147 – Decadentists (2)
After giving brief instructions to Moran, Moriarty returned to the smoking room. She could see Professor Dodgson still suffering from Lord Wharton’s tirade.
It was certainly not a good sight to see a disgusting man who was now over 40, literally entering middle age, asking for help with a burdensome gaze.
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But Moriarty decided to do her a rare good deed. Maybe it was because of his previous relationship with Dodgson, or maybe it was because he was interesting because he was ‘Lewis Carroll.’ What influenced James Moriarty’s way of thinking was how interesting the other person was to him.
Or, although he never admits it, it may be because of a strange similarity or because Moriarty’s alter ego in the shape of Dodgson often appears in the process of reasoning in his head.
“Anyway… Has Lord Dorian Gray returned yet? “It looks like your health is not good today.”
“Oh, Dorian? I guess… “It might be inconvenient because this theater doesn’t have a good relationship with him.”
Sir Henry Wotton seemed to be interested in the topic brought up by Moriarty, so he stopped his tirade against Dodgson and focused on the topic of Dorian Gray.
Of course, Moriarty himself was vaguely aware of the reason.
In social relationships, Sir Dorian Gray and Sir Henry Wotton, just like the one before us, were close friends as promising professors at Oxford University, but in the world of crime, which no one knew about, there were several relationships between clients and criminal advisors.
“Actually, of course, don’t go anywhere and say I told you about it. To Dorian too. “Because he doesn’t want to hear harsh words from him.”
“Of course, Lord Wharton.”
“Hmm, that…” Then ah… “Not listening”
Moriarty smiled calmly and nodded, and Lord Wotton continued speaking, ignoring Dodgson who was muttering next to him.
There was a certain joy on his face as he told the story. It was the kind of smile that a devil who had succeeded in bringing down a soul that was once beautiful and kinder than anyone else would make.
“Actually, this is the place where Dorian fell in love years ago. Sybil Vane…. Of course, you may not have heard of it because it was unknown, but it was a place where an unknown actress and Dorian shared a very deep love.”
Then Sir Henry Wotton began to talk like an actor giving an interesting monologue about how that tragic love ended.
Moriarty, who knew the inside story to some extent, pretended to listen half-heartedly and had other thoughts in her mind.
Moriarty How could she not know that?
Lord Dorian Gray’s second visit to Moriarty, or rather to her criminal adviser M, was to ask him to dispose of the body of the younger brother of the actress who had committed suicide.
It would have been even more interesting if Lord Dorian Gray had personally killed the man who came to avenge his sister, but unfortunately, the young man who came to seek revenge had the misfortune to die right before his eyes.
However, at the time, she provided her services for free with the thought that she would one day be used for something interesting, and these days, she has been collecting the money back and watching the reaction.
Above all, the man named Dorian Gray was also quite interesting. It was not, like Sir Henry Wotton, because of the beauty of his counterpart.
In order to appreciate such beauty, it was more efficient for Moriarty to look into a mirror. Just as Sir Henry Wotton could not understand his adherence to an ascetic life, James Moriarty was a handsome man who attracted attention wherever he went.
Lord Dorian Gray was also a handsome man, no, a handsome young man comparable to Moriarty. Yes, he was a ‘young man’. If people were to be distinguished only by appearance, most people would judge Moriarty and Dorian Gray together as friends of the same age, or Dorian as slightly younger.
However, Dorian Gray’s actual age was closer to Sir Henry Wotton. If Moriarty’s memory is correct, he was actually older than Professor Dodgson, who was beginning to have the appearance of middle age, as he was less than ten years younger than him.
Of course, many things could not help but be said about this in social circles in London. Beauty attracts attention everywhere, but beauty that does not change even with the passage of time attracts even more attention.
Naturally, there were many vicious rumors that would reach even the ears of Moriarty, who tended to choose silence in social circles.
So Moriarty quietly opened his mouth.
“Anyway… “It seems that Lord Dorian Gray has many secrets.”
“What… …. Maybe so. “Even I don’t know, Dorian, how he keeps his youth.”
“… De… Listen… Theory…… Ah… Give your soul to the devil… Green onion… sold… I heard… ….”
“Dodgson, people always talk about stupid things like that. Just from the rumors I heard, Dorian, that friend sold his soul to the devil or is a devil himself, and is also a vampire and eats fairies every day to maintain eternal life.”
Sir Henry Wotton raised the corners of his mouth as if laughing at the fears and rumors of such people. This may be a natural reaction for an intellectual.
Because most of it was completely absurd.
Vampires who have now disappeared, or people who made a deal with the devil, were stories that could only be talked about in third-rate popular magazines.
So Moriarty also smiled and joined in laughing at the rumors.
Of course, he knew that some of them existed, but he did not bother to correct Sir Henry Wotton’s ignorance.
Because it was good.
Their conversation was briefly interrupted when Dorian Gray returned with a pale complexion, and even that did not last long.
The interlude was over, and they had to go to their seats to enjoy the rest of tonight’s performance.
This world was mostly a boring place. It was also because of this boredom that James Moriarty fatefully chose the path of crime and life as a criminal consultant.
Naturally, I had no choice but to enjoy it in my own way while watching the performance of an opera singer that I would not have been particularly interested in if I had been in my previous life. It was a time when there were no gramophones. At most, the only thing worth seeing was going to the theater, so there were dozens or even hundreds of similar types of theaters in and around London alone.
“As expected, it’s great. Did you say Irene Adler? I guarantee you that she will be famous all over Europe within two years. She was lucky. “At that point, there will be a high possibility that you won’t be able to enjoy the performance even if you pay more than you do now.”
“Wouldn’t it be easy for Lord Wharton to get a ticket?”
“Well, that’s true too, because I also have age. “Oh, Dorian, I guess that doesn’t apply to you.”
“… “Please don’t be mean.”
Sir Henry Wotton seemed to be quite impressed by the new singer who was in charge of today’s performance, Irene Adler, and stayed in his seat and savored his impressions even as people rose from their seats one by one after the performance.
Dorian Gray spoke bluntly, as if he was not pleased with Wotton’s reaction, or as if he was still reluctant about this place.
Of course, he wasn’t paying attention to Moriarty. Moriarty didn’t really care either. It was natural.
For Moriarty, the other person could not be said to be as close as Lord Wotton, and they literally just asked each other perfunctory greetings occasionally at gatherings.
Above all, the other person’s face was full of anxiety, perhaps because she had recently become the first victim of the game Moriarty had started for her student.
Aside from the fact that she was quite suspicious, Moriarty was not a very interesting person, so Moriarty thought about today’s singer for a moment.
I was not impressed by the singer’s skills like Lord Wotton. Objectively, I could agree with Lord Wotton’s opinion, but the only art that excited him was crime.
Why is he paying attention to a new singer who may just be making a name for himself?
‘Adler… …. It’s a name that sounds quite familiar……. ‘Is it related to Holmes?’
It may be so. No, I was half-confident about it intuitively. As he was living a boring life, most of the things that gave him a sense of deja vu and made him pay attention were things related to his beloved student.
As he was heading out with Lord Wotton, determined to receive personal attention, Moriarty briefly asked the group’s understanding and approached two familiar people who were glaring at him from a corner.
Of course, Moran followed him like a shadow, escorting him.
“I never thought I would see you in a place like this. Meantime… How are you, Holmes? And Watson?”
“Everything… you!”
I already knew that Moriarty was approaching, so I didn’t try to run away.
But if other people had seen it, they might have been puzzled by the reactions of Holmes and Watson, who glared at each other as if they were enemies.
Ignoring this, Moriarty calmly gave a friendly smile to anyone who saw him and spoke to him to say hello.
First, Watson wanted to get angry, but Holmes shrugged his shoulders calmly, covering his immature friend’s mouth.
Of course, Moran, who was guarding the master’s side, glared at the master’s abominable enemies.
“Coincidences are funny, aren’t they, sir?”
“Yes, I guess so. “Today’s performance was okay. How was it for you two?”
“It wasn’t bad. It was even more fun because it was a place I had always wanted to visit. “It seemed like there were a lot of interesting things.”
“… Okay, good luck.”
Moriarty briefly cheered on her disciple and returned to her group.
Holmes, who was staring intently at the teacher’s back, suddenly opened his mouth to Watson, who was fidgeting next to him.
“As expected, it looks like the path we’re taking isn’t completely wrong, Watson.”
“Huh? Uh…. Is that something like that?”
“I personally took such a heavy step just to make fun of you, but as a disciple, I should repay you.”
Holmes then nodded his head.
Of course, he could not immediately realize that he would still be wandering down the street, half-deceived by the teacher’s not-so-prank.
