slowly and solemnly he was borne into briony lodge and laid out in the principal room, while i still observed the proceedings from my post by the window. the lamps had been lit, but the blinds had not been drawn, so that i could see holmes as he lay upon the couch. i do not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but i know that i never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my life than when i saw the beautiful creature against whom i was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waited upon the injured man. and yet it would be the blackest treachery to holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted to me. i hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from under my ulster. after all, i thought, we are not injuring her. we are but preventing her from injuring another.