My own life was happy enough. I visited my dear Mary Morstan, and kept this visit a secret from Holmes - something which made me feel unusually clever!
One day Holmes and I had just finished breakfast together.
He was standing by the window, when suddenly he gave a cry. 'What is it, Holmes?' I asked. 'What's the matter?'
He turned towards me. His face was white and the look in his eyes was terrible.
'May I have an hour of your time, Watson?' he asked in a low voice.
'Of course, but .. .'
'Then get your hat and coat.'
He ran out of the house. I followed him quickly and the next two hours passed in a wild chase all over London. We jumped into a cab, out of it again and onto a train, ran down narrow streets and in and out of a big hotel. Finally we came to rest in the peace of a London park.
'You are a true friend, Watson,' Holmes said at last. 'You came with me without a question. Did you realize that someone was following us?'
'I thought so. But who?' 'Can you not guess?' 'No.' 'He calls himself Jack the Ripper.'
'Holmes!' For a moment I found it difficult to speak. Then I asked, 'Did you see him through the window? Where was he?'
'In the empty house opposite ours. He was watching our rooms, Watson. He knows that I am looking for him. We must be very careful. He is one of the most dangerous criminals in Europe.'
'But who is he?' I cried.
'Have you ever heard of Professor Moriarty?' 'Never.'
'That is the strangest and most terrible thing about him.' Holmes laughed angrily. 'He is everywhere, but nobody knows him. Like his crimes, he is fantastic.'
I listened in silence as Holmes told me about Moriarty.
'He is an extraordinarily intelligent man. At the age of twenty-one he was a professor of mathematics. For