,throwingabrilliantbeamoflightupontheironsafe,thedoorofwhichwasajar.Besidethistable,onthewoodenchair,satDr.GrimesbyRoylottcladinalonggreydressing-gown,hisbareanklesprotrudingbeneath,andhisfeetthrustintoredheellessTurkishslippers.Acrosshislaplaytheshortstockwiththelonglashwhichwehadnoticedduringtheday.Hischinwascockedupwardandhiseyeswerefixedinadreadful,rigidstareatthecorneroftheceiling.Roundhisbrowhehadapeculiaryellowband,withbrownishspeckles,whichseemedtobeboundtightlyroundhishead.Asweenteredhemadeneithersoundnormotion.
“Theband!thespeckledband!”whisperedHolmes.
Itookastepforward.Inaninstanthisstrangeheadgearbegantomove,andtherereareditselffromamonghishairthesquatdiamond-shapedheadandpuffedneckofaloathsomeserpent.
“Itisaswampadder!”criedHolmes“thedeadliestsnakeinIndia.Hehasdiedwithintensecondsofbeingbitten.Violencedoes,intruth,recoilupontheviolent,andtheschemerfallsintothepitwhichhedigsforanother.Letusthrustthiscreaturebackintoitsden,andwecanthenremoveMissStonertosomeplaceofshelterandletthecountypoliceknowwhathashappened.”
Ashespokehedrewthedog-whipswiftlyfromthedeadman’slap,andthrowingthenooseroundthereptile’sneckhedrewitfromitshorridperchand,carryingitatarm’slength,threwitintotheironsafe,whichhecloseduponit.
SucharethetruefactsofthedeathofDr.GrimesbyRoylott,ofStokeMoran.ItisnotnecessarythatIshouldprolonganarrativewhichhasalreadyruntotoogreatalengthbytellinghowwebrokethesadnewstotheterrifiedgirl,howweconveyedherbythemorningtraintothecareofhergoodauntatHarrow,ofhowtheslowprocessofofficialinquirycametotheconclusionthatthedoctormethisfatewhileindiscreetlyplayingwithadangerouspet.ThelittlewhichIhadyettolearnofthecasewastoldmebySherlockHolmesaswetravelledbacknextday.
“Ihad,”saidhe,“cometoanentirelyerroneousconclusionwhichshows,mydearWatson,howdangerousitalwaysistoreasonfrominsufficientdata.Thepresenceofthegipsies,andtheuseoftheword‘band,’whichwasusedbythepoorgirl,nodoubt,toexplaintheappearancewhichshehadcaughtahurriedglimpseofbythelightofhermatch,weresufficienttoputmeuponanentirelywrongscent.IcanonlyclaimthemeritthatIinstantlyreconsideredmypositionwhen,however,itbecamecleartomethatwhateverdangerthreatenedanoccupantoftheroomcouldnotcomeeitherfromthewindoworthedoor.Myattentionwasspeedilydrawn,asIhavealreadyremarkedtoyou,tothisventilator,andtothebell-ropewhichhungdowntothebed.Thediscoverythatthiswasadummy,andthatthebedwasclampedtothefloor,instantlygaverisetothesuspicionthattheropewasthereasabridgeforsomethingpassingthroughtheholeandcomingtothebed.Theideaofasnakeinstantlyoccurredtome,andwhenIcoupleditwithmyknowledgethatthedoctorwasfurnishedwithasupplyofcreaturesfromIndia,IfeltthatIwasprobablyontherighttrack.TheideaofusingaformofpoisonwhichcouldnotpossiblybediscoveredbyanychemicaltestwasjustsuchaoneaswouldoccurtoacleverandruthlessmanwhohadhadanEasterntraining.Therapiditywithwhichsuchapoisonwouldtakeeffectwouldalso,fromhispointofview,beanadvantage.Itwouldbeasharp-eyedcoroner,indeed,whocoulddistinguishthetwolittledarkpunctureswhichwouldshowwherethepoisonfangshaddonetheirwork.ThenIthoughtofthewhistle.Ofcoursehemustrecallthesnakebeforethemorninglightrevealedittothevictim.Hehadtrainedit,probablybytheuseofthemilkwhichwesaw,toreturntohimwhensummoned.Hewouldputitthroughthisventilatoratthehourthathethoughtbest,withthecertaintythatitwouldcrawldowntheropeandlandonthebed.Itmightormightnotbitetheoccupant,perhapsshemightescapeeverynightforaweek,butsoonerorlatershemustfallavictim.
“IhadcometotheseconclusionsbeforeeverIhadenteredhisroom.Aninspectionofhischairshowedmethathehadbeeninthehabitofstandingonit,whichofcoursewouldbenecessaryinorderthatheshouldreachtheventilator.Thesightofthesafe,thesaucerofmilk,andtheloopofwhipcordwereenoughtofinallydispelanydoubtswhichmayhaveremained.ThemetallicclangheardbyMissStonerwasobviouslycausedbyherstepfatherhastilyclosingthedoorofhissafeuponitsterribleoccupant.Havingoncemadeupmymind,youknowthestepswhichItookinordertoputthemattertotheproof.IheardthecreaturehissasIhavenodoubtthatyoudidalso,andIinstantlylitthelightandattackedit.”
“Withtheresultofdrivingitthroughtheventilator.”
“Andalsowiththeresultofcausingittoturnuponitsmasterattheotherside.Someoftheblowsofmycanecamehomeandrouseditssnakishtemper,sothatitflewuponthefirstpersonitsaw.InthiswayIamnodoubtindirectlyresponsibleforDr.GrimesbyRoylott’sdeath,andIcannotsaythatitislikelytoweighveryheavilyuponmyconscience.”