on,whichHolmesdeliveredbetweenthepuffsofhiscigarette.
“Butthetracks!”Icried.“Isaw,withmyowneyes,thattwowentdownthepathandnonereturned.”
“Itcameaboutinthisway.TheinstantthattheProfessorhaddisappeared,itstruckmewhatareallyextraordinarilyluckychanceFatehadplacedinmyway.IknewthatMoriartywasnottheonlymanwhohadswornmydeath.Therewereatleastthreeotherswhosedesireforvengeanceuponmewouldonlybeincreasedbythedeathoftheirleader.Theywereallmostdangerousmen.Oneorotherwouldcertainlygetme.Ontheotherhand,ifalltheworldwasconvincedthatIwasdeadtheywouldtakeliberties,thesemen,theywouldsoonlaythemselvesopen,andsoonerorlaterIcoulddestroythem.ThenitwouldbetimeformetoannouncethatIwasstillinthelandoftheliving.SorapidlydoesthebrainactthatIbelieveIhadthoughtthisalloutbeforeProfessorMoriartyhadreachedthebottomoftheReichenbachFall.
“Istoodupandexaminedtherockywallbehindme.Inyourpicturesqueaccountofthematter,whichIreadwithgreatinterestsomemonthslater,youassertthatthewallwassheer.Thatwasnotliterallytrue.Afewsmallfootholdspresentedthemselves,andtherewassomeindicationofaledge.Thecliffissohighthattoclimbitallwasanobviousimpossibility,anditwasequallyimpossibletomakemywayalongthewetpathwithoutleavingsometracks.Imight,itistrue,havereversedmyboots,asIhavedoneonsimilaroccasions,butthesightofthreesetsoftracksinonedirectionwouldcertainlyhavesuggestedadeception.Onthewhole,then,itwasbestthatIshouldrisktheclimb.Itwasnotapleasantbusiness,Watson.Thefallroaredbeneathme.Iamnotafancifulperson,butIgiveyoumywordthatIseemedtohearMoriarty’svoicescreamingatmeoutoftheabyss.Amistakewouldhavebeenfatal.Morethanonce,astuftsofgrasscameoutinmyhandormyfootslippedinthewetnotchesoftherock,IthoughtthatIwasgone.ButIstruggledupward,andatlastIreachedaledgeseveralfeetdeepandcoveredwithsoftgreenmoss,whereIcouldlieunseen,inthemostperfectcomfort.ThereIwasstretched,whenyou,mydearWatson,andallyourfollowingwereinvestigatinginthemostsympatheticandinefficientmannerthecircumstancesofmydeath.
“Atlast,whenyouhadallformedyourinevitableandtotallyerroneousconclusions,youdepartedforthehotel,andIwasleftalone.IhadimaginedthatIhadreachedtheendofmyadventures,butaveryunexpectedoccurrenceshowedmethatthereweresurprisesstillinstoreforme.Ahugerock,fallingfromabove,boomedpastme,struckthepath,andboundedoverintothechasm.ForaninstantIthoughtthatitwasanaccident,butamomentlater,lookingup,Isawaman’sheadagainstthedarkeningsky,andanotherstonestrucktheveryledgeuponwhichIwasstretched,withinafootofmyhead.Ofcourse,themeaningofthiswasobvious.Moriartyhadnotbeenalone.Aconfederate—andeventhatoneglancehadtoldmehowdangerousamanthatconfederatewas—hadkeptguardwhiletheProfessorhadattackedme.Fromadistance,unseenbyme,hehadbeenawitnessofhisfriend’sdeathandofmyescape.Hehadwaited,andthenmakinghiswayroundtothetopofthecliff,hehadendeavouredtosucceedwherehiscomradehadfailed.
“Ididnottakelongtothinkaboutit,Watson.AgainIsawthatgrimfacelookoverthecliff,andIknewthatitwastheprecursorofanotherstone.Iscrambleddownontothepath.Idon’tthinkIcouldhavedoneitincoldblood.Itwasahundredtimesmoredifficultthangettingup.ButIhadnotimetothinkofthedanger,foranotherstonesangpastmeasIhungbymyhandsfromtheedgeoftheledge.HalfwaydownIslipped,but,bytheblessingofGod,Ilanded,tornandbleeding,uponthepath.Itooktomyheels,didtenmilesoverthemountainsinthedarkness,andaweeklaterIfoundmyselfinFlorence,withthecertaintythatnooneintheworldknewwhathadbecomeofme.
“Ihadonlyoneconfidant—mybrotherMycroft.Ioweyoumanyapologies,mydearWatson,butitwasall-importantthatitshouldbethoughtIwasdead,anditisquitecertainthatyouwouldnothavewrittensoconvincinganaccountofmyunhappyendhadyounotyourselfthoughtthatitwastrue.SeveraltimesduringthelastthreeyearsIhavetakenupmypentowritetoyou,butalwaysIfearedlestyouraffectionateregardformeshouldtemptyoutosomeindiscretionwhichwouldbetraymysecret.ForthatreasonIturnedawayfromyouthiseveningwhenyouupsetmybooks,forIwasindangeratthetime,andanyshowofsurpriseandemotionuponyour