Delphi Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Illustrated) (1059 page)

BILLY
:  Boy from the chemist’s, sir.

HOLMES
:  Yes, of course, but which boy?

BILLY
:  Must-a-bin a new one, sir — I ain’t never seen ‘im before.

(
Music. Danger. Melodramatic. Very low. Agitato
.)

HOLMES
: Quick, Billy, run down and look after the doctor. If the boy’s gone and there’s a man with him it means mischief. Let me know, quick. Don’t stop to come up, ring the door bell. I’ll hear it. Ring it loud. Quick now.

BILLY
:  Yes, sir. (
Goes out quickly
.)

(
HOLMES
waits motionless a moment, listening
.)

(
Music heard very faintly
.)

(
HOLMES
moves quickly towards door. When half-way to the door he stops suddenly, listening; then begins to glide backward toward table, stops and listens — eyes to the front; turns towards door listening. Pipe in left hand — waits — sees pipe in hand — picks up match — lights pipe, listening, and suddenly shouts of warning from
BILLY
— turns — at the same time picking up revolver from off table and puts in pocket of dressing-gown, with his hand clasping it.
HOLMES
at once assumes easy attitude, but keeps eyes on door. Enter
MORIARTY
. He walks in at door very quietly and deliberately. Stops just within doorway, and looks fixedly at
HOLMES
, then moves forward a little way. His right hand behind his back. As
MORIARTY
moves forward,
HOLMES
makes slight motion for the purpose of keeping him covered with revolver in his pocket.
MORIARTY
, seeing what
HOLMES
is doing, stops
.)

MORIARTY
(
very quiet low voice
): It is a dangerous habit to finger loaded firearms in the pocket of one’s dressing-gown.

HOLMES
: You’ll be taken from here to the hospital if you keep that hand behind you.

(
After slight pause
MORIARTY
slowly takes his hand from behind his back and holds it with the other in front of him
.)

In that case, the table will do quite as well. (
Places his revolver on the table
.)

MORIARTY
:  You evidently don’t know me.

HOLMES
(
takes pipe out of mouth, holding it. With very slight motion toward revolver
): I think it quite evident that I do. Please take a chair, Professor. (
Indicating arm-chair
.) I can spare five minutes — if you have anything to say.

(
Very slight pause — then
MORIARTY
moves his right hand as if to take something from inside his coat. Stops instantly on
HOLMES
covering him with revolver, keeping hand exactly where it was stopping
.)

What were you about to do?

MORIARTY
:  Look at my watch.

HOLMES
: I’ll tell you when the five minutes is up.

(
Slight pause.
MORIARTY
comes slowly forward. He advances to back of arm-chair. Stands motionless there an instant, his eyes on
HOLMES
. He then takes off his hat, and stoops slowly, putting it on floor, eyeing
HOLMES
the while. He then moves down a little to right of chair, by its side.
HOLMES
now places revolver on table, but before he has quite let go of it,
MORIARTY
raises his right hand, whereupon
HOLMES
quietly takes the revolver back and holds it at his side.
MORIARTY
has stopped with right hand near his throat, seeing
HOLMES’
business with revolver. He now slowly pulls away a woolen muffler from his throat and stands again with hands down before him.
HOLMES’
forefinger motionless on table.
MORIARTY
moves a little in front of chair. This movement is only a step or two. As he makes it
HOLMES
moves simultaneously on the other side of the table so that he keeps the revolver between them on the table. That is the object of this business.
)

MORIARTY
: All that I have to say has already crossed your mind.

HOLMES
: My answer thereto has already crossed yours.

MORIARTY
:  It is your intention to pursue this case against me?

HOLMES
: That is my intention to the very end.

MORIARTY
:  I regret this — not so much on my own account — but on yours.

HOLMES
: I share your regrets, Professor, but solely because of the rather uncomfortable position it will cause you to occupy.

MORIARTY
:  May I inquire to what position you are pleased to allude, Mr. Holmes?

(
HOLMES
motions a man being hanged with his left hand — slight Pause. A tremor of passion.
MORIARTY
slowly advances towards
HOLMES
. He stops instantly as
HOLMES’
hand goes to his revolver, having only approached him a step or two
.)

And have you the faintest idea that you would be permitted to live to see the day?

HOLMES
: As to that, I do not particularly care, so that I might bring you to see it.

(
MORIARTY
makes a sudden impulsive start towards
HOLMES
, but stops on being covered with revolver. He has now come close to the table on the other side of
HOLMES
. This tableau is held briefly
.)

MORIARTY
(
passionately but in a low tone
): You will never bring me to see it. You will find — (
He stops, recollecting himself as HOLMES looks at him — changes to quieter tone
.) Ah! you are a bold man Mr. Holmes to insinuate such a thing to my face — (
turning towards front
) — but it is the boldness born of ignorance. (
Turning still further away from
HOLMES
in order to get his back to him and after doing so suddenly raising his right hand to breast he is again stopped with hand close to pocket by hearing the noise of HOLMES’S revolver behind him. He holds that position for a moment then passes the matter off by feeling muffler as if adjusting it. He mutters to himself
)

You’ll never bring me to see it, you’ll never bring me to see it (
Then begins to move in front of table still keeping his back towards
HOLMES
. Business as he moves forward of stopping suddenly on hearing the noise of revolver sliding along table then when in front of table slowly turns so that he brings his hands into view of
HOLMES
then a slight salute with hand and bow and back slowly with dignity into chair
)

(
Business of
HOLMES
seating himself on stool opposite
MORIARTY
, revolver business and coming motionless
)

(
After
HOLMES’S
business.
) I tell you it is the boldness born of  ignorance. Do you think that I would be here if I had not made the streets quite safe in every respect?

HOLMES
(
shaking head
): Oh no! I could never so grossly overestimate your courage as that.

MORIARTY
: Do you imagine that your friend the doctor, and your man Forman will soon return?

HOLMES
: Possibly not.

MORIARTY
: So it leaves us quite alone — doesn’t it, Mr. Holmes — quite alone — so that we can talk the matter over quietly and not be disturbed.  In the first place I wish to call your attention to a few memoranda which I have jotted down — (
suddenly put both hands to breast pocket
) — which you will find —

HOLMES
: Look out! Take your hands away.

(
Music: Danger pp
)

(
MORIARTY
again stopped with his hands at breast pocket
)

Get your hands down.

(
MORIARTY
does not lower his hands at first request
.)

A little further away from the memorandum book you are talking about.

MORIARTY
(
lowers hands to his lap. Slight pause, raising hands again slowly as he speaks
): Why, I was merely about to —

HOLMES
: Well, merely don’t do it.

MORIARTY
(
remonstratingly — his hands still up near breast
): But I would like to show you a —

HOLMES
: I don’t want to see it.

MORIARTY
: But if you will allow me —

HOLMES
: I don’t care for it at all. I don’t require any notebooks. If you want it so badly we’ll have someone get it for you.

(
MORIARTY
slowly lowers hands again
.)

(
Rings bell on table with left hand
.) I always like to save my guests unnecessary trouble.

MORIARTY
(
after quite a pause
): I observe that your boy does not answer the bell.

HOLMES
: No. But I have an idea that he will before long.

MORIARTY
(
leaning towards
HOLMES
and speaking with subdued rage and significance
): It may possibly be longer than you think, Mr. Holmes.

HOLMES
(
intensely
): What! That boy!

MORIARTY
(
hissing at
HOLMES
): Yes, your boy.

(
Hold the tableau for a moment, the two men scowling at each other.
HOLMES
slowly reaching left hand out to ring bell again.
MORIARTY
begins to raise right hand slowly towards breast pocket, keeping it concealed beneath his muffler as far as possible. On slight motion of
HOLMES’
left hand, he lowers it again, giving up the attempt this time.
)

HOLMES
: At least we will try the bell once more, Professor. (
Rings bell
.)

(
Short wait
.)

MORIARTY
(
after pause
): Doesn’t it occur to you that he may Possibly have been detained, Mr. Holmes?

HOLMES
: It does. But I also observe that you are in very much the same predicament. (
Pause
.)

(
HOLMES
rings bell for the third time. Noise on stairway outside. Enter
BILLY
with part of his coat, and with sleeves of shirt and waistcoat badly torn
)

(
Music stops
)

BILLY
(
up near door
): I beg pardon, sir — someone tried to ‘old me sir! (
Panting for breath
)

HOLMES
: It is quite evident however that he failed to do so.

BILLY
: Yes sir—’e’s got my coat sir but ‘e ‘asn’t got me!

HOLMES
: Billy!

BILLY
(
cheerfully
): Yes sir (
Still out of breath
)

HOLMES
: The gentleman I am pointing out to you with this six-shooter desires to have us get something out of his left hand coat pocket.

(
MORIARTY
gives a very slight start or movement of right hand to  breast pocket, getting it almost to his pocket, then recollecting himself, seeing that
HOLMES
has got him covered
)