Holmes had fully acquainted him with every aspect of the conclusion of the Moriarty affair. Although it might have been just possible that, for two days at least, he had found some form of domestic company preferable to his repetitive, solitary daily routine.
We spent much of the ensuing day discussing and analysing every aspect of our adventure. It was decided that it would fall to Mycroft to break the news to Lady Beasant that a refund of her husband’s lost fortune would not be forthcoming. By the time of Lestrade’s arrival we had fully exhausted Mrs Hudson and her supply of tea, and Holmes had now changed into his purple robe and exchanged his clay pipe for his cherrywood. This was a clear indication that he was now ready to disclose the exact manner and circumstances of his final confrontation with Moriarty.
He stood by the window resting his left leg upon its ledge, his elbow on his knee and, held in his hand his pipe, from which he frequently drew smoke. Despite the subject matter, with his left hand tucked into the pocket of his gown he appeared as relaxed and composed as one could possibly imagine.
‘Gentlemen, you must understand that from the outset, when I had left Watson waiting rather anxiously at the Queen’s Arms, I was convinced that it was Baron Maupertuis whom Parker had left alone at the villa, and that I had no intention of forcing a confrontation unless there were indications of a premature departure.
‘Despite the all-pervading darkness, indeed there was not even a moon that night, I experienced no great difficulty in retracing my steps along the muddy track that leads up to The Willows. Furthermore the climb over the wall seemed even easier than it had been earlier that day. I dropped silently into the grounds and crept, as stealthily as I could, towards the house, from which no light was visible. From my earlier reconnoitre I recalled a small potting-shed set back and to the left side of the house. From this vantage point I was certain that I could survey the entire front of the house and thus observe any unexpected movement. I gained access to this outbuilding without any great difficulty and, upon satisfying myself as to the view that it afforded, I settled myself down for what I anticipated would be the rest of the night.
‘However, at approximately three o’clock in the morning, a light suddenly illuminated an upper room at the front of the house. The significance of this was clear. The man, whom I still assumed to be Maupertuis, had been alerted by Parker’s failure to return and was thus aware of the potential danger he now faced.
‘I immediately abandoned my hiding-place and crept towards a lower-floor sash window, which I easily prised open with my small jemmy. The room within which I now found myself appeared to be a small, over furnished parlour evidently thrown into a state of chaos by its owner’s preparations for an imminent departure. I picked my way carefully around the many objects strewn about that impeded my progress and silently opened the door that gave on to the front hallway.
‘The only visible light in the place came from the room that I had just noticed being illuminated from my vantage point outside. Though the light barely crept from under the door to that room, there was sufficient to reveal the staircase that led to it. I managed to gain the upper landing without alerting the room’s occupant and soon found myself standing breathlessly outside it, contemplating my immediate course of action.
‘The sound of rustling papers from within indicated to me that the person inside was not preparing to confront me. Then a familiar voice, cursing the name of the incapacitated Parker, immediately spurred me to action. I tested the handle to the door, which yielded. I threw back the door so vigorously that it crashed into the wall, and I strode purposefully into the room. As a precaution I locked the door behind me and then announced: ‘Good morning, Professor Moriarty!’
‘More surprised by the crash of the door than my announcement, I am sure, Moriarty slowly turned from the papers that he had been packing into an attache-case, to face me. Almost unrecognizable in the guise of Maupertuis, certain unique physical traits betrayed him to me. No amount of facial hair could disguise the inherent evil of his cold, forbidding eyes. Nor could he still the peculiar, reptilian oscillation of his head, with which he was afflicted. His thin lips twisted into a peculiar smile.
‘“Ah, Mr Holmes, of course. I was a fool to think that my little deception would fool so astute a mind. However, I observe that you are alone, so perhaps my elaborate attempts at luring you to me were somewhat more successful.”
‘By now Moriarty and I were barely three feet apart and our eyes burned into each other’s, searching for signs of weakness. The excitement and anticipation of being so close to this epitome of evil, whom I had sought out for so long, were almost beyond my control. However I managed to deliver my response in a cold, disaffected manner.
‘“If you are referring to the clumsy attempt upon the life of my brother Mycroft, I must inform you now that it has also ended in abject failure. Your would-be assassin, Parker, I believe, was only successful in eliminating a hapless clerk!”
‘I was gratified to note that, upon hearing this news, his twisted smile soon faded and he turned away towards the window as he answered me.
‘“Your strange use of the word ‘also’ indicates that my theory regarding the loss of the Dying Gaul was sound. I deduced your meddling hand, at the outset, for my reasoning and planning were faultless.”
‘“Surely subsequent events have revealed that statement to be erroneous. Indeed it was merely bad timing that prevented you from falling into my hands at the villa in Tivoli,” I replied without realizing that while his back had been to me he had been extracting a small object from the pocket of his robe.
‘“So it is I who am supposed to have fallen into your hands?” Moriarty asked maliciously, turning round to face me once more. This time his right hand revealed his deadly response!
‘“It is no use. Your pistol changes nothing, Moriarty! Parker, your last accomplice, is now held in police custody, whilst my friend Dr Watson, together with Inspector Lestrade are, even now, beating a path to this very room. The net is closing upon you for the last time.” I stated with feigned bravado.
‘Then a change overtook his countenance, as if he knew that he could never face the ignominy of arrest, trial and the gallows. His eyes rolled up to the top of his head and he turned away from me once more.
‘“Oh, but Mr Holmes, for once at least you are to be proved incorrect. My pistol does indeed change things … most emphatically …” In an instant, before I could even visualize his intentions, Moriarty raised the pistol to his own head and fired a single shot, the deadly, bloody results of which you were witness to when you entered the room but a moment later.’
‘Good heavens, Sherlock! You came within a deuce of losing your life!’ Mycroft suddenly exclaimed.
‘Not for the first time, brother, not for the first time,’ Holmes wanly repeated.
‘Well, I do not know. I may be dealing with matters of international espionage, but I shall feel far safer within the confines of my office than I ever will in your place. Moreover, if I am to avoid the Prime Minister’s wrath I must repair to that institution without delay! Please thank your Scottish woman for her somewhat limited hospitality. I shall send my man for my belongings later on. Good day to you!’
A moment or two later Lestrade followed Mycroft through the door and Holmes and I were left to our own devices.
‘Holmes?’ I ventured, once we had enjoyed a prolonged moment of reflective silence. ‘I could not help but notice that, despite your best efforts at disguising it, there is still something within you that regrets Moriarty’s passing.’
Holmes slowly shook his head while relighting his cherrywood.
‘No Watson, no one in their right mind could possibly lament the elimination of pure evil, which Moriarty, for all his cleverness, surely was. As a perfectionist in my chosen profession, however, it is indeed hard to see how a challenge as stimulating as battling with Moriarty, will ever arise again.’
‘I can understand that,’ I responded, ‘but did you not say earlier that the weaknesses of man, which you have so astutely observed over the years, ensure that there will always be someone prepared to prey upon them. Surely it is gratifying to know that you will be there to prevent that from happening?’
Holmes turned to me suddenly and smiled. ‘As ever you are quite right, Watson. Yet it is equally gratifying to know that you will be there, fighting by my side.’
THE REMARKABLE DISAPPEARANCE OF JAMES PHILLIMORE
