years he was one of the most important men in the
world of mathematics. Then he disappeared from
university life. Soon after that I began to realize that
crime in London was changing. Someone was telling
criminals - who are usually stupid and uninteresting
little men - what to do. They were obeying the orders
of a mastermind. It could only be Moriarty. But I
could never catch him. I hate his crimes, but I
recognize his intelligence. He is the only criminal who
interests me, because he is the only criminal who is as
intelligent as I am.
'Then, in August, everything changed. Criminals
became stupid again. In the middle of all his success,
Moriarty had disappeared. Why?'
'Holmes!' I cried. 'The reason is clear. The Whitechapel
murders began in August. It must be .. .'
'No, Watson,' Holmes said. 'It is not clear. Someone
like Moriarty does not break locks and climb through
windows himself. He gave orders to others. He was
the commander-in-chief of the criminal world, not a
foot-soldier.'
'Then why ... I mean, how ... ?'
'Success is too easy for him. He needs change and
danger as others need drugs. He was the best at
mathematics, then the best at crime. Now he has
chosen murder.'
'Do you mean that he kills just to amuse himself?' I
asked. 'Yes. He enjoys the danger. But there is
another reason. He wishes for a battle with me - the
most successful criminal against the most successful
detective. It will be a fight to the death.'
'Then these women that he kills .. .'
'They mean nothing to him. He just uses them
because they are necessary to his plan.'
'His plan?'
'Yes. I have said that he kills because he is bored and
because he wishes for a fight to the death with me.
There is a third reason. He wishes to destroy the world
we know.'
'He is mad!'
'No. He is not mad. He is evil itself. He wants to bring
fear into our lives, to make everyone in London afraid
to go out at night, afraid of every sound and
shadow. London will become a city of strangers,
seeing danger in every neighbour. How can people
live like that?'