The Adventure of the Speckled Band that of Dr Roylott. Holmes and Watson arrange to spend the night in Helen's room. In darkness they wait; suddenly, a slight metallic noise and a dim light through the ventilator prompt Holmes to action. Quickly lighting a candle, he discovers on the bell cord the "speckled band"—a venomous snake. He strikes the snake with a stick, driving it back through the ventilator. Agitated, it attacks Roylott, who had been waiting for it to return after killing Helen. Holmes identifies the snake as a "swamp adder" and reveals to Watson the motive: the late wife's will had provided an annual
The Aleph (short story) other object of the world. According to some the story also makes reference to Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" in the poet Daneri's name ("Dan" from Dante and "eri" from Alighieri) and in Beatriz' name. The descent into the cellar is sometimes compared to Dante's descent into hell. Jorge Luis Borges wrote in his commentaries he felt honored by the idea that this coincidence was put in on purpose and did deny the idea that he made a conscious reference to the poem. The Aleph (short story) "The Aleph" is a short story by the Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis