85 – The Baker Street Trouble (1)
– A Christmas miracle? How did Mr. Scrooge become a good philanthropist? Lightning dissection!
As James Moriarty skimmed through the newspaper, he clicked the tip of his tongue without realizing it. He realized his mistake later and looked around carefully, but luckily he didn’t seem to make any noise that could have been a warning.
It was something that was not like him, but it was so absurd that he couldn’t even think of it, so it was impossible for him to do.
At some point, Christmas had passed and the New Year had begun, and London was welcoming January 1873.
It was already a few weeks ago, but Londoners were still talking about the transformation of the famous rich man and miser, Mr. Scrooge. Wasn’t there an article in the daily newspaper this morning talking about absurd hypotheses in order to sell more copies?
Londoners who love to talk were busy talking about the strange news that a notoriously stingy wealthy man had suddenly turned into a philanthropist who devoted himself to relief work on Christmas Day. Of course, Mr. Scrooge, the person involved, did not open his mouth about why he changed his mind, so so far, only various nonsensical speculations have been made.
Some even claimed that he saw ghosts on Christmas Eve and decided to live a good life. Of course, in Moriarty’s opinion, it was a pathetic reasoning and nothing more than a fool’s game.
Moriarty also knew that people are stupid and often commit irrational actions. Therefore, there were times when I couldn’t guess what the idiots were going to do, and every time that happened, I couldn’t help but get nervous, even though it was small.
The same was true for Mr. Scrooge.
For the past several years, he had been involved in the somewhat illegal smuggling business among the many businesses under Moriarty, but he seemed to have suddenly repented and had virtually completely withdrawn from it after Christmas.
It was, of course, an incomprehensible behavior to Moriarty.
To call it betrayal, it was actually a business relationship where cooperation could be terminated at any time, so it was an ambiguous issue to address.
Above all, it was easy to remove, but it was not profitable to openly mess with someone who was attracting people’s attention like now.
So, unlike himself, he was unable to control his emotions at the moment.
If it was a mistake, it was a mistake. He said that the Diogenes Club, where he was now, was a silent place where noise was prohibited anywhere except in special rooms.
Last year, he was able to receive an invitation to the club from Mycroft Holmes, possibly on the grounds that his younger sister Sherlock was attending Oxford University.
Of course, Moriarty had already known about the existence of the Diogenes Club. He couldn’t be unaware of this place, the most bizarre club in London.
Above all, I was able to know through frequent meetings with politicians that this was a place where the British government’s secret work, disguised as a club, was carried out.
Of course, as Professor James Moriarty, Holmes’ teacher and a socially prominent mathematician, he readily accepted the invitation, and to this day, he has been patronizing the club as an ordinary member of the club.
This place, with only silence, was a place that James Moriarty became attached to even during his short period of time. As was the case with Holmes, he also disliked noise.
Of course, the noise made by smart people was okay. But there were so many idiots in the world, and even the sound of their thoughts was nothing more than a painful noise.
As such, at least everyone here was quiet for now, so it was suitable for gathering one’s thoughts or taking a break.
More than anything, I quite liked the fact that I could truly be alone.
If Sebastian Moran had known this, he might have felt disappointed, but Moriarty liked the fact that not even Moran could enter this place.
Of course, Moran was a loyal secretary and tool, and Moriarty’s feelings about her did not change. However, perhaps because her loyalty was sometimes excessive, Moran wanted to be with him wherever she went.
It is possible to be alone at any time if you give an order, but sometimes even doing so can be a hassle. So, in every way, this was a good place to take a short break.
Above all, my beloved student Holmes, who was working as an assistant, was taking care of all the work I had to do as a professor during the winter at home.
James Moriarty was clearly an ordinary professor. Now that she has an assistant, all her miscellaneous work is pushed onto her.
It was the work of ordinary professors, so he was definitely not a villain.
There was no problem leaving Holmes in his own private study. That was a provocation in its own way, and more than anything else, Moran would be keeping an eye on Holmes.
Moriarty, who was about to close his eyes for a moment to think, nodded to the club manager who carefully handed him a note saying that someone was looking for him, and stood up.
There was only one other person in this club who was looking for him personally, and it was worth the hassle to meet him.
Moriarty was guided into one of the few rooms in the club where conversation was allowed and was able to see Mycroft Holmes.
Mycroft, who was sitting on the sofa with his bloated body almost lying down, greeted him and invited him to sit down, and Moriarty also sat down facing Mycroft.
The club manager put the light refreshments back on the table and then closed the door and left, so soon only the two of them could face each other.
“So? “What did you call me for, Mycroft?”
“I called you because I wanted to say hello as always, Mr. Moriarty.”
From the day they met again in the club, Mycroft had always referred to him as teacher, just like he did 10 years ago.
It was already a familiar occurrence, so Moriarty nodded his head slightly.
Mycroft first handed Moriarty a box containing cigars.
“These are the new guys who came in this time. “Take one.”
“Thank you.”
For a moment the two men were silent again, cutting off the end of the cigar, lighting it, and savoring the smoke.
The cigar itself that Microsoft personally obtained was excellent. Because it was comparable to the one Moriarty personally smokes.
In fact, it would be an unavoidable effort to meet the demanding tastes of high-ranking government officials who often visit this place.
“You’ve gained weight, 4 pounds again?”
From noble mtl dot com
“It’s 3.5 Pounds. Teachers like that also need to grow up a bit. It looks like my rheumatism has come back recently. Can you recommend a good hot spring? “He said he likes to take a Turkish bath these days.”
“Because I am moderate. And I appreciate your health, but it’s not something you need to worry about. “It’s a family history, so it’s not something to worry about.”
“I see.”
After a formal conversation of observing each other and exchanging a few words, Mycroft got to the point again.
As expected, this time it was a story about Sherlock. In fact, it was a common interest between the two people.
“Anyway, Sherlock, how is the kid doing these days? Maybe he’s busy, but these days he doesn’t come to my house even on the weekends. So, I called the teacher like this.”
“I guess these days, he’s working as an assistant under me. “I’m pretty busy, but I’m doing well, so you don’t have to worry too much, Mycroft.”
“Is that so? In fact, she personally objected when he told her he wanted to work as an assistant. Isn’t that what professors do all the same? Of course, I’m not saying that Mr. Moriarty is that type of person.”
“Um… …. Well, let’s distribute the work appropriately. Still, I don’t plan on forcing it. “You know, Holmes, that he was one of my first students, right?”
“Holmes… ….”
Mycroft was silent for a moment and put the cigar in his mouth again. Moriarty couldn’t help but wonder for a moment.
Because I couldn’t readily understand the meaning of that reaction.
However, Mycroft opened his mouth again as if he had no intention of hiding anything.
“I don’t want you to forget, but I’m also Holmes. Sherlock, despite his appearance, he may be disappointed because he is still a child on the inside. My advice as an older brother is that he will like it if you call him by his name.”
“… “I’ll take that as a reference.”
Of course, I only intended it as a reference.
Mycroft certainly did not know the true relationship between him and Holmes, so he often had strange misunderstandings.
In fact, formal names like trivial names were good for Moriarty. Whatever she called her, she was Sherlock Holmes, she was a detective to be fought against, and she was clearly a fairy who would bring him pleasure in this wonderful city.
And since he was that kind of person, there was a need to respect him.
10 Years ago, from that day on, she had only called him Holmes, as she had wished, but Mycroft seemed to have a strange misunderstanding.
Not long ago, I half-jokingly suggested something like a matchmaker. At that time, even Moriarty couldn’t help but feel a little scared.
Of course, Mycroft did not know what happened that day about 10 years ago or the exact relationship between Holmes and Moriarty, so he knew that it was a possible illusion.
But what was really funny was everything.
For Mycroft, the person in front of him was an enemy. Of course, I don’t show it. It was probably a good problem until it was proven.
While I was thinking about that for a moment, Mycroft opened his mouth again.
“Sherlock, that child is a very wounded child. I guess… “He must have been very hurt by what happened to his parents.”
“I still regret what happened to Mr. And Mrs. Holmes, Mycroft.”
“… The teacher must have vaguely sensed it as he watched at the time, but Sherlock, that child was involved in his parents’ work… “She seems to think that she is to some extent to blame.”
Microft sighed softly.
His sister may have been trying to hide it somehow, but she actually knew for a long time that he, Sherringford, and her vaguely younger brother felt guilty for some reason.
Mycroft himself was at home when the tragedy occurred and was there to see what happened to his parents and Sherlock.
But it was clearly not his brother’s fault in that tragic incident. Mycroft was not foolish enough to criticize his brother for the most trivial reasons.
At the same time, I knew that Sherlock, the person involved, would not accept it even if I said that, so I just pretended not to know.
If we, the family, cannot heal the child’s wounds, shouldn’t we at least borrow help from others?
Mycroft, who could not help but be emotional because it was his family’s business, could not help but see the only person his younger brother cared about.
No one could answer the question of which of the two men, Mycroft or Moriarty, made the better decision.
As Moriarty put it, it was a problem that had not yet been proven to what end it would lead to.
The two men continued to smoke and chat in silence again.
