No. 10 The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez by Arthur Conan Doyle
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nobility in_the woman's bearing, a gallantry in_the defiant chin and in_the upraised head, which compelled something of respect and admiration . Stanley Hopkins had laid his hand upon her arm and claimed her as his prisoner, but she waved him aside gently, and yet with an overmastering dignity which compelled obedience . the old man lay back in_his chair, with atwitching face, and stared at her with brooding eyes .

" yes, sir, I_am your prisoner," she said ." from where I stood I_could hear everything, and I_know that you_have learned the truth .I confess it all . it_was I who killed the young man . but you_are right, you who say it_was an accident . I_did_not even know that_it_was a knife which I held in my hand, for in my despair I snatched anything from_the table and struck at him to_make him let me go . it_is_the truth that I tell ."

" madam," said Holmes, " I_am_sure that_it_is the truth . I_fear that you_are far from well ."

she had turned a dreadful colour, the more ghastly under the dark dust-streaks upon her face . she seated herself on_the side of_the bed; then she resumed .

" I_have only a little time here," she said, " but i_would_have you to_know the whole truth . I_am this man's wife . he_is_not an Englishman . he_is a Russian . his name i_will_not tell ."

for_the first time the old man stirred ." god bless you, Anna ! " he cried ." god bless you ! "

she cast a look of_the deepest disdain in_his direction ." why should you cling so hard to_that wretched life of yours, Sergius ? " said she ." it has_done harm to many and good to none -- not even to yourself . however, it_is_not for_me to cause the frail thread to_be snapped before god's time . I_have enough already upon my soul since I crossed the threshold of_this cursed house . but I_must speak or I_shall_be too late .

" I_have said, gentlemen, that I_am this man's wife . he_was fifty and I a foolish girl of twenty when we married . it_was in a city of Russia, a university -- i_will_not name the place ."

" god bless you, Anna ! " murmured the old man again .

" we were reformers -- revolutionists -- Nihilists, you understand . he and I and many more . then there came a time of trouble, a police officer was killed, many were arrested, evidence was wanted, and in_order to save his own life and to earn a great reward my husband betrayed his own wife and_his companions . yes, we were all arrested upon his confession . some of us found our way to_the gallows and some to Siberia . i_was among_these last, but my term was not for life . my husband came to England with_his ill- gotten gains, and has lived in quiet ever_since, knowing well that if_the brotherhood knew where he_was not a week would pass before justice would_be_done ."

the old man reached out atrembling hand and helped himself to a cigarette ." I_am in your hands, Anna," said he ." you were always good to_me ."

" I_have_not_yet told you the height of_his villainy," said she ." among our comrades of_the order there_was one who was_the friend of_my heart . he_was noble, unselfish, loving -- all that my husband was not . he hated violence . we were all guilty -- if that_is guilt -- but he_was not . he wrote for ever dissuading us from such a course . these letters would_have saved him . so would my diary, in_which from day to day I had entered both my feelings towards him and_the view which each of us had taken . my husband found and kept both diary and letters . he hid them, and he tried hard to swear away the young man's life . in_this he failed, but Alexis was sent a convict to Siberia, where now, at_this moment, he works in a salt mine . think of_that, you villain, you villain; now, now, at_this very moment, Alexis, a man whose name you_are_not worthy to_speak, works and lives like a slave, and yet I_have your life in my hands and I let you go ."

" you were always a noble woman, Anna," said the old man, puffing at his cigarette .

she had risen, but she fell back again with a little cry of pain .

" I_must finish," she said ." when my term was over I set myself to_get the diary and letters which, if sent to_the Russian government, would procure my friend's release . I_knew that my husband had come to England . after months of searching I discovered where he_was . I_knew that he still had the diary, for when i_was in Siberia I had a letter from_him once reproaching me and quoting some passages from its pages . yet i_was sure that with_his revengeful nature he_would never give it to_me of_his own free will . I_must get it for_myself . with_this object I engaged an agent from a private detective firm, who entered my husband's house as secretary -- it_was your second secretary, Sergius, the one who left you so hurriedly . he_found that papers were kept in_the cupboard, and he got an impression of_the key . he_would_not go farther . he furnished me with a plan of_the house, and he_told me that in_the forenoon the study was always empty, as_the secretary was employed up here . so at last i_took my courage in both hands and I_came down to_get the papers for_myself .I succeeded, but at what a cost !

"I had just taken the papers and was locking the cupboard when_the young man seized me .I had seen him already that morning . he had met me in_the road and I had asked him to_tell me where professor Coram lived, not knowing that he_was in_his employ ."

" exactly ! exactly ! " said Holmes ." the secretary came back and told his employer of_the woman he had met . then in_his last breath he tried to send a message that_it_was she -- the she whom he had just discussed with_him ."

" you_must let me speak," said the woman, in an imperative voice, and her face contracted as_if in pain ." when he had fallen I rushed from_the room, chose the wrong door, and found myself in my husband's room . he spoke of giving me up .I showed him that if he_did so his life was in my hands . if he_gave me to_the law I_could give him to_the brotherhood . it_was not that I wished to live for_my own sake, but it was_that I desired to accomplish my purpose . he_knew that i_would do what I_said -- that his own fate was involved in mine . for_that reason and for no other he shielded me . he thrust me into that dark hiding- place, a relic of old days, known only to himself . he_took his meals in_his own room, and so was able to_give_me part of_his food . it_was agreed that when_the police left the house i_should slip away by night and come back no more . but in some way you_have read our plans ." she tore from_the bosom of her dress a small packet ." these are my last words," said she; " here_is_the packet which will save Alexis .I confide it to your honour and to your love of justice . take it ! you_will deliver it at_the Russian embassy . now I_have_done my duty, and ----"

" stop her ! " cried Holmes . he had bounded across the room and had wrenched a small phial from her hand .

" too late ! " she said, sinking back on_the bed ." too late ! i_took the poison before I left my hiding- place . my head swims ! I_am going ! I charge you, sir, to remember the packet ."

"A simple case, and yet in some ways an instructive one," Holmes remarked, as_we travelled back to town ." it hinged from_the outset upon_the pince-nez . but for_the fortunate chance of_the dying man having seized these I_am not sure that we_could ever have reached our solution . it_was clear to_me from_the strength of_the glasses that_the wearer must_have been very blind and helpless when deprived of_them . when_you asked me to_believe that she walked along a narrow strip of grass without once making a false step I remarked, as_you_may remember, that_it_was a noteworthy performance . in my mind I set it down as an impossible performance, save in_the unlikely case that she had a second pair of glasses . i_was forced, therefore, to seriously consider the hypothesis that she had remained within_the house . on perceiving the similarity of_the two corridors it became clear that she might very easily have_made such a mistake, and in_that case it_was evident that she must_have entered the professor's room . i_was keenly on_the alert, therefore, for whatever would bear out this supposition, and I examined the room narrowly for anything in_the shape of ahiding- place . the carpet seemed continuous and firmly nailed, so I dismissed the idea of a trap- door . there might well be a recess behind the books . as_you_are aware, such devices are common in old libraries .I observed that books were piled on_the floor at all other points, but that one bookcase was left clear . this, then, might_be the door .I could_see no marks to guide me, but the carpet was of a dun colour, which lends itself very_well to examination .I therefore smoked a great number of_those excellent cigarettes, and I dropped the ash all over the space in front of_the suspected bookcase . it_was a simple trick, but exceedingly effective .I then went downstairs and I ascertained, in your presence, Watson, without your perceiving the drift of_my remarks, that professor Coram's consumption of food had increased -- as one would expect when he_is supplying a second person . we then ascended to_the room again, when, by upsetting the cigarette- box, I obtained a very excellent view of_the floor, and was able to_see quite clearly, from_the traces upon_the cigarette ash, that_the prisoner had, in_our absence, come out from her retreat . well, Hopkins, here we_are at Charing cross, and I congratulate you on having brought your case to a successful conclusion . you_are going to head-quarters, no_doubt . i_think, Watson, you and_I_will drive together to_the Russian embassy ."

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