officer； do let me have a peep！' says she。 She had pretty； coaxing
ways； as you might say； and I thought there was no harm in letting her
just put her head through the door。〃
〃How was she dressed？〃
〃Quiet； sir… a long mantle down to her feet。〃
〃What time was it？〃
〃It was just growing dusk at the time。 They were lighting the
lamps as I came back with the brandy。〃
〃Very good；〃 said Holmes。 〃Come； Watson； I think that we have more
important work elsewhere。〃
As we left the house Lestrade remained in the front room； while
the repentant constable opened the door to let us out。 Holmes turned
on the step and held up something in his hand。 The constable stared
intently。
〃Good Lord； sir！〃 he cried； with amazement on his face。 Holmes put
his finger on his lips； replaced his hand in his breast pocket； and
burst out laughing as we turned down the street。 〃Excellent！〃 said he。
〃Come； friend Watson； the curtain rings up for the last act。 You
will be relieved to hear that there will be no war； that the Right
Honourable Trelawney Hope will suffer no setback in his brilliant
career； that the indiscreet Sovereign will receive no punishment for
his indiscretion； that the Prime Minister will have no Europe an
complication to deal with； and that with a little tact and
management upon our part nobody will be a penny the worse for what
might have been a very ugly incident。〃
My mind filled with admiration for this extraordinary man。
〃You have solved it！〃 I cried。
〃Hardly that； Watson。 There are some points which are as dark as
ever。 But we have so much that it will be our own fault if we cannot
get the rest。 We will go straight to Whitehall Terrace and bring the
matter to a head。〃
When we arrived at the residence of the European Secretary it was
for Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope that Sherlock Holmes inquired。 We were
shown into the morning…room。
〃Mr。 Holmes！〃 said the lady； and her face was pink with her
indignation。 〃This is surely most unfair and ungenerous upon your
part。 I desired； as I have explained； to keep my visit to you a
secret； lest my husband should think that I was intruding into his
affairs。 And yet you compromise me by coming here and so showing
that there are business relations between us。〃
〃Unfortunately； madam； I had no possible alternative。 I have been
commissioned to recover this immensely important paper。 I must
therefore ask you； madam； to be kind enough to place it in my hands。〃
The lady sprang to her feet； with the colour all dashed in an
instant from her beautiful face。 Her eyes glazed… she tottered… I
thought that she would faint。 Then with a grand effort she rallied
from the shock； and a supreme astonishment and indignation chased
every other expression from her features。
〃You… you insult me； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃Come； come； madam； it is useless。 Give up the letter。〃
She darted to the bell。
〃The butler shall show you out。〃
〃Do not ring； Lady Hilda。 If you do； then all my earnest efforts
to avoid a scandal will be frustrated。 Give up the letter and all will
be set right。 If you will work with me I can arrange everything。 If
you work against me I must expose you。〃
She stood grandly defiant； a queenly figure； her eyes fixed upon his
as if she would read his very soul。 Her hand was on the bell； but
she had forborne to ring it。
〃You are trying to frighten me。 It is not a very manly thing； Mr。
Holmes； to come here and browbeat a woman。 You say that you know
something。 What is it that you know？〃
〃Pray sit down； madam。 You will hurt yourself there if you fall。 I
will not speak until you sit down。 Thank you。〃
〃I give you five minutes； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃One is enough； Lady Hilda。 I know of your visit to Eduardo Lucas；
of your giving him this document； of your ingenious return to the room
last night； and of the manner in which you took the letter from the
hiding…place under the carpet。〃
She stared at him with an ashen face and gulped twice before she
could speak。
〃You are mad； Mr。 Holmes… you are mad！〃 she cried； at last。
He drew a small piece of cardboard from his pocket。 It was the
face of a woman cut out of a portrait。
〃I have carried this because I thought it might be useful；〃 said he。
〃The policeman has recognized it。〃
She gave a gasp； and her head dropped back in the chair。
〃Come； Lady Hilda。 You have the letter。 The matter may still be
adjusted。 I have no desire to bring trouble to you。 My duty ends
when I have returned the lost letter to your husband。 Take my advice
and be frank with me。 It is your only chance。〃
Her courage was admirable。 Even now she would not own defeat。
〃I tell you again； Mr。 Holmes； that you are under some absurd
illusion。〃
Holmes rose from his chair。
〃I am sorry for you； Lady Hilda。 I have done my best for you。 I
can see that it is all in vain。〃
He rang the bell。 The butler entered。
〃Is Mr。 Trelawney Hope at home？〃
〃He will be home； sir； at a quarter to one。〃
Holmes glanced at his watch。
〃Still a quarter of an hour；〃 said he。 〃Very good； I shall wait。〃
The butler had hardly closed the door behind him when Lady Hilda was
down on her knees at Holmes's feet； her hands outstretched； her
beautiful face upturned and wet with her tears。
〃Oh； spare me； Mr。 Holmes！ Spare me！〃 she pleaded； in a frenzy of
supplication。 〃For heaven's sake； don't tell him！ I love him so！ I
would not bring one shadow on his life； and this I know would break
his noble heart。〃
Holmes raised the lady。 〃I am thankful； madam； that you have come to
your senses even at this last moment！ There is not an instant to lose。
Where is the letter？〃
She darted across to a writing…desk； unlocked it； and drew out a
long blue envelope。
〃Here it is； Mr。 Holmes。 Would to heaven I had never seen it！〃
〃How can we return it？〃 Holmes muttered。 〃Quick； quick； we must
think of some way！ Where is the despatch…box？〃
〃Still in his bedroom。〃
〃What a stroke of luck！ Quick； madam； bring it here！〃 A moment later
she had appeared with a red flat box in her hand。
〃How did you open it before？ You have a duplicate key？ Yes； of
course you have。 Open it！〃
From out of her bosom Lady Hilda had drawn a small key。 The box flew
open。 It was stuffed with papers。 Holmes thrust the blue envelope deep
down into the heart of them； between the leaves of some other
document。 The box was shut； locked； and returned to the bedroom。
〃Now we are ready for him；〃 said Holmes。 〃We have still ten minutes。
I am going far to screen you； Lady Hilda。 In return you will spend the
time in telling me frankly the real meaning of this extraordinary
affair。〃
〃Mr。 Holmes； I will tell you everything；〃 cried the lady。 〃Oh； Mr。
Holmes； I would cut off my right hand before I gave him a moment of
sorrow！ There is no woman in all London who loves her husband as I do；
and yet if he knew how I have acted… how I have been compelled to act…
he would never forgive me。 For his own honour stands so high that he
could not forget or pardon a lapse in another。 Help me； Mr。 Holmes！ My
happiness； his happiness； our very lives are at stake！〃
〃Quick； madam； the time grows short！〃
〃It was a letter of mine； Mr。 Holmes； an indiscreet letter written
before my marriage… a foolish letter； a letter of an impulsive； loving
girl。 I meant no harm； and yet he would have thought it criminal。
Had he read that letter his confidence would have been forever
destroyed。 It is years since I wrote it。 I had thought that the
whole matter was forgotten。 Then at last I heard from this man； Lucas；
that it had passed into his hands； and that he would lay it before
my husband。 I implored his mercy。 He said that he would return my
letter if I would bring him a certain document which he described in
my husband's despatch…box。 He had some spy in the office who had
told him of its existence。 He assured me that no harm could come to my
husband。 Put yourself in my position； Mr。 Holmes！ What was I to do？〃
〃Take your husband into your confidence。〃
〃I could not； Mr。 Holmes； I could not！ On the one side seemed
certain ruin； on the other； terrible as it seemed to take my husband's
paper； still in a matter of politics I could not understand the
consequences； while in a matter of love and trust they were only too
clear to me。 I did it； Mr。 Holmes！ I took an impression of his key。
This man； Lucas； furnished a duplicate。 I opened his despatch…box；
took the paper； and conveyed it to Godolphin Street。〃
〃What happened there； madam？〃
〃I tapped at the door as agreed。 Lucas opened it。 I followed him
into his room； leaving the hall door ajar behind me； for I feared to
be alone with the man。 I remember that there was a woman outside as
I entered。 Our business was soon done。 He had my letter on his desk； I
handed him the document。 He gave me the letter。 At this instant
there was a sound at the door。 There were steps in the passage。
Lucas quickly turned back the drugget； thrust the document into some
hiding…place there； and covered it over。
〃What happened after that is like some fearful dream。 I have a
vision of a dark； frantic face； of a woman's voice； which screamed
in French； 'My waiting is not in vain。 At last； at last I have found
you with her！' There was a savage struggle。 I saw him with a chair
in his hand； a knife gleamed in hers。 I rushed from the horrible
scene； ran from the house； and only next morning in the paper did I
learn the dreadful result。 That night I was happy； for I had my
letter； and I had not seen yet what the future would bring。
〃It was the next morning that I realized that I had only exchanged
one trouble for another。 My husband's anguish at the loss of his paper
went to my heart。 I could hardly prevent myself from there and then
kneeling down at his feet and telling him what I had done。 But that
again would mean a confession of the past。 I came to you that
morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offence。 From
the instant that I grasped it my whole mind was turned to the one
thought of getting back my husband's p