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1I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of sleepers, holding my breath to keep out the vile, stupefying
2fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden
3pluck at my skirt, and a low voice whispered, "Walk past me, and then look back at me." The words fell quite distinctly
4upon my ear. I glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as
5ever, very thin, very wrinkled, bent with age, an opium pipe dangling down from between his knees, as though it had
6dropped in sheer lassitude from his fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my self-control to
7prevent me from breaking out into a cry of astonishment. He had turned his back so that none could see him but I. His
8form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull eyes had regained their fire, and there, sitting by the fire and
9grinning at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He made a slight motion to me to approach him, and
10instantly, as he turned his face half round to the company once more, subsided into a doddering, loose-lipped senility.
11"Holmes!" I whispered, "what on earth are you doing in this den?" "As low as you can," he answered; "I have excellent
12ears. If you would have the great kindness to get rid of that sottish friend of yours I should be exceedingly glad to
13have a little talk with you." "I have a cab outside." "Then pray send him home in it. You may safely trust him, for he
14appears to be too limp to get into any mischief. I should recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife
15to say that you have thrown in your lot with me. If you will wait outside, I shall be with you in five minutes." It was
16difficult to refuse any of Sherlock Holmes' requests, for they were always so exceedingly definite, and put forward with
17such a quiet air of mastery. I felt, however, that when Whitney was once confined in the cab my mission was practically
18accomplished; and for the rest, I could not wish anything better than to be associated with my friend in one of those
19singular adventures which were the normal condition of his existence. In a few minutes I had written my note, paid
20Whitney's bill, led him out to the cab, and seen him driven through the darkness. In a very short time a decrepit figure
21had emerged from the opium den, and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes. For two streets he shuffled
22along with a bent back and an uncertain foot. Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and burst into a
23hearty fit of laughter. "I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added opium-smoking to cocaine
24injections, and all the other little weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical views." "I was certainly
25surprised to find you there." "But not more so than I to find you." "I came to find a friend." "And I to find an enemy."
26"An enemy?" "Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the midst of a
27very remarkable inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent ramblings of these sots, as I have done
28before now. Had I been recognised in that den my life would not have been worth an hour's purchase; for I have used it
29before now for my own purposes, and the rascally Lascar who runs it has sworn to have vengeance upon me. There is a
30trap-door at the back of that building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf, which could tell some strange tales of what has
31passed through it upon the moonless nights." "What! You do not mean bodies?" "Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men
32if we had £ 1000 for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den. It is the vilest murder-trap on the whole
33riverside, and I fear that Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our trap should be here." He put
34his two forefingers between his teeth and whistled shrilly--a signal which was answered by a similar whistle from the
35distance, followed shortly by the rattle of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs. "Now, Watson," said Holmes, as a tall
36dog-cart dashed up through the gloom, throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from its side lanterns. "You'll
37come with me, won't you?" "If I can be of use." "Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still more so.
38My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one." "The Cedars?" "Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair's house. I am staying there
39while I conduct the inquiry." "Where is it, then?" "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us." "But I am
40all in the dark." "Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently. Jump up here. All right, John; we shall not
41need you. Here's half a crown. Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her head. So long, then!" He flicked
42the horse with his whip, and we dashed away through the endless succession of sombre and deserted streets, which widened
43gradually, until we were flying across a broad balustraded bridge, with the murky river flowing sluggishly beneath us.
44Beyond lay another dull wilderness of bricks and mortar, its silence broken only by the heavy, regular footfall of the
45policeman, or the songs and shouts of some belated party of revellers. A dull wrack was drifting slowly across the sky,
46and a star or two twinkled dimly here and there through the rifts of the clouds. Holmes drove in silence, with his head
47sunk upon his breast, and the air of a man who is lost in thought, while I sat beside him, curious to learn what this
48new quest might be which seemed to tax his powers so sorely, and yet afraid to break in upon the current of his
49thoughts. We had driven several miles, and were beginning to get to the fringe of the belt of suburban villas, when he
50shook himself, shrugged his shoulders, and lit up his pipe with the air of a man who has satisfied himself that he is
51acting for the best. "You have a grand gift of silence, Watson," said he. "It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.
52'Pon my word, it is a great thing for me to have someone to talk to, for my own thoughts are not over-pleasant. I was
53wondering what I should say to this dear little woman to-night when she meets me at the door." "You forget that I know
54nothing about it." "I shall just have time to tell you the facts of the case before we get to Lee. It seems absurdly
55simple, and yet, somehow I can get nothing to go upon. There's plenty of thread, no doubt, but I can't get the end of it
56into my hand. Now, I'll state the case clearly and concisely to you, Watson, and maybe you can see a spark where all is
57dark to me." "Proceed, then." "Some years ago--to be definite, in May, 1884--there came to Lee a gentleman, Neville St.
58Clair by name, who appeared to have plenty of money. He took a large villa, laid out the grounds very nicely, and lived
59generally in good style. By degrees he made friends in the neighbourhood, and in 1887 he married the daughter of a local
60brewer, by whom he now has two children. He had no occupation, but was interested in several companies and went into
61town as a rule in the morning, returning by the 5:14 from Cannon Street every night. Mr. St. Clair is now thirty-seven
62years of age, is a man of temperate habits, a good husband, a very affectionate father, and a man who is popular with
63all who know him. I may add that his whole debts at the present moment, as far as we have been able to ascertain, amount
64to £ 88 10s., while he has £ 220 standing to his credit in the Capital and Counties Bank. There is no reason, therefore,
65to think that money troubles have been weighing upon his mind.
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