Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventure of
The Sussex Vampire
www.world-english.org
Holmes had read carefully a note which the last post had brought him.
Then, with the dry chucle which was his nearest approach to a laugh, he
tossed it over to me.
!"or a mi#ture of the modern and the mediaeval, of the practical and of
the wildly fanciful, $ thin this is surely the limit,! said he. !%hat do you
mae of it, %atson&!
$ read as follows'

(), *+D ,-%./,
0ov. 12th.

.e 3ampires

S$.'
*ur client, 4r. .obert "erguson, of "erguson and
4uirhead, tea broers, of 4incing +ane, has made some
in5uiry from us in a communication of even date concerning
vampires. As our firm speciali6es entirely upon the assessment of
machinery the matter hardly comes within our
purview, and we have therefore recommended 4r. "erguson to call upon
you and lay the matter before you. %e
have not forgotten your successful action in the case of
4atilda 7riggs.
%e are, sir,
"aithfully yours,
4*..$S*0, 4*..$S*0, A0D D*DD.
per -. ,. C.

!4atilda 7riggs was not the name of a young woman, %atson,! said
Holmes in a reminiscent voice. !$t was a ship which is associated with the
giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared. 7ut
what do we now about vampires& Does it come within our purview either&
Anything is better than stagnation, but really we seem to have been switched
on to a 8rimm9s fairy tale. 4ae a long arm, %atson, and see what 3 has to
say.!
$ leaned bac and too down the great inde# volume to which he
referred. Holmes balanced it on his nee, and his eyes moved slowly and
lovingly over the record of old cases, mi#ed with the accumulated
information of a lifetime.
!3oyage of the 8loria Scott,! he read. !That was a bad business. $ have
some recollection that you made a record of it, %atson, though $ was unable
to congratulate you upon the result. 3ictor +ynch, the forger. 3enomous
li6ard or gila. .emarable case, that: 3ittoria, the circus belle. 3anderbilt
and the /eggman. 3ipers. 3igor, the Hammersmith wonder. Hullo: Hullo:
8ood old inde#. /ou can9t beat it. +isten to this, %atson. 3ampirism in
Hungary. And again, 3ampires in Transylvania.! He turned over the pages
with eagerness, but after a short intent perusal he threw down the great boo
with a snarl of disappointment.
!.ubbish, %atson, rubbish: %hat have we to do with waling corpses
who can only be held in their grave by staes driven through their hearts&
$t9s pure lunacy.!
!7ut surely,! said $, !the vampire was not necessarily a dead man& A
living person might have the habit. $ have read, for e#ample, of the old
sucing the blood of the young in order to retain their youth.!
!/ou are right, %atson. $t mentions the legend in one of these
references. 7ut are we to give serious attention to such things& This agency
stands flat-footed upon the ground, and there it must remain. The world is
big enough for us. 0o ghosts need apply. $ fear that we cannot tae 4r.
.obert "erguson very seriously. ;ossibly this note may be from him and
may throw some light upon what is worrying him.!
He too up a second letter which had lain unnoticed upon the table while
he had been absorbed with the first. This he began to read with a smile of
amusement upon his face which gradually faded away into an e#pression of
intense interest and concentration. %hen he had finished he sat for some
little time lost in thought with the letter dangling from his fingers. "inally,
with a start, he aroused himself from his reverie.
!Cheeseman9s, +amberley. %here is +amberley, %atson&!
!$t is in Susse#, South of Horsham.!
!0ot very far, eh& And Cheeseman9s&!
!$ now that country, Holmes. $t is full of old houses which are named
after the men who built them centuries ago. /ou get *dley9s and Harvey9s
and Carriton9s < the fol are forgotten but their names live in their houses.!
!;recisely,! said Holmes coldly. $t was one of the peculiarities of his
proud, self-contained nature that though he doceted any fresh information
very 5uietly and accurately in his brain, he seldom made any
acnowledgment to the giver. !$ rather fancy we shall now a good deal
more about Cheeseman9s, +amberley, before we are through. The letter is, as
$ had hoped, from .obert "erguson. 7y the way, he claims ac5uaintance
with you.!
!%ith me:!
!/ou had better read it.!
He handed the letter across. $t was headed with the address 5uoted.
D-A. 4.. H*+4-S =it said>'
$ have been recommended to you by my lawyers, but
indeed the matter is so e#traordinarily delicate that it is
most
difficult to discuss. $t concerns a friend for whom $ am
acting. This gentleman married some five years ago a
;eruvian
lady the daughter of a ;eruvian merchant, whom he had
met in connection with the importation of nitrates. The lady
was very beautiful, but the fact of her foreign birth and of
her alien religion always caused a separation of interests
and
of feelings between husband and wife, so that after a time
his love may have cooled towards her and he may have
come to regard their union as a mistae. He felt there were
sides of her character which he could never e#plore or
understand. This was the more painful as she was as loving
a wife as a man could have < to all appearance absolutely
devoted.
0ow for the point which $ will mae more plain when we
meet. $ndeed, this note is merely to give you a general idea
of the situation and to ascertain whether you would care to
interest yourself in the matter. The lady began to show
some curious traits 5uite alien to her ordinarily sweet and
gentle disposition. The gentleman had been married twice
and he had one son by the first wife. This boy was now
fifteen, a very charming and affectionate youth, though
unhappily in?ured through an accident in childhood. Twice
the wife was caught in the act of assaulting this poor lad in
the most unprovoed way. *nce she struc him with a stic
and left a great weal on his arm.
This was a small matter, however, compared with her
conduct to her own child, a dear boy ?ust under one year of
age. *n one occasion about a month ago this child had
been left by its nurse for a few minutes. A loud cry from
the
baby, as of pain, called the nurse bac. As she ran into the
room she saw her employer, the lady, leaning over the baby
and apparently biting his nec. There was a small wound in
the nec from which a stream of blood had escaped. The
nurse was so horrified that she wished to call the husband,
but the lady implored her not to do so and actually gave her
five pounds as a price for her silence. 0o e#planation was
ever given, and for the moment the matter was passed over.
$t left, however, a terrible impression upon the nurse9s
mind, and from that time she began to watch her mistress
closely and to eep a closer guard upon the baby, whom
she
tenderly loved. $t seemed to her that even as she watched
the mother, so the mother watched her, and that every time
she was compelled to leave the baby alone the mother was
waiting to get at it. Day and night the nurse covered the
child, and day and night the silent, watchful mother seemed
to be lying in wait as a wolf waits for a lamb. $t must read
most incredible to you, and yet $ beg you to tae it
seriously, for a child9s life and a man9s sanity may depend
upon it.
At last there came one dreadful day when the facts could
no longer be concealed from the husband. The nurse9s
nerve
had given way@ she could stand the strain no longer, and
she made a clean breast of it all to the man. To him it
seemed as wild a tale as it may now seem to you. He new
his wife to be a loving wife, and, save for the assaults
upon her stepson, a loving mother. %hy, then, should
she wound her own dear little baby& He told the nurse that
she was dreaming, that her suspicions were those of a
lunatic, and that such libels upon her mistress were not to
be
tolerated. %hile they were taling a sudden cry of pain was
heard. 0urse and master rushed together to the nursery.
$magine his feelings, 4r. Holmes, as he saw his wife rise
from a neeling position beside the cot and saw blood upon
the child9s e#posed nec and upon the sheet. %ith a cry of
horror, he turned his wife9s face to the light and saw blood
all round her lips. $t was she < she beyond all 5uestion <
who had drun the poor baby9s blood.
So the matter stands. She is now confined to her room.
There has been no e#planation. The husband is half
demented. He nows, and $ now, little of vampirism beyond
the name. %e had thought it was some wild tale of foreign
parts. And yet here in the very heart of the -nglish Susse#
<
well, all this can be discussed with you in the morning.
%ill
you see me& %ill you use your great powers in aiding a
distracted man& $f so, indly wire to "erguson,
Cheeseman9s,
+amberley, and $ will be at your rooms by ten o9cloc.
/ours faithfully,
.*7-.T "-.8AS*0.

;. S. $ believe your friend %atson played .ugby for
7lacheath when $ was three-5uarter for .ichmond. $t is
the
only personal introduction which $ can give.
!*f course $ remembered him,! said $ as $ laid down the letter. !7ig 7ob
"erguson, the finest three-5uarter .ichmond ever had. He was always a
good-natured chap. $t9s lie him to be so concerned over a friend9s case.!
Holmes looed at me thoughtfully and shoo his head. !$ never get your
limits, %atson,! said he. !There are une#plored possibilities about you. Tae
a wire down, lie a good fellow. 9%ill e#amine your case with pleasure.9 !
!/our case:!
!%e must not let him thin that this agency is a home for the wea-
minded. *f course it is his case. Send him that wire and let the matter rest
till morning.!
;romptly at ten o9cloc ne#t morning "erguson strode into our room. $
had remembered him as a long, slab-sided man with loose limbs and a fine
turn of speed which had carried him round many an opposing bac. There is
surely nothing in life more painful than to meet the wrec of a fine athlete
whom one has nown in his prime. His great frame had fallen in, his fla#en
hair was scanty, and his shoulders were bowed. $ fear that $ roused
corresponding emotions in him.
!Hullo, %atson,! said he, and his voice was still deep and hearty. !/ou
don9t loo 5uite the man you did when $ threw you over the ropes into the
crowd at the *ld Deer ;ar. $ e#pect $ have changed a bit also. 7ut it9s this
last day or two that has aged me. $ see by your telegram, 4r. Holmes, that it
is no use my pretending to be anyone9s deputy.! .
!$t is simpler to deal direct,! said Holmes.
!*f course it is. 7ut you can imagine how difficult it is when you are
speaing of the one woman whom you are bound to protect and help. %hat
can $ do& How am $ to go to the police with such a story& And yet the
iddies have got to be protected. $s it madness, 4r. Holmes& $s it something
in the blood& Have you any similar case in your e#perience& "or 8od9s sae,
give me some advice, for $ am at my wit9s end.!
!3ery naturally, 4r. "erguson. 0ow sit here and pull yourself together
and give me a few clear answers. $ can assure you that $ am very far from
being at my wit9s end, and that $ am confident we shall find some solution.
"irst of all, tell me what steps you have taen. $s your wife still near the
children&!
!%e had a dreadful scene. She is a most loving woman, 4r. Holmes. $f
ever a woman loved a man with all her heart and soul, she loves me. She
was cut to the heart that $ should have discovered this horrible, this
incredible, secret. She would not even spea. She gave no answer to my
reproaches, save to ga6e at me with a sort of wild, despairing loo in her
eyes. Then she rushed to her room and loced herself in. Since then she has
refused to see me. She has a maid who was with her before her marriage,
Dolores by name < a friend rather than a servant. She taes her food to
her.!
!Then the child is in no immediate danger&!
!4rs. 4ason, the nurse, has sworn that she will not leave it night or day.
$ can absolutely trust her. $ am more uneasy about poor little ,ac, for, as $
told you in my note, he has twice been assaulted by her.!
!7ut never wounded&!
!0o, she struc him savagely. $t is the more terrible as he is a poor little
inoffensive cripple.! "erguson9s gaunt features softened as he spoe of his
boy. !/ou would thin that the dear lad9s condition would soften anyone9s
heart. A fall in childhood and a twisted spine, 4r. Holmes. 7ut the dearest,
most loving heart within.!
Holmes had piced up the letter of yesterday and was reading it over.
!%hat other inmates are there in your house, 4r. "erguson&!
!Two servants who have not been long with us. *ne stablehand,
4ichael, who sleeps in the house. 4y wife, myself, my boy ,ac, baby,
Dolores, and 4rs. 4ason. That is all.!
!$ gather that you did not now your wife well at the time of your
marriage&!
!$ had only nown her a few wees.!
!How long had this maid Dolores been with her&!
!Some years.!
!Then your wife9s character would really be better nown by Dolores
than by you&!
!/es, you may say so.!
Holmes made a note. !$ fancy,! said he, !that $ may be of more use at
+amberley than here. $t is eminently a case for personal investigation. $f the
lady remains in her room, our presence could not annoy or inconvenience
her. *f course, we would stay at the inn.!
"erguson gave a gesture of relief. !$t is what $ hoped, 4r. Holmes. There
is an e#cellent train at two from 3ictoria if you could come.!
!*f course we could come. There is a lull at present. $ can give you my
undivided energies. %atson, of course, comes with us. 7ut there are one or
two points upon which $ wish to be very sure before $ start. This unhappy
lady, as $ understand it, has appeared to assault both the children, her own
baby and your little son&!
!That is so.!
!7ut the assaults tae different forms, do they not& She has beaten your
son.!
!*nce with a stic and once very savagely with her hands.!
!Did she give no e#planation why she struc him&!
!0one save that she hated him. Again and again she said so.!
!%ell, that is not unnown among stepmothers. A posthumous ?ealousy,
we will say. $s the lady ?ealous by nature&!
!/es, she is very ?ealous < ?ealous with all the strength of her fiery
tropical love.!
!7ut the boy < he is fifteen, $ understand, and probably very developed
in mind, since his body has been circumscribed in action. Did he give you
no e#planation of these assaults&!
!0o, he declared there was no reason.!
!%ere they good friends at other times&!
!0o, there was never any love between them.!
!/et you say he is affectionate&!
!0ever in the world could there be so devoted a son. 4y life is his life.
He is absorbed in what $ say or do.!
*nce again Holmes made a note. "or some time he sat lost in thought.
!0o doubt you and the boy were great comrades before this second
marriage. /ou were thrown very close together, were you not&!
!3ery much so.!
!And the boy, having so affectionate a nature, was devoted, no doubt, to
the memory of his mother&!
!4ost devoted.!
!He would certainly seem to be a most interesting lad. There is one other
point about these assaults. %ere the strange attacs upon the baby and the
assaults upon your son at the same period&!
!$n the first case it was so. $t was as if some fren6y had sei6ed her, and
she had vented her rage upon both. $n the second case it was only ,ac who
suffered. 4rs. 4ason had no complaint to mae about the baby.!
!That certainly complicates matters.!
!$ don9t 5uite follow you, 4r. Holmes.!
!;ossibly not. *ne forms provisional theories and waits for time or fuller
nowledge to e#plode them. A bad habit, 4r. "erguson, but human nature is
wea. $ fear that your old friend here has given an e#aggerated view of my
scientific methods. However, $ will only say at the present stage that your
problem does not appear to me to be insoluble, and that you may e#pect to
find us at 3ictoria at two o9cloc.!
$t was evening of a dull, foggy 0ovember day when, having left our
bags at the Che5uers, +amberley, we drove through the Susse# clay of a
long winding lane and finally reached the isolated and ancient farmhouse in
which "erguson dwelt. $t was a large, straggling building, very old in the
center, very new at the wings with towering Tudor chimneys and a lichen-
spotted, high-pitched roof of Horsham slabs. The doorsteps were worn into
curves, and the ancient tiles which lined the porch were mared with the
rebus of a cheese and a man after the original builder. %ithin, the ceilings
were corrugated with heavy oaen beams, and the uneven floors sagged into
sharp curves. An odor of age and decay pervaded the whole crumbling
building.
There was one very large central room into which "erguson led us. Here,
in a huge old-fashioned fireplace with an iron screen behind it dated 1)BC,
there bla6ed and spluttered a splendid log fire.
The room, as $ ga6ed round, was a most singular mi#ture of dates and of
places. The half-panelled walls may well have belonged to the original
yeoman farmer of the seventeenth century. They were ornamented, however,
on the lower part by a line of well-chosen modern watercolors@ while above,
where yellow plaster too the place of oa, there was hung a fine collection
of South American utensils and weapons, which had been brought, no
doubt, by the ;eruvian lady upstairs. Holmes rose, with that 5uic curiosity
which sprang from his eager mind, and e#amined them with some care. He
returned with his eyes full of thought.
!Hullo:! he cried. !Hullo:!
A spaniel had lain in a baset in the corner. $t came slowly forward
towards its master, waling with difficulty. $ts hind legs moved irregularly
and its tail was on the ground. $t liced "erguson9s hand.
!%hat is it, 4r. Holmes&!
!The dog. %hat9s the matter with it&!
!That9s what pu66led the vet. A sort of paralysis. Spinal meningitis, he
thought. 7ut it is passing. He9ll be all right soon < won9t you, Carlo&!
A shiver of assent passed through the drooping tail. The dog9s mournful
eyes passed from one of us to the other. He new that we were discussing
his case.
!Did it come on suddenly&!
!$n a single night.!
!How long ago&!
!$t may have been four months ago.!
!3ery remarable. 3ery suggestive.!
!%hat do you see in it, 4r. Holmes&!
!A confirmation of what $ had already thought.!
!"or 8od9s sae, what do you thin, 4r. Holmes& $t may be a mere
intellectual pu66le to you, but it is life and death to me: 4y wife a would-be
murderer < my child in constant danger: Don9t play with me, 4r. Holmes.
$t is too terribly serious.! The big .ugby three-5uarter was trembling all
over.
Holmes put his hand soothingly upon his arm. !$ fear that there is pain
for you, 4r. "erguson, whatever the solution may be,! said he. !$ would
spare you all $ can. $ cannot say more for the instant, but before $ leave this
house $ hope $ may have something definite.!
!;lease 8od you may: $f you will e#cuse me, gentlemen, $ will go up to
my wife9s room and see if there has been any change.!
He was away some minutes, during which Holmes resumed his
e#amination of the curiosities upon the wall. %hen our host returned it was
clear from his downcast face that he had made no progress. He brought with
him a tall, slim, brown-faced girl. !The tea is ready, Dolores,! said
"erguson. !See that your mistress has everything she can wish.!
!She verra ill,! cried the girl, looing with indignant eyes at her master.
!She no as for food. She verra ill. She need doctor. $ frightened stay alone
with her without doctor.!
"erguson looed at me with a 5uestion in his eyes.
!$ should be so glad if $ could be of use.!
!%ould your mistress see Dr. %atson&!
!$ tae him. $ no as leave. She needs doctor.!
!Then $9ll come with you at once.!
$ followed the girl, who was 5uivering with strong emotion, up the
staircase and down an ancient corridor. At the end was an iron-clamped and
massive door. $t struc me as $ looed at it that if "erguson tried to force his
way to his wife he would find it no easy matter. The girl drew a ey from
her pocet, and the heavy oaen plans creaed upon their old hinges. $
passed in and she swiftly followed, fastening the door behind her.
*n the bed a woman was lying who was clearly in a high fever. She was
only half conscious, but as $ entered she raised a pair of frightened but
beautiful eyes and glared at me in apprehension. Seeing a stranger, she
appeared to be relieved and san bac with a sigh upon the pillow. $ stepped
up to her with a few reassuring words, and she lay still while $ too her
pulse and temperature. 7oth were high, and yet my impression was that the
condition was rather that of mental and nervous e#citement than of any
actual sei6ure.
!She lie lie that one day, two day. $ 9fraid she die,! said the girl.
The woman turned her flushed and handsome face towards me. !%here
is my husband&!
!He is below and would wish to see you.!
!$ will not see him. $ will not see him.! Then she seemed to wander off
into delirium. !A fiend: A fiend: *h, what shall $ do with this devil&!
!Can $ help you in any way&!
!0o. 0o one can help. $t is finished. All is destroyed. Do what $ will, all
is destroyed.!
The woman must have some strange delusion. $ could not see honest
7ob "erguson in the character of fiend or devil.
!4adame,! $ said, !your husband loves you dearly. He is deeply grieved
at this happening.!
Again she turned on me those glorious eyes. !He loves me. /es. 7ut do $
not love him& Do $ not love him even to sacrifice myself rather than brea
his dear heart& That is how $ love him. And yet he could thin of me < he
could spea of me so.!
!He is full of grief, but he cannot understand.!
!0o, he cannot understand. 7ut he should trust.!
!%ill you not see him&! $ suggested.
!0o, no, $ cannot forget those terrible words nor the loo upon his face. $
will not see him. 8o now. /ou can do nothing for me. Tell him only one
thing. $ want my child. $ have a right to my child. That is the only message $
can send him.! She turned her face to the wall and would say no more.
$ returned to the room downstairs, where "erguson and Holmes still sat
by the fire. "erguson listened moodily to my account of the interview.
!How can $ send her the child&! he said. !How do $ now what strange
impulse might come upon her& How can $ ever forget how she rose from
beside it with its blood upon her lips&! He shuddered at the recollection.
!The child is safe with 4rs. 4ason, and there he must remain.!
A smart maid, the only modern thing which we had seen in the house,
had brought in some tea. As she was serving it the door opened and a youth
entered the room. He was a remarable lad, pale-faced and fair-haired, with
e#citable light blue eyes which bla6ed into a sudden flame of emotion and
?oy as they rested upon his father. He rushed forward and threw his arms
round his nec with the abandon of a loving girl.
!*h, daddy,! he cried, !$ did not now that you were due yet. $ should
have been here to meet you. *h, $ am so glad to see you:!
"erguson gently disengaged himself from the embrace with some little
show of embarrassment. !Dear old chap,! said he, patting the fla#en head
with a very tender hand. !$ came early because my friends, 4r. Holmes and
Dr. %atson, have been persuaded to come down and spend an evening with
us.!
!$s that 4r. Holmes, the detective&!
!/es.!
The youth looed at us with a very penetrating and, as it seemed to me,
unfriendly ga6e.
!%hat about your other child, 4r. "erguson&! ased Holmes. !4ight we
mae the ac5uaintance of the baby&!
!As 4rs. 4ason to bring baby down,! said "erguson. The boy went off
with a curious, shambling gait which told my surgical eyes that he was
suffering from a wea spine. ;resently he returned, and behind him came a
tall, gaunt woman bearing in her arms a very beautiful child, dar-eyed,
golden-haired, a wonderful mi#ture of the Sa#on and the +atin. "erguson
was evidently devoted to it, for he too it into his arms and fondled it most
tenderly.
!"ancy anyone having the heart to hurt him,! he muttered as he glanced
down at the small, angry red pucer upon the cherub throat.
$t was at this moment that $ chanced to glance at Holmes and saw a most
singular intentness in his e#pression. His face was as set as if it had been
carved out of old ivory, and his eyes, which had glanced for a moment at
father and child, were now fi#ed with eager curiosity upon something at the
other side of the room. "ollowing his ga6e $ could only guess that he was
looing out through the window at the melancholy, dripping garden. $t is
true that a shutter had half closed outside and obstructed the view, but none
the less it was certainly at the window that Holmes was fi#ing his
concentrated attention. Then he smiled, and his eyes came bac to the baby.
*n its chubby nec there was this small pucered mar. %ithout speaing,
Holmes e#amined it with care. "inally he shoo one of the dimpled fists
which waved in front of him.
!8ood-bye, little man. /ou have made a strange start in life. 0urse, $
should wish to have a word with you in private.! He too her aside and
spoe earnestly for a few minutes. $ only heard the last words, which were'
!/our an#iety will soon, $ hope, be set at rest.! The woman, who seemed to
be a sour, silent ind of creature, withdrew with the child.
!%hat is 4rs. 4ason lie&! ased Holmes.
!0ot very prepossessing e#ternally, as you can see, but a heart of gold,
and devoted to the child.!
!Do you lie her, ,ac&! Holmes turned suddenly upon the boy. His
e#pressive mobile face shadowed over, and he shoo his head.
!,acy has very strong lies and dislies,! said "erguson, putting his arm
round the boy. !+ucily $ am one of his lies.!
The boy cooed and nestled his head upon his father9s breast. "erguson
gently disengaged him. !.un away, little ,acy,! said he, and he watched his
son with loving eyes until he disappeared. !0ow, 4r. Holmes,! he
continued when the boy was gone, !$ really feel that $ have brought you on a
fool9s errand, for what can you possibly do save give me your sympathy& $t
must be an e#ceedingly delicate and comple# affair from your point of
view.!
!$t is certainly delicate,! said my friend with an amused smile, !but $
have not been struc up to now with its comple#ity. $t has been a case for
intellectual deduction, but when this original intellectual deduction is
confirmed point by point by 5uite a number of independent incidents, then
the sub?ective becomes ob?ective and we can say confidently that we have
reached our goal. $ had, in fact, reached it before we left 7aer Street, and
the rest has merely been observation and confirmation.!
"erguson put his big hand to his furrowed forehead. !"or heaven9s sae,
Holmes,! he said hoarsely@ !if you can see the truth in this matter, do not
eep me in suspense. How do $ stand& %hat shall $ do& $ care nothing as to
how you have found your facts so long as you have really got them.!
!Certainly $ owe you an e#planation, and you shall have it. 7ut you will
permit me to handle the matter in my own way& $s the lady capable of
seeing us, %atson&!
!She is ill, but she is 5uite rational.!
!3ery good. $t is only in her presence that we can clear the matter up.
+et us go up to her.!
!She will not see me,! cried "erguson.
!*h, yes, she will,! said Holmes. He scribbled a few lines upon a sheet
of paper.!/ou at least have the entrDe, %atson. %ill you have the goodness
to give the lady this note&!
$ ascended again and handed the note to Dolores, who cautiously opened
the door. A minute later $ heard a cry from within, a cry in which ?oy and
surprise seemed to be blended. Dolores looed out. !She will see them. She
will leesten,! said she.
At my summons "erguson and Holmes came up. As we entered the
room "erguson too a step or two towards his wife, who had raised herself
in the bed, but she held out her hand to repulse him. He san into an
armchair, while Holmes seated himself beside him, after bowing to the lady,
who looed at him with wide-eyed ama6ement.
!$ thin we can dispense with Dolores,! said Holmes. !*h, very well,
4adame, if you would rather she stayed $ can see no ob?ection. 0ow, 4r.
"erguson, $ am a busy man with many calls, and my methods have to be
short and direct. The swiftest surgery is the least painful. +et me first say
what will ease your mind. /our wife is a very good, a very loving, and a
very ill-used woman.!
"erguson sat up with a cry of ?oy. !;rove that, 4r. Holmes, and $ am
your debtor forever.!
!$ will do so, but in doing so $ must wound you deeply in another
direction.!
!$ care nothing so long as you clear my wife. -verything on earth is
insignificant compared to that.!
!+et me tell you, then, the train of reasoning which passed through my
mind in 7aer Street. The idea of a vampire was to me absurd. Such things
do not happen in criminal practice in -ngland. And yet your observation
was precise. /ou had seen the lady rise from beside the child9s cot with the
blood upon her lips.!
!$ did.!
!Did it not occur to you that a bleeding wound may be suced for some
other purpose than to draw the blood from it& %as there not a 5ueen in
-nglish history who suced such a wound to draw poison from it&!
!;oison:!
!A South American household. 4y instinct felt the presence of those
weapons upon the wall before my eyes ever saw them. $t might have been
other poison, but that was what occurred to me. %hen $ saw that little empty
5uiver beside the small birdbow, it was ?ust what $ e#pected to see. $f the
child were priced with one of those arrows dipped in curare or some other
devilish drug, it would mean death if the venom were not suced out.
!And the dog: $f one were to use such a poison, would one not try it first
in order to see that it had not lost its power& $ did not foresee the dog, but at
least $ understand him and he fitted into my reconstruction.
!0ow do you understand& /our wife feared such an attac. She saw it
made and saved the child9s life, and yet she shran from telling you all the
truth, for she new how you loved the boy and feared lest it brea your
heart.!
!,acy:!
!$ watched him as you fondled the child ?ust now. His face was clearly
reflected in the glass of the window where the shutter formed a bacground.
$ saw such ?ealousy, such cruel hatred, as $ have seldom seen in a human
face.!
!4y ,acy:!
!/ou have to face it, 4r. "erguson. $t is the more painful because it is a
distorted love, a maniacal e#aggerated love for you, and possibly for his
dead mother, which has prompted his action. His very soul is consumed
with hatred for this splendid child, whose health and beauty are a contrast to
his own weaness.!
!8ood 8od: $t is incredible:!
!Have $ spoen the truth, 4adame&!
The lady was sobbing, with her face buried in the pillows. 0ow she
turned to her husband.
!How could $ tell you, 7ob& $ felt the blow it would be to you. $t was
better that $ should wait and that it should come from some other lips than
mine. %hen this gentleman, who seems to have powers of magic, wrote that
he new all, $ was glad.!
!$ thin a year at sea would be my prescription for 4aster ,acy,! said
Holmes, rising from his chair. !*nly one thing is still clouded, 4adame %e
can 5uite understand your attacs upon 4aster ,acy. There is a limit to a
mother9s patience. 7ut how did you dare to leave the child these last two
days&!
!$ had told 4rs. 4ason. She new.!
!-#actly. So $ imagined.!
"erguson was standing by the bed, choing, his hands outstretched and
5uivering.
!This, $ fancy, is the time for our e#it, %atson,! said Holmes in a
whisper. !$f you will tae one elbow of the too faithful Dolores, $ will tae
the other. There, now,! he added as he closed the door behind him, !$ thin
we may leave them to settle the rest among themselves.!
$ have only one further note of this case. $t is the letter which Holmes
wrote in final answer to that with which the narrative begins. $t ran thus'

7AE-. ST.--T,
0ov. F1st.

.e 3ampires

S$.'
.eferring to your letter of the 12th, $ beg to state that $ have looed into
the in5uiry of your client, 4r. .obert "erguson, of "erguson and 4uirhead,
tea broers, of 4incing +ane, and that the matter has been brought to a
satisfactory conclusion. %ith thans for your recommendation,
$ am, sir,
"aithfully yours,
SH-.+*CE H*+4-S.
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