Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Final Problem
Heistheorganizerofhalfthatisevilandofnearlyallthatisundetectedinthisgreatcity.Heisagenius,aphilosopher,anabstractthinker.Hehasabrainofthefirstorder.Hesitsmotionless,likeaspiderinthecentreofitsweb,butthatwebhasathousandradiations,andheknowswelleveryquiverofeachofthem.Hedoeslittlehimself.Heonlyplans.Buthisagentsarenumerousandsplendidlyorganized.Isthereacrimetobedone,apapertobeabstracted,wewillsay,ahousetoberifled,amantoberemoved—thewordispassedtotheprofessor,thematterisorganizedandcarriedout.Theagentmaybecaught.Inthatcasemoneyisfoundforhisbailorhisdetence.Butthecentralpowerwhichusestheagentisnevercaught—neversomuchassuspected.ThiswastheorganizationwhichIdeduced,Watson,andwhichIdevotedmywholeenergytoexposingandbreakingup.
"Buttheprofessorwasfencedroundwithsafeguardssocunninglydevisedthat,dowhatIwould,itseemedimpossibletogetevidencewhichwouldconvictinacourtoflaw.Youknowmypowers,mydearWatson,andyetattheendofthreemonthsIwasforcedtoconfessthatIhadatlastmetanantagonistwhowasmyintellectualequal.Myhorrorathiscrimeswaslostinmyadmirationathisskill.Butatlasthemadeatrip—onlyalittle,littletripbutitwasmorethanhecouldafford,whenIwassocloseuponhim.Ihadmychance,and,startingfromthatpoint,Ihavewovenmynetroundhimuntilnowitisallreadytoclose.
