The Final Problem (Doyle)
Short Summary
London and Switzerland, 1891. Dr. Watson received an unexpected visit from Holmes, who was looking pale and concerned about air-guns.
Holmes revealed he had been tracking Professor Moriarty, a criminal mastermind behind numerous crimes in London. After months of investigation, Holmes was close to bringing down Moriarty's entire organization.
After several attempts on Holmes's life, he and Watson fled to Switzerland. Despite elaborate precautions, Moriarty tracked them to Reichenbach Falls. There, while Watson was away investigating a false emergency, Holmes and Moriarty engaged in a final confrontation at the falls.
And there, deep down in that dreadful caldron of swirling water and seething foam, will lie for all time the most dangerous criminal and the foremost champion of the law of their generation.
Detailed Summary
Chapter divisions added by editors.
Holmes Reveals His Greatest Enemy
Dr. Watson's married life and private practice had somewhat reduced his adventures with Sherlock Holmes. In early 1891, after Holmes completed some work for the French government, he unexpectedly visited Watson's consulting room one evening.
Holmes appeared unusually pale and asked to close the shutters, explaining he feared air-guns. He revealed he was engaged in a deadly contest with Professor Moriarty, whom he described as a criminal mastermind of extraordinary intelligence.
He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker.
The Confrontation with Moriarty
Holmes explained that after months of investigation, he had finally gathered enough evidence to destroy Moriarty's criminal empire. That morning, Moriarty himself had visited Holmes's rooms. During their tense conversation, each man acknowledged the other's intellectual prowess while understanding their conflict could only end in destruction.
You stand in the way not merely of an individual, but of a mighty organization, the full extent of which you, with all your cleverness, have been unable to realize. You must stand clear, Mr. Holmes.
After leaving Holmes's rooms, Moriarty had already made attempts on his life. A speeding van nearly ran Holmes down in Oxford Street, and a brick had fallen suspiciously close to him in Vere Street. Holmes had fought off a bludgeon-wielding attacker, but knew these were just the beginning of Moriarty's efforts to eliminate him.
The Elaborate Escape Strategy
Holmes convinced Watson to accompany him to the Continent the next day, providing detailed instructions for their departure. Watson was to take a specific route through the Lowther Arcade to reach a waiting brougham.
The next morning, Watson followed Holmes's instructions precisely. At Victoria Station, he found their reserved first-class carriage and was surprised to discover his traveling companion was an elderly Italian priest. The priest suddenly revealed himself to be Holmes in disguise. As the train departed, they spotted Moriarty arriving too late to board.
The Chase Across Europe
Holmes revealed that their rooms at Baker Street had been set on fire. They changed their route, getting off at Canterbury to throw off Moriarty, who Holmes correctly predicted would hire a special train to pursue them. They traveled through various European locations, eventually reaching Switzerland.
If I could be assured that society was freed from Professor Moriarty I would cheerfully bring my own career to a conclusion. If my record were closed to-night I could still survey it with equanimity.
They arrived in the village of Meiringen and stayed at the Englischer Hof. On May 4th, they set out to visit the Reichenbach Falls, following the advice of their hotel keeper, Peter Steiler.
The Final Confrontation at Reichenbach Falls
At the falls, Watson received an urgent message about a dying English lady at their hotel who needed medical attention. The message was later revealed to be false, a ruse to separate the friends.
It was indeed, a fearful place. The torrent, swollen by the melting snow, plunges into a tremendous abyss, from which the spray rolls up like the smoke from a burning house.
When Watson returned to the falls, he found only Holmes's Alpine-stock leaning against a rock and footprints leading to the edge. A note from Holmes explained that he had anticipated this confrontation and had arranged his affairs accordingly, leaving documents for Inspector Patterson to convict Moriarty's gang.
The Tragic Resolution and Legacy
Examination of the scene suggested that Holmes and Moriarty had engaged in a final struggle that sent them both over the edge into the churning waters below. Their bodies were never recovered.
A personal contest between the two men ended, as it could hardly fail to end in such a situation, in their reeling over, locked in each other's arms.
The Swiss messenger who delivered the false note was never found, presumed to be one of Moriarty's many agents. Holmes's evidence led to the exposure and conviction of the criminal organization. Colonel James Moriarty attempted to defend his brother's reputation, but Watson felt compelled to write this account to reveal the truth about the great detective's final case.
Watson concluded his account by declaring Sherlock Holmes to be the best and wisest man he had ever known, whose sacrifice had freed society from one of its most dangerous criminals. The death of Holmes at Reichenbach Falls marked the end of an era in criminal investigation, leaving a void that Watson felt could never be filled.