Sherlock Holmes and the Unholy Trinity Read online

  I lit a cigarette and smoked thoughtfully for a moment or two while I digested the meaning behind this new information.

  ‘Are you suggesting that the Bedouin is, in some way, connected to the Englishmen that attacked Gialli?’

  ‘It is too early to make that assertion, Watson. However, the Bedouin is certainly leaving himself exposed and vulnerable while he remains in London and I very much doubt that he would take such a risk without good reason.’

  ‘Yes, but I cannot even begin to imagine what that reason might be,’ I admitted.

  ‘That is precisely why I propose that you return to London with all speed! I am certain that with your usual mixture of guile and tenacity you will soon provide me with the answers that I so sorely need.’ I searched Holmes’s eyes for a glint of humour, but I could find none.

  ‘If you sincerely believe that I could be of greater use there, then of course I shall start to put my travel plans together immediately. I presume that you intend to remain here in Rome until your investigation into Cardinal Tosca’s death is complete. No doubt Inspector Gialli will be of some assistance once he has fully recovered,’ I suggested.

  Holmes responded by poignantly shaking his head slowly back and forth. He was obviously wary of my reaction to what he next intended to propose, because he lit his pipe somewhat deliberately and seemed to go out of his way to avoid my gaze.

  ‘Watson, I cannot afford the time it might take for Gialli to become of some use once again. I must take my own initiative and move my investigation to its point of origin: namely “the cradle of civilization”, Egypt itself!’ Holmes tentatively declared.

  ‘I will not allow you to travel to such a land unattended!’ I immediately protested. ‘Nor shall I return to London until I have your assurance that you will not make such an undertaking until my return. It is not easy for me to forget the effect of your ruse at the Reichenbach Falls,1 nor the potential danger that you exposed yourself to as a result of my enforced absence. I will not make that same mistake twice,’ I pronounced to him emphatically.

  Holmes appeared to be greatly perplexed by my reaction.

  ‘Watson, I assure you that I would not have made such a proposal unless I felt it to be absolutely necessary. Nothing will be accomplished if I were to remain here or return with you to London. If we separate we can achieve much. I will rely on you to locate the Bedouin and then to ascertain the full extent of his involvement in this matter.

  ‘Furthermore, I can think of no one better suited than my Watson for the task of ensuring that no harm befalls our cherished landlady, Mrs Hudson.’ By now Holmes had resorted to the use of flattery as a force of persuasion; however, I was not to be so easily convinced.

  ‘Do you really believe that Mrs Hudson’s life might be in danger?’

  Holmes responded by nodding his head slowly and with some gravity.

  ‘Surely this time you go too far, Holmes. It is inconceivable that anyone should wish her to come to harm and I can certainly see no earthly reason for anyone willing to carry out such a heinous act.’ Despite my scepticism it was impossible for me to conceal the anxiety from my voice.

  ‘While the Bedouin remains in London there will always remain that possibility. Besides which, we have chosen to ignore his most emphatic and forceful warning, so the notion of him returning to 221b is surely not a fanciful one. Remember his parting words Watson, “This time it is only the chair.” He is certainly not an individual to whose mercies I would entrust someone as vulnerable as Mrs Hudson!’ Holmes dramatically concluded.

  ‘Now I understand and of course I shall go. However, I should be less concerned about returning to London were I to be assured that you would delay your journey to Egypt until the time of my return,’ I suggested, although I knew that there was little chance of my words being heeded.

  ‘Have no fear, Watson. I am sure that you will recall how for three years, under my guise as Sigerson,2 the Norwegian explorer of renown, I managed to traverse many regions far more treacherous and containing more dangers than any that I might encounter in Egypt. Despite the absence of the watchful eye of my most stalwart ally, you can be assured that I did manage to survive … hah!’ Holmes emphasized his point with a dramatic wave of his arms and I bowed my head in reluctant submission.

  ‘You leave me with very little choice but pray tell me of your intentions once you arrive in Egypt. After all, you will be undertaking a very considerable journey.’

  ‘In the absence of the scrolls and the incapacitated inspector, I have little choice but to continue my research in the land that spawned the scrolls in the first place. Where else might it be possible for me to gain a comprehension of their meaning?

  ‘It goes without saying that, once I have gained an insight into their secrets, I should be able to gauge the motives behind both their theft and the murder of Cardinal Tosca, without my having to return to Rome. We have both observed the symbol of the Copts3 upon the scrolls and upon the Bedouin’s attire and Egypt abounds with some of the oldest churches within the Christian world. I must journey to Egypt!’ Holmes confirmed with a determined emphasis.

  Holmes must have observed a look of crestfallen defeat upon my face because he soon added, ‘Naturally any information that you might gather in London, as to the movements and motives of our Bedouin friend, will doubtless prove to be of enormous value to me.’

  I was certain that Holmes could sense the futility of trying to console me; nevertheless we began to make our travel arrangements without a moment’s delay.

  PART TWO

  THE COPTIC PATRIARCHS

  Chapter Eight

  The Cradle of Civilization

  At this juncture I feel duty bound to make an awful confession.

  Anyone who has ever taken an intelligent interest in the chronicles that I have compiled of the cases and abilities of my friend Sherlock Holmes will be aware that I normally received my instructions from Holmes with a deference that was almost bordering on submission.

  Such was the high esteem in which I held my friend that the very notion of my raising a query to his proposals, no matter how absurd they might have seemed to me at the time, was impossible for me to conceive. If an occasion did arise when I could no longer hold my tongue, it was usually to admonish Holmes for his flagrant abuse of himself in the pursuit of his quest for justice.

  The very idea of my refusing to carry out an instruction of his had always been unthinkable to me, but an attempt by me to actually deceive the world’s only consulting detective was surely bordering on insanity! Yet, as I went about the business of making the necessary travel arrangements, to Cairo for Holmes and to London for myself, an idea that would absolve me of all guilt in any eventuality began to germinate in my head.

  I realized at once that if I was to put my plan into motion I would need to act with all speed and not a little cunning.

  Holmes had left all of the preparations in my hands, as he had done on so many occasions in the past. Obviously this had given me the freedom to act in any way that I saw fit, although the need for discretion was paramount to the success of my deception. My first priority was to despatch two wires to London.

  The first of these, to Mrs Hudson, was the more straightforward of the two. I advised her to ensure the security of 221b at all times and under every circumstance. She was to remain indoors for as long as this remained practical and she should enlist the aid of Billy, our occasional page boy, in carrying out all but the most essential of errands. I did not wish to alarm her unduly so I did not dwell upon the subject of the threatening Bedouin, but I left her in little doubt that my words of warning were not to be taken lightly.

  I felt apprehensive barely a moment after the wire had been despatched. After all, had not Holmes insisted that my primary function in London was to have been to ensure the safety of our landlady? Why had the Bedouin remained in London?

  We had been left in little doubt that Holmes had been kept under surveillance prior to the Bedouin’s untimely intervention, so doubtless he and his confederates must have been aware of the fact that Holmes and I were no longer ensconced in Baker Street. So what were his motives in remaining? I quelled the rages of my conscience by reasoning that they would be something other than to bring harm upon Mrs Hudson.

  To ease the heavy burden of my guilt still further, I decided to send a further wire. I had only ever encountered Holmes’s brother, Mycroft, on but three separate occasions1 and each of these had led Holmes and I upon some of our most challenging adventures to date. Although both Holmes and Mycroft had been most reticent in discussing Mycroft’s actual role within the British Government, I had been left in little doubt that it was a position that provided him with considerable resources and not a little influence. Who better to alert to the potential plight of Mrs Hudson and to provide a potent, watchful eye than he?

  Within the wire I provided Mycroft with a brief albeit informative sketch of all that had transpired so far. I could see nothing detrimental in his possessing this information and I was convinced that the enormity of his brother’s case would convince him of the need for action. I emphasize this point in view of Mycroft’s not unjust reputation for a tendency towards lethargy.

  Mycroft’s entire existence revolved around a small triangular path that traversed the route between his lodgings, his office in Whitehall and his club of choice, the Diogenes. I decided that the surest way of my wire finding him would be to despatch it to his club and this followed the wire to Baker Street within minutes. I rubbed my hands together in satisfaction, so convinced was I that my absence from London would now prove to be of little consequence.

  I informed both recipients that I would inform them of a return address as soon as I could establish one in Egypt. In the meantime I decided to de
lay our departure from Rome for as long as it would take for them to acknowledge receipt of my wires. To ensure this I contrived a story that there were no trains leaving for Brindisi within the next forty-eight hours.

  Not surprisingly Holmes was irritated by the news, but he accepted my offer to remain with him in Rome until his time of departure. After all, there was still a slim chance that Gialli might make a sudden recovery and such a miracle would surely render both of our journeys as somewhat superfluous. That hope served to calm his nerves temporarily although he asked me to find out if an alternative route existed. Obviously I provided him with a further negative response, although I also realized that he would not be put off indefinitely.

  The following two days were spent in a similar fashion. Repeated inquiries at the hospital, which yielded no further improvement in Gialli’s condition, were followed by similarly ill-fated journeys to the station. Finally, when I began to realize that any further delays might contrive to jeopardize my entire plot, it was with some relief that I received my replies from London.

  Mrs Hudson expressed her gratitude for my concern and assured me that she would follow my instructions to the letter. Although she added that she considered it to be ‘a lot of fuss over nothing’!

  On the other hand, Mycroft’s reply turned out to be an entirely different kettle of fish altogether.

  ‘My dear Doctor Watson, you seem to greatly overestimate both my powers and influence as they traverse very narrow corridors indeed. However, if it would serve to ease your anxieties, there are one or two inspectors of police of my acquaintance who might be persuaded to call in on 221b from time to time. Please be advised that your chances of hoodwinking my brother are very slim indeed but your intentions are most admirable and I fear that your motivations for such action are not entirely groundless. Egypt is a most volatile land at the best of times and I hope that my brother’s inquiries do not increase those perils. He is not investigating a cosy drawing-room murder this time.’

  Mycroft’s enigmatic reply did nothing to allay my anxieties. I read and reread his words several times over in an effort to establish whether he was merely expressing brotherly concern or if this was a genuine warning based upon some prior knowledge of this affair. I thought the latter to be unlikely as it was well outside of his normal area of influence, although in truth I was not exactly sure what that was!

  Once I had ensured that these replies were safely disposed of, I burst into Holmes’s room with the news that his train to Brindisi would be departing on the following morning and mine, to Turin, some three hours later. In truth, I had booked two berths upon the Brindisi train, although mine was in third class for reasons of discretion.

  That afternoon, after one final and futile inquiry at the hospital, Holmes went out to purchase a linen suit and hat, which were more suitable for the climate and terrain that he would now travel to. I secreted my own purchases within my case without Holmes’s knowledge.

  ‘You know, Watson, I cannot thank you enough for undertaking to return to London alone. There is no one I know who is better suited to the tasks that I have set for you there and no one who I could trust more. Have no fear for your old friend, I have already informed my esteemed colleague, Elraji, of my intentions, so you can be assured that I will be in safe hands.’

  It seemed as if each word of his had been especially chosen with the express purpose of causing me to regret my intended deception. The pangs of conscience that they had caused almost made me give up the ghost, but the die had been cast and I was resolved to proceed.

  It was decided that we would bid our farewells at the hotel, in order that I might complete my own preparations during the three-hour time lapse between our respective departures. I had advised Holmes to arrive at the station a full hour ahead of schedule as I had been reliably informed that the rail network was notoriously unpredictable.

  However, despite the irritation that this further delay would undoubtedly cause Holmes, the extra hour was all that I needed in order for me to complete my subterfuge.

  Once I was certain that Holmes was well set on his way to the station, I tore upstairs to my room and brought out my shaving equipment. I decided that a disguise may not always be effective because of what the victim does not expect to see but also because of what he does expect to see! Therefore, without a moment’s delay, but with understandable pangs of regret, I removed my moustache.

  One glance in the mirror soon convinced me that my sacrifice had not been in vain. After all, if I was finding it difficult to recognize myself without that resolute appendage, then surely Holmes would likewise fail to identify his old friend. I completed my camouflage with a pair of thick-framed spectacles and a large-brimmed soft hat that flopped across my brow. Once I had donned my new safari suit, I smiled with satisfaction as I stole one last peek in the mirror on my way to the door.

  The extra hour that I had gained soon evaporated within the teeming and chaotic Roman traffic and as a consequence I arrived on the platform barely a minute before the final whistle blew! I bundled my baggage aboard and barely had time to scramble after it before the train suddenly lurched forward.

  Once I had regained my composure, I realized that my first task was to attempt to locate my friend, even though I was restricted by the constraints of my third-class billet. I was fortunate in that the guards in Italy did not prove to be as vigilant as their British counterparts.

  I sidled slowly towards the first-class section of the train and then positioned myself in a corridor that linked the dining car and the bathroom facilities. I was convinced that Holmes would be making use of at least one of these before too long and sure enough, my theory was soon borne out by his appearance in the corridor in front of me.

  To my surprise he was heading towards the dining car and he even appeared to be looking in my direction! However, I was soon assured of the reliability of my disguise for there was no sign of recognition on his part and he soon made his way to a seat at an empty table.

  I was amused to see that Holmes refused to partake of the limited menu and instead contented himself with a pot of coffee and a cigarette, as was his wont. I kept a watchful eye while I took a light lunch and I was relieved to see him finally return to his berth.

  Thankfully the journey only lasted for a little under fifteen hours, for I was not sure if I could have maintained my vigil, without going undetected, for much longer than that. Our train meandered sedately through some charming Italian countryside and we stopped occasionally at some lazy little towns such as Frosinone and the coastal town of Bari before we finally arrived at our destination.

  As we alighted from the train I ensured that the rim of my hat was pulled down well over my face and I watched my friend leave the station from a discreet distance. I followed him down to the main harbour but to my dismay I soon discovered that there would not be another steamer departing for Alexandria until Sunday, which was two days hence!

  Potentially, this new obstruction to our journey further jeopardized my ability to remain incognito. I observed Holmes while he made various enquiries as to the availability of accommodation and he then took directions to the nearest hotel. In this we were not to be disappointed.

  For millennia Brindisi had been an important gateway between Europe and the East. Although centuries of conflict and a devastating earthquake in the eighteenth century had done much to destroy its ancient culture and architectural heritage, Brindisi still had much to offer to a discerning traveller, not least its magnificent harbour.

  Therefore, Holmes and I had no great difficulty in locating rooms close to the waterfront and I ensured that I secured a berth upon the same steamer to Alexandria as he had done. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Holmes had not decided to waste the time available to us by remaining cooped up in his room and I followed his route as he roamed from Roman columns to medieval fortresses, with enthralled interest.

  I was fascinated to learn from a local that the defeated followers of Spartacus, the legendary leader of a slave revolt in the second century BC were notoriously crucified by the victorious Romans along the entire route of the Appian Way from Rome to Brindisi, the scene of his final and ill-fated battle.