"Oh yes, it is most necessary. Then these are your instructions, and Ibeg, my dear Watson, that you will obey them to the letter, for you arenow playing a double-handed game with me against the cleverest rogue andthe most powerful syndicate of criminals in Europe. Now listen! Youwill dispatch whatever luggage you intend to take by a trusty messengerunaddressed to Victoria to-night. In the morning you will send for ahansom, desiring your man to take neither the first nor the second whichmay present itself. Into this hansom you will jump, and you will driveto the Strand end of the Lowther Arcade, handing the address to thecabman upon a slip of paper, with a request that he will not throw itaway. Have your fare ready, and the instant that your cab stops,dash through the Arcade, timing yourself to reach the other side at aquarter-past nine. You will find a small brougham waiting close to thecurb, driven by a fellow with a heavy black cloak tipped at the collarwith red. Into this you will step, and you will reach Victoria in timefor the Continental express."
"Where shall I meet you?"
"At the station. The second first-class carriage from the front will bereserved for us."
"The carriage is our rendezvous, then?"
"Yes."
It was in vain that I asked Holmes to remain for the evening. It wasevident to me that he thought he might bring trouble to the roof he wasunder, and that that was the motive which impelled him to go. With a fewhurried words as to our plans for the morrow he rose and came out withme into the garden, clambering over the wall which leads into MortimerStreet, and immediately whistling for a hansom, in which I heard himdrive away.
In the morning I obeyed Holmes's injunctions to the letter. A hansom wasprocured with such precaution as would prevent its being one which wasplaced ready for us, and I drove immediately after breakfast to theLowther Arcade, through which I hurried at the top of my speed. Abrougham was waiting with a very massive driver wrapped in a dark cloak,who, the instant that I had stepped in, whipped up the horse and rattledoff to Victoria Station. On my alighting there he turned the carriage,and dashed away again without so much as a look in my direction.
So far all had gone admirably. My luggage was waiting for me, and I hadno difficulty in finding the carriage which Holmes had indicated, theless so as it was the only one in the train which was marked "Engaged."My only source of anxiety now was the non-appearance of Holmes. Thestation clock marked only seven minutes from the time when we weredue to start. In vain I searched among the groups of travellers andleave-takers for the lithe figure of my friend. There was no sign ofhim. I spent a few minutes in assisting a venerable Italian priest, whowas endeavoring to make a porter understand, in his broken English,that his luggage was to be booked through to Paris. Then, having takenanother look round, I returned to my carriage, where I found that theporter, in spite of the ticket, had given me my decrepit Italian friendas a traveling companion. It was useless for me to explain to him thathis presence was an intrusion, for my Italian was even more limited thanhis English, so I shrugged my shoulders resignedly, and continued tolook out anxiously for my friend. A chill of fear had come over me, as Ithought that his absence might mean that some blow had fallen during thenight. Already the doors had all been shut and the whistle blown, when--
"My dear Watson," said a voice, "you have not even condescended to saygood-morning."
I turned in uncontrollable astonishment. The aged ecclesiastic hadturned his face towards me. For an instant the wrinkles were smoothedaway, the nose drew away from the chin, the lower lip ceased to protrudeand the mouth to mumble, the dull eyes regained their fire, the droopingfigure expanded. The next the whole frame collapsed again, and Holmeshad gone as quickly as he had come.
"Good heavens!" I cried; "how you startled me!"
"Every precaution is still necessary," he whispered. "I have reason tothink that they are hot upon our trail. Ah, there is Moriarty himself."
The train had already begun to move as Holmes spoke. Glancing back, Isaw a tall man pushing his way furiously through the crowd, and wavinghis hand as if he desired to have the train stopped. It was too late,however, for we were rapidly gathering momentum, and an instant laterhad shot clear of the station.
"With all our precautions, you see that we have cut it rather fine,"said Holmes, laughing. He rose, and throwing off the black cassock andhat which had formed his disguise, he packed them away in a hand-bag.
"Have you seen the morning paper, Watson?"
"No."
"You haven't' seen about Baker Street, then?"
"Baker Street?"
"They set fire to our rooms last night. No great harm was done."
"Good heavens, Holmes! this is intolerable."
"They must have lost my track completely after their bludgeon-man wasarrested. Otherwise they could not have imagined that I had returnedto my rooms. They have evidently taken the precaution of watching you,however, and that is what has brought Moriarty to Victoria. You couldnot have made any slip in coming?"
"I did exactly what you advised."
"Did you find your brougham?"
"Yes, it was waiting."
"Did you recognize your coachman?"
"No."
"It was my brother Mycroft. It is an advantage to get about in such acase without taking a mercenary into your confidence. But we must planwhat we are to do about Moriarty now."
"As this is an express, and as the boat runs in connection with it, Ishould think we have shaken him off very effectively."
"My dear Watson, you evidently did not realize my meaning when I saidthat this man may be taken as being quite on the same intellectual planeas myself. You do not imagine that if I were the pursuer I should allowmyself to be baffled by so slight an obstacle. Why, then, should youthink so meanly of him?"
"What will he do?"