Part - VIII
But why? We may surely surmise that either Prof.Moriarty had the knowledge and evidence to prove that Holmes had a different identity, which was not very honourable, other than the publicly known one as a famous detective or that both of them were rivals in the underworld and it was a case of bitter rivalry and hatred between two underworld dons. But from the narration and the facts, the idea that Prof.Moriarty was a criminal and an underworld kingpin can easily be discounted.
The narrative of the “EMPTY HOUSE” only helps to confirm and pinpoints in that direction. In “Empty House” Sherlock Holmes reappeared with the story that the Professor attacked him at the spot near the Reichenbach Falls, not with any weapon, but threw his long arms around Holmes. If Moriarty had any intention to kill Holmes, he would not have allowed him to write the letter addressed to Dr.Watson but would have killed him instantly with some weapon and surely would not have thrown his long arms around him. It was not the move of a calculated man, a mathematical genius, a brain behind all crimes as was painted by Sherlock Holmes about his character and who was never even suspected at all by the police in any crime at any time. It is also now clear from the narrative that Moriarty did not carry any weapon with him when he went to meet Sherlock Holmes. It can also fairly be presumed now that the letter which Holmes wrote addressed to Dr. Watson was actually drafted and written much earlier, and most probably before he set out for the place in the morning. Sherlock Holmes went to spot fully prepared to meet Moriarty alone at that lonely spot and left the letter there for Watson to find out, after completing the job for which he came there. The only possibility, rather the truth, which came out by reasoning and analysis is that Holmes planned the whole event to happen in that fashion. He wanted to meet the professor alone. He lured him to that particular lonely spot on some pretext or other. He wanted to know how much the professor knew about him, whether he had any evidence in his possession and if so, to extort all the information and the source of evidences and where those are stored and then kill Professor Moriarty and throw his body into the gorge of the Reichenbach Falls. He wanted some time to recover and destroy all the evidences against himself and for that purpose alone wanted everybody to believe that he was dead. His own confession in this respect is recorded in the story of the “Empty House”. “I owe you many apologies, my dear Watson, but it was all important that it should be thought I was dead and it is quite certain that you would not have written so convincing an account of my unhappy end had you not yourself thought that it was true.” And in this way he further wanted to hoodwink Professor Moriarty’s friends and catch them unawares when he could buy his own safety from the Law And he did exactly that. It came out that Colonel Sebastian Moran, a good friend of the professor was by some means aware of the truth and was also aware that Holmes was alive. He patiently waited for Holmes to resurface and then to take revenge on him for his friend’s murder. Holmes anticipated this and laid his net accordingly to catch him red-handed and hand him over to the police on the charge of attempted murder of Sherlock Holmes. To seal the fate of the Colonel for ever, he further accused him for the murder of the Honourable Ronald Adair, without furnishing any evidence, direct or indirect, in support. He confessed that he had only one confidant, his own brother Mycroft Holmes. He invented a good story that Colonel Moran was the murderer of Ronald Adair. A careful study , however, would only reveal that he did not provide any real evidence in support of his contention. But it appears from the events following that the police officer Lastrade was impressed. Sherlock Holmes was successful.
(to be concluded)
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