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beast in a cage。 She sat now in a broken armchair in the shadowy
corner of the room。 Long years of inaction had coarsened the lines
of her figure； but at some period it must have been beautiful； and was
still full and voluptuous。 A thick dark veil covered her face； but
it was cut off close at her upper lip and disclosed a perfectly shaped
mouth and a delicately rounded chin。 I could well conceive that she
had indeed been a very remarkable woman。 Her voice； too； was well
modulated and pleasing。
〃My name is not unfamiliar to you； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said she。 〃I thought
that it would bring you。〃
〃That is so； madam； though I do not know how you are aware that I
was interested in your case。〃
〃I learned it when I had recovered my health and was examined by Mr。
Edmunds； the county detective。 I fear I lied to him。 Perhaps it
would have been wiser had I told the truth。〃
〃It is usually wiser to tell the truth。 But why did you lie to him？〃
〃Because the fate of someone else depended upon it。 I know that he
was a very worthless being； and yet I would not have his destruction
upon my conscience。 We had been so close… so close！〃
〃But has this impediment been removed？〃
〃Yes； sir。 the person that I allude to is dead。〃
〃Then why should you not now tell the police anything you know？〃
〃Because there is another person to be considered。 That other person
is myself。 I could not stand the scandal and publicity which would
come from a police examination。 I have not long to live； but I wish to
die undisturbed。 And yet I wanted to find one man of judgment to
whom I could tell my terrible story； so that when I am gone all
might be understood。〃
〃You compliment me； madam。 At the same time； I am a responsible
person。 I do not promise you that when you have spoken I may not
myself think it my duty to refer the case to the police。〃
〃I think not； Mr。 Holmes。 I know your character and methods too
well； for I have followed your work for some years。 Reading is the
only pleasure which fate has left me； and I miss little which passes
in the world。 But in any case； I will take my chance of the use
which you may make of my tragedy。 It will case my mind to tell it。〃
〃My friend and I would be glad to hear it。〃
The woman rose and took from a drawer the photograph of a man。 He
was clearly a professional acrobat； a man of magnificent physique；
taken with his huge arms folded across his swollen chest and a smile
breaking from under his heavy moustache… the self…satisfied smile of
the man of many conquests。
〃That is Leonardo；〃 she said。
〃Leonardo； the strong man； who gave evidence？〃
〃The same。 And this… this is my husband。〃
It was a dreadful face… a human pig； or rather a human wild boar；
for it was formidable in its bestiality。 One could imagine that vile
mouth champing and foaming in its rage； and one could conceive those
small； vicious eyes darting pure malignancy as they looked forth
upon the world。 Ruffian； bully； beast… it was all written on that
heavy…jowled face。
〃Those two pictures will help you； gentlemen； to understand the
story。 I was a poor circus girl brought up on the sawdust； and doing
springs through the hoop before I was ten。 When I became a woman
this man loved me； if such lust as his can be called love； and in an
evil moment I became his wife。 From that day I was in hell； and he the
devil who tormented me。 There was no one in the show who did not
know of his treatment。 He deserted me for others。 He tied me down
and lashed me with his riding…whip when I complained。 They all
pitied me and they all loathed him； but what could they do？ They
feared him； one and all。 For he was terrible at all times； and
murderous when he was drunk。 Again and again he was had up for
assault； and for cruelty to the beasts； but he had plenty of money and
the fines were nothing to him。 The best men all left us； and the
show began to go downhill。 It was only Leonardo and I who kept it
up… with little Jimmy Griggs； the clown。 Poor devil； he had not much
to be funny about； but he did what he could to bold things together。
〃Then Leonardo came more and more into my life。 You see what he
was like。 I know now the poor spirit that was hidden in that
splendid body； but compared to my husband he seemed like the angel
Gabriel。 He pitied me and helped me； till at last our intimacy
turned to love… deep； deep； passionate love； such love as I had
dreamed of but never hoped to feel。 My husband suspected it； but I
think that he was a coward as well as a bully； and that Leonardo was
the one man that he was afraid of。 He took revenge in his own way by
torturing me more than ever。 One night my cries brought Leonardo to
the door of our van。 We were near tragedy that night； and soon my
lover and I understood that it could not be avoided。 My husband was
not fit to live。 We planned that he should die。
〃Leonardo had a clever； scheming brain。 It was he who planned it。
I do not say that to blame him； for I was ready to go with him every
inch of the way。 But I should never have had the wit to think of
such a plan。 We made a club… Leonardo made it… and in the leaden
head lie fastened five long steel nails； the points outward； with just
such a spread as the lion's paw。 This was to give my husband his
death…blow； and yet to leave the evidence that it was the lion which
we would loose who had done the deed。
〃It was a pitch…dark night when my husband and I went down； as was
our custom； to feed the beast。 We carried with us the raw meat in a
zinc pail。 Leonardo was waiting at the corner of the big van which
we should have to pass before we reached the cage。 He was too slow；
and we walked past him before he could strike； but he followed us on
tiptoe and I heard the crash as the club smashed my husband's skull。
My heart leaped with joy at the sound。 I sprang forward； and I undid
the catch which held the door of the great lion's cage。
〃And then the terrible thing happened。 You may have heard how
quick these creatures are to scent human blood； and how it excites
them。 Some strange instinct had told the creature in one instant
that a human being had been slain。 As I slipped the bars it bounced
out and was on me in an instant。 Leonardo could have saved me。 If he
had rushed forward and struck the beast with his club he might have
cowed it。 But the man lost his nerve。 I heard him shout in his terror；
and then I saw him turn and fly。 At the same instant the teeth of
the lion met in my face。 Its hot； filthy breath had already poisoned
me and I was hardly conscious of pain。 With the palms of my hands I
tried to push the great steaming； blood…stained jaws away from me； and
I screamed for help。 I was conscious that the camp was stirring； and
then dimly I remembered a group of men。 Leonardo； Griggs； and
others； dragging me from under the creature's paws。 That was my last
memory； Mr。 Holmes； for many a weary month。 When I came to myself
and saw myself in the mirror； I cursed that lion… oh； how I cursed
him！… not because he had torn away my beauty but because he had not
torn