The Falling Curtain (The Assassination of Sherlock Holmes Book 3) by Craig Janacek Read Free Book Online Page A

particularly attracted to that painting?”
    “How did you know that?”
    “I saw you pass straight through the prior gallery. One can be forgiven perhaps for skipping the Kneller or the Reynolds, but it is a rare individual who can walk through past Turner’s Temeraire or Odysseus without pausing.”
    “You are, in fact, correct. This painting interests me greatly. You are most observant, Mr. Goldfield.”
    “Yes, well, it comes from years of studying the minutiae of my paintings,” he shrugged modestly. “A connoisseur must train himself to patiently observe the entire work in order to determine precisely what secret meaning the artist had intended for us to comprehend.”
    I smiled wanly. “You sound much like a certain friend of mine. Do all works of art contain hidden meanings?”
    “No, of course not. But the works of the great masters? Definitely. They all, even the simplest portrait or still-life, tell some story that may not be apparent to the untrained eye. Take this painting for example. Most visitors simply glance at it briefly, see a pleasant depiction of a young girl, and move on to the next work. It is one of the great disadvantages to having such a rich collection – people feel they have to see everything, and in consequence they observe nothing. In this case, Monsieur Greuze is contrasting the vitality of childhood with the stormy gale that is developing behind her. It is a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of youth, soon to be embroiled in the tempests of adulthood.”
    “That is most interesting, Mr. Goldfield. But I thought that perhaps you meant that your eye for detail was to be used to search out possible counterfeits?”
    “Of course, Dr. Watson, that is a secondary object of any scrutiny. The smallest brush-stroke out of place, or a crack in the varnish where none should be, can serve to indicate that a painting is a fake. Of course, that is rarely an issue here at the Gallery. The provenances of our various works are impeccable, and our security is exceptional.”
    “And this painting here, are you aware of its provenance?”
    “Of course, Doctor. It was purchased during an auction at Sotheby’s. It had previously been owned by a man whose estate was confiscated, as everything had been purchased with money obtained illegally. I think you know of whom I speak, since it was Mr. Holmes who brought about the end of his empire of crime. I wonder if it is on Mr. Holmes’ behalf that you have come, Doctor? I hope this is a sign that he is recovering from his wounds?”
    “I am afraid that I cannot comment on Mr. Holmes’ ongoing investigations.”
    The man nodded. “Of course, I completely understand. But was there some particular purpose to your visit? Some way that I may be of assistance?”
    What was my motive for this visit? It had been a mere hunch that led my steps to Trafalgar Square. A desire to seek out some connection to the one man who seemed capable of coordinating such a series of brilliant thefts and attacks, even if he had in truth passed beyond the veil. And then a thought occurred to me. “Yes, now that you mention it, Mr. Goldfield, there is one thing you could do. The Gallery inspected this painting to certify its authenticity before it was purchased, did it not?”
    “Certainly.”
    “I was wondering if you have had any reason to re-inspect the painting since then?”
    He shook his head. “None.”
    “And is there a procedure by which the paintings are routinely examined, to ensure that no substitution has been made?”
    The curator laughed softly. “First of all, Doctor, as I mentioned before, our security has detected no breaches, so it would be impossible for such an exchange to occur. Secondly, look about you,” he waved his hand around the crowded gallery. “We have thousands and thousands of paintings in our collections. There are far too many to routinely inspect.”
    “But there is a method to do so in case of concern?”
    Mr. Goldfield shrugged. “Of