He is a very methodical person, and I did not
desire you to start before six, because I was well aware that you
would not find him in his study. If you could persuade him to
come here and give us the benefit of his unique experience of
this disease, the investigation of which has been his dearest
hobby, I cannot doubt that he could help me."
I gave Holmes's remarks as a consecutive whole and will not
attempt to indicate how they were interrupted by gaspings for
breath and those clutchings of his hands which indicated the pain
from which he was suffering. His appearance had changed for the
worse during the few hours that I had been with him. Those
hectic spots were more pronounced, the eyes shone more brightly
out of darker hollows, and a cold sweat glimmered upon his brow.
He still retained, however, the jaunty gallantry of his speech.
To the last gasp he would always be the master.
"You will tell him exactly how you have left me," said he. "You
will convey the very impression which is in your own mind--a
dying man--a dying and delirious man. Indeed, I cannot think why
the whole bed of the ocean is not one solid mass of oysters, so
prolific the creatures seem.
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