Shewasbutthirtyatthetimeofherdeath,andyetherhairhadalreadybeguntowhiten,evenasminehas.”
“Yoursisterisdead,then?”
“Shediedjusttwoyearsago,anditisofherdeaththatIwishtospeaktoyou.Youcanunderstandthat,livingthelifewhichIhavedescribed,wewerelittlelikelytoseeanyoneofourownageandposition.Wehad,however,anaunt,mymother’smaidensister,MissHonoriaWestphail,wholivesnearHarrow,andwewereoccasionallyallowedtopayshortvisitsatthislady’shouse.JuliawentthereatChristmastwoyearsago,andmetthereahalf-paymajorofmarines,towhomshebecameengaged.Mystepfatherlearnedoftheengagementwhenmysisterreturnedandofferednoobjectiontothemarriagebutwithinafortnightofthedaywhichhadbeenfixedforthewedding,theterribleeventoccurredwhichhasdeprivedmeofmyonlycompanion.”
SherlockHolmeshadbeenleaningbackinhischairwithhiseyesclosedandhisheadsunkinacushion,buthehalfopenedhislidsnowandglancedacrossathisvisitor.
“Praybepreciseastodetails,”saidhe.
“Itiseasyformetobeso,foreveryeventofthatdreadfultimeissearedintomymemory.Themanor-houseis,asIhavealreadysaid,veryold,andonlyonewingisnowinhabited.Thebedroomsinthiswingareonthegroundfloor,thesitting-roomsbeinginthecentralblockofthebuildings.OfthesebedroomsthefirstisDr.Roylott’s,thesecondmysister’s,andthethirdmyown.Thereisnocommunicationbetweenthem,buttheyallopenoutintothesamecorridor.DoImakemyselfplain?”
“Perfectlyso.”
“Thewindowsofthethreeroomsopenoutuponthelawn.ThatfatalnightDr.Roylotthadgonetohisroomearly,thoughweknewthathehadnotretiredtorest,formysisterwastroubledbythesmellofthestrongIndiancigarswhichitwashiscustomtosmoke.Sheleftherroom,therefore,andcameintomine,whereshesatforsometime,chattingaboutherapproachingwedding.Ateleveno’clocksherosetoleaveme,butshepausedatthedoorandlookedback.
“‘Tellme,Helen,’saidshe,‘haveyoueverheardanyonewhistleinthedeadofthenight?’
“‘Never,’saidI.
“‘Isupposethatyoucouldnotpossiblywhistle,yourself,inyoursleep?’
“‘Certainlynot.Butwhy?’
“‘BecauseduringthelastfewnightsIhavealways,aboutthreeinthemorning,heardalow,clearwhistle.Iamalightsleeper,andithasawakenedme.Icannottellwhereitcamefrom—perhapsfromthenextroom,perhapsfromthelawn.IthoughtthatIwouldjustaskyouwhetheryouhadheardit.’
“‘No,Ihavenot.Itmustbethosewretchedgipsiesintheplantation.’
“‘Verylikely.Andyetifitwereonthelawn,Iwonderthatyoudidnothearitalso.’
“‘Ah,butIsleepmoreheavilythanyou.’
“‘Well,itisofnogreatconsequence,atanyrate.’Shesmiledbackatme,closedmydoor,andafewmomentslaterIheardherkeyturninthelock.”
“Indeed,”saidHolmes.“Wasityourcustomalwaystolockyourselvesinatnight?”
“Always.”
“Andwhy?”
“IthinkthatImentionedtoyouthattheDoctorkeptacheetahandababoon.Wehadnofeelingofsecurityunlessourdoorswerelocked.”
“Quiteso.Prayproceedwithyourstatement.”
“Icouldnotsleepthatnight.Avaguefeelingofimpendingmisfortuneimpressedme.MysisterandI,youwillrecollect,weretwins,andyouknowhowsubtlearethelinkswhichbindtwosoulswhicharesocloselyallied.Itwasawildnight.Thewindwashowlingoutside,andtherainwasbeatingandsplashingagainstthewindows.Suddenly,amidallthehubbubofthegale,thereburstforththewildscreamofaterrifiedwoman.Iknewthatitwasmysister’svoice.Isprangfrommybed,wrappedashawlroundme,andrushedintothecorridor.AsIopenedmydoorIseemedtohearalowwhistle,suchasmysisterdescribed,andafewmomentslateraclangingsound,asifamassofmetalhadfallen.AsIrandownthepassage,mysister’sdoorwasunlocked,andrevolvedslowlyuponitshinges.Istaredatithorror-stricken,notknowingwhatwasabouttoissuefromit.Bythelightofthecorridor-lampIsawmysisterappearattheopening,herfaceblanchedwithterror,herhandsgropingforhelp,herwholefigureswayingtoandfrolikethatofadrunkard.Irantoherandthrewmyarmsroundher,butatthatmomentherkneesseemedtogivewayandshefelltotheground.Shewrithedasonewhoisinterriblepain,andherlimbsweredreadfullyconvulsed.AtfirstIthoughtthatshehadnotrecognisedme,butasIbentoverhershesuddenlyshriekedoutinavoicewhichIshallneverforget,‘Oh,myGod!Helen!Itwastheband!Thespeckledband!’Therewassomethingelsewhichshewouldfainhavesaid,andshestabbedwithherfingerintotheairinthedirectionoftheDoctor’sroom,butafreshconvulsionseizedherandchokedherwords.Irushedout,callingloudlyformystepfather,andImethimhasteningfromhisroominhisdressing-gown.Whenhereachedmysister’ssideshewasunconscious,andthoughhepouredbrandydownherthroatandsentformedicalaidfromthevillage,alleffortswereinvain,forsheslowlysankanddiedwithouthavingrecoveredherconsciousness.Suchwasthedreadfulendo