adventure11-第5部分

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happened？　　Who　was　to　tell　us　what　had　happened　then？



I　stood　for　a　minute　or　two　to　collect　myself；　for　I

was　dazed　with　the　horror　of　the　thing。　　Then　I　began

to　think　of　Holmes's　own　methods　and　to　try　to

practise　them　in　reading　this　tragedy。　　It　was；　alas；

only　too　easy　to　do。　　During　our　conversation　we　had

not　gone　to　the　end　of　the　path；　and　the　Alpine…stock

marked　the　place　where　we　had　stood。　　The　blackish

soil　is　kept　forever　soft　by　the　incessant　drift　of

spray；　and　a　bird　would　leave　its　tread　upon　it。　　Two

lines　of　footmarks　were　clearly　marked　along　the

farther　end　of　the　path；　both　leading　away　from　me。　

There　were　none　returning。　　A　few　yards　from　the　end

the　soil　was　all　ploughed　up　into　a　patch　of　mud；　and

the　branches　and　ferns　which　fringed　the　chasm　were

torn　and　bedraggled。　　I　lay　upon　my　face　and　peered

over　with　the　spray　spouting　up　all　around　me。　　It　had

darkened　since　I　left；　and　now　I　could　only　see　here

and　there　the　glistening　of　moisture　upon　the　black

walls；　and　far　away　down　at　the　end　of　the　shaft　the

gleam　of　the　broken　water。　　I　shouted；　but　only　the

same　half…human　cry　of　the　fall　was　borne　back　to　my

ears。



But　it　was　destined　that　I　should　after　all　have　a

last　word　of　greeting　from　my　friend　and　comrade。　　I

have　said　that　his　Alpine…stock　had　been　left　leaning

against　a　rock　which　jutted　on　to　the　path。　　From　the

top　of　this　bowlder　the　gleam　of　something　bright

caught　my　eye；　and；　raising　my　hand；　I　found　that　it

came　from　the　silver　cigarette…case　which　he　used　to

carry。　　As　I　took　it　up　a　small　square　of　paper　upon

which　it　had　lain　fluttered　down　on　to　the　ground。　

Unfolding　it；　I　found　that　it　consisted　of　three　pages

torn　from　his　note…book　and　addressed　to　me。　　It　was

characteristic　of　the　man　that　the　direction　was　a

precise；　and　the　writing　as　firm　and　clear；　as　though

it　had　been　written　in　his　study。



My　dear　Watson　＇it　said＇；　I　write　these　few　lines

through　the　courtesy　of　Mr。　Moriarty；　who　awaits　my

convenience　for　the　final　discussion　of　those

questions　which　lie　between　us。　　He　has　been　giving　me

a　sketch　of　the　methods　by　which　he　avoided　the

English　police　and　kept　himself　informed　of　our

movements。　　They　certainly　confirm　the　very　high

opinion　which　I　had　formed　of　his　abilities。　　I　am

pleased　to　think　that　I　shall　be　able　to　free　society

from　any　further　effects　of　his　presence；　though　I

fear　that　it　is　at　a　cost　which　will　give　pain　to　my

friends；　and　especially；　my　dear　Watson；　to　you。　　I

have　already　explained　to　you；　however；　that　my　career

had　in　any　case　reached　its　crisis；　and　that　no

possible　conclusion　to　it　could　be　more　congenial　to

me　than　this。　　Indeed；　if　I　may　make　a　full　confession

to　you；　I　was　quite　convinced　that　the　letter　from

Meiringen　was　a　hoax；　and　I　allowed　you　to　depart　on

that　errand　under　the　persuasion　that　some　development

of　this　sort　would　follow。　　Tell　Inspector　Patterson

that　the　papers　which　he　needs　to　convict　the　gang　are

in　pigeonhole　M。；　done　up　in　a　blue　envelope　and

inscribed　〃Moriarty。〃　　I　made　every　disposition　of　my

property　before　leaving　England；　and　handed　it　to　my

brother　Mycroft。　　Pray　give　my　greetings　to　Mrs。

Watson；　and　believe　me　to　be；　my　dear　fellow；



Very　sincerely　yours；



Sherlock　Holmes





A　few　words　may　suffice　to　tell　the　little　that

remains。　　An　examination　by　experts　leaves　little

doubt　that　a　personal　contest　between　the　two　men

ended；　as　it　could　hardly　fail　to　end　in　such　a

situation；　in　their　reeling　over；　locked　in　each

other's　arms。　　Any　attempt　at　recovering　the　bodies

was　absolutely　hopeless；　and　there；　deep　down　in　that

dreadful　caldron　of　swirling　water　and　seething　foam；

will　lie　for　all　time　the　most　dangerous　criminal　and

the　foremost　champion　of　the　law　of　their　generation。　

The　Swiss　youth　was　never　found　again；　and　there　can

be　no　doubt　that　he　was　one　of　the　numerous　agents

whom　Moriarty　kept　in　this　employ。　　As　to　the　gang；　it

will　be　within　the　memory　of　the　public　how　completely

the　evidence　which　Holmes　had　accumulated　exposed

their　organization；　and　how　heavily　the　hand　of　the

dead　man　weighted　upon　them。　　Of　their　terrible　chief

few　details　came　out　during　the　proceedings；　and　if　I

have　now　been　compelled　to　make　a　clear　statement　of

his　career　it　is　due　to　those　injudicious　champions

who　have　endeavored　to　clear　his　memory　by　attacks

upon　him　whom　I　shall　ever　regard　as　the　best　and　the

wisest　man　whom　I　have　ever　known。







End