“Listen, Holmes!” There was a sound as if he was shaking the dying man, and it was all that I could do to hold myself quiet in my hiding-place. “You must hear me. You shall hear me. Do you remember a box⁠—an ivory box? It came on Wednesday. You opened it⁠—do you remember?”

“Yes, yes, I opened it. There was a sharp spring inside it. Some joke⁠—”

“It was no joke, as you will find to your cost. You fool, you would have it and you have got it. Who asked you to cross my path? If you had left me alone I would not have hurt you.”

“I remember,” Holmes gasped. “The spring! It drew blood. This box⁠—this on the table.”