m.
“You’resurprisedtoseeme,sir,”saidhe,inastrange,croakingvoice.
IacknowledgedthatIwas.
“Well,I’veaconscience,sir,andwhenIchancedtoseeyougointothishouse,asIcamehobblingafteryou,Ithoughttomyself,I’lljuststepinandseethatkindgentleman,andtellhimthatifIwasabitgruffinmymannertherewasnotanyharmmeant,andthatIammuchobligedtohimforpickingupmybooks.”
“Youmaketoomuchofatrifle,”saidI.“MayIaskhowyouknewwhoIwas?”
“Well,sir,ifitisn’ttoogreataliberty,Iamaneighbourofyours,foryou’llfindmylittlebookshopatthecornerofChurchStreet,andveryhappytoseeyou,Iamsure.Maybeyoucollectyourself,sir.Here’sBritishBirds,andCatullus,andTheHolyWar—abargain,everyoneofthem.Withfivevolumesyoucouldjustfillthatgaponthatsecondshelf.Itlooksuntidy,doesitnot,sir?”
Imovedmyheadtolookatthecabinetbehindme.WhenIturnedagain,SherlockHolmeswasstandingsmilingatmeacrossmystudytable.Irosetomyfeet,staredathimforsomesecondsinutteramazement,andthenitappearsthatImusthavefaintedforthefirstandthelasttimeinmylife.Certainlyagreymistswirledbeforemyeyes,andwhenitclearedIfoundmycollar-endsundoneandthetinglingafter-tasteofbrandyuponmylips.Holmeswasbendingovermychair,hisflaskinhishand.
“MydearWatson,”saidthewell-rememberedvoice,“Ioweyouathousandapologies.Ihadnoideathatyouwouldbesoaffected.”
Igrippedhimbythearms.
“Holmes!”Icried.“Isitreallyyou?Canitindeedbethatyouarealive?Isitpossiblethatyousucceededinclimbingoutofthatawfulabyss?”
“Waitamoment,”saidhe.“Areyousurethatyouarereallyfittodiscussthings?Ihavegivenyouaseriousshockbymyunnecessarilydramaticreappearance.”
“Iamallright,butindeed,Holmes,Icanhardlybelievemyeyes.Goodheavens!tothinkthatyou—youofallmen—shouldbestandinginmystudy.”AgainIgrippedhimbythesleeve,andfeltthethin,sinewyarmbeneathit.“Well,you’renotaspiritanyhow,”saidI.“Mydearchap,I’moverjoyedtoseeyou.Sitdown,andtellmehowyoucamealiveoutofthatdreadfulchasm.”
Hesatoppositetome,andlitacigaretteinhisold,nonchalantmanner.Hewasdressedintheseedyfrockcoatofthebookmerchant,buttherestofthatindividuallayinapileofwhitehairandoldbooksuponthetable.Holmeslookedeventhinnerandkeenerthanofold,buttherewasadead-whitetingeinhisaquilinefacewhichtoldmethathisliferecentlyhadnotbeenahealthyone.
“Iamgladtostretchmyself,Watson,”saidhe.“Itisnojokewhenatallmanhastotakeafootoffhisstatureforseveralhoursonend.Now,mydearfellow,inthematteroftheseexplanations,wehave,ifImayaskforyourcooperation,ahardanddangerousnight’sworkinfrontofus.PerhapsitwouldbebetterifIgaveyouanaccountofthewholesituationwhenthatworkisfinished.”
“Iamfullofcuriosity.Ishouldmuchprefertohearnow.”
“You’llcomewithmeto-night?”
“Whenyoulikeandwhereyoulike.”
“Thisis,indeed,liketheolddays.Weshallhavetimeforamouthfulofdinnerbeforeweneedgo.Well,then,aboutthatchasm.Ihadnoseriousdifficultyingettingoutofit,fortheverysimplereasonthatIneverwasinit.”
“Youneverwereinit?”
“No,Watson,Ineverwasinit.Mynotetoyouwasabsolutelygenuine.IhadlittledoubtthatIhadcometotheendofmycareerwhenIperceivedthesomewhatsinisterfigureofthelateProfessorMoriartystandinguponthenarrowpathwaywhichledtosafety.Ireadaninexorablepurposeinhisgreyeyes.Iexchangedsomeremarkswithhim,therefore,andobtainedhiscourteouspermissiontowritetheshortnotewhichyouafterwardsreceived.Ileftitwithmycigarette-boxandmystick,andIwalkedalongthepathway,Moriartystillatmyheels.WhenIreachedtheendIstoodatbay.Hedrewnoweapon,butherushedatmeandthrewhislongarmsaroundme.Heknewthathisowngamewasup,andwasonlyanxioustorevengehimselfuponme.Wetotteredtogetheruponthebrinkofthefall.Ihavesomeknowledge,however,ofbaritsu,ortheJapanesesystemofwrestling,whichhasmorethanoncebeenveryusefultome.Islippedthroughhisgrip,andhewithahorriblescreamkickedmadlyforafewseconds,andclawedtheairwithbothhishands.Butforallhiseffortshecouldnotgethisbalance,andoverhewent.Withmyfaceoverthebrink,Isawhimfallforalongway.Thenhestruckarock,boundedoff,andsplashedintothewater.”
Ilistenedwithamazementtothisexplanati