adventure11-第5章

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gleam　of　the　breaking　water　far　below　us　against　the

black　rocks；　and　listening　to　the　half…human　shout

which　cam　booming　up　with　the　spray　out　of　the　abyss。



The　path　has　been　cut　half…way　round　the　fall　to

afford　a　complete　view；　but　it　ends　abruptly；　and　the

traveler　has　to　return　as　he　came。　　We　had　turned　to

do　so；　when　we　saw　a　Swiss　lad　come　running　along　it

with　a　letter　in　his　hand。　　It　bore　the　mark　of　the

hotel　which　we　had　just　left；　and　was　addressed　to　me

by　the　landlord。　　It　appeared　that　within　a　very　few

minutes　of　our　leaving；　and　English　lady　had　arrived

who　was　in　the　last　stage　of　consumption。　　She　had

wintered　at　Davos　Platz；　and　was　journeying　now　to

join　her　friends　at　Lucerne；　when　a　sudden　hemorrhage

had　overtaken　her。　　It　was　thought　that　she　could

hardly　live　a　few　hours；　but　it　would　be　a　great

consolation　to　her　to　see　an　English　doctor；　and；　if　I

would　only　return；　etc。　　The　good　Steiler　assured　me

in　a　postscript　that　he　would　himself　look　upon　my

compliance　as　a　very　great　favor；　since　the　lady

absolutely　refused　to　see　a　Swiss　physician；　and　he

could　not　but　feel　that　he　was　incurring　a　great

responsibility。



The　appeal　was　one　which　could　not　be　ignored。　　It　was

impossible　to　refuse　the　request　of　a

fellow…countrywoman　dying　in　a　strange　land。　　Yet　I

had　my　scruples　about　leaving　Holmes。　　It　was　finally

agreed；　however；　that　he　should　retain　the　young　Swiss

messenger　with　him　as　guide　and　companion　while　I

returned　to　Meiringen。　　My　friend　would　stay　some

little　time　at　the　fall；　he　said；　and　would　then　walk

slowly　over　the　hill　to　Rosenlaui；　where　I　was　to

rejoin　him　in　the　evening。　　As　I　turned　away　I　saw

Holmes；　with　his　back　against　a　rock　and　his　arms

folded；　gazing　down　at　the　rush　of　the　waters。　　It　was

the　last　that　I　was　ever　destined　to　see　of　him　in

this　world。



When　I　was　near　the　bottom　of　the　descent　I　looked

back。　　It　was　impossible；　from　that　position；　to　see

the　fall；　but　I　could　see　the　curving　path　which　winds

over　the　shoulder　of　the　hill　and　leads　to　it。　　Along

this　a　man　was；　I　remember；　walking　very　rapidly。



I　could　see　his　black　figure　clearly　outlined　against

the　green　behind　him。　　I　noted　him；　and　the　energy　wit

which　he　walked　but　he　passed　from　my　mind　again　as　I

hurried　on　upon　my　errand。



It　may　have　been　a　little　over　an　hour　before　I

reached　Meiringen。　　Old　Steiler　was　standing　at　the

porch　of　his　hotel。



〃Well；〃　said　I；　as　I　came　hurrying　up；　〃I　trust　that

she　is　no　worse？〃



a　look　of　surprise　passed　over　his　face；　and　at　the

first　quiver　of　his　eyebrows　my　heart　turned　to　lead

in　my　breast。



〃You　did　not　write　this？〃　I　said；　pulling　the　letter

from　my　pocket。　　〃There　is　no　sick　Englishwoman　in　the

hotel？〃



〃Certainly　not！〃　he　cried。　　〃But　it　has　the　hotel　mark

upon　it！　　Ha；　it　must　have　been　written　by　that　tall

Englishman　who　came　in　after　you　had　gone。　　He　said〃



but　I　waited　for　none　of　the　landlord's　explanations。　

In　a　tingle　of　fear　I　was　already　running　down　the

village　street；　and　making　for　the　path　which　I　had　so

lately　descended。　　It　had　taken　me　an　hour　to　come

down。　　For　all　my　efforts　two　more　had　passed　before　I

found　myself　at　the　fall　of　Reichenbach　once　more。　

There　was　Holmes's　Alpine…stock　still　leaning　against

the　rock　by　which　I　had　left　him。　　But　there　was　no

sign　of　him；　and　it　was　in　vain　that　I　shouted。　　My

only　answer　was　my　own　voice　reverberating　in　a

rolling　echo　from　the　cliffs　around　me。



It　was　the　sight　of　that　Alpine…stock　which　turned　me

cold　and　sick。　　He　had　not　gone　to　Rosenlaui；　then。　

He　had　remained　on　that　three…foot　path；　with　sheer

wall　on　one　side　and　sheer　drop　on　the　other；　until

his　enemy　had　overtaken　him。　　The　young　Swiss　had　gone

too。　　He　had　probably　been　in　the　pay　of　Moriarty；　and

had　left　the　two　men　together。　　And　then　what　had

happened？　　Who　was　to　tell　us　what　had　happened　then？



I　stood　for　a　minute　or　two　to　collect　myself；　for　I

was　dazed　with　the　horror　of　the　thing。　　Then　I　began

to　think　of　Holmes's　own　methods　and　to　try　to

practise　them　in　reading　this　tragedy。　　It　was；　alas；

only　too　easy　to　do。　　During　our　conversation　we　had

not　gone　to　the　end　of　the　path；　and　the　Alpine…stock

marked　the　place　where　we　had　stood。　　The　blackish

soil　is　kept　forever　soft　by　the　incessant　drift　of

spray；　and　a　bird　would　leave　its　tread　upon　it。　　Two

lines　of　footmarks　were　clearly　marked　along　the

farther　end　of　the　path；　both　leading　away　from　me。　

There　were　none　returning。　　A　few　yards　from　the　end

the　soil　was　all　ploughed　up　into　a　patch　of　mud；　and

the　branches　and　ferns　which　fringed　the　chasm　were

torn　and　bedraggled。　　I　lay　upon　my　face　and　peered

over　with　the　spray　spouting　up　all　around　me。　　It　had

darkened　since　I　left；　and　now　I　could　only　see　here

and　there　the　glistening　of　moisture　upon　the　black

walls；　and　far　away　down　at　the　end　of　the　shaft　the

gleam　of　the　broken　water。　　I　shouted；　but　only　the

same　half…human　cry　of　the　fall　was　borne　back　to　my

ears。



But　it　was　destined　that　I　should　after　all　have　a

last　word　of　greeting　from　my　friend　and　comrade。　　I

have　said　that　his　Alpine…stock　had　been　left　leaning

against　a　rock　which　jutted　on　to　the　path。　　From　the

top　of　this　bowlder　the　gleam　of　something　bright

caught　my　eye；　and；　raising　my　hand；　I　found　that　it

came　from　the　silver　cigarette…case　which　he　used　to

carry。　　As　I　took　it　up　a　small　square　of　paper　upon

which　it　had　lain　fluttered　down　on　to　the　ground。　

Unfolding　it；　I　found　that　it　consisted　of　three　pages

torn　from　his　note…book　and　addressed　to　me。　　It　was

characteristic　of　the　man　that　the　direction　was　a

precise；　and　the　writing　as　firm　and　clear；　as　though

it　had　been　written　in　his　study。



My　dear　Watson　＇it　said＇；　I　write　these　few　lines

through　the　courtesy　of　Mr。　Moriarty；　who　awaits　my

convenience　for　the　final　discussion　of　those

questions　which　lie　between　us。　　He　has　been　giving　me

a　sketch　of　the　methods　by　which　he　avoided　the

English　police　and　kept　himself　informed　of　our

movements。　　They　certainly　confirm　the　very　high

opinion　which　I　had　formed　of　his　abilities。　　I　am

pleased　to　think　that　I　shall　be　able　to　free　society

from　any　further　effects　of　his　presence；　though　I

fear　that　it　is　at　a　cost　which　will　give　pain　to　my

friends；　and　especially；　my　dear　Watson；　to　you。　　I

have　already　explained　to　you；　however；　that　my　career

had　in　any　case　reached　its　crisis；　and　that　no

possible　conclusion　to　it　could　be　more　congenial　to

me　than　this。　　Indeed；　if　I　may　make　a　full　confession

to　you；　I　was　quite　convinced　that　the　letter　from

Meiringen　was　a　hoax；　and　I　allowed　you　to　depart　on

that　errand　under　the　persuasion　that　some　development

of　this　sort　would　follow。　　Tell　Inspector　Patterson

that　the　papers　which　he　needs　to　convict　the　gang　are

in　pigeonhole　M。；　done　up　in　a　blue　envelope　and

inscribed　〃Moriarty。〃　　I　made　every　disposition　of　my

property　before　leaving　England；　and　handed　it　to　my

brother　Mycroft。　　Pray　give　my　greetings　to　Mrs。

Watson；　and　believe　me　to　be；　my　dear　fellow；



Very　sincerely　yours；



Sherlock　Holmes





A　few　words　may　suffice　to　tell　the　little　that

remains。　　An　examination　by　experts　leaves　little

doubt　that　a　personal　contest　between　the　two　men

ended；　as　it　could　hardly　fail　to　end　in　such　a

situation；　in　their　reeling　over；　locked　in　each

other's　arms。　　Any　attempt　at　recovering　the　bodies

was　absolutely　hopeless；　and　there；　deep　down　in　that

dreadful　caldron　of　swirling　water　and　seething　foam；

will　lie　for　all　time　the　most　dangerous　criminal　and

the　foremost　champion　of　the　law　of　their　generation。　

The　Swiss　youth　was　never　found　again；　and　there　can

be　no　doubt　that　he　was　one　of　the　numerous　agents

whom　Moriarty　kept　in　this　employ。　　As　to　the　gang；　it

will　b