He fell silent for a minute and then went on, ‘Watson, if you were only to see the hatred with which he looked at Maxim Vasilyevitch Kliukin when the latter entered accompanied by members of the investigation department. I am sure that glance bodes ill and he will try to be avenged.’
‘Undoubtedly,’ I agreed.
‘Which is why we cannot let him out of our sight for a single moment.’
‘You are suggesting—?’
‘We have to take our places at our observation point without delay.’
‘I’m ready,’ I said.
‘In that case, let’s change.’ With these words, Holmes opened his suitcase, took out two well-worn suits and handed one to me saying, ‘The wigs and make-up are in the travelling bag.’
Within a few minutes not even our closest acquaintances would have recognized us. Wearing untidy black wigs and in well-worn clothes, we looked like a couple of roughnecks. The difficulty was to get out of the hotel without attracting the suspicions of the staff. This was not easy. We looked far from presentable, and the presence of a couple of such ill-dressed men wouldn’t pass unnoticed at the Moscow Grand.
But Holmes rose to the occasion. Included in his wardrobe were a couple of perfectly respectable overcoats and two English felt hats. Once we put them on, we looked fairly respectable. We hid a couple of fairly filthy peaked caps in our pockets and left our hotel room. But even so, we attracted the suspicions of the senior porter. ‘Where are you coming from?’ he accosted us roughly.
‘Number forty-three,’ said Holmes quickly. ‘From that British subject, Holmes.’
Such an answer, so boldly pronounced, evidently satisfied the man. He probably knew Holmes’s true profession and, deciding we were working for him in some capacity, let us pass.
In a quiet alleyway we changed our hats, substituting them for our torn caps and rubbed a little dirt into our coats. And now we could go to the tavern which was our observation post. At about five in the afternoon we were in place.
IX
Sitting by the window, we fixed our gaze on the window of the bookstore opposite. Gavriushka appeared at the window several times and looked as if he was anxious about something. We drank tea for the sake of appearance, while carrying on a desultory conversation.
Seven o’clock. No sooner had the hand of my watch reached seven than the tavern door opened and Fomka came in. He looked gloomy and sullen. He ordered tea and took a seat with his back to us in the most distant corner.
A few minutes later, we saw Gavriushka and two employees leave the shop and begin to lock up. This done, he cast a suspicious look round, said something to the other two, and made his way quickly into the tavern. He saw Fomka in his corner at once and went straight to him. Then, having made sure they were not under observation, he bent towards Fomka, whispered something in his ear and, quickly leaving the tavern, was lost outside amidst the crowd.
Fomka waited a few minutes, settled his bill and also left. We followed him at once.
At the Strastniy Monastery, Fomka jumped aboard a tram car going to the Ustinsk Bridge. We hailed a cab and instructed him to follow. At Yauza, Fomka jumped off and went into one of the cheap taverns along the banks of this smelly little river.
‘We’d better wait for him here,’ said Holmes. ‘Our appearance is bound to raise his suspicion.’
In the meantime, darkness was falling and we had to get nearer the tavern not to lose sight of Fomka when he emerged. Nine struck from a clock tower. A little while later and Gavriushka’s familiar figure appeared outside the entrance of the tavern. He looked round carefully, went in and a minute later emerged, accompanied by Fomka.
They turned right along the river bank. Luckily for us, there was no street lighting here, so we moved silently after them. Several hundred steps on, we found ourselves in a silent, deserted locality. The figures of Gavriushka and Fomka were now hardly discernable in front of us. They finally stopped and began to descend quietly down to the river.
‘Crawl!’ Holmes whispered.
We stretched out on the ground and, like snakes, followed for some twenty-five paces. The darkness helped us.
Gavriushka was talking to Fomka about something or other, but all we could hear were snatches of what he was saying: ‘Tomorrow … the damned fellow won’t get away … get nearer … Peterhof … you’ll counterfeit Yefimoff’s….’ From time to time he snarled in fury. He raved.
Fomka’s replies, delivered in a cold tone of voice, were short and sharp. ‘So, tomorrow at the Peterhof at three,’ we heard.
Then they dropped their voices again and we only heard the end of their conversation. ‘Everyone scattered … well, that’s to the good … let them look for witnesses if they can.’
There was more whispering about something and then they climbed up to the river bank again.
X
‘And so, my dear Watson, till tomorrow. At three in the afternoon we will most probably see something interesting at the Peterhof restaurant.’
Our adversaries had vanished and we followed them no further. Returning back to town, we made our way directly to Kliukin.
‘You’ve probably come with something new,’ he greeted us.
‘I don’t wish to anticipate events,’ answered Holmes with a smile, ‘and only came to ask you about one or two things.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘Tomorrow you will very likely receive, in one form or another, something connected with the Peterhof restaurant. Regardless of whoever speaks or writes to you about it, please be on your guard and do nothing and go nowhere without letting me know beforehand.’
‘Is that all?’ Kliukin asked with a smile.
‘So far, yes. Regarding Gavriushka and Semionoff, I suggest that you immediately give instructions that any goods dispatched by them to any destination will be intercepted along the way.’
‘I’ve already done that,’ answered Kliukin.
‘That’s excellent! It will only confirm the evidence against them, not that it is likely any more evidence will be necessary after tomorrow.’
We chatted for a while, bade him goodbye and returned to our hotel. The senior porter, having already seen us in our get-up, let us through.
Back in our hotel room, Homes changed into decent-looking clothes and suggested I do the same. Puzzled, I did as I was told and we were soon ready.
Again we emerged from our hotel, called a cab and Holmes instructed him to take us to the Peterhof restaurant.
It was already after midnight and the place was full. We just about managed to get a table. We ordered a light supper, but I could see from the look in Holmes’s eyes that he wasn’t interested in it. Other things were on his mind.
Half an hour later and I detected Gavriushka flash by through the door leading to the private rooms. Holmes immediately went in pursuit, but was back a minute later, sat down calmly and said quietly, ‘Now they won’t get away.’
The restaurant was preparing to close down and, nothing having happened, we went out with the other diners. Gavriushka and Fomka emerged with us. We saw them hail a cab and go off quickly.
Holmes went back, rang the restaurant bell and whispered something to the porter who opened the door and admitted us. Holmes put a ten-rouble note in the porter’s hand and we followed him along the corridor into one of the private rooms. Holmes switched on the electric light and began to examine the floor and walls. This took him half an hour. He proceeded to thank the porter, took me by the arm and we returned home where we fell fast asleep.