It is the truth that I tell."
"Madam," said Holmes, "I am sure that it is the truth.
I fear that you are far from well."
She had turned a dreadful colour, the more ghastly under the
dark dust-streaks upon her face. She seated herself on the
side of the bed; then she resumed.
"I have only a little time here," she said, "but I would have
you to know the whole truth. I am this man's wife. He is not
an Englishman. He is a Russian. His name I will not tell."
For the first time the old man stirred. "God bless you, Anna!"
he cried. "God bless you!"
She cast a look of the deepest disdain in his direction.
"Why should you cling so hard to that wretched life of yours,
Sergius?" said she. "It has done harm to many and good to
none -- not even to yourself. However, it is not for me to
cause the frail thread to be snapped before God's time.
I have enough already upon my soul since I crossed the threshold
of this cursed house. But I must speak or I shall be too late.
"I have said, gentlemen, that I am this man's wife. He was
fifty and I a foolish girl of twenty when we married. It was
in a city of Russia, a University -- I will not name the place.
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