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amazement were equally blended。 〃You fiend！〃 he kept on muttering。
〃You clever； clever fiend！〃
〃Ah； Colonel！〃 said Holmes； arranging his rumpled collar。 〃‘Journeys
end in lovers' meetings；' as the old play says。 I don't think I have
had the pleasure of seeing you since you favoured me with those
attentions as I lay on the ledge above the Reichenbach Fall。〃
The colonel still stared at my friend like a man in a trance。 〃You
cunning； cunning fiend！〃 was all that he could say。
〃I have not introduced you yet；〃 said Holmes。 〃This； gentlemen； is
Colonel Sebastian Moran； once of Her Majesty's Indian Army； and the
best heavy…game shot that our Eastern Empire has ever produced。 I
believe I am correct Colonel； in saying that your bag of tigers
still remains unrivalled？〃
The fierce old man said nothing； but still glared at my companion。
With his savage eyes and bristling moustache he was wonderfully like a
tiger himself。
〃I wonder that my very simple stratagem could deceive so old a
shikari；〃 said Holmes。 〃It must be very familiar to you。 Have you
not tethered a young kid under a tree； lain above it with your
rifle； and waited for the bait to bring up your tiger？ This empty
house is my tree； and you are my tiger。 You have possibly had other
guns in reserve in case there should be several tigers； or in the
unlikely supposition of your own arm failing you。 These；〃 he pointed
around； 〃are my other guns。 The parallel is exact。〃
Colonel Moran sprang forward with a snarl of rage； but the
constables dragged him back。 The fury upon his face was terrible to
look at。
〃I confess that you had one small surprise for me；〃 said Holmes。
〃I did not anticipate that you would yourself make use of this empty
house and this convenient front window。 I had imagined you as
operating from the street； where my friend； Lestrade and his merry men
were awaiting you。 With that exception； all has gone as I expected。〃
Colonel Moran turned to the official detective。
〃You may or may not have just cause for arresting me；〃 said he； 〃but
at least there can be no reason why I should submit to the gibes of
this person。 If I am in the hands of the law； let things be done in
a legal way。〃
〃Well； that's reasonable enough；〃 said Lestrade。 〃Nothing further
you have to say； Mr。 Holmes； before we go？〃
Holmes had picked up the powerful air…gun from the floor； and was
examining its mechanism。
〃An admirable and unique weapon；〃 said he； 〃noiseless and of
tremendous power： I knew Von Herder； the blind German mechanic； who
constructed it to the order of the late Professor Moriarty。 For
years I have been aware of its existance though I have never before
had the opportunity of handling it。 I commend it very specially to
your attention； Lestrade and also the bullets which fit it。〃
〃You can trust us to look after that； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said Lestrade； as
the whole party moved towards the door。 〃Anything further to say？〃
〃Only to ask what charge you intend to prefer？〃
〃What charge； sir？ Why； of course； the attempted murder of Mr。
Sherlock Holmes。〃
〃Not so； Lestrade。 I do not propose to appear in the matter at
all。 To you； and to you only； belongs the credit of the remarkable
arrest which you have effected。 Yes； Lestrade； I congratulate you！
With your usual happy mixture of cunning and audacity； you have got
him。〃
〃Got him！ Got whom； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃The man that the whole force has been seeking in vain… Colonel
Sebastian Moran； who shot the Honourable Ronald Adair with an
expanding bullet from an air…gun through the open window of the
second…floor front of No。 427 Park Lane； upon the thirtieth of last
month。 That's the charge； Lestrade。 And now； Watson； if you can endure
the draught from a broken window； I think that half an hour in my
study over a cigar may afford you some profitable amusement。〃
Our old chambers had been left unchanged through the supervision
of Mycroft Holmes and the immediate care of Mrs。 Hudson。 As I
entered I saw； it is true； an unwonted tidiness； but the old landmarks
were all in their place。 There were the chemical corner and the
acid…stained； deal…topped table。 There upon a shelf was the row of
formidable scrap…books and books of reference which many of our
fellow…citizens would have been so glad to burn。 The diagrams； the
violin…case； and the pipe…rack… even the Persian slipper which
contained the tobacco… all met my eyes as I glanced round me。 There
were two occupants of the room… one； Mrs。 Hudson； who beamed upon us
both as we entered… the other； the strange dummy which had played so
important a part in the evening's adventures。 It was a waxcoloured
model of my friend； so admirably done that it was a perfect facsimile。
It stood on a small pedestal table with an old dressing…gown of
Holmes's so draped round it that the illusion from the street was
absolutely perfect。
〃I hope you observed all precautions； Mrs。 Hudson？〃 said Holmes。
〃I went to it on my knees； sir； just as you told me。〃
〃Excellent。 You carried the thing out very well。 Did you observe
where the bullet went？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I'm afraid it has spoilt your beautiful bust； for it
passed right through the head and flattened itself on the wall。 I
picked it up from the carpet。 Here it is！〃
Holmes held it out to me。 〃A soft revolver bullet； as you
perceive； Watson。 There's genius in that； for who would expect to find
such a thing fired from an airgun？ All right； Mrs。 Hudson。 I am much
obliged for your assistance。 And now； Watson； let me see you in your
old seat once more； for there are several points which I should like
to discuss with you。〃
He had thrown off the seedy frockcoat； and now he was the Holmes
of old in the mouse…coloured dressing…gown which he took from his
effigy。
〃The old shikari's nerves have not lost their steadiness； nor his
eyes their keenness；〃 said he； with a laugh； as he inspected the
shattered forehead of his bust。
〃Plumb in the middle of the back of the head and smack through the
brain。 He was the best shot in India； and I expect that there are
few better in London。 Have you heard the name？〃
〃No； I have not。〃
〃Well； well； such is fame！ But； then； if I remember right； you had
not heard the name of Professor James Moriarty； who had one of the
great brains of the century。 Just give me down my index of biographies
from the shelf。〃
He turned over the pages lazily； leaning back in his chair and
blowing great clouds from his cigar。
〃My collection of M's is a fine one；〃 said he。 〃Moriarty himself
is enough to make any letter illustrious； and here is Morgan the
poisoner； and Merridew of abominable memory； and Mathews； who
knocked out my left canine in the waiting room at Charing Cross；
and； finally； here is our friend of to…night。〃
He handed over the book； and I read：
Moran； Sebastian； Colonel。 Unemployed。 Formerly 1st Bangalore
Pioneers。 Born London； 1840。 Son of Sir Augustus Moran； C。B。； once
British Minister to Persia。 Educated Eton and Oxford。 Served in Jowaki
Campaign； Afghan Campaign； Charasiab （despatche