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that crushed his head like an egg。 I would have spared her； perhaps；
for all my madness； but she threw her arms round him； crying out to
him； and calling him 〃Alec。〃 I struck again； and she lay stretched
beside him。 I was like a wild beast then that had tasted blood。 If
Sarah had been there； by the Lord； she should have joined them。 I
pulled out my knife； and… well； there！ I've said enough。 It gave me
a kind of savage joy when I thought how Sarah would feel when she
had such sign of what her meddling had brought about。 Then I tied
the bodies into the boat； stove a plank； and stood by until they had
sunk。 I knew very well that the owner would think that they had lost
their bearings and had drifted off out to sea。 I cleaned myself up；
got back to land； and joined my ship without a soul having a suspicion
of what had passed。 That night I made up the packet for Sarah Cushing；
and next day I sent it from Belfast。
〃'There you have the whole truth of it。 You can hang me； or do
what you like with me； but you cannot punish me as I have been
punished already。 I cannot shut my eyes but I see those two faces
staring at me… staring at me as they stared when my boat broke through
the haze。 I killed them quick； but they are killing me slow； and if
I have another night of it I shall be either； mad or dead before
morning。 You won't put me alone into a cell； sir？ For pity's sake
don't； and may you be treated in your day of agony as you treat me
now。〃
〃What is the meaning of it Watson？； said Holmes solemnly as he
laid down the paper。 〃What object is served by this circle of misery
and violence and fear？ It must tend to some end； or else our
universe is ruled by chance； which is unthinkable。 But what end？ There
is the great standing perennial problem to which human reason is as
far from an answer as ever。〃
…THE END…
。