The Collected Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Japan by Ben Stevens Read Free Book Online

Japanese daimyo , samurai , traders, money-lenders and the like deigned to stick them around their residences as mere attractive decorations.’
    ‘Yes,’ nodded Katamari. He spoke slowly, in stark contrast to Holmes’s rapid flow of words. ‘You have reminded me. Of course… The roots of the bonsai , gripping the rocks in the tray, represent our attachment to Buddha. How by praying to him daily, and frequently invoking his name, we may obtain our salvation.
    ‘But this last part – I am aware bonsai may be several hundred years old, but ‘sometimes fuel for the fire’…?’
    Holmes gave a short laugh.
    ‘I am beginning to suspect that Gyoja- sama ’ (as always when he was in the presence of anyone from the temple, Holmes used the honorific) ‘had something of a puckish sense of humor. There is no real meaning here.
    ‘But the ‘fuel for the fire’ refers to some ancient Chinese plays, where people fall from fortune into poverty, and so are obliged to burn their precious indicators of previous wealth and power, if they are to try and remain warm. A simple play upon the fickleness of fortune, and how all of us, no matter how great or low our status in society may be, must one day sicken and die…’
    ‘And its meaning… now?’ said the senior monk quietly, his eyes fixed upon the foreigner.
    ‘You have the key?’ asked Holmes.
    ‘No, not on me,’ returned Katamari, looking surprised. ‘In any case, where exactly is the keyhole?’
    ‘You have some sort of sharp-bladed implement, perhaps?’ Holmes said simply.
    Katamari’s surprised expression only increased; but then he disappeared, quickly returning with a small knife.
    ‘I found this, Holmes- san , in the kitchen,’ he said.  
    ‘Perfect. Now to answer your question, Katamari-san – the keyhole is behind this area of the painting, which, if you will look closely, has a picture of a bonsai. ’
    Both Katamari and I inclined our heads to look closely at the area of the picture Holmes indicated. That is, the area at which he’d looked closely before, where various plants and bushes were depicted – a little to one side of the central scene.
    And there it was: a bonsai , well-disguised among all the other vegetation. You would never have noticed it, perhaps, had you not been specifically looking for such a thing…
    ‘The keyhole is…’ began Katamari.
    ‘Behind this painted image of a bonsai ,’ declared Holmes. ‘This whole canvas is stretched upon a wooden frame placed on the wall behind – a wall which also has a door set in it. We must first expose the keyhole, and then discover the exact size of this door.’
    ‘But that will mean cutting into the picture,’ queried Katamari.
    ‘I’m afraid so. Should we wait until the Jushoku is recovered – to seek his advice and decision concerning what is best to do…?’
    ‘No,’ said Katamari, and there was no disguising the excitement in his eyes. ‘No – I will make the decision. Take this knife, and let us see this keyhole!’
    Holmes carefully cut a square shape around the image of the bonsai . A small gap appeared behind the stretched canvas and there was the keyhole, placed in what appeared to be a door of stone.
    ‘Well, Katamari- san – would you be prepared to get the key?’
    For a moment the senior monk appeared to think; and like a shadow an expression I didn’t care for in the slightest flitted across his face. It was hard to define, exactly; but it was sly and cunning, and then something else entirely…
    And then it was gone.
    ‘Yes,’ said Katamari, obviously making an effort at keeping his voice steady. ‘If you remain here, I will go and get the key.’
    ‘We will wait,’ returned Holmes. He waited until almost a minute after Katamari had left; then he said to me –
    ‘The danger is most acute now, my dear Yoshida- sensei . It is imperative you do exactly as I say, or direct, very shortly.’
    I knew when not to ask any questions, or query what was being