adventure11-第3章

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

I　called　the　police　and　had　the　place　examined。　　There

were　slates　and　bricks　piled　up　on　the　roof

preparatory　to　some　repairs；　and　they　would　have　me

believe　that　the　wind　had　toppled　over　one　of　these。　

Of　course　I　knew　better；　but　I　could　prove　nothing。　　I

took　a　cab　after　that　and　reached　my　brother's　rooms

in　Pall　Mall；　where　I　spent　the　day。　　Now　I　have　come

round　to　you；　and　on　my　way　I　was　attacked　by　a　rough

with　a　bludgeon。　　I　knocked　him　down；　and　the　police

have　him　in　custody；　but　I　can　tell　you　with　the　most

absolute　confidence　that　no　possible　connection　will

ever　be　traced　between　the　gentleman　upon　whose　front

teeth　I　have　barked　my　knuckles　and　the　retiring

mathematical　coach；　who　is；　I　dare　say；　working　out

problems　upon　a　black…board　ten　miles　away。　　You　will

not　wonder；　Watson；　that　my　first　act　on　entering　your

rooms　was　to　close　your　shutters；　and　that　I　have　been

compelled　to　ask　your　permission　to　leave　the　house　by

some　less　conspicuous　exit　than　the　front　door。〃



I　had　often　admired　my　friend's　courage；　but　never

more　than　now；　as　he　sat　quietly　checking　off　a　series

of　incidents　which　must　have　combined　to　make　up　a　day

of　horror。



〃You　will　spend　the　night　here？〃　I　said。



〃No；　my　friend；　you　might　find　me　a　dangerous　guest。　

I　have　my　plans　laid；　and　all　will　be　well。　　Matters

have　gone　so　far　now　that　they　can　move　without　my

help　as　far　as　the　arrest　goes；　though　my　presence　is

necessary　for　a　conviction。　　It　is　obvious；　therefore；

that　I　cannot　do　better　than　get　away　for　the　few　days

which　remain　before　the　police　are　at　liberty　to　act。　

It　would　be　a　great　pleasure　to　me；　therefore；　if　you

could　come　on　to　the　Continent　with　me。〃



〃The　practice　is　quiet；〃　said　I；　〃and　I　have　an

accommodating　neighbor。　　I　should　be　glad　to　come。〃



〃And　to　start　to…morrow　morning？〃



〃If　necessary。〃



〃Oh　yes；　it　is　most　necessary。　　Then　these　are　your

instructions；　and　I　beg；　my　dear　Watson；　that　you　will

obey　them　to　the　letter；　for　you　are　now　playing　a

double…handed　game　with　me　against　the　cleverest　rogue

and　the　most　powerful　syndicate　of　criminals　in

Europe。　　Now　listen！　　You　will　despatch　whatever

luggage　you　intend　to　take　by　a　trusty　messenger

unaddressed　to　Victoria　to…night。　　In　the　morning　you

will　send　for　a　hansom；　desiring　your　man　to　take

neither　the　first　nor　the　second　which　may　present

itself。　　Into　this　hansom　you　will　jump；　and　you　will

drive　to　the　Strand　end　of　the　Lowther　Arcade；

handling　the　address　to　the　cabman　upon　a　slip　of

paper；　with　a　request　that　he　will　not　throw　it　away。　

Have　your　fare　ready；　and　the　instant　that　your　cab

stops；　dash　through　the　Arcade；　timing　yourself　to

reach　the　other　side　at　a　quarter…past　nine。　　You　will

find　a　small　brougham　waiting　close　to　the　curb；

driven　by　a　fellow　with　a　heavy　black　cloak　tipped　at

the　collar　with　red。　　Into　this　you　will　step；　and　you

will　reach　Victoria　in　time　for　the　Continental

express。〃



〃Where　shall　I　meet　you？〃



〃At　the　station。　　The　second　first…class　carriage　from

the　front　will　be　reserved　for　us。〃



〃The　carriage　is　our　rendezvous；　then？〃



〃Yes。〃



It　was　in　vain　that　I　asked　Holmes　to　remain　for　the

evening。　　It　was　evident　to　me　that　he　though　he　might

bring　trouble　to　the　roof　he　was　under；　and　that　that

was　the　motive　which　impelled　him　to　go。　　With　a　few

hurried　words　as　to　our　plans　for　the　morrow　he　rose

and　came　out　with　me　into　the　garden；　clambering　over

the　wall　which　leads　into　Mortimer　Street；　and

immediately　whistling　for　a　hansom；　in　which　I　heard

him　drive　away。



In　the　morning　I　obeyed　Holmes's　injunctions　to　the

letter。　　A　hansom　was　procured　with　such　precaution　as

would　prevent　its　being　one　which　was　placed　ready　for

us；　and　I　drove　immediately　after　breakfast　to　the

Lowther　Arcade；　through　which　I　hurried　at　the　top　of

my　speed。　　A　brougham　was　waiting　with　a　very　massive

driver　wrapped　in　a　dark　cloak；　who；　the　instant　that

I　had　stepped　in；　whipped　up　the　horse　and　rattled　off

to　Victoria　Station。　　On　my　alighting　there　he　turned

the　carriage；　and　dashed　away　again　without　so　much　as

a　look　in　my　direction。



So　far　all　had　gone　admirably。　　My　luggage　was　waiting

for　me；　and　I　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the

carriage　which　Holmes　had　indicated；　the　less　so　as　it

was　the　only　one　in　the　train　which　was　marked

〃Engaged。〃　　My　only　source　of　anxiety　now　was　the

non…appearance　of　Holmes。　　The　station　clock　marked

only　seven　minutes　from　the　time　when　we　were　due　to

start。　　In　vain　I　searched　among　the　groups　of

travellers　and　leave…takers　for　the　little　figure　of

my　friend。　　There　was　no　sign　of　him。　　I　spent　a　few

minutes　in　assisting　a　venerable　Italian　priest；　who

was　endeavoring　to　make　a　porter　understand；　in　his

broken　English；　that　his　luggage　was　to　be　booked

through　to　Paris。　　Then；　having　taken　another　look

round；　I　returned　to　my　carriage；　where　I　found　that

the　porter；　in　spite　of　the　ticket；　had　given　me　my

decrepit　Italian　friend　as　a　traveling　companion。　　It

was　useless　for　me　to　explain　to　him　that　his　presence

was　an　intrusion；　for　my　Italian　was　even　more　limited

than　his　English；　so　I　shrugged　my　shoulders

resignedly；　and　continued　to　look　out　anxiously　for　my

friend。　　A　chill　of　fear　had　come　over　me；　as　I

thought　that　his　absence　might　mean　that　some　blow　had

fallen　during　the　night。　　Already　the　doors　had　all

been　shut　and　the　whistle　blown；　when



〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　a　voice；　〃you　have　not　even

condescended　to　say　good…morning。〃



I　turned　in　uncontrollable　astonishment。　　The　aged

ecclesiastic　had　turned　his　face　towards　me。　　For　an

instant　the　wrinkles　were　smoothed　away；　the　nose　drew

away　from　the　chin；　the　lower　lip　ceased　to　protrude

and　the　mouth　to　mumble；　the　dull　eyes　regained　their

fire；　the　drooping　figure　expanded。　　The　next　the

whole　frame　collapsed　again；　and　Holmes　had　gone　as

quickly　as　he　had　come。



〃Good　heavens！〃　I　cried；　〃how　you　startled　me！〃



〃Every　precaution　is　still　necessary；〃　he　whispered。　

〃I　have　reason　to　think　that　they　are　hot　upon　our

trail。　　Ah；　there　is　Moriarty　himself。〃



The　train　had　already　begun　to　move　as　Holmes　spoke。　

Glancing　back；　I　saw　a　tall　man　pushing　his　way

furiously　through　the　crowd；　and　waving　his　hand　as　if

he　desired　to　have　the　train　stopped。　　It　was　too

late；　however；　for　we　were　rapidly　gathering　momentum；

and　an　instant　later　had　shot　clear　of　the　station。



〃With　all　our　precautions；　you　see　that　we　have　cut　it

rather　fine；〃　said　Holmes；　laughing。　　He　rose；　and

throwing　off　the　black　cassock　and　hat　which　had

formed　his　disguise；　he　packed　them　away　in　a

hand…bag。



〃Have　you　seen　the　morning　paper；　Watson？〃



〃No。〃



〃You　haven't'　seen　about　Baker　Street；　then？〃



〃Baker　Street？〃



〃They　set　fire　to　our　rooms　last　night。　　No　great　harm

was　done。〃



〃Good　heavens；　Holmes！　this　is　intolerable。〃



〃They　must　have　lost　my　track　completely　after　their

bludgeon…man　was　arrested。　　Otherwise　they　could　not

have　imagined　that　I　had　returned　to　my　rooms。　　They

have　evidently　taken　the　precaution　of　watching　you；

however；　and　that　is　what　has　brought　Moriarty　to

Victoria。　　You　could　not　have　made　any　slip　in

coming？〃



〃I　did　exactly　what　you　advised。〃



〃Did　you　find　your　brougham？〃



〃Yes；　it　was　waiting。〃



〃Did　you　recognize　your　coachman？〃



〃No。〃



〃It　was　my　brother　Mycroft。　　It　is　an　advantage　to　get

about　in　such　a　case　without　taking　a　mercenary　into

your　confidence。　　But　we　must　plant　what　we　are　to　do

about　Moriarty　now。〃



〃As　this　is　an　express；　and　as　the　boat　runs　in

connection　with　it；　I　should　think　we　have　shaken　him

off　very　effectively。〃



〃My　dear　Watson；　you　evidently　did　not　realize　my

meaning