Part 14 (1/2)
”Yes, yes, Watson Do co in the hallway And since you're here, see about building up this fire, will you? It's perishi+ng in here”
Shakingit would do neither of us any good to take urate
”I expect you're here about those wild reports in the newspapers thisout at the busy street below He gave a sharp twang on another violin string, and I winced at the sound
”I won't bother to ask how youas a plume of soot settled on my shi+rt cuff and then smeared as I atteruone out to theback from theto look at me
”She was here a o,” I said, triumphantly ”She opened the door and let er to indicate the need for silence I watched hied the Gods to grant me patience Downstairs, I heard the exterior door sla s logs onto the fire ”Well, of course you're right”
”About Mrs Hudson?”
”About the reason I'm here This supposed beast I had the unhappy task of coht who claimed to have seen it The poorhis pacing
I waited for his response until it was evident that I'd already had the entirety of it ”Well?”
”Can't you see I', Watson?” he said, a little unkindly
I glowered at hilad of the case Ito occupy yourin it, Watson So more I have no interest in such coarse, ridiculous s in succession ”Besides,” he continued, his tone softening, ”I find myself in the one and lost his favourite spy, a government scientist by the name of Mr Xavier Gray He's quite frantic about the wholeonhere?” I asked Sometimes I found it very difficult to fatho,” he replied, as if that explained everything He reached for the bow that he'd balanced precariously on the ar furiously at the violin, e, cacophonous screech I rose fro by the fire and dusted offfurther fro towards the door, the violin stopped abruptly behindme, a curious expression on his face ”Send your friend to see a man named Maurice Newbury, of 10 Cleveland Avenue, Chelsea I understand he's an 'expert' in matters such as these” He spoke the ht hi
”Very well,” I said, curtly ”I hope you find your ain with his violin
As I clambered into a hansom outside number 221b, frustrated by Holmes' dismissive attitude, I made the sudden, snap decision to pay a visit to this Newbury character iven to such rash acts, but I re the truth about the infernal beast that had so terrified my friend Bro, meek as he ould never call on Newbury of his own account, no matter how I pressed hi hi a way to accommodate the bizarre encounter into his own, conservative view of the world He would rationalise it and carry on, returning to the distractions of his patients and his busy life My interest, however, had been piqued and I was not prepared to allow the matter to rest without explanation
II realise no ridiculous that sounds, how petty, but his attitude had galled me and I was anxious to prove to my friend that the s were to transpire, I would be ined
The drive to Chelsea was brisk, and I passed it by staring out of the atching the streets flicker by in rapid, stuttering succession Almost before I knee had arrived at Cleveland Avenue I paid the driver and watched as the cab clattered away down the street, the horse's breaths leaving steaid air
Nu terraced house, fronted by a sarden that in turn was flanked by a black iron railing A short path tere stone steps and a door painted in a bright, pillar-box red I approached with so a little aard now after my somewhat hasty retreat from Baker Street What would I say to this Newbury felloas there on behalf of a friend who claiht Perhaps it was ridiculous But there I was, on the doorstep, and I'd never been a e I rapped firmly with the doorknocker
A fewon floorboards fro open and a pale, handsome face peered out at me The man was dressed in a smart black suit and had an expectant look on his face ”May I help you?” he said, in warm, velvet tones
”Mr Maurice Newbury?” I replied ”I was told I ave a disapproving frown ”Sir Maurice is not receiving visitors at present, I'ht have saved me that eraciously as I could ht leave a card My naent matter I would speak with hihly recommended”
The man-whom I now realised was most likely Newbury's valet-raised his eyebrows in what appeared to be genuine surprise ”Dr John Watson? The writer?”
I snition ”Quite so”
The valet grinned I had to ad to the fellow ”Well, Dr Watson, I think you'd better come in I'm sure Sir Maurice will be anxious to hed nervously as he closed the door behind me and took my hat and coat ”If you'd like to followthe hallway until we reached a panelled door I could hear voices fro to ain the most animated of tones The valet rapped loudly on the door and stepped inside I waited in the hallway until I kneould be welcome
”You have a visitor, Sir”
When it caht I'd explained, Scarbright, that I wished to receive no callers today? I have an urgent matter I must attend to with Miss Hobbes”
”Yes, Sir,” replied the valet, a little sheepishly ”Only, it's Dr John Watson, Sir”
”Dr Watson?” said Newbury, as if attenificance of my name ”Ah, yes, the writer chap You're a follower of his work, aren't you, Scarbright?”
”Indeed, Sir,” said the valet, and I couldn't suppress a little smile as I heard the crack of eent h of resignation ”Very well, Scarbright You'd better send him in”
The valet stepped back and held the door open to allow ratitude as I passed over the threshold into what I took to be the drawing room In fact, it was much like the room in Baker Street from which I'd recently departed, only decorated with a ht have had a stack of letters on the mantelpiece, speared by a knife, Newbury had the bleached skull of a cat Listing stacks of leather-bound books fores of the rooh-backed Chesterfields had been placed before a raging fire Both were occupied, the one on the left by the man I took to be Sir Maurice Newbury, and the other by a beautiful young woaze
Newbury was up and out of his seat before I'd crossed the threshold, welco me to take a seat on the low-backed sofa that filledfellow of about forty, and was dressed in an ill-fitting black suit that appeared to have been tailored for a slightly larger edly handsoreen eyes and raven-black hair swept back fros around his eyes and a sallow complexion, and I saw in him immediately the hallmarks of an opius for our acquaintance Nevertheless, I'd made it that far and I was determined to see it out
”You are very welcoht have gathered, am Sir Maurice Newbury, and this iswo Newbury's offer of a seat Miss Hobbes was stunningly beautiful, with dark brown hair tied up in a neat chignon She earing dark grey culottes and ajacket-the picture of modern womanhood
”Would you care for a drink, Doctor?” said Newbury, indicating the well-stocked sideboard with a wave of his hand ”A brandy, perhaps?”
I shook my head ”No, thank you Most kind, but I'll abstain”
Newbury returned to his seat by the fire, angling his body towards me ”So, how may I be of assistance, Dr Watson? I presume it's not related to one of your journalistic endeavours?”
”Indeed not,” I replied, gravely, ”I'm here on behalf of an associate of mine, a man named Bro It's connected with that business about the supposed beast that's been seen crawling out of the river Last night Bro had an encounter with the thing, and it rather left hiested to ht?”
The corner of Newbury's s of a wry smile ”And this was not a matter that Mr Holmes was able to assist you with?”
”Holmes is busy,” I said, a little defensively ”And besides, it was Holmes who recommended I call He said you were considered rather an expert in matters such as these”
”I'ly
”Tell us, Dr Watson-” Miss Hobbes interjected, offering Newbury a ive you any indication as to when and where this sighting occurred?” In truth, I couldn't blaine that Holmes hi him as I did, I'm convinced he would have taken the time to truly relish the irony of the situation
I sratitude for the timeliness of her interruption ”Cheyne Walk,” I replied ”Close to eleven o'clock yesterday evening Following the incident he caht htful ”And did he offer a description of the beast?”
I hesitated for a moment as I considered the sheer ludicrousness of what I was about to relate I felt ridiculous now for coht and validity to this story How could it be real? Had I simply overreacted to Holmes' rebuttal?
Well, whatever the case, it was too late to back out ”Bro described it as having a large, bulbous body about the size of a hansoht thick limbs like tentacles upon which it slithered in the manner of an octopus Now, I'm a little unsure as to the veracity of iven the accounts in the newspapers thiswell, you understand, I had to coht”
Newbury glanced at Miss Hobbes ”Oh, I assure you, Dr Watson, that your friend is quite sane His report is the same in every respect as the others This 'beast', whatever it is, is quite real”
”Sir Maurice's clerk, Mrs Coulthard, was another of the witnesses,” continued Miss Hobbes, sly ”You find us in the midst of a discussion over how best to approach the situation”