"I am sorry to hear this," said he. "I only know Mr. Holmes
through some business dealings which we have had, but I have
every respect for his talents and his character. He is an
amateur of crime, as I am of disease. For him the villain, for
me the microbe. There are my prisons," he continued, pointing to
a row of bottles and jars which stood upon a side table. "Among
those gelatine cultivations some of the very worst offenders in
the world are now doing time."
"It was on account of your special knowledge that Mr. Holmes
desired to see you. He has a high opinion of you and thought
that you were the one man in London who could help him."
The little man started, and the jaunty smoking-cap slid to the
floor.
"Why?" he asked. "Why should Mr. Homes think that I could help
him in his trouble?"
"Because of your knowledge of Eastern diseases."
"But why should he think that this disease which he has
contracted is Eastern?"
"Because, in some professional inquiry, he has been working among
Chinese sailors down in the docks."
Mr. Culverton Smith smiled pleasantly and picked up his smoking-
cap.
"Oh, that's it--is it?" said he.
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