Notes From the Dispatch Box of John H Watson, MD

by Ashton, Hugh

  I accepted his invitation, and we spent the meal reminiscing about old days, and my recounting tales of my service in India and Afghanistan, and some of the medical details connected with the cases of Sherlock Holmes with which I had been involved. Clifford showed little or no interest in the legal or criminal aspects of these adventures, but displayed a keen interest in the medical consequences of the crimes whose circumstances I related.

  “ I become tired of the living patients,” he confessed. “ They bore me and exhaust me. I have a fancy to turn to pathology as my specialty, and so this autopsy is another opportunity for me to approach Menzies with my thoughts on the matter.”

  “ Each to his own,” I laughed. “ Post-mortem examinations have never been my favourite form of medical practice.”

  Clifford examined his watch. “ Let us set off.”

  The autopsy revealed few clues to be revealed from an examination of the surface of the body. There were no marks of violence or of any type of assault. Menzies grunted as he reached for the scalpel.

  “ If I may ? ” I said to him, as I reached towards the face of the young girl, silent in death, but still exhibiting traces of a rare beauty, as Mme. Montpensier had told us.

  He nodded his assent. “ It would seem that you have had some interesting experiences since I taught you last, Watson,” he remarked sardonically. “ Let us pray that your skills in the field of anatomy have improved somewhat since that time.”

  I ignored this rebuke to my professional abilities, having become inured to Menzies’ constant criticism during my time as a student, and pried open one of the eyelids of the dead girl. A glance was enough to show me that the eyeball had rolled upwards, and the little of the iris visible showed me that the pupil was considerably dilated. Lifting the other eyelid revealed a similar symptom.

  “ Well, well, Watson,” remarked my former professor. “ Was this a lucky chance, or had you some reason for suspecting such an outcome to your actions ? ”

  “ I had remarked the curled state of the fingers and toes, which seem to me to indicate that she had ingested some toxic substance.”

  Menzies lifted his eyebrows. “ Your association with Mr. Holmes seems to have stood you in good stead,” he commented. “ Congratulations, Watson. Clifford, you failed to observe these signs ? I cannot think how you ever came to pass your final examinations.” The sting of his former professor’s rebuke obviously found its mark, as Clifford flushed slightly and lowered his eyes. “ In any case,” Menzies continued, “ I think we may safely proceed straight to the stomach, gentlemen, thanks to Watson’s intervention.” So saying, he pulled down the sheet covering the torso, and moved the scalpel in a straight line down from the sternum.

  About thirty minutes later, the body was decently covered once more, and Menzies turned towards Clifford and me. “ We will have to postpone the inquest until such time as we receive the results of the analysis of the contents of the stomach, but I would concur with your preliminary deduction, Watson. This does indeed appear to be a case of poisoning. Well done.” From a man who was usually miserly in the extreme when it came to giving praise, this was indeed a compliment. “ Do you or Mr. Holmes have any interest in the matter ? ” he enquired of me, regarding me sharply.

  “ Without wishing to provide details, I can tell you that such is the case.”

  “ Hmph. Then I will not enquire further. I am sure that your friend has his code of professional conduct as do we doctors.”

  After the exchange of a few pleasantries, I took my leave of Menzies and Clifford, and caught the next train back to London. Holmes professed himself delighted when I returned to Baker-Street and told him of the events of the post-mortem. “ So you suspect poison ? ” he asked me.

  “ I see no alternative explanation of the state of the body,” I answered him. “ As to the type of poison, I have little idea at present. As Menzies remarked, this will no doubt be revealed at the inquest following analysis of the samples that were taken.”

  “ The question to which I and Mme. Montpensier will most urgently need an answer is that of how the poison entered the body.”

  “ You have been in contact with her again ? ”

  “ As we expected, she returned for her pince-nez, and stayed to talk a little more, with somewhat more candour on this occasion. Her hysteria appeared to have abated somewhat, and I may pride myself on having created a pleasant social atmosphere in which we could converse. As we suspected, she is not as well-off as she originally led us to believe, though she is being far from destitute. She will undoubtedly benefit from her step-daughter’s untimely death, as the money that would otherwise be held in trust and be inherited by the daughter will now pass to her.”

  “ Hence her anxiety regarding a possible arrest for murder ? ”

  “ Exactly so, at least in part. She, more than the mysteriously absent Mr. Colethorpe, would seem to enjoy a potent motive for the step-daughter’s death. But before I begin to pronounce judgement on the matter, or indeed, before I take on the case fully, to the extent where I am prepared to pass judgement, we must await the results of the inquest. I informed her of this, and let her know that I will take no further action with regard to the case until official pronouncements on the manner and the cause of death had been made. By the by, I was mistaken. It is the violin and not the viola that she plays.”

  zz

  The results of the autopsy were published in the newspapers within the week, and I quote from a report published in the Morning Post, which I read to Sherlock Holmes as he reclined in his favourite armchair, his eyes half-closed as he listened.

  “ ‘ The jury of the inquest held on Miss Annabel Stevens, who died several days ago in her home in Reigate, has returned a verdict of murder by person or persons unknown. In his closing remarks to the jury, the coroner, Mr. Philip Draper, called attention to the analysis that had been performed of the contents of the dead woman’s stomach. This had revealed a large quantity of an arsenical substance, commonly used in rat poisons. It was revealed by the step-mother of the deceased, who gave her name as Louise Montpensier, that her step-daughter had consumed little food at the meals served during the day, and this was confirmed by the stomach’s being virtually empty, as discovered by Professor James Menzies, who performed the post-mortem examination of the body. However, she had not been described as being in poor spirits, either by Mme. Montpensier, or by the domestics who were summoned as witnesses concerning the deceased’s mental state.’ For what it is worth, I could see clearly for myself at the autopsy that the stomach contained less in the way of contents than might be expected.”

  “ That may or may not be of significance,” broke in Holmes. “ Naturally, any poison would work faster on an empty stomach. Continue.”

  I resumed my reading. “ ‘ In addition, the coroner had earlier drawn the jury’s attention to a piece of paper, confirmed by an expert in the science of handwriting to have been written by the deceased, expressing the writer’s discovery of a bitter taste in a beverage she had imbibed, and a fear of an unknown nocturnal visitor. When questioned as to the probable identity of the personage mentioned in the above note, Mme. Montpensier replied that she was positive it was her husband, Mr. Ferdinand Colethorpe, described as a man of business, who had been absent from the family home for some two months prior to the death of Miss Stevens. In answer to the coroner’s questions, Mme. Montpensier professed herself unable to name the whereabouts of her husband. Mme. Montpensier also revealed under questioning that she had presented the dead girl with a drink of cocoa shortly before the latter retired on the night of her death.

  “ ‘ Given these circumstances, the foreman of the jury brought in the verdict of murder, and we believe the case has now been referred to Scotland Yard, where it is in the hands of Inspector Lestrade of the Metropolitan Police.’ “

  “ And a pretty mess he will make of it, too, if I am not mistaken,” remarked my friend. “ Unless, that is, he has the sense to consult me on the matter.�
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  “ How do you intend to proceed ? ” I asked, curiously.

  “ For the present, I shall do nothing. Nothing, that is, that has any relevance to this case. There is a monograph that I am writing that requires my attention for the morning, and a concert of late 18th-century Italian music this afternoon. If you would care to attend the latter with me, I would naturally be delighted. As to the former, I would be grateful if you would refrain from speech for the next few hours.”

  Such an utterance would have been offensive to me had it issued from any mouth other than that of Sherlock Holmes, but I was sufficiently familiar with my friend’s crochets and fancies to regard this as commonplace. I myself was painfully aware that there were serious deficiencies in my medical knowledge, and I spent the morning immersed in the latest editions of the medical journals. Holmes in the meantime toiled away at his monograph, the subject of which he had previously informed me was connected with those peculiar characteristics of personality and habit that might be deduced from an inspection of the owner’s umbrella or walking stick.

  After we had partaken of the luncheon served to us by Mrs. Hudson, Holmes and I ventured forth to the concert hall, where we listened to one of the foremost fiddlers of the day perform his musical gymnastics upon his instrument. I fear that I, whose ear for music is untutored, and not always appreciative, fail to recall the name of the performer or that of any of the works which we heard on that occasion. I do recall vividly, though, Holmes’ seemingly complete abstraction from the affairs of every day, and his languid pose as he drank in the abstruse sounds of the maestro.

  As we exited the concert hall, Holmes humming to himself the theme of the last piece which we had heard, a familiar voice came from behind us.

  “ Mr. Holmes ! A word with you, if you please.”

  We turned, and beheld the earnest face of Inspector Lestrade, topped by his customary bowler, looking up at us.

  “ Ill met by moonlight, Inspector,” Holmes answered him, amiably enough. “ I take it this is not a chance meeting ? ”

  “ By no means,” replied Lestrade. “ I wished to speak with you on a certain matter, and accordingly made my way to Baker-street. Your good landlady informed me that you were not at home, but was unable to inform me of your destination. She did, however, mention that you had left the house wearing your opera hat. On examining the list of concerts and entertainments on offer this afternoon, I rapidly came to the conclusion that this was the one where you were most likely to form a member of the audience, given the performer and the nature of the performance. I therefore waited outside the hall until the end of the concert, and—here we are.”

  “ Well, well ! ” said Holmes, chuckling. “ I am not only impressed with your acumen, Lestrade, but also with your ability to learn and apply powers of deductive reasoning. I am surprised that you require my assistance.”

  Lestrade smiled in return. “ I am glad that I could impress you somewhat. This latest case that has been brought to my attention demands a little more thought, however, and your assistance would be welcome.”

  “ If it is the case in Reigate on which the coroner’s jury has just pronounced a verdict, I fear I am unable to help you.”

  “ How is that ? ” answered Lestrade, visibly taken aback by the answer. “ It is indeed that on which I wish to consult you.”

  “ Pray, return with us to Baker-street,” invited Holmes. “ We can discuss this at more length in comfort.”

  Lestrade accepted the invitation, and we returned to our lodgings, where a warm fire was blazing.

  “ Now, Lestrade, tell me what you have discovered so far,” invited Holmes, when we were comfortably settled in our chairs. “ I must warn you, though, that I have been engaged by Mme. Montpensier to clear her of the charge of murder that she fears will be brought against her.”

  Lestrade furrowed his brow. “ There is no charge pending against her. I have never heard of such a thing, though I confess that circumstances point to her involvement in the death. It smacks to me, Mr. Holmes, of a guilty conscience.”

  “ I am somewhat puzzled by the affair myself, believe me. What problems particularly concern you in this matter ? ”

  “ Well, to start, the whole business of the missing husband has got me puzzled, I confess,” began Lestrade. “ He is obviously the prime suspect in this case, and we have been unable to discover hide or hair of the man. He appears to have vanished from the face of the earth.”

  Holmes laughed. “ Tush ! You are puzzled by this ? There is a second Mrs. Colethorpe, if the man has been foolish enough to use the same name for both his marriages. He is living the classic life of a bigamist. Mme. Montpensier is not the primary object of his affections, though, if her account to me is to be believed. It is clear that he spends the majority of his time elsewhere, doubtless with his other household. However, the money that Montpensier’s first husband left to his daughter, and to the family generally, almost certainly play a part in his decision to tie the nuptial knot for a second time.”

  Lestrade’s face fell a little at this announcement. “ So you believe that we will never find him ? ”

  “ He will do his best to stay away from Mme. Montpensier and the general area of Reigate for some time. I am sure he will not wish to draw undue attention to himself.”

  “ So you believe him to be guilty of the crime ? ”

  “ To what crime are you referring ? ”

  “ Why, that of murder, as determined by the coroner’s jury.”

  “ I would remind you, Inspector,” remarked Holmes calmly, “ that although the jury returned a verdict of murder by person or persons unknown, and therefore you are bound to search for the murderer, there is as yet no definite proof that a murder was committed.”

  Lestrade let out a snort of amusement. “ A poisoned girl, with a letter indicating her terror and fear, detailing how she partook of a drink that was poisoned, and you tell me it’s not murder ? ”

  “ I did not say that. I said there was no proof as yet that a murder has been committed. Accidental death or suicide are alternative explanations. Coroners’ juries are hardly infallible. I should let you know, though, that if the cause of death does appear to be murder, and if my client’s guilt seems proven, then she will cease to be my client, and I will cease to act on her behalf. I am sure you understand me well enough, Inspector, to know that I have no interest in hindering the course of justice.”

  “ I am confident that you will provide us with every assistance, as you have in the past,” answered the little man. “ To start, would you recommend that we continue our search for the missing husband ? ”

  “ I would think it advisable. He has, after all, almost as strong a motive as my client for making away with his step-daughter. I take it you are familiar with the clauses of the will of Mme. Montpensier’s first husband ? ” Lestrade shook his head, and Holmes proceeded to enlighten him with the facts as they had been related to us.

  “ Well, well. That does seem to provide both the husband and wife with a powerful motive,” said Lestrade thoughtfully. “ Are there any other beneficiaries who would profit ? ”

  “ As far as I am aware, there are none. Tell me, Inspector, have you visited the scene of the death ? ”

  “ As yet, no. It was chiefly about this that I wished your assistance. I am aware that you have had some luck in the past when discovering clues on similar occasions and making guesses that have been of assistance to us.” I noted Holmes’ visible irritation at this description of his work, but Lestrade continued, seemingly oblivious of the offence he had caused. “ The inquest seems to have been conducted remarkably badly. There are many questions which I would have raised had I been present, and which remain unanswered. I would be obliged if you would be present at Reigate and meet me there tomorrow morning.”

  “ I was intending to make that visit in any case,” Holmes replied stiffly. “ Tomorrow morning at nine ? ”

  “ Admirable,” Lestrade said. “ You may care t
o look through this,” presenting a sheaf of papers to Holmes. “ It is a transcript of the evidence that was presented at the inquest. As I say, there are many omissions, which I hope to remedy tomorrow.”

  Holmes thanked Lestrade, who took his hat and left us.

  “ The man becomes more intolerable by the week ! ” exclaimed Holmes angrily. “ ‘ Luck’ and ‘ guesses’, indeed ! Anyone other than a blockhead who has worked with me as often as has Lestrade should be able to recognise that my methods are based on scientific deduction. Were it not for the fact that Mme. Montpensier is my client, I would have refused outright to accompany him.” So saying, he picked up his pipe, and lit it with a spill composed of some unanswered correspondence, which he lit from the fire. “ Pah ! ” he resumed his tirade, all the while filling the room with the blue smoke from his pipe. “ I cannot begin to comprehend the depths of ignorance and stupidity to which our police sink at times. To treat the science of detection as a mere plaything—a bagatelle—is an attitude which is simply beyond my understanding.”

  I could think of no satisfactory rejoinder to this, and allowed him to continue his expostulations against the perceived foolishness of the Metropolitan Police in general, and Inspector Lestrade as a particular exemplar. These opinions were not unfamiliar to me, and I admit that they had lost their interest along with their novelty. It was with a start, therefore, that I realised that Holmes was addressing me directly.

  “ I am sorry, I failed to catch your words.”

  “ So I remarked,” he said tartly. “ I was asking you whether, in your opinion as a medical man, the symptoms you observed in the corpse were those which are consistent with arsenic poisoning.”

  “ I would have to say so, though certain aspects were not wholly typical. If the source of the poison was indeed commercial rat poison, then one might well expect other substances to be present, and the combination of the arsenic, the presence of which was no doubt confirmed in the laboratory through the use of a Marsh’s apparatus, with the other ingredients used in the preparation would no doubt produce effects of an unknown nature.”