CONTENTS
PART 1--The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter
1 The Warning 2 Sherlock Holmes Discourses 3 The Tragedy of Birlstone 4 Darkness 5 The People Of the Drama 6 A Dawning Light 7 The Solution
PART 2--The Scowrers
1 The Man 2 The Bodymaster 3 Lodge 341, Vermissa 4 The Valley of Fear 5 The Darkest Hour 6 Danger 7 The Trapping of Birdy Edwards
PART 1
The Tragedy of Birlstone
Chapter 1
The Warning
"I am inclined to think--" said I.
"I should do so," Sherlock Holmes remarked impatiently.
I believe that I am one of the most long-suffering of mortals; but I'lladmit that I was annoyed at the sardonic interruption.
"Really, Holmes," said I severely, "you are a little trying at times."
He was too much absorbed with his own thoughts to give any immediateanswer to my remonstrance. He leaned upon his hand, with his untastedbreakfast before him, and he stared at the slip of paper which he hadjust drawn from its envelope. Then he took the envelope itself, held itup to the light, and very carefully studied both the exterior and theflap.
"It is Porlock's writing," said he thoughtfully. "I can hardly doubtthat it is Porlock's writing, though I have seen it only twice before.The Greek e with the peculiar top flourish is distinctive. But if it isPorlock, then it must be something of the very first importance."
He was speaking to himself rather than to me; but my vexationdisappeared in the interest which the words awakened.
"Who then is Porlock?" I asked.
"Porlock, Watson, is a nom-de-plume, a mere identification mark; butbehind it lies a shifty and evasive personality. In a former letter hefrankly informed me that the name was not his own, and defied me everto trace him among the teeming millions of this great city. Porlock isimportant, not for himself, but for the great man with whom he is intouch. Picture to yourself the pilot fish with the shark, the jackalwith the lion--anything that is insignificant in companionship withwhat is formidable: not only formidable, Watson, but sinister--in thehighest degree sinister. That is where he comes within my purview. Youhave heard me speak of Professor Moriarty?"
"The famous scientific criminal, as famous among crooks as--"
"My blushes, Watson!" Holmes murmured in a deprecating voice.
"I was about to say, as he is unknown to the public."
"A touch! A distinct touch!" cried Holmes. "You are developing acertain unexpected vein of pawky humour, Watson, against which I mustlearn to guard myself. But in calling Moriarty a criminal you areuttering libel in the eyes of the law--and there lie the glory and thewonder of it! The greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of everydeviltry, the controlling brain of the underworld, a brain which mighthave made or marred the destiny of nations--that's the man! But soaloof is he from general suspicion, so immune from criticism, soadmirable in his management and self-effacement, that for those verywords that you have uttered he could hale you to a court and emergewith your year's pension as a solatium for his wounded character. Is henot the celebrated author of The Dynamics of an Asteroid, a book whichascends to such rarefied heights of pure mathematics that it is saidthat there was no man in the scientific press capable of criticizingit? Is this a man to traduce? Foul-mouthed doctor and slanderedprofessor--such would be your respective roles! That's genius, Watson.But if I am spared by lesser men, our day will surely come."
"May I be there to see!" I exclaimed devoutly. "But you were speakingof this man Porlock."
"Ah, yes--the so-called Porlock is a link in the chain some little wayfrom its great attachment. Porlock is not quite a sound link--betweenourselves. He is the only flaw in that chain so far as I have been ableto test it."
"But no chain is stronger than its weakest link."