Lestrade arrived later than expected, with a companion. I had spent much of the day sleeping, and still lay on my couch, while Holmes had been smoking copious quantities of tobacco.

"You are late, Lestrade!" said Holmes, excitedly.

"Yes, Mr Holmes. It took us a while to identify the mute. This is-"
"Mr Stewart John, MP. Delighted." Holmes shook his hand.
Mr John looked puzzledly at Lestrade, as if expecting an explanation. But Lestrade also looked puzzled. This amused Holmes greatly.

"Have we met before, Sir?" asked John.

"I don't believe so. Cigarette?" asked Holmes.

John accepted, as did Lestrade.

"How did you-" began Lestrade.

"Mr John is more than an MP. His parliamentary duties include the monitoring of the conduct of the ministers, to ensure that the House is not brought into disrepute, and scandals are avoided. I should have thought there could be few greater scandals than this."

Mr John nodded, impressed. "This is not a well known fact, Sir."
"It is my concern to know what others do not."

"Indeed you are quite correct of the potential for scandal. News of this would have the poor of London in terror."

"The secret is quite safe with Dr Watson and I."

"The inspector has told me that I can have absolute trust in your integrity," said John.

Holmes smiled warmly at Lestrade.

From my sickbed, my frustration grew as the identity of the man we apprehended had not yet been revealed.
"So who was he?" I asked. I could wait no longer.

"Dr Timothy Warbrick-Smith MP," said John.

"Indeed!" said Holmes. Evidently he had been previously unaware of his identity, but the revelation made sense to him.

I gave him a questioning look.

"Wabrick-Smith is also a physician, and has some junior responsibilities for public health. He is quite wealthy, and is a renowned philanthropist, although the public-spirited generosity for which he is noted is of a much more conventional variety," said John. "He has never given us cause for concern before, in fact quite the opposite."

"Yes, but I think we are dealing with some sort of affliction of the mind. Such can do severe damage to a man's personality and his powers of reasoning."

"We are inclined to agree."

Holmes lit himself a fresh pipe. "We have all of our answers, gentlemen. However I will always be curious as to just how many poor fellows fell at the hands of these men."

"That, I am afraid, will never be known. It will simply be recorded in the news as a minor outbreak of disease. The paper-reading public will have little interest in the fates of cabmen and labourers." John spoke with a sigh; it saddened him to think that this was so.

We all took a few sombre moments.

"What will happen to them?" I asked. I had little sympathy for Southton, and not a great deal for Warbrick-Smith. For whatever their intentions, there could have not been any doubt in their minds that what they were doing was most decidedly wrong.

"We shall see," said Lestrade. "The yard arm for the hired killers, certainly. Southton and Warbrick-Smith would be lucky to escape it too, but given their states of mind, I am not sure."
"In any case, we shall be keeping this as low-profile as possible." John spoke most sadly. "Southton is ranting insanely. Warbrick-Smith does not say a word."
"Given that he will neither eat nor drink, I do not think much to his chances!" said Lestrade, almost triumphantly. Unlike Holmes, he was wont to see crime as very much a black and white subject. He did not always see the shades of grey that could, on a much deeper level, drive people to do wrong.

"Well, gentlemen," said Holmes, rising. "I am afraid Dr Watson needs his rest."

I made as if to get up. "Stay there, Watson. You mustn't exert yourself."

Lestrade and John took their leave of us, and Holmes lit yet another pipe. He poured us a brandy each.

"This has been a most singular affair, Watson."

"Indeed."

"It is a sickening thing, when a doctor goes wrong. They had the knowledge and the nerve from their medical training to great evil when so they desired. The educated criminal is far more dangerous than a common thug."

"I feel ashamed that they were of my profession," I said.

Holmes nodded. "Let us hope that this is an end to it." And then almost as an aside, "I cannot thank you enough, my dear Watson, for your strength and fidelity. Once again you have saved me."

"Thank you, Holmes." I was moved.

Holmes sat back in his chair, and placed his hands behind his head. There was a most contented smile upon his face. He looked as healthy as I had ever seen him, aside from his bandaged arm. I was most relieved; I felt sure that he was now safe from infection. He was a changed man indeed from the black depression he had sunk into in recent months. His brains appetite for challenge had been sated by the case. I took a sip from my brandy, rather hurriedly, and in my prone position, it caused me to splutter. Holmes hopped over to me and took my glass.

"Are you all right, Watson?"

"It was just the brandy, Holmes," I said, touched by his concern.
"Enough brandy for you, I think," he said, and placed my glass on the mantelpiece. "I'll get Mrs Hudson to bring your sugar water. Now I suggest you get some sleep."

Holmes sat back in his chair. I smiled to myself but decided to take his advice; though I was not sure I had much choice in the matter. I only hoped that his mood would last.