Sherlock sauntered about the hall casually. “You mustn’t be so angry,” he said lightly. “After all, was it not you who let my name slip?”
“Well yes,” Ito had to admit. “But that could have been papered over. After all you said, however, there is no going back. You faked your death and entered this country illegally. And I harbored you. Knowingly!”
“Irrelevant, and furthermore it will take a month at the least for the truth to come out. You certainly display a politician’s resourcefulness, telling Ambassador Shevich that the reports of my death in the Times were mistaken. So long as Shevich and his man believe I am here to advise on spycraft they will raise no questions with the British legation. And even if they should, they will assume the legation is lying.”
“This is also true,” Ito conceded. “Ambassador Shevich said he plans to inquire directly with England, but Scotland Yard believes you dead. With you here, the only way the English authorities could ascertain the truth would be to dispatch a letter to the legation in Japan.”
The detective smiled. “The legation, however, is entirely oblivious to the situation. There would be considerable confusion, and all correspondence would be at cross purposes. Until such matters are resolved, Russian hands will be tied and I shall be at liberty to travel freely.”
“But after a month my culpability in the matter will still come into question.”
“Fear not,” Sherlock said calmly, his face serene. “You must only insist that I told you the reports were mistaken, and that you had no reason to doubt me. Say that I insisted there was no better proof of what I said than that I arrived by ferry.”
“But after that you will be arrested! The authorities will think you acted alone in your deception.”
“What is the problem in that?”
“The problem! Do you truly think I could stand by silently and watch as you are treated as a criminal?”
“But I have committed a crime,” Sherlock murmured. He stood still and stared off into space. “I cannot escape suspicion in Moriarty’s death. Now that I have thought things over at length, I must admit to myself I did have murderous intent when I went to face him. It was perhaps my only recourse, but still one I arrived at in disregard of the law. The fact that I was prepared to die with Moriarty does not pardon my crime.”
“Then you accept guilt?”
“There is no telling how things will play out. But I am inclined to surrender myself to the courts. On a previous case I chose to let the man who stole the Blue Carbuncle go free. That responsibility, too, still follows me.”
Ito looked shocked. “Why, you are serious. But in his letter, your brother wrote that some of Moriarty’s men still remain. And what of the younger Moriarty’s efforts against you? If you allow for things to be decided at trial you may find yourself in prison.”
“Then I shall find myself in prison. Had I died I should have been equally helpless. It is a stroke of providence, perhaps, that I have even this opportunity to observe which direction the winds of judgment blow.”
Ito groaned involuntarily. “Mr. Holmes, are you sure your current resignation is wise?”
“My original plan was undermined the moment that Moriarty’s man concealed himself above the Reichenbach cliffs. Surrendering to justice and serving my penance should allow me to return to society an honorable man. Should Moriarty’s gang remain at large, I could then return to confront and confound them.”
“I am surprised at your change of heart, considering that you endured four months at sea to come here.”
“I was weak.” A shadow crossed the detective’s face. “I thought such concerns could wait until my survival was assured. Thanks to you, I have found safety at last in Japan. My gratitude knows no bounds. But here in this great land, in the lap of Mt Fuji, all I do is survive. A mere conduit to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.”
“There is no telling what the future will bring, Mr. Holmes. You should await your opportunity. It is how I have managed things.”
“Our situations differ. I am a detective by profession. So long as there is life in me I cannot bear to allow my brain to go to waste. Your circumstances must be dire, seeing that they demand the presence of the full Privy Council, seeing as the pressure of drafting a constitution has passed. I imagine the Diet and the courts are likewise in a state of panic. If there is a case to be solved between Russia and Japan, pray allow my intellect to be of service in the matter.”
“It’s true…Japan’s position these four months has been precarious,” Ito offered hesitantly. “Our relations with Russia are strained, and the future of the nation is in peril. If we do not handle things carefully now, there may be war.”
“I was under the impression that Japan and Russia enjoyed mostly friendly terms. When did such a drastic change occur?”
“It is a matter of government at the highest levels. I am sorry, but I simply cannot consult with a private detective on such—”
“You deny me the opportunity to repay your kindness?” Sherlock broke in forcefully.
“Repay my kindness?” Ito looked as though he’d never heard of such a phrase. “What need is there for you to repay my kindness? I told you yesterday, it is I who am repaying my own debt to England.”
“It may seem trifling to you, but I owe you my life. Those ruffians in Cheapside would not have treated me kindly, child that I was or not. There has not been a day since that I have forgotten your bravery at that time.”
Sherlock’s voice lingered in the stillness that followed, resounding in Ito’s ears.
To the chairman, his actions that long-ago day in Cheapside had been of small import. Only a few short years earlier his life had been a vicious existence of kill or be killed. But for a ten-year-old boy living in London the incidents of that day must have left a considerably more vivid impression: vivid enough to permanently alter his life.
Ito sighed. “I appreciate your sentiments, but this is not some petty quarrel between the good people of London…”
“I beg you not to underestimate my profession. Two years prior a very important bundle of documents went missing that were definitive to the Britain-Italy relationship. It was I who recovered them.”
“So you fought Russian and French spies?”
“No. But there was a risk that the documents would be sold into the hands of one of those two countries. So you see, I am not one to balk simply because matters of a national scale are involved.”
“I have no doubt of that.” Ito’s voice was sure, and he realized he was beginning to feel a sense of relief. The truth was that he had wished for someone to rely on in these matters. “There is one thing I would like to ask, however, Mr. Holmes.”
“I am at your full disposal.”
“Since that tussle earlier with Ambassador Shevich, you suddenly seem in much better cheer. I might even think that the prospect of a case has given you a new sense of purpose and gratification. Are you honestly motivated by repaying some debt to me, or do you simply wish to work?”
Sherlock narrowed his eyes, and sniffed in an over-affected manner. “Perhaps both,” he snapped. “But if you insist on keeping me uninvolved, Chairman, perhaps I shall inquire if Mrs. Ito has any matters that require consultation.”
“What case could my wife possibly have that would?”
“I’m sure she would be interested in better knowing your whereabouts. Perhaps I shall visit the geisha quarters this afternoon and inspect the soil, so that I may tell her if I find any on your shoes.”
“Are you threatening me? I was already inclined to accept your help!”
“Quite so then!” Sherlock closed the discussion. He moved to the back of the room and pulled out one of the dining chairs that had been stacked to the side. He sat down. Leaning forward, he laced his fingers into a steeple. “Now then. What has happened to Tsarevich Nicholas?”
Ito w
alked over to a rack of shelves placed against the wall. “This space is also used as a reception area for envoys from other countries. Newspapers are provided at breakfast. The English ones should be somewhere in here.”
They had archived past newspapers. Ito searched through the stack for May, pulling out a small section. He unfolded a paper and handed it over. “Your journey must have been confined, indeed. The entire world has already heard reports of the incident.”
Sherlock took the paper from Ito.
“He was attacked?” he whispered immediately, staring at a frontpage article. “And while in Japan!”
“It happened near Lake Biwa, the largest lake in our country. It was just last year we received a visit from Prince Arthur, the third son of your Queen Victoria, and we believed we would have no trouble hosting dignitaries from other countries as well.”
“The days of joui are over, yes.” Sherlock folded the paper. “Tell me everything that occurred, in its entirety.”
“The gist of it is there in the paper.”
“No, I wish to hear it from you. Your perspective on the matter will have advantages that an English reporter lacks.” He closed his eyes, as if he were about to appreciate a fine concerto. “Begin.”
Ito hesitated, but he had no choice. He sighed. “The incident occurred on May 1, one week after you disappeared from the Reichenbach Falls.”
11
The Russian Empire was a gigantic nation, occupying the northern half of the entire Eurasian continent. For the past century they had been at war with the Ottoman Empire, aiming to expand their territory along the Mediterranean Sea, but British pressure had halted those plans.
So Russia turned its attention to the south. Its aim was to expand its control from China to Japan. In the winter, the seas adjacent to Russia froze over from the extreme cold, preventing them from launching ships; it was imperative that the nation have access to a warm-water port. And as Britain’s reach now stretched to China as well, a battle for influence between Britain and Russia was sparked in the Far East as well as in the Mediterranean.
When Emperor Alexander III ordered the 22-year-old Tsarevich Nicholas to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Trans-Siberian Railway in Vladivostok, Nicholas had been spending the previous year travelling through Asia with his younger brother and cousin. They would end their journey at Vladivostok, attend the ceremony and then return to Saint Petersburg.
Though they had been travelling, theirs was no mere pleasure journey: Their trips were taken on massive, newly developed warships—part of a foreign policy of military display.
Nicholas and his companions began in Europe, travelling from Vienna to Greece. From there they visited Egypt, British India and Ceylon, then proceeded to Singapore, French Indochina, the Dutch East Indies, Siam, British Hong Kong, and finally Shanghai and Canton in China. Before returning to Vladivostok, they gave word that they would also make a stop in Japan.
It was only twenty years since the Reformation. For Japan, as a newly modernized and rather poor country, a visit from the crown prince of the great Russian Empire was a matter of no small importance. To complicate matters, Tsarevich Nicholas indicated that he wished to disembark from his warship and tour the country.
Just the previous year, Prince Arthur of Britain had visited Japan and purchased a painting by Shouen Uemura, The Beauty of Four Seasons. Perhaps the Tsarevich did not wish to be outdone. Japan was thorough in its preparations, knowing that any faux pas against the Tsarevich could lead to an international incident.
They chose Prince Takehito Arisugawa, a full colonel in the Japanese army, to head the Tsarevich’s escort. Lieutenant General Soroku Kawakami was to assist him. And Naohide Madenokoji, who had spent ten years in Russia as a foreign exchange student as part of the Iwakura Mission, served as interpreter.
Joui was a thing of the past. As a country governed by law, any acts of joui were treated as a criminal matter. But it was by no means true that such sentiments no longer held any sway. More than a few people in the country resented Russia vaunting its military strength at northern Japan. They were fearful of what might happen. The escort arranged for the Tsarevich decided that security should be on full alert during his visit. They stationed both uniformed and plain-clothes policemen along all roads.
Finally, on April 27, three advanced Russian warships were deployed to Kagoshima, while four more made port in Kobe. The Pamiat Azova, the flagship which bore Nicholas, docked in Nagasaki. The contingent’s size was nearly what you might expect of an invasion.
Nicholas’ younger brother had taken ill during their tour of Asia and been forced to return home early. Therefore, only Nicholas and his cousin, Prince George of Greece, visited Japan. The Japanese government received them as guests of state.
Nicholas began his tour dressed unofficially, in a suit and necktie. Easter was approaching, as was his birthday. His itinerary remained uncertain, as Japan was anxious to make appropriate arrangements for both. Before the trip could progress, however, Nicholas began sneaking away to explore the streets of Nagasaki.
It seemed that the Tsarevich—influenced by Madame Chrysanthème, by Pierre Loti, a French writer known for his romantic novels—hoped to find himself a Japanese wife. Indeed, many Russian officers had taken Japanese wives—a fact that seems to have only inflamed Nicholas’ passion for Japanese women. He held sumptuous parties nearly every day and lavished invitations on geisha.
Nicholas also actively visited the homes of ordinary Japanese people. The interpreter, Madenokoji, said the Tsarevich found the Japanese people friendly and welcoming—a marked contrast to the Chinese.
Nicholas was apparently so taken with Japanese culture that he even got a tattoo of a dragon on his right arm. On May 4, around the time Holmes pushed Moriarty over the Reichenbach Falls, the governor of Nagasaki Prefecture threw the Tsarevich a welcoming party. He was shown Arita porcelain and toured Suwa Shrine.
On the 6th he went to Kagoshima. Though Duke Tadayoshi Shimazu—the last daimyo of the Satsuma Domain—was known to dislike foreigners, he entertained Nicholas warmly. One hundred and seventy elderly warriors performed a samurai dance in his honor, and Shimazu himself even engaged in a dog-shooting exercise. (According to several accounts Prince Ukhtomsky, who accompanied Tsarevich Nicholas, seemed offended by this second display. Nicholas himself, however, was delighted.)
On the 9th Nicholas arrived in Kobe via the Inland Sea, and from there travelled to Kyoto by train. They even held the Kyoto mountain bonfire festival, Gozan no Okuribi, out of season, in his honor. On the 10th he visited Fukiage Omiya Palace, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Higashi Hongon-ji Temple, Nishi Hongon-ji Temple, Nijo Imperial Villa, and Kamowakeikazuchi Shrine. He watched a traditional match of kemari at the Asukai Estate, and then horse races at Kamo Shrine. Nicholas seemed particularly taken with Kyoto. Once he was told it had been the old capital, he referred to it as the Moscow of Japan.
The 11th was the day of the incident. It was a little past noon. Nicholas had taken a day trip to Lake Biwa to see the sights, and had stopped for lunch in Shiga Prefecture.
On the way back, Nicholas led the rickshaw procession, followed by Prince George, with Prince Takehito behind. Many more rickshaws followed behind carrying attendants, military officers, luggage and so forth. The road leading back to Kyoto through the town of Otsu was lined with a swarm of people who had come out to welcome the Tsarevich, but all had been ordered to keep their heads bowed, just as though the Emperor were passing through. The guards and police performed the deepest ceremonial bows of all. There were no cheers of greeting. The entire crowd waited in solemn silence as the Tsarevich passed. The rickshaw wheels creaked, and the national flags hoisted over the streets flapped in the wind. There were no other sounds.
It was then that a member of the Shiga police force—responsible for Nicholas’ safe passage—drew his sabre and swung at the Tsarevich. The policeman’s n
ame was Sanzo Tsuda. He was 36 years old.
The sabre struck Nicholas above his right ear. In addition to the cut, the sabre was heavy enough to damage his skull. Nicholas jumped from the rickshaw and fled to the side of the road.
Tsuda chased after Nicholas and attempted to strike again. Prince George managed to hit Tsuda on the back with a bamboo cane. He flinched at the blow but did not stop his pursuit. But the puller of Nicholas’ rickshaw, Jizaburo Mukohata, took this chance to tackle Tsuda by the legs. Meanwhile the puller of Prince George’s rickshaw, Ichitaro Kitagaichi, picked up the sabre and struck Tsuda on his neck.
Prince Takehito attempted to rush to their side but was blocked by the crowd. By the time he finally reached Nicholas, Tsuda had already been restrained. There was a cut on Nicholas’ head a little under four inches in length. As for how deep it went, they couldn’t tell.
The Prince immediately realized the gravity of the situation. Giving orders to his attendants, he soon wrote up a full summary of the event. And then a telegram was dispatched to Tokyo, to Emperor Meiji.
12
“And what did you do when this happened?” Sherlock asked, when Ito had finished his account.
“I rushed back to Tokyo.”
“When was this?”
“I transferred from a rickshaw to an overnight train, and arrived at Shimbashi Station at one in the afternoon.”
Sherlock pulled an exasperated face. “Chairman Ito, the Crown Prince of Russia was visiting Japan. Surely it was no time for you to slip away on one of your excursions.”
“No!” Ito rushed forward, flustered. “What are you saying? I was at Sorokaku Villa, my second home in Odawara. I had already sold our home in Takanawa Minamimachi, and the Odawara villa will soon be our main residence. I am even planning to build a new villa in Oiso.”
“Please confine yourself to only truthful statements, Chairman. I located Odawara on the map last night. It is not very far from Tokyo. Furthermore, I assume those in the Japanese government are aware of your Odawara villa. If you had been where you said you were, they would have contacted you earlier. You were not present at Sorokaku Villa when the incident occurred. This is precisely why you have now been provided with your current residence. The Arisugawa-no-miya household was compelled to provide it for you. On the day that Tsarevich Nicholas was injured, I suspect you were in the vicinity of the Hakone spas, dallying instead with the geisha who—”
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