Inoue furrowed his brow. “Smashing?” he said. “The only thing that’s been smashed are our plans to use the rickshaw drivers to contact the Russians. All because Shunsuke… Excuse me, because Chairman Ito lost his temper.”
Ito’s expression grew a shade darker. “We would have never gotten any information from those two. Their ears have been stuffed with money.”
Sherlock nodded. “Ito is right. I am more interested in the unusually lavish reception the rickshaw drivers seem to have received. As I understand, it was largely circumstance that allowed them to set on Sanzo Tsuda when they did; Prince George was the one who created the opening, moments earlier.”
“That’s right,” Ito agreed. “The only reason the onlookers from the road didn’t come to Nicholas’ aid was that their heads were bowed. They could hardly notice the disturbance at first—they hadn’t even seen it.”
“Nicholas likely bestowed the drivers with medals because of how it would look internationally,” Inoue conjectured. “Particularly to British eyes. He wanted to avert suspicion from his secret plans to take a hard stance on Japan.”
“That may be so, but still, their reward remains far too large,” Sherlock disagreed. “Besides, a lifelong pension is usually beyond the discretion of a crown prince. Not to mention the Russian court allowed Nicholas’ diary to be published as is, even though it credits Prince George far more than it does the two drivers. This is very strange, indeed.”
Inoue glared at Ito. “Perhaps if we had questioned the drivers more carefully, rather than tossing them around the room, we might have learned something. You let your temper get the better of you.”
“You’re the one who drew a sword.”
“I was protecting you! I didn’t want the other one to try anything.”
“You’re speaking as though our time was wasted. Mr. Holmes just said we made a smashing showing!”
Sherlock smiled. “You may not have achieved our original objective, but you did come away with something. A commendable effort. We now have testimony that they saw Mt. Fuji that day.”
Ito glanced at him. “It’s true that Mt. Fuji was more distinct than usual that evening. That was what prompted Major General Kawakami to make the suggestion for the better view.”
“If Mt. Fuji was not visible from the ship deck, we must conclude they left the ship at some point. They must have gone to a location offering a better view of Mt. Fuji, whether at sea or on land.”
“During the medal ceremony?”
“From what you described, it sounds as if the rickshaw drivers became quite distressed when you attempted to question them about Mt. Fuji. Why else would they have reacted like that?”
“The Pamiat Azova is a large vessel,” Inoue observed. “And Major General Kawakami was on shore. So if a smaller boat had been let down the ship’s starboard side, he would not have noticed. And if the boat first headed offshore before turning back, there would be no way to know who had launched it.”
Sherlock agreed with this apt assessment. “No one but the Russians were aboard the ship. It would have been a simple matter to abscond with the drivers.”
The door to the room slid open. Umeko bowed once, sitting in seiza in the hallway, and then stood and entered the room with a tray. “Would anyone care for some tea?”
Inoue rose and approached the low table, and sat down again. “Thank you. I will take some.”
Umeko laid the table with ashtrays and Japanese teacups. Sherlock took up his pipe and went over as well. Asako and Ikuko entered the room. Ikuko struck a match and Sherlock bent the pipe in his mouth toward the flame. A graceful smile lit up Ikuko’s face when he said thank you.
Asako held out an English newspaper. “Would you like the paper?”
Sherlock gave a gentle nod and took the newspaper from her. Articles from England arrived in Japan via wire with only three days’ delay. Compared to how long he’d spent at sea, the speed at which information travelled was astounding.
“It’s unacceptable that these two drivers are receiving their pension directly from Russia,” Ito muttered, holding his cup in one hand. “The Japanese government ought to step in.”
“True.” Inoue took a sip of tea. “If our relationship with Russia sours any further, it is important the government be able to cut those pensions off.”
“The way they conduct themselves, we should even consider revoking their Orders of Merit.”
Sherlock puffed at his pipe. “Now that the rickshaw drivers are no longer a viable option, we will need to make contact with the Russians some other way.”
Ito acquiesced meekly. “I will try Chekhov first; he seems amenable. I expect little will come of it, though.”
“Yes. He was attached to the younger brother after all, Grand Duke George—not to the Tsarevich. He says he accompanied the Grand Duke on official duties, as well. Though I would like to know what those duties were.”
Inoue glanced at the detective. “His activities are quite well known in financial circles. For the past several years he has involved himself in labor disputes at the coal mines, lending an ear to the concerns of the peasants.”
“The concerns of the peasants, you say?”
“After the Emancipation Reform 30 years ago, Russian peasants began to work in factories and mines. But the woeful mining conditions have proved contentious—and of course, Russia is an absolute monarchy. For the peasants, no amount of hard work can improve their circumstances. Who would apply themselves to such grueling and dangerous work, if there were no prospect of recognition or advancement?”
“If Grand Duke George is involving himself in labor disputes, does that mean he foresees the introduction of capitalism to Russia?”
“Many businessmen in Japan thought it might, and were looking forward to new investment opportunities. However, it seems Grand Duke George is genuinely interested in the plight of the peasants, and has been petitioning his father, the Emperor, to improve their working conditions. The financial world lost interest when it learned there was no actual talk of privatizing the coal mines.”
“And you have heard nothing since?”
Ito snorted. “Inoue is uninterested unless profit is involved.”
“Did I not risk my life with you today for the sake of our country?!”
“You enjoyed yourself.”
“Yes…” Inoue admitted. “But so did you!”
The two had to grin at each other. Umeko and the two girls smiled discreetly.
If Ito refrained from his dalliances in the future and returned home like this more frequently, Sherlock thought, he might look forward to such domestic happiness more often. And Ito, for his own part, seemed to have rediscovered the joys of family.
And Sherlock had begun to feel the promise he and Ito had made last night was for his own benefit as well. Internally, he had resolved to never try cocaine again. Though he did feel a little restless from time to time, he was already beginning to regain a sense of composure he didn’t know he had lost.
He glanced absently through the English newspaper. Then one of the articles had caught his eye. As he read, Sherlock swallowed, hard.
“Is something wrong?” Asako noticed.
“No…” Sherlock said, but his dazed voice belied him. “I happened to spot my name in one of the articles, that is all.”
“In an article?” Asako leaned forward. “What is it about?”
Umeko frowned. “Asako!”
Ito put on his reading glasses and extended his hand. “Let me see.”
Sherlock handed him the paper with a morose face.
Ito took the paper and perused the front page, muttering as he read aloud. “The greatest point of contention in the civil suit into the cause of death of James Moriarty, who is believed to have fallen to his death from the Reichenbach Falls, Switzerland, in May, is the relationship between Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes, Esq. Mr. Holmes is believed to have fallen to his death together with Mr. Moriarty. The suit was brought forward by James the Younger, Moriarty’s brother. Unconvinced by Scotland Yard’s conclusion that the two men argued verbally and had tussled before falling together, Mr. Moriarty has argued before the criminal jury that Mr. Holmes murdered his brother. Opinion is also divided over whether Moriarty or Holmes initially invited the other to the scene of the incident. In related court matters, the younger James Moriarty has begun additional defamation proceedings, arguing that allegations of his brother’s involvement in a myriad of crimes before his death are unfounded…”