Sherlock Holmes in Russia (16 page)

‘Number forty-three,’ said Holmes quickly. ‘From that British subject, Holmes.’

Such an answer, so boldly pronounced, evidently satisfied the man. He probably knew Holmes’s true profession and, deciding we were working for him in some capacity, let us pass.

In a quiet alleyway we changed our hats, substituting them for our torn caps and rubbed a little dirt into our coats. And now we could go to the tavern which was our observation post. At about five in the afternoon we were in place.

Sitting by the window, we fixed our gaze on the window of the bookstore opposite. Gavriushka appeared at the window several times and looked as if he was anxious about something. We
drank tea for the sake of appearance, while carrying on a desultory conversation.

Seven o’clock. No sooner had the hand of my watch reached seven than the tavern door opened and Fomka came in. He looked gloomy and sullen. He ordered tea and took a seat with his back to us in the most distant corner.

A few minutes later, we saw Gavriushka and two employees leave the shop and begin to lock up. This done, he cast a suspicious look round, said something to the other two, and made his way quickly into the tavern. He saw Fomka in his corner at once and went straight to him. Then, having made sure they were not under observation, he bent towards Fomka, whispered something in his ear and, quickly leaving the tavern, was lost outside amidst the crowd.

Fomka waited a few minutes, settled his bill and also left. We followed him at once.

At the Strastniy Monastery, Fomka jumped aboard a tram car going to the Ustinsk Bridge. We hailed a cab and instructed him to follow. At Yauza, Fomka jumped off and went into one of the cheap taverns along the banks of this smelly little river.

‘We’d better wait for him here,’ said Holmes. ‘Our appearance is bound to raise his suspicion.’

In the meantime, darkness was falling and we had to get nearer the tavern not to lose sight of Fomka when he emerged. Nine struck from a clock tower. A little while later and Gavriushka’s familiar figure appeared outside the entrance of the tavern. He looked round carefully, went in and a minute later emerged, accompanied by Fomka.

They turned right along the river bank. Luckily for us, there was no street lighting here, so we moved silently after them. Several hundred steps on, we found ourselves in a silent, deserted locality. The figures of Gavriushka and Fomka were now hardly discernable in front of us. They finally stopped and began to descend quietly down to the river.

‘Crawl!’ Holmes whispered.

We stretched out on the ground and, like snakes, followed for some twenty-five paces. The darkness helped us.

Gavriushka was talking to Fomka about something or other, but all we could hear were snatches of what he was saying: ‘Tomorrow … the damned fellow won’t get away … get nearer … Peterhof … you’ll counterfeit Yefimoff’s….’ From time to time he snarled in fury. He raved.

Fomka’s replies, delivered in a cold tone of voice, were short and sharp. ‘So, tomorrow at the Peterhof at three,’ we heard.

Then they dropped their voices again and we only heard the end of their conversation. ‘Everyone scattered … well, that’s to the good … let them look for witnesses if they can.’

There was more whispering about something and then they climbed up to the river bank again.

‘And so, my dear Watson, till tomorrow. At three in the afternoon we will most probably see something interesting at the Peterhof restaurant.’

Our adversaries had vanished and we followed them no further. Returning back to town, we made our way directly to Kliukin.

‘You’ve probably come with something new,’ he greeted us.

‘I don’t wish to anticipate events,’ answered Holmes with a smile, ‘and only came to ask you about one or two things.’

‘I’m listening.’

‘Tomorrow you will very likely receive, in one form or another, something connected with the Peterhof restaurant. Regardless of whoever speaks or writes to you about it, please be on your guard and do nothing and go nowhere without letting me know beforehand.’

‘Is that all?’ Kliukin asked with a smile.

‘So far, yes. Regarding Gavriushka and Semionoff, I suggest that you immediately give instructions that any goods dispatched by them to any destination will be intercepted along the way.’

‘I’ve already done that,’ answered Kliukin.

‘That’s excellent! It will only confirm the evidence against them, not that it is likely any more evidence will be necessary after tomorrow.’

We chatted for a while, bade him goodbye and returned to our hotel. The senior porter, having already seen us in our get-up, let us through.

Back in our hotel room, Homes changed into decent-looking clothes and suggested I do the same. Puzzled, I did as I was told and we were soon ready.

Again we emerged from our hotel, called a cab and Holmes instructed him to take us to the Peterhof restaurant.

It was already after midnight and the place was full. We just about managed to get a table. We ordered a light supper, but I could see from the look in Holmes’s eyes that he wasn’t interested in it. Other things were on his mind.

Half an hour later and I detected Gavriushka flash by through the door leading to the private rooms. Holmes immediately went in pursuit, but was back a minute later, sat down calmly and said quietly, ‘Now they won’t get away.’

The restaurant was preparing to close down and, nothing having happened, we went out with the other diners. Gavriushka and Fomka emerged with us. We saw them hail a cab and go off quickly.

Holmes went back, rang the restaurant bell and whispered something to the porter who opened the door and admitted us. Holmes put a ten-rouble note in the porter’s hand and we followed him along the corridor into one of the private rooms. Holmes switched on the electric light and began to examine the floor and walls. This took him half an hour. He proceeded to
thank the porter, took me by the arm and we returned home where we fell fast asleep.

At one in the afternoon there was a knock on the door of our hotel room. It was a messenger with a letter. Holmes opened it and read, ‘I received an invitation from Yefimoff to present myself at the Peterhof restaurant at three this afternoon. I am informing you as requested. Kliukin.’

We threw our coats on, ran out and jumped into the first available cab, which took us to Mohovaya Street.

‘I have no idea what this is about,’ said Kliukin, meeting us with a smile.

‘You’ll know soon enough,’ answered Sherlock Holmes, ‘but let me warn you, be careful entering the private room … don’t step into it right away.’

‘Is this some sort of hoax or are you trying to mystify me?’ exclaimed Kliukin in surprise.

‘Whatever it is, you’ll soon be thanking me,’ Holmes answered solemnly. ‘And I hope your wife will also be very grateful.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘You don’t have to yet.’

Holmes looked at his watch and said it was time to make for the restaurant, adding that Kliukin had to go in a separate cab and not to show by so much as the slightest sign that we were following him. So that’s what we did.

Some twenty minutes later, Kliukin’s cab deposited him at the restaurant and we followed closely behind as if we were total strangers.

‘The name is Kliukin. Which private dining-room is my invitation for?’

‘Let me show you,’ said the porter.

Kliukin followed him and we followed Kliukin as if we were chance strangers.

‘Here you are,’ said the porter, indicating one of the doors along the corridor, and left.

Kliukin opened the door, stepped over the threshold and stopped in utter perplexity. Gavriushka and Fomka seized him by his hands and tried to slam the door shut.

But this was not to be. Like an enraged beast, Sherlock Holmes threw himself forward. Gavriushka and Fomka froze from the unforeseen interruption and let go of Kliukin’s hand.

Holmes threw himself at Gavriushka, gave him a mighty thump to the head, then seized his shoulders and pushed him in the direction of the divan. And now imagine my own surprise. Gavriushka vanished through an aperture that opened in the floor.

Holmes didn’t give Fomka a chance to recover from his surprise at this turn of events. We bound his hands and legs and only then Holmes yelled, ‘Police! Call the police!’

A quarter of an hour later the restaurant was full of policemen of every rank and sort as well as agents of the criminal investigation department, all of them warned in advance by Holmes.

Holmes led everyone to the open trapdoor and said, ‘The villain has fallen into the snare which he prepared last night for Maxim Vasilyevitch Kliukin. This is what I learnt from the porter. He and Fomka locked themselves up all day in this private dining-room. Sawing through the floor boards wasn’t much of a problem. Having completed their work, they fastened the trapdoor in place, waxed the slits and, of course, ordered that the room should not be let to anyone else. Gavriushka handed out a good ten roubles in bribes. In the space under the floor boards was where they would have strangled you. I can only wonder at the depth of hatred that could bring a young fellow like that to plan such a horrible revenge. Fortunately, I followed
him and was able to discover his work, otherwise, Maxim Vasilyevitch, things would have been the worse for you. I congratulate you on your deliverance from the hands of these villains. I look forward to meeting you later this evening, but in the meantime, I trust you will permit me to take my leave. My task is not yet completed. I have yet to make certain other arrangements concerning finding more of your stolen goods in the provinces.’ He then turned to the police. ‘As for those two fellows, gentlemen, you’ll have to hold on to them and to hold on to them tightly. One of them already has half a dozen crimes he has escaped answering for and, of course, it is unlikely he will escape this time.’

He shook hands with Kliukin standing there completely taken aback and we both left.

That was the year the Emir of Bukhara visited Russia. Accompanied by a considerable retinue, he travelled displaying all the splendour and opulence of the East.

Having paid a visit to Petersburg, he was returning home, but decided not to travel by rail but along the Volga. The weather was fine, with clear sunny days which lured him out of his stuffy carriage to breathe the open air. Orders were dispatched from Petersburg to Nijni-Novgorod to prepare a ship exclusively for the Emir and the town prepared to welcome this important guest.

At the time, Holmes and I were travelling along the Volga and stopped over at Nijni-Novgorod for a few days. We delayed our departure because of the Emir. We had been about to leave, when we heard of his impending arrival and stayed on to enjoy the brilliant spectacle. He arrived on the appointed day. With his retinue, all in gold and jewels, he literally flashed through the
town and vanished aboard their ship. Holmes and I, and a crowd of curious sightseers, accompanied them as far as the wharf and then went home.

Less than an hour passed. Holmes and I were chatting, I think it was about Eastern peoples, when the door of our hotel room opened slightly and the lackey who looked after our corridor poked his head through the door and told Holmes that he was wanted by the Bukharans.

‘What’s happened?’ asked Holmes.

‘The Chief of Police and some Bukharans wish to see you,’ he said.

‘How strange!’ Sherlock Holmes wondered. ‘As far as I know, I have never met a single Bukharan. Oh, well, show them in.’

The head was withdrawn and a couple of minutes later the Chief of Police, accompanied by a couple of Bukharans, one of whom was an interpreter, came in. Sherlock Holmes introduced himself, then me, and asked the reason for such an unusual visit.

‘Not as unusual as it may appear to you,’ said the Chief of Police. ‘Something very unpleasant has happened to His Highness, the Emir of Bukhara. I was sent for to assist in the matter, but I, knowing that you are temporarily staying here, advised that you should be brought in, in connection with the matter. With your assistance, the lost item will be recovered ten times faster.’

‘I am flattered,’ Holmes bowed. ‘Of course, I shall try to be worthy of your opinion, but surely you have enough qualified policemen of your own?’

‘Hmm … how shall I put it?’ The Chief of Police was clearly uncomfortable. ‘Yes, we have more than enough, and if I were to include the entire membership of the Union of the Russian People, there’d be more than are necessary, but … how can I put it better? You understand … in the last few years much has been annulled by the revolution and they are all specialized to good effect where political investigation was involved, much to the
detriment of criminal investigation. But you are an expert in criminal investigation, never having touched political matters and, of course, are bound to be infinitely better, and this is why I pin more hope on you than all my underlings.’

‘Every state has its own way of doing things,’ said Holmes with an imperceptible little smile. ‘By the way, what you say is true and I am willing to help to the best of my abilities.’

‘That’s wonderful!’ exclaimed the Chief of Police. ‘And now that this matter is settled, I can go. I have matters to which I must attend. My task was only to convince you to take this on. I have the honour of taking my leave.’

He bade farewell to us and the Bukharans and was gone.

Sherlock Holmes invited the two strangers to sit and tell him what was the matter. The older of the two was richly dressed in silk robes with stars on his chest. With a self-important air, he sank into a sofa and said something to Holmes in his incomprehensible tongue. Holmes heard him out with the patience of a statue.

When the Bukharan had finished, the interpreter took over. First of all, he announced that before us sat none other than a Minister of the Court of His Highness, the Emir of Bukhara, Hadji-Mehti-Mashadi-Mahomet-Sultan.

Next, speaking on behalf of Hadji-Mehti-Mashadi-Mahomet-Sultan, he came to business, heaping masses of praise on the famous detective, every possible flattering mention and thanks that Holmes had undertaken to help His Highness to find the missing memento of his mother, so dear to him. And only after having delivered himself of all this and given a few answers to Holmes’s queries, at a sign from the Minister of the Court, the interpreter set about explaining the heart of the matter.

‘It happened today,’ he began. ‘His Highness, having toured the town, made his way with his retinue to the wharf of the “Along the Volga” shipping line where the ship prepared for him was waiting.

‘It must be said that His Highness has one precious item which he particularly cherishes. This is a ring with a huge black pearl in the form of a pear. This pearl came to him from his mother, whom he loved very much. After her death, he had it set in a ring, but as he was afraid to lose or damage it, he wore it only at official functions, and as soon as a function was over, he would take it off immediately and hide it. The black pearl is regarded as a gloriously beautiful rarity. Foreign notable valued it at a million and a half roubles in your currency.’

‘Oho! That’s worth going to some trouble over,’ exclaimed Sherlock Holmes. ‘Such an amount must be the size of a Bukharan state loan.’

‘Of course,’ agreed the interpreter. ‘Today, in advance of his arrival in Nijni-Novgorod, His Highness placed the ring on his finger. He wore it as he rode through the town and when he went on board. When the first whistle blew, His Highness went to his cabin to change out of his offical dress and change into his travel clothes. There were guards outside his quarters. He was helped to wash and change. Before he washed his hands, he took his ring off and placed it on the washbasin. He sent away his valet and the Emir remembers that when the valet left, the ring was still where he had put it down. On his way out of the bedroom, His Highness neglected to put on the ring, but when he went out on deck, he remembered and returned immediately.

‘Imagine his consternation when the ring was no longer there. The alarm was raised. The sentries swear that nobody else had followed His Highness in or out of his bedroom. The soldiers who came with us on this trip are the Emir’s most loyal and faithful men. Moreover, they are so arranged that they watch each other. So there is no foundation for doubting their word.
Nonetheless, they were all searched, but there were no clues to indicate anyone had entered the Emir’s quarters.’

‘Strange,’ said Holmes. ‘Perchance the Emir put the ring somewhere and simply forgot where.’

‘Oh, no,’ was the interpreter’s rejoinder. ‘His Highness has a very good memory and, besides, values the ring highly.’

‘What else has been done to find the ring?’

The interpreter addressed Mahomet-Sultan in Bukharan and listened respectfully to his reply, which he then translated for Holmes. ‘The ship is ringed on all sides by Russian police and our sentries both on shore and on the water.’

‘On the water, how?’

‘Around the ship, on the Volga, there are boats with sentries.’

‘How soon after the theft were the sentries put in place?’

‘As soon as the Emir announced the theft had taken place, that very moment Mahomet-Sultan ordered the ship to be surrounded on all sides and nobody was to be permitted on or off without being searched.’

‘But did anyone get off the ship after that?’

‘No.’

‘Do you know this for a fact?’

‘Yes, but you had best ask the sentries.’

A brief silence ensued.

‘Yes … a strange occurrence,’ Sherlock Holmes at last said thoughtfully, ‘an occurrence that is actually beginning to interest me. I’ll get everything I am likely to need this very minute and we’ll go.’

The interpreter translated this for Mahomet-Sultan, who nodded his head in approval.

Sherlock Holmes fetched his travel case. ‘My dear Watson,’ he turned to me, ‘I’d advise you to take a couple of sailor’s uniforms, make-up and a weapon. It is very possible we might not be able to get back for a few days.’

I complied instantly. Within a few minutes I had everything
packed in a bag I could carry easily and was ready for any more instructions.

‘You’ll have to carry our things,’ Holmes said to the interpreter. ‘I am going to call a cab. Our things shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll travel light and neither you, nor anyone, must reveal anything about us.’

Sherlock Holmes called the cab himself, escorted the guests out and they took our baggage and two pieces of hand luggage.

‘Well, my dear Watson, time for us to start moving,’ said Holmes after a few minutes.

We made our way to the wharf. On the ship, alarm showed on every face. The interpreter met us and told Holmes he had been assigned a separate cabin in case he had to cross-examine or talk to anyone privately.

‘You did very well,’ said Holmes. ‘Are our things there?’

‘Yes.’ We were escorted to the cabin.

‘Now it’s necessary for me to have full access everywhere,’ said Holmes.

‘This has already been arranged,’ answered the interpreter. ‘You and your friend have already been pointed out to the sentries.’

‘In that case, leave us alone for now,’ said Holmes.

The interpreter bowed and departed.

‘Stay here for now, Watson.’ Holmes said to me. ‘I’ll go over the ship, look at one or two things and return to fetch you.’

‘Very well,’ I replied.

He left and I was left to myself. He was back a quarter of an hour later.

‘Let’s go, Watson,’ he said shortly.

A few steps along the corridor and we were outside the Emir’s quarters. The sentry at the door admitted us. The Emir’s quarters comprised four cabins with doors between all of them, and a reception room, which had been a first-class dining room. The Emir’s office was to the left of the entrance, then his bedroom. To the right were the sitting room and a parlour. Holmes and I turned left into the office and then the bedroom. The floors here were covered with thick, luxurious carpets.

Holmes paused at the threshold and began to scrutinise the premises closely.

This scrutiny appeared to penetrate every little nook and cranny. Then he squatted down and crawled along the floor, examining it through his magnifying glass. Then he examined the divan, bed and washbasin, carefully looking behind them; next he knocked on the walls and shook his head in perplexity. Finding nothing in the bedroom, he went into the office. One after another he examined the other rooms, but there were no clues anywhere.

Suddenly he smacked himself on his own forehead. ‘Now, now, Watson! We haven’t yet lifted the carpets.’

I smiled involuntarily, ‘I don’t suppose you think someone is sitting under them?’ I asked.

‘Not entirely, but … you see, Watson, I haven’t the slightest doubt that the thief didn’t come in through the door. The sentry would have seen him. Nor would the windows have been of any use to him. They are seemingly locked from inside, while the putty around the pane shows the glass was installed some time ago. This means the thief must have found a hidey-hole on the ship … and if that so, he is still aboard.’

We moved the furniture around now here, now there, one after another, and lifted the carpet, carefully examining the floor underneath. We did all this in total silence, even walking on tiptoe.

Suddenly Holmes uttered a triumphant cry. ‘Have a look,
Watson,’ he whispered and motioned for me to come near. I crawled up to him.

Holmes suddenly lifted the corner of the carpet by the head of the bed, ‘The first thing that struck me was that the corner leg of the bed was not pressing down on the carpet,’ he whispered.

I looked at the floor under the carpet and all the same noticed nothing.

‘You don’t see it?’ smiled Holmes.

‘Absolutely not,’ I replied.

‘And all the same, it is so simple.’ Holmes still smiled and said softly, ‘Look at the floor boards. In all the other places where we examined the floor, you noticed, of course, that the cracks between them had been filled with paint and where the paint cracked, dust and other dirt particles had collected. It’s different here. The cracks are not filled with paint and there is no dirt, which shows that these floorboards are not immoveable.’

Holmes produced a thin spike, stuck it into a floor board and gently raised it. The board shifted.

He moved it just a little and then replaced it. He then covered it with the carpet and moved the bed so that all four legs pressed down on it. ‘Now the entrance is sealed,’ he said, getting up. ‘The most important is done. There’s only trifles left to be attended to now. The criminal is on board, because he has nowhere to go and the sooner the ship moves, so much the better. Watson, let’s go to Mahomet-Sultan.’

We left the Emir’s quarters and went on deck.

We found the Minister of the Court standing with the Emir and quietly conversing with him. We waited till he looked in our direction and Holmes gave him an imperceptible sign. He indicated with his eyes that he understood. He ended his conversation
with the Emir and, accompanied by the interpreter, made his way to Holmes’s cabin. We followed.

‘The sooner the ship leaves, the better,’ Holmes said to him. ‘Rest assured, the thief will not escape.’

‘Really,’ exclaimed the Minister joyfully, when he heard this announcement from the interpreter.

‘Yes,’ said Holmes. ‘He is on board and, of course, won’t risk escaping as long as the ship is ringed by sentries.’

‘Oh! Oh! In that case I will inform His Highness at once!’ the Minister exclaimed through the interpreter and the two Bukharans ran out of the cabin.

The second whistle sounded a minute later. A few minutes later, the third whistle sounded, sailors rushed about the deck, the military band thundered and the ship began to move gracefully away from the wharf.

‘Now, then, my dear Watson, we have to become sailors,’ said Holmes, opening his travel case.

But first, before changing, Holmes went out of the cabin and, returning after a little while, said, ‘Splendid. Everything’s done. The interpreter has asked the ship’s captain to instruct the bosun to sign on two more sailors who will now appear before him. So, look lively, Watson, change and let’s go to meet our new chief. And to look younger, a new fair-haired wig for you, into which rub wood-oil instead of pomade.’