No doubt it had been prearranged in some fashion, for it was thefatal disc with the Red Circle upon it, the mandate for murder,which lay upon his palm. He was to kill his best friend, or he wasto expose himself and me to the vengeance of his comrades. It waspart of their fiendish system to punish those whom they feared orhated by injuring not only their own persons but those whom theyloved, and it was the knowledge of this which hung as a terrorover my poor Gennaro’s head and drove him nearly crazy withapprehension.
“All that night we sat together, our arms round each other, eachstrengthening each for the troubles that lay before us. The very nextevening had been fixed for the attempt. By midday my husbandand I were on our way to London, but not before he had givenour benefactor full warning of his danger, and had also left suchinformation for the police as would safeguard his life for the future.
“The rest, gentlemen, you know for yourselves. We were surethat our enemies would be behind us like our own shadows.
Gorgiano had his private reasons for vengeance, but in any casewe knew how ruthless, cunning, and untiring he could be. BothItaly and America are full of stories of his dreadful powers. Ifever they were exerted it would be now. My darling made use ofthe few clear days which our start had given us in arranging forrefuge for me in such a fashion that no possible danger couldreach me. For his own part, he wished to be free that he mightcommunicate both with the American and with the Italian police.
The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge 1145
I do not myself know where he lived, or how. All that I learnedwas through the columns of a newspaper. But once as I lookedthrough my window, I saw two Italians watching the house, and Iunderstood that in some way Gorgiano had found out our retreat.
Finally Gennaro told me, through the paper, that he would signalto me from a certain window, but when the signals came they werenothing but warnings, which were suddenly interrupted. It is veryclear to me now that he knew Gorgiano to be close upon him,and that, thank God! he was ready for him when he came. Andnow, gentleman, I would ask you whether we have anything to fearfrom the law, or whether any judge upon earth would condemn myGennaro for what he has done?”
“Well, Mr. Gregson,” said the American, looking across at theofficial, “I don’t know what your British point of view may be, butI guess that in New York this lady’s husband will receive a prettygeneral vote of thanks.”
“She will have to come with me and see the chief,” Gregsonanswered. “If what she says is corroborated, I do not think she orher husband has much to fear. But what I can’t make head or tailof, Mr. Holmes, is how on earth YOU got yourself mixed up in thematter.”
“Education, Gregson, education. Still seeking knowledge at theold university. Well, Watson, you have one more specimen of thetragic and grotesque to add to your collection. By the way, it is noteight o’clock, and a Wagner night at Covent Garden! If we hurry,we might be in time for the second act.”
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans In the third week of November, in the year 1895, a dense yellowfog settled down upon London. From the Monday to the ThursdayI doubt whether it was ever possible from our windows in BakerStreet to see the loom of the opposite houses. The first dayHolmes had spent in cross-indexing his huge book of references.
The second and third had been patiently occupied upon a subjectwhich he had recently made his hobby—the music of the MiddleAges. But when, for the fourth time, after pushing back our chairsfrom breakfast we saw the greasy, heavy brown swirl still driftingpast us and condensing in oily drops upon the window-panes,my comrade’s impatient and active nature could endure this drabexistence no longer. He paced restlessly about our sitting-room ina fever of suppressed energy, biting his nails, tapping the furniture,and chafing against inaction.
“Nothing of interest in the paper, Watson?” he said.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
I was aware that by anything of interest, Holmes meantanything of criminal interest. There was the news of a revolution,of a possible war, and of an impending change of government;but these did not come within the horizon of my companion. Icould see nothing recorded in the shape of crime which was notcommonplace and futile. Holmes groaned and resumed his restlessmeanderings.
“The London criminal is certainly a dull fellow,” said he in thequerulous voice of the sportsman whose game has failed him.
Look out of this window, Watson. See how the figures loom up,are dimly seen, and then blend once more into the cloud-bank.
The thief or the murderer could roam London on such a dayas the tiger does the jungle, unseen until he pounces, and thenevident only to his victim.”
“There have,” said I, “been numerous petty thefts.”
Holmes snorted his contempt.
“This great and sombre stage is set for something more worthythan that,” said he. “It is fortunate for this community that I amnot a criminal.”
“It is, indeed!” said I heartily.
“Suppose that I were Brooks or Woodhouse, or any of the fiftymen who have good reason for taking my life, how long could Isurvive against my own pursuit? A summons, a bogus appointment,and all would be over. It is well they don’t have days of fog in theLatin countries—the countries of assassination. By Jove! herecomes something at last to break our dead monotony.”
It was the maid with a telegram. Holmes tore it open and burstout laughing.
“Well, well! What next?” said he. “Brother Mycroft is cominground.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Why not? It is as if you met a tram-car coming down a countrylane. Mycroft has his rails and he runs on them. His Pall Malllodgings, the Diogenes Club, Whitehall—that is his cycle. Once,and only once, he has been here. What upheaval can possibly havederailed him?”
“Does he not explain?”
Holmes handed me his brother’s telegram.
Must see you over Cadogen West. Coming at once.