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“Did he arrive at the office as usual the next morning?”

“Yes, he had an appointment in court. Again, I noticed that he was rather bleary-eyed. He conceded that he had been to see his brother and had perhaps had more to drink that was strictly wise.”

“Did you inform him that you had spoken to Hugh Abergavenny?”

“No. I should explain that Hugh said he felt that I was the one man left whose opinion John would respect. In view of their disagreement, he felt that he had little opportunity to exert any influence for the good, but he remained deeply troubled. He implored me not to disclose our conversation to John, but to keep a close eye on him, lest he might seek to do harm to himself.”

“And did you?”

“To the best of my ability, Mr Holmes. Despite all that has occurred, I do retain a warm regard for the young man and I am appalled by the prospect that he may do himself harm.”

Dowling closed his eyes for a few seconds before continuing. “The rest of that day passed without incident, but at the end of the next afternoon I had an even more perturbing visitation. One of the ushers from the Law Courts, a decent fellow by the name of Stewart, came to see me. He said that the previous evening he had been approaching Blackfriars Bridge when he saw a man with an unsteady gait trying to climb up on the parapet. As Stewart drew nearer, he recognized the figure as John Abergavenny. Alarmed, he called out John’s name and asked what he thought he was doing. John spun round, seemed to recognize Stewart and then uttered a series of foul blasphemies before clambering down from the bridge. He broke into a run and, although the erratic course he took suggested to Stewart that he was far from sober, he managed to make good his escape. It was at that point that I decided to consult you, Mr Holmes. This morning my first task was to confront John and put to him the report I had received from Stewart. He denied it hotly. Even if I was prepared to believe that Bevington might have mistaken someone else for John, I could not accept that Stewart had made the same error. I was shocked that John should lie to me. For the first time we quarrelled openly and voices were raised.”

Dowling paused and wiped a bead of perspiration from his forehead. It was clear that he was in a state of some distress. “It cannot go on like this, Mr Holmes. I see little alternative but to end our partnership. I cannot bear dishonesty and John has badly let me down. Yet if my act were to push him into carrying out his threat to commit suicide, I would find it hard indeed to live with myself. I welcome any guidance that you feel able to give.”

“The explanation for your partner’s conduct may be straight-forward. Drink can corrupt a man more quickly than any other vice.” Holmes glanced briefly at me as he spoke and I guessed that his own occasional lapses were passing through his mind. “Yet I fancy that the problem may be more complex than it appears at first blush.”

“Have you been able to form an opinion upon the basis of the information I have provided to you?”

Holmes shook his head. “With no disrespect to you, I sense that I have yet to be presented with a complete picture of events. I need to make further enquiries.”

“By all means, Mr Holmes, but where would you wish to start?”

“Perhaps by speaking to your man Bevington, as well as to John Abergavenny himself.”

Dowling flushed. “Certainly you may talk to my clerk. As for John, perhaps you would bear in mind the need to be circumspect. Although my intentions are entirely honourable, I would not wish him to think that I had recruited you to spy on him.”

“You need have no fear. I shall be discreet. If it is convenient, perhaps Dr Watson and I can accompany you back to your office in the hope of determining where the truth lies.”

A cab took us to Essex Street. Sombre skies contributed to the air of mourning which hung over London. Barely two weeks had passed since the death of the Queen and the sense of grief among her subjects was still as palpable as a dockland fog. Our journey passed almost wholly in silence. I