The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes Page #9

Our agent in Friedrichshafen,

a man named lbidson...

actually saw the dirigible

and made a drawing of it.

Unfortunately,

he was apprehended...

before he could

cross the border.

Nevertheless, we want no part

of this beastly invention.

Get rid of it! Scuttle it!

The sooner the better!

May l point out, ma'am--

And do not concern yourself...

about that dirigible

dropping bombs on us.

We shall write a very sharp note

to the kaiser!

Now...we wish to return

to Balmoral.

Well, Mycroft...

it seems we have both

been undone by a woman.

What a shame...

all that superb engineering...

and all that cunning

espionage for naught.

Not necessarily.

lf the Germans want that

submersible so badly...

why don't we give it to them?

Give it to them?

lnvite them aboard

for the final journey...

700 feet straight down.

And how are you

going to arrange that?

l'm rather counting

on you to do it...

since you're on such

intimate terms...

with Fraulein von Hoffmanstal.

Shall we say good-bye

to Her Majesty?

Sorry about that,

but as long as you're up...

what is the German word

for castle?

Schlos, isn't it?

l think so.

And how would you say

''under the castle''?

Unten das schlos...

or die schlos?

l don't know.

My German is not that good.

Your Trappist friends...

are waiting outside

to hear from you.

lt's a chilly morning.

We don't want to keep them...

standing around too long,

do we...

Fraulein Hoffmanstal?

Come now, it's too late

to play cat and mouse.

Unten dem schlos.

Thank you.

Here is your signaling device.

lt's rather bent, l'm afraid.

Would you care to tell them...

where they can find

the submersible?

No?

Then l shall just have

to do it myself.

l only hope my Morse code

is adequate to the occasion.

Well...it's up to

the good monks now.

You can consider your part

of the mission accomplished...

Fraulein Hoffmanstal.

You're all wrong about me.

My name is not Hoffmanstal.

lt isn't?

lt's von Hoffmanstal.

l stand corrected.

l suppose once they

are in the castle...

Must amuse you, Mr. Holmes,

Trappists walking into a trap?

lt's more amusing than that.

Once in the castle,

they will encounter...

surprisingly little resistance.

lt will take but a small

bottle of chloroform...

to overcome the guards.

You mean you're going to

let them have the air pump?

Better than that.

We're going to let them

have the submersible.

They will find it with its

engines running all set to go.

l assume they're all

expert sailors.

And since there's

a German battleship...

cruising off the coast

of Scotland...

l expect they'll try to

sail it out of the loch...

and rendezvous at sea.

Did you say try to?

l would suggest you get

your things together.

Mycroft will be here to

take you into custody.

l never had you fooled

for a moment, did l?

You knew right from

the beginning...

when the cabby brought me

to Baker Street.

Let me see.

Not quite that soon.

lt's so funny.

l asked for this

assignment, you know.

l was scheduled

to go to Japan...

but l couldn't resist

the challenge...

of coming up against the best.

l'm sorry l didn't give you

a closer game.

Close enough.

You're just being kind.

l failed miserably.

We all have occasional failures.

Fortunately, Dr. Watson

never writes about mine.

Holmes!

Holmes! l saw it again!

That thing!

lt came from the castle!

lt's out there!

lt was out there. Now it's gone.

-lt's gone?

-Forever.

Look for yourself.

A bottle of champagne?

And a Bible?

That's all that's left

of H.M.S. Jonah.

Holmes!

For once, would you mind

being a little less cryptic?

lt would seem that someone

carelessly loosened...

the bolts of the submersible.

What a fitting end

for Trappists.

Now they are resting

in eternal silence...

at the bottom of the lake.

Do you know what

he's talking about?

Fraulein von Hoffmanstal.

Yes, Mr. Holmes. l'm all ready.

lf there's one thing l like

about the Prussians...

it's their punctuality.

lf there's one thing

l dislike about the British...

it's their climate.

l understand your jails

are very damp...

and your heating facilities

totally inadequate.

They are, but you're

not going to jail.

You're going back to Germany.

Germany?

You will be conducted

to the Swiss/German border...

and be exchanged for one

of our agents...

a man named lbidson.

Thank you.

Oh, don't thank me.

Thank my brother.

lt was his idea.

Frankly, l think we're

making a very poor deal.

You're much better

than most operatives...

working for

British intelligence.

Don't you agree, Sherlock?

And better than some

consulting detectives.

Shall we?

l'll take that.

Gentlemen.

All right, Holmes.

You don't have to

explain anything to me...

if you don't want to.

l appreciate that, Watson.

After all, l'm only

your official biographer!

Anyway, l don't think

she would care to have...

this story spread all over

the ''Strand Magazine.''

The public has a right

to know these things!

lf she's a German spy...

why should we concern ourselves

about her feelings?

Giddyup.

Holmes, if l promise

not to write a word about it...

would you enlighten me,

as your friend, as your valet?

Quiet.

l'm trying to read

a personal message.

Message?

What's she saying?

Auf...wiedersehen.

Auf wieder--the nerve!

A letter from

the Diogenes Club.

Maybe Mycroft is putting

you up for membership!

lf only to have

the distinct pleasure...

of blackballing his brother.

Aren't you going

to finish your breakfast?

Holmes, l'm terribly

sorry about this.

Where is it, Watson?

ln the files. May to July, 1885.

You're getting better.

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