Donald Thomas - Sherlock Holmes and the King’s Evil

“I daresay,” said Sir Henry impatiently, “but what has that to with my son?”

Holmes picked up the postcard again.

“This address. There is no Kings Road in your village and no house numbered 184. I suggest to you that ‘Kings 184’ can only be a reference to the Old Testament-the First Book of Kings. If that is correct, the number 184 can only stand for Chapter 18, verse 4.”

“How extraordinary!”

Holmes bowed his head a little in acknowledgement and then continued.

“You will, I am sure, recall how that verse runs. ‘Obidiah took a hundred prophets and hid them in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.’ A hundred is a regimental company, a little under strength as his might well be. Obidiah can only be your Obidiah. And now let us drink a health to this brave young man-and wish him well.”

In this matter, I must record, Sherlock Holmes was later proved correct. We heard from his proud father that Captain Obidiah Jones had been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and was now a youthful Major Obidiah Jones.

On that morning, however, after Sir Henry had thanked us several times and left us to seek further particulars of the story at the War Office, Holmes stretched out in his chair and stared at the gentle dancing of flames in the grate.

“I believe, Watson, that Sir Henry is the first client whom we have seen in these chambers for a very long time.”

“I believe he is.”

“Then I think we may say that the war is over at last. From now on, this office is open as usual for business. I take a good deal more pleasure in seeing my clients face to face, in this homely manner, than in being the servant of the government. Be so good as to pass me this morning’s copy of the Morning Post.”

He took another sip of his morning Madeira, a crumb of seed cake, and opening the pages of the newspaper began to read the reports of yesterday’s proceedings in the Central Criminal Court. In this manner, peace returned to Baker Street.

DONALD THOMAS is the author of fifteen novels, including four collections of new Sherlock Holmes stories, and seven biographies, notably Cardigan: The Hero of Balaclava and Cochrane: Britannia’s Sea-Wolf. He received the Eric Gregory Award from T. S. Eliot for his poems Points of Contact. His writing on crime includes The Victorian Underworld; followed by an account of World War II’s criminals and black marketeers in An Underworld at War, and Villains’ Paradise: Britain ’s Post-War Underworld. He has also contributed to the BBC several series of broadcast documentaries on historical crimes and trials.