“Iaminclinedtothink—”saidI.
“Ishoulddoso,”SherlockHolmesremarkedimpatiently.
IbelievethatIamoneofthemostlong-sufferingofmortalsbutI'lladmitthatIwasannoyedatthesardonicinterruption.“Really,Holmes,”saidIseverely,“youarealittletryingattimes.”
Hewastoomuchabsorbedwithhisownthoughtstogiveanyimmediateanswertomyremonstrance.Heleaneduponhishand,withhisuntastedbreakfastbeforehim,andhestaredattheslipofpaperwhichhehadjustdrawnfromitsenvelope.Thenhetooktheenvelopeitself,heldituptothelight,andverycarefullystudiedboththeexteriorandtheflap.
“ItisPorlock'swriting,”saidhethoughtfully.“IcanhardlydoubtthatitisPorlock'swriting,thoughIhaveseenitonlytwicebefore.TheGreekewiththepeculiartopflourishisdistinctive.ButifitisPorlock,thenitmustbesomethingoftheveryfirstimportance.”
Hewasspeakingtohimselfratherthantomebutmyvexationdisappearedintheinterestwhichthewordsawakened.
“WhothenisPorlock?”Iasked.
“Porlock,Watson,isanom-de-plume,amereidentificationmarkbutbehinditliesashiftyandevasivepersonality.Inaformerletterhefranklyinformedmethatthenamewasnothisown,anddefiedmeevertotracehimamongtheteemingmillionsofthisgreatcity.Porlockisimportant,notforhimself,butforthegreatmanwithwhomheisintouch.Picturetoyourselfthepilotfishwiththeshark,thejackalwiththelion—anythingthatisinsignificantincompanionshipwithwhatisformidable:notonlyformidable,Watson,butsinister—inthehighestdegreesinister.Thatiswherehecomeswithinmypurview.YouhaveheardmespeakofProfessorMoriarty?”
“Thefamousscientificcriminal,asfamousamongcrooksas—”
“Myblushes,Watson!”Holmesmurmuredinadeprecatingvoice.
“Iwasabouttosay,asheisunknowntothepublic.”
“Atouch!Adistincttouch!”criedHolmes.“Youaredevelopingacertainunexpectedveinofpawkyhumour,Watson,againstwhichImustlearntoguardmysel