the adventure of the empty house-第2章

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before　my　eyes；　and　when　it　cleared　I　found　my　collar…ends　undone

and　the　tingling　after…taste　of　brandy　upon　my　lips。　Holmes　was

bending　over　my　chair；　his　flask　in　his　hand。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　the　well…remembered　voice；　〃I　owe　you　a

thousand　apologies。　I　had　no　idea　that　you　would　be　so　affected。〃

　　I　gripped　him　by　the　arms。

　　〃Holmes！〃　I　cried。　〃Is　it　really　you？　Can　it　indeed　be　that　you

are　alive？　Is　it　possible　that　you　succeeded　in　climbing　out　of　that

awful　abyss？〃

　　〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　he。　〃Are　you　sure　that　you　are　really　fit　to

discuss　things？　I　have　given　you　a　serious　shock　by　my　unnecessarily

dramatic　reappearance。〃

　　〃I　am　all　right；　but　indeed；　Holmes；　I　can　hardly　believe　my　eyes。

Good　heavens！　to　think　that　you…　you　of　all　men…　should　be　standing　in

my　study。〃　Again　I　gripped　him　by　the　sleeve；　and　felt　the　thin；

sinewy　arm　beneath　it。　〃Well；　you're　not　a　spirit　anyhow；〃　said　I。　〃My

dear　chap；　I'm　overjoyed　to　see　you。　Sit　down；　and　tell　me　how　you

came　alive　out　of　that　dreadful　chasm。〃

　　He　sat　opposite　to　me；　and　lit　a　cigarette　in　his　old；　nonchalant

manner。　He　was　dressed　in　the　seedy　frockcoat　of　the　book　merchant；

but　the　rest　of　that　individual　lay　in　a　pile　of　white　hair　and　old

books　upon　the　table。　Holmes　looked　even　thinner　and　keener　than　of

old；　but　there　was　a　dead…white　tinge　in　his　aquiline　face　which

told　me　that　his　life　recently　had　not　been　a　healthy　one。

　　〃I　am　glad　to　stretch　myself；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　no　joke

when　a　tall　man　has　to　take　a　foot　off　his　stature　for　several　hours

on　end。　Now；　my　dear　fellow；　in　the　matter　of　these　explanations；　we

have；　if　I　may　ask　for　your　cooperation；　a　hard　and　dangerous

night's　work　in　front　of　us。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if　I　gave

you　an　account　of　the　whole　situation　when　that　work　is　finished。〃

　　〃I　am　full　of　curiosity。　I　should　much　prefer　to　hear　now。〃

　　〃You'll　come　with　me　to…night？〃

　　〃When　you　like　and　where　you　like。〃

　　〃This　is；　indeed；　like　the　old　days。　We　shall　have　time　for　a

mouthful　of　dinner　before　we　need　go。　Well；　then；　about　that　chasm。

I　had　no　serious　difficulty　in　getting　out　of　it；　for　the　very

simple　reason　that　I　never　was　in　it。〃

　　〃You　never　were　in　it？〃

　　〃No；　Watson；　I　never　was　in　it。　My　note　to　you　was　absolutely

genuine。　I　had　little　doubt　that　I　had　come　to　the　end　of　my　career

when　I　perceived　the　somewhat　sinister　figure　of　the　late　Professor

Moriarty　standing　upon　the　narrow　pathway　which　led　to　safety。　I

read　an　inexorable　purpose　in　his　gray　eyes。　I　exchanged　some

remarks　with　him；　therefore；　and　obtained　his　courteous　permission

to　write　the　short　note　which　you　afterwards　received。　I　left　it

with　my　cigarette…box　and　my　stick；　and　I　walked　along　the　pathway；

Moriarty　still　at　my　heels。　When　I　reached　the　end　I　stood　at　bay。

He　drew　no　weapon；　but　he　rushed　at　me　and　threw　his　long　arms

around　me。　He　knew　that　his　own　game　was　up；　and　was　only　anxious　to

revenge　himself　upon　me。　We　tottered　together　upon　the　brink　of　the

fall。　I　have　some　knowledge；　however；　of　baritsu；　or　the　Japanese

system　of　wrestling；　which　has　more　than　once　been　very　useful　to

me。　I　slipped　through　his　grip；　and　he　with　a　horrible　scream　kicked

madly　for　a　few　seconds；　and　clawed　the　air　with　both　his　hands。　But

for　all　his　efforts　he　could　not　get　his　balance；　and　over　he　went。

With　my　face　over　the　brink；　I　saw　him　fall　for　a　long　way。　Then　he

struck　a　rock；　bounded　off；　and　splashed　into　the　water。〃

　　I　listened　with　amazement　to　this　explanation；　which　Holmes

delivered　between　the　puffs　of　his　cigarette。

　　〃But　the　tracks！〃　I　cried。　〃I　saw；　with　my　own　eyes；　that　two　went

down　the　path　and　none　returned。〃

　　〃It　came　about　in　this　way。　The　instant　that　the　Professor　had

disappeared；　it　struck　me　what　a　really　extraordinarily　lucky　chance

Fate　had　placed　in　my　way。　I　knew　that　Moriarty　was　not　the　only　man

who　had　sworn　my　death。　There　were　at　least　three　others　whose

desire　for　vengeance　upon　me　would　only　be　increased　by　the　death　of

their　leader。　They　were　all　most　dangerous　men。　One　or　other　would

certainly　get　me。　On　the　other　hand；　if　all　the　world　was　convinced

that　I　was　dead　they　would　take　liberties；　these　men；　they　would

soon　lay　themselves　open；　and　sooner　or　later　I　could　destroy　them。

Then　it　would　be　time　for　me　to　announce　that　I　was　still　in　the

land　of　the　living。　So　rapidly　does　the　brain　act　that　I　believe　I　had

thought　this　all　out　before　Professor　Moriarty　had　reached　the

bottom　of　the　Reichenbach　Fall。

　　〃I　stood　up　and　examined　the　rocky　wall　behind　me。　In　your

picturesque　account　of　the　matter；　which　I　read　with　great　interest

some　months　later；　you　assert　that　the　wall　was　sheer。　That　was　not

literally　true。　A　few　small　footholds　presented　themselves；　and

there　was　some　indication　of　a　ledge。　The　cliff　is　so　high　that　to

climb　it　all　was　an　obvious　impossibility；　and　it　was　equally

impossible　to　make　my　way　along　the　wet　path　without　leaving　some

tracks。　I　might；　it　is　true；　have　reversed　my　boots；　as　I　have　done　on

similar　occasions；　but　the　sight　of　three　sets　of　tracks　in　one

direction　would　certainly　have　suggested　a　deception。　On　the　whole；

then；　it　was　best　that　I　should　risk　the　climb。　It　was　not　a

pleasant　business；　Watson。　The　fall　roared　beneath　me。　I　am　not　a

fanciful　person；　but　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　seemed　to　hear

Moriarty's　voice　screaming　at　me　out　of　the　abyss。　A　mistake　would

have　been　fatal。　More　than　once；　as　tufts　of　grass　came　out　in　my　hand

or　my　foot　slipped　in　the　wet　notches　of　the　rock；　I　thought　that　I

was　gone。　But　I　struggled　upward；　and　at　last　I　reached　a　ledge

several　feet　deep　and　covered　with　soft　green　moss；　where　I　could

lie　unseen；　in　the　most　perfect　comfort。　There　I　was　stretched；　when

you；　my　dear　Watson；　and　all　your　following　were　investigating　in

the　most　sympathetic　and　inefficient　manner　the　circumstances　of　my

death。

　　〃At　last；　when　you　had　all　formed　your　inevitable　and　totally

erroneous　conclusions；　you　departed　for　the　hotel；　and　I　was　left

alone。　I　had　imagined　that　I　had　reached　the　end　of　my　adventures；　but

a　very　unexpected　occurrence　showed　me　that　there　were　surprises　still

in　store　for　me。　A　huge　rock；　falling　from　above；　boomed　past　me；

struck　the　path；　and　bounded　over　into　the　chasm。　For　an　instant　I

thought　that　it　was　an　accident；　but　a　moment　later；　looking　up；　I　saw

a　man's　head　against　the　darkening　sky；　and　another　stone　struck　the

very　ledge　upon　which　I　was　stretched；　within　a　foot　of　my　head。　Of

course；　the　meaning　of　this　was　obvious。　Moriarty　had　not　been

alone。　A　confederate…　and　even　that　one　glance　had　told　me　how

dangerous　a　man　that　confederate　was…　had　kept　guard　while　the

Professor　had　attacked　me。　From　a　distance；　unseen　by　me；　he　had

been　a　witness　of　his　friend's　death　and　of　my　escape。　He　had

waited；　and　then　making　his　way　round　to　the　top　of　the　cliff；　he

had　endeavoured　to　succeed　where　his　comrade　had　failed。

　　〃I　did　not　take　long　to　think　about　it；　Watson。　Again　I　saw　that

grim　face　look　over　the　cliff；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　the　precursor　of

another　stone。　I　scrambled　down　on　to　the　path。　I　don't　think　I

could　have　done　it　in　cold　blood。　It　was　a　hundred　times　more

difficult　than　getting　up。　But　I　had　no　time　to　think　of　the　danger；

for　another　stone　sang　past　me　as　I　hung　by　my　hands　from　the　edge

of　the　ledge。　Halfway　down　I　slipped；　but；　by　the　blessing　of　God；　I

landed；　torn　and　bleeding；　upon　the　path。　I　took　to　my　heels；　did

ten　miles　over　the　mountains　in　the　darkness；　and　a　week　later　I　found

myself　in　Florence；　with　the　certainty　that　no　one　in　the　world　knew

what　had　become　of　me。

　　〃I　had　only　one　confidant…　my　brother　Mycroft。　I　owe　you　many

apologies；　my　dear　Watson；　but　it　was　all…important　that　it　should

be　thought　I　was　dead；　and　it　is　quite　certain　that　you　would　not　have

written　so　convincing　an　account　of　my　unhappy　end　had　you　not

yourself　thought　that　it　was　true。　Several　times　during　the　last　three

years　I　have　taken　up　my　pen　to　write　to　you；　but　always　I　feared　lest

your　affectionate　regard　for　me　should　tempt　you　to　some

indiscretion　which　would　betray　my　secret。　For　that　reason　I　turned

away　from　you　this　evening　when　you　upset　my　books；　for　I　was　in

danger　at　the　time；　and　any　show　of　surprise　and　emotion　upon　your

part　might　have　drawn　attention　to　my　identity　and　led　to　the　most

deplorable　and　irreparable　results。　As　to　Mycroft；　I　had　to　confide　in

him　in　order　to　obtain　the　money　which　I　needed。　The　course　of

events　in　London　did　not　run　so　well　as　I　had　hoped；　for　the　trial

of　the　Moriarty　gang　left　two　of　its　most　dangerous　members；　my　own

most　vindictive　enemies；　at　liberty。　I　travelled　for　two　years　in

Tibet；　therefore；　and　amused　myself　by　visiting　Lhassa；　and　spending

some　days　with　the　head　lama。　You　may　have　read　of　the　remarkable

explorations　of　a　Norwegian　named　Sigerson；　but　I　am　sure　that　it

never　occurred　to　you　that　you　were　receiving　news　of　your　friend。　I

then　passed　through　Persia；　looked　in　at　Mecca；　and　paid　a　short　but

interesting　visit　to　the　Khalifa　at　Khartoum　the　results　of　which　I

have　communicated　to　the　Foreign　Office。　Returning　to　France；　I

spent　some　months　in　a　research　into　the　coal…tar　derivatives；　which　I

conducted　in　a　laboratory　at　Montpellier；　in　the　south　of　France。

Having　concluded　this　to　my　satisfaction　and　learning　that　only　one　of

my　enemies　was　now　left　in　London　I　was　about　to　return　when　my

movements　were　hastened　by　the　news　of　this　very　remarkable　Park

Lane　Mystery；　which　not　only　appealed　to　me　by　its　own　merits；　but

which　seemed　to　offer　some　most　peculiar　personal　opportunities。　I

came　over　at　once　to　London；　called　in　my　own　person　at　Baker

Street；　threw　Mrs。　Hudson　into　violent　hysterics；　and　found　that

Mycroft　had　preserved　my　rooms　and　my　papers　exactly　as　they　had

always　been。　So　it　was；　my　dear　Watson；　that　at　two　o'clock　to…day　I

found　myself　in　my　old　armchair　in　my　own　old　room；　and　only　wishing

that　I　could　have　seen　my　old　friend　Watson　in　the　other　chair　which

he　has　so　often　adorned。〃

　　Such　was　the　remarkable　narrative　to　which　I　listened　on　that

April　evening…　a　narrative　which　would　have　been　utterly　incredible　to

me　had　it　not　been　confirmed　by　the　actual　sight　of　the　tall；　spare

figure　and　the　keen；　eager　face；　which　I　had　never　thought　to　see

again。　In　some　manner　he　had　learned　of　my　own　sad　bereavement；　and

his　sympathy　was　shown　in　his　manner　rather　than　in　his　words。　〃Work

is　the　best　antidote　to　sorrow；　my　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃and　I

have　a　piece　of　work　for　us　both　to…night　which；　if　we　can　bring　it　to

a　successful　conclusion；　will　in　itself　justify　a　man's　life　on　this

planet。〃　In　vain　I　begged　him　to　tell　me　more。　〃You　will　hear　and

see　enough　before　morning；〃　he　answered。　〃We　have　three　years　of　the

past　to　discuss。　Let　that　suffice　until　half…past　nine；　when　we

start　upon　the　notable　adventure　of　the　empty　house。〃

　　It　was　indeed　like　old　times　when；　at　that　hour；　I　fou