I carefully unpacked it and handed it to him He seated himself at his desk, pulled over the lamp, for growing dark, and set himself to examine it As so the yellow light beat upon his own features, and able to study them at my ease

certainly remarkably handsome man His European reputation for beauty was fully deserved In figure not more than of middle size, but was built upon graceful and active lines His face was swarthy, almost Oriental, with large, dark, languorous eyes which might easily hold an irresistible fascination for women His hair and moustache were raven black, the latter short, pointed, and carefully waxed His features were regular and pleasing, save only his straight, thin-lipped mouth If ever murderer's mouth there -- cruel, hard gash face, compressed, inexorable, and terrible ill-advised to train his moustache away , for Nature's danger-signal, set as warning victims His voice was engaging manners perfect In age put him at little over thirty, though his record afterwards showed that forty-two

"Very fine -- very fine indeed ! " at last "And you say set of six to correspond What puzzles me I have heard magnificent specimens I only know of one in England to match this, and certainly not likely market Would it be indiscreet if I were to , Dr Hill Barton, how you obtained this ? "

"Does it really matter ? " I asked with as careless an air as muster

"You piece is genuine, and, value, content an expert's valuation "

"Very mysterious," said he with quick, suspicious flash dark eyes "In dealing with objects value, one naturally wishes all transaction piece is genuine is certain no doubts at all But suppose -- bound every possibility into account -- should prove afterwards that you had no right ? "

" guarantee you against any claim son "

"That, , would open up the question what your guarantee was worth "

"My bankers would answer that "

"Quite so And yet the whole transaction strikes me as rather unusual "

" do business or not," said I with indifference " you the first offer as I understood that you were connoisseur, but no difficulty in other quaerers "

"Who told you connoisseur ? "

" aware that you had written book "

" read the book ? "

"No "

"Dear me, this becomes more and more difficult to understand ! connoisseur and collector with very valuable piece in your collection, and yet never troubled to consult the one book which told you real meaning and value of what you held How explain that ? "

" very busy man doctor in practice "

" no answer If man has hobby he follows it up, whatever his other pursuits You said in your note that you were connoisseur "

"So "

"Might I few questions to test you ? obliged you, Doctor -- indeed doctor -- incident becomes more and more suspicious what Emperor Shomu and how associate him Shoso-in near Nara ? Dear me, does that puzzle you ? Tell me little Nonhern Wei dynasty and its place history of ceramics "

I sprang from my chair in simulated anger

" intolerable, sir," said I " here to favour, and not examined I were schoolboy My knowledge subjects second only to your own, but I certainly answer questions been put in so offensive way "

He looked at me steadily The languor had gone eyes They suddenly glared gleam of teeth from between those cruel lips

" the game ? here as spy an emissary of Holmes trick that playing upon me The fellow is dying I hear, so he sends his tools watch upon me You've made your way in here without leave, and, by God ! find it harder out than in "

He had sprung feet, and I stepped back, bracing myself for an attack, man was beside himself with rage suspected me first; certainly this cross-examination had shown him the truth; but clear that hope to deceive him He dived his hand into side-drawer and rummaged furiously Then something struck upon his ear, for he stood listening intently

"Ah ! " he cried "Ah ! " and dashed room behind him

Two steps took me open door, and my mind will ever carry clear picture scene within The window leading out garden was wide open Beside it, looking like some terrible ghost, his head gin with bloody bandages, his face drawn and white, stood Sherlock Holmes The next instant gap, and I heard the crash body laurel bushes outside With howl of rage the master house rushed after him open window

And then ! It in an instant, and yet I clearly saw it An arm -- woman's arm -- shot out from leaves same instant the Baron uttered horrible cry -- yell which will always ring in my memory He clapped his two hands face and rushed round the room, beating his head horribly against the walls Then he fell carpet, rolling and writhing, while scream after scream resounded house

"Water ! For God's sake, water ! " was his cry

I seized carafe from side-table and rushed aid same moment the butler and several footmen ran in hall I remember that fainted as I knelt injured man and turned that awful face light lamp The vitriol was eating everywhere and dripping ears chin One eye was already white and glazed The other was red and inflamed The features which I had admired before were now like some beautiful painting over which the artist has passed wet and foul sponge They were blurred, discoloured, inhuman, terrible

In few words I explained exactly what had occurred, vitriol attack was concerned Some had climbed window and others had rushed out on lawn, but dark and it had begun to rain Between his screams the victim raged and raved against the avenger "It hell-cat, Kitty Winter ! " he cried "Oh, the she-devil ! She shall pay ! She shall pay ! Oh, God in heaven, this pain is more than bear ! "

I bathed his face in oil, put cotton wadding raw surfaces, and administered hypodermic of morphia All suspicion of me had passed mind presence shock, and he clung to my hands the power even yet to clear those dead-fish eyes which glazed up at me wept over the ruin had l not remembered very clearly the vile life which had led so hideous change loathsome the pawing burning hands, and relieved when his family surgeon, closely followed by specialist, came to relieve me charge An inspector of police had also arrived, and to him I handed my real card It useless as foolish otherwise, for nearly known by sight Yard as Holmes himself Then I left that house of gloom and terror Within an hour at Baker Street