The Adventure of the Pharaoh's Curse (The Assassination of Sherlock Holmes Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

admittedly few in number and of little value. But the odd part was that on the ledger, he noted his previous address as being a place on Rotherhithe Street. But when Patterson’s man called there, they had no recollection of him.”
    “So it was a fake address?” I asked.
    Lestrade shook his head. “Not exactly, Doctor. His name was in their book as well, but even though it has been a span of only two months, no one could recall the man. It is as if he had slipped entirely from their memory.”
    “A handy trick, that, if you are up to no good,” observed Holmes.
    “The landlady at Godalming Road noted that Morrison’s identity papers said that he had been born in Richmond. So Patterson sent a man round there too.”
    Holmes nodded approvingly. “I must say that Patterson’s methods are to be commended. He was most thorough in this case.”
    “Ah, I see it now,” I exclaimed. “Let me guess, Inspector. He found that Morrison had never been born in Richmond?”
    “On the contrary, Doctor,” Lestrade replied. “The records were quite clear. Morrison had been born on 18 December 1854. He also died there on 6 January 1905.”
    Holmes chuckled dryly. “So, your Mr. Morrison assumed the identity of a dead man. Very clever, indeed. While it is possible that this was done for some benign reason, I think we must accept the strong likelihood that this was done explicitly for the purpose of infiltrating the Museum.”
    “But Mr. Holmes,” Lestrade protested. “Morrison vanished six days before the murder of Inspector Patterson, and the thefts have continued up through last night.”
    “Yes, that does present a difficulty. As of now, I am not yet in possession of all of the facts with which to further an explanation of Mr. Morrison’s precise role. However, there is another question that we must ask ourselves. Surely the British Museum has gold from Greece, Persia, and many other distant lands. Why are only the treasures of Ancient Britain vanishing? It would be impossible to sell such unique objects on the open market, and no fence wants stuff of the sort that you can neither melt nor sell. The gold objects are one thing, but the Lewis Chessman? Worthless! Except perhaps to a few exceptionally rich collectors of limited scruples.”
    “Well, the rumors going round the Museum is that it is revenge,” said Lestrade cautiously.
    “Revenge upon whom?”
    “Revenge upon the nation of Britain.”
    “For what action?”
    “For committing the ransacking of the Pharaoh’s tomb.”
    Holmes laughed heartily. “Let them believe that, Lestrade. But it does raise another interesting question. There is no earthly reason why those scarabs were substituted for the treasures. You said that they were plaster, did you not?”
    “Yes, what of it?”
    “Not stone or faience?”
    “No, I don’t believe so.”
    “So why does the ghost of a four thousand year old mummy need to leave behind a modern copy?”
    With that cryptic pronouncement, Holmes refused to say another word about the matter until he was on the scene of the action. He briefly glanced at the list of missing objects and then buried himself in a selection of the evening papers. Lestrade and I were left hoping that the gleam in Holmes’ eyes suggested that his hand was already upon some clue.
    §
    We arrived at Victoria Station just as it was the light was fading to dusk. A thick fog had descended and caused the lines of London’s dark, shapeless buildings to take on a dull neutral tint. On the streets the men were out in force with their long poles lighting the lamps, which gave off their soft, parchment-colored light. At the curb, Lestrade hailed a hansom cab and ordered the driver to take us to the Museum.
    “Belay that, my good man,” countermanded Holmes. “The Alpha Inn.”
    As the cab set off for this destination, Lestrade’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Do you fancy a pint, Mr. Holmes?”
    “I fancy a word with Mr. Dominic Bedford.”
    “And you