Sherlock Holmes and the Chinese Junk Affair and Other Stories by Roy Templeman Page A

friend, Holmes.
    I was much relieved when she said he was ‘Now his usual self’ and continued, ‘But he must be very busy as he was hardly ever in his rooms except to return and sleep.’
    I asked her about what she meant by the expression ‘He was now his usual self’?
    ‘Well,’ she said, ‘After you went away for the first few days he appeared most unlike his usual self. He would return in the evening for his meal looking most depressed, in fact as though he had all the worries of the world upon his shoulders. Then one evening he returned and appeared more cheerful playing his favourite pieces on his violin.’ She smiled, ‘I was sure he was all right again.’
    I thanked her and, after dealing with my correspondence which had accumulated in my absence, I settled down to await the return of Holmes, hopefully in time for our evening meal together.
    He arrived early and I was pleased to see the account of his health and well-being given by Mrs Hudson was correct. He appeared full of vim and vigour and I was touched by his obvious and genuine pleasure at my return.
    When I considered the time was appropriate, I approached him about the current case of Rodger Hardy.
    He rested his chin on his hand as he was wont to do, choosing his words, I thought, carefully, and replied:
    ‘It is going very well, Watson. I must admit to you, at one time I felt I was up against a brick wall, a scientific brick wall. If I could have travelled to China and have spoken the tongue, moved about and investigated, then things might have been easier, much, much easier. But that was impossible.
    ‘However, I hope shortly to be able to give a definite answer to Lord Bellinger. You know, it was my dread that I would have to face him with an indecisive answer. I would have failed him, myself and the country. The only real advantage I had in the case was the time element. Rodger Hardy had not pressed for an early decision, and had decided to visit America in the meantime. He is due back shortly.
    ‘Rodger Hardy had realised the matter would have to be discussed eventually by the full Cabinet, and perhaps committees appointed, all of course sworn to secrecy, to discuss it before any decision was reached. Even with the full authority of the Prime Minister, it would all take time. Rodger Hardy had, however, put a deadline on the time; that time is almost up.’
    He smiled at me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
    ‘Now, Watson, my old friend. Enough of the Rodger Hardy case, let me hear all the news you must have; about your patient, who I assume is now on his way to a full recovery, and of Brighton and its society, but most of all about yourself.’
    I knew that he would reveal nothing more about the case and so we passed the evening in a relaxing way, after I had first brought him up to date about the health of my patient and the social events and news of Brighton.
    I read the back issues of the London papers and caught up with the latest events, gossip and society functions, whilst Holmes tinkered with his test tubes and chemicals.
    And so we settled back into our normal way of life at Baker Street, the excellent Mrs Hudson looking after us both in a way which bordered on that of a mother and an indulgent aunt.
    It was two weeks after I had returned to Baker Street when Holmes, who had spent most of those two weeks out and about, obviously working on the Rodger Hardy case, asked if I was doing anything in particular the following afternoon. I replied that I was not. Holmes then surprised me by saying, ‘We must look smart tomorrow, Watson. We will be meeting the Prime Minister and some of his Cabinet.’
    I was surprised, but no further explanation was forthcoming, and so two o’clock the following afternoon found Holmes and me waiting outside a rather shabby building, a disused workshop in fact, in one of London’s less salubrious streets, for the appearance of the Prime Minister and some members of his Cabinet.
    Three four-wheelers