‘It is your pattern. As I said, you are looking to the future. You are out of love with your husband. We have covered this ground. And he treats you badly. Also, you brought me his secret files. That was not a loving act. Rather a self-serving one. You perhaps wish for your own recognition eventually? And his arrogance was on clear display tonight. Is the Great Borelli’s replacement in view?’

‘You overstep, sir, attempting to work your magic—’

‘Not magic, simple observation. Is your new lover a stage conjurer?’

‘All right. You are too smart for me. Well, he is not exactly a conjuror but he has ideas for the magic. A young professor of the science. There is a future.’

‘I see. The pattern again. And you will make him a star?’

She was taken aback by this. ‘We have some interesting ideas, he and I. He is no performer. Yet. But very handsome, Mr Holmes. A bit young. But … why you look at me this way? You disapprove, I see.’

‘Madame, I have no opinion on your personal life. However, you must realize that with your young professor on the horizon, this makes you a prime suspect in tonight’s dramatic events?’

The lady laughed. ‘Mr Holmes,’ she said quietly. ‘If I wanted Dario to die, you can believe me that he would be dead already, and no one would know how, why or who. Even you.’

Holmes was silent.

‘Sir – Dario mio, I can handle. I wish him no harm. Nor Santo Colangelo. Please, Mr Holmes, clear both men of this vendetta, if indeed they are innocent, then I can leave knowing one will not destroy the other. I leave each man better than he was before we met. That is my pattern. Do you see, sir?’

Holmes considered this. ‘Of course, there is a third possibility. The “Great Borelli” might have engineered his own mishap, tonight? Perhaps with the help of that Falco Fricano?’

‘Possible.’

‘If so, it went a little bit wrong?’

‘Yes, went a little wrong.’

‘But why would your husband do such a thing?’

‘Dario maybe want attention and sympathy and to point finger at Santo Colangelo, make him go to gaol. But I do not know. You will make clear, no? All will be resolved.’

‘Madame, I have already agreed to visit Santo Colangelo. You said there could be one or two other suspects. Give me those names, please.’

‘Later. But first, I hire you to clear Santo. Then Dario and Santo will stop trying to harm the other.’

‘This is highly unusual, Madame. No promises. Watson, shall we?’

We were shortly in a hansom cab on the way back to Baker Street. As the cab pulled away from Wilton’s Music Hall, the faint, intermittent gaslights of Whitechapel washed dimly across Holmes’s keen, ascetic features.

‘A strange woman,’ remarked my friend. ‘I am not entirely convinced she is not the culprit tonight. What do you think, Watson?’