〃Excellent。 You carried the thing out very well。 Did you observe
where the bullet went？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I'm afraid it has spoilt your beautiful bust； for it
passed right through the head and flattened itself on the wall。 I
picked it up from the carpet。 Here it is！〃
Holmes held it out to me。 〃A soft revolver bullet； as you
perceive； Watson。 There's genius in that； for who would expect to find
such a thing fired from an airgun？ All right； Mrs。 Hudson。 I am much
obliged for your assistance。 And now； Watson； let me see you in your
old seat once more； for there are several points which I should like
to discuss with you。〃
He had thrown off the seedy frockcoat； and now he was the Holmes
of old in the mouse…coloured dressing…gown which he took from his
effigy。
〃The old shikari's nerves have not lost their steadiness； nor his
eyes their keenness；〃 said he； with a laugh； as he inspected the
shattered forehead of his bust。
〃Plumb in the middle of the back of the head and smack through the
brain。 He was the best shot in India； and I expect that there are
few better in London。 Have you heard the name？〃
〃No； I have not。〃
〃Well； well； such is fame！ But； then； if I remember right； you had
not heard the name of Professor James Moriarty； who had one of the
great brains of the century。 Just give me down my index of biographies
from the shelf。〃
He turned over the pages lazily； leaning back in his chair and
blowing great clouds from his cigar。
〃My collection of M's is a fine one；〃 said he。 〃Moriarty himself
is enough to make any letter illustrious； and here is Morgan the
poisoner； and Merridew of abominable memory； and Mathews； who
knocked out my left canine in the waiting room at Charing Cross；
and； finally； here is our friend of to…night。〃
He handed over the book； and I read：
Moran； Sebastian； Colonel。 Unemployed。 Formerly 1st Bangalore
Pioneers。 Born London； 1840。 Son of Sir Augustus Moran； C。B。； once
British Minister to Persia。 Educated Eton and Oxford。 Served in Jowaki
Campaign； Afghan Campaign； Charasiab （despatches）； Sherpur； and Cabul。
Author of Heavy Game of the Western Himalayas （1881）； Three Months
in the Jungle （1884）。 Address： Conduit Street。 Clubs： The
Anglo…Indian； the Tankerville； the Bagatelle Card Club。
On the margin was written； in Holmes's precise hand：
The second most dangerous man in London。
〃This is astonishing；〃 said I； as I handed back the volume。 〃The
man's career is that of an honourable soldier。〃
〃It is true；〃 Holmes answered。 〃Up to a certain point he did well。
He was always a man of iron nerve； and the story is still told in
India how he crawled down a drain after a wounded man…eating tiger。
There are some trees； Watson； which grow to a certain height； and then
suddenly develop some unsightly eccentricity。 You will see it often in
humans。 I have a theory that the individual represents in his
development the whole procession of his ancestors； and that such a
sudden turn to good or evil stands for some strong influence which
came into the line of his pedigree。 The person becomes； as it were；
the epitome of the history of his own family。〃
〃It is surely rather fanciful。〃
〃Well； I don't insist upon it。 Whatever the cause； Colonel Moran
began to go wrong。 Without any open scandal； he still made India too
hot to hold him。 He retired； came to London； and again acquired an
evil name。 It was at this time that he was sought out by Professor
Moriarty； to whom for a time he was chief of the staff。 Moriarty
supplied him liberally with money； and used him only in one or two
very high…class jobs； which no ordinary criminal could have
undertaken。 You may have some recollection of the death of Mrs。
Stewart； of Lauder； in 1887。 Not？ Well； I am sure Moran was at the
bottom of it； but nothing could be proved。 So cleverly was the colonel
concealed that； even when the Moriarty gang was broken up； we could
not incriminate him。 You remember at that date； when I called upon you
in your rooms； how I put up the shutters for fear of air…guns？ No
doubt you thought me fanciful。 I knew exactly what I was doing； for
I knew of the existence of this remarkable gun； and I knew also that
one of the best shots in the world would be behind it。 When we were in
Switzerland he followed us with Moriarty； and it was undoubtedly he
who gave me that evil five minutes on the Reichenbach ledge。
〃You may think that I read the papers with some attention during
my sojourn in France； on the look…out for any chance of laying him
by the heels。 So long as he was free in London； my life would really
not have been worth living。 Night and day the shadow would have been
over me； and sooner or later his chance must have come。 What could I
do？ I could not shoot him at sight； or I should myself be in the dock。
There was no use appealing to a magistrate。 They cannot interfere on
the strength of what would appear to them to be a wild suspicion。 So I
could do nothing。 But I watched the criminal news； knowing that sooner
or later I should get him。 Then came the death of this Ronald Adair。
My chance had come at last。 Knowing what I did； was it not certain
that Colonel Moran had done it？ He had played cards with the lad； he
had followed him home from the club； he had shot him through the
open window。 There was not a doubt of it。 The bullets alone are enough
to put his head in a noose。 I came over at once。 I was seen by the
sentinel； who would； I knew； direct the colonel's attention to my
presence。 He could not fail to connect my sudden return with his
crime； and to be terribly alarmed。 I was sure that he would make an
attempt to get me out of the way at once； and would bring round his
murderous weapon for that purpose。 I left him an excellent mark in the
window； and； having warned the police that they might be needed… by
the way； Watson； you spotted their presence in that doorway with
unerring accuracy… I took up what seemed to me to be a judicious
post for observation； never dreaming that he would choose the same
spot for his attack。 Now； my dear Watson； does anything remain for
me to explain？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I。 〃You have not made it clear what was Colonel
Moran's motive in murdering the Honourable Ronald Adair？〃
〃Ah！ my dear Watson； there we come into those realms of
conjecture； where the most logical mind may be at fault。 Each may form
his own hypothesis upon the present evidence； and yours is as likely
to be correct as mine。〃
〃You have formed one； then？〃
〃I think that it is not difficult to explain the facts。 It came
out in evidence that Colonel Moran and young Adair had； between
them； won a considerable amount of money。 Now； undoubtedly played
foul… of that I have long been aware。 I believe that on the day of the
murder Adair had discovered that Moran was cheating。 Very likely he
had spoken to him privately； and had threatened to expose him unless
he voluntarily resigned his membership of the club； and promised not
to play cards again。 It is unlikely that a youngster like Adair
would at once make a hideous scandal by exposing a well known man so
much older than himself。 Probably he acted as I suggest。 The exclusion
from his clubs would mean ruin to Moran； who lived by his ill…gotten
card…gains。 He therefore murdered Adair； who at the time was
endeavouring to work out how much money he should himself return；
since he could not profit by his partner's foul play。 He locked the
door lest the ladies should surprise him and insist upon knowing
what he was doing with these names and coins。 Will it pass？〃
〃I have no doubt that you have hit upon the truth。〃
〃It will be verified or disproved at the trial。 Meanwhile； come what
may； Colonel Moran will trouble us no more。 The famous air…gun of
Von Herder will embellish the Scotland Yard Museum； and once again Mr。
Sherlock Holmes is free to devote his life to examining those
interesting little problems which the complex life of London so
plentifully presents。〃
…THE END…
。