Mr. Savage, sir,
I didn't know, sir.
Sir, I didn't know.
It's all right, Benson,
last minute decision.
Oh, there you are.
Adelaide, good morning.
Where has Victor gone?
Victor?
Victor.
Please don't pretend you are ignorant of where he is.
Am I my cousin's keeper?
I shall be obliged
that you would tell me where he has gone.
I know what he's gone to do.
Where has he gone?
You have the advantage of me, my dear.
I was expecting to walk over
to home farm with him this morning.
Have you no pity for us?
You encouraged him into this nightmarish life.
I pity for you
at Somerleigh House
with your lovely children,
the love you have for each other.
Where has he gone?
I can see I am unwelcome,
some unwitting fault I fear.
I shall return to town
and leave you in peace.
Oh, Mrs. Hudson.
Oh, Dr. Watson.
We have been missing you.
Oh yeah, only another 10 days.
Yes.
Morning, Holmes.
Don't ask me to comment on your new tie.
Quite heartless, Holmes.
That woman is undoubtedly coming here.
She's been staring up at this window
for the past three minutes.
Oh, I do wish she'd make up her mind.
I could ask Mrs. Hudson to bring up an extra cup.
Handsome, isn't she?
Who?
It must be something of importance
to make her hesitate so long,
A client?
Alright, Polly?
There's a good girl.
Mr. Savage, John Gedgrave.
Where the devil have you been?
Two pounds, Mr. Savage, in advance
and three for the establishment,
five in total.
Hope it's worth it.
Oh, anonymous was the word you used.
Where we're going is as anonymous
as you'll ever find.
Every compartment
has a curtain even.
No one will see you,
oh good Lord,
you're not taking these with you, are you?
No?
Oh, no, no, no, no.
May as well tear them up
and drop them in the Thames.
Forty pounds,
I'll give you a receipt.
Holmes!
(Knock on door)
That will be our fair visitor.
Please, do sit down.
This receipt Gedgrave.
What about it?
What are you playing at?
You signed it Carter.
You don't expect me to use my real name
doing this sort of work, do you?
Carter's my real name.
I could have signed anything
but I entrusted you with my real name, Mr. Savage.
Please don't complain.
I need your help.
I am...
Anything you say here will of course
be treated in the strictest confidence.
We have kept the secrets of kings, madam.
I...
My husband...
My husband is a financier.
You have heard of the Oxford and Lombard Bank?
Yes.
The chief shareholders are the Conyers?
My husband's family on his mother's side.
He is one of the directors.
The job is well within his powers, only...
Victor has found the work increasingly irksome.
He entertains an ambition, you see,
which none of his family would begin to understand.
What is that?
He wishes to be a poet.
He's come to believe
that opium heightens his powers,
intensifies the evidence of his senses.
This may be so temporarily,
but as I'm sure you know
the effect only survives
the first few times the drug is taken.
That is so, is it not?
Oh, yes, indeed.
Addiction quickly follows,
very often for life.
The infernal substance
soon offers the addict nothing
except relief from the terrible effects
of its absence.
I believe Victor stands on the threshold of addiction.
He left a note for me this morning
which suggests he knows what danger he's in.
You are going?
Well clearly Dr. Watson is the person
to consult for the matter.
No, Mr. Holmes, no,
there is much more to it then that.
There is Mr. Culverton Smith.
Culverton Smith?
Victor's cousin.
He's a malign influence.
I am sure he's driven Victor to this
and I am certain he's done it for his own ends.
Holmes?
The cab's on the corner.
I do hope this is not a wild goose chase.
How can it be?
Well,
I think you've had your head
turned by a pretty woman, thank you.
Oh yes, what about Culverton Smith?
I looked him up.
Culverton Smith did some important medical work
while he was in the east.
He pushed back the boundaries of science.
However, he was obliged to publish his findings
at his own expense.
Why?
He's an amateur
and the professionals are jealous.
Well I can see why he interests you.
Ah, your mystery guests.
Who are they?
I couldn't let Colonel Carnac
be the only celebrity.
I don't want him at our table
because he's a celebrity, my darling.
It's just that he's horribly rich,
or rather his wife is,
and they bank with the Oxford and Lombard.
Personally I can't think of anything worse
then hunting stories all through dinner.
Nor I.
So I've persuaded a
rather more interesting hunter to join us.
Who is it?
Don't tease, Addy.
Sherlock Holmes.
I say, that is something of a coup,
well done.
Oh look, Culverton Smith's here too.
I'm so glad you felt able to invite him again,
Addy darling.
Look at him.
Anyone would think Somerleigh was his.
I do dislike it.
Mr. Sherlock Holmes?
Yes.
Culverton Smith.
Dear Adelaide promised me a surprise guest.
I feared it might be somebody
who was famous for being famous.
Someone of your distinction
I had not expected at all.
Nor I one of yours.
Mine?
I make no claims to distinction, Mr. Holmes.
You are too modest.
Your account of the pathology
of the Sumatra and River Fever
is a masterpiece.
Thank you,
thank you.
For a lure to work, of course,
you have to make the animal believe it's safe.
Now that's all very well.
The animals involved, however,
have a highly developed sense of danger.
I'm sure Mr. Holmes must have that sense,
do you Mr. Holmes?
Yes, I see it.
Yes, you mean that the detective
could be said to move
in a world of predators and victims.
Oh, we all do that Colonel.
Even humble family solicitors.
Yes, and you would have enemies, Mr. Holmes,
would you not?
Yes, yes, it would take something I dare say
to bring Mr. Holmes onto a lure
and dispatch him.
It would take careful study of his habits
and half-light shot or worse.
It might even be necessary to follow him
up to his lair even.
Bertram, be quiet.
You're not eating, Mr. Holmes.
With so much to observe,
food becomes of secondary importance.
What have you observed so far?
Courage,
fever,
gluttony,
acute irritation,
envy,
wit, intelligence,
I mean just the usual vices and virtues
with any large English country house.
This is very good.
Do you know the game
of "shove ha'penny?"
Well it's similar.
I call this one "Rug skatery".
My more serious gambling friends,
the stock broking fraternity that is to say,
have introduced it to their establishments
to the fury of their wives.
It is agreed, however,
that the authentic Somerleigh version is best.
And she never wore them at all.
Will the men be mortified
if we don't cheer them on at their silly game?
I dare say they will.
It's almost a reason for not doing it.
But for the sake of harmony
We indulge little boys.
Our host has again out jumped all estimates.
So the lawyer takes the pot.
Thank you.
Well done, Charles,
my turn now.
Faites vos jeux, gentlemen
I should halve your estimates of last time.
Mama.
It's quite all right.
My children do that too.
Mama.
What is wrong with papa?
When he hugged me
he felt horrid.
He felt all cold and shivery.
What do you mean by that, darling?
He felt as if he was dead.
Oh don't be silly.
Doctor!
Smith.
Poor fellow.
I could do nothing for him, Mr. Holmes,
not even I.
The nursing was all right, too,
a tragic business.
Will you satisfy me upon one point?
Of course.
This disease, do you know what it was?
All the signs point to that class of fevers,
of which the Sumatran River Fever is the most deadly.
It was not necessarily that however.
Something very like it.
I have advised that the poor fellow's body
is handled with extreme care.
It is a disease transmitted through broken skin you see.
They cannot be too careful.
How did Savage come by such a thing?
Ah, I can rely on your discretion?
Of course.
I understand Savage sometimes frequented,
well let's to say his affairs took him
to a part in Rotherhithe
inhabited mostly by Chinese and Lascars.
He must have picked it up there.
The authorities in Rotherhithe must be informed.
They will be.
Whether the measures they take
turn out to be appropriate is another matter.
Most institutions I'm afraid
are run by the criminally lazy.
I know Penrose Fisher and the director a little,
I'll do what I can.
I'm grateful for you interest, Mr. Holmes.
Poor Adelaide,
this will hit her very hard.
Leave Somerleigh?
I must leave Somerleigh?
As soon as will is proved,
Culverton Smith is within his rights to ask you to go.
I'm very sorry, Adelaide.
All this has its origins in Sir Bernard's will.
And partly I blame myself.
This entailment to Victor's oldest cousin of the house
and the rest of it is...
The rest of it?
The income from the Berkshire estate.
That will go to him, too?
Yes.
Dear God, what is left?
Enough for you to live,
modestly and respectably.
You will not be able to continue as you have done.
No, I see.
As I say, I had asked Victor many times
to change the terms of the entail
to favor you in your lifetime.
It would have been legal of course,
easily done but,
Victor was young.
Surely, Culverton Smith
will not exercise his right to evict Mrs. Savage?
He might.
Why do you think that?
He's been in touch.
He seems to know the main dispositions of the will.
He talked of the estate income
being put to a proper use,
whatever that meant.
He seemed to think that Adelaide
would be able to rely on her family.
They have no means.
When he knows that he must relent.
I doubt it.
He's wanted something like this to happen
ever since he came into our lives.
He encouraged all that was weakest in Victor
in the hope of some disaster.
This is a triumph for him.
It may be worth talking to him, Adelaide.
I suppose so.
If you could bring yourself to plead with him.
For the children
I will do even that.
Oh, Percy, do blow your nose.
Now remember all this happened nine days ago.
That was the day when
the Queen entertained the Sultan of Kallipur
and Frivolous won the Birkenhead Stakes.
At Goodwood.
Right.
Harry, where are your boots?
Oh I see.
Well then off to Rotherhithe.
Good luck,
good luck.
There Holmes,
that is a list of every blemish
I could find on the skin's surface.
I presume you're seeking the means of transmission?
Yes.
Through broken skin.
That is how Culverton Smith believes it was transmitted.
Well his opinion is worth knowing certainly.
What do you think of him, Fisher?
He is a friend of yours?
Not at all, I hardly know him.
I have read a couple of his papers, that's all.
Well I think his work,
in parts, brilliant.
If he has a fault it is
that he can accept no criticism whatsoever.
I did find an insect bite
but no other punctures of skin at all.
I even looked inside the mouth.
It seems clear that no human agency was involved.
I assume you're investigating
the possibility of this disease
having been passed on deliberately.
Well what a unique delight
to meet a man with a mind as logical as yours?
Is this him?
Uh, yes, Mr. Holmes?
Ah, bravo Ben.
You are?
Gedgrave,
John Gedgrave.
Holmes.
This way.
Recognized him as soon as I seen the newspaper.
That's him all right.
How did you come to be acting for him?
Advert, gentleman of discretion required
with knowledge of dock etiquette.
Dock etiquette?
For knowing your way around the poppy houses, opium.
Well I knew one or two of the better places.
Was the advertisement placed by Savage?
No.
Who then?
I don't know.
Mr. Gedgrave, you wouldn't lie to me would you?
Oh no.
It was some fellow I met in a rented office.
Describe him for me?
Well I can't.
Well what I mean is,
I never saw the fellow.
He didn't mean me to.
He kept a light shining in my eyes all the time.
Indeed.
When was this?
The 14th.
He paid all right.
He told me I was to be contacted and I was,
to meet him.
What happened to him?
I don't want any trouble.
That's why I come to you.
Where did you take him?
A house in Duke's Alley.
It's a good place.
Good?
Well, never had any problems there, good place.
What happened to him?
Holmes!
I'm sorry I didn't...
Thank you, Mr. Gedgrave, for your trouble.
Anytime, Mr. Holmes, anytime.
Generous of you, sir, generous.
I will need a guide in Rotherhithe.
If you want the best places, I'm your man.
Look no further.
Tomorrow morning,
10:30?
Done.
The Red Slipper Club.
Ask for Carter,
Frank Carter.
Will that be you, Mr. Gedgrave?
Mrs. Hudson,
Dr. Watson may be staying for dinner.
Now Watson.
Culverton Smith means to
throw Mrs. Savage and her children
out of Somerleigh House.
How is he able to do that?
The house is entailed to him an old will,
which has never been revised.
Well that is interesting.
You know what this means?
It means that Culverton Smith had a motive
for doing away with his cousin.
Savage is dead,
killed by a disease in which Culverton Smith
was the acknowledged expert.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Are you deliberately trying to misunderstand me?
You have pointed out a remarkable coincidence,
that is all.
No inferences can be drawn from it.
We cannot allow Mrs. Savage
to be thrown into the street by this fellow.
We may have to.
It must have been Culverton Smith
who rented the office.
I dare say but it proves nothing.
There must be a way of stopping him, Holmes, surely.
Oh, I doubt it more and more.
Suppose you were convinced of his guilt.
What would you do then?
You know my methods,
I would gain entry to the house.
Then that's what I shall do.
You don't have to come.
Nevertheless, I shall.
You already had your head turned.
I must make sure
you don't get your neck broken as well.
Once poor Savage had been convinced
that opium would open the door
to the mysteries of the poetic craft,
Culverton Smith would have had him
in his power, wouldn't he?
He traded on Savage's sense of guilt.
He knew that Savage
would want to continue experimenting with the drug
far away from Somerleigh.
What you have to face, Watson,
is that Savage's catching the disease in Rotherhithe
is entirely plausible,
The coincidence,
that Smith's expertise in the matter is exactly that,
a coincidence.
You can't hang a man on coincidence.
Ma'am,
ma'am.
We have reason to believe that,
well as a matter of fact
you are trespassing.
Sergeant,
I'm sure you're as aware as I am
the laws of trespass in this country
are most curious not to say odd.
I should know.
I have responsibility for hundreds of acres
which are about to be stolen from me
through legal trickery,
by that man,
a man who preyed on my husband
like some bloated parasite,
corrupted him and drove him to his death.
And now,
now he will not speak to the woman
he has widowed.
Of course he won't,
he knows he has no justice on his side.
Merely cold legality.
Benson,
Mrs. Savage should now return to Somerleigh House.
Yes, sir.
Ma'am, you have my assurance,
I will pursue Culverton Smith.
I will not rest
until he's renounced his plans to ruin you.
And Mr Holmes?
I see.
I do not blame him.
He only sees it as the world sees it,
unfortunate and cold hearted
on Mr. Smith's part perhaps.
But no case to answer,
no case to answer.
Smith!
It is a singular coincidence, is it not,
that you should inherit so much
from a man who dies of a disease
upon which you are the sole expert.
Why!
Coincidence, bordering upon the unbelievable.
Let me tell you
the doors of your profession,
which had been closed to you,
will now be locked
and bolted against you.
It is my mission.
Yes.
The post, Mr. Holmes.
Rhodesian tobacco,
Jeremiah Carlisle.
Mrs. Savage,
I know you'll be sensible enough
not to come to rely on this
but it will help you through these difficult days.
Thank you doctor.
Doctor, you must come quickly, it's Mr. Holmes.
Mr. Holmes?
Yes.
Why didn't you call me sooner?
He wouldn't give me leave.
So I said permission or no, I am.
And he said well let it be Watson then.
I think he's dying.
Now, now, Mrs. Hudson.
I'm sure it's not as bad as you fear.
But he won't let me near him.
He hasn't eaten a scrap.
He has had plenty to drink, right?
Not a drop has past his lips these three days
and he's been to Rotherhithe.
He thinks he caught the fever there.
Good God.
He's dying doctor.
Holmes?
Watson, we have fallen upon bad times.
My dear fellow...
Stand back, please stand right back!
I'll have you thrown out of the house.
I wish to help.
The best thing you can do to help
is to do what you're told.
Of course.
We were wrong about Culverton Smith.
Maybe I don't like the man
but he's no murderer.
The River Fever is abroad in Rotherhithe.
Holmes, we must get you to a hospital at once.
No, Now keep your distance!
Don't you see this thing is contagious?
Do you think such a consideration weighs with me?
Keep your distance!
This could run through London.
(Mumbling unintelligibly)
(Screams in pain)
It's cramps.
Holmes?
If I had a doctor at least
let me have someone whom I have confidence?
You have none in me?
Your friendship, yes.
But you're only a general practitioner
with mediocre qualifications.
That remark is unworthy of you, Holmes.
It shows me very clearly
the state of your nerves.
That demonstrates your ignorance.
What do you know about Tapanuli Fever?
What do you know about Black Formosa corruption?
I have never heard of either.
That is strange pathological disorders
in the east.
If you have no faith in me,
let me fetch Jasper Meek.
Penrose Fisher, Ainstree is here in London.
Let me fetch him.
There's only one man who can help me.
It's a man we have maligned.
Culverton Smith?
Do you believe he would help?
He must.
It is my only chance.
Oysters,
they do breed don't they?
I cannot think that the whole bottom of the ocean
is one solid mass of oysters.
Holmes, can you hear me?
I'm going for Culverton Smith this instant.
Then go.
I'm to bring him back here with me.
He's the emperor of river fevers,
of course you must persuade him
but you must return alone.
Any excuse not to come with him.
Tell him I apologize, I do.
Don't fail me Watson.
Of course not.
And what of rivers.
Are there no natural enemies
to limit the increase of these creatures?
It's horrible,
horrible.
It's essential that I see Mr. Culverton Smith.
Mr. Culverton Smith, sir,
does not appreciate being disturbed
during his hours of study.
Just a minute sir, you can't just...
Smith!
Sir!
Smith!
Please sir!
Smith!
Sir, you can't just,
you can't just walk in, sir.
Ah, Smith.
What the devil do you mean by this, sir?
I've come from Sherlock Holmes.
He is desperately ill,
and he begs you to come to him.
Why?
You are a physician,
tend to him yourself.
He believes that you
are the only man who can save him.
Save him?
I beg you to come.
What has he contracted?
He thinks it is the fever which killed your cousin.
How did he come by it?
He has been in Rotherhithe.
Ah,
I'm sorry to hear this.
I hope you are wrong.
Despite his insulting behavior the other day,
I have every respect for his talents.
He's an amateur of crime
as I am of disease.
For him the villain,
for me the microbe.
Here are my prisoners.
Among these gelatin cultivations,
some of the worst offenders in the world are doing time.
Please, please, there is no time to lose.
He is desperately ill.
Of what consequence is that to me?
He maligned me in the most outrageous manner.
He, he regrets it, he was most insistent upon that point.
He knows that the fever was abroad in Rotherhithe.
How long has he been ill?
Three days.
Is he delirious?
Sometimes seriously so.
I will come with you at once.
I have another appointment, sir.
Very well, I shall go alone.
Staples, you can rely on my being there
in a half an hour at most.
Did you see him?
Yes, he's coming.
Ah, you're the best of messengers.
You can disappear from the scene now.
I should stay to hear his opinion, Holmes,
I really should.
No reason he is morbidly sensitive.
We must let him practice his arts alone.
My dear, Holmes.
That's the front door,
It's him.
Hide.
Quick, if you love me.
Holmes?
Oh, Smith, I hardly dared to hope.
I should imagine not.
Yet you see I'm here.
Coals of fire Holmes,
coals of fire.
It's noble.
Do you know what is wrong with you?
Yes.
You recognize the symptoms?
Yes, quite well.
Three days with you then?
Yes.
You have lasted well.
With Victor it was all over by now.
I have noticed this,
the more mature coolies seems to last longer.
Water please.
Could I have some water?
Oh, the final thirst.
You're near the end.
Please help me,
help me if you can.
I could champion your cause.
My cause?
Your work.
It deserves to be trumpeted.
I could be of service.
I doubt it.
Thanks to you
the damage done to my reputation is irreparable.
You mean Victor Savage,
your cousin,
I had forgotten that.
Did you, were you involved?
I couldn't be sure.
The great detective couldn't be sure.
Well it doesn't matter to me
if you know how Savage died.
I don't see you in the witness box,
quite another sort of box.
I put an infected mosquito to his neck
while he was in an opiate stupor.
There.
But you,
how did you come to contract it?
That fellow who came for me
told me you thought you caught it in Rotherhithe.
Oh, I can only account for it, so.
Cast your mind back.
Cramps?
Oh, yes.
Help me.
I will.
The pain.
Yes, the coolies used to do some squealing
before the end.
Well now.
A few days before your symptoms began
did you receive anything by post?
I can't think.
A parcel?
You did.
Yes, samples of tobacco.
That's right.
Did you notice the construction of the box?
Under the tobacco,
two small tacks stuck out.
You didn't see them?
They were infected?
You fool.
You would tangle with me
and now you are finished.
The box.
Where is it?
Turn up the gas.
Turn up the gas?
The shadows begin to lengthen, do they?
Yes, I'll do that.
I prefer to see you die in the light.
There it is,
your last shred of evidence.
Well, well,
is there any other little service
I can do you my friend?
A match and a cigarette would be most welcome.
Three days without food and water is one thing,
but to be without tobacco
I have found most irksome.
Come in Inspector.
By turning up the gas,
Smith was good enough to give our signal himself.
This is the self-confessed murderer of Victor Savage.
You may lie as you like Holmes.
You have no corroboration for you insane suspicions.
Watson, he has a box behind his back.
Treat it very gingerly
and don't open it.
Damn you.
Stop him.
Damn you.
Ahhh...
The best way of acting a part successfully
is to be it.
What's the vaseline for?
For the forehead.
Belladonna in the eyes.
Um-hum.
Bee's wax.
Incrustation around the lips.
Why wouldn't you let me near you,
when in truth there was no infection?
Do you imagine that I have no respect
for your medical talents?
At six feet
I could deceive you.
But any closer,
with your astute judgment,
no, no, no, no.
No it was essential,
that you and Mrs. Hudson
believed me to be at death's door
otherwise Smith would have smelt a rat.
Rats,
bee's wax,
Mr. Holmes,
you are the very worst tenant in London.
Georgie says he's going to guard the house.
Oh they're fine children, Mrs. Savage.
They're little angels.
For years we're known as little savages.
Thank you, Dr. Watson,
for letting us keep our home.
Thank you my dear.
I'd like to take the credit
but it belongs to Mr. Holmes.
We are very grateful to you, sir.
My privilege, Miss. Savage.