adventure11-第2章

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reptilian　fashion。　　He　peered　at　me　with　great

curiosity　in　his　puckered　eyes。



〃'You　have　less　frontal　development　that　I　should　have

expected；'　said　he；　at　last。　　'It　is　a　dangerous　habit

to　finger　loaded　firearms　in　the　pocket　of　one's

dressing…gown。'



〃The　fact　is　that　upon　his　entrance　I　had　instantly

recognized　the　extreme　personal　danger　in　which　I　lay。　

The　only　conceivable　escape　for　him　lay　in　silencing

my　tongue。　　In　an　instant　I　had　slipped　the　revolved

from　the　drawer　into　my　pocket；　and　was　covering　him

through　the　cloth。　　At　his　remark　I　drew　the　weapon

out　and　laid　it　cocked　upon　the　table。　　He　still

smiled　and　blinked；　but　there　was　something　about　his

eyes　which　made　me　feel　very　glad　that　I　had　it　there。



〃'You　evidently　don't　now　me；'　said　he。



〃'On　the　contrary；'　I　answered；　'I　think　it　is　fairly

evident　that　I　do。　　Pray　take　a　chair。　　I　can　spare

you　five　minutes　if　you　have　anything　to　say。'



〃'All　that　I　have　to　say　has　already　crossed　your

mind；'　said　he。



〃'Then　possibly　my　answer　has　crossed　yours；'　I

replied。



〃'You　stand　fast？'



〃'Absolutely。'



〃He　clapped　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　I　raised　the

pistol　from　the　table。　　But　he　merely　drew　out　a

memorandum…book　in　which　he　had　scribbled　some　dates。



〃'You　crossed　my　patch　on　the　4th　of　January；'　said

he。　　'On　the　23d　you　incommoded　me；　by　the　middle　of

February　I　was　seriously　inconvenienced　by　you；　at　the

end　of　March　I　was　absolutely　hampered　in　my　plans；

and　now；　at　the　close　of　April；　I　find　myself　placed

in　such　a　position　through　your　continual　persecution

that　I　am　in　positive　danger　of　losing　my　liberty。　

The　situation　is　becoming　an　impossible　one。'



〃'Have　you　any　suggestion　to　make？'　I　asked。



〃'You　must　drop　it；　Mr。　Holmes；'　said　he；　swaying　his

face　about。　　'You　really　must；　you　know。'



〃'After　Monday；'　said　I。



〃'Tut；　tut；'　said　he。　　'I　am　quite　sure　that　a　man　of

your　intelligence　will　see　that　there　can　be　but　one

outcome　to　this　affair。　　It　is　necessary　that　you

should　withdraw。　　You　have　worked　things　in　such　a

fashion　that　we　have　only　one　resource。　　It　has　been

an　intellectual　treat　to　me　to　see　the　way　in　which

you　have　grappled　with　this　affair；　and　I　say；

unaffectedly；　that　it　would　be　a　grief　to　me　to　be

forced　to　take　any　extreme　measure。　　You　smile；　sir；

abut　I　assure　you　that　it　really　would。'



〃'Danger　is　part　of　my　trade；'　I　remarked。



〃'That　is　not　danger；'　said　he。　　'It　is　inevitable

destruction。　　You　stand　in　the　way　not　merely　of　an

individual；　but　of　a　might　organization；　the　full

extent　of　which　you；　with　all　your　cleverness；　have

been　unable　to　realize。　　You　must　stand　clear；　Mr。

Holmes；　or　be　trodden　under　foot。'



〃'I　am　afraid；'　said　I；　rising；　'that　in　the　pleasure

of　this　conversation　I　am　neglecting　business　of

importance　which　awaits　me　elsewhere。'



〃He　rose　also　and　looked　at　me　in　silence；　shaking　his

head　sadly。



〃'Well；　well；'　said　he；　at　last。　　'It　seems　a　pity；

but　I　have　done　what　I　could。　　I　know　every　move　of

your　game。　　You　can　do　nothing　before　Monday。　　It　has

been　a　duel　between　you　and　me；　Mr。　Holmes。　　You　hope

to　place　me　in　the　dock。　　I　tell　you　that　I　will　never

stand　in　the　dock。　　You　hope　to　beat　me。　　I　tell　you

that　you　will　never　beat　me。　　If　you　are　clever　enough

to　bring　destruction　upon　me；　rest　assured　that　I

shall　do　as　much　to　you。'



〃'You　have　paid　me　several　compliments；　Mr。　Moriarty；'

said　I。　　'Let　me　pay　you　one　in　return　when　I　say　that

if　I　were　assured　of　the　former　eventuality　I　would；

in　the　interests　of　the　public；　cheerfully　accept　the

latter。'



〃'I　can　promise　you　the　one；　but　not　the　other；'　he

snarled；　and　so　turned　his　rounded　back　upon　me；　and

went　peering　and　blinking　out　of　the　room。



〃That　was　my　singular　interview　with　Professor

Moriarty。　　I　confess　that　it　left　an　unpleasant　effect

upon　my　mind。　　His　soft；　precise　fashion　of　speech

leaves　a　conviction　of　sincerity　which　a　mere　bully

could　not　produce。　　Of　course；　you　will　say：　　'Why　not

take　police　precautions　against　him？'　　the　reason　is

that　I　am　well　convinced　that　it　is　from　his　agents

the　blow　will　fall。　　I　have　the　best　proofs　that　it

would　be　so。〃



〃You　have　already　been　assaulted？〃



〃My　dear　Watson；　Professor　Moriarty　is　not　a　man　who

lets　the　grass　grow　under　his　feet。　　I　went　out　about

mid…day　to　transact　some　business　in　Oxford　Street。　

As　I　passed　the　corner　which　leads　from　Bentinck

Street　on　to　the　Welbeck　Street　crossing　a　two…horse

van　furiously　driven　whizzed　round　and　was　on　me　like

a　flash。　　I　sprang　for　the　foot…path　and　saved　myself

by　the　fraction　of　a　second。　　The　van　dashed　round　by

Marylebone　Lane　and　was　gone　in　an　instant。　　I　kept　to

the　pavement　after　that；　Watson；　but　as　I　walked　down

Vere　Street　a　brick　came　down　from　the　roof　of　one　of

the　houses；　and　was　shattered　to　fragments　at　my　feet。　

I　called　the　police　and　had　the　place　examined。　　There

were　slates　and　bricks　piled　up　on　the　roof

preparatory　to　some　repairs；　and　they　would　have　me

believe　that　the　wind　had　toppled　over　one　of　these。　

Of　course　I　knew　better；　but　I　could　prove　nothing。　　I

took　a　cab　after　that　and　reached　my　brother's　rooms

in　Pall　Mall；　where　I　spent　the　day。　　Now　I　have　come

round　to　you；　and　on　my　way　I　was　attacked　by　a　rough

with　a　bludgeon。　　I　knocked　him　down；　and　the　police

have　him　in　custody；　but　I　can　tell　you　with　the　most

absolute　confidence　that　no　possible　connection　will

ever　be　traced　between　the　gentleman　upon　whose　front

teeth　I　have　barked　my　knuckles　and　the　retiring

mathematical　coach；　who　is；　I　dare　say；　working　out

problems　upon　a　black…board　ten　miles　away。　　You　will

not　wonder；　Watson；　that　my　first　act　on　entering　your

rooms　was　to　close　your　shutters；　and　that　I　have　been

compelled　to　ask　your　permission　to　leave　the　house　by

some　less　conspicuous　exit　than　the　front　door。〃



I　had　often　admired　my　friend's　courage；　but　never

more　than　now；　as　he　sat　quietly　checking　off　a　series

of　incidents　which　must　have　combined　to　make　up　a　day

of　horror。



〃You　will　spend　the　night　here？〃　I　said。



〃No；　my　friend；　you　might　find　me　a　dangerous　guest。　

I　have　my　plans　laid；　and　all　will　be　well。　　Matters

have　gone　so　far　now　that　they　can　move　without　my

help　as　far　as　the　arrest　goes；　though　my　presence　is

necessary　for　a　conviction。　　It　is　obvious；　therefore；

that　I　cannot　do　better　than　get　away　for　the　few　days

which　remain　before　the　police　are　at　liberty　to　act。　

It　would　be　a　great　pleasure　to　me；　therefore；　if　you

could　come　on　to　the　Continent　with　me。〃



〃The　practice　is　quiet；〃　said　I；　〃and　I　have　an

accommodating　neighbor。　　I　should　be　glad　to　come。〃



〃And　to　start　to…morrow　morning？〃



〃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　droopin