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from impossible places。 When we rose again； I observed Holmes's eyes
were shining and his cheeks tinged with colour。 Only at a crisis
have I seen those battle…signals flying。
〃Yes；〃 said he； 〃I have solved it。〃
Stanley Hopkins and I stared in amazement。 Something like a sneer
quivered over the gaunt features of the old professor。
〃Indeed！ In the garden？〃
〃No； here。〃
〃Here！ When？〃
〃This instant。〃
〃You are surely joking； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes。 You compel me to tell
you that this is too serious a matter to be treated in such a
fashion。〃
〃I have forged and tested every link of my chain； Professor Coram；
and I am sure that it is sound。 What your motives are； or what exact
part you play in this strange business； I am not yet able to say。 In a
few minutes I shall probably hear it from your own lips。 Meanwhile I
will reconstruct what is past for your benefit； so that you may know
the information which I still require。
〃A lady yesterday entered your study。 She came with the intention of
possessing herself of certain documents which were in your bureau。 She
had a key of her own。 I have had an opportunity of examining yours；
and I do not find that slight discolouration which the scratch made
upon the varnish would have produced。 You were not an accessory；
therefore； and she came； so far as I can read the evidence； without
your knowledge to rob you。〃
The professor blew a cloud from his lips。 〃This is most
interesting and instructive；〃 said he。 〃Have you no more to add？
Surely； having traced this lady so far； you can also say what has
become of her。〃
〃I will endeavour to do so。 In the first place she was seized by
your secretary； and stabbed him in order to escape。 This catastrophe I
am inclined to regard as an unhappy accident； for I am convinced
that the lady had no intention of inflicting so grievous an injury。 An
assassin does not come unarmed。 Horrified by what she had done； she
rushed wildly away from the scene of the tragedy。 Unfortunately for
her； she had lost her glasses in the scuffle； and as she was extremely
shortsighted she was really helpless without them。 She ran down a
corridor； which she imagined to be that by which she had come… both
were lined with cocoanut matting… and it was only when it was too late
that she understood that she had taken the wrong passage； and that her
retreat was cut off behind her。 What was she to do？ She could not go
back。 She could not remain where she was。 She must go on。 She went on。
She mounted a stair； pushed open a door； and found herself in your
room。〃
The old man sat with his mouth open； staring wildly at Holmes。
Amazement and fear were stamped upon his expressive features。 Now；
with an effort； he shrugged his shoulders and burst into insincere
laughter。
〃All very fine； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he。 〃But there is one little
flaw in your splendid theory。 I was myself in my room； and I never
left it during the day。〃
〃I am aware of that； Professor Coram。〃
〃And you mean to say that I could lie upon that bed and not be aware
that a woman had entered my room？〃
〃I never said so。 You were aware of it。 You spoke with her。 You
recognized her。 You aided her to escape。〃
Again the professor burst into high…keyed laughter。 He had risen
to his feet； and his eyes glowed like embers。
〃You are mad！〃 he cried。 〃You are talking insanely。 I helped her
to escape？ Where is she now？〃
〃She is there；〃 said Holmes； and he pointed to a high bookcase in
the corner of the room。
I saw the old man throw up his arms； a terrible convulsion passed
over his grim face； and he fell back in his chair。 At the same instant
the bookcase at which Holmes pointed swung round upon a hinge； and a
woman rushed out into the room。 〃You are right！〃 she cried； in a
strange foreign voice。 〃You are right！ I am here。〃
She was brown with the dust and draped with the cobwebs which had
come from the walls of her hiding…place。 Her face； too； was streaked
with grime； and at the best she could never have been handsome； for
she had the exact physical characteristics which Holmes had divined；
with； in addition； a long and obstinate chin。 What with her natural
blindness； and what with the change from dark to light； she stood as
one dazed； blinking about her to see where and who we were。 And yet；
in spite of all these disadvantages； there was a certain 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
over…mastering dignity which compelled obedience。 The old man lay back
in his chair with a twitching 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 d