“My God! It’s Watson,” said he. He was in a terrible state and seemed very nervous. “I say,[3] Watson, what time is it?”
“Nearly eleven.”
“Of what day?”
“Of Friday, June 19th.”
“Good heavens![4] I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What do you want to frighten me for?” He sank his face onto his arms and began to sob.
“I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!”
“So I am. But you must be wrong, Watson, because I have only been here a few hours, three pipes, four pipes – I forget how many. But I’ll go home with you. I wouldn’t frighten Kate – poor little Kate. Give me your hand! Do you have a cab?”
“Yes, I have one waiting.”
“Then I should go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I owe, Watson. I am all off colour.[5] I can do nothing for myself.”
I walked down the narrow passage between the double row of sleepers, trying not to breath in the disgusting, stupefying fumes of the drug, and looking about for the manager. As I passed the tall man who sat by the brazier I felt a sudden pluck, and a low voice said, “Walk past me, and then look back at me.” I heard the words quite distinctly. I glanced down. They could only have come from the old man at my side, and yet he sat now as absorbed as ever, very thin, very wrinkled, crooked, an opium pipe between his knees. It seemed that he had dropped it in absolute tiredness from his fingers. I took two steps forward and looked back. It took all my self-control not to cry with astonishment. He had turned his back so that nobody could see him but me. His form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the fire had lit up in his dull eyes, and there, sitting by the fire and smiling at my surprise, was none other than Sherlock Holmes. He gave me a sign to approach him, and immediately, as he turned his face half round to the company once more, changed back into a weak old man.
“Holmes!” I said in low voice, “what on earth are you doing in this den?[6]”
“As low as you can,” he answered; “I have excellent ears. If you would be so kind to get rid[7] of your friend I’ll be very glad to have a little talk with you.”
“I have a cab outside.”
“Then please send him home in it. You may safely trust him, because he looks too weak to get in any trouble. I recommend you also to send a note by the cabman to your wife to say that you have thrown in your lot with me.