the adventure of the empty house-第3章

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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　found　myself

seated　beside　him　in　a　hansom；　my　revolver　in　my　pocket；　and　the

thrill　of　adventure　in　my　heart。　Holmes　was　cold　and　stern　and　silent。

As　the　gleam　of　the　street…lamps　flashed　upon　his　austere　features；

I　saw　that　his　brows　were　drawn　down　in　thought　and　his　thin　lips

compressed。　I　knew　not　what　wild　beast　we　were　about　to　hunt　down　in

the　dark　jungle　of　criminal　London；　but　I　was　well　assured；　from　the

bearing　of　this　master　huntsman；　that　the　adventure　was　a　most　grave

one…　while　the　sardonic　smile　which　occasionally　broke　through　his

ascetic　gloom　boded　little　good　for　the　object　of　our　quest。

　　I　had　imagined　that　we　were　bound　for　Baker　Street；　but　Holmes

stopped　the　cab　at　the　corner　of　Cavendish　Square。　I　observed　that

as　he　stepped　out　he　gave　a　most　searching　glance　to　right　and　left；

and　at　every　subsequent　street　corner　he　took　the　utmost　pains　to

assure　that　he　was　not　followed。　Our　route　was　certainly　a　singular

one。　Holmes's　knowledge　of　the　byways　of　London　was　extraordinary；　and

on　this　occasion　he　passed　rapidly　and　with　an　assured　step　through

a　network　of　mews　and　stables；　the　very　existence　of　which　I　had　never

known。　We　emerged　at　last　into　a　small　road；　lined　with　old；　gloomy

houses；　which　led　us　into　Manchester　Street；　and　so　to　Blandford

Street。　Here　he　turned　swiftly　down　a　narrow　passage；　passed　through　a

wooden　gate　into　a　deserted　yard；　and　then　opened　with　a　key　the

back　door　of　a　house。　We　entered　together；　and　he　closed　it　behind　us。

　　The　place　was　pitch　dark；　but　it　was　evident　to　me　that　it　was　an

empty　house。　Our　feet　creaked　and　crackled　over　the　bare　planking；　and

my　outstretched　hand　touched　a　wall　from　which　the　paper　was　hanging

in　ribbons。　Holmes's　cold；　thin　fingers　closed　round　my　wrist　and

led　me　forward　down　a　long　hall；　until　I　dimly　saw　the　murky

fanlight　over　the　door。　Here　Holmes　turned　suddenly　to　the　right　and

we　found　ourselves　in　a　large；　square