162 – It’s My Fault Mea Culpa (4)
Jane Watson was clearly friends with the unique being Sherlock Holmes. Although Holmes would never admit it, he was probably Watson’s ‘only’ friend.
Unlike Watson, it was a conclusion reached through logical reasoning and a judgment based on common sense.
Of course, judging by his appearance, his friend was literally a fairy-like beautiful being, so it was difficult for him to be lonely.
However, as Watson himself was a man of similar beauty, he was not unaware that such beauty often led to loneliness.
Above all, he could not call his friend sociable or good-natured even with empty words. He was harsh, blunt, and clearly an eccentric person. The fact that he wore trousers, showing off his ankles and legs in public, made him something that the average Victorian could neither tolerate nor get close to.
To that extent, the friendship between Watson and Holmes was clearly something special and transcendent. Holmes might have laughed, but Watson deep down thought that there was something fateful about their friendship and meeting.
As such, even though less than a year had passed since their friendship began, Watson was able to realize most of the meaning of being friends with Holmes.
When he was with Holmes, he often felt like he was alone, literally blocked by an invisible barrier.
Holmes did not mean to deliberately show Watson, her wall to her. Of course, it wasn’t something he didn’t hide from time to time to make fun of Watson, but this was entirely due to the special nature of Holmes’ situation.
It was like that until now.
The appearance of a suspicious street wizard.
He already knew his friend as if he had met him personally before, and while they were having a short conversation with each other, Watson was unable to do anything. Because I knew very little to begin with.
He felt his life in danger for a brief moment, and he couldn’t help but feel intimidated when he met a street gangster who spoke harshly and had a hard time meeting him.
He became a little downcast without realizing it. But he did not show it and committed himself. Why did they do that? Perhaps he thought this was his personal problem.
For that reason, I was happy when Holmes, who had been walking down the street in silence for a while and then sitting silently on a chair in the park, opened his mouth.
Being friends with Holmes often had this ‘reward’. She was usually blunt, and she often became happier without realizing it when her eccentric friend showed her little consideration.
“I’m sorry I ended this one-sidedly without even properly introducing the other person, Watson.”
“Huh? Ah… No, I’m fine. Yeah, it’s nothing.”
“Is that so? Surprisingly. Well, there’s no need to hide it, and I don’t plan on getting angry. It’s natural not to know. “Of course, it’s a different problem from not knowing what you need to know.”
“Holmes… ….”
Meanwhile, his friend secretly took out a pipe, filled it with tobacco leaves, and opened his mouth as if making a promise to himself.
“You may have heard the name before, Fred Forlock. He must be quite a skilled wizard. Watson, you probably felt it better than anyone else. Also, he was able to easily escape our pursuit in the middle of the night. I’m not sure what his position is in Mr. Moriarty’s organization. Still… “He holds a pretty high position, and it’s clear that he’s someone you trust a lot.”
“I… I am… Holmes, you may be as foolish as you say, but—”
“I honestly don’t think so, Watson.”
“Oh, that…” Thank you. Ah… Anyway, Holmes, I understand that you are trying to placate him. However… Of course, Holmes, it might be different for you, but a person of that level…… Can we do that? “Wouldn’t that actually expose our cards?”
“We are fighting from a disadvantageous position from the beginning, so you have to take such losses into account, Watson. Unfortunately, we are not running from the same starting line. The opponent is already… Yes, probably since that day, so he started out as a criminal in London 10 years earlier. And now you have literally become the Napoleon of Europe. Watson, do you know how great empires fall?”
“… An invasion from outside?”
Holmes calmly repeated a similar story to what Moriarty had once told Porrock.
“That usually happens later. First, there are internal cracks. We can’t rely on that strategy alone. Watson, you know that, in fact, you will never be able to get to Mr. Moriarty just by solving the riddles he gives you.”
“That…” ….”
But Watson kept his mouth shut.
Because deep down, she could sympathize with me.
“… Anyone who, like me, takes a personal interest in and investigates London’s criminals, will have noticed the massive changes to the East End that took place a few years ago. Watson, you know it’s not really a good place. Originally, there was a gang centered on Chinese people called Fu Manchu, but it collapsed due to infighting among the children. Perhaps the teacher was also involved, but what is most certain is that there must be internal chaos first.”
Holmes once told Watson a parable about Professor Moriarty. A being located in the center of a huge spider web that spreads its webs in all directions.
And what they did was, at best, just touching the end of the spider’s web.
All the opponent had to do was cut off the shaking rope.
“So that wizard is still needed. Of course, it could be a rotten copper cord. However, it can cause cracks from within… “As of now, I don’t know anything other than him.”
When Holmes put ‘instrument’ in his mouth, he frowned without realizing it. This made him feel like he was falling into the same category as his teacher.
But he had no choice. In order to catch him, he had to stop at nothing to prepare for this fateful showdown between him and himself.
Even if there are two James Moriartys at the end of the road.
“Of course, it’s not just because of that. “That wizard is a bodhisattva, but at the same time, he is truly loyal to his teacher.”
“… “Then isn’t it even more useless?”
From noble mtl dot com
“When I couldn’t catch Sebastian Moran… …. “Something was strange.”
“What do you mean?”
Watson was puzzled when a seemingly unrelated event from the past was suddenly mentioned. But Holmes calmly opened his mouth.
If it’s Watson, he might not understand it properly.
But he himself is different. Because he thought he and his teacher could do it.
“If I were a teacher, maybe in that situation… “I would have preferred to eliminate Sebastian Moran.”
“What?”
“It may be cruel, but it is more reasonable. Think about what actually happened after that, Watson. Porok, we lost Moran due to his intervention, but we were able to catch Porok instead. Maybe I could have caught both. The best outcome was possible because we were literally lucky, but it is not reasonable to rely on weak odds. As you can see from the fact that he came to visit us, it was probably the wizard’s opinion. That doesn’t mean he’s a good guy. He was probably involved in numerous crimes. But, it means he can exploit the human side.”
“Holmes, that… “Are you okay?”
“Of course, that’s how it’s possible—”
“No, I mean…” …. “Holmes, do you think you’ll be okay?”
“I don’t know what you mean, Watson.”
For a moment Holmes and Watson looked at each other. However, Watson could not interrogate Holmes further, who sighed and pretended not to know.
Because I felt impatience in my friend’s eyes. It has seemed even more like that in the past few days. As expected, despite his cool-headed appearance, his friend was actually a kinder person than anyone else.
It seems that he still feels guilty about the Baker Street commando who was killed by the criminal he was pursuing.
That’s why Watson couldn’t help but be worried. Could Holmes really not be hurt by using someone as a tool?
But Watson could not stop it.
Both she and Holmes ultimately had to stop James Moriarty. I decided not to think about what happened after that right away. This was also an implicit promise between the two people. Above all, neither of them dared to imagine what would happen after that.
Nevertheless, Watson could not help but think. What happens after that? James Moriarty is a villain. Watson believed, and she still believes, that she must help Holmes stop him. But he couldn’t readily answer whether he truly wanted his destruction. Watson still hated her feelings a little for having feelings for him.
Perhaps the reason Holmes is anxious may be similar. Watson was a little worried, but he felt the same way, so he couldn’t say anything.
A few days later, Holmes told Watson that he had discovered the location of the suspected criminal and told him to arm himself.
Holmes, accompanied by Inspector Lestrade and several other officers, was waiting for Watson himself.
