The Tiger of San Pedro! The whole history of the man cameback to me in a flash. He had made his name as the most lewdand bloodthirsty tyrant that had ever governed any country withpretence to civilization. Strong, fearless, and energetic, he hadsufficient virtue to enable him to impose his odious vices uponcowering people for ten or twelve years. His name was a terrorthrough all Central America. At the end of that time there wasuniversal rising against him. But he was as cunning as he wascruel, and at the first whisper of coming trouble he had secretlyconveyed his treasures aboard a ship which was manned bydevoted adherents. It was an empty palace which was stormedby the insurgents next day. The dictator, his two children, hissecretary, and his wealth had all escaped them. From that momenthe had vanished from the world, and his identity had been afrequent subject for comment in the European press.
“Yes, sir, Don Murillo, the Tiger of San Pedro,” said Baynes. “Ifyou look it up you will find that the San Pedro colours are greenand white, same as in the note, Mr. Holmes. Henderson he calledhimself, but I traced him back, Paris and Rome and Madrid toBarcelona, where his ship came in in ’86. They’ve been lookingfor him all the time for their revenge, but it is only now that theyhave begun to find him out.”
“They discovered him a year ago,” said Miss Burnet, who had satup and was now intently following the conversation. “Once alreadyThe Adventure of Wisteria Lodge
his life has been attempted, but some evil spirit shielded him.
Now, again, it is the noble, chivalrous Garcia who has fallen, whilethe monster goes safe. But another will come, and yet another,until some day justice will be done; that is as certain as the riseof to-morrow’s sun.” Her thin hands clenched, and her worn faceblanched with the passion of her hatred.
“But how come you into this matter, Miss Burnet?” askedHolmes. “How can an English lady join in such a murderousaffair?”
“I join in it because there is no other way in the world by whichjustice can be gained. What does the law of England care for therivers of blood shed years ago in San Pedro, or for the shipload oftreasure which this man has stolen? To you they are like crimescommitted in some other planet. But we know. We have learnedthe truth in sorrow and in suffering. To us there is no fiend in helllike Juan Murillo, and no peace in life while his victims still cry forvengeance.”
“No doubt,” said Holmes, “he was as you say. I have heard thathe was atrocious. But how are you affected?”
“I will tell you it all. This villain’s policy was to murder, on onepretext or another, every man who showed such promise that hemight in time come to be a dangerous rival. My husband—yes,my real name is Signora Victor Durando—was the San Pedrominister in London. He met me and married me there. A noblerman never lived upon earth. Unhappily, Murillo heard of hisexcellence, recalled him on some pretext, and had him shot. Witha premonition of his fate he had refused to take me with him.
His estates were confiscated, and I was left with a pittance and abroken heart.
“Then came the downfall of the tyrant. He escaped as youhave just described. But the many whose lives he had ruined,whose nearest and dearest had suffered torture and death at hishands, would not let the matter rest. They banded themselvesinto a society which should never be dissolved until the work wasdone. It was my part after we had discovered in the transformedHenderson the fallen despot, to attach myself to his householdand keep the others in touch with his movements. This I wasable to do by securing the position of governess in his family. Helittle knew that the woman who faced him at every meal was thewoman whose husband he had hurried at an hour’s notice intoeternity. I smiled on him, did my duty to his children, and bidedmy time. An attempt was made in Paris and failed. We zig-zaggedswiftly here and there over Europe to throw off the pursuers andfinally returned to this house, which he had taken upon his firstarrival in England.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
“But here also the ministers of justice were waiting. Knowingthat he would return there, Garcia, who is the son of the formerhighest dignitary in San Pedro, was waiting with two trustycompanions of humble station, all three fired with the samereasons for revenge. He could do little during the day, for Murillotook every precaution and never went out save with his satelliteLucas, or Lopez as he was known in the days of his greatness. Atnight, however, he slept alone, and the avenger might find him.
On a certain evening, which had been prearranged, I sent myfriend final instructions, for the man was forever on the alert andcontinually changed his room. I was to see that the doors wereopen and the signal of a green or white light in a window whichfaced the drive was to give notice if all was safe or if the attempthad better be postponed.
“But everything went wrong with us. In some way I had excitedthe suspicion of Lopez, the secretary. He crept up behind me andsprang upon me just as I had finished the note. He and his masterdragged me to my room and held judgment upon me as a convictedtraitress. Then and there they would have plunged their knivesinto me could they have seen how to escape the consequencesof the deed. Finally, after much debate, they concluded that mymurder was too dangerous. But they determined to get rid foreverof Garcia. They had gagged me, and Murillo twisted my armround until I gave him the address. I swear that he might havetwisted it off had I understood what it would mean to Garcia.