing women, assured hearty repentance for any evil that done '

" 'Three passages ! ' screamed my companion 'You fool ! You unutterable fool ! '

" ' Mr Holmes, I beg that bring this interview to an end,' said the icy voice ' obeyed my father's wish in seeing you, but not compelled to listen ravings person '

"With an oath Miss Winter darted forward, and if I caught her wrist she clutched this maddening woman hair I dragged her towards the door and was lucky her back cab without public scene, for she was beside herself with rage In cold way pretty furious myself, Watson, for something indescribably annoying calm aloofness and supreme self-complaisance woman whom we were trying to save So now once again exactly how we stand, and clear that plan some fresh opening move, gambit won't work I'll keep in touch , Watson, is more than likely that your part to play, though just possible next move may lie rather than "

And it did Their blow fell -- or his blow rather, for never could I believe lady was privy show you the very paving-stone I stood when my eyes fell placard, and pang of horror passed through my very soul Grand Hotel and Charing Cross Station, where one-legged news-vender displayed his evening papers The date was just two days last conversation There, black upon yellow, terrible news-sheet:

MURDEROUS ATTACK UPON SHERLOCK HOLMES

I stood stunned for some moments Then confused recollection of snatching at paper remonstrance man, whom I paid, and, finally, of standing doorway of chemist's shop while I turned up the fateful paragraph how it ran:

We learn with regret that Mr Sherlock Holmes, the well-known private detective, victim of murderous assault left him in precarious position no exact details to hand, but the event seems occurred about twelve o'clock in Regent Street, outside the Cafe Royal The attack by two men armed with sticks, and Mr Holmes was beaten head and body, receiving injuries which the doctors describe as most serious carried to Charing Cross Hospital and afterwards insisted upon being taken rooms in Baker Street The miscreants who attacked him appear respectably dressed men, who escaped bystanders by passing Cafe Royal and out into Glasshouse Street behind it they belonged criminal fraternity so often had occasion to bewail the activity and ingenuity injured man

not say that my eyes had hardly glanced over the paragraph before I had sprung into hansom and was on my way to Baker Street Sir Leslie Oakshott, the famous surgeon, hall brougham waiting curb

"No immediate danger," was his report "Two lacerated scalp wounds and some considerable bruises Several stitches necessary Morphine injected and quiet is essential, but an interview of absolutely forbidden "

permission I stole darkened room The sufferer was wide awake, and I heard my name in hoarse whisper The blind was three-quarters down, but one ray of sunlight slanted through and struck the bandaged head injured man crimson patch had soaked white linen compress I sat beside him and bent my head

"All right, Watson Don't look so scared," he muttered in very weak voice "It's not as bad as it seems "

"Thank God ! "

"I'm bit of single-stick expert most on my guard It second man that was "