“The criminal solution would not bear inspection. No unsolvedcrime had been reported from that district. I was sure of that. Ifwere some crime not yet discovered, then clearly it would beto the interest of the family to get rid of the delinquent and sendhim abroad rather than keep him concealed at home. I could seeno explanation for such a line of conduct.
“Insanity was more plausible. The presence of the second personin the outhouse suggested a keeper. The fact that he locked thedoor when he came out strengthened the supposition and gave theidea of constraint. On the other hand, this constraint could notbe severe or the young man could not have got loose and comedown to have a look at his friend. You will remember, Mr. Dodd,The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes that I felt round for points, asking you, for example, about thepaper which Mr. Kent was reading. Had it been the Lancet or theBritish Medical Journal it would have helped me. It is not illegal,however, to keep a lunatic upon private premises so long as thereis a qualified person in attendance and that the authorities havebeen duly notified. Why, then, all this desperate desire for secrecy?
Once again I could not get the theory to fit the facts.
“There remained the third possibility, into which, rare andunlikely as it was, everything seemed to fit. Leprosy is notuncommon in South Africa. By some extraordinary chance thisyouth might have contracted it. His people would be placed ina very dreadful position, since they would desire to save himfrom segregation. Great secrecy would be needed to preventrumours from getting about and subsequent interference by theauthorities. A devoted medical man, if sufficiently paid, wouldeasily be found to take charge of the sufferer. There would be noreason why the latter should not be allowed freedom after dark.
Bleaching of the skin is a common result of the disease. The casewas a strong one—so strong that I determined to act as if it wereactually proved. When on arriving here I noticed that Ralph, whocarries out the meals, had gloves which are impregnated withdisinfectants, my last doubts were removed. A single word showedyou, sir, that your secret was discovered, and if I wrote ratherthan said it, it was to prove to you that my discretion was to betrusted.”
I was finishing this little analysis of the case when the doorwas opened and the austere figure of the great dermatologist wasushered in. But for once his sphinx-like features had relaxed andthere was a warm humanity in his eyes. He strode up to ColonelEmsworth and shook him by the hand.
“It is often my lot to bring ill-tidings and seldom good,” said he.
“This occasion is the more welcome. It is not leprosy.”
“What?”
“A well-marked case of pseudo-leprosy or ichthyosis, a scalelikeaffection of the skin, unsightly, obstinate, but possibly curable,and certainly noninfective. Yes, Mr. Holmes, the coincidenceis a remarkable one. But is it coincidence? Are there not subtleforces at work of which we know little? Are we assured that theapprehension from which this young man has no doubt sufferedterribly since his exposure to its contagion may not produce aphysical effect which simulates that which it fears? At any rate,I pledge my professional reputation—But the lady has fainted! Ithink that Mr. Kent had better be with her until she recovers fromthis joyous shock.”
1272 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone It was pleasant to Dr. Watson to find himself once more in theuntidy room of the first floor in Baker Street which had beenthe starting-point of so many remarkable adventures. He lookedround him at the scientific charts upon the wall, the acid-charredbench of chemicals, the violin-case leaning in the corner, the coalscuttle,which contained of old the pipes and tobacco. Finally, hiseyes came round to the fresh and smiling face of Billy, the youngbut very wise and tactful page, who had helped a little to fill upthe gap of loneliness and isolation which surrounded the saturninefigure of the great detective.
“It all seems very unchanged, Billy. You don’t change, either. Ihope the same can be said of him?”
Billy glanced with some solicitude at the closed door of thebedroom.
“I think he’s in bed and asleep,” he said.
It was seven in the evening of a lovely summer’s day, but Dr.
Watson was sufficiently familiar with the irregularity of his oldfriend’s hours to feel no surprise at the idea.
“That means a case, I suppose?”
“Yes, sir, he is very hard at it just now. I’m frightened for hishealth. He gets paler and thinner, and he eats nothing. ‘When willyou be pleased to dine, Mr. Holmes?’ Mrs. Hudson asked. ‘Seventhirty,the day after to-morrow,’ said he. You know his way whenhe is keen on a case.”
“Yes, Billy, I know.”
“He’s following someone. Yesterday he was out as a workmanlooking for a job. To-day he was an old woman. Fairly took me in,he did, and I ought to know his ways by now.” Billy pointed with agrin to a very baggy parasol which leaned against the sofa. “That’spart of the old woman’s outfit,” he said.
“But what is it all about, Billy?”
Billy sank his voice, as one who discusses great secrets of State. “Idon’t mind telling you, sir, but it should go no farther. It’s this caseof the Crown diamond.”
“What—the hundred-thousand-pound burglary?”
“Yes, sir. They must get it back, sir. Why, we had the PrimeMinister and the Home Secretary both sitting on that very sofa.
Mr. Holmes was very nice to them. He soon put them at theirease and promised he would do all he could. Then there is LordCantlemere——”
“Ah!”
“Yes, sir, you know what that means. He’s a stiff’un, sir, if I mayThe Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1273
say so. I can get along with the Prime Minister, and I’ve nothingagainst the Home Secretary, who seemed a civil, obliging sort ofman, but I can’t stand his Lordship. Neither can Mr. Holmes,sir. You see, he don’t believe in Mr. Holmes and he was againstemploying him. He’d rather he failed.”
“And Mr. Holmes knows it?”