• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Because England is the centre of the rational world, and has always seemed to us to be more stable than many other countries, the Library is based in London. The present . . . discommodation . . . between our countries has, paradoxically, made things easier. The greater the perceived gap between the Library and the Church, the better.'

'Suppression of knowledge by the Church,' Holmes said bitterly. 'Why am I unsurprised?'

I cleared my throat. His Holiness looked up at me and smiled.

'I find myself confused,' I said. 'What sort of books are we talking about?'

'One of the three unexpurgated versions of the Malleus Maleficarum is in the Library' the Cardinal replied from the Supreme Pontiff's side, 'the other two being held in the Vatican Library. The only complete transcript of Galileo Galilei's trial resides there, along with shelves of books on the Chinese Si Fan society and its leader, Doctor Fu Manchu - a man whom we in the Vatican believe to be as huge a menace to civilization as you believe anarchism to be. Five lost plays by Aristophanes. The only known copy of the Basra Fragment of the lost Dictionary of the Khazars, along with the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. And,' he smiled, 'a copy of notes made by Doctor Watson and picturesquely entitled The Affair of the Politician, The Lighthouse and the Trained Cormorant, the publication of which was, I believe, suppressed at the highest levels.'

I took a step forward, ready to remonstrate with the Cardinal. Holmes raised a hand to stop me but His Holiness the Pope coughed, attracting my attention. The small man in the loose-fitting white robe who was believed by many to be God's mouthpiece on Earth looked full into my eyes for the first time, and I was so struck by the calm and wise intelligence that shone like a beacon in his gaze that I stood with my mouth hanging open until Holmes interjected, 'This is all very interesting, but I'm afraid we have a train to catch. Perhaps you could get to the point.'

'The Library was been robbed,' Ruffo-Scilla, said quietly. 'In the thousand years that the Library has existed, such a thing has never happened. Wars, fires, disasters . . . these things have been as the beating of a moth's wing to the Library. And yet now, after all those long years, books are missing.'

Cardinal Ruffo-Scilla seemed genuinely upset, although I could not see why. Admittedly, the theft of historical relics was unfortunate, but the Cardinal was making it seem like a world catastrophe. I had seen enough looting in Afghanistan and in India to show me that nothing lasts forever.

Holmes cut to the nub of the issue.

'Do you have any idea who the thief might be?' he said.

'None.'

'When was the theft discovered?'

''Two days ago, when a member of the Library asked to see one of the books.'

'The news came through rapidly.'

'We have our methods.'

'I shall have to visit the scene of the crime, of course, although the evidence will almost certainly have been cleaned away by now.'

The Cardinal smiled. 'Cleaners are not allowed in the Library,' he said.

'Some of the documents are so old that a careless touch would crumble them to dust.'

'The police have not been informed?'

His Holiness frowned. For the first time Cardinal Tosca spoke from the other side of the Papal Throne. His voice was sibilant, his accent pronounced.

'The authorities must not be made aware of the Library,' he hissed. 'The whole point about conspiracies is that they have been suppressed by those in power.'

Outside a train whistle hooted mournfully.

'I believe that is our train,' Holmes said. 'I shall take your case, but I will require the location of this mysterious Library, and a letter of introduction to its custodian.'

Ruffo-Scilla reached into his robes and pulled out a sheaf of documents, which he passed to Holmes.

'His Holiness would like to extend his gratitude,' the Cardinal said. Holmes, uncomfortable with the display of subservience but