“Yes it does.”
Sherlock was delighted. “I knew it! In the original there is a diagram of a butterfly, and I noticed a certain word appeared several times in the text next to the diagram. It is pronounced babachika, I believe, or perhaps baboochika? When I turned to the same section in the Japanese version I discovered a character that appeared with that same frequency. The study of language is fascinating. It makes excellent practice for code breaking.”
“If you find Russian so captivating,” Ito said, half exasperated, “I suppose you know the meaning of Vladivostok?”
“Certainly! It means ‘Ruler of the East.’”
“Indeed it does. Russia is desperate for a warm water port. Vladivostok is their gateway to the Far East. It is also a base from which to attack Japan.” Ito spoke openly. “Russia is acting far too timidly. I do not like it.”
Sherlock turned his eyes back to the Japanese text before him. “Japan was unaware that the brothers had switched places. Do you expect that Russia would have attacked as soon as Grand Duke George was put on the warship? I imagine that was exactly the scenario the Emperor of Japan wished to avoid, when he visited the Russians to apologize in person. Would it have been more in keeping with Russia’s character had they absconded with the Emperor while he was aboard the Pamiat Azova, as you and your fellows feared?”
“The Russian Emperor’s own son lies in a coma. Tell me, why does he not take action against Japan? He must be a man of considerable fortitude if he is not troubled by this. Of the two, I believe I find Tsarevich Nicholas’ reaction more understandable than his father’s.”
“You are tilting at shadows,” Sherlock said easily. “Might makes right. If Russia had wanted to, they could have brushed the incident with the brothers entirely under the rug by attacking Japan. You were once a Choshu man. You should understand that.”
Ito sulked. “But what do you think? I wish to hear your opinion.”
Sherlock lifted his head and stared out at the garden. “The older brother’s reaction does seem reasonable. I believe that such familial affection is expected between brothers.”
He sounded slightly bitter. Likely he was thinking of his relationship with his own brother, once again. “Are you unhappy you came to Japan?” Ito wanted to know. “Do you still blame Mycroft for choosing your destination?”
“In hindsight I have come to appreciate the kindness of the Japanese people. I find it doubtful, however, that my brother had operated with the same foreknowledge.”
“I have no brothers, older or younger, so I am afraid I do not understand you. The members of my clan were like brothers to me, though. We get along so well that we fight, as the expression in Japanese goes.”
“Nicholas and George seem to be truly close. I must confess that I am envious.”
Ito felt it would be good to change the subject. “So what about parents? I am more concerned with the Emperor’s thinking than Nicholas’. Tell me of your parents, Mr. Holmes. Are they doing well?”
Sherlock was silent. His expression was complicated, even fraught.
“I’m sorry, that was a thoughtless question,” Ito backpedaled.
“For all intents and purposes, my brother is the only family I have,” Sherlock murmured. “Perhaps that is the difference between myself and the Romanovs. It must be parents who prevent brothers from falling out.”
“Likely so. If it was only the two of you then it is only natural that you would occasionally fight. It is easier to argue when you are close enough to forgive.”
Sherlock did not seem to find any consolation in that thought. “You must find it congenial to be an only child.” His expression grew cold.
The man is as perverse on certain subjects as ever, thought Ito. This attitude was typical for him. In this regard he hadn’t changed since he’d been a child of ten. “Mr. Holmes. Where do you suppose Olgert Bercerosky is hiding? I am worried he may cause us further problems. Tsarevich Nicholas is still within Japanese waters, after all.”
Sherlock’s jaw suddenly set. His eyes grew sharp, like a leopard drawing closer to prey.
“Mr. Holmes, what is it?”
Sherlock held up his index finger. “Chairman Ito,” he said. “There is someone I would like you to introduce me to tomorrow.”
“Whomever it is, I shall make the arrangements. If it is His Grace himself, I shall approach the Ministry of the Imperial Household.”
“I doubt it shall require so much effort on your part,” Sherlock said, lacing his fingers into a steeple. “You may even be able to summon him here. But not until tomorrow. I need some time to think.”
31
In the end, the person Sherlock wanted to see was the last person whom Ito would have expected. The meeting was simple enough to set up, of course, but Ito could see no reason why Sherlock would wish an audience with this person in the first place.
Ito made the arrangements first thing the next morning, and they were on their way to the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce by noon. The last time they had stepped foot inside this hall, it had been teeming with 100 translators, frantically working to translate the Complete Work. Now, not a single desk remained.
Minister Mutsu and Project Director Kubo awaited them in the cavernous empty hall, as had been scheduled. Apparently, it was Kubo, rather than Mutsu, that Sherlock wanted to talk to.
“Are you familiar with rice blight?” Sherlock asked without preamble, as soon as they had exchanged hellos.
“Pardon?” asked Kubo, in English. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“Please answer my question,” Sherlock demanded.
“Yes. I mean, I am aware of it…”
“Naturally you would be, as you work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.” He inspected Kubo closely. “Are you also aware of the word for rice blight in Russian?”
“In Russian?” The other man appeared even more confused than before. “I’m afraid I couldn’t say…”
“Could you look it up now?”
“I could try looking it up in a dictionary, I suppose. I oversaw the translation of The Complete Work on Russian Natural Sciences, but I do not speak Russian myself.”
“I see. Let me ask you then, what do you know of the effects of a change in the salt density of the tides?”
“In the ocean? Shall I check with one of the specialists?”
“I wish to hear what you know. Let us try another question. Pressure patterns in the vicinity of the North Pole have been changing recently. As a result, winds have been blowing from the North Pole toward the Atlantic Ocean, causing a flow of sea ice. This has decreased the amount of ice in the Arctic Ocean, leading to water shortages in the North American permafrost due to a combination of melting soil and low rainfall.”
“Oh?” Kubo’s face was dubious. “I have little interest in the Americas, I’m afraid.”
“Indeed,” Sherlock muttered. “You work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce yet are unaware of such a thing.”
Mutsu furrowed his brow. “Mr. Holmes, Mr. Kubo is exemplary in his post. He is not a scientist and cannot be expected to supply such specialized information without notice. The same is true for myself, and I am the minister of the department.”
“And yet Mr. Kubo was entrusted with a very important job, was he not? To oversee the full translation of The Complete Work on Russian Natural Sciences.”
“It is completely to be expected that he would not know the answer to every question that you ask.”