the final problem-第4部分

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

injunctions；　however；　on　no　account　to　pass　the　falls　of

Reichenbach；　which　are　about　halfway　up　the　hills；　without　making　a

small　detour　to　see　them。

　　It　is；　indeed；　a　fearful　place。　The　torrent；　swollen　the　melting

snow；　plunges　into　a　tremendous　abyss；　from　which　the　spray　rolls　up

like　the　smoke　from　a　burning　house。　The　shaft　into　which　the　river

hurls　itself　is　an　immense　chasm；　lined　by　glistening　coal…black　rock；

and　narrowing　into　a　creaming；　boiling　pit　of　incalculable　depth；

which　brims　over　and　shoots　the　stream　onward　over　its　jagged　lip。　The

long　sweep　of　green　water　roaring　forever　down；　and　the　thick

flickering　curtain　of　spray　hissing　forever　upward；　turn　a　man　giddy

with　their　constant　whirl　and　clamour。　We　stood　near　the　edge

peering　down　at　the　gleam　of　the　breaking　water　far　below　us　against

the　black　rocks；　and　listening　to　the　half…human　shout　which　came

booming　up　with　the　spray　out　of　the　abyss。

　　The　path　has　been　cut　halfway　round　the　fall　to　afford　a　complete

view；　but　it　ends　abruptly；　and　the　traveller　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；　an　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　favour；　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　hills　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　with　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　explanation。　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

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

cars。

　　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　boulder　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　notebook　and　addressed　to　me。　It　was　characteristic　of　the

man　that　the　direction　was　as　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　cauldron　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　his　employ。　As　to　the

gang；　it　will　be　within　the　memory　of　the　public　how　completely　the

evidence　which　Holmes　had　accumulated　exposed　their　organization；

and　how　heavily　the　hand　of　the　dead　man　weighed　upon　them。　Of　their

terrible　chief　few　details　came　out　during　the　proceedings；　and　if　I

have　now　been　compelled　to　make　a　clear　statement　of　his　career；　it　is

due　to　those　injudicious　champions　who　have　endeavoured　to　clear　his

memory　by　attacks　upon　him　whom　I　shall　ever　regard　as　the　best　and

the　wisest　man　whom　I　have　ever　known。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。