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. 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. A series of disgraceful brawls took place, two of which
ended in the police-court, 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.
"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. 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. 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.
"You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had
no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with us, and
for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was but thirty
at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already begun to
whiten, even as mine has."
"Your sister is dead, then?"
"She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish to
speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I have
described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own age and
position. 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. Julia went there at
Christmas two years ago, and met there a half-pay major of marines,
to whom she became engaged. My stepfather learned of the engagement
when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage; but
within a fortnight of the day which had been fixed for the wedding,
the terrible event occurred which has deprived me of my only
companion."
Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes
closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his lids
now and glanced across at his visitor.
"Pray be precise as to details," said he.
"It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful time is
seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have already said,
very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The bedrooms in this
wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms being in the central
block of the buildings. Of these bedrooms the first is Dr. Roylott's,
the second my sister's, and the third my own. There is no
communication between them, but they all open out into the same
corridor. Do I make myself plain?"
"Perfectly so."
"The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn. That fatal
night Dr. 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. She left
her room, therefore, and came into mine, where she sat for some time,
chatting about her approaching wedding. At eleven o'clock she rose to
leave me, but she paused at the door and looked back.
"'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle in
the dead of the night?'
"'Never,' said I.
"'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle, yourself, in your
sleep?'
"'Certainly not. But why?'
"'Because during the last few nights I have always, about three in
the morning, heard a low, clear whistle. I am a light sleeper, and it
has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from--perhaps from the
next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would just ask you
whether you had heard it.'
"'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gipsies in the
plantation.'
"'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you did
not hear it also.'
"'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.'
"'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled back
at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her key turn
in the lock."
"Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock yourselves
in at night?"
"Always."
"And why?"
"I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah and a
baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were locked."
"Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement."
"I could not sleep that night. A vague feeling of impending
misfortune impressed me. 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. It was a wild night. The wind was
howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing against the
windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, there burst forth
the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew that it was my sister's
voice. I sprang from my bed, wrapped a shawl round me, and rushed
into the corridor. 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. As I ran down the
passage, my sister's door was unlocked, and revolved slowly upon its
hinges. I stared at it horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to
issue from it. 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. 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?"
For answer Holmes pushed back the frill of black lace which fringed
the hand that lay upon our visitor's knee. Five little livid spots,
the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed upon the white
wrist.
"You have been cruelly used," said Holmes.
The lady coloured deeply and covered over her injured wrist. "He is a
hard man," she said, "and perhaps he hardly knows his own strength."
There was a long silence, during which Holmes leaned his chin upon
his hands and stared into the crackling fire.
"This is a very deep business," he said at last. "There are a
thousand details which I should desire to know before I decide upon
our course of action. Yet we have not a moment to lose. If we were to
come to Stoke Moran to-day, would it be possible for us to see over
these rooms without the knowledge of your stepfather?"
"As it happens, he spoke of coming into town to-day upon some most
important business. It is probable that he will be away all day, and
that there would be nothing to disturb you. We have a housekeeper
now, but she is old and foolish, and I could easily get her out of
the way."
"Excellent. You are not averse to this trip, Watson?"
"By no means."
"Then we shall both come. What are you going to do yourself?"
"I have one or two things which I would wish to do now that I am in
town. But I shall return by the twelve o'clock train, so as to be
there in time for your coming."
"And you may expect us early in the afternoon. I have myself some
small business matters to attend to. Will you not wait and
breakfast?"
"No, I must go. My heart is lightened already since I have confided
my trouble to you. I shall look forward to seeing you again this
afternoon." She dropped her thick black veil over her face and glided
from the room.
"And what do you think of it all, Watson?" asked Sherlock Holmes,
leaning back in his chair.
