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elapt1c
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ElapticAI-512

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strange creature which he had caged up in my room.
“It’s a new patient, he whispered. “I thought I’d bring him round
myself; then he couldn’t slip away. There he is, all safe and sound. I
must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the same as you. And off
he went, this trusty tout, without even giving me time to thank him.
I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the table.
He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a soft cloth cap
which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of his hands he had a
handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all over with bloodstains. He
was young, not more than five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong,
masculine face; but he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression
of a man who was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took
all his strength of mind to control.
“I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor, said he, “but I have had
a very serious accident during the night. I came in by train this
morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I might find a
doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me here. I gave the maid a
card, but I see that she has left it upon the side-table.
I took it up and glanced at it. “Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic
engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor). That was the name, style,
and abode of my morning visitor. “I regret that I have kept you
waiting, said I, sitting down in my library-chair. “You are fresh from
a night journey, I understand, which is in itself a monotonous
occupation.
“Oh, my night could not be called monotonous, said he, and laughed. He
laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, leaning back in his
chair and shaking his sides. All my medical instincts rose up against
that laugh.
“Stop it! I cried; “pull yourself together! and I poured out some
water from a caraffe.
It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical
outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis is
over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very weary and
pale-looking.
“I have been making a fool of myself, he gasped.
“Not at all. Drink this. I dashed some brandy into the water, and the
colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks.
“That’s better! said he. “And now, Doctor, perhaps you would kindly
attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb used to be.
He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand. It gave even my
hardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four protruding
fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the thumb should have
been. It had been hacked or torn right out from the roots.
“Good heavens! I cried, “this is a terrible injury. It must have bled
considerably.
“Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must have
been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that it was
still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very tightly round
the wrist and braced it up with a twig.
“Excellent! You should have been a surgeon.
“It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own
province.
“This has been done, said I, examining the wound, “by a very heavy and
sharp instrument.
“A thing like a cleaver, said he.
“An accident, I presume?
“By no means.
“What! a murderous attack?
“Very murderous indeed.
“You horrify me.
I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered it
over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back without
wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time.
“How is that? I asked when I had finished.
“Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. I was
very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through.
“Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently trying
to your nerves.
“Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; but,
between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing evidence of this
wound of mine, I should be surprised if they believed my statement, for
it is a very extraordinary one, and I have not much in the way of proof
with which to back it up; and, even if they believe me, the clues which