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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
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The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
joined them。 I pulled out my knife； andwell； there！ I've said enough。
It gave me a kind of savage joy when I thought how Sarah would feel
when she had such signs as these 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 in the haze； 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。〃
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