AsIpassedthecornerwhichleadsfromBentinckStreetontotheWelbeckStreetcrossingatwo-horsevanfuriouslydrivenwhizzedroundandwasonmelikeaflash。Isprangforthefoot-pathandsavedmyselfbythefractionofasecond。ThevandashedroundbyMaryleboneLaneandwasgoneinaninstant。Ikepttothepavementafterthat，Watson，butasIwalkeddownVereStreetabrickcamedownfromtheroofofoneofthehouses，andwasshatteredtofragmentsatmyfeet。
Icalledthepoliceandhadtheplaceexamined。Therewereslatesandbrickspiledupontheroofpreparatorytosomerepairs，andtheywouldhavemebelievethatthewindhadtoppledoveroneofthese。
OfcourseIknewbetter，butIcouldprovenothing。I
tookacabafterthatandreachedmybrother’sroomsinPallMall，whereIspenttheday。NowIhavecomeroundtoyou，andonmywayIwasattackedbyaroughwithabludgeon。Iknockedhimdown，andthepolicehavehimincustody；butIcantellyouwiththemostabsoluteconfidencethatnopossibleconnectionwilleverbetracedbetweenthegentlemanuponwhosefrontteethIhavebarkedmyknucklesandtheretiringmathematicalcoach，whois，Idaresay，workingoutproblemsuponablack-boardtenmilesaway。Youwillnotwonder，Watson，thatmyfirstactonenteringyourroomswastocloseyourshutters，andthatIhavebeencompelledtoaskyourpermissiontoleavethehousebysomelessconspicuousexitthanthefrontdoor。”
Ihadoftenadmiredmyfriend’scourage，butnevermorethannow，ashesatquietlycheckingoffaseriesofincidentswhichmusthavecombinedtomakeupadayofhorror。”Youwillspendthenighthere?”Isaid。”No，myfriend，youmightfindmeadangerousguest。