Poor devil, how could I be angry when I saw him lying in such a
plight before me?

"It's for your own sake, Watson," he croaked.

"For MY sake?"

"I know what is the matter with me. It is a coolie disease from
Sumatra--a thing that the Dutch know more about than we, though
they have made little of it up to date. One thing only is
certain. It is infallibly deadly, and it is horribly
contagious."

He spoke now with a feverish energy, the long hands twitching and
jerking as he motioned me away.

"Contagious by touch, Watson--that's it, by touch. Keep your
distance and all is well."

"Good heavens, Holmes! Do you suppose that such a consideration
weighs with me of an instant? It would not affect me in the case
of a stranger. Do you imagine it would prevent me from doing my
duty to so old a friend?"

Again I advanced, but he repulsed me with a look of furious
anger.

"If you will stand there I will talk. If you do not you must
leave the room."