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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 away my life。 I had but one desire； Mr。 Holmes； and I had
enough money to gratify it。 It was that I should cover myself so
that my poor face should be seen by none； and that I should dwell
where none whom I had ever known should find me。 That was all that was
left to me to do… and that is what I have done。 A poor wounded beast
that has crawled into its hole to die… that is the end of Eugenia
Ronder。〃
We sat in silence for some time after the unhappy woman had told her
story。 Then Holmes stretched out his long arm and patted her hand with
such a show of sympathy as I had seldom known him to exhibit。
〃Poor girl！〃 he said。 〃Poor girl！ The ways of fate are indeed hard
to understand。 If there is not some compensation hereafter； then the
world is a cruel jest。 But what of this man Leonardo？〃
〃I never saw him or heard from him again。 Perhaps I have been
wrong to feel so bitterly against him。 He might as soon have loved one
of the freaks whom we carried round the country as the thing which the
lion had left。 But a woman's love is not so easily set aside。 He had
left me under the beast's claws； he had deserted me in my need； and
yet I could not bring myself to give him to the gallows。 For myself； I
cared nothing what became of me。 What could be more dreadful than my
actual life？ But I stood between Leonardo and his fate。〃
〃And he is dead？〃
〃He was drowned last month when bathing near Margate。 I saw his
death in the paper。
〃And what did he do with this five…clawed club； which is the most
singular and ingenious part of all your story？〃
〃I cannot tell； Mr。 Holmes。 There is a chalk…pit by the camp； with a
deep green pool at the base of it。 Perhaps in the depths of that
pool…〃
〃Well； well； it is of little consequence now。 The case is closed。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the woman； 〃the case is closed。〃
We had risen to go； but there was something in the woman's voice
which arrested Holmes's attention。 He turned swiftly upon her。
〃Your life is not your own；〃 he said。 〃Keep your hands off it。〃
〃What use is it to anyone？〃
〃How can you tell？ the example of patient suffering is in itself the
most precious of all lessons to an impatient world。〃
The woman's answer was a terrible one。 She raised her veil and
stepped forward into the light。
〃I wonder if you would bear it；〃 she said。
It was horrible。 No words can describe the framework of a face
when the face itself is gone。 Two living and beautiful brown eyes
looking sadly out from that grisly ruin did but make the view more
awful。 Holmes held up his hand in a gesture of pity and protest； and
together we left the room。
Two days later； when I called upon my friend； he pointed with some
pride to a small blue bottle upon his mantelpiece。 I picked it up。
There was a red poison label。 A pleasant almondy odour rose when I
opened it。
〃Prussic acid？〃 said I。
〃Exactly。 It came by post。 'I send you my temptation。 I will
follow your advice。' That was the message。 I think；