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| Iris Watson |
| "Case of the Haunted Lodging" ...Do you want to read it, Narudy? |
Episode 2: The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro is the second episode of Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Kakugo. The day after the events of The Adventure of the Clouded Kokoro, Ryūnosuke Naruhodō, on a visit to the now awakened Viridian Green, ends up defending Sōseki Natsume once again for the attempted murder of William Petenshy.
Crime
| It was a ghastly tale of a winter's night... one of an invisible killer and their crime on a footpath along Briar Road. As the victim lay at death's door, the mystery of just who had stabbed the young lady from behind had been resolved. But no sooner had my friend saved that Eastern Exchange student from his harrowing plight, that in the dim, flickering shadows of gaslight did a second bizarre crime rend the stillness of that very night. I daresay most can still recall the sensational headlines of the day. "Haunted Apartment of Death" |
And now for a most tragic play
Sōseki Natsume had just been cleared of all charges regarding the stabbing of Viridian Green. But he becomes the prime suspect once again when his fellow lodger, Mysterious Man A, is poisoned.
Before Flashback
- 7:28 AM
Ryūnosuke Naruhodō woke up in Sherlock Holmes' attic, his new law office, to the smell of Iris Watson's breakfast. He got a letter from Susato Mikotoba from Japan. It said she stood as an attorney and won, and that Sōseki Natsume was a witness. The letter also told Naruhodō to look back on the second incident Natsume was involved in, "The Case of The Haunted Lodging". Apparently, Susato hearing about it was the real reason her father called her back, despite his original claim that he was sick. Holmes forbade the story of the case from being published but Susato wanted it to be examined anyway. Holmes was going out so he allowed Iris to get out the documents of that second incident for her and Naruhodō to read.
Investigation, Day 1
"Meeting Viridian Green"
- Main Article: The Adventure of the Clouded Kokoro
The first incident happened half a year ago on a winter night. A young woman named Viridian Green was found collapsed on Briar Road with a knife in her back. Fortunately, she survived after a few days, but a japanese exchange student, Sōseki Natsume, was passing by and was arrested by Sherlock Holmes for the assault. Ryūnosuke Naruhodō, defended him and revealed the truth about the incident. Holmes then telegraphed Naruhodō and Susato Mikotoba to come to St. Bartholomew Hospital to visit the recovered Green.
- 5:30 AM
Is he Green's...?
In the hospital ward, Holmes chewed them out for making him wait. Viridian Green was there on the bed for them to greet. She was a budding painter and rather gloomy, she immediately wonder if they were the ones who stabbed her. Green was a student at Thorndike Arts School and lives in a flat on Brixton Street, which was ten stops away via the tube from the hospital, yet the school was only a minute away. During the stabbing incident four days ago, Green couldn't see through the fog, she blames herself for all the trouble she caused. Naruhodō found a photo of a young man in the ward and Susato wondered if he's Green's "fated other". Suddenly, a policeman came in to deliver a note to Naruhodō, it's from Sōseki Natsume. Holmes snatches it and it said someone was killed in his house! Susato called for a carriage.
"Sōseki Natsume accused again"
- 7:18 AM
He does matter!
In the first floor of the Garrideb complex, the wigged, fancily dressed man from the other day was collapsed at the table. Inspector Tobias Gregson arrived and revealed the victim's name to be William Petenshy. Natsume and John Garrideb first discovered his body, Petenshy lived a life of extreme poverty and had previously been to jail for fraud. Natsume denied knowing Petenshy even though they were neighbors. Holmes got an idea of what happened: the victim tried to protect himself and was ingested with the scent of surrounding poison, Natsume got really nervous so it must be true. Sherlock Holmes will now commence his Joint Reasoning!
Holmes said Petenshy choked on bubbles of poison due to what's in his mouth. There was half a bar of soap on a plate. The fork was his hand revealed that he ate it for supper, which was not surprising considering he's poor. But since London soap was poor in quality, it resulted in the victim's death. However, was this really suicide? A single tea cup sat on the table. The lock on the room's door was broken, so it was locked at the time of Petenshy's death, the only key was in the victim's pocket. So the victim was completely alone at the time of his death. Everyone was confused, but Holmes admits he also ate soap once to clean his stomach. It's time for the examination!
The other half of the soap was on the floor, meaning it wasn't eaten. The teacup was empty so it's more likely that Petenshy drank the poison in tea. But there was another teacup in his hand, there was also a candle nearby meaning someone else was here. On another table, there are the same books Sōseki Natsume had in the previous incident. This meant Natsume came here right after his trial! Tobias Gregson takes him to Scotland Yard, but Naruhodō promises to defend him again and feed his cat. He and Susato decided to investigate the scene while Gregson was gone and talk to John Garrideb later.
When regarding where Petenshy's soul will go, Naruhodō and Susato talk about the prayings between Japan and England. They found a torn piece of an envelope and a gas meter which gives people gas for coins so they can use the lamps and stoves for two hours. The window was blocked by bricks to escape tax but it had a small opening with two aligned soap bars, one of them had something dark red in it. There were two tea cups with red tea, but Sōseki Natsume didn't drink the poison. Tobias Gregson returned to cordon off the crime scene in five minutes. When Naruhodō suggested they see Natsume was his cell, William Petenshy suddenly got up alive! He quoted Macbeth, with the help of Gregson, before passing out again.
Some time later on Briar Road, Naruhodō and Susato wondered what to do. They saw the other mysterious man with the yellow clothes and huge chin peeking into Petenshy's flat. When Naruhodō tried to ask him something, he just ran away.
"Interviewing John Garrideb"
- "Some time later"
The two meet up with John Garrideb in his flat who thanks them for yesterday's trial. He said Petenshy wakes up every morning at five but he didn't light his candles today until a half hour after. That's when Garrideb knocked on the door with no response, Natsume begged him to break it down, that's when they found Petenshy unconscious. The victim was staying there for three months, he was poor just like everyone in Garrideb's complex. He was researching William Shakespeare, Britain's greatest classical playwright whose Japanese adaptions are called "Shao", this explains all the stage costumes in the flat. Anyway, Garrideb returned home around 6 PM but Petenshy wasn't there. He said that "joke of an actor" was surely alive until 1 AM as he returned around 8 PM, he knows because of the gas. This complex's gas was supplied through the pipes, meaning the flats of Garrideb, Natsume, and Petenshy all share the same pipe. If Garrideb turns on his gas lamp, the lamps in the other flats will dim for a moment. If his lamp was turned off, the others will turn on. Naruhodō wondered why John Garrideb was so fixated on watching his tenants lives.
"Interviewing Sōseki Natsume"
- "Some time later"
In the Gaol, Sōseki Natsume was extremely upset with Sherlock Holmes for putting him in jail again. Naruhodō and Susato tell him about the victim briefly coming back to life but it doesn't cheer him up much. He revealed that he met with Petenshy the night before. After the trial regarding Viridian Green's stabbing, he visited Petenshy's flat for the first time around 9. After a discussion about Shakespeare, he had to go out, but before that Natsume served tea for them. But he didn't leave any poison and Petenshy was alive when he left.
The ex-resident strangling Natsume?
Natsume said his life was cursed, he could never adjust to Great Britain. Garrideb's flat was cheap so he moved in, yet he said it's cursed because the previous owner died recently under mysterious circumstances. But Natsume wanted to save all his money for his books so he signed the contract anyway. Then when he moved in he felt like he was being watched, he had nightmares about the ex-resident ghost strangling him. Regarding what happened when Petenshy was poisoned, Susato suggests Natsume moves out of the flat as soon as possible.
Natsume then said that Garrideb might be interested in the cursed flat as well, he was probably using the gas lamp to make sure his tenants are safe. Just then, Tobias Gregson arrived with good news and bad news, which must be said in that order. The good news was that William Petenshy was expected to make a full recovery. The bad news was that he was accusing Sōseki Natsume for trying to poison him. Naruhodō was determined to defend him in court and remove his curse.
Trial, Day 2
Before the Trial
- 9:23 AM
The next day, in the defendant's lobby of Old Bailey, neither Naruhodō nor Natsume expected to come back to court in just two days. Susato arrived and announced that Barok van Zieks was the prosecutor for the trial. He's the prosecutor known as a Death Bringer because all of his defendants who get acquitted mysteriuosly die, like Naruhodō's first British client. In the last trial where Viridian Green was stabbed, he got Natsume acquitted and he hasn't died yet. But today, it seems like the curse of van Zieks and Natsume was going to come into effect, yet Natsume assured them that he was innocent and Naruhodō believes him. Susato wondered where Sherlock Holmes is, but Naruhodō said it's best if he doesn't come since then they'll need to rely on his help.
Opening
- 9:40 AM
As the trial starts, Barok van Zieks, who took a leave of absence from prosecuting, immediately insults the Japanese. The jury was the exact same group from Natsume's previous trial as he just got acquitted, except that Garrideb was replaced with a woman in fancy yellow clothes. Juror 1, Oscar Fairplay, knew Natsume was never innocent, 2 said this was worse than her hat straightening decisions, 3 wishes to be killed by people like the defendant, new 4 had an executive meeting at ten, 5 needs to prepare fifteen shillings by today, and 6 prays that the "lost lamb" get his proper verdict. Van Zieks gives the opening statement and had Tobias Gregson take the stand with Natsume. The judge was very disappointed that he didn't keep his oath from the last trial about becoming a defendant again.
"Cross-Examining the Defendant and Detective"
The "cursed" complex
Gregson then explains the case: On the first floor of John Garrideb's complex, the man living there, William Petenshy, was found poisoned by strychnine and unconscious. Natsume admitted that he visited his room, the next morning Garrideb broke down Petenshy's locked door and discovered the crime scene. Petenshy survived but he was almost killed. Gregson admits that he was present at the incident and submits a photo of Petenshy unconscious to the court as evidence. Natsume said the boarding house was cursed by an evil spirit because the previous owner of his flat died, Green was stabbed just outside, Petenshy was poisoned, and he was the defendant twice. He claims he lit his gas stove after he left Petenshy's room before going to bed to keep himself warm, but in the middle of the night the flame went out and he almost died. Van Zieks then announces Petenshy's immediate accusation towards Natsume putting the poison in the black tea. Naruhodō wonders why Petenshy was accusing Natsume if he was really innocent, Natsume said he served tea because the water pipes were frozen.
Gregson and Natsume begin their testimony about the incident. Natsume visited Petenshy's room with tea around 9 PM, had a discussion about literature, and left for his own room at 11. He said the tea was harmless and Petenshy locked his door. Gregson added that strychnine was slow reacting poison that doesn't bring instant death, so it was possible for Petenshy to lock the door. Susato correctly guesses that the investigation was not complete, van Zieks and Gregson say there was no tea left at the crime scene and England doesn't have the technology to detect poison yet anyway. Alas, the victim drank nothing else, the jury was already silently thinking about voting guilty, but Naruhodō was not giving up.
In the cross-examination, Gregson said that strychnine takes a half hour to kick in and paralysis, spasms, and the inability to breathe will occur. With Petenshy able to lock the door after Natsume left, it's possible for him to do it. The detective presented the diagnosis record from the doctor who worked on Petenshy as evidence. Naruhodō presented the medical report that said the victim ingested the poison at 1:30 AM, two and a half hours after Natsume left. But Barok van Zieks said the victim simply drank the tea alone after the defendant left. Naruhodō said there's another possibility but it looks like he's got nothing. He nervously said maybe another guest came after Natsume or Petenshy poisoned himself. Van Zieks dismisses the suicide theory because the victim himself denied, Naruhodō responds that he could've been lying. Van Zieks goes silent as if listening to a carriage outside, then he announces that the man himself had just arrived...
Suddenly, Macbeth was heard again. The victim, William Petenshy, had entered the courtroom! Van Zieks had invited him as a witness much to Natsume's angry protest and the judge's interest. He allows the victim's testimony to the court.
"Cross-Examining the Mysterious Men"
Petenshy was now at the stand with the mysterious, stern man that Naruhodō and Susato encountered yesterday. After Petenshy poetically announces he's the reincarnation of William Shakespeare, Mysterious Man B's name was revealed to be Decargo Mieterman, and he works at the East End branch of the Altamont Gas Company. Van Zieks got permission from the doctor for the victim to give testimony. Susato notes that the jury are already siding with this "angel". Van Zieks brought Mieterman to crush Naruhodō's other theories. The judge offers a testimony to these two formerly mysterious men about the winter night tragedy to which they agree to do.
Petenshy said Natsume visited his room with black tea that night. When the latter left the former went face down on his table after drinking the bitter tea, which was the only thing he drank that evening. Mieterman was watching through the semi-bricked window the whole night and assured the court that Natsume was the only other person. Mieterman said Petenshy had some "this and that", he simply dismisses it by saying it's not relevant to the case. This leads to a small argument for van Zieks to break up. He and the judge agree that all that matters was what happened that evening, they think this will be the end.
During their tea, the two had a Jujutsu battle dressed as Shakespeare's characters, Petenshy was Romeo and Natsume was Juliet who actually won. As to explain the three hour time gap from the medical report, Petenshy said he didn't drink the tea until 1 AM due to their debate. Petenshy revealed in pressing that he only eats a single meal each day, so only the tea could've been poisoned. The window was open only a little due to bricks to avoid tax, Mieterman said Petenshy didn't leave the room, he only peeked because he had a "mission". The police investigated the environs and found no poisonous containers, so Natsume must have taken it, the suicide theory was crushed. Mieterman couldn't see the dark room clearly but Juror No. 1 had heard quite enough, he and the rest of the jury are ready toss fireballs in one of the scales above for the verdict: Guilty! It seems over for Natsume but Susato encourages Naruhodō to do a closing argument. He needs to find contradictions in the jurors thoughts to make the jury change their verdicts so the trial can continue.
Closing Argument
The jury
Juror 1 saw Petenshy as good and honest despite being poor, 2 thought he wouldn't lie, 3 said Natsume on the other hand did it because he's Japanese with a suspicious mustache and hunched back, 4 pointed out she doesn't have evidence that pointed to Petenshy being a thief yet, 5 just wanted this over with, and 6 agreed that the three hour gap meant nothing. Basically, the jury was voting guilty just because they liked William Petenshy, but Naruhodō proceeded with his closing argument anyway.
Naruhodō argued that poor people can still lie, but Oscar Fairplay said Sōseki Natsume was one of them since the tea was Japanese. He won't change his verdict unless Petenshy was proved to be lying, the other male jurors agreed, this was a promise. Juror 4 said the company needed evidence so they can sue the potential thief, she revealed that her husband was Valve Altamont, president of the Altamont Gas Company. She and Mieterman said their gas was the best in the world, he was sent by her to see if Petenshy was stealing gas. Petenshy assures Mrs. Altamont he was innocent, to which she reluctantly admits that there isn't any evidence yet. However, Naruhodō presented being a possible gas thief as a reason to lie for Mr. Fairplay, Mieterman will testify about it in a bit. As promise, the English gentlemen jurors toss fireballs into the white scale to vote not guilty, except 5 because he's in a hurry, so 4 does it for him allowing the trial to continue.
Although the judge seemed to think Natsume was the culprit, he sided with the jury on the theory of Petenshy being a gas thief despite van Zieks trying to say this was a waste of time. Mieterman said that the Altamont gas doesn't lie so the judge allows Mieterman's testimony. Juror No. 4, Mrs. Altamont, would like to take the stand with Mieterman as a supervisor!
"Cross-Examining the Altamont Gas Company"
In their testimony, Decargo Mieterman said his job was to collect the money from the meters in the area where Petenshy lives. If you insert a three pence coin into it, you get gas to use for two hours. But Mrs. Altamont said there weren't any coins in Petenshy's meter despite gas constantly being used. Mieterman had the only key to the meters, so that means Petenshy was stealing. Barok van Zieks insists that they focus on Sōseki Natsume and the poisoning but Naruhodō was sure that the gas theft had a link. The meter was new at the gas company but the same thing was happening for weeks. Altamont had to order a new meter with an unbreakable lock just for Petenshy but gas still got stolen. When it was brought back to the office the company couldn't find any evidence, that's why their salary was now reduced by five shillings each day. Mieterman had the gas meter right now and it's submitted as evidence.
Upon expecting it, Naruhodō and Susato found a tiny, jagged hole at the bottom. When presenting it to Altamont, Naruhodō learned that the gas meters only take the required coins as it measures the size, shape and thickness equally, other coins won't fit. When Altamont added that statement to her testimony, Naruhodō and Susato noticed a two centimeter diameter depression in the soap they found in Petenshy's flat, that's the length of a three pence coin. After Naruhodō presented this to the court, the judge asked someone from the gallery for a three pence coin to put in the soap slot, it fits perfectly! But everyone agreed that a soap mold would melt when inserted into the meter but there wasn't any liquids in it. Naruhodō noted the hole in the meter and said the fake coins were made of ice since the soap was placed at the open window. The hole in the heated meter was used to get rid of the melted ice in it. Mrs. Altamont was getting mad that the company's meters can be tricked so easily, she demanded evidence. So Naruhodō presented the picture of William Petenshy unconscious and gives attention the floorboard stain directly under the gas meter. Then he remembered how the victim had utensils and soap with him on his table when he was found, he must have been making fake coins when the strychnine kicked in.
Barok van Zieks has had enough, Petenshy being a thief and liar had nothing to do with him being poisoned. The facts are that while the police couldn't find any poison, Sōseki Natsume was the only person with the victim, so he must be the culprit. However, Naruhodō said the situation had just changed, he suggests that the poison wasn't in the black tea. He presented the soap and, remembering the dark reddish things inside when he found it, said that the ice used to make the coins was frozen tea! Natsume said the water pipes were frozen so Petenshy couldn't have used water. Naruhodō demands an examination of the second bar of soap. The judge agreed and haves the bailiff send a police officer to the crime scene. The trial was put on hold and will reconvene tomorrow much to Naruhodō's relief.
Investigation, Day 2
- 1:11 PM
Later that day in Holmes' attic, Ryūnosuke Naruhodō was exhausted from barely making it through the trial. Susato Mikotoba was admired by his very misguided defense. The two of them can't believe how the victim appeared in court like today and how he was a gas thief. William Petenshy went back to the hospital, it's the same hospital as Viridian Green. They wonder how Petenshy was poisoned if it wasn't Natsume's tea and if Tobias Gregson examined that puddle yet. Then Naruhodō remembers Kazuma Asōgi, his late best friend who was also a lawyer. He helped clear Naruhodō's name when he was a suspect of murder. Naruhodō had a flashback of a conversation with Asōgi on the S.S. Alaclaire until Susato snaps him out of it. She remembers Asōgi only wish was to change the Japanese judiciary. Naruhodō believes his true mission had something to do with "Karuma", his katana sword. He revealed to Susato that Asōgi told him Karuma was down through generations of the Asōgi house and that he must do something in London no matter what. Naruhodō was determined to find out what that mission was and do it, but right now the two need to focus on freeing Sōseki Natsume.
In Holmes' room
In Holmes' room, Iris Watson greets the two while making tea. Naruhodō smells something bad, Holmes said it's his "scientific history" and seems to have forgotten about the trial and wanted to speak with Barok van Zieks, Naruhodō wonders if there's a connection between the two of them. Susato thought that van Zieks was killing all his not guilty defendants but Holmes said he always had a solid alibi. The prosecutor was a reaper for five years and didn't return until Naruhodō arrived. Naruhodō remembers his first trial with van Zieks and Iris comments on how bad luck it was to face him again. The smelly scientific history was a new testing fluid Holmes made to prove of tea was real, street vendors try to sell fake tea leaves in the alleys. They test it of Iris' tea and it turns black and smells horrible which make it the highest quality of Darjeeling.
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This article is under construction. While it is not short, it still needs expansion as outlined in the manual of style. The article most likely needs expansion near the end of the tagged section or sections. |
"Investigating Petenshy's flat"
Handprints all over Petenshy's wall
Back at Petenshy's flat, Tobias Gregson meets up with them. He allows them to search the crime scene as long as they don't ruin it. Barok van Zieks ordered him to find some new evidence. The fact that people pay for gas makes it really hard for poor people in the winter, but Susato said it's the same for rich people. They admit that William Petenshy making ice coins was pretty impressive. John Garrideb had a fireplace instead of a gas lamp. Holmes was there investigating too. He said he invented a kind of fingerprint detection device. He tested on the cup William Petenshy drank from and it worked. All you need to do was spray something look through special goggles. There are a lot of handprints around one part of the floor, which had a secret compartment but detective Gregson demands to investigate it first, and on the wall which a photograph was taken of. But there's nothing behind that painting , just a plain wall. After one unsuccessful attempt by Holmes to appeal to Gregson, Gregson does let them hear about three items he found in the hiding place. The first was a three month old newspaper article on a death row inmate from Manchester named Selden who died of an illness, he was a serial burglar and murderer. He's said to have a stash of one thousand pounds of stolen money somewhere, but it hasn't been found yet since he died, Gregson will find more information about Selden. The second was a fairly recent photo of John Garrideb and the same man from the picture in Viridian Green's ward, they receive the photo. The third was a small empty tin box, they wonder what these items mean and why Petenshy had them hidden. Suddenly, a cat appeared on a prop castle, they call her Wagahai for now. The cat received its dinner which it happily enjoys then goes to sleep.
"Meeting with Natsume again"
Back in the Gaol, Sōseki Natsume said he's a cat in solitary and doesn't know anything about this case. He also said he doesn't have a name, but this was all just an act. He still believes there are curses everywhere around him. Natsume thanks Naruhodō for the trial today and said he drank the tea he and Petenshy had first during their conversation that night. He can't believe Petenshy used it for gas and was now accusing him. Natsume said his flat was cheap since it was considered cursed by an evil spirit of a death row prisoner.
Selden, the spirit that apparently haunts Natsume's flat
That's when Natsume had a look at the newspaper article and said that Selden was the spirit that haunts the boarding house, he killed a young man and his next target was Natsume. He revealed Selden was arrested just a year ago, his hideout was the flat that Natsume was living in. His curse took affect when he died of an illness three months ago before he could be executed, the next lodger mysteriously died of asphyxiation in the locked room. When the body was discovered, the room was full of gas fumes. The nights after Natsume first moved in, he first felt like he was being watched. Next, he had nightmares where the deceased criminal was choking him, finally he woke up having trouble breathing within the freezing room. Winter in London was freezing cold, it's impossible to sleep without a gas stove on. When Natsume falls asleep, his stove goes out and the room fills with gas fumes, just like the previous lodger.
"Meeting in St. Bartholomew Hospital"
At St. Bartholomew Hospital, William Petenshy seems to be insulting Viridian Green's painting. He asked for forgiveness since he was poisoned, she said he should've died for all she cared, then Petenshy starts dancing until he notices Naruhodō and Susato. He said he walked into this ward instead of his own by mistake and saw Green's painting. Petenshy was actually impressed by Naruhodō's defense today, but said that may not be the same tomorrow and leaves. Naruhodō was starting to think that Petenshy isn't just a victim. Viridian Green apologizes, she's preparing for her hospital discharge. Susato congratulates her, she's woken up right after he stabbing case was solved.
"Meeting with Garrideb again"
Back in John Garrideb's flat, the landlord revealed that he watched the trial to know the fate of the boarding house which got the reputation of being cursed. On his way back he visited his wife, Joan, at the detention center. Garrideb revealed that after Selden was arrested, the lodger who rented out his room suffocated to death, with what happened with Green and Petenshy, Garrideb worries that he's next. Holmes thought a haunted apartment could make gorgeous tourism but Naruhodō disagreed. They say Sōseki Natsume isn't suspicious despite being out for renting out Selden's old room, he showed up the same day Garrideb approached the real estate office with his ad.
Duncan Ross, the tenant who died
Petenshy came here three days after Selden died of an illness in his cell. He wanted the second floor room but it was already occupied, Garrideb offered him the first floor so Petenshy agreed to sign the contract. When the group presented the photo of Garrideb and the other man to him, he revealed that the man was the previous tenant, a street photographer and art school student named Duncan Ross. He moved into that room after Selden's arrest, he wanted a room with a history. But one morning, Garrideb noticed the gas lamps and fumed as a scent of death, this was when he first started using them to watch over his tenants. He called the police, broke down the locked door and went inside. Ross had suffocated and the room was full of gas, apparently while he was sleeping and the flame on his gas stove went out, Garrideb blamed Selden's curse. John Garrideb then remembered one more thing: before Duncan Ross died, he wrote a love letter he has. Holmes reads it much to Susato's dismay. There isn't any address on it but it ends with "...With all my heat, to my love, Viridian Green."
"Meeting with Green again"
The group goes back to the hospital again, Susato learns from the doctor that Green will soon be released. They see a hard thinking Green about to drink from a blue bottle, she stops when she notices them. She said she was getting ready to go home and just about to take her medicine. Green doesn't really want to have a conversation, she faints when she saw the picture of Ross, knocking over the bottle that spills out a pink liquid. They tell Green what happened when they visited John Garrideb. She revealed that she was studying painting and met Ross at the school, they were both studying to become artists. They weren't only dating, they were engaged. Ross moved into the cheapest boarding house in East End to save money so they can get married, but then that incident happened.
Holmes in the corner denies the two of them to leave Green, a great detective must solve incidents to prevent them from happening. With that in mind, Naruhodō finds a dead rat that appeared to have drank the pink liquid from the blue bottle. The rat was fine earlier, they realize what was just going to happen upon their arrival: Viridian Green was about to kill herself! Susato will give the rat a proper burial later, Holmes and Naruhodō ask if this was true, Green collapses. She actually feels better, she said she secretly stole the label-less bottle from the doctor's cabinet, Holmes takes it. On the table, there was a card that Green was holding before she attempted suicide. There's also an envelope that she got in the mail the day before the incident. It said, "I have something to tell you about Duncan Ross' death. Bump to the pub, Pepper Pavilion, on Briar Road on the 17th at 5:00 pm. I have some very important information for you, please be as discreet as possible about this." February 17th 5:00 pm was the exact day and time Green was stabbed by Joan Garrideb, she was on her way to the Pepper Pavilion. With everything she's knows told, Viridian Green had to leave now. Susato begs her not to try and kill herself again and she won't since this probably means she still had a destiny.
With the night fallen, Holmes decides that was enough investigating for today. Naruhodō doesn't think they got close to the bottom of the case, Susato hopes the tea stain didn't have poison. Holmes said they can only do their best and he plans to support them during the trial. All Naruhodō had to do was fight to the bitter end for the truth!
Trial, Day 3
"Before the Trial"
- 9:23 AM
A close-up of Sōseki Natsume's cat face was seen, he was trying to get English information through "death". Today, Ryūnosuke Naruhodō plans to get rid of his curse once and for all. Natsume plans to talk with him about something after the trial, Sherlock Holmes was still not here.
"Beginning of Day 2"
- 9:40 AM
The trial got back in session, the defense and prosecution are ready. Juror 1 intended to pass down righteous judgement for the good name of his family, 2 said she's her cruelest when her hat angle looks good, 3 wished she'd adjust the angle of his own hat, 4 wanted gas thief Petenshy to die, 5 really didn't have time for this, and 6 once again prayed that the "lost lambs" get their proper verdict. Barok van Zieks summons Tobias Gregson to give the report of the tea. They found traces of Natsume's tea left in the soap. However, there were no traces of strychnine found, so the poison wasn't in the tea. Naruhodō thought he's already won but van Zieks said one drop like that isn't a big deal. He was calling William Petenshy to the stand, he's probably going to testify about something that'll make Natsume look guilty.
"Cross-Examining William Petenshy (Again)"
Upon being reminded of yesterday, half the jury wanted Petenshy in jail. But Petenshy said that while he may be a gas thief, but the court should really punish Japanese Natsume for trying to poison him. In his testimony, he's said Natsume only put poison in his teacup, not his own. He left without drinking any tea due to their debate and Petenshy used that to make the fake coins. That's why no traces of poison was found in them. Natsume brought his kettle back to his room and this wasn't suicide, Petenshy never met Natsume until that night. Naruhodō and Susato Mikotoba find a tea stain in Petenshy's cup but not in Natsume's, Japanese people usually drink their tea in one gulp while it's still hot, this proves that Natsume indeed drink it. Van Zieks suggests that he used the tea in Natsume's kettle, what he said in his testimony was just a mistake. He said there are two points: the victim's tea cup had poison and the ice coins were made from another cup, therefore Naruhodō's contradiction doesn't exist. Petenshy tells the jury to give their judgement and they actually agree to vote guilty, they think they were being fooled by Naruhodō. His only chance was to do a closing argument.
"Second Closing Argument"
The exemplary Juror 1 determined Natsume's guilty by considering all the evidence, 2 understood why someone would want to steal expensive gas, 3 agreed that it's deadly and dangerous, 4 insisted that gas and maintenance cost money, 5 thought the tea his mother makes was fishy, and 6 said Petenshy didn't consume anything else that night. Mrs. Altamont wouldn't stop talking about gas due to all the criticism it's getting. She also mentioned illegal companies that don't manufacture their own gas, they secretly steal it from Valve Altamont by connecting pipes to houses with their own contracts and profit. So the company sends investigators during the fee collecting, this made Juror 3 react strange, he was visited by one the other night. After he let him in, the investigator removed a gas lamp and literally blew into the pipe. Mrs. Altamont reluctantly explained that if you blow hard into the end of a gas pipe, the low pressure inside temporarily drops causing every connecting lamp to waver, therefore gas would be confirmed to be used illegally if any lights flicker in a neighboring and uncontracted house. Juror 3 said that the investigator blew too hard causing the gas supply to cut off. All the flames on the lamps and stoves went out, they had a major gas leak and he thought the investigator was going to kill them! Naruhodō presented this lead to Juror 6 claiming someone put strychnine on the tip of the gas pipe.
The jury and van Zieks thought it was nonsense, so Naruhodō presented the handprints photo as proof that Petenshy may have touched the lamp's gas line in between. But van Zieks said that Holmes' experimental chemicals aren't admissible evidence. However, Susato convinced jurors 3, 2, and 6 to withdraw their votes anyway. Juror 1 agreed with van Zieks to ignore Holmes' inventions, so Naruhodō decided to have Natsume testify for confirmation due to his gas problems. Half the jury was surprised when they remember what Natsume said yesterday, Juror 1 was convinced and he votes not guilty.
Petenshy denied having anything to do with gas, Naruhodō demanded to have the gas pipe tested for poison but van Zieks said it would've been dry by now. Naruhodō suggested that William Petenshy was trying to kill Sōseki Natsume! Van Zieks reminded the court that they still don't know who put that poison there, they'd have to plan that Petenshy was going to do it. It must have been Natsume to prevent him from getting killed, that's a motive. Susato encouraged Naruhodō to reveal who he thought the true culprit is. Before the jury can vote again, Naruhodō suggests to the court that the true culprit was Viridian Green due to her possessing a deadly bottle of poison. Van Zieks states that that's impossible since she was in a coma for five days due to her stabbing, but Naruhodō requests testimony from her anyway.
Recess
During an hour recess, Sōseki Natsume was glad to finally be almost free of charges. Sherlock Holmes had arrived to deliver the bottle Viridian Green had in the hospital, it tested positive for strychnine. Naruhodō was right but it's not enough to prove Green's guilt. Tobias Gregson arrives but almost leaves due to apparently interrupting Holmes. He delivers files on the death row inmate, Selden. Susato will tidy up the court record a little, Gregson only gave Naruhodō the documents because he found the clue in the first place. The court was about to reconvene so Holmes leaves for the gallery.
"Cross-Examining Viridian Green with Petenshy"
- 12:30 PM
With the court back in session, Naruhodō's accusation was naturally surprising. Viridian Green takes the stand with an easel next to William Petenshy. Since Petenshy was saying he's a victim right now and Green said she's a unquittable yet unbudded painter with nowhere to go, Barok van Zieks concludes that they're both unemployed. Petenshy was almost having charges for the attempted murder of Natsume but he doesn't know Green nor does she know anything about this incident. Green and Petenshy will now testify about what they were doing the night she was stabbed six days ago.
Viridian Green was abruptly stabbed in the back at 5:00 PM while walking in front of the boarding house. William Petenshy was having supper at a pub at the time. Green was on Briar Road because she had something to do there, it was her first time there. She doesn't know anything about the current incident due to being hospitalized and unconscious. Petenshy returned the next morning and saw the police officers investigating Natsume's room. Green lives on Brixton street, apparently she was at East End to find ideas for a new painting. The pub Petenshy went to was named the Pepper Pavilion, van Zieks finds this odd because that restaurant was rather expensive. Naruhodō remembers the card Green tried to hide before she attempted to kill herself. Petenshy goes deep into thought during this pressing, he doesn't know anything about Duncan Ross, Green gave the court the card so they can tear it up later. Naruhodō notices that the envelope matches the scrap they found in Petenshy's room. He presented it as to why Petenshy went to the pub that night. It contained a letter telling him to meet at the Pepper Pavilion that night regarding Duncan Ross' death, it was really for William Petenshy. Green assured the court that the letter was addressed to her and had no relation to Petenshy, but Naruhodō revealed that there was a scrap of it found in his room, it's a perfect match. Green broke into Petenshy's room, the judge requests another testimony. Van Zieks warned Green that false testimony was a crime despite her coming out of the hospital.
"The Contradictory Letter"
William Petenshy received the letter about a week ago. When no one showed up for an hour at the pub he went back home, then Natsume came and the letter disappeared. Viridian Green insisted Petenshy was the real bad guy and was lying about getting the letter because it came to her house. She claimed she had nothing to do with what happened, but that contradicted her bottle of strychnine. Green entered Petenshy's room to poison the lamp pipe! Viridian Green fell down with all her art supplies. The murder should've taken place six days ago but then there were the police officers during the time of Green's stabbing. Petenshy's target was locked up in the gaol and didn't come home until after the trial, that's when the gas stove flame went out. The letter was to have Petenshy drawn out of his room, the motive was Duncan Ross, the previous owner of the "cursed flat" who was suffocated to death last month. Except Naruhodō didnn't think it was an accident, but that Petenshy murdered him by blowing into the gas pipe! Green, being Ross' fiance, wanted revenge against him.
Barok van Zieks doesn't see any motive for why William Petenshy would kill Duncan Ross in the first place. Viridian Green claims she went to Petenshy's room just to look around for evidence regarding Ross' death. He showed Green how to pick an old lock and found out about the hiding place under the floor of his apartment too. She said the tin box Naruhodō and Susato found contained the key that's currently around her neck, Petenshy screamed fearfully saying it was his. Naruhodō needed something that connected the two cases, that's the Selden files. Selden lived in the flat before Duncan Ross and Sōseki Natsume. He hid a stolen treasure valued at one thousands pounds and it had still yet to be found. But according to the files, there was one other prisoner who was there at Selden's deathbed. This key must be to wherever he hid the loot, he gave it to that other prisoner. Selden must have hid the treasure in his old room, that prisoner was William Petenshy! That's why he wanted to live in the room on the second floor, why he killed Ross, and was trying to kill Natsume by using gas fumes.
A flashback of Selden talking to William Petenshy was heard, he gave him the key and said goodbye. Petenshy starts wandering around the stand like a madman saying that the treasure belonged to him. He refused to admit to killing Duncan Ross as there was no proof, he's reminded everyone that he was a victim too. Naruhodō had an idea for a finishing blow: they will find the treasure themselves. But van Zieks noted that the police already searched his room when Ross died. Naruhodō brought up Holmes' handprinting invention again as a way to search for the jewelry. Petenshy was about to make them deny it again when Sherlock Holmes suddenly appeared next to him. The detective was able to make a testing fluid using something a person touched as a sample, citing Petenshy and his teacup as a perfect example. Holmes just needs a sample of something from the death row inmate, either evidence or a person. The one who had that sample was Viridian Green, it's the key she had around her neck. With a sample of his prints from the key, it should be clear what Selden touched in that room! Defeated at last, William Petenshy danced around while confetti and jewels burst from his chest.
William Petenshy's confession
Petenshy said he only wanted to get Duncan Ross out of that room, his death was unintenional. Afterwards, he requested to move into the room but John Garrideb refused because he hadn't paid his rent in three months. He couldn't visit the room either due to them fixing the gas pipes. By the time they were done, Sōseki Natsume had moved in. Petenshy couldn't even check the room when Green got stabbed because the police were investigating for a long time and Holmes used the time they weren't to read books in there. That's why he tried that blowing trick again when Natsume returned home and got the strychnine in his mouth. Green told Petenshy one final insult:
| Viridian Green |
| ... William Petenshy. "To be, or not to be. That was the question." Wasn't that what you said earlier? |
| Barok van Zieks |
| That's a line from Act 3, Scene 1, William Shakespeare's Hamlet. |
| Viridian Green |
| I can answer that question for you. You... should not be. |
Viridian Green confessed as well, she initially thought Duncan Ross' death was an accident. The night before he died, Ross was a little worried about the gas pipes. Green begged him to get out of that room, Ross was actually going to search for a new boarding house just for Green. She offered the guest room in her house for the night, but he promised that they'd graduate before he met her parents. He said he'd be alright, but he never came home to Green after that night thanks to the fumes. She blamed herself for not trying to convince him hard enough, she dropped out of school and stopped by the house several times. One day, she saw Sōseki Natsume exit the building. She followed him to the Tumble Down restaurant and heard him argue with the restaurant owner saying the apartment was indeed cursed and the gas lamps went out. She didn't understand why the curse was still happening despite Ross already dead. Then she remembered a conversation she once heard between two gas company inspectors regarding blowing into the pipes on their investigations of stolen gas. That's when she started to think that Ross' death wasn't really an accident. So she bought the strychnine on the black market in the East End to confirm her doubts. Once she painted the gas pipe in Petenshy's apartment, all she had to do was wait. As a due punishment, Petenshy would only poison himself if he blew into the pipe, but if was really innocent then nothing would happen. She wrote him a letter to go to the Pepper Pavilion saying she had some important and classified information about Duncan Ross' death. She knew he'd only leave the boarding house if he knew what she was talking about.
The judge thought this case was simple, but now he knew there was a deep darkness behind it. This conclusion was reached thanks to Naruhodō. Green will be taken into custody for attempting to kill Petenshy, William Petenshy as well for murdering Duncan Ross and attempting to kill Sōseki Natsume. Green thanked Naruhodō for stopping her from killing herself earlier, she didn't really know what she was doing at the time. Naruhodō said it's good that she was alive and didn't kill Petenshy, Viridian Green smiled knowing it's because she was living and Naruhodō brought the truth to light, she thanks him. Juror 1 had no objections to a not guilty verdict and Natsume was acquitted.
Aftermath
- 3:24 PM
Natsume was so happy that he's finally free and thanks Ryūnosuke Naruhodō for saving him. He first encountered English literature in the Japanese empire and love it. He crossed the sea in a twist of fate to go the place where they were made. But Natsume couldn't get used to the outside so he locked himself in his room, but Holmes notes he was dragged out all this week. It showed him the true face of the English, but Holmes assures him that people are people which Natsume understands now. They're all the same trying to live. Natsume decides to cut his study abroad short and return home, he regrets it but he plans to bring back his English knowledge so he can write a novel. Susato Mikotoba would love to read what he writes. Holmes notes that the Grim Reaper prosecuted the trial, so he understands why Natsume wanted to go home. When Natsume reported on those two incidents, Yūjin Mikotoba paid him a visit. Then he sent a telegram to Susato saying he had an illness. Naruhodō thought the only explanation about this was Selden's inheritance that was discovered the next day.
- 10:13 AM
This was the thousand pound treasure?
Sherlock Holmes managed to find the treasure in a day, despite saying he'd do it in a half hour. It turned out there was actually a secret compartment in the ceiling. The thousand pound treasure was revealed to be some sort of dog collar, but it's really large and encrusted with jewels. But there was also some sort of stain on it, almost like blood, along with a fancy B with a crown as a crest. Suddenly, a pale Holmes had Tobias Gregson take this evidence away and take good care of it. Iris Watson was happy that this weird case was solved, this case would make a great Holmes story for the Strand Magazine. She was thinking about splitting it into two parts: "The Adventure of the Schoolgirl who was Stabbed in the Back" and "The Adventure of the Mustached Man Cursed by a Death Row Inmate". Susato couldn't wait, but Holmes said Iris can only write about the first half of the case. And so the second incident with Sōseki Natsume was hushed up, but Naruhodō thought he understands why now. He needed more time to connect all the lines into one. The "story" continued two months after the group received Susato Mikotoba's letter because of an incident during the London World's fair...
References to Other Cases
- This case was a direct sequel to The Adventure of the Clouded Kokoro.
- This was the second time the real culprit almost killed the defendant.
- Poison stays in one place for long time before afflicting its intended target, just like in Turnabout Succession.
- If Juror No. 5 was pressed during the second closing argument, he mentions that his wife once sprinkled salt over his tea which he thought was poison. This was similar to what Furio Tigre did in Recipe for Turnabout.
- If John Garrideb, Juror No. 1, was pressed during the first closing argument of The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story, he said they lost both of their lodgers foreshadowing Petenshy's arrest.
- The case was very similar to The Inherited Turnabout. In both cases, there are two victims, both males. One of the victims was non-fatally injured with poison by a girl, while the other was killed by the other victim. The breakdowns of the females are also very similar, as both starts crying with soft smiles on their faces.
References to Popular Culture
- Here are all the William Shakespeare quotes in the case.
- Macbeth: Act 5, Scene 5: "Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then was heard no more."
- Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 3: "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below."
- The Comedy of Errors: Act 2, Scene 2: "Am I in earth, in heaven, or in hell?"
- Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 5: "One may smile, and smile, and be a villain."
- The Tempest: Act 5, Scene 1: "How beauteous mankind is!"
- Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 2: "Frailty, thy name is woman."
- A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 4, Scene 1: "The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen."
- Antony and Cleopatra: Act 5, Scene 1: "You gods, will give us. Some faults to make us men."
- Othello: Act 4, Scene 3: "The world's huge thing: it was a great price."
- Richard II: Act 3, Scene 4: "For what I have I need not to repeat. ...And what I want it boots not to complain."
- Antony and Cleopatra: Act 5, Scene 2: "Give me my robe. Put on my crown."
- Julius Caesar: Act 2, Scene 2: "Cowards die many times before their deaths."
- Henry IV Part 2 Act 5, Scene 5: "I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers."
- Hamlet: Act 2, Scene 2: "What a piece of work was a man."
- Much Ado About Nothing: Act 4, Scene 1: "Come, lady, die to live."
- Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1: "To be, or not to be. That was the question."
- During the cross-examination of Petenshy and Mieterman, Petenshy mentions Valhalla.
- The blue bottle with poison was similar to the one in The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger.
Trivia
- It's possible to skip the conversation between Petenshy and Green at St. Bartholomew Hospital during the second investigation.
- The fates of Viridian Green and William Petenshy are opposite of Barok van Zieks' Reaper curse. Instead of dying after they get acquitted, both of them got arrest after nearly dying.
- This case being retconned in directly contradicts the start text of The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story.
