Free Mandala of Sherlock Holmes by Jamyang Norbu Page B

malignant in its operation,’ said I, voicing my concern.
    ‘Not at the moment, but we shall know very soon.’ He turned away from the lamp and looked at Strickland. ‘Now, Strickland, pray enlighten me as to the details.’
    He stretched himself out on the sofa as Strickland informed him of all that had transpired in the room.
    ‘I followed your instructions to the letter, Mr Holmes. At five o’clock, just before sunset, I entered the hotel unobserved, from the trade entrance, and picked up your keyfrom under the cocoanut matting in front of the room. Since then I have been waiting —and a good long wait it has been.’
    ‘Ah, but one propitious of a very satisfactory conclusion,’ laughed Sherlock Holmes, ‘as the incident you observed a littie while ago will have augured. But we anticipate. Let us examine all our data before we proceed. What was the coroner’s report?’
    ‘Well, Mr Holmes, the coroner, Dr Patterson, was completely stumped. He says he’s never had to deal with a case like this before. There are no indications of any kind of poison having been administered, nor are there any significant wounds to justify the tremendous bleeding — aside from a few superficial bruises that the deceased probably sustained falling down the staircase. In fact when the coroner had washed the body to examine it, there was practically no blood at all in his veins. I have never seen a paler native body in all my years in the force.’
    ‘You are certain there were no wounds?’ said Holmes insistently. ‘No marks at all? Not even some insignificant puncture in the skin, around the back of the head or neck?’
    ‘Mr Holmes, if you are thinking that the man died from a snake bite, I can assure you that it wasn’t so. No reptile, however poisonous, could have …’
    ‘Were there any puncture marks?’ Holmes interrupted impatiently.
    ‘Well, there were some slight scratches on the back of his neck, but nothing you could call punctures. I’ve seen all kinds of snake bites in this country and know the pattern they leave on the skin. These were lighter, mere nicks and …’
    ‘This is the pattern of the scratches, isn’t it?’ said Holmes, holding out a slip of paper on which he had made some marks.

    ‘How the Devil …?’ Strickland exclaimed, astonished.
    ‘I thought as much,’ cried Holmes, snapping his long fingers. ‘My case is complete, gentlemen. It is now time to bring matters to a close. Strickland, could I trouble you to escort Mr Carvallo, the desk-clerk, up to this room. I fear that only the majesty of your official presence will succeed in persuading him to come up here again. You will bring him straight up to the bed and make him sit by the side.’ Holmes began to arrange a few chairs to face the bed. ‘Then you will seat yourself on this chair, if you please; Huree, you here. I’ll take the armchair in the middle. I think we will then be sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty breast.’
    Strickland left the room and returned shortly with the Portuguese clerk. The fellow shrank back in evident surprise and fear at our judicial appearance, but Strickland firmly propelled him over to the side of the bed.
    ‘Sit down, Mr Carvallo, sit down,’ said Sherlock Holmes pleasantly. ‘We are sorry to interrupt you in the performance of your duties, but as you will appreciate, the investigation of last night’s tragedy must take priority over all other matters. No, no, please, sit in the middle of the bed, the edges are so uncomfortable, you know. You need not stand on ceremony with us.’
    The desk clerk was attempting to sidle to the edge of the bed, occasionally casting furtive glances at the brass lamp above him. His nervous face was covered with perspiration, even more than when I last saw him.
    ‘Very good,’ said Holmes, leaning back in his armchair. ‘Now, Mr Carvallo, will you please tell us the truth about yesterday’s incident.’
    The man turned white to the root of