Editing The Final Problem (section)

==Plot==
An injured Holmes arrives at [[Doctor Watson|Watson]]'s residence one evening, having escaped three separate murder attempts that day. Holmes reveals to Watson he has been tracking Moriarty and his organisation for months, who are responsible for most of the crimes orchestrated in London. As Holmes is close to snaring them all and delivering them to the police, Moriarty visits Holmes at [[221B Baker Street]] earlier that day and warns him to withdraw from his pursuit of justice against him. Holmes admits that Moriarty could thwart his plans given his great mind that could rival his, and plans to flee to Europe while the police capture Moriarty and his gang.

Watson decides to join Holmes on the trip. Holmes then gives him unusual instructions intended to hide his tracks to the [[boat train]] at [[London Victoria station|Victoria station]] before leaving Watson's house by climbing over the back wall in the garden, paranoid that he might be followed. The next day, Watson follows Holmes's instructions and finds himself waiting in the reserved first-class coach for his friend, who is disguised as an elderly Italian [[priest]]. As the boat train pulls out of Victoria, Holmes spots Moriarty on the platform trying to stop the train. Holmes deduces that Moriarty has tracked Watson despite extraordinary precautions. Changing their planned route, Holmes and Watson alight at [[Canterbury]], hiding behind the luggage as Moriarty (who had chartered a [[Special train|special]] one-coach train) passes them in pursuit.

[[File:The Adventure of the Final Problem by Harry Clay Edwards 10.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|Holmes and Moriarty, 1893 illustration by Harry C. Edwards in ''[[McClure's]]'']]

Having made their way to [[Strasbourg]] via [[Brussels]], Holmes receives a message from the London Police that most of Moriarty's gang have been arrested in England, but Moriarty has escaped and is in pursuit of Holmes in Europe. He urges Watson to return to England as he considers himself a very dangerous companion for Watson. Watson, however, decides to stay with his friend. Holmes and Watson continue to [[Meiringen]], [[Switzerland]] and visit the [[Reichenbach Falls]]. At the Falls, a boy hands Watson a letter, saying that there is a dying Englishwoman at the hotel who seeks an English doctor. While Holmes realises it is a hoax, he allows Watson to see the patient.

Watson soon realises the trick when returning to the hotel and rushes back to the Falls. He only finds two sets of footprints that lead to the end of the path, where he uncovers other signs of a violent struggle and a note from Holmes explaining that he knew about the hoax but chose to fight Moriarty himself. Holmes and Moriarty have both fallen to their deaths down the gorge and their bodies cannot be recovered. A saddened Dr Watson returns to England. The Moriarty gang are all convicted on the strength of evidence secured by Holmes. Watson ends his narrative by saying that Sherlock Holmes was the best and the wisest man he had ever known.