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〃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 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 point。 〃There are
limits； you see； to our friend's intelligence。 It
would have been a coup…de…ma顃re 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
Strasburg。 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 ope