DarqueDante/test2 · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 74
groping for help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a
drunkard. 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. She
writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were dreadfully
convulsed. At first I thought that she had not recognised me, but as
I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall
never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was the band! The speckled
band!' There was something else which she would fain have said, and
she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the
doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion seized her and choked her
words. I rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather, and I met him
hastening from his room in his dressing-gown. When he reached my
sister's side she was unconscious, and though he poured brandy down
her throat and sent for medical aid from the village, all efforts
were in vain, for she slowly sank and died without having recovered
her consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister."

"One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and
metallic sound? Could you swear to it?"

"That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. It is my
strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of the
gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have been
deceived."

"Was your sister dressed?"

"No, she was in her night-dress. In her right hand was found the
charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box."

"Showing that she had struck a light and looked about her when the
alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did the
coroner come to?"

"He investigated the case with great care, for Dr. Roylott's conduct
had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable to find any
satisfactory cause of death. My evidence showed that the door had
been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows were blocked by
old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, which were secured every
night. The walls were carefully sounded, and were shown to be quite
solid all round, and the flooring was also thoroughly examined, with
the same result. The chimney is wide, but is barred up by four large
staples. It is certain, therefore, that my sister was quite alone
when she met her end. Besides, there were no marks of any violence
upon her."

"How about poison?"

"The doctors examined her for it, but without success."

"What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?"

"It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, though
what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine."

"Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?"

"Yes, there are nearly always some there."

"Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a speckled
band?"

"Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of
delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of people,
perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not know
whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear over
their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which she
used."

Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied.

"These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your
narrative."

"Two years have passed since then, and my life has been until lately
lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, whom I have
known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in
marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the second son of Mr.
Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My stepfather has offered no
opposition to the match, and we are to be married in the course of
the spring. Two days ago some repairs were started in the west wing
of the building, and my bedroom wall has been pierced, so that I have
had to move into the chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in
the very bed in which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror
when last night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I
suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which had
been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the lamp, but
nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to go to bed
again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was daylight I
slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which is opposite, and
drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on this morning with
the one object of seeing you and asking your advice."

"You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me all?"

"Yes, all."

"Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather."

"Why, what do you mean?"

groping for help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a

drunkard. 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. She

writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were dreadfully

convulsed. At first I thought that she had not recognised me, but as

I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall

never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was the band! The speckled

band!' There was something else which she would fain have said, and

she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the

doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion seized her and choked her

words. I rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather, and I met him

hastening from his room in his dressing-gown. When he reached my

sister's side she was unconscious, and though he poured brandy down

her throat and sent for medical aid from the village, all efforts

were in vain, for she slowly sank and died without having recovered

her consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister."

"One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and

metallic sound? Could you swear to it?"

"That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. It is my

strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of the

gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have been

deceived."

"Was your sister dressed?"

"No, she was in her night-dress. In her right hand was found the

charred stump of a match, and in her left a match-box."

"Showing that she had struck a light and looked about her when the

alarm took place. That is important. And what conclusions did the

coroner come to?"

"He investigated the case with great care, for Dr. Roylott's conduct

had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable to find any

satisfactory cause of death. My evidence showed that the door had

been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows were blocked by

old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, which were secured every

night. The walls were carefully sounded, and were shown to be quite

solid all round, and the flooring was also thoroughly examined, with

the same result. The chimney is wide, but is barred up by four large

staples. It is certain, therefore, that my sister was quite alone

when she met her end. Besides, there were no marks of any violence

upon her."

"How about poison?"

"The doctors examined her for it, but without success."

"What do you think that this unfortunate lady died of, then?"

"It is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, though

what it was that frightened her I cannot imagine."

"Were there gipsies in the plantation at the time?"

"Yes, there are nearly always some there."

"Ah, and what did you gather from this allusion to a band--a speckled

band?"

"Sometimes I have thought that it was merely the wild talk of

delirium, sometimes that it may have referred to some band of people,

perhaps to these very gipsies in the plantation. I do not know

whether the spotted handkerchiefs which so many of them wear over

their heads might have suggested the strange adjective which she

used."

Holmes shook his head like a man who is far from being satisfied.

"These are very deep waters," said he; "pray go on with your

narrative."

"Two years have passed since then, and my life has been until lately

lonelier than ever. A month ago, however, a dear friend, whom I have

known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in

marriage. His name is Armitage--Percy Armitage--the second son of Mr.

Armitage, of Crane Water, near Reading. My stepfather has offered no

opposition to the match, and we are to be married in the course of

the spring. Two days ago some repairs were started in the west wing

of the building, and my bedroom wall has been pierced, so that I have

had to move into the chamber in which my sister died, and to sleep in

the very bed in which she slept. Imagine, then, my thrill of terror

when last night, as I lay awake, thinking over her terrible fate, I

suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle which had

been the herald of her own death. I sprang up and lit the lamp, but

nothing was to be seen in the room. I was too shaken to go to bed

again, however, so I dressed, and as soon as it was daylight I

slipped down, got a dog-cart at the Crown Inn, which is opposite, and

drove to Leatherhead, from whence I have come on this morning with

the one object of seeing you and asking your advice."

"You have done wisely," said my friend. "But have you told me all?"

"Yes, all."

"Miss Roylott, you have not. You are screening your stepfather."

"Why, what do you mean?"