"You have killed him!" she muttered. "Oh, Dio mio, you have
killed him!" Then I heard a sudden sharp intake of her breath,
and she sprang into the air with a cry of joy. Round and round
the room she danced, her hands clapping, her dark eyes gleaming
with delighted wonder, and a thousand pretty Italian exclamations
pouring from her lips. It was terrible and amazing to see such a
woman so convulsed with joy at such a sight. Suddenly she
stopped and gazed at us all with a questioning stare.
"But you! You are police, are you not? You have killed Giuseppe
Gorgiano. Is it not so?"
"We are police, madam."
She looked round into the shadows of the room.
"But where, then, is Gennaro?" she asked. "He is my husband,
Gennaro Lucca. I am Emilia Lucca, and we are both from New York.
Where is Gennaro? He called me this moment from this window, and
I ran with all my speed."
"It was I who called," said Holmes.
"You! How could you call?"
"Your cipher was not difficult, madam. Your presence here was
desirable. I knew that I had only to flash 'Vieni' and you would
surely come."
The beautiful Italian looked with awe at my companion.
"I do not understand how you know these things," she said.
"Giuseppe Gorgiano--how did he--" She paused, and then suddenly
her face lit up with pride and delight. "Now I see it! My
Gennaro! My splendid, beautiful Gennaro, who has guarded me safe
from all harm, he did it, with his own strong hand he killed the
monster! Oh, Gennaro, how wonderful you are! What woman could
every be worthy of such a man?"
"Well, Mrs.
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