按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Adventure XI
The Final Problem
It is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen to
write these the last words in which I shall ever
record the singular gifts by which my friend Mr。
Sherlock Holmes was distinguished。 In an incoherent
and； as I deeply feel； an entirely inadequate fashion；
I have endeavored to give some account of my strange
experiences in his company from the chance which first
brought us together at the period of the 〃Study in
Scarlet；〃 up to the time of his interference in the
matter of the 〃Naval Treaty〃and interference which
had the unquestionable effect of preventing a serious
international complication。 It was my intention to
have stopped there； and to have said nothing of that
event which has created a void in my life which the
lapse of two years has done little to fill。 My hand
has been forced； however； by the recent letters in
which Colonel James Moriarty defends the memory of his
brother； and I have no choice but to lay the facts
before the public exactly as they occurred。 I alone
know the absolute truth of the matter； and I am
satisfied that the time has come when on good purpose
is to be served by its suppression。 As far as I know；
there have been only three accounts in the public
press： that in the Journal de Geneve on May 6th；
1891； the Reuter's despatch in the English papers on
May 7th； and finally the recent letter to which I have
alluded。 Of these the first and second were extremely
condensed； while the last is； as I shall now sow； an
absolute perversion of the facts。 It lies with me to
tell for the first time what really took place between
Professor Moriarty and Mr。 Sherlock Holmes。
It may be remembered that after my marriage； and my
subsequent start in private practice； the very
intimate relations which had existed between Holmes
and myself became to some extent modified。 He still
came to me from time to time when he desired a
companion in his investigation； but these occasions
grew more and more seldom； until I find that in the
year 1890 there were only three cases of which I
retain any record。 During the winter of that year and
the early spring of 1891； I saw in the papers that he
had been engaged by the French government upon a
matter of supreme importance； and I received two notes
from Holmes； dated from Narbonne and from Nimes； from
which I gathered that his stay in France was likely to
be a long one。 It was with some surprise； therefore；
that I saw him walk into my consulting…room upon the
evening of April 24th。 It struck me that he was
looking even paler and thinner than usual。
〃Yes； I have been using myself up rather too freely；〃
he remarked； in answer to my look rather than to my
words； 〃I have been a little pressed of late。 Have
you any objection to my closing your shutters？〃
The only light in the room came from the lamp upon the
table at which I had been reading。 Holmes edged his
way round the wall and flinging the shutters together；
he bolted them securely。
〃You are afraid of something？〃 I asked。
〃Well； I am。〃
〃Of what？〃
〃Of air…guns。〃
〃My dear Holmes； what do you mean？〃
〃I think that you know me well enough； Watson； to
understand that I am by no means a nervous man。 At
the same time； it is stupidity rather than courage to
refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you。
Might I trouble you for a match？〃 He drew in the
smoke of his cigarette as if the soothing influence
was grateful to him。
〃I must apologize for calling so late；〃 said he； 〃and
I must further beg you to be so unconventional as to
allow me to leave your house presently by scrambling
over your back garden wall。〃
〃But what does it all mean？〃 I asked。
He held out his hand； and I saw in the light of the
lamp that two of his knuckles were burst and bleeding。
〃It is not an airy nothing； you see；〃 said he；
smiling。 〃On the contrary； it is solid enough for a
man to break his hand over。 Is Mrs。 Watson in？〃
〃She is away upon a visit。〃
〃Indeed！ You are alone？〃
〃Quite。〃
〃Then it makes it the easier for me to propose that
you should come away with me for a week to the
Continent。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Oh； anywhere。 It's all the same to me。〃
There was something very strange in all this。 It was
not Holmes's nature to take an aimless holiday； and
something about his pale； worn face told me that his
nerves were at their highest tension。 He saw the
question in my eyes； and； putting his finger…tips
together and his elbows upon his knees； he explained
the situation。
〃You have probably never heard of Professor Moriarty？〃
said he。
〃Never。〃
〃Aye； there's the genius and the wonder of the thing！〃
he cried。 〃The man pervades London； and no one has
heard of him。 That's what puts him on a pinnacle in
the records of crime。 I tell you； Watson； in all
seriousness； that if I could beat that man； if I could
free society of him； I should feel that my own career
had reached its summit； and I should be prepared to
turn to some more placid line in life。 Between
ourselves； the recent cases in which I have been of
assistance to the royal family of Scandinavia； and to
the French republic； have left me in such a position
that I could continue to live in the quiet fashion
which is most congenial to me； and to concentrate my
attention upon my chemical researches。 But I could
not rest； Watson； I could not sit quiet in my chair；
if I thought that such a man as Professor Moriarty
were walking the streets of London unchallenged。〃
〃What has he done； then？〃
〃His career has been an extraordinary one。 He is a
man of good birth and excellent education； endowed by
nature with a phenomenal mathematical faculty。 At the
age of twenty…one he wrote a treatise upon the
Binomial Theorem； which has had a European vogue。 On
the strength of it he won the Mathematical Chair at
one of our smaller universities； and had； to all
appearance； a most brilliant career before him。 But
the man had hereditary tendencies of the most
diabolical kind。 A criminal strain ran in his blood；
which； instead of being modified； was increased and
rendered infinitely more dangerous by his
extraordinary mental powers。 Dark rumors gathered
round him in the university town； and eventually he
was compelled to resign his chair and to come down to
London； where he set up as an army coach。 So much is
known to the world； but what I am telling you now is
what I have myself discovered。
〃As you are aware； Watson； there is no one who knows
the higher criminal world of London so well as I do。
For years past I have continually been conscious of
some power behind the malefactor； some deep organizing
power which forever stands in the way of the law； and
throws it shield over the wrong…doer。 Again and again
in cases of the most varying sortsforgery cases；
robberies； murdersI have felt the presence of this
force； and I have deduced its action in many of those
undiscovered crimes in which I have not been
personally consulted。 For years I have endeavored to
break through the veil which shrouded it； and at last
the time came when I seized my thread and followed it；
until it led me； after a thousand cunning windings； to
ex…Professor Moriarty of mathematical celebrity。
He is the Napoleon of crime； Watson。 He is the
organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that
is undetected in this great city。 He is a genius； a
philosopher； an abstract thinker。 He has a brain of
the first order。 He sits motionless； like a spider in
the center of its web； but that web has a thousand
radiations； and he knows well every quiver of each of
them。 He does little himself。 He only plans。 But
his agents are numerous and splendidly organized。 Is
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