THE ADVENTURE OF THE EMPTY HOUSE

eshadowhasmoved!”Icried. Itwasindeednolongertheprofile,buttheback,whichwasturnedtowardsus. Threeyearshadcertainlynotsmoothedtheasperitiesofhistemperorhisimpatiencewithalessactiveintelligencethanhisown. “Ofcourseithasmoved,”saidhe.“AmIsuchafarcicalbungler,Watson,thatIshoulderectanobviousdummy,andexpectthatsomeofthesharpestmeninEuropewouldbedeceivedbyit?Wehavebeeninthisroomtwohours,andMrs.Hudsonhasmadesomechangeinthatfigureeighttimes,oronceineveryquarterofanhour.Sheworksitfromthefront,sothathershadowmayneverbeseen.Ah!”Hedrewinhisbreathwithashrill,excitedintake.InthedimlightIsawhisheadthrownforward,hiswholeattituderigidwithattention.Outsidethestreetwasabsolutelydeserted.Thosetwomenmightstillbecrouchinginthedoorway,butIcouldnolongerseethem.Allwasstillanddark,saveonlythatbrilliantyellowscreeninfrontofuswiththeblackfigureoutlineduponitscentre.AgainintheuttersilenceIheardthatthin,sibilantnotewhichspokeofintensesuppressedexcitement.Aninstantlaterhepulledmebackintotheblackestcorneroftheroom,andIfelthiswarninghanduponmylips.Thefingerswhichclutchedmewerequivering.NeverhadIknownmyfriendmoremoved,andyetthedarkstreetstillstretchedlonelyandmotionlessbeforeus. ButsuddenlyIwasawareofthatwhichhiskeenersenseshadalreadydistinguished.Alow,stealthysoundcametomyears,notfromthedirectionofBakerStreet,butfromthebackoftheveryhouseinwhichwelayconcealed.Adooropenedandshut.Aninstantlaterstepscreptdownthepassage—stepswhichweremeanttobesilent,butwhichreverberatedharshlythroughtheemptyhouse.Holmescrouchedbackagainstthewall,andIdidthesame,myhandclosinguponthehandleofmyrevolver.Peeringthroughthegloom,Isawthevagueoutlineofaman,ashadeblackerthantheblacknessoftheopendoor.Hestoodforaninstant,andthenhecreptforward,crouching,menacing,intotheroom.Hewaswithinthreeyardsofus,thissinisterfigure,andIhadbracedmyselftomeethisspring,beforeIrealizedthathehadnoideaofourpresence.Hepassedclosebesideus,stoleovertothewindow,andverysoftlyandnoiselesslyraiseditforhalfafoot.Ashesanktothelevelofthisopening,thelightofthestreet,nolongerdimmedbythedustyglass,fellfulluponhisface.Themanseemedtobebesidehimselfwithexcitement.Histwoeyesshonelikestars,andhisfeatureswereworkingconvulsively.Hewasanelderlyman,withathin,projectingnose,ahigh,baldforehead,andahugegrizzledmoustache.Anoperahatwaspushedtothebackofhishead,andaneveningdressshirt-frontgleamedoutthroughhisopenovercoat.Hisfacewasgauntandswarthy,scoredwithdeep,savagelines.Inhishandhecarriedwhatappearedtobeastick,butashelaiditdownupontheflooritgaveametallicclang.Thenfromthepocketofhisovercoathedrewabulkyobject,andhebusiedhimselfinsometaskwhichendedwithaloud,sharpclick,asifaspringorbolthadfallenintoitsplace.Stillkneelinguponthefloorhebentforwardandthrewallhisweightandstrengthuponsomelever,withtheresultthattherecamealong,whirling,grindingnoise,endingoncemoreinapowerfulclick.Hestraightenedhimselfthen,andIsawthatwhatheheldinhishandwasasortofgun,withacuriouslymisshapenbutt.Heopeneditatthebreech,putsomethingin,andsnappedthebreech-lock.Then,crouchingdown,herestedtheendofthebarrelupontheledgeoftheopenwindow,andIsawhislongmoustachedroopoverthestockandhiseyegleamasitpeeredalongthesights.Iheardalittlesighofsatisfactionashecuddledthebuttintohisshoulderandsawthatamazingtarget,theblackmanontheyellowground,standingclearattheendofhisforesight.Foraninstanthewasrigidandmotionless.Thenhisfingertightenedonthetrigger.Therewasastrange,loudwhizandalong,silverytinkleofbrokenglass.AtthatinstantHolmesspranglikeatigerontothemarksman’sback,andhurledhimflatuponhisface.Hewasupagaininamoment,andwithconvulsivestrengthheseizedHolmesbythethroat,butIstruckhimontheheadwiththebuttofmyrevolver,andhedroppedagainuponthefloor.Ifelluponhim,andasIheldhimmycomradeblewashrillcalluponawhistle.Therewastheclatterofrunningfeetuponthepavement,andtwopolicemeninuniform,withoneplain-clothesdetective,rushedthroughthefrontentranceandintotheroom. “Thatyou,Lestrade?”saidHolmes. “Yes,Mr.Holmes.Itookthejobmyself.It’sgoodtoseeyoubackinLondon,sir.” “Ithinkyouwantalittleunofficialhelp.Threeundetectedmurdersinoneyearwon’tdo,Lestrade.ButyouhandledtheMoleseyMysterywithlessthanyourusual—that’stosay,youhandleditfairlywell.” Wehadallrisentoourfeet,ourprisonerbreathinghard,withastalwartconstableoneachsideofhim.Alreadyafewloiterershadbeguntocollectinthestreet.Holmessteppeduptothewindow,closedit,anddroppedtheblinds.Lestradehadproducedtwocandles,andthepolicemenhaduncoveredtheirlanterns.Iwasableatlasttohaveagoodlookatourprisoner. Itwasatremendouslyvirileandyetsinisterfacewhichwasturnedtowardsus.Withthebrowofaphilosopheraboveandthejawofasensualistbelow,themanmusthavestartedwithgreatcapacitiesforgoodorforevil.Butonecouldnotlookuponhiscruelblueeyes,withtheirdrooping,cynicallids,oruponthefierce,aggressivenoseandthethreatening,deep-linedbrow,withoutreadingNature’splainestdanger-signals.Hetooknoheedofanyofus,buthiseyeswerefixeduponHolmes’sfacewithanexpressioninwhichhatredandamazementwereequallyblended.“Youfiend!”hekeptonmuttering.“Youclever,cleverfiend!” “Ah,Colonel!”saidHolmes,arranginghisrumpledcollar.“‘Journeysendinlovers’meetings,’astheoldplaysays.Idon’tthinkIhavehadthepleasureofseeingyousinceyoufavouredmewiththoseattentionsasIlayontheledgeabovetheReichenbachFall.” Thecolonelstillstaredatmyfriendlikeamaninatrance.“Youcunning,cunningfiend!”wasallthathecouldsay. “Ihavenotintroducedyouyet,”saidHolmes.“This,gentlemen,isColonelSebastianMoran,onceofHerMajesty’sIndianArmy,andthebestheavy-gameshotthatourEasternEmpirehaseverproduced.IbelieveIamcorrectColonel,insayingthatyourbagoftigersstillremainsunrivalled?” Thefierceoldmansaidnothing,butstillglaredatmycompanion.Withhissavageeyesandbristlingmoustachehewaswonderfullylikeatigerhimself. “Iwonderthatmyverysimplestratagemcoulddeceivesooldashikari,”saidHolmes.“Itmustbeveryfamiliartoyou.Haveyounottetheredayoungkidunderatree,lainaboveitwithyourrifle,andwaitedforthebaittobringupyourtiger?Thisemptyhouseismytree,andyouaremytiger.Youhavepossiblyhadothergunsinreserveincasethereshouldbeseveraltigers,orintheunlikelysuppositionofyourownaimfailingyou.These,”hepointedaround,“aremyotherguns.Theparallelisexact.” ColonelMoransprangforwardwithasnarlofrage,buttheconstablesdraggedhimback.Thefuryuponhisfacewasterribletolookat. “Iconfessthatyouhadonesmallsurpriseforme,”saidHolmes.“Ididnotanticipatethatyouwouldyourselfmakeuseofthisemptyhouseandthisconvenientfrontwindow.Ihadimaginedyouasoperatingfromthestreet,wheremyfriend,Lestradeandhismerrymenwereawaitingyou.Withthatexception,allhasgoneasIexpected.” ColonelMoranturnedtotheofficialdetective. “Youmayormaynothavejustcauseforarrestingme,”saidhe,“butatleasttherecanbenoreasonwhyIshouldsubmittothegibesofthisperson.IfIaminthehandsofthelaw,letthingsbedoneinalegalway.” “Well,that’sreasonableenough,”saidLestrade.“Nothingfurtheryouhavetosay,Mr.Holmes,beforewego?” Holmeshadpickedupthepowerfulair-gunfromthefloor,andwasexaminingitsmechanism. “Anadmirableanduniqueweapon,”saidhe,“noiselessandoftremendouspower:IknewVonHerder,theblindGermanmechanic,whoconstructedittotheorderofthelateProfessorMoriarty.ForyearsIhavebeenawareofitsexistencethoughIhaveneverbeforehadtheopportunityofhandlingit.Icommenditveryspeciallytoyourattention,Lestradeandalsothebulletswhichfitit.” “Youcantrustustolookafterthat,Mr.Holmes,”saidLestrade,asthewholepartymovedtowardsthedoor.“Anythingfurthertosay?” “Onlytoaskwhatchargeyouintendtoprefer?” “Whatcharge,sir?Why,ofcourse,theattemptedmurderofMr.SherlockHolmes.” “Notso,Lestrade.Idonotproposetoappearinthematteratall.Toyou,andtoyouonly,belongsthecreditoftheremarkablearrestwhichyouhaveeffected.Yes,Lestrade,Icongratulateyou!Withyourusualhappymixtureofcunningandaudacity,youhavegothim.” “Gothim!Gotwhom,Mr.Holmes?” “Themanthatthewholeforcehasbeenseekinginvain—ColonelSebastianMoran,whoshottheHonourableRonaldAdairwithan