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Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and
sitting-room1 at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and
from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and
the little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had some
minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as
the lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms.
"Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in the
to-night. There is a distinct element of danger."
"Can I be of assistance?"
"Your presence might be invaluable9."
"Then I shall certainly come."
"It is very kind of you."
"You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms
than was visible to me."
"No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine
that you saw all that I did."
"I saw nothing remarkable10 save the bell-rope, and what purpose
that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine."
"You saw the ventilator, too?"
"Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to
have a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that a
rat could hardly pass through."
"I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to
Stoke Moran."
"My dear Holmes!"
"Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that her
sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that
suggested at once that there must be a communication between the
two rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have been
"But what harm can there be in that?"
"Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A
ventilator is made, a cord is hung, and a lady who sleeps in the
bed dies. Does not that strike you?"
"I cannot as yet see any connection."
"No."
"It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened
like that before?"
"I cannot say that I have."
"The lady could not move her bed. It must always be in the same
relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may
call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull."
"Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at.
We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible
crime."
"Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong
he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge.
Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession.
This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall
be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough
before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet
pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more
cheerful."
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