‘ “Then possibly my answer has crossed yours,” I replied.

‘ “You stand fast?”

‘ “Absolutely.”

‘He clapped his hand into his pocket, and I raised the pistol from the table. But he merely drew out a memorandum-book in which he had scribbled some dates.

‘ “You crossed my path on the 4th of January,” said he. “On the 23rd you incommoded me; by the middle of February I was seriously inconvenienced by you; at the end of March I was absolutely hampered in my plans; and now, at the close of April, I find myself placed in such a position through your continual persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty. The situation is becoming an impossible one.”

‘ “Have you any suggestion to make?” I asked.

‘ “You must drop it, Mr Holmes,” said he, swaying his face about. “You really must, you know.”

‘ “After Monday,” said I.

‘ “Tut, tut!” said he. “I am quite sure that a man of your intelligence will see that there can be but one outcome to this affair. It is necessary that you should withdraw. You have worked things in such a fashion that we have only one resource left. It has been an intellectual treat to me to see the way in which you have grappled with this affair, and I say, unaffectedly, that it would be a grief to me to be forced to take any extreme measure. You smile, sir, but I assure you that it really would.”

‘ “Danger is part of my trade,” I remarked.

‘ “This is not danger,” said he. “It is inevitable destruction. You stand in the way not merely of an individual, but of a mighty organization, the full extent of which you, with all your cleverness, have been unable to realize. You must stand clear, Mr Holmes, or be trodden under foot.”

‘ “I am afraid,” said I, rising, “that in the pleasure of this conversation I am neglecting business of importance which awaits me elsewhere.”

‘He rose also and looked at me in silence, shaking his head sadly.

‘ “Well, well,” said he at last. “It seems a pity, but I have done what I could. I know every move of your game. You can do nothing before Monday. It has been a duel between you and me, Mr Holmes. You hope to place me in the dock. I tell you that I will never stand in the dock. You hope to beat me. I tell you that you will never beat me. If you are clever enough to bring destruction upon me, rest assured that I shall do as much to you.”

‘ “You have paid me several compliments, Mr Moriarty,” said I. “Let me pay you one in return when I say that if I were assured of the former eventuality I would, in the interests of the public, cheerfully accept the latter.”

‘ “I can promise you the one but not the other,” he snarled, and so turned his rounded back upon me and went peering and blinking out of the room.

‘That was my singular interview with Professor Moriarty. I confess that it left an unpleasant effect upon my mind. His soft, precise fashion of speech leaves a conviction of sincerity which a mere bully could not produce. Of course, you will say: “Why not take police precautions against him?” The reason is that I am well convinced that it is from his agents the blow would fall. I have the best of proofs that it would be so.’