Dr. Watson

In the first place, Mrs. Hudson, you may tell your sister that she needn't worry anymore.

I'm sure she'll find no more pigeon feathers in her room on the first floor back.

I'm very glad you did, Mrs. Hudson.

Thanks to your information, an enemy espionage ring has been broken, and the British government is deeply grateful to you.

Anything, Mrs. Hudson.

What is it?

Yes, indeed.

Mr. Martell, when you're a detective like Holmes or a doctor like myself, well, you've got to be prepared to meet the unexpected every once in a while.

Of course, you wouldn't know about things like that, being a wine expert yourself.

Well, now, next week, Mr. Bartell, I'm going to tell you a weird adventure that Sherlock Holmes and I had in the East End of London.

It concerns a most unusual stage play, a badly frightened actor, and a blood-stained razor.

I call it The Strange Case of the Demon Barber.

Come in, come in.

How would you like to hear a story that took place in Italy?

In Italy?

What took you there, Doctor?

We'd gone to Rome to investigate the sudden death of Cardinal Tosca.

An inquiry, which I may tell you, Mr. Bartell, was carried out by Holmes at the expressed desire of His Holiness the Pope.

Say, Doctor, that sounds like a wonderful... No, no, Mr. Bartell, that's a story that I'm afraid I can never tell you.

However, tonight's adventure took place a few days after Holmes had brought his case to a satisfactory, though somewhat terrifying, conclusion.