“In the outhouse you will find a considerable quantity of straw.I will ask you to carry in two bundles of it. Thank you very much.I believe you have some matches in your pocket, Watson. Now,Mr. Lestrade, I will ask you all to accompany me to the top landing.”
We're all going up to the corridor. At one end of it we are nowall marshalled by you. You‘re standing before us with the air of aconjurer who is performing a trick.
“Would you kindly send one of your constables for two bucketsof water? Put the straw on the floor here, free from the wall on eitherside. Now I think that we are all ready. Might I ask you, Watson, toopen that window, and then to put a match to the edge of the straw?”
He does so, and, driven by the draught, a coil of grey smoke swirlsdown the corridor, while the dry straw crackles and flames.
“Now, might I ask you all to join in the cry of ‘Fire!’?
Now, then; one, two, three—”
“Fire!” we're all yelling.
“Thank you. I will trouble you once again.”
“Fire!”
“Just once more, gentlemen, and all together.”
“Fire!”
The shout must be ringing over Norwood. It is hardly dying away when an amazing thing happens.
