📄 charles_agustus_milverton.txt
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<s> A DOOR SLAMMED IN THE DISTANCE </s><s> THEN A CONFUSED DULL MURMUR BROKE ITSELF INTO THE MEASURED THUD OF HEAVY FOOTSTEPS RAPIDLY APPROACHING </s><s> THEY WERE IN THE PASSAGE OUTSIDE THE ROOM </s><s> THEY PAUSED AT THE DOOR </s><s> THE DOOR OPENED </s><s> THERE WAS A SHARP SNICK AS THE ELECTRIC LIGHT WAS TURNED ON </s><s> THE DOOR CLOSED ONCE MORE AND THE PUNGENT REEK OF A STRONG CIGAR WAS BORNE TO OUR NOSTRILS </s><s> THEN THE FOOTSTEPS CONTINUED BACKWARD AND FORWARD BACKWARD AND FORWARD WITHIN A FEW YARDS OF US </s><s> FINALLY THERE WAS A CREAK FROM A CHAIR AND THE FOOTSTEPS CEASED </s><s> THEN A KEY CLICKED IN A LOCK AND I HEARD THE RUSTLE OF PAPERS </s><s> SO FAR I HAD NOT DARED TO LOOK OUT BUT NOW I GENTLY PARTED THE DIVISION OF THE CURTAINS IN FRONT OF ME AND PEEPED THROUGH </s><s> FROM THE PRESSURE OF HOLMES'S SHOULDER AGAINST MINE I KNEW THAT HE WAS SHARING MY OBSERVATIONS </s><s> RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND ALMOST WITHIN OUR REACH WAS THE BROAD ROUNDED BACK OF MILVERTON </s><s> IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WE HAD ENTIRELY MISCALCULATED HIS MOVEMENTS THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN TO HIS BEDROOM BUT THAT HE HAD BEEN SITTING UP IN SOME SMOKING OR BILLIARD ROOM IN THE FARTHER WING OF THE HOUSE THE WINDOWS OF WHICH WE HAD NOT SEEN </s><s> HIS BROAD GRIZZLED HEAD WITH ITS SHINING PATCH OF BALDNESS WAS IN THE IMMEDIATE FOREGROUND OF OUR VISION </s><s> HE WAS LEANING FAR BACK IN THE RED LEATHER CHAIR HIS LEGS OUTSTRETCHED A LONG BLACK CIGAR PROJECTING AT AN ANGLE FROM HIS MOUTH </s><s> HE WORE A SEMI MILITARY SMOKING JACKET CLARET COLOURED WITH A BLACK VELVET COLLAR </s><s> IN HIS HAND HE HELD A LONG LEGAL DOCUMENT WHICH HE WAS READING IN AN INDOLENT FASHION BLOWING RINGS OF TOBACCO SMOKE FROM HIS LIPS AS HE DID SO </s><s> THERE WAS NO PROMISE OF A SPEEDY DEPARTURE IN HIS COMPOSED BEARING AND HIS COMFORTABLE ATTITUDE </s><s> I FELT HOLMES'S HAND STEAL INTO MINE AND GIVE ME A REASSURING SHAKE AS IF TO SAY THAT THE SITUATION WAS WITHIN HIS POWERS AND THAT HE WAS EASY IN HIS MIND </s><s> I WAS NOT SURE WHETHER HE HAD SEEN WHAT WAS ONLY TOO OBVIOUS FROM MY POSITION THAT THE DOOR OF THE SAFE WAS IMPERFECTLY CLOSED AND THAT MILVERTON MIGHT AT ANY MOMENT OBSERVE IT </s><s> IN MY OWN MIND I HAD DETERMINED THAT IF I WERE SURE FROM THE RIGIDITY OF HIS GAZE THAT IT HAD CAUGHT HIS EYE I WOULD AT ONCE SPRING OUT THROW MY GREAT COAT OVER HIS HEAD PINION HIM AND LEAVE THE REST TO HOLMES </s><s> BUT MILVERTON NEVER LOOKED UP </s><s> HE WAS LANGUIDLY INTERESTED BY THE PAPERS IN HIS HAND AND PAGE AFTER PAGE WAS TURNED AS HE FOLLOWED THE ARGUMENT OF THE LAWYER </s><s> AT LEAST I THOUGHT WHEN HE HAS FINISHED THE DOCUMENT AND THE CIGAR HE WILL GO TO HIS ROOM BUT BEFORE HE HAD REACHED THE END OF EITHER THERE CAME A REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT WHICH TURNED OUR THOUGHTS INTO QUITE ANOTHER CHANNEL </s><s> SEVERAL TIMES I HAD OBSERVED THAT MILVERTON LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND ONCE HE HAD RISEN AND SAT DOWN AGAIN WITH A GESTURE OF IMPATIENCE </s><s> THE IDEA HOWEVER THAT HE MIGHT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT SO STRANGE AN HOUR NEVER OCCURRED TO ME UNTIL A FAINT SOUND REACHED MY EARS FROM THE VERANDA OUTSIDE </s><s> MILVERTON DROPPED HIS PAPERS AND SAT RIGID IN HIS CHAIR </s><s> THE SOUND WAS REPEATED AND THEN THERE CAME A GENTLE TAP AT THE DOOR </s><s> MILVERTON ROSE AND OPENED IT </s><s> WELL SAID HE CURTLY YOU ARE NEARLY HALF AN HOUR LATE </s><s> SO THIS WAS THE EXPLANATION OF THE UNLOCKED DOOR AND OF THE NOCTURNAL VIGIL OF MILVERTON </s><s> THERE WAS THE GENTLE RUSTLE OF A WOMAN'S DRESS </s><s> I HAD CLOSED THE SLIT BETWEEN THE CURTAINS AS MILVERTON'S FACE HAD TURNED IN OUR DIRECTION BUT NOW I VENTURED VERY CAREFULLY TO OPEN IT ONCE MORE </s><s> HE HAD RESUMED HIS SEAT THE CIGAR STILL PROJECTING AT AN INSOLENT ANGLE FROM THE CORNER OF HIS MOUTH </s><s> IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE FULL GLARE OF THE ELECTRIC LIGHT THERE STOOD A TALL SLIM DARK WOMAN A VEIL OVER HER FACE A MANTLE DRAWN ROUND HER CHIN </s><s> HER BREATH CAME QUICK AND FAST AND EVERY INCH OF THE LITHE FIGURE WAS QUIVERING WITH STRONG EMOTION </s><s> WELL SAID MILVERTON YOU MADE ME LOSE A GOOD NIGHT'S REST MY DEAR </s><s> I HOPE YOU'LL PROVE WORTH IT </s><s> YOU COULDN'T COME ANY OTHER TIME EH </s><s> THE WOMAN SHOOK HER HEAD </s><s> WELL IF YOU COULDN'T YOU COULDN'T </s><s> IF THE COUNTESS IS A HARD MISTRESS YOU HAVE YOUR CHANCE TO GET LEVEL WITH HER NOW </s><s> BLESS THE GIRL WHAT ARE YOU SHIVERING ABOUT </s><s> THAT'S RIGHT </s><s> PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER </s><s> NOW LET US GET DOWN TO BUSINESS QUOTE </s><s> HE TOOK A NOTEBOOK FROM THE DRAWER OF HIS DESK </s><s> YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE FIVE LETTERS WHICH COMPROMISE THE COUNTESS D'ALBERT </s><s> YOU WANT TO SELL THEM </s><s> I WANT TO BUY THEM </s><s> SO FAR SO GOOD </s><s> IT ONLY REMAINS TO FIX A PRICE </s><s> I SHOULD WANT TO INSPECT THE LETTERS OF COURSE </s><s> IF THEY ARE REALLY GOOD SPECIMENS GREAT HEAVENS IS IT YOU </s><s> THE WOMAN WITHOUT A WORD HAD RAISED HER VEIL AND DROPPED THE MANTLE FROM HER CHIN </s><s> IT WAS A DARK HANDSOME CLEAR CUT FACE WHICH CONFRONTED MILVERTON A FACE WITH A CURVED NOSE STRONG DARK EYEBROWS SHADING HARD GLITTERING EYES AND A STRAIGHT THIN LIPPED MOUTH SET IN A DANGEROUS SMILE </s><s> IT IS I SHE SAID THE WOMAN WHOSE LIFE YOU HAVE RUINED </s><s> MILVERTON LAUGHED BUT FEAR VIBRATED IN HIS VOICE </s><s> YOU WERE SO VERY OBSTINATE SAID HE </s><s> WHY DID YOU DRIVE ME TO SUCH EXTREMITIES </s><s> I ASSURE YOU I WOULDN'T HURT A FLY OF MY OWN ACCORD BUT EVERY MAN HAS HIS BUSINESS AND WHAT WAS I TO DO </s><s> I PUT THE PRICE WELL WITHIN YOUR MEANS </s><s> YOU WOULD NOT PAY QUOTE </s><s> SO YOU SENT THE LETTERS TO MY HUSBAND AND HE THE NOBLEST GENTLEMAN THAT EVER LIVED A MAN WHOSE BOOTS I WAS NEVER WORTHY TO LACE HE BROKE HIS GALLANT HEART AND DIED </s><s> YOU REMEMBER THAT LAST NIGHT WHEN I CAME THROUGH THAT DOOR I BEGGED AND PRAYED YOU FOR MERCY AND YOU LAUGHED IN MY FACE AS YOU ARE TRYING TO LAUGH NOW ONLY YOUR COWARD HEART CANNOT KEEP YOUR LIPS FROM TWITCHING </s><s> YES YOU NEVER THOUGHT TO SEE ME HERE AGAIN BUT IT WAS THAT NIGHT WHICH TAUGHT ME HOW I COULD MEET YOU FACE TO FACE AND ALONE </s><s> WELL CHARLES MILVERTON WHAT HAVE YOU TO SAY </s><s> DON'T IMAGINE THAT YOU CAN BULLY ME SAID HE RISING TO HIS FEET </s><s> I HAVE ONLY TO RAISE MY VOICE AND I COULD CALL MY SERVANTS AND HAVE YOU ARRESTED </s><s> BUT I WILL MAKE ALLOWANCE FOR YOUR NATURAL ANGER </s><s> LEAVE THE ROOM AT ONCE AS YOU CAME AND I WILL SAY NO MORE </s><s> THE WOMAN STOOD WITH HER HAND BURIED IN HER BOSOM AND THE SAME DEADLY SMILE ON HER THIN LIPS </s><s> QUOTE YOU WILL RUIN NO MORE LIVES AS YOU HAVE RUINED MINE </s><s> YOU WILL WRING NO MORE HEARTS AS YOU WRUNG MINE </s><s> I WILL FREE THE WORLD OF A POISONOUS THING </s><s> TAKE THAT YOU HOUND AND THAT AND THAT AND THAT AND THAT </s><s> SHE HAD DRAWN A LITTLE GLEAMING REVOLVER AND EMPTIED BARREL AFTER BARREL INTO MILVERTON'S BODY THE MUZZLE WITHIN TWO FEET OF HIS SHIRT FRONT </s><s> HE SHRANK AWAY AND THEN FELL FORWARD UPON THE TABLE COUGHING FURIOUSLY AND CLAWING AMONG THE PAPERS </s><s> THEN HE STAGGERED TO HIS FEET RECEIVED ANOTHER SHOT AND ROLLED UPON THE FLOOR </s><s> YOU'VE DONE ME HE CRIED AND LAY STILL </s><s> THE WOMAN LOOKED AT HIM INTENTLY AND GROUND HER HEEL INTO HIS UPTURNED FACE </s><s> SHE LOOKED AGAIN BUT THERE WAS NO SOUND OR MOVEMENT </s><s> I HEARD A SHARP RUSTLE THE NIGHT AIR BLEW INTO THE HEATED ROOM AND THE AVENGER WAS GONE </s><s> NO INTERFERENCE UPON OUR PART COULD HAVE SAVED THE MAN FROM HIS FATE BUT AS THE WOMAN POURED BULLET AFTER BULLET INTO MILVERTON'S SHRINKING BODY I WAS ABOUT TO SPRING OUT WHEN I FELT HOLMES'S COLD STRONG GRASP UPON MY WRIST </s><s> I UNDERSTOOD THE WHOLE ARGUMENT OF THAT FIRM RESTRAINING GRIP THAT IT WAS NO AFFAIR OF OURS THAT JUSTICE HAD OVERTAKEN A VILLAIN THAT WE HAD OUR OWN DUTIES AND OUR OWN OBJECTS WHICH WERE NOT TO BE LOST SIGHT OF </s><s> BUT HARDLY HAD THE WOMAN RUSHED FROM THE ROOM WHEN HOLMES WITH SWIFT SILENT STEPS WAS OVER AT THE OTHER DOOR </s><s> HE TURNED THE KEY IN THE LOCK </s><s> AT THE SAME INSTANT WE HEARD VOICES IN THE HOUSE AND THE SOUND OF HURRYING FEET </s><s> THE REVOLVER SHOTS HAD ROUSED THE HOUSEHOLD </s><s> WITH PERFECT COOLNESS HOLMES SLIPPED ACROSS TO THE SAFE FILLED HIS TWO ARMS WITH BUNDLES OF LETTERS AND POURED THEM ALL INTO THE FIRE </s><s> AGAIN AND AGAIN HE DID IT UNTIL THE SAFE WAS EMPTY </s><s> SOMEONE TURNED THE HANDLE AND BEAT UPON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR </s><s> HOLMES LOOKED SWIFTLY ROUND </s><s> THE LETTER WHICH HAD BEEN THE MESSENGER OF DEATH FOR MILVERTON LAY ALL MOTTLED WITH HIS BLOOD UPON THE TABLE </s><s> HOLMES TOSSED IT IN AMONG THE BLAZING PAPERS </s><s> THEN HE DREW THE KEY FROM THE OUTER DOOR PASSED THROUGH AFTER ME AND LOCKED IT ON THE OUTSIDE </s><s> THIS WAY WATSON SAID HE WE CAN SCALE THE GARDEN WALL IN THIS DIRECTION </s><s> I COULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED THAT AN ALARM COULD HAVE SPREAD SO SWIFTLY </s><s> LOOKING BACK THE HUGE HOUSE WAS ONE BLAZE OF LIGHT </s><s> THE FRONT DOOR WAS OPEN AND FIGURES WERE RUSHING DOWN THE DRIVE </s><s> THE WHOLE GARDEN WAS ALIVE WITH PEOPLE AND ONE FELLOW RAISED A VIEW HALLOA AS WE EMERGED FROM THE VERANDA AND FOLLOWED HARD AT OUR HEELS </s><s> HOLMES SEEMED TO KNOW THE GROUNDS PERFECTLY AND HE THREADED HIS WAY SWIFTLY AMONG A PLANTATION OF SMALL TREES I CLOSE AT HIS HEELS AND OUR FOREMOST PURSUER PANTING BEHIND US </s><s> IT WAS A SIX FOOT WALL WHICH BARRED OUR PATH BUT HE SPRANG TO THE TOP AND OVER </s><s> AS I DID THE SAME I FELT THE HAND OF THE MAN BEHIND ME GRAB AT MY ANKLE BUT I KICKED MYSELF FREE AND SCRAMBLED OVER A GRASS STREWN COPING </s><s> I FELL UPON MY FACE AMONG SOME BUSHES BUT HOLMES HAD ME ON MY FEET IN AN INSTANT AND TOGETHER WE DASHED AWAY ACROSS THE HUGE EXPANSE OF HAMPSTEAD HEATH </s><s> WE HAD RUN TWO MILES I SUPPOSE BEFORE HOLMES AT LAST HALTED AND LISTENED INTENTLY </s><s> ALL WAS ABSOLUTE SILENCE BEHIND US </s><s> WE HAD SHAKEN OFF OUR PURSUERS AND WERE SAFE </s><s> WE HAD BREAKFASTED AND WERE SMOKING OUR MORNING PIPE ON THE DAY AFTER THE REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE WHICH I HAVE RECORDED WHEN MR. LESTRADE OF SCOTLAND YARD VERY SOLEMN AND IMPRESSIVE WAS USHERED INTO OUR MODEST SITTING ROOM </s><s> GOOD MORNING MR. HOLMES SAID HE GOOD MORNING </s><s> MAY I ASK IF YOU ARE VERY BUSY JUST NOW </s><s> QUOTE NOT TOO BUSY TO LISTEN TO YOU QUOTE </s><s> I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS IF YOU HAD NOTHING PARTICULAR ON HAND YOU MIGHT CARE TO ASSIST US IN A MOST REMARKABLE CASE WHICH OCCURRED ONLY LAST NIGHT AT HAMPSTEAD </s><s> DEAR ME SAID HOLMES </s><s> WHAT WAS THAT </s><s> A MURDER A MOST DRAMATIC AND REMARKABLE MURDER </s><s> I KNOW HOW KEEN YOU ARE UPON THESE THINGS AND I WOULD TAKE IT AS A GREAT FAVOUR IF YOU WOULD STEP DOWN TO APPLEDORE TOWERS AND GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR ADVICE </s><s> IT IS NO ORDINARY CRIME </s><s> WE HAVE HAD OUR EYES UPON THIS MR. MILVERTON FOR SOME TIME AND BETWEEN OURSELVES HE WAS A BIT OF A VILLAIN </s><s> HE IS KNOWN TO HAVE HELD PAPERS WHICH HE USED FOR BLACKMAILING PURPOSES </s><s> THESE PAPERS HAVE ALL BEEN BURNED BY THE MURDERERS </s><s> NO ARTICLE OF VALUE WAS TAKEN AS IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE CRIMINALS WERE MEN OF GOOD POSITION WHOSE SOLE OBJECT WAS TO PREVENT SOCIAL EXPOSURE </s><s> QUOTE CRIMINALS QUOTE SAID HOLMES </s><s> PLURAL </s><s> YES THERE WERE TWO OF THEM </s><s> THEY WERE AS NEARLY AS POSSIBLE CAPTURED RED HANDED </s><s> WE HAVE THEIR FOOTMARKS WE HAVE THEIR DESCRIPTION IT'S TEN TO ONE THAT WE TRACE THEM </s><s> THE FIRST FELLOW WAS A BIT TOO ACTIVE BUT THE SECOND WAS CAUGHT BY THE UNDERGARDENER AND ONLY GOT AWAY AFTER A STRUGGLE </s><s> HE WAS A MIDDLESIZED STRONGLY BUILT MAN SQUARE JAW THICK NECK MOUSTACHE A MASK OVER HIS EYES </s><s> THAT'S RATHER VAGUE SAID SHERLOCK HOLMES </s><s> WHY IT MIGHT BE A DESCRIPTION OF WATSON </s><s> QUOTE IT'S TRUE QUOTE SAID THE INSPECTOR WITH AMUSEMENT </s><s> IT MIGHT BE A DESCRIPTION OF WATSON </s><s> WELL I'M AFRAID I CAN'T HELP YOU LESTRADE SAID HOLMES </s><s> THE FACT IS THAT I KNEW THIS FELLOW MILVERTON THAT I CONSIDERED HIM ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS MEN IN LONDON AND THAT I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN CRIMES WHICH THE LAW CANNOT TOUCH AND WHICH THEREFORE TO SOME EXTENT JUSTIFY PRIVATE REVENGE </s><s> NO IT'S NO USE ARGUING </s><s> I HAVE MADE UP MY MIND </s><s> MY SYMPATHIES ARE WITH THE CRIMINALS RATHER THAN WITH THE VICTIM AND I WILL NOT HANDLE THIS CASE </s><s> HOLMES HAD NOT SAID ONE WORD TO ME ABOUT THE TRAGEDY WHICH WE HAD WITNESSED BUT I OBSERVED ALL THE MORNING THAT HE WAS IN HIS MOST THOUGHTFUL MOOD AND HE GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION FROM HIS VACANT EYES AND HIS ABSTRACTED MANNER OF A MAN WHO IS STRIVING TO RECALL SOMETHING TO HIS MEMORY </s><s> WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR LUNCH WHEN HE SUDDENLY SPRANG TO HIS FEET </s><s> BY JOVE WATSON I'VE GOT IT HE CRIED </s><s> QUOTE TAKE YOUR HAT </s><s> COME WITH ME </s><s> HE HURRIED AT HIS TOP SPEED DOWN BAKER STREET AND ALONG OXFORD STREET UNTIL WE HAD ALMOST REACHED REGENT CIRCUS </s><s> HERE ON THE LEFT HAND THERE STANDS A SHOP WINDOW FILLED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CELEBRITIES AND BEAUTIES OF THE DAY </s><s> HOLMES'S EYES FIXED THEMSELVES UPON ONE OF THEM AND FOLLOWING HIS GAZE I SAW THE PICTURE OF A REGAL AND STATELY LADY IN COURT DRESS WITH A HIGH DIAMOND TIARA UPON HER NOBLE HEAD </s><s> I LOOKED AT THAT DELICATELY CURVED NOSE AT THE MARKED EYEBROWS AT THE STRAIGHT MOUTH AND THE STRONG LITTLE CHIN BENEATH IT </s><s> THEN I CAUGHT MY BREATH AS I READ THE TIME HONOURED TITLE OF THE GREAT NOBLEMAN AND STATESMAN WHOSE WIFE SHE HAD BEEN </s><s> MY EYES MET THOSE OF HOLMES AND HE PUT HIS FINGER TO HIS LIPS AS WE TURNED AWAY FROM THE WINDOW </s>
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