the final problem-第3部分

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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　lithe　figure　of　my　friend。　There

was　no　sign　of　him。　I　spent　a　few　minutes　in　assisting　a　venerable

Italian　priest；　who　was　endeavouring　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　travelling　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　bludgeonman　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　plan　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　when　I

said　that　this　man　may　be　taken　as　being　quite　on　the　same

intellectual　plane　as　myself。　You　do　not　imagine　that　if　I　were　the

pursuer　I　should　allow　myself　to　be　baffled　by　so　slight　an

obstacle。　Why；　then；　should　you　think　so　meanly　of　him？〃

　　〃What　will　he　do？〃

　　〃What　I　should　do。〃

　　〃What　would　you　do；　then？〃

　　〃Engage　a　special。〃

　　〃But　it　must　be　late。〃

　　〃By　no　means。　This　train　stops　at　Canterbury；　and　there　is　always　at

least　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　delay　at　the　boat。　He　will　catch　us

there。〃

　　〃One　would　think　that　we　were　the　criminals。　Let　us　have　him

arrested　on　his　arrival。〃

　　〃It　would　be　to　ruin　the　work　of　three　months。　We　should　get　the　big

fish；　but　the　smaller　would　dart　right　and　left　out　of　the　net。　On

Monday　we　should　have　them　all。　No；　an　arrest　is　inadmissible。〃

　　〃What　then？〃

　　〃We　shall　get　out　at　Canterbury。〃

　　〃And　then？〃

　　〃Well；　then　we　must　make　a　cross…country　journey　to　Newhaven；　and　so

over　to　Dieppe。　Moriarty　will　again　do　what　I　should　do。　He　will　get

on　to　Paris；　mark　down　our　luggage；　and　wait　for　two　days　at　the

depot。　In　the　meantime　we　shall　treat　ourselves　to　a　couple　of

carpet…bags；　encourage　the　manufactures　of　the　countries　through　which

we　travel；　and　make　our　way　at　our　leisure　into　Switzerland；　via

Luxembourg　and　Basle。〃

　　At　Canterbury；　therefore；　we　alighted；　only　to　find　that　we　should

have　to　wait　an　hour　before　we　could　get　a　train　to　Newhaven。

　　I　was　still　looking　rather　ruefully　after　the　rapidly　disappearing

luggage…van　which　contained　my　wardrobe；　when　Holmes　pulled　my

sleeve　and　pointed　up　the　line。

　　〃Already；　you　see；〃　said　he。

　　Far　away；　from　among　the　Kentish　woods　there　rose　a　thin　spray　of

smoke。　A　minute　later　a　carriage　and　engine　could　be　seen　flying　along

the　open　curve　which　leads　to　the　station。　We　had　hardly　time　to

take　our　place　behind　a　pile　of　luggage　when　it　passed　with　a　rattle

and　a　roar；　beating　a　blast　of　hot　air　into　our　faces。

　〃There　he　goes；〃　said　Holmes；　as　we　watched　the　carriage　swing　and

rock　over　the　points。　〃There　are　limits；　you　see；　to　our　friend's

intelligence。　It　would　have　been　a　coup…mattre　had　he　deduced　what　I

would　deduce　and　acted　accordingly。〃

　　〃And　what　would　he　have　done　had　he　overtaken　us？〃

　　〃There　cannot　be　the　least　doubt　that　he　would　have　made　a　murderous

attack　upon　me。　It　is；　however；　a　game　at　which　two　may　play。　The

question　now　is　whether　we　should　take　a　premature　lunch　here；　or

run　our　chance　of　starving　before　we　reach　the　buffet　at　Newhaven。〃

　　We　made　our　way　to　Brussels　that　night　and　spent　two　days　there；

moving　on　upon　the　third　day　as　far　as　Strasbourg。　On　the　Monday

morning　Holmes　had　telegraphed　to　the　London　police；　and　in　the

evening　we　found　a　reply　waiting　for　us　at　our　hotel。　Holmes　tore　it

open；　and　then　with　a　bitter　curse　hurled　it　into　the　grate。

　　〃I　might　have　known　it！〃　he　groaned。　〃He　has　escaped！〃

　　〃Moriarty？〃

　　〃They　have　secured　the　whole　gang　with　the　exception　of　him。　He

has　given　them　the　slip。　Of　course；　when　I　had　left　the　country

there　was　no　one　to　cope　with　him。　But　I　did　think　that　I　had　put

the　game　in　their　hands。　I　think　that　you　had　better　return　to

England；　Watson。〃

　　〃Why？〃

　　〃Because　you　will　find　me　a　dangerous　companion　now。　This　man's

occupation　is　gone。　He　is　lost　if　he　returns　to　London。　If　I　read

his　character　right　he　will　devote　his　whole　energies　to　revenging

himself　upon　me。　He　said　as　much　in　our　short　interview；　and　I　fancy

that　he　meant　it。　I　should　certainly　recommend　you　to　return　to　your

practice。〃

　　It　was　hardly　an　appeal　to　be　successful　with　one　who　was　an　old

campaigner　as　well　as　an　old　friend。　We　sat　in　the　Strasbourg

salle…a…manger　arguing　the　question　for　half　an　hour；　but　the　same

night　we　had　resumed　our　journey　and　were　well　on　our　way　to　Geneva。

　　For　a　charming　week　we　wandered　up　the　valley　of　the　Rhone；　and

then；　branching　off　at　Leuk；　we　made　our　way　over　the　Gemmi　Pass；

still　deep　in　snow；　and　so；　by　way　of　Interlaken；　to　Meiringen。　It　was

a　lovely　trip；　the　dainty　green　of　the　spring　below；　the　virgin

white　of　the　winter　above；　but　it　was　clear　to　me　that　never　for　one

instant　did　Holmes　forget　the　shadow　which　lay　across　him。　In　the

homely　Alpine　villages　or　in　the　lonely　mountain　passes；　I　could　still

tell　by　his　quick　glancing　eyes　and　his　sharp　scrutiny　of　every　face

that　passed　us；　that　he　was　well　convinced　that；　walk　where　we

would；　we　could　not　walk　ourselves　clear　of　the　danger　which　was

dogging　our　footsteps。

　　Once；　I　remember；　as　we　passed　over　the　Gemmi；　and　walked　along

the　border　of　the　melancholy　Daubensee；　a　large　rock　which　had　been

dislodged　from　the　ridge　upon　our　right　clattered　down　and　roared　into

the　lake　behind　us。　In　an　instant　Holmes　had　raced　up　on　to　the　ridge；

and；　standing　upon　a　lofty　pinnacle；　craned　his　neck　in　every

direction。　It　was　in　vain　that　our　guide　assured　him　that　a　fall　of

stones　was　a　common　chance　in　the　springtime　at　that　spot。　He　said

nothing；　but　he　smiled　at　me　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　sees　the

fulfillment　of　that　which　he　had　expected。

　　And　yet　for　all　his　watchfulness　he　was　never　depressed。　On　the

contrary；　I　can　never　recollect　having　seen　him　in　such　exuberant

spirits。　Again　and　again　he　recurred　to　the　fact　that　if　he　could　be

assured　that　society　was　freed　from　Professor　Moriarty　he　would

cheerfully　bring　his　own　career　to　a　conclusion。

　　〃I　think　that　I　may　go　so　far　as　to　say；　Watson；　that　I　have　not

lived　wholly　in　vain；〃　he　remarked。　〃If　my　record　were　closed　to…night

I　could　still　survey　it　with　equanimity。　The　air　of　London　is　the

sweeter　for　my　presence。　In　over　a　thousand　cases　I　am　not　aware

that　I　have　ever　used　my　powers　upon　the　wrong　side。　Of　late　I　have

been　tempted　to　look　into　the　problems　furnished　by　nature　rather　than

those　more　superficial　ones　for　which　our　artificial　state　of

society　is　responsible。　Your　memoirs　will　draw　to　an　end；　Watson；　upon

the　day　that　I　crown　my　career　by　the　capture　or　extinction　of　the

most　dangerous　and　capable　criminal　in　Europe。〃

　　I　shall　be　brief；　and　yet　exact；　in　the　little　which　remains　for

me　to　tell。　It　is　not　a　subject　on　which　I　would　willingly　dwell；

and　yet　I　am　conscious　that　a　duty　devolves　upon　me　to　omit　no　detail。

　　It　was　on　the　third　of　May　that　we　reached　the　little　village　of

Meiringen；　where　we　put　up　at　the　Englischer　Hof；　then　kept　by　Peter

Steiler　the　elder。　Our　landlord　was　an　intelligent　man　and　spoke

excellent　English；　having　served　for　three　years　as　waiter　at　the

Grosvenor　Hotel　in　London。　At　his　advice；　on　the　afternoon　of　the

fourth　we　set　off　together；　with　the　intention　of　crossing　the　hills

and　spending　the　night　at　the　hamlet　of　Rosenlaui。　We　had　strict

injunctio