WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:07.000 The adventure of the resident patient. In glancing over the 2 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:10.439 somewhat incoherent series of memoirs with which I have endeavored 3 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:13.439 to illustrate a few of the mental peculiarities of my 4 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:17.079 friend mister Sherlock Holmes, I have been struck by the 5 00:00:17.079 --> 00:00:21.160 difficulty which I've experienced in picking out examples which shall 6 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:25.480 in every way answer my purpose, or in those cases 7 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:28.039 in which Holmes has performed some tour de force of 8 00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:32.759 analytical reasoning and has demonstrated the value of his peculiar 9 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:37.119 methods of investigation, the facts themselves have often been so 10 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.920 slight or so commonplace, that I could not feel justified 11 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:44.119 in laying them before the public. On the other hand, 12 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:47.359 it has frequently happened that he has been concerned in 13 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.759 some research where the facts have been of the most 14 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:53.960 remarkable and dramatic character, but where the share which he 15 00:00:54.039 --> 00:00:57.560 has himself taken in determining their causes has been less 16 00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:01.799 pronounced than I, as his biographer, could wish. The small 17 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:04.480 matter which I have chronicled under the heading of a 18 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:08.280 study in Scarlet, and that other later one connected with 19 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.959 the loss of the glorious Scott, may serve as examples 20 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:17.079 of this Scilla and Charybdis, which are forever threatening his historian. 21 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:20.760 It may be that, in the business of which I 22 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:23.719 am now about to write, the part which my friend 23 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:28.599 played is not sufficiently accentuated. And yet the whole train 24 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:32.680 of circumstances is so remarkable that I cannot bring myself 25 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:37.680 to omit it entirely from this series. I cannot be 26 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:41.400 sure of the exact date, for some of my memoranda 27 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.959 upon the matter have been mislaid, but it must have 28 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:47.319 been towards the end of the first year during which 29 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:51.439 Holmes and I shared chambers in Baker Street. It was 30 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:56.439 boisterous October weather, and we had both remained indoors all day, 31 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.040 I because I feared with my shaken health to face 32 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:05.040 the keen autumn wind. While he was deep in some 33 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:09.599 of those obstruse chemical investigations, which absorbed him utterly as 34 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:13.280 long as he was engaged upon them. Towards evening, however, 35 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.439 the breaking of a test tube brought his research to 36 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:20.159 a premature ending, and he sprang up from his chair 37 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:24.039 with an exclamation of impatience and a clouded brow. A 38 00:02:24.120 --> 00:02:27.479 day's work ruined, Watson said, he striding across to the 39 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:31.000 window Ah, the stars are out and the wind has fallen. 40 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:34.919 What do you say to a ramble through London? I 41 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:38.319 was weary of our little sitting room and gladly acquiesced, 42 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:43.280 muffling myself nose high against the keen night air. For 43 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:47.080 three hours we strolled about together, watching the ever changing 44 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:50.240 kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet 45 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:54.439 Street and the strand homes. Had shaken off his temporary 46 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:58.680 ill humor, and his characteristic talk, with its keen observance 47 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:02.240 of detail and subtle power of inference, held me amused 48 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:06.199 and enthralled. It was ten o'clock before we reached Baker 49 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:10.800 Street again. A broom was waiting at our door. Hum 50 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:15.960 a doctor's general practitioner, I perceive, said Holmes, not been 51 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:19.400 long in practice or had much to do, come to 52 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:24.560 consult us. I fancy lucky we came back. I was 53 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:27.960 sufficiently conversant with Holmes's methods to be able to follow 54 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:31.439 his reasoning, and to see that the nature and state 55 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:34.639 of the various medical instruments in the wicker basket which 56 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.840 hung in the lamp light inside the broom, had given 57 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:41.319 him the data for his swift deduction. The light in 58 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.680 our window above showed that this late visitor was indeed 59 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:48.520 intended for us. With some curiosity as to what could 60 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.199 have sent a brother Medico to us at such an hour, 61 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:56.240 I followed Holmes into our sanctum. A pale, taper faced 62 00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:59.120 man with sandy whiskers rose up from a chair by 63 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.280 the fire as we entered. His age may not have 64 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:05.199 been more than three or four and thirty at His 65 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:09.000 haggard expression and unhealthy hue told of a life which 66 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:11.960 had sapped his strength and robbed him of his youth. 67 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:15.000 His manner was nervous and shy, like that of a 68 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:18.680 sensitive gentleman, and the thin white hand which he laid 69 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.319 on the mantel piece as he rose was that of 70 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:24.959 an artist rather than of a surgeon. His dress was 71 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.560 quiet and somber, a black frock coat, dark trousers, and 72 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:32.439 a touch of color about his neck tie. Good evening, doctor, 73 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:35.560 said Holmes cheerily. I am glad to see that you 74 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:38.920 have only been waiting a very few minutes. You spoke 75 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:42.120 to my coachman. Then, no, it was the candle on 76 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:45.399 the side table that told me, pray, resume your seat 77 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:48.279 and let me know how I can serve you. My 78 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:52.399 name is doctor Percy Trevellian, said our visitor, and I 79 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:55.160 live at four hundred and three Brook Street. Are you 80 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:58.720 not the author of a monograph upon Obscure Nervous Lesions? 81 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:03.279 I asked, his pale cheeks flushed with pleasure at hearing 82 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:06.319 that his work was known to me. I so seldom 83 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.959 hear of the work that I thought it was quite dead, 84 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.839 said he. My publishers give me a most discouraging account 85 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:17.879 of its sale. You are, yourself, I presume, a medical man, 86 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:22.560 a retired army surgeon. My own hobby has always been 87 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:27.439 nervous disease. I should wish to make it an absolute specialty, 88 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.240 but of course a man must take what he can 89 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:34.600 get at first. This, however, is beside the question, mister 90 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:39.079 Shellock Holmes, and I quite appreciate how valuable your time is. 91 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:43.040 The fact is that a very singular train of events 92 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.839 has occurred recently at my house in Brook Street, and 93 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.439 to night there came to such a head that I 94 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:51.560 felt it was quite impossible for me to wait another 95 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:57.120 hour before asking for your advice and assistance. Shellock Holmes 96 00:05:57.160 --> 00:05:59.959 sat down and lit his pipe. You are very well 97 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.360 welcome to both, said he. Pray. Let me have a 98 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:06.639 detailed account of what the circumstances are which have disturbed you. 99 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.959 One or two of them are so trivial, said Doctor Trevellian, 100 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:15.160 that really I am almost ashamed to mention them. But 101 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:18.439 the matter is so inexplicable, and the recent turn which 102 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:20.759 it has taken is so elaborate, that I shall lay 103 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.399 it all before you, and you shall judge what is 104 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:28.199 essential and what is not. I am compelled to begin 105 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:32.720 with to say something of my own college career. I 106 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:35.560 am a London University man, you know, and I am 107 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:37.759 sure you will not think that I am unduly singing 108 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:41.199 my own praises if I say that my student career 109 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:45.079 was considered by my professors to be a very promising one. 110 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:48.879 After I had graduated, I continued to devote myself to research, 111 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:53.759 occupying a minor position in King's College Hospital, and I 112 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.279 was fortunate enough to excite considerable interest by my research 113 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:01.040 into the pathology of catalepsy, and finally to win the 114 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:05.519 Bruce Pinkton Prize and medle by the monograph on Nervous 115 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:09.120 Lesions to which your friend has just alluded. I should 116 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:11.199 not go too far if I were to say that 117 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:14.600 there was a general impression at that time that a 118 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:19.560 distinguished career lay before me. But the one great stumbling 119 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:23.000 block lay in my want of capital. As you will 120 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:26.560 readily understand, a specialist who aims high is compelled to 121 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:29.160 start in one of a dozen streets in the Cavendish 122 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:34.360 Square quarter, all of which entail enormous rents and furnishing expenses. 123 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:38.680 Besides this preliminary outlay, he must be prepared to keep 124 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:42.240 himself for some years, and to hire a presentable carriage 125 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:45.839 and horse. To do this was quite beyond my power, 126 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:48.959 and I could only hope that by economy I might 127 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.519 in ten years time save enough to enable me to 128 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:57.680 put up my plate. Suddenly, however, an unexpected incident opened 129 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.720 up quite a new prospect to me. This was a 130 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:04.199 visit from a gentleman of the name of Blessington, who 131 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:07.519 was a complete stranger to me. He came up into 132 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.040 my room one morning and plunged into business in an instant. 133 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.680 You are the same Percy Trevellian who has had so 134 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:20.439 distinguished a career and won a great prize lately, said he. 135 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:26.000 I bowed, answer me frankly, he continued, for you will 136 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.720 find it to your interest to do so. You have 137 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:32.080 all the cleverness which makes a successful man, have you 138 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:36.120 the tact? I could not help smiling at the abruptness 139 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:39.279 of the question. I trust that I have my share, 140 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:44.440 I said, any bad habits not drawn towards drink y? Really, sir, 141 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.080 I cried, quite right, that's all right. But I was 142 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:52.000 bound to ask, with all these qualities, why are you 143 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:57.159 not in practice? I shrugged my shoulders. Come, come, said 144 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:00.240 he in his bustling way. It's the old story. More 145 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.879 in your brains than in your pocket. Day. What would 146 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:05.399 you say if I were to start you in brook Street? 147 00:09:06.360 --> 00:09:09.840 I stared at him in astonishment. Oh, it's for my sake, 148 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:12.519 not for yours, he cried. I'll be perfectly frank with you, 149 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:15.799 and if it suits you, it will suit me very well. 150 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:19.159 I have a few thousands to invest, you see, and 151 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:23.080 I think I'll sink them in you. But why, I gasped, Well, 152 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:25.720 it's just like any other speculation, and save for them 153 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:29.000 most what am I to do? Then? I'll tell you. 154 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:32.200 I'll take the house, furnish it, pay the maids, and 155 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:35.080 run the whole place. All you have to do is 156 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.639 just to wear out your chair in the consulting room. 157 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.480 I'll let you have pocket money and everything. Then you 158 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:43.960 hand over to me three quarters of what you earn, 159 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:48.559 and you keep the other quarter for yourself. This was 160 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:52.480 a strange proposal, mister Holmes, with which the man Blessington 161 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.080 approached me. I won't weary you with the account of 162 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.000 how we bargained and negotiated. It ended in my movie 163 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:03.240 into the house next lady day, and starting in practice, 164 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:06.080 on very much the same conditions as he had suggested. 165 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.879 He came himself to live with me in the character 166 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:14.399 of a resident patient. His heart was weak, it appears, 167 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.799 and he needed constant medical supervision. He turned the two 168 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.080 best rooms on the first floor into a sitting room 169 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:24.399 and a bedroom for himself. He was a man of 170 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:28.440 singular habits, shunning company, and very seldom going out. His 171 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:33.200 life was irregular, but in one respect he was regularity itself. 172 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.799 Every evening, at the same hour he walked into the 173 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:39.960 consulting room, examined the books, put down five and thrippence 174 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.879 for every guinea that I had earned, and carried the 175 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:46.159 rest after the strong box in his own room. I 176 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.639 may say with confidence that he never had occasion to 177 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:53.039 regret his speculation. From the first it was a success. 178 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:56.480 A few good cases and the reputation which I had 179 00:10:56.519 --> 00:10:59.480 won in the hospital brought me rapidly to the front, 180 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:02.639 and during the last few years I have made him 181 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:06.120 a rich man. So much, mister Holmes, for my past 182 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:10.200 history and for my relations with mister Blessington, it only 183 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:12.600 remains for me now to tell you what has occurred 184 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:15.840 to bring me here to night. Some weeks ago mister 185 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:18.720 Blessington came down to see me in as it seemed 186 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:23.399 to me, a state of considerable agitation. He spoke of 187 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:25.960 some burglary which he said had been committed in the 188 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:29.000 West End, and he appeared, I remember, to be quite 189 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:33.320 unnecessarily excited about it, declaring that a day should not 190 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:36.600 pass before we should add stronger bolts to our windows 191 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:40.320 and doors. For a week he continued to be in 192 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:44.639 quite a peculiar state of restlessness, peering continually out of 193 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:48.039 the windows and ceasing to take the short walk which 194 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:52.360 had usually been the prelude to his dinner. From his manner, 195 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:54.519 it struck me that he was in mortal dread of 196 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:58.320 something or somebody. But when I questioned him upon the point, 197 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:01.240 he became so offensive that I was compelled to drop 198 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:05.200 the subject. Gradually, as time passed, his fears appeared to 199 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:09.480 die away, and he had renewed his former habits, when 200 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:12.279 a fresh event reduced him to the pitiable state of 201 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:15.879 prostration in which he now lies. What happened was this 202 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:20.120 Two days ago I received the letter which I now 203 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:23.919 read to you. Neither address nor date is attached to it. 204 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:30.039 A Russian nobleman, who is now resident in England, it runs, 205 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:34.360 would be glad to avail himself of the professional assistance 206 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:38.879 of doctor Percy Trevellian. He has been for some years 207 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:44.039 a victim to cataleptic attacks, on which, as is well known, 208 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:49.440 doctor Trevellian is an authority. He proposes to call at 209 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:53.759 about a quarter past six tomorrow evening, if Doctor Trevellian 210 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:58.320 will make it convenient to be at home. This letter 211 00:12:58.360 --> 00:13:01.600 interested me deeply, because the chief difficulty in the study 212 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.720 of catalepsy is the rareness of the disease. You may 213 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:08.919 believe then, that I was in my consulting room when 214 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:12.440 at the appointed hour the page showed in the patient 215 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:19.080 He was an elderly man, thin, demure and commonplace. By 216 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.440 no means the conception one forms of a Russian nobleman. 217 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:27.600 I was much more struck by the appearance of his companion. 218 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:32.759 This was a tall young man, surprisingly handsome, with a dark, 219 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:36.240 fierce face and the limbs and chest of a Hercules. 220 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:40.480 He had his hand under the other's arm as they entered, 221 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:44.720 and helped him to a chair with a tenderness which 222 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:49.000 one would hardly have expected from his appearance. You will 223 00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:53.240 excuse my coming in, doctor, said he to me, speaking 224 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:57.799 English with a slight lisp. If if my father and 225 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:02.399 I health if a matter of the most overwhelming importance 226 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:07.320 to me, I was touched by his filial anxiety, you 227 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:11.399 would perhaps care to remain during the consultation, said I. 228 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.840 Not for the world, he cried, with a gesture of horror. 229 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:18.679 It is more painful to me than I can expreath. 230 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:22.320 If I were to see my father in one of 231 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:27.200 those dreadful thievis. I am convinced that I should never 232 00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:32.120 survive it. My own nervous systom is an exceptionally sensitive one. 233 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:35.879 With your permission, I will remain in the waiting room 234 00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:40.360 while you go into my father's case. To this, of course, 235 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:45.519 I assented, and the young man withdrew the patient, and 236 00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:48.879 I then plunged into a discussion of his case, of 237 00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:53.600 which I took exhaustive notes. He was not remarkable for intelligence, 238 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:57.759 and his answers were frequently obscure, which I attributed to 239 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:02.960 his limited acquaintance with our language. Suddenly, however, as I 240 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:06.120 sat writing, he ceased to give any answer at all 241 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.799 to my inquiries, and on my turning towards him, I 242 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.519 was shocked to see that he was sitting bolt upright 243 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:16.159 in his chair, staring at me with a perfectly blank 244 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:19.720 and rigid face. He was again in the grip of 245 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:24.960 his mysterious malady. My first feeling, as I have just said, 246 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:28.399 was one of pity and horror. My second, I fear, 247 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:33.320 was rather one of professional satisfaction. I made notes of 248 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:37.200 my patient's pulse and temperature, tested the rigidity of his muscles, 249 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:41.879 and examined his reflexes. There was nothing markedly abnormal in 250 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:46.200 any of these conditions, which harmonized with my former experiences. 251 00:15:47.080 --> 00:15:50.240 I had obtained good results in such cases by the 252 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:54.840 inhalation of nitrite of amyl, and the present seemed an 253 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:59.919 admirable opportunity of testing its virtues. The bottle was down 254 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:03.519 stairs in my laboratory, so leaving my patient seated in 255 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:06.480 his chair. I ran down to get it. There was 256 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:09.840 some little delay in finding it five minutes, let us say, 257 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:13.200 and then I returned. Imagine my amazement to find the 258 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:16.919 room empty and the patient gone. Of course, my first 259 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:19.840 act was to run into the waiting room. The sun 260 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:23.120 had gone also. The hall door had been closed, but 261 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.960 not shut. My page, who admits patience, is a new boy, 262 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.879 and by no means quick. He waits downstairs and runs 263 00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:34.639 up to show patients out. When I ring the consulting 264 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:38.399 room bell, he had heard nothing, and the affair remained 265 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:42.279 a complete mystery. Mister Blessington came in from his walk 266 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.720 shortly afterwards, but I did not say anything to him 267 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:49.000 upon the subject, for, to tell the truth, I have 268 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:51.000 got in the way of late, of holding as little 269 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:55.080 communication with him as possible. Well, I never thought that 270 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:57.879 I should see anything more of the Russian and his son. 271 00:16:58.759 --> 00:17:01.639 So you can imagine my when, at the very same 272 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:05.599 hour this evening, they both came marching into my consulting room, 273 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:10.240 just as they had done before. I feel that I 274 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.920 owe you a great many apologies for my abrupt departure yesterday, doctor, 275 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:19.160 said my patient. I confess that I was very much 276 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:23.799 surprised at it, said I. Well, the fact is, he remarked, 277 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:27.960 that when I recover from these attacks, my mind is 278 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:31.480 always very clouded as to all that has gone before. 279 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:34.559 I woke up in a strange room, as it seemed 280 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:37.400 to me, and made my way out into the street 281 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:40.559 in a sort of dazed way when you were absent, 282 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:45.359 and I said the son, seeing my father pass the 283 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:49.559 door of the waiting room, naturally thought that the consultation 284 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:52.960 had come to an end. It was not until we 285 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:56.440 had reached home that I began to realize the true 286 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:00.039 state of affairs. Well, said I, laughing, there is no 287 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:05.200 harm done except that you puzzled me terribly. So if you, sir, 288 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.200 would kindly step into the waiting room, I shall be 289 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:11.960 happy to continue our consultation, which was brought to so 290 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.880 abrupt an ending. For half an hour or so, I 291 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:19.440 discussed the old gentleman's symptoms with him, and then, having 292 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:22.400 prescribed for him, I saw him go off on the 293 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:26.119 arm of his son. I have told you that mister 294 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:30.279 Blessington generally chose this hour of the day for his exercise. 295 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:36.440 He came in shortly afterwards and passed upstairs. An instant later, 296 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:39.519 I heard him running down, and he burst into my 297 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:42.359 consulting room like a man who was mad with panic. 298 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:45.559 Who has been in my room? He cried? No one 299 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:48.599 said I, It is a lie, he yelled, Come up 300 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:53.160 and look. I passed over the grossness of his language, 301 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:55.720 as he seemed half out of his mind with fear. 302 00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:59.200 When I went upstairs with him, he pointed to several 303 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:02.319 footprints on the light carpet. Do you mean to say 304 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:07.079 those are mine? He cried. They were certainly very much 305 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.400 larger than any which he could have made, and were 306 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:14.880 evidently quite fresh. It rained hard this afternoon, as you know, 307 00:19:15.640 --> 00:19:19.839 and my patients were the only people who called. It 308 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:22.440 must have been the case, then, that the man in 309 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.240 the waiting room had, for some unknown reason, while I 310 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:28.480 was busy with the other ascended to the room of 311 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:33.799 my resident patient. Nothing had been touched or taken, but 312 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.640 there were the footprints to prove that the intrusion was 313 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:41.559 an undoubted fact. Mister Blessington seemed more excited over the 314 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.680 matter than I should have thought possible, though of course 315 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:48.880 it was enough to disturb anybody's peace of mind. He 316 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:52.960 actually sat crying in an armchair, and I could hardly 317 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:57.200 get him to speak coherently. It was his suggestion that 318 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.519 I should come round to you, and of course I 319 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:02.960 at once saw the propriety of it, For certainly the 320 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:06.400 incident is a very singular one, though he appears to 321 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:10.920 completely overrate its importance. If you would only come back 322 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:13.319 with me in my broom, you would at least be 323 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:16.640 able to soothe him, though I can hardly hope that 324 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:22.240 you will be able to explain this remarkable occurrence. Sherlock 325 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:26.119 Holmes had listened to this long narrative with an intentness 326 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:29.559 which showed me that his interest was keenly aroused. His 327 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.519 face was as impassive as ever, but his lids had 328 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:37.480 drooped more heavily over his eyes, and his smoke had 329 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:41.359 curled up more thickly from his pipe to emphasize each 330 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:46.440 curious episode in the doctor's tale. As our visitor concluded, 331 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:50.640 Holmes sprang up without a word, handed me my hat, 332 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:53.359 picked up his own from the table, and followed Doctor 333 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:57.039 Trevellian to the door. Within a quarter of an hour 334 00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:00.160 we had been dropped at the door of the physicians 335 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:04.400 in Brook Street, one of those somber, flat faced houses 336 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:08.920 which one associates with a West End practice. A small page, 337 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:12.240 admitted us, and we began at once to ascend the 338 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:17.440 broad well carpeted stare, but a singular interruption brought us 339 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:21.359 to a standstill. The light at the top was suddenly 340 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:26.519 whisked out, and from the darkness came a reedy, quavering voice. 341 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:30.000 I have a pistol, it cried. I give you my 342 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:33.680 word that i'll fire if you come any nearer. This 343 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:39.160 really grows outrageous, mister Blessington, cried doctor Trevillian. Oh then 344 00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:42.400 it is you, doctor, said the voice, with a great 345 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:46.240 heave of relief. But those other gentlemen, are they what 346 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.720 they pretend to be? We were conscious of a long scrutiny. 347 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:54.880 Out of the darkness. Yes, yes, it's all right, said 348 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:57.359 the voice. At last, you can come up, and I'm 349 00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:01.480 sorry if my precautions have annoyed you. He re lit 350 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:05.200 the stair gas as he spoke, and we saw before 351 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:09.079 us a singular looking man whose appearance, as well as 352 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:13.599 his voice, testified to his jangled nerves. He was very fat, 353 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:17.599 but had apparently at some time been much fatter, so 354 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:20.920 that the skin hung about his face in loose pouches, 355 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:24.680 like the cheeks of a bloodhound. He was of a 356 00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:28.240 sickly color, and his thin, sandy hair seemed to bristle 357 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.880 up with the intensity of his emotion. In his hand 358 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:34.960 he held a pistol, but he thrust it into his pocket. 359 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:39.240 As we advanced good evening, mister Holmes said he I 360 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:41.440 am sure, I am very much obliged to you for 361 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.240 coming round. No one ever needed your advice more than 362 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.680 I do. I suppose that doctor Trevellian has told you 363 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:52.440 of this most unwarrantable intrusion into my rooms. Quite so, 364 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:56.400 said Holmes. Who are these two men, mister Blessington, and 365 00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:00.440 why do they wish to molest you? Well? Well, said 366 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.880 the resident patient, in a nervous fashion. Of course, it 367 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:06.960 is hard to say that. You can hardly expect me 368 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:09.799 to answer that, mister Holmes. Do you mean that you 369 00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:12.920 don't know? Come in here, if you please, just have 370 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:16.279 the kindness to step in here. He led the way 371 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:20.119 into his bedroom, which was large and comfortably furnished. You 372 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.440 see that, said he, pointing to a big black box 373 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:26.079 at the end of his bed. I have never been 374 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:29.000 a very rich man, mister Holmes, never made but one 375 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:32.319 investment in my life, as doctor Trevellian would tell you. 376 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:35.519 But I don't believe in bankers. I would never trust 377 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:39.079 a banker, mister Holmes, between ourselves, what little I have 378 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:42.519 is in that box. So you can understand what it 379 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:46.559 means to me when unknown people forced themselves into my rooms. 380 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:50.680 Holmes looked at Blessington in his questioning way and shook 381 00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:54.759 his head. I cannot possibly advise you if you try 382 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:58.200 to deceive me, said he. But I have told you everything. 383 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:01.559 Holmes turned on his heel with a gesture of disgust. 384 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:05.519 Good night, doctor Trevellian, said he And no advice for me, 385 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:09.880 cried Blessington in a breaking voice. My advice to you, sir, 386 00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:13.720 is to speak the truth. A minute later we were 387 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:16.799 in the street and walking for home. We had crossed 388 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:20.079 Oxford Street and were half way down Harley Street before 389 00:24:20.119 --> 00:24:23.480 I could get a word from my companion. Sorry to 390 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:26.400 bring you out on such a fool's errand Watson, he said, 391 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:29.599 at last, it is an interesting case too. At the 392 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:33.559 bottom of it, I can make little of it, I confessed. Well, 393 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:36.799 it is quite evident that there are two men more perhaps, 394 00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:39.920 but at least two who are determined for some reason 395 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:43.119 to get at this fellow Blessington. I have no doubt 396 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:45.240 in my mind that both on the first and on 397 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:49.559 the second occasion, that young man penetrated to Blessington's room, 398 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.000 while his confederate, by an ingenious device, kept the doctor 399 00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:59.880 from interfering, and the catalepsy a fraudulent imitation, Watson, though 400 00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:01.960 I I should hardly dare to hint as much to 401 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:06.119