Our Advertisement brings a Visitor.
Ourmorning’sexertionshadbeentoomuchformyweakhealth,andIwastiredoutintheafternoon. AfterHolmes’departurefortheconcert,Ilaydownuponthesofaandendeavouredtogetacoupleofhours’sleep. Itwasauselessattempt. Mymindhadbeentoomuchexcitedbyallthathadoccurred,andthestrangestfanciesandsurmisescrowdedintoit. EverytimethatIclosedmyeyesIsawbeforemethedistortedbaboon-likecountenanceofthemurderedman. SosinisterwastheimpressionwhichthatfacehadproduceduponmethatIfounditdifficulttofeelanythingbutgratitudeforhimwhohadremoveditsownerfromtheworld. Ifeverhumanfeaturesbespokeviceofthemostmalignanttype,theywerecertainlythoseofEnochJ.Drebber,ofCleveland. StillIrecognizedthatjusticemustbedone,andthatthedepravityofthevictimwasnocondonment11intheeyesofthelaw.
ThemoreIthoughtofitthemoreextraordinarydidmycompanion’shypothesis,thatthemanhadbeenpoisoned,appear. Irememberedhowhehadsniffedhislips,andhadnodoubtthathehaddetectedsomethingwhichhadgivenrisetotheidea. Then,again,ifnotpoison,whathadcausedtheman’sdeath,sincetherewasneitherwoundnormarksofstrangulation? But,ontheotherhand,whosebloodwasthatwhichlaysothicklyuponthefloor? Therewerenosignsofastruggle,norhadthevictimanyweaponwithwhichhemighthavewoundedanantagonist. Aslongasallthesequestionswereunsolved,Ifeltthatsleepwouldbenoeasymatter,eitherforHolmesormyself.