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It was deadly cold。 You remember the kind of numb cold which used to
come at evening； a deadly； sickening sort of cold； very different from
a crisp healthy frost。 Well I was chilled to the bone； and my only
hope seemed to lie in reaching that house。 I staggered to my feet
and dragged myself along； hardly conscious of what I did。 I have a dim
memory of slowly ascending the steps； entering a wide…opened door；
passing into a large room which contained several beds； and throwing
myself down with a gasp of satisfaction upon one of them。 It was
unmade； but that troubled me not at all。 I drew the clothes over my
shivering body and in a moment I was in a deep sleep。
〃It was morning when I wakened； and it seemed to me that instead
of coming out into a world of sanity I had emerged into some
extraordinary nightmare。 The out African sun flooded through the
big； curtainless windows； and every detail of the great； bare；
whitewashed dormitory stood out hard and clear。 In front of me was
standing a small； dwarf…like man with a huge； bulbous head； who was
jabbering excitedly in Dutch； waving two horrible hands which looked
to me like brown sponges。 Behind him stood a group of people who
seemed to be intensely amused by the situation； but a chill came
over me as I looked at them。 Not one of them was a normal human being。
Every one was twisted or swollen or disfigured in some strange way。
The laughter of these strange monstrosities was a dreadful thing to
hear。
〃It seemed that none of them could speak English； but the
situation wanted clearing up； for the creature with the big head was
growing furiously angry； and； uttering wild…beast cries； he had laid
his deformed hands upon me and was dragging me out of bed；
regardless of the fresh flow of blood from my wound。 The little
monster was as strong as a bull； and I don't know what he might have
done to me had not an elderly man who was clearly in authority been
attracted to the room by the hubbub。 He said a few stern words in
Dutch； and my persecutor shrank away。 Then he turned upon me； gazing
at me in the utmost amazement。
〃'How in the world did you come here？' he asked in amazement。
'Wait a bit！ I see that you are tired out and that wounded shoulder of
yours wants looking after。 I am a doctor； and I'll soon have you
tied up。 But； man alive！ you are in far greater danger here than
ever you were on the battlefield。 You are in the Leper Hospital； and
you have slept in a leper's bed。'
〃Need I tell you more； Jimmie？ It seems that in view of the
approaching battle all these poor creatures had been evacuated the day
before。 Then； as the British advanced； they had been brought back by
this； their medical superintendent； who assured me that； though he
believed he was immune to the disease； he would none the less never
have dared to do what I had done。 He put me in a private room； treated
me kindly； and within a week or so I was removed to the general
hospital at Pretoria。
〃So there you have my tragedy。 I hoped against hope； but it was
not until I had reached home that the terrible signs which you see
upon my face told me that I had not escaped。 What was I to do？ I was
in this lonely house。 We had two servants whom we could utterly trust。
There was a house where I could live。 Under pledge of secrecy； Mr。
Kent； who is a surgeon； was prepared to stay with me。 It seemed simple
enough on those lines。 The alternative was a dreadful one… segregation
for life among strangers with never a hope of release。 But absolute
secrecy was necessary； or even in this quiet countryside there would
have been an outcry； and I should have been dragged to my horrible
doom。 Even you； Jimmie… even you had to be kept in the dark。 Why my
father has relented I cannot imagine。〃
Colonel Emsworth pointed to me。
〃This is the gentleman who forced my hand。〃 He unfolded the scrap of
paper on which I had written the word 〃Leprosy。〃 〃It seemed to me that
if he knew so much as that it was safer that he should know all。〃
〃And so it was；〃 said I。 〃Who knows but good may come of it？ I
understand that only Mr。 Kent has seen the patient。 May I ask； sir； if
you are an authority on such complaints； which are； I understand；
tropical or semi…tropical in their nature？〃
〃I have the ordinary knowledge of the educated medical man；〃 he
observed with some stiffness。
〃I have no doubt； sir； that you are fully competent； but I am sure
that you will agree that in such a case a second opinion is
valuable。 You have avoided this； I understand； for fear that
pressure should be put upon you to segregate the patient。〃
〃That is so；〃 said Colonel Emsworth。
〃I foresaw this situation；〃 I explained； 〃and I have brought with me
a friend whose discretion may absolutely be trusted。 I was able once
to do him a professional service； and he is ready to advise as a
friend rather than as a specialist。 His name is Sir James Saunders。〃
The prospect of an interview with Lord Roberts would not have
excited greater wonder and pleasure in a raw subaltern than was now
reflected upon the face of Mr。 Kent。
〃I shall indeed be proud；〃 he murmured。
〃Then I will ask Sir James to step this way。 He is at present in the
carriage outside the door。 Meanwhile； Colonel Emsworth； we may perhaps
assemble in your study； where I could give the necessary
explanations。〃
And here it is that I miss my Watson。 By cunning questions and
ejaculations of wonder he could elevate my simple art； which is but
systematized common sense； into a prodigy。 When I tell my own story
I have no such aid。 And yet I will give my process of thought even
as I gave it to my small audience； which included Godfrey's mother
in the study of Colonel Emsworth。
〃That process；〃 said I； 〃starts upon the supposition that when you
have eliminated all which is impossible； then whatever remains；
however improbable； must be the truth。 It may well be that several
explanations remain； in which case one tries test after test until one
or other of them has a convincing amount of support。 We will now apply
this principle to the case in point。 As it was first presented to
me； there were three possible explanations of the seclusion or
incarceration of this gentleman in an outhouse of his father's
mansion。 There was the explanation； that he was in hiding for a crime；
or that he was mad and that they wished to avoid an asylum； or that he
had some disease which caused his segregation。 I could think of no
other adequate solutions。 These； then； had to be sifted and balanced
against each other。
〃The criminal solution would not bear inspection。 No unsolved
crime had been reported from that district。 I was sure of that。 If
it were some crime not yet discovered； then clearly it would be to the
interest of the family to get rid of the delinquent and send him
abroad rather than keep him concealed at home。 I could see no
explanation for such a line of conduct。
〃Insanity was more plausible。 The presence of the second person in
the outhouse suggested a keeper。 The fact that he locked the door when
he came out strengthened the supposition and gave the idea of
constraint。 On the other hand； this constraint could not be severe
or the young man could not have got loose and come down to have a look
at his friend。 You； will remember； Mr。 Dodd； that I felt round for
points； asking you； for example； about the paper which Mr。 Kent was
reading。 Had it been the Lancet or the British Medical Journal it
would have helped me。 It is not illegal； however； to keep a lunatic
upon private premises so long as there is a qualified person in
attendance and that the authorities have been duly notified。 Why；
then； all this desperate desire for secrecy？ Once again I could not
get the theory to fit the facts。
〃There remained the third possibility； into which； rare and unlikely
as it was； everything seemed to fit。 Leprosy is not uncommon in
South Africa。 By some extraordinary chance this youth might have
contracted it。 His people would be placed in a very dreadful position；
since they would desire to save him