‘You might remember that I examined the handrails that ran around the deck with a meticulous scrutiny that seemed to surprise you at the time?’
I nodded my affirmation.
‘Well then, you might be even more surprised to learn that this examination was largely instrumental in helping me reconstruct the chain of events that led to the death of Carl Mandel. Furthermore, it confirmed for me the true identity of Mandel’s killer!’
‘In heaven’s name, Holmes, surely you go to far this time!’
‘On the contrary, Watson, for surely the sandal-print on the handrail confirms the method of the killer’s escape, and the bloodstain, which was smudged into the wood close by, means that Mandel was not the killer’s only victim! As to his identity, well surely it is obvious now—’
‘Tilat, the Giant Rat of Sumatra!’ I exclaimed. ‘Although the chain of events that led to his slaying members of the crew of the Matilda Briggs, are as yet unclear to me.’ I added tamely.
At this juncture, Lestrade held up his hand, as if in a gesture of surrender and despair.
‘Mr Holmes, are you asking me to believe that the leader of a revolutionary movement, whose place of refuge, on the island of Sumatra, suddenly comes under attack from the Dutch army, somehow miraculously appears in London and starts killing the crew of a merchant ship?
‘While I will readily admit to owing you a huge debt of thanks for handing Declan McCrory to me on a plate, I cannot contemplate, even for an instant, taking this theory of yours back to the Yard without risking both severe censure and possible dismissal,’ Lestrade added defiantly.
‘Ah, but clearly, you do not appreciate the true measure of the importance and reverence that Tilat and his people had attached to the talismanic beladau. After all, when he was in fear of his imminent destruction, did not Tilat entrust his most valued possession to the only person he thought had a chance of surviving the Dutch attack, Sir Michael Collier?
‘Having survived that attack do you not think it more than likely that the very first thing that Tilat would do would be to try to reclaim the very symbol of his people’s struggle for freedom? Do not forget that he had collaborators waiting to help him in Aceh and it is not unreasonable to suppose that a man of his extraordinary abilities would have had little difficulty in stowing himself away on board the fastest ship available that would take him to England.
‘He was convinced that Collier would have survived his ordeal and upon reclaiming the beladau, Tilat had every intention of returning to India and using it to rally his people behind it once again. Unfortunately for him, when the gold was eventually offloaded at St Katherine Dock, he was discovered in the hold and during the course of the ensuing mayhem he was forced to kill in order to make good his escape over the side.
‘The last of his victims was, obviously, the odious Carl Mandel, a man whose unlamentable loss should not weigh too heavily on Tilat’s conscience. You can, no doubt, imagine Mandel’s state of mind as he lay there on the deck, gazing up at Tilat, disguised in his cape and mask, every inch the “Giant Rat of Sumatra” and a vision of “Death himself”. Indeed, it is possible that he was not even fully aware of where the blow that killed him came from, as Tilat’s iron palm strike would have been both swift and subtle.’
I shook my head slowly in disbelief and Lestrade emitted a long slow whistle in both amazement and incredulity.
‘My my, Holmes; as usual you have explained everything with your customary clarity and vision.’ I sighed.
‘I must say, Mr Holmes, that you certainly seem to have identified our killer with a flawless piece of detective work although, perhaps, you employed just a small touch of intuition,’ Lestrade offered.
‘I think that you will find that it was meditation rather than intuition, Inspector,’ I corrected. ‘Sherlock Holmes never guesses.’ I saw Holmes smile proudly at the manner in which I had set Lestrade right.
‘Well, I am sure that I do not know about such things. We adopt more mundane and practical methods at the Yard. However there is still the small matter of Tilat’s current whereabouts to consider. If the purpose behind his illicit journey to London was to reclaim this beladau thing from Sir Michael Collier, then I am afraid he has been very much let down.
‘Clearly there remains nothing to detain him here any longer and therefore any hopes that we might have had of apprehending him have been thwarted,’ Lestrade complained.
‘Not so, Inspector. You are forgetting the presence in London of Collier’s son Daniel. If, as we suspect, Tilat is aware of his existence also, then surely he will not quit these shores until he has at least tried to obtain the beladau from him.’
‘Yet you would think that someone of such a distinctive appearance would not have gone these many days without having been noticed at least once?’ Lestrade persisted.
‘Ah, well, there we need to plead for a little tolerance on your part. You see, your previous statement was not, strictly speaking, a totally accurate one.’ Holmes turned away warily, in anticipation of Lestrade’s inevitable reaction.
‘You mean to tell me that you have seen this man, someone who is strongly linked to at least one killing, without having reported this to the authorities?’
‘Watson, perhaps you would care to explain to the good inspector the exact circumstances of your encounters with the man in the crimson robe?’ Holmes suggested as he nonchalantly lit another cigarette.
‘You must understand, Lestrade, that at the time I did not fully understand the true significance of the man’s presence here. Furthermore, I was not even certain that I could trust my own eyes, amidst the murky swirling mists of a grey early morning.’ Lestrade did not appear to be totally convinced and so I went on to describe every detail of the two occasions that I had observed the man we now knew to be Tilat, or the ‘Giant Rat of Sumatra’.
‘Well then, if that is the case, we must do everything within our power to find and apprehend this individual, before anybody else is killed,’ Lestrade stated boldly.
‘You should be glad to hear, therefore, that I have already taken steps that will help to bring this about,’ Holmes replied. ‘There is little doubt in my mind that Tilat is already aware of Daniel Collier’s visit to our rooms, so I suspect that any attempts by Watson or by me at tracking him down will meet with little or no success. Equally and with all due respect, you and your men will meet with similar failure, given the ham-fisted manner in which you go about your business.’
‘Thank you very much, Mr Holmes,’ Lestrade responded sarcastically. ‘I am sure that my colleagues at the Yard will appreciate your high opinion of their efforts. Nevertheless, your assessment seems to have left us with very few options—’
‘Holmes! You have sent for the Irregulars!’ I suddenly concluded enthusiastically.
As if I needed any confirmation of my statement, as we turned the corner into Baker Street I could see a small group of around four or five street ‘Arabs’ who had gathered in front of the entrance to 221B.
Lestrade laughed as soon as he realized my reaction to the sight of the boys.
‘Well, I must say, that little lot will be a fine match for a trained killer like Tilat!’
Holmes rebuked Lestrade’s ridicule with his sternest of glares.
‘You must realize that these innocuous-looking little urchins know their way about the docklands better than any man and should have little or no difficulty in ferreting out our quarry – if he is still to be found, that is. Furthermore, they will be able to accomplish this task without Tilat’s being aware that he has been detected, therefore we need have no fears that he will take premature flight.
‘You were not present at the conclusion of The Sign of Four affair, but you should be aware of their effectiveness in not only finding Jonathan Small, but also his proposed means of escape! They can infiltrate any backstreet or backwater and remain invisible by virtue of their being so very commonplace. But wait! They seem to be without their leader.’
I
should mention here that their self-styled commander, who went by the name of Wiggins, no doubt achieved this position of power by virtue of his most singular appearance. He stood at well over a head above his peers and his extraordinary height was accentuated by a frame that can best described as skeletal.
The boys became quite excited when they recognized us through the cab window, no doubt anticipating a task being set for them by Holmes, for which they would be suitably recompensed. Sadly their bare survival upon the streets was only made possible by their abilities as pickpockets and other forms of minor larceny. But where was Wiggins? This was the first question that we asked of them as we pulled up at the kerb.
The oldest boy of the group stood forward.
‘Oh Mr ’Olmes, ’e remembered ’ow upset your landlady was the last time we all thumped upstairs, so ’e’s waiting for you in your room on ’is own.’
Holmes patted him gently upon the head and smiled down upon them all with surprising fondness as he climbed out of the cab.
‘Good boys,’ Holmes said quietly, before turning back to speak to Lestrade.
‘I expect to allay your scepticism within forty-eight hours and I will call for you once the chase is about to begin,’ he informed the inspector. ‘In the meantime I suggest that you dispatch your best man to Daniel Collier’s hotel without a moment’s delay. Although I have furnished him with the services of a most stalwart ally of mine, should the need arise, I would say that at this stage of the game we would do well to employ every due precaution.’
‘I have just the man for the job and he shall be on his way to Russell Square from the minute that I arrive back at the Yard,’ Lestrade confirmed. ‘I shall wait at my desk for your call.’
‘Scotland Yard, cabby, and do not spare the horse!’ he called out as he rapped sharply upon the roof of the cab.
Holmes and I sprinted up the stairs to spare Mrs Hudson even one more moment of anxiety.
CHAPTER TEN
ON THE TRAIL OF THE GIANT RAT
When we reached our room we found Wiggins perched rather uncomfortably on the edge of a wooden chair while our vigilant landlady stood sternly and watchfully over him. She was unaware that, despite their appearance, the ‘Irregulars’ lived by a certain code that would preclude them from stealing from someone like Holmes, who would always treat them with the utmost respect.
It was impossible to say who was the more relieved by the sight of our sudden arrival, Wiggins or the landlady. It was easier to gauge who was the most vocal in expressing it.
‘I do not know, Mr Holmes, but as if some of your clients are not curious enough, for you to invite boys like this to my house is the last straw! I have not taken my eyes off of the wretch for one second.’ Mrs Hudson shook her head despairingly as she tut-tutted repeatedly.
‘Thank you for your concern, Mrs Hudson, but I can assure you that everything is quite safe in the hands of young Wiggins here,’ Holmes cheerily explained.
‘Oh yes, indeed sir, quite safe I can assure you.’ The young fellow jumped up from his chair and displayed that his grimy hands were quite empty.
‘Well, I do not know.’ Mrs Hudson was still complaining even while Holmes was gently ushering her out of the room.
‘Goodbye, Mrs Hudson!’ He smiled as he closed the door behind her.
The tall scarecrow of a lad who stood before us repeatedly pulled his unwashed, unruly hair away from a face that was stained and roughened by the soot and filth that pervaded the streets on which he lived. He was not alone, of course, for the saddest indictment of our times is the copious number of his like who eke out the barest existence upon the darkened streets where the majority of London’s inhabitants never dare to walk.
Wiggins and the other Irregulars were fortunate indeed in having earned the trust and the respect of one such as Sherlock Holmes. On more than one occasion Holmes had employed their knowledge of the streets and their ability to penetrate the very underbelly of London without detection or suspicion, to help bring a criminal to justice. They had never let him down and each success had always brought to them the handsome reward that Holmes had promised them.
Small wonder then that Wiggins now stood to attention in front of Holmes as he eagerly awaited his latest set of instructions.
‘Mighty glad to get your latest summons, we are, Mr ’Olmes. Me and the lads are ready for whatever you want to throw our way,’ Wiggins offered eagerly.
‘How does a florin a man sound to you and double that to whoever is fortunate enough to land the fish.’
‘Cor blimey, Mr ’Olmes, that sounds right ’andsome to me. What we got to do for that, swim the bloomin’ Channel?’ Wiggins asked. As he rubbed his hands together in anticipation, his threadbare mittens shed some soiled decaying wool on to our floor.
‘Nothing as daunting as that, I can assure you, although it will involve you scouring the docklands once again. The Canary Wharf area, to be more precise. Have you heard of the steam clipper the Matilda Briggs?’
‘’Course I ’ave. She’s the bloomin’ ship where all the crew went missin’, ain’t she?’
‘Well, not quite all, but she also had a stowaway on board who should prove to be far easier to find than the rest. You will be looking for a man fully six feet five inches in height with a strong, upright bearing. He was last seen wearing a pair of straw oriental sandals and a long crimson – or dark red – robe and mask.’
‘I know what crimson means, Mr ’Olmes. Just ’cause I don’t speak the same as you don’t mean I don’t know nothin’.’ Wiggins appeared to be genuinely hurt by Holmes’s assumption.
‘Wiggins, I sincerely apologize to you. Now, do you think that you and your men will be able to find such a man for me?’
‘If we can’t then ‘e don’t exist, Mr ’Olmes.’ Wiggins emphatically replied and Holmes and I could not repress a smile at his self-confidence.
‘That is not all, however. For the price of a new pair of mittens for each of you, I need to discover when he intends to depart and his proposed means of doing so. Do not forget that he will be returning to the Far East, so that might help you in finding the ship. Now remember, Wiggins, you are not to take any unnecessary risks. Be as discreet as ever and keep yourselves safe at all times.’
‘Don’t worry ’bout us, Mr ’Olmes we’ll be as safe as ’ouses and we’ll find your man in next to no time!’
‘Excellent! Now, call your friends upstairs and I will ask Mrs Hudson to bring us all some nice hot muffins.’ Holmes rubbed his hands together expectantly, then added, ‘Do not forget, new mittens, Wiggins, not a noggin of gin!’
‘No mistake, Mr ’Olmes. It’s going to be a hard winter, they reckon.’
It fell to me to try to persuade Mrs Hudson to supply muffins for six and once she had relented, Wiggins and the other Irregulars departed with warm full bellies and the promise of riches and mittens should they pull off another job for Sherlock Holmes. We could hear their loud chattering until they had fully reached the Marylebone Road!
Once order had been restored Holmes and I pulled our chairs up to the fire and lit our pipes.
‘I sincerely hope that you have not given the Irregulars too much to chew upon, this time,’ I ventured.
‘I would certainly rather entrust this task to Wiggins and his boys than to Lestrade and his men. Besides, their safety lies in the fact that Tilat will not be looking for them, nor will he be surprised if he sees them,’ Holmes replied.
‘Whilst that is undoubtedly true, it is also accurate to say that Tilat has already proved himself to be a most dangerous man and they are, after all, only boys,’ I reminded him.
‘Watson, you are forgetting that Tilat only killed in self-defence and that his only motive for being here in the first place is to retrieve his sacred beladau. I am certain that if we can successfully maintain Daniel Collier’s safety it will not be too long before Tilat will have to show his hand. Once he does, of course, he will show himself to the Irregulars and we shall have him
!’
As usual I could not fault any of Holmes’s reasoning and we both sank into a relaxed silence. After a light supper followed by a cognac and cigar, I could sense that Holmes was falling into one of his more reflective moods and that he could not be drawn into a conversation upon any subject, not even upon the matter at hand. I decided to withdraw to my room with a good book and the remainder of my drink.
After about an hour or so I could feel my tired eyes gradually closing. So I put down my book and decided to look in on Holmes before retiring for the night. I was not surprised to find that he had now abandoned his cigar to the ashtray and that his cognac remained untouched. I was not surprised to see that he was now seated in his meditation posture and that he obviously had every intention of remaining there for the entire night.
However I was most disturbed to see that on this occasion his meditation was proving to be a most unsettling experience for him. He was sweating profusely, his lips were discoloured by dehydration and he seemed to be unable to remain still. He also appeared to be talking to himself under his breath. He repeated the same phrase over and over again, almost as if he were recounting a perverse form of mantra.
‘I cannot penetrate the veil, I cannot penetrate the veil!’ The longer this repetition continued the louder and more violent it appeared to become. Indeed, it was all that I could do to refrain from doing the unthinkable. To break in upon Holmes’s meditation was something that I would not ordinarily consider doing, even for an instant, but it was rapidly becoming the safest, perhaps the only option, especially under these circumstances.
I found myself gripping Holmes, firmly by his shoulders, shaking him back and forth repeatedly, in the hope that I might rouse him from his strange trance. In this I was only partially successful at first. Holmes reacted by flailing his arms around wildly and violently in an incoherent attempt to break my grip upon him. But I would not be put off, and after a short while his arms’ frantic movements began to slow down and he opened his red and bleary eyes.
Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra Page 16
