Sherlock Holmes had been sitting back in his chair, with his eyes closed and his head on a cushion, but he half-opened his eyes now and looked at his visitor.

"Please be precise about the details," said he.

"That is easy for me do, for every second of that horrible time is burned into my memory. The manor house is, as I said, very old, and only one part is now inhabited. The bedrooms are on the ground floor, the sitting rooms being in the centre of the buildings. Of the bedrooms, the first is doctor Roylott's, the second is my sister's, and the third my own. They all open into the same corridor. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly so."

"The windows of the three rooms look out on to the lawn. That night Dr Roylott had gone to his room early, though we knew that he had not gone to bed, because my sister was troubled by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which he smoked. So she left her room and came into mine, where she sat for some time talking about her approaching wedding.