adventure11-第2章

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there　a　crime　to　be　done；　a　paper　to　be　abstracted；　we

will　say；　a　house　to　be　rifled；　a　man　to　be

removedthe　word　is　passed　to　the　Professor；　the

matter　is　organized　and　carried　out。　　The　agent　may　be

caught。　　In　that　case　money　is　found　for　his　bail　or

his　defence。　　But　the　central　power　which　uses　the

agent　is　never　caughtnever　so　much　as　suspected。　

This　was　the　organization　which　I　deduced；　Watson；　and

which　I　devoted　my　whole　energy　to　exposing　and

breaking　up。



〃But　the　Professor　was　fenced　round　with　safeguards　so

cunningly　devised　that；　do　what　I　would；　it　seemed

impossible　to　get　evidence　which　would　convict　in　a

court　of　law。　　You　know　my　powers；　my　dear　Watson；　and

yet　at　the　end　of　three　months　I　was　forced　to　confess

that　I　had　at　last　met　an　antagonist　who　was　my

intellectual　equal。　　My　horror　at　his　crimes　was　lost

in　my　admiration　at　his　skill。　　But　at　last　he　made　a

triponly　a　little；　little　tripbut　it　was　more　than

he　could　afford　when　I　was　so　close　upon　him。　　I　had

my　chance；　and；　starting　from　that　point；　I　have　woven

my　net　round　him　until　now　it　is　all　ready　to　close。　

In　three　daysthat　is　to　say；　on　Monday　nextmatters

will　be　ripe；　and　the　Professor；　with　all　the

principal　members　of　his　gang；　will　be　in　the　hands　of

the　police。　　Then　will　come　the　greatest　criminal

trial　of　the　century；　the　clearing　up　of　over　forty

mysteries；　and　the　rope　for　all　of　them；　but　if　we

move　at　all　prematurely；　you　understand；　they　may　slip

out　of　our　hands　even　at　the　last　moment。



〃Now；　if　I　could　have　done　this　without　the　knowledge

of　Professor　Moriarty；　all　would　have　been　well。　　But

he　was　too　wily　for　that。　　He　saw　every　step　which　I

took　to　draw　my　toils　round　him。　　Again　and　again　he

strove　to　break　away；　but　I　as　often　headed　him　off。　

I　tell　you；　my　friend；　that　if　a　detailed　account　of

that　silent　contest　could　be　written；　it　would　take

its　place　as　the　most　brilliant　bit　of

thrust…and…parry　work　in　the　history　of　detection。　

Never　have　I　risen　to　such　a　height；　and　never　have　I

been　so　hard　pressed　by　an　opponent。　　He　cut　deep；　and

yet　I　just　undercut　him。　　This　morning　the　last　steps

were　taken；　and　three　days　only　were　wanted　to

complete　the　business。　　I　was　sitting　in　my　room

thinking　the　matter　over；　when　the　door　opened　and

Professor　Moriarty　stood　before　me。



〃My　nerves　are　fairly　proof；　Watson；　but　I　must

confess　to　a　start　when　I　saw　the　very　man　who　had

been　so　much　in　my　thoughts　standing　there　on　my

thresh…hold。　　His　appearance　was　quite　familiar　to　me。　

He　is　extremely　tall　and　thin；　his　forehead　domes　out

in　a　white　curve；　and　his　two　eyes　are　deeply　sunken

in　this　head。　　He　is　clean…shaven；　pale；　and

ascetic…looking；　retaining　something　of　the　professor

in　his　features。　　His　shoulders　are　rounded　from　much

study；　and　his　face　protrudes　forward；　and　is　forever

slowly　oscillating　from　side　to　side　in　a　curiously

reptilian　fashion。　　He　peered　at　me　with　great

curiosity　in　his　puckered　eyes。



〃'You　have　less　frontal　development　that　I　should　have

expected；'　said　he；　at　last。　　'It　is　a　dangerous　habit

to　finger　loaded　firearms　in　the　pocket　of　one's

dressing…gown。'



〃The　fact　is　that　upon　his　entrance　I　had　instantly

recognized　the　extreme　personal　danger　in　which　I　lay。　

The　only　conceivable　escape　for　him　lay　in　silencing

my　tongue。　　In　an　instant　I　had　slipped　the　revolved

from　the　drawer　into　my　pocket；　and　was　covering　him

through　the　cloth。　　At　his　remark　I　drew　the　weapon

out　and　laid　it　cocked　upon　the　table。　　He　still

smiled　and　blinked；　but　there　was　something　about　his

eyes　which　made　me　feel　very　glad　that　I　had　it　there。



〃'You　evidently　don't　now　me；'　said　he。



〃'On　the　contrary；'　I　answered；　'I　think　it　is　fairly

evident　that　I　do。　　Pray　take　a　chair。　　I　can　spare

you　five　minutes　if　you　have　anything　to　say。'



〃'All　that　I　have　to　say　has　already　crossed　your

mind；'　said　he。



〃'Then　possibly　my　answer　has　crossed　yours；'　I

replied。



〃'You　stand　fast？'



〃'Absolutely。'



〃He　clapped　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　I　raised　the

pistol　from　the　table。　　But　he　merely　drew　out　a

memorandum…book　in　which　he　had　scribbled　some　dates。



〃'You　crossed　my　patch　on　the　4th　of　January；'　said

he。　　'On　the　23d　you　incommoded　me；　by　the　middle　of

February　I　was　seriously　inconvenienced　by　you；　at　the

end　of　March　I　was　absolutely　hampered　in　my　plans；

and　now；　at　the　close　of　April；　I　find　myself　placed

in　such　a　position　through　your　continual　persecution

that　I　am　in　positive　danger　of　losing　my　liberty。　

The　situation　is　becoming　an　impossible　one。'



〃'Have　you　any　suggestion　to　make？'　I　asked。



〃'You　must　drop　it；　Mr。　Holmes；'　said　he；　swaying　his

face　about。　　'You　really　must；　you　know。'



〃'After　Monday；'　said　I。



〃'Tut；　tut；'　said　he。　　'I　am　quite　sure　that　a　man　of

your　intelligence　will　see　that　there　can　be　but　one

outcome　to　this　affair。　　It　is　necessary　that　you

should　withdraw。　　You　have　worked　things　in　such　a

fashion　that　we　have　only　one　resource。　　It　has　been

an　intellectual　treat　to　me　to　see　the　way　in　which

you　have　grappled　with　this　affair；　and　I　say；

unaffectedly；　that　it　would　be　a　grief　to　me　to　be

forced　to　take　any　extreme　measure。　　You　smile；　sir；

abut　I　assure　you　that　it　really　would。'



〃'Danger　is　part　of　my　trade；'　I　remarked。



〃'That　is　not　danger；'　said　he。　　'It　is　inevitable

destruction。　　You　stand　in　the　way　not　merely　of　an

individual；　but　of　a　might　organization；　the　full

extent　of　which　you；　with　all　your　cleverness；　have

been　unable　to　realize。　　You　must　stand　clear；　Mr。

Holmes；　or　be　trodden　under　foot。'



〃'I　am　afraid；'　said　I；　rising；　'that　in　the　pleasure

of　this　conversation　I　am　neglecting　business　of

importance　which　awaits　me　elsewhere。'



〃He　rose　also　and　looked　at　me　in　silence；　shaking　his

head　sadly。



〃'Well；　well；'　said　he；　at　last。　　'It　seems　a　pity；

but　I　have　done　what　I　could。　　I　know　every　move　of

your　game。　　You　can　do　nothing　before　Monday。　　It　has

been　a　duel　between　you　and　me；　Mr。　Holmes。　　You　hope

to　place　me　in　the　dock。　　I　tell　you　that　I　will　never

stand　in　the　dock。　　You　hope　to　beat　me。　　I　tell　you

that　you　will　never　beat　me。　　If　you　are　clever　enough

to　bring　destruction　upon　me；　rest　assured　that　I

shall　do　as　much　to　you。'



〃'You　have　paid　me　several　compliments；　Mr。　Moriarty；'

said　I。　　'Let　me　pay　you　one　in　return　when　I　say　that

if　I　were　assured　of　the　former　eventuality　I　would；

in　the　interests　of　the　public；　cheerfully　accept　the

latter。'



〃'I　can　promise　you　the　one；　but　not　the　other；'　he

snarled；　and　so　turned　his　rounded　back　upon　me；　and

went　peering　and　blinking　out　of　the　room。



〃That　was　my　singular　interview　with　Professor

Moriarty。　　I　confess　that　it　left　an　unpleasant　effect

upon　my　mind。　　His　soft；　precise　fashion　of　speech

leaves　a　conviction　of　sincerity　which　a　mere　bully

could　not　produce。　　Of　course；　you　will　say：　　'Why　not

take　police　precautions　against　him？'　　the　reason　is

that　I　am　well　convinced　that　it　is　from　his　agents

the　blow　will　fall。　　I　have　the　best　proofs　that　it

would　be　so。〃



〃You　have　already　been　assaulted？〃



〃My　dear　Watson；　Professor　Moriarty　is　not　a　man　who

lets　the　grass　grow　under　his　feet。　　I　went　out　about

mid…day　to　transact　some　business　in　Oxford　Street。　

As　I　passed　the　corner　which　leads　from　Bentinck

Street　on　to　the　Welbeck　Street　crossing　a　two…horse

van　furiously　driven　whizzed　round　and　was　on　me　like

a　flash。　　I　sprang　for　the　foot…path　and　saved　myself

by　the　fraction　of　a　second。　　The　van　dashed　round　by

Marylebone　Lane　and　was　gone　in　an　instant。　　I　kept　to

the　pavement　after　that；　Watson；　but　as　I　walked　down

Vere　Street　a　brick　came　down　from　the　roof　of　one　of

the　houses；　and　was　shattered　to　fragments　at　my　feet。　

I　called　the