"Doyle, Arthur Conan - The Adventure Of The Dying Detective" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Arthur Conan)

recognition to his eyes.

"Well, Watson, we seem to have fallen upon evil days," said he in
a feeble voice, but with something of his old carelessness of
manner.

"My dear fellow!" I cried, approaching him.

"Stand back! Stand right back!" said he with the sharp
imperiousness which I had associated only with moments of crisis.
"If you approach me, Watson, I shall order you out of the house."

"But why?"

"Because it is my desire. Is that not enough?"

Yes, Mrs. Hudson was right. He was more masterful than ever. It
was pitiful, however, to see his exhaustion.

"I only wished to help," I explained.

"Exactly! You will help best by doing what you are told."

"Certainly, Holmes."

He relaxed the austerity of his manner.

"You are not angry?" he asked, gasping for breath.

Poor devil, how could I be angry when I saw him lying in such a
plight before me?

"It's for your own sake, Watson," he croaked.

"For MY sake?"

"I know what is the matter with me. It is a coolie disease from
Sumatra--a thing that the Dutch know more about than we, though
they have made little of it up to date. One thing only is
certain. It is infallibly deadly, and it is horribly
contagious."

He spoke now with a feverish energy, the long hands twitching and
jerking as he motioned me away.

"Contagious by touch, Watson--that's it, by touch. Keep your
distance and all is well."

"Good heavens, Holmes! Do you suppose that such a consideration
weighs with me of an instant? It would not affect me in the case