Notes From the Dispatch Box of John H Watson, MD
Page 17
At my lodgings I had prepared a large sloping surface, similar to that used by draughtsmen in drawing offices, which stood under the window facing north. I considered this to be a perfect place for my work. I had not opened the fatal box since it had been given to me, but realised now was the time to do so.
I had previously purchased a pair of fine kid gloves, which protected my hands, but still permitted sufficient freedom of movement and allowed my fingers to feel the subtleties of the surfaces that they touched. I drew these on, and prised open the lid of the box. Within, nestling in its padding of cotton waste, lay a small bottle, with a label written in an alphabet which was not ours, but which I recognised as the Cyrillic alphabet as used in Russia and neighbouring countries.
Carefully holding the bottle away from myself, I removed the stopper, releasing an acrid smell which made me cough. I set the bottle at some distance from me on the board and gingerly dipped the tip of the camel hair brush which I had previously purchased into the liquid. I applied this gingerly to the cheque, and was amazed to see the ink in which the amount had been written fade before my very eyes, leaving the printed ink completely untouched. I had no doubts regarding my ability to produce new words and figures corresponding to the instructions which I had been given, and therefore continue to apply the magical liquid to the cheque. I had nearly finished my work, which took not nearly the amount of time that I had expected, when there was a sudden knock at the door. I started, and temporarily forgetting that I held the brush in my hand, raised that hand to my face. The tip of the brush, still loaded with the mysterious liquid, touched my forehead, and I instantly experienced a burning sensation.
I started to emit a cry of pain, but realising that this would alert my visitor, managed to convert this into an enquiry as to who my visitor might be. Hurriedly replacing the stopper in the bottle and covering the cheque on which I had been working with a half finished sketch of a vase of flowers, which I had previously prepared for just such an occasion as this, I opened the door to my landlady, who was merely enquiring whether I would prefer cabbage or carrots with my boiled beef that evening. While we were conversing on this matter, I noticed her attention appeared to be fixed on my forehead, which was still experiencing a burning sensation. When I had closed the door, I made my way to the washstand and gazed at my reflection in the mirror, where I beheld a white mark. I dashed water on my face, which relieved the burning sensation, but the white mark remained, and indeed remains to this day. I determined therefore to treat this liquid with more respect than I had hitherto done, and continued to alter the cheque in the way that had been demanded of me.
I delivered the cheque to a post office box in a large industrial city in the North of England. A week later I was sent for by Professor Moriarty himself. We met in a house in a district of London which I had never previously visited.
As opposed to his rather cold formal self that I had experienced on the previous occasion that we met, he now seemed affable. “ Congratulations, Clay,” he said to me. “ Your latest work has indeed borne fruit, and there is absolutely no way in which any of it can be traced to us. This is an experiment which has well repaid any trouble we have taken in its preparation. I must warn you, though, that it would be advisable for you to change your lodgings.”
“ Why so ? ” I asked in some perplexity. “ If you say that this cannot be traced to us, surely I am in no danger from the police ? ”
“ You are completely right on both counts,” he answered me. “ However the danger in this case is not associated with your recent work, but with the IOUs that you recently produced so competently. It is not the police of which you need to be aware, but a private detective called Sherlock Holmes.”
I must confess that the name of Sherlock Holmes being at that time unknown to me, I was unaware of his reputation or of his powers. I laughed. “ I am sorry, Professor,” I told him. “ I have met several private detectives, and though they may enjoy some success in the finding of errant husbands or of straying poodles, I have yet to meet one whom I would consider in any way to be a foeman worthy of my steel.”
Moriarty looked at me, shaking his head in that strange snakelike way of his. “ I warn you, Clay, that you should not underestimate Mr Sherlock Holmes. He is more than a cut above the usual run of private detective. He would scorn the idea of tracing errant husbands or lost lapdogs with the same fervour that you would reject my suggestion that you steal apples from a costermonger’s cart. He would regard the idea as being beneath his dignity and unworthy of his abilities. I confess that I would concur with him in this opinion. For from his being a foeman unworthy of your steel, he might well regard you as being unworthy of his. In order to guarantee your safety, I am therefore sending you to the North, where I wish you to take up an identity for a few months which I guarantee will not be penetrated even by Sherlock Holmes. I am afraid I cannot promise you that it will be a comfortable existence. However, once we have thrown Mr Holmes off the scent, you may return to London, and I can assure you that your accommodation and conditions will be a substantial improvement on those you enjoy now, and we can resume our work on the cheques.”
And so it was that I found myself tramping the vales of Northern Yorkshire in company with a band of Gypsies. As Moriarty had promised me, the life was uncomfortable, but the folk amongst whom I found myself were friendly, and seemed to accept my presence. I have no doubt that gifts from Moriarty had smoothed my path. In my time with the Romanies I learned many things which were of subsequent value to me. I was taught the secret language of signs of stones and pebbles arranged in various ways for the benefit of those who might come after. I was instructed in the mysteries of the chalk marks that are to be found scribbled on garden walls and gates by those who travel the length and breadth of this country. I learned how to eat and drink when there was no food or drink apparently available. I even came to appreciate the finer points of Romany cuisine, including roasted hedgehog—a dish I can heartily recommend, by the way, although you will not find it on the menus of even the finest restaurants. One of the Gypsy women, hardly more than a girl, took a fancy to me, and I will confess that on the cold Yorkshire nights we often enjoyed each other’s warmth. Although she knew that I was a bird of passage, she wished to see me as one of her own folk, and I submitted to the ceremony of having my ears pierced for earrings. Naturally, I have never worn these ornaments in London, but the holes in my ears, which I see in the mirror every morning as I shave, remind me of the girl I knew as Mary. I never did find out her true Romany name.
Though Moriarty had told me that I would be spending three months with the gypsies, the truth is that it was closer to four months before an emissary visited the encampment to seek me out and to inform me that in Moriarty’s opinion it was now safe for me to return to London. I left my friends with some regret, and a deeper appreciation of their way of life. Indeed, if I had ever chosen to leave Moriarty’s employ, it would have been to take up the wandering life with Mary, or one like her, together with her band.
On my return to London, I was installed, as had been promised, in superior lodgings in a fashionable quarter of London. I even had my own servants: a valet and a housekeeper to take care of my needs. Both of these were, naturally, in Moriarty’s pay, and I therefore had no cause to conceal my general activities from them. However, following the advice given to me by Colonel Moran, I did not acquaint them with the details of my business. Even so, it was of great advantage to me in the assignments I was given which involved my participation in Society to have such a pied-à-terre available to me, complete with servants who could be trusted not to tell tales.
Many a Society beauty visited me, unknown to her husband or her lover, and while she lay in my arms told me secrets of her household—little details which she did not recognise as being secrets, but which proved to be of immense value to those of Moriarty’s men who were later detailed to enter and to take the objects of value which she had described to me, and I had reported.
x
John Clay speaks 4:
The Darlington Baby
I
now wish to relate an incident in which I was involved, where the true facts of the matter were never known to the public. Although I knew from others that Sherlock Holmes was involved, his part in the matter has never been described.[7] It occurred during the prosperous period of my life which I have described above.
It was not often that I received a visit from Colonel Moran, but he arrived unannounced at my door one day and was immediately shown into my drawing-room. Happily I was alone that afternoon. It would have been more than a little embarrassing for myself and my petite amie du jour had he arrived some thirty minutes earlier.
“ We have something a little out of the ordinary for you,” were his first words to me.
I confess that I was a little worried by this. I was filled with the apprehension that these words might signify that I was to lose my current position in the organisation. “ I may hope that my work has been satisfactory ? ” I enquired.
“ Absolutely, my dear fellow,” he replied, with a hearty laugh. I was a little surprised by this joviality, which was far from typical of his usual temper. “ In fact,” he continued, “ it is precisely because you have demonstrated your abilities in such a wide variety of fields that we have decided to use you in this coming operation. It demands a man of intelligence, which you have demonstrated in abundance over the past few months, as well as courage and daring, well mixed with the social skills that I hear you are demonstrating to a large number of admirers.” He smirked unpleasantly at his last words, an expression which I chose to ignore.
“ Enough of the flattery,” I answered. This kind of praise was not typical of Moran, and I had a pre-sentiment that whatever was coming would be less than pleasant. My apprehension must have shown in my face.
“ I am telling you nothing that we do not believe is the truth. This is a very delicate operation, and quite frankly, there is no one else that we can trust to do the work properly. You are acquainted with Elizabeth, Lady Hareby ? ”
I was indeed well acquainted—in fact, “ intimately acquainted” would be a better description of my relationship with the woman. Not that I had any reason to believe that I was the only one to enjoy her favours. She had made herself notorious in certain circles of society as a result of her antics. “ Yes, indeed I am acquainted with her,” I replied, as nonchalantly as I could manage.
“ She has a little problem, and she wishes us to solve it,” he informed me. “ What do you know of her husband ? ”
I have never met the man in question, and believed him to be a permanent invalid, following a fall sustained while hunting. There were many rumours about Town regarding his condition, and it was unclear whether his problem was a physical or a mental one. I informed Moran.
“ Good, at least you have the background to the story. Lady Elizabeth would like you to visit her, at her hotel, at six o’clock this evening. For reasons we need not go into, she is not staying at the Darlington town house. Can you see any reason why you should not be able to keep this appointment ? ”
“ There is nothing important that cannot be postponed,” I answered.
“ And when you last saw Lady Elizabeth, you parted on good terms, I take it ? ” he persisted.
“ Certainly there was no argument between us,” I assured him. “ I am sure that I will be welcome if I present myself.”
“ Excellent, excellent. How is your financial situation ? ” he asked me, abruptly changing the subject.
I assured him that I had sufficient funds to meet any ordinary demand, and indeed could manage almost any unusual demands on my purse with little difficulty.
“ This little caper may involve you in some considerable expense, and I wish to make sure in advance that you will have the funds available to meet any such outgoings. I am delighted to see that you possess your virtues of thrift and good housekeeping.” He unleashed his tiger-like smile, before standing and letting himself out, pausing only to give me the name of Elizabeth Hareby’s hotel.
At six that evening I was standing by the front desk of the luxurious hotel to which I have been directed, asking for Lady Hareby. A page led me to the suite in which she was staying, after first ascertaining that she was in a state ready to receive visitors.
I was admitted, much to the surprise of Elizabeth, who started when she recognised my face.
“ John ! What are you doing here ? ” she asked me. “ I am expecting someone else to arrive any minute now. I thought you were he, otherwise I would not have allowed you to visit me.” She blushed, a little, possibly at the memory of some of our previous meetings.
“ I believe that I am he whom you were expecting,” I said to her. “ You were expecting an individual to visit you at six o’clock, were you not ? I have been dispatched by a person whose name I will not mention, precisely for the purpose of visiting you here at six o’clock. For the moment you may assume that I am the person you are expecting. If anyone else makes an appearance then it may be possible that I am mistaken. I do not think this is likely, however.”
“ I had never suspected— When I talked to—“
“ You do not need to mention names. In fact, let us avoid names in this conversation as far as is possible.”
“ I cannot believe that you are associated with these people, all the same,” she protested. “ When we were— Were you... ? ”
“ Yes, I was. You may rest assured, though, that I never took advantage of you in that way.”
“ But you took advantage of me in so many other ways,” she giggled, in that mischievous manner that I remembered so well, and which still had the power to stir me.
“ To business,” I told her sternly, before the old Adam could assert itself within me.
“ The truth of the matter is that I am ‘ in pig’, as my younger sister would have it. You have probably heard that Edgar, my husband, is a helpless invalid in the family house up in Northumberland. Quite frankly, it cannot be expected that he will live for very much longer. And when he does, my child will inherit. I cannot inherit as his widow, because the estate is entailed.”
“ Surely his father, the Earl of Darlington, is still alive ? ”
“ The old fool cannot last much longer. When he dies and Edgar dies, the estate will pass to my child, as I say. That is on one condition.”
“ That condition being ? ”
“ That condition being that the child I bear will be male. If it is a female, the estate will pass to some distant cousin.”
“ But even if it is not a male child, surely the next child, or even the one after that may well be male and you will inherit the estate in a kind of regency ? ”
She laughed bitterly. “ Edgar is in no state to father any more children. And everyone knows this. Even if I were to have a child by another man, the world would know that it was not his child, and it would be disowned, and I would be cast out from the family. As it is, even though I assume that everybody knows of the little games I have been playing around Town, it is still within the bounds of possibility that I am carrying Edgar’s child, and so everyone pretends that they know nothing of my amusements.”
“ What is it that I am to do ? ” I was confused, being distracted by the proximity of this beautiful woman, and the scent that surrounded her.
“ You are to ensure that the child will be male.”
To say that I was taken aback would be an understatement. “ I really fail to see how I can achieve this for you,” I protested. “ Do you take me to be some kind of magician ? ”
“ You are being singularly obtuse. What I wish you to do is to find a new-born male child and bring it to a cottage n
ear to the Hall where I shall go into confinement. The cottage belongs to the midwife who will be delivering my baby. If I am delivered of a healthy male child, then the child that you bring will be given to a village family to bring up. If my child transpires to be a girl, or a male child that appears unlikely to survive, we will make an exchange with a healthy child that you are providing.”
I considered this for a minute or so. “ It seems to me,” I objected, that there will be some kind of difficulty here. I am not, after all, a trained baby nurse. I have no experience whatsoever in caring for new-born babies. I assume that I am to take the baby from some orphanage or other institution that deals in such matters. And such an institution should be some way away from where you are to give birth, otherwise tongues might start to wag.”
“ Yes ? ”
“ You wish me to be responsible for the safety of a new-born baby that I carry the length of England on a train ? How shall I feed it, to start with ? ”
“ This is why I am paying your employers a large sum of money. I am presenting you with a problem, and it is your task to solve this problem.”
Once again I was lost in thought for one or two minutes. “ Would it make much difference to your plans if I were to supply a baby of a few weeks old, rather than a few days old ? ” I asked.
She pondered this. “ I do not think so,” she said at length. “ There are few in the Hall who have experience of this kind of thing, and I do not think that a week or two will make very much difference in the perception of those around me.”
“ When is all this to be accomplished ? ” I asked. “ How long do I have to prepare this ? ”
For answer, she looked down at her stomach. “ I am between five and six months gone,” she told me. “ You will receive word through the messenger who dispatched you here when your services are required. I will supply you with details of the cottage and the woman who will receive the baby in a week or so.”