“Ah!... And what is a Jewish lamp?”
“One of those copper lamps used by the ancient Jews, consisting of a standard which supported a bowl containing the oil, and from this bowl projected several burners intended for the wicks.”
“Upon the whole, an object of small value.”
“No great value, of course. But this one contained a secret hiding-place in which we were accustomed to place a magnificent jewel, a chimera in gold, set with rubies and emeralds, which was of great value.”
“Why did you hide it there?”
“Oh! I can’t give any reason, monsieur, unless it was an odd fancy to utilize a hiding-place of that kind.”
“Did anyone know it?”
“No.”
“No one—except the thief,” said Sholmes. “Otherwise he would not have taken the trouble to steal the lamp.”
“Of course. But how could he know it, as it was only by accident that the secret mechanism of the lamp was revealed to us.”