f.ButincallingMoriartyacriminalyouareutteringlibelintheeyesofthelaw—andthereliethegloryandthewonderofit!Thegreatestschemerofalltime,theorganizerofeverydeviltry,thecontrollingbrainoftheunderworld,abrainwhichmighthavemadeormarredthedestinyofnations—that'stheman!Butsoaloofishefromgeneralsuspicion,soimmunefromcriticism,soadmirableinhismanagementandself-effacement,thatforthoseverywordsthatyouhaveutteredhecouldhaleyoutoacourtandemergewithyouryear'spensionasasolatiumforhiswoundedcharacter.IshenotthecelebratedauthorofTheDynamicsofanAsteroid,abookwhichascendstosuchrarefiedheightsofpuremathematicsthatitissaidthattherewasnomaninthescientificpresscapableofcriticizingit?Isthisamantotraduce?Foul-moutheddoctorandslanderedprofessor—suchwouldbeyourrespectiveroles!That'sgenius,Watson.ButifIamsparedbylessermen,ourdaywillsurelycome.”
“MayIbetheretosee!”Iexclaimeddevoutly.“ButyouwerespeakingofthismanPorlock.”
“Ah,yes—theso-calledPorlockisalinkinthechainsomelittlewayfromitsgreatattachment.Porlockisnotquiteasoundlink—betweenourselves.HeistheonlyflawinthatchainsofarasIhavebeenabletotestit.”
“Butnochainisstrongerthanitsweakestlink.”
“Exactly,mydearWatson!HencetheextremeimportanceofPorlock.Ledonbysomerudimentaryaspirationstowardsright,andencouragedbythejudiciousstimulationofanoccasionalten-poundnotesenttohimbydeviousmethods,hehasonceortwicegivenmeadvanceinformationwhichhasbeenofvalue—thathighestvaluewhichanticipatesandpreventsratherthanavengescrime.Icannotdoubtthat,ifwehadthecipher,weshouldfindthatthiscommunicationisofthenaturethatIindicate.”
AgainHolmesflattenedoutthepaperuponhisunusedplate.Iroseand,leaningoverhim,stareddownatthecuriousinscription,whichranasfollows:
534C21312736314172141DOUGLAS109293537BIRLSTONE26BIRLSTONE947171