The Gold King had reentered the room in a more chastenedmood than he had left it. His wounded pride still showed in hisresentful eyes, but his common sense had shown him that he mustyield if he would attain his end.
“I’ve been thinking it over, Mr. Holmes, and I feel that I havebeen hasty in taking your remarks amiss. You are justified ingetting down to the facts, whatever they may be, and I think themore of you for it. I can assure you, however, that the relationsbetween Miss Dunbar and me don’t really touch this case.”
“That is for me to decide, is it not?”
“Yes, I guess that is so. You’re like a surgeon who wants everysymptom before he can give his diagnosis.”
“Exactly. That expresses it. And it is only a patient who has anobject in deceiving his surgeon who would conceal the facts of hiscase.”
“That may be so, but you will admit, Mr. Holmes, that mostmen would shy off a bit when they are asked point-blank whattheir relations with a woman may be—if there is really someserious feeling in the case. I guess most men have a little privatereserve of their own in some corner of their souls where they don’twelcome intruders. And you burst suddenly into it. But the objectexcuses you, since it was to try and save her. Well, the stakes aredown and the reserve open, and you can explore where you will.
What is it you want?”
“The truth.”
The Gold King paused for a moment as one who marshals histhoughts. His grim, deep-lined face had become even sadder andmore grave.
“I can give it to you in a very few words, Mr. Holmes,” said heat last. “There are some things that are painful as well as difficultto say, so I won’t go deeper than is needful. I met my wife whenwas gold-hunting in Brazil. Maria Pinto was the daughter of agovernment official at Manaos, and she was very beautiful. I wasyoung and ardent in those days, but even now, as I look backwith colder blood and a more critical eye, I can see that she wasrare and wonderful in her beauty. It was a deep rich nature, too,passionate, whole-hearted, tropical, ill-balanced, very differentfrom the American women whom I had known. Well, to make along story short, I loved her and I married her. It was only whenthe romance had passed—and it lingered for years—that I realizedthat we had nothing—absolutely nothing—in common. My lovefaded. If hers had faded also it might have been easier. But youknow the wonderful way of women! Do what I might, nothingcould turn her from me. If I have been harsh to her, even brutal assome have said, it has been because I knew that if I could kill herThe Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1333
love, or if it turned to hate, it would be easier for both of us. Butnothing changed her. She adored me in those English woods as shehad adored me twenty years ago on the banks of the Amazon. Dowhat I might, she was as devoted as ever.
“Then came Miss Grace Dunbar. She answered our advertisementand became governess to our two children. Perhaps you have seenher portrait in the papers. The whole world has proclaimed thatshe also is a very beautiful woman. Now, I make no pretence tobe more moral than my neighbours, and I will admit to you that Icould not live under the same roof with such a woman and in dailycontact with her without feeling a passionate regard for her. Doyou blame me, Mr. Holmes?”
“I do not blame you for feeling it. I should blame you if youexpressed it, since this young lady was in a sense under yourprotection.”
“Well, maybe so,” said the millionaire, though for a momentthe reproof had brought the old angry gleam into his eyes. “I’mnot pretending to be any better than I am. I guess all my life I’vebeen a man that reached out his hand for what he wanted, and Inever wanted anything more than the love and possession of thatwoman. I told her so.”
“Oh, you did, did you?”
Holmes could look very formidable when he was moved.
“I said to her that if I could marry her I would, but that it wasout of my power. I said that money was no object and that all Icould do to make her happy and comfortable would be done.”
“Very generous, I am sure,” said Holmes with a sneer.
“See here, Mr. Holmes. I came to you on a question of evidence,not on a question of morals. I’m not asking for your criticism.”
“It is only for the young lady’s sake that I touch your case at all,”
said Holmes sternly. “I don’t know that anything she is accusedof is really worse than what you have yourself admitted, that youhave tried to ruin a defenceless girl who was under your roof.
Some of you rich men have to be taught that all the world cannotbe bribed into condoning your offences.”
To my surprise the Gold King took the reproof with equanimity.
“That’s how I feel myself about it now. I thank God that myplans did not work out as I intended. She would have none of it,and she wanted to leave the house instantly.”
“Why did she not?”
“Well, in the first place, others were dependent upon her, andit was no light matter for her to let them all down by sacrificingher living. When I had sworn—as I did—that she should never bemolested again, she consented to remain. But there was anotherreason. She knew the influence she had over me, and that it was1334 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
stronger than any other influence in the world. She wanted to usefor good.”
“How?”
“Well, she knew something of my affairs. They are large, Mr.