“If the bather should see a loose roundish mass of tawnymembranes and fibres, something like very large handfuls oflion’s mane and silver paper, let him beware, for this is the fearfulstinger, Cyanea capillata.
Could our sinister acquaintance be more clearly described?
“He goes on to tell of his own encounter with one when swimmingoff the coast of Kent. He found that the creature radiated almostinvisible filaments to the distance of fifty feet, and that anyonewithin that circumference from the deadly centre was in danger ofdeath. Even at a distance the effect upon Wood was almost fatal.
“The multitudinous threads caused light scarlet lines upon theskin which on closer examination resolved into minute dots orpustules, each dot charged as it were with a red-hot needle makingits way through the nerves.
“The local pain was, as he explains, the least part of the exquisitetorment.
“Pangs shot through the chest, causing me to fall as if struck bybullet. The pulsation would cease, and then the heart would givesix or seven leaps as if it would force its way through the chest.
“It nearly killed him, although he had only been exposed toin the disturbed ocean and not in the narrow calm waters ofbathing-pool. He says that he could hardly recognize himselfafterwards, so white, wrinkled and shrivelled was his face. Hegulped down brandy, a whole bottleful, and it seems to have savedhis life. There is the book, Inspector. I leave it with you, and youcannot doubt that it contains a full explanation of the tragedy ofpoor McPherson.”
“And incidentally exonerates me,” remarked Ian Murdoch with awry smile. “I do not blame you, Inspector, nor you, Mr. Holmes, foryour suspicions were natural. I feel that on the very eve of my arresthave only cleared myself by sharing the fate of my poor friend.”
“No, Mr. Murdoch. I was already upon the track, and had I beenout as early as I intended I might well have saved you from thisterrific experience.”
“But how did you know, Mr. Holmes?”
“I am an omnivorous reader with a strangely retentive memoryfor trifles. That phrase ‘the Lion’s Mane’ haunted my mind. I knewthat I had seen it somewhere in an unexpected context. You haveThe Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1377
seen that it does describe the creature. I have no doubt that it wasfloating on the water when McPherson saw it, and that this phrasewas the only one by which he could convey to us a warning as tothe creature which had been his death.”
“Then I, at least, am cleared,” said Murdoch, rising slowly to hisfeet. “There are one or two words of explanation which I shouldgive, for I know the direction in which your inquiries have run.
It is true that I loved this lady, but from the day when she chosemy friend McPherson my one desire was to help her to happiness.
I was well content to stand aside and act as their go-between.
Often I carried their messages, and it was because I was in theirconfidence and because she was so dear to me that I hastened totell her of my friend’s death, lest someone should forestall me ina more sudden and heartless manner. She would not tell you, sir,of our relations lest you should disapprove and I might suffer. Butwith your leave I must try to get back to The Gables, for my bedwill be very welcome.”
Stackhurst held out his hand. “Our nerves have all been atconcert-pitch,” said he. “Forgive what is past, Murdoch. We shallunderstand each other better in the future.” They passed outtogether with their arms linked in friendly fashion. The inspectorremained, staring at me in silence with his ox-like eyes.
“Well, you’ve done it!” he cried at last. “I had read of you, but Inever believed it. It’s wonderful!”
I was forced to shake my head. To accept such praise was tolower one’s own standards.
“I was slow at the outset—culpably slow. Had the body beenfound in the water I could hardly have missed it. It was the towelwhich misled me. The poor fellow had never thought to dryhimself, and so I in turn was led to believe that he had never beenin the water. Why, then, should the attack of any water creaturesuggest itself to me? That was where I went astray. Well, well,Inspector, I often ventured to chaff you gentlemen of the policeforce, but Cyanea capillata very nearly avenged Scotland Yard.”
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
When one considers that Mr. Sherlock Holmes was in activepractice for twenty-three years, and that during seventeen ofthese I was allowed to cooperate with him and to keep notes ofhis doings, it will be clear that I have a mass of material at mycommand. The problem has always been not to find but to choose.
There is the long row of year-books which fill a shelf and thereare the dispatch-cases filled with documents, a perfect quarry1378 The Complete Sherlock Holmes for the student not only of crime but of the social and officialscandals of the late Victorian era. Concerning these latter, I maysay that the writers of agonized letters, who beg that the honourof their families or the reputation of famous forebears may notbe touched, have nothing to fear. The discretion and high senseof professional honour which have always distinguished my friendare still at work in the choice of these memoirs, and no confidencewill be abused. I deprecate, however, in the strongest way theattempts which have been made lately to get at and to destroythese papers. The source of these outrages is known, and if theyare repeated I have Mr. Holmes’s authority for saying that thewhole story concerning the politician, the lighthouse, and thetrained cormorant will be given to the public. There is at least onereader who will understand.