speckled_band.txt

about sound recognition.i want to downlod

<s> ON GLANCING OVER MY NOTES OF THE SEVENTY ODD CASES IN WHICH I HAVE DURING THE LAST EIGHT YEARS STUDIED THE METHODS OF MY FRIEND SHERLOCK HOLMES I FIND MANY TRAGIC SOME COMIC A LARGE NUMBER MERELY STRANGE BUT NONE COMMONPLACE FOR WORKING AS HE DID RATHER FOR THE LOVE OF HIS ART THAN FOR THE ACQUIREMENT OF WEALTH HE REFUSED TO ASSOCIATE HIMSELF WITH ANY INVESTIGATION WHICH DID NOT TEND TOWARDS THE UNUSUAL AND EVEN THE FANTASTIC </s>
<s> OF ALL THESE VARIED CASES HOWEVER I CANNOT RECALL ANY WHICH PRESENTED MORE SINGULAR FEATURES THAN THAT WHICH WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WELL KNOWN SURREY FAMILY OF THE ROYLOTTS OF STOKE MORAN </s>
<s> THE EVENTS IN QUESTION OCCURRED IN THE EARLY DAYS OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH HOLMES WHEN WE WERE SHARING ROOMS AS BACHELORS IN BAKER STREET </s>
<s> IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I MIGHT HAVE PLACED THEM UPON RECORD BEFORE BUT A PROMISE OF SECRECY WAS MADE AT THE TIME FROM WHICH I HAVE ONLY BEEN FREED DURING THE LAST MONTH BY THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THE LADY TO WHOM THE PLEDGE WAS GIVEN </s>
<s> IT IS PERHAPS AS WELL THAT THE FACTS SHOULD NOW COME TO LIGHT FOR I HAVE REASONS TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE WIDESPREAD RUMOURS AS TO THE DEATH OF DOCTOR GRIMESBY ROYLOTT WHICH TEND TO MAKE THE MATTER EVEN MORE TERRIBLE THAN THE TRUTH </s>
<s> IT WAS EARLY IN APRIL IN THE YEAR EIGHTY THREE THAT I WOKE ONE MORNING TO FIND SHERLOCK HOLMES STANDING FULLY DRESSED BY THE SIDE OF MY BED </s>
<s> HE WAS A LATE RISER AS A RULE AND AS THE CLOCK ON THE MANTELPIECE SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS ONLY A QUARTER PAST SEVEN I BLINKED UP AT HIM IN SOME SURPRISE AND PERHAPS JUST A LITTLE RESENTMENT FOR I WAS MYSELF REGULAR IN MY HABITS </s>
<s> QUOTE VERY SORRY TO KNOCK YOU UP WATSON QUOTE SAID HE QUOTE BUT IT'S THE COMMON LOT THIS MORNING </s>
<s> MRS. HUDSON HAS BEEN KNOCKED UP SHE RETORTED UPON ME AND I ON YOU </s>
<s> WHAT IS IT THEN A FIRE </s>
<s> NO A CLIENT </s>
<s> IT SEEMS THAT A YOUNG LADY HAS ARRIVED IN A CONSIDERABLE STATE OF EXCITEMENT WHO INSISTS UPON SEEING ME </s>
<s> SHE IS WAITING NOW IN THE SITTING ROOM </s>
<s> NOW WHEN YOUNG LADIES WANDER ABOUT THE METROPOLIS AT THIS HOUR OF THE MORNING AND KNOCK SLEEPY PEOPLE UP OUT OF THEIR BEDS I PRESUME THAT IT IS SOMETHING VERY PRESSING WHICH THEY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE </s>
<s> SHOULD IT PROVE TO BE AN INTERESTING CASE YOU WOULD I AM SURE WISH TO FOLLOW IT FROM THE OUTSET </s>
<s> I THOUGHT AT ANY RATE THAT I SHOULD CALL YOU AND GIVE YOU THE CHANCE </s>
<s> MY DEAR FELLOW I WOULD NOT MISS IT FOR ANYTHING </s>
<s> I HAD NO KEENER PLEASURE THAN IN FOLLOWING HOLMES IN HIS PLOFESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS AND IN ADMIRING THE RAPID DEDUCTIONS AS SWIFT AS INTUITIONS AND YET ALWAYS FOUNDED ON A LOGICAL BASIS WLTH WHICH HE UNRAVELLED THE PROBLEMS WHICH WERE SUBMITTED TO HIM </s>
<s> I RAPIDLY THREW ON MY CLOTHES AND WAS READY IN A FEW MINUTES TO ACCOMPANY MY FRIEND DOWN TO THE SITTING ROOM </s>
<s> A LADY DRESSED IN BLACK AND HEAVILY VEILED WHO HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE WINDOW ROSE AS WE ENTERED </s>
<s> QUOTE GOOD MORNING MADAM QUOTE SAID HOLMES CHEERILY </s>
<s> MY NAME IS SHERLOCK HOLMES </s>
<s> THIS IS MY INTIMATE FRIEND AND ASSOCIATE DOCTOR WATSON BEFORE WHOM YOU CAN SPEAK AS FREELY AS BEFORE MYSELF </s>
<s> HA </s>
<s> I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT MRS. HUDSON HAS HAD THE GOOD SENSE TO LIGHT THE FIRE </s>
<s> PRAY DRAW UP TO IT AND I SHALL ORDER YOU A CUP OF HOT COFFEE FOR I OBSERVE THAT YOU ARE SHIVERING </s>
<s> LT IS NOT COLD WHICH MAKES ME SHIVER SAID THE WOMAN IN A LOW VOICE CHANGING HER SEAT AS REQUESTED </s>
<s> WHAT THEN </s>
<s> IT IS FEAR MR. HOLMES </s>
<s> IT IS TERROR QUOTE </s>
<s> SHE RAISED HER VEIL AS SHE SPOKE AND WE COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS INDEED IN A PITIABLE STATE OF AGITATION HER FACE ALL DRAWN AND GRAY WITH RESTLESS FRIGHTENED EYES LIKE THOSE OF SOME HUNTED ANIMAL </s>
<s> HER FEATURES AND FIGURE WERE THOSE OF A WOMAN OF THIRTY BUT HER HAIR WAS SHOT WITH PREMATURE GRAY AND HER EXPRESSION WAS WEARY AND HAGGARD </s>
<s> SHERLOCK HOLMES RAN HER OVER WITH ONE OF HIS QUICK ALLCOMPREHENSIVE GLANCES </s>
<s> YOU MUST NOT FEAR SAID HE SOOTHINGLY BENDING FORWARD AND PATTING HER FOREARM </s>
<s> WE SHALL SOON SET MATTERS RIGHT I HAVE NO DOUBT </s>
<s> YOU HAVE COME IN BY TRAIN THIS MORNING I SEE </s>
<s> YOU KNOW ME THEN </s>
<s> NO BUT I OBSERVE THE SECOND HALF OF A RETURN TICKET IN THE PALM OF YOUR LEFT GLOVE </s>
<s> YOU MUST HAVE STARTED EARLY AND YET YOU HAD A GOOD DRIVE IN A DOG CART ALONG HEAVY ROADS BEFORE YOU REACHED THE STATION QUOTE </s>
<s> THE LADY GAVE A VIOLENT START AND STARED IN BEWILDERMENT AT MY COMPANION </s>
<s> THERE IS NO MYSTERY MY DEAR MADAM SAID HE SMILING </s>
<s> THE LEFT ARM OF YOUR JACKET IS SPATTERED WITH MUD IN NO LESS THAN SEVEN PLACES </s>
<s> THE MARKS ARE PERFECTLY FRESH </s>
<s> THERE IS NO VEHICLE SAVE A DOG CART WHICH THROWS UP MUD IN THAT WAY AND THEN ONLY WHEN YOU SIT ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE DRIVER </s>
<s> WHATEVER YOUR REASONS MAY BE YOU ARE PERFECTLY CORRECT SAID SHE </s>
<s> I STARTED FROM HOME BEFORE SIX REACHED LEATHERHEAD AT TWENTY PAST AND CAME IN BY THE FIRST TRAIN TO WATERLOO </s>
<s> SIR I CAN STAND THIS STRAIN NO LONGER I SHALL GO MAD IF IT CONTINUES </s>
<s> I HAVE NO ONE TO TURN TO NONE SAVE ONLY ONE WHO CARES FOR ME AND HE POOR FELLOW CAN BE OF LITTLE AID </s>
<s> I HAVE HEARD OF YOU MR. HOLMES I HAVE HEARD OF YOU FROM MRS. FARINTOSH WHOM YOU HELPED IN THE HOUR OF HER SORE NEED </s>
<s> IT WAS FROM HER THAT I HAD YOUR ADDRESS </s>
<s> OH SIR DO YOU NOT THINK THAT YOU COULD HELP ME TOO AND AT LEAST THROW A LITTLE LIGHT THROUGH THE DENSE DARKNESS WHICH SURROUNDS ME </s>
<s> AT PRESENT IT IS OUT OF MY POWER TO REWARD YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES BUT IN A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS I SHALL BE MARRIED WITH THE CONTROL OF MY OWN INCOME AND THEN AT LEAST YOU SHALL NOT FIND ME UNGRATEFUL QUOTE </s>
<s> HOLMES TURNED TO HIS DESK AND UNLOCKING IT DREW OUT A SMALL CASE BOOK WHICH HE CONSULTED </s>
<s> FARINTOSH SAID HE </s>
<s> AH YES I RECALL THE CASE IT WAS CONCERNED WITH AN OPAL TIARA </s>
<s> I THINK IT WAS BEFORE YOUR TIME WATSON </s>
<s> I CAN ONLY SAY MADAM THAT I SHALL BE HAPPY TO DEVOTE THE SAME CARE TO YOUR CASE AS I DID TO THAT OF YOUR FRIEND </s>
<s> AS TO REWARD MY PROFESSION IS ITS OWN REWARD BUT YOU ARE AT LIBERTY TO DEFRAY WHATEVER EXPENSES I MAY BE PUT TO AT THE TIME WHICH SUITS YOU BEST </s>
<s> AND NOW I BEG THAT YOU WILL LAY BEFORE US EVERYTHING THAT MAY HELP US IN FORMING AN OPINION UPON THE MATTER </s>
<s> ALAS REPLIED OUR VISITOR THE VERY HORROR OF MY SITUATION LIES IN THE FACT THAT MY FEARS ARE SO VAGUE AND MY SUSPICIONS DEPEND SO ENTIRELY UPON SMALL POINTS WHICH MIGHT SEEM TRIVIAL TO ANOTHER THAT EVEN HE TO WHOM OF ALL OTHERS I HAVE A RIGHT TO LOOK FOR HELP AND ADVICE LOOKS UPON ALL THAT I TELL HIM ABOUT IT AS THE FANCIES OF A NERVOUS WOMAN </s>
<s> HE DOES NOT SAY SO BUT I CAN READ IT FROM HIS SOOTHING ANSWERS AND AVERTED EYES </s>
<s> BUT I HAVE HEARD MR. HOLMES THAT YOU CAN SEE DEEPLY INTO THE MANIFOLD WICKEDNESS OF THE HUMAN HEART </s>
<s> YOU MAY ADVISE ME HOW TO WALK AMID THE DANGERS WHICH ENCOMPASS ME </s>
<s> QUOTE I AM ALL ATTENTION MADAM QUOTE </s>
<s> MY NAME IS HELEN STONER AND I AM LIVING WITH MY STEPFATHER WHO IS THE LAST SURVIVOR OF ONE OF THE OLDEST SAXON FAMILIES IN ENGLAND THE ROYLOTTS OF STOKE MORAN ON THE WESTERN BORDER OF SURREY </s>
<s> HOLMES NODDED HIS HEAD </s>
<s> THE NAME IS FAMILIAR TO ME SAID HE </s>
<s> THE FAMILY WAS AT ONE TIME AMONG THE RICHEST IN ENGLAND AND THE ESTATES EXTENDED OVER THE BORDERS INTO BERKSHIRE IN THE NORTH AND HAMPSHIRE IN THE WEST </s>
<s> IN THE LAST CENTURY HOWEVER FOUR SUCCESSIVE HEIRS WERE OF A DISSOLUTE AND WASTEFUL DISPOSITION AND THE FAMILY RUIN WAS EVENTUALLY COMPLETED BY A GAMBLER IN THE DAYS OF THE REGENCY </s>
<s> NOTHING WAS LEFT SAVE A FEW ACRES OF GROUND AND THE TWO HUNDRED YEAR OLD HOUSE WHICH IS ITSELF CRUSHED UNDER A HEAVY MORTGAGE </s>
<s> THE LAST SQUIRE DRAGGED OUT HIS EXISTENCE THERE LIVING THE HORRIBLE LIFE OF AN ARISTOCRATIC PAUPER BUT HIS ONLY SON MY STEPFATHER SEEING THAT HE MUST ADAPT HIMSELF TO THE NEW CONDITIONS OBTAINED AN ADVANCE FROM A RELATIVE WHICH ENABLED HIM TO TAKE A MEDICAL DEGREE AND WENT OUT TO CALCUTTA WHERE BY HIS PROFESSIONAL SKILL AND HIS FORCE OF CHARACTER HE ESTABLISHED A LARGE PRACTICE </s>
<s> IN A FIT OF ANGER HOWEVER CAUSED BY SOME ROBBERIES WHICH HAD BEEN PERPETRATED IN THE HOUSE HE BEAT HIS NATIVE BUTLER TO DEATH AND NARROWLY ESCAPED A CAPITAL SENTENCE </s>
<s> AS IT WAS HE SUFFERED A LONG TERM OF IMPRISONMENT AND AFTERWARDS RETURNED TO ENGLAND A MOROSE AND DISAPPOINTED MAN </s>
<s> WHEN DOCTOR ROYLOTT WAS IN INDIA HE MARRIED MY MOTHER MRS. STONER THE YOUNG WIDOW OF MAJOR GENERAL STONER OF THE BENGAL ARTILLERY </s>
<s> MY SISTER JULIA AND I WERE TWINS AND WE WERE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF MY MOTHER'S RE MARRIAGE </s>
<s> SHE HAD A CONSIDERABLE SUM OF MONEY NOT LESS THAN LOOO POUNDS A YEAR AND THIS SHE BEQUEATHED TO DOCTOR ROYLOTT ENTIRELY WHILE WE RESIDED WITH HIM WITH A PROVISION THAT A CERTAIN ANNUAL SUM SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO EACH OF US IN THE EVENT OF OUR MARRIAGE </s>
<s> SHORTLY AFTER OUR RETURN TO ENGLAND MY MOTHER DIED SHE WAS KILLED EIGHT YEARS AGO IN A RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR CREWE </s>
<s> DOCTOR ROYLOTT THEN ABANDONED HIS ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN PRACTICE IN LONDON AND TOOK US TO LIVE WITH HIM IN THE OLD ANCESTRAL HOUSE AT STOKE MORAN </s>
<s> THE MONEY WHICH MY MOTHER HAD LEFT WAS ENOUGH FOR ALL OUR WANTS AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NO OBSTACLE TO OUR HAPPINESS </s>
<s> BUT A TERRIBLE CHANGE CAME OVER OUR STEPFATHER ABOUT THIS TIME </s>
<s> INSTEAD OF MAKING FRIENDS AND EXCHANGING VISITS WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS WHO HAD AT FIRST BEEN OVERJOYED TO SEE A ROYLOTT OF STOKE MORAN BACK IN THE OLD FAMILY SEAT HE SHUT HIMSELF UP IN HIS HOUSE AND SELDOM CAME OUT SAVE TO INDULGE IN FEROCIOUS QUARRELS WITH WHOEVER MIGHT CROSS HIS PATH </s>
<s> VIOLENCE OF TEMPER APPROACHING TO MANIA HAS BEEN HEREDITARY IN THE MEN OF THE FAMILY AND IN MY STEPFATHER'S CASE IT HAD I BELIEVE BEEN INTENSIFIED BY HIS LONG RESIDENCE IN THE TROPICS </s>
<s> A SERIES OF DISGRACEFUL BRAWLS TOOK PLACE TWO OF WHICH ENDED IN THE POLICECOURT UNTIL AT LAST HE BECAME THE TERROR OF THE VILLAGE AND THE FOLKS WOULD FLY AT HIS APPROACH FOR HE IS A MAN OF IMMENSE STRENGTH AND ABSOLUTELY UNCONTROLLABLE IN HIS ANGER </s>
<s> QUOTE LAST WEEK HE HURLED THE LOCAL BLACKSMITH OVER A PARAPET INTO A STREAM AND IT WAS ONLY BY PAYING OVER ALL THE MONEY WHICH I COULD GATHER TOGETHER THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVERT ANOTHER PUBLIC EXPOSURE </s>
<s> HE HAD NO FRIENDS AT ALL SAVE THE WANDERING GYPSIES AND HE WOULD GIVE THESE VAGABONDS LEAVE TO ENCAMP UPON THE FEW ACRES OF BRAMBLE COVERED LAND WHICH REPRESENT THE FAMILY ESTATE AND WOULD ACCEPT IN RETURN THE HOSPITALITY OF THEIR TENTS WANDERING AWAY WITH THEM SOMETIMES FOR WEEKS ON END </s>
<s> HE HAS A PASSION ALSO FOR INDIAN ANIMALS WHICH ARE SENT OVER TO HIM BY A CORRESPONDENT AND HE HAS AT THIS MOMENT A CHEETAH AND A BABOON WHICH WANDER FREELY OVER HIS GROUNDS AND ARE FEARED BY THE VILLAGERS ALMOST AS MUCH AS THEIR MASTER </s>
<s> YOU CAN IMAGINE FROM WHAT I SAY THAT MY POOR SISTER JULIA AND I HAD NO GREAT PLEASURE IN OUR LIVES </s>
<s> NO SERVANT WOULD STAY WITH US AND FOR A LONG TIME WE DID ALL THE WORK OF THE HOUSE </s>
<s> SHE WAS BUT THIRTY AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH AND YET HER HAIR HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO WHITEN EVEN AS MINE HAS </s>
<s> YOUR SISTER IS DEAD THEN </s>
<s> SHE DIED JUST TWO YEARS AGO AND IT IS OF HER DEATH THAT I WISH TO SPEAK TO YOU </s>
<s> YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT LIVING THE LIFE WHICH I HAVE DESCRIBED WE WERE LITTLE LIKELY TO SEE ANYONE OF OUR OWN AGE AND POSITION </s>
<s> WE HAD HOWEVER AN AUNT MY MOTHER'S MAIDEN SISTER MISS HONORIA WESTPHAIL WHO LIVES NEAR HARROW AND WE WERE OCCASIONALLY ALLOWED TO PAY SHORT VISITS AT THIS LADY'S HOUSE </s>
<s> JULIA WENT THERE AT CHRISTMAS TWO YEARS AGO AND MET THERE A HALF PAY MAJOR OF MARINES TO WHOM SHE BECAME ENGAGED </s>
<s> MY STEPFATHER LEARNED OF THE ENGAGEMENT WHEN MY SISTER RETURNED AND OFFERED NO OBJECTION TO THE MARRIAGE BUT WLTHIN A FORTNIGHT OF THE DAY WHICH HAD BEEN FIXED FOR THE WEDDING THE TERRIBLE EVENT OCCURRED WHICH HAS DEPRIVED ME OF MY ONLY COMPANION </s>
<s> SHERLOCK HOLMES HAD BEEN LEANING BACK IN HIS CHAIR WITH HIS EYES CLOSED AND HIS HEAD SUNK IN A CUSHION BUT HE HALF OPENED HLS LIDS NOW AND GLANCED ACROSS AT HIS VISITOR </s>
<s> QUOTE PRAY BE PRECISE AS TO DETAILS QUOTE SAID HE </s>
<s> IT IS EASY FOR ME TO BE SO FOR EVERY EVENT OF THAT DREADFUL TIME IS SEARED INTO MY MEMORY </s>
<s> THE MANOR HOUSE IS AS I HAVE ALREADY SAID VERY OLD AND ONLY ONE WING IS NOW INHABITED </s>
<s> THE BEDROOMS IN THIS WING ARE ON THE GROUND FLOOR THE SITTING ROOMS BEING IN THE CENTRAL BLOCK OF THE BUILDINGS </s>
<s> OF THESE BEDROOMS THE FIRST IS DOCTOR ROYLOTT'S THE SECOND MY SISTER'S AND THE THIRD MY OWN </s>
<s> THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEM BUT THEY ALL OPEN OUT INTO THE SAME CORRIDOR </s>
<s> DO I MAKE MYSELF PLAIN </s>
<s> PERFECTLY SO </s>
<s> THE WINDOWS OF THE THREE ROOMS OPEN OUT UPON THE LAWN </s>
<s> THAT FATAL NIGHT DOCTOR ROYLOTT HAD GONE TO HIS ROOM EARLY THOUGH WE KNEW THAT HE HAD NOT RETIRED TO REST FOR MY SISTER WAS TROUBLED BY THE SMELL OF THE STRONG INDIAN CIGARS WHICH IT WAS HIS CUSTOM TO SMOKE </s>
<s> SHE LEFT HER ROOM THEREFORE AND CAME INTO MINE WHERE SHE SAT FOR SOME TIME CHATTING ABOUT HER APPROACHING WEDDING </s>
<s> AT ELEVEN O'CLOCK SHE ROSE TO LEAVE ME BUT SHE PAUSED AT THE DOOR AND LOOKED BACK </s>
<s> TELL ME HELEN SAID SHE HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYONE WHISTLE IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT </s>
<s> QUOTE NEVER SAID I </s>
<s> I SUPPOSE THAT YOU COULD NOT POSSIBLY WHISTLE YOURSELF IN YOUR SLEEP </s>
<s> CERTAINLY NOT </s>
<s> BUT WHY </s>
<s> BECAUSE DURING THE LAST FEW NIGHTS I HAVE ALWAYS ABOUT THREE IN THE MORNING HEARD A LOW CLEAR WHISTLE </s>
<s> I AM A LIGHT SLEEPER AND IT HAS AWAKENED ME </s>
<s> I CANNOT TELL WHERE IT CAME FROM PERHAPS FROM THE NEXT ROOM PERHAPS FROM THE LAWN </s>
<s> I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD JUST ASK YOU WHETHER YOU HAD HEARD IT </s>
<s> NO I HAVE NOT </s>
<s> IT MUST BE THOSE WRETCHED GYPSIES IN THE PLANTATION </s>
<s> VERY LIKELY </s>
<s> AND YET IF IT WERE ON THE LAWN I WONDER THAT YOU DID NOT HEAR IT ALSO </s>
<s> QUOTE AH BUT I SLEEP MORE HEAVILY THAN YOU </s>
<s> WELL IT IS OF NO GREAT CONSEQUENCE AT ANY RATE </s>
<s> SHE SMILED BACK AT ME CLOSED MY DOOR AND A FEW MOMENTS LATER I HEARD HER KEY TURN IN THE LOCK </s>
<s> INDEED SAID HOLMES </s>
<s> WAS IT YOUR CUSTOM ALWAYS TO LOCK YOURSELVES IN AT NIGHT </s>
<s> ALWAYS </s>
<s> QUOTE AND WHY QUOTE </s>
<s> I THINK THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT THE DOCTOR KEPT A CHEETAH AND A BABOON </s>
<s> WE HAD NO FEELING OF SECURITY UNLESS OUR DOORS WERE LOCKED </s>
<s> QUITE SO </s>
<s> PRAY PROCEED WITH YOUR STATEMENT </s>
<s> I COULD NOT SLEEP THAT NIGHT </s>
<s> A VAGUE FEELING OF IMPENDING MISFORTUNE IMPRESSED ME </s>
<s> MY SISTER AND I YOU WILL RECOLLECT WERE TWINS AND YOU KNOW HOW SUBTLE ARE THE LINKS WHICH BIND TWO SOULS WHICH ARE SO CLOSELY ALLIED </s>
<s> IT WAS A WILD NIGHT </s>
<s> THE WIND WAS HOWLING OUTSIDE AND THE RAIN WAS BEATING AND SPLASHING AGAINST THE WINDOWS </s>
<s> SUDDENLY AMID ALL THE HUBBUB OF THE GALE THERE BURST FORTH THE WILD SCREAM OF A TERRIFIED WOMAN </s>
<s> I KNEW THAT IT WAS MY SISTER'S VOICE </s>
<s> I SPRANG FROM MY BED WRAPPED A SHAWL ROUND ME AND RUSHED INTO THE CORRIDOR </s>
<s> AS I OPENED MY DOOR I SEEMED TO HEAR A LOW WHISTLE SUCH AS MY SISTER DESCRIBED AND A FEW MOMENTS LATER A CLANGING SOUND AS IF A MASS OF METAL HAD FALLEN </s>
<s> AS I RAN DOWN THE PASSAGE MY SISTER'S DOOR WAS UNLOCKED AND REVOLVED SLOWLY UPON ITS HINGES </s>
<s> I STARED AT IT HORROR STRICKEN NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS ABOUT TO ISSUE FROM IT </s>
<s> BY THE LIGHT OF THE CORRIDOR LAMP I SAW MY SISTER APPEAR AT THE OPENING HER FACE BLANCHED WITH TERROR HER HANDS GROPING FOR HELP HER WHOLE FIGURE SWAYING TO AND FRO LIKE THAT OF A DRUNKARD </s>
<s> I RAN TO HER AND THREW MY ARMS ROUND HER BUT AT THAT MOMENT HER KNEES SEEMED TO GIVE WAY AND SHE FELL TO THE GROUND </s>
<s> SHE WRITHED AS ONE WHO IS IN TERRIBLE PAIN AND HER LIMBS WERE DREADFULLY CONVULSED </s>
<s> AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT SHE HAD NOT RECOGNIZED ME BUT AS I BENT OVER HER SHE SUDDENLY SHRIEKED OUT IN A VOICE WHICH I SHALL NEVER FORGET OH MY GOD </s>
<s> HELEN </s>
<s> IT WAS THE BAND </s>
<s> THE SPECKLED BAND </s>