"Well, Mr. Holmes, I admit that what you say is interesting:
it's more than interesting--it's just wonderful. But let us have
it a little clearer if you can. Is it forgery, coining,
burglary--where does the money come from?"

"Have you ever read of Jonathan Wild?"

"Well, the name has a familiar sound. Someone in a novel, was he
not? I don't take much stock of detectives in novels--chaps that
do things and never let you see how they do them. That's just
inspiration: not business."

"Jonathan Wild wasn't a detective, and he wasn't in a novel. He
was a master criminal, and he lived last century--1750 or
thereabouts."

"Then he's no use to me. I'm a practical man."

"Mr. Mac, the most practical thing that you ever did in your life
would be to shut yourself up for three months and read twelve
hours a day at the annals of crime. Everything comes in
circles--even Professor Moriarty. Jonathan Wild was the hidden
force of the London criminals, to whom he sold his brains and his
organization on a fifteen per cent. commission. The old wheel
turns, and the same spoke comes up. It's all been done before,
and will be again. I'll tell you one or two things about
Moriarty which may interest you."

"You'll interest me, right enough."