Sherlock Holmes Short Stories - The Naval Treaty: Part Three

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

As night falls on Briarbrae House, Holmes sets a dangerous plan into motion, which leads to a violent struggle. And a shocking betrayal is revealed as the illusive thief of the naval treaty is unmasked.  A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Hugh Bonneville  Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Produced by Katrina Hughes and Addison Nugent Sound Design and Audio Editing by Josh Latham Compositions: Dorry Macaulay and Oliver Baines Mix & Mastering: Matt Peaty Series Consultant: Dan Smith For ad-free listening and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. I'm Hugh Bonneville, and from the Noiser Podcast Network, this is The Naval Treaty, Part 3. Last time, after hearing Percy Phelps' account of the stolen treaty, Holmes asked a series of probing questions, including if anyone knew that he would be copying the treaty in his office that evening. Phelps was adamant that he had told no one, not even his fiancée Annie. Holmes then visited Detective Forbes at Scotland Yard to get more information about the police's investigation. There, Holmes learned that the Commissioner and his wife had been thoroughly investigated

and completely cleared of the crime. Satisfied with Detective Forbes' work, Holmes and Watson then visited Lord Holthurst, Phelps's uncle and the foreign minister. The statesman noted an encouraging detail. After ten weeks, there had been no diplomatic fallout, suggesting the treaty remained out of foreign hands. Finally, Holmes and Watson headed back to Woking to update Percy Phelps on their progress. When they arrived, they were shocked to learn that a cloaked intruder had tried to break into Phelps' sick room the previous night, and he was brandishing a knife.

Now, Percy is about to tell Holmes and Watson more about his unexpected midnight visitor. This is most interesting," said Holmes. Pray, what did you do then? I should have followed him through the open window if I had been stronger. As it was, I rang the bell and roused the house. It took me some little time, for the bell rings in the kitchen and the servants all sleep upstairs. I shouted, however, and that brought Joseph down, and he roused the others. Joseph and the groom found marks on the bed outside the window, but the weather has been so dry lately that they found it hopeless to follow the trail across the grass. There's a place, however, on the wooden fence which skirts the road,

which shows signs, they tell me, as if someone had got over and had snapped the top of the rail in doing so. I have said nothing to the local police yet, for I thought I had best have your opinion first." This tale of our clients appeared to have an extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes. He rose from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable excitement. Misfortunes never come single, said Phelps, smiling, though it was evident that his adventure had somewhat shaken him.

"'You have certainly had your share,' said Holmes. "'Do you think you could walk round the house with me?' "'Oh, yes, I should. Like a little sunshine, Joseph will come, too.' "'And I also,' said Miss Harrison. "'I am afraid not,' said Holmes, shaking his head. "'I think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where you are." The young lady resumed her seat with an air of displeasure.

Her brother, however, had joined us, and we set off all four together. We passed round the lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist's window. There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed, but they were hopelessly blurred and vague. Holmes stopped over them for an instant and then rose shrugging his shoulders. I don't think anyone could make much of this," said he. Let us go round the house and see why this particular room was chosen by the burglar. I should have thought those larger windows of the drawing room and dining room would have had more attractions for him.

They are more visible from the road, suggested Mr. Joseph Harrison. Ah, yes, of course. There is a door here which he might have attempted. What is it for? It is the side entrance for tradespeople. Of course it is locked at night. Have you ever had an alarm like this before? Never, said our client.

Do you keep plate in the house or anything to attract burglars? Nothing of value." Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets and a negligent air which was unusual with him. "'By the way,' said he to Joseph Harrison, "'you found some place, I understand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a look at that." The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one of the wooden rails had been

cracked. A small fragment of the wood was hanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically. Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, does it not? Well, possibly so. There are no marks of anyone jumping down upon the other's side. No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter over."

Percy Phelps was walking very slowly, leaning upon the arm of his future brother-in-law. Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn, and we were at the open window of the bedroom long before the others came up. Miss Harrison, said Holmes, speaking with the utmost intensity of manner, you must stay where you are all day. Let nothing prevent you from staying where you are all day. It is of the utmost importance." "'Certainly, if you wish it, Mr. Holmes,' said the girl in astonishment. "'When you go to bed, lock the door of this room on the outside and keep the key. Promise

to do this.' "'But Percy!' "'He will come to London with us.' "'And am I to remain here? It is for his sake. You can serve him. Quick, promise!" She gave a quick nod of assent, just as the other two came up. Why do you sit moping there, Annie? cried her brother. Come out into the sunshine.

No, thank you, Joseph. I have a slight headache, and this room is deliciously cool and soothing.' "'What do you propose now, Mr. Holmes?' asked our client. "'Well, in investigating this minor affair, we must not lose sight of our main inquiry. It would be of very great help to me if you would come up to London with us.' "'At once?' "'Well, as soon as you conveniently can. Say in an hour. I feel quite strong enough if I can really be of any help.

The greatest possible. Perhaps you would like me to stay there tonight? I was just going to propose it. Then if my friend of the night comes to revisit me, he will find the bird flown. We are all in your hands, Mr. Holmes, and you must tell us exactly what you would like done. Perhaps you would prefer that Joseph came with us so as to look after me. Oh, no. My friend Watson is a medical man, you know, and he'll look after you.

We'll have our lunch here, if you will permit us, and then we shall all three set off for town together. Titanic Ship of Dreams, the new podcast from the award-winning Noiza Network. Join me, Paul McGann, as we explore life and death on Titanic. I'll delve into my own family story following my great uncle Jimmy as he tries to escape the engine room. We'll hear the harrowing tales of the victims and the testimonies of the lucky survivors. I saw that ship sink and I saw that ship breaking off. Titanic Ship of Dreams. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. It was arranged as he suggested, though Miss Harrison excused herself from leaving the

bedroom in accordance with Holmes' suggestion. What the object of my friend's maneuvers was I could not conceive, unless it were to keep the lady away from Phelps, who, rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospect of action, lunched with us in the dining-room. Holmes had a still more startling surprise for us, however, for, after accompanying us down to the station and seeing us into our carriage, he calmly announced that he had no intention of leaving Woking. "'There are one or two small points which I should desire to clear up before I go,'

said he. "'Your absence, Mr. Phelps, will in some ways rather assist me. Watson, when you reach London you would oblige me by driving at once to Baker Street with our friend here and remaining with him until I see you again. It is fortunate that you are old school fellows, as you must have much to talk over. Mr. Phelps can have the spare bedroom tonight, and I will be with you in time for breakfast, for there is a train which will take me into Waterloo at eight." "'But how about our investigation in London?" asked Phelps ruefully.

We can do that tomorrow. I think that just at present I can be of more immediate use here." "'You might tell them at Briarbray that I hope to be back tomorrow night,' cried Phelps as we began to move from the platform. "'I hardly expect to go back to Briarbray,' answered Holmes and waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot out from the station. Phelps and I talked it over on our journey, but neither of us could devise a satisfactory

reason for this new development. I suppose he wants to find out some clue as to the burglary last night, if a burglar it was. For myself, I a burglar it was. For myself I don't believe it was an ordinary thief. What is your own idea then? Upon my word, you may put it down to my weak nerves or not, but I believe there is some deep political intrigue going on around me, and that for some reason that passes my understanding my life is aimed at by the

conspirators. It sounds high-flown and absurd, but consider the facts. Why should a thief try to break in at a bedroom window, where there could be no hope of any plunder, and why should he come with a long knife in his hand? You are sure it was not a housebreaker's jimmy?' "'Oh no, it was a knife. I saw the flash of the blade quite distinctly.' "'But why on earth should you be pursued with such animosity?'

"'Ah, that is the question.' "'Well, if Holmes takes the same view, that would account for his action, would it not? Presuming your theory is correct, if he can lay his hands upon the man who threatened you last night, he will have gone a long way towards finding who took the naval treaty. It is absurd to suppose that you have two enemies, one of whom robs you while the other threatens your life. But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbray. I have known him for some time, said I,

but I never knew him do anything yet without a very good reason. And with that, our conversation drifted off onto other topics. But it was a weary day for me. Phelps was still weak after his long illness, and his misfortune made him querulous and nervous. In vain I endeavored to interest him in Afghanistan, in India, in social questions, in anything which might take his mind out of the groove.

He would always come back to his lost treaty, wondering, guessing, speculating, as to what Holmes was doing, what steps Lord Holdhurst was taking, what news we should have in the morning. As the evening wore on, his excitement became quite painful. You have implicit faith in Holmes?' he asked. I have seen him do some remarkable things, but he never brought light into anything quite so dark as this. Oh yes, I have known him solve questions which presented fewer clues than yours. But not where such large interests are at stake.

I don't know that. To my certain knowledge he has acted on behalf of three of the reigning houses of Europe in very vital matters. But you know him well, Watson. He is such an inscrutable fellow that I never quite know what to make of him. Do you think he is hopeful? Do you think he expects to make a success of it? He has said nothing. That is a bad sign, on the contrary.

I have noticed that when he is off the trail, he generally says so. It is when he is on the ascent and is not quite absolutely sure yet that it is the right one that he is most taciturn. Now, my dear fellow, we can't help matters by making ourselves nervous about them, so let me implore you to go to bed, and so be fresh for whatever may await us tomorrow." I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my advice, though I knew from his excited manner that there was not much hope of sleep for him. Indeed, his mood was infectious, for I lay tossing half the night myself brooding over

this strange problem, and inventing a hundred theories, each of which was more impossible than the last. Why had Holmes remained at Woking? Why had he asked Miss Harrison to remain in the sick room all day? Why had he been so careful not to inform the people at Briarbray that he intended to remain near them? I cuddled my brains until I fell asleep in the endeavor to find some explanation which would cover all these facts. It was seven o'clock when I awoke, and I set off at once for Phelps's room to find him haggard and spent after a sleepless night. after a sleepless night. His first question was whether

Holmes had arrived yet. He'll be here when he promised, said I, and not an instant sooner or later. And my words were true, for shortly after eight, a handsome dashed up to the door, and our friend got out of it.

Standing in the window, we saw that his left hand was swathed in a bandage and that his face was very grim and pale. He entered the house but it was some little time before he came upstairs. He looks like a beaten man, cried Phelps. I was forced to confess that he was right. After all, said I, the clue of the matter lies probably here in town. Phelps gave a groan. I don't know how it is, said he, but I had hoped for so much from his return,

but surely his hand was not tied up like that yesterday. What can be the matter? You are not wounded, Holmes?' I asked, as my friend entered the room. "'Tuts, it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness,' he answered, nodding his good mornings to us. "'This case of yours, Mr. Phelps, is certainly one of the darkest which I have ever investigated. I feared that you would find it beyond you. It has been a most remarkable experience." "'That bandage tells of adventures,' said I. "'Won't you tell us what has happened?' "'After breakfast, my dear Watson.

Remember that I have breathed thirty miles of sorry air this morning. I suppose that there has been no answer from my cabman advertisement. Well, well, we cannot expect to score every time. The table was all laid, and just as I was about to ring, Mrs. Hudson entered with the tea and coffee. A few minutes later she brought in three covers, and we all drew up to the table. Holmes, ravenous, I, curious, and Phelps in the gloomiest state of depression. Mrs. Hudson has risen to the occasion, said Holmes, uncovering a dish of curried chicken.

Her cuisine is a little limited, but she has as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotch woman. What have you here, Watson? Ham and eggs, I answered. Good. What are you going to take, Mr. Phelps? Curried fowl or eggs? Or will you help yourself?' "'Thank you.' "'I can eat nothing,' said Phelps.

"'Oh, come. Try the dish before you.' "'Thank you.' "'I would really rather not.' "'Well, then,' said Holmes, with a mischievous twinkle, "'I suppose that you have no objection to helping me?' Phelps raised the cover, and as he did so he uttered a scream, and sat there staring

with a face as white as the plate upon which he looked. Across the center of it was lying a little cylinder of blue-grey paper. He caught it up, devoured it with his eyes, and then danced madly about the room, pressing it to his bosom and shrieking out in his delight. Then he fell back into an armchair so limp and exhausted with his own emotions that we had to pour brandy down his throat to keep him from fainting. "'There, there,' said Holmes, soothing, patting him upon the shoulder. "'It was too bad to spring it on you like this, but Watson here will tell you that I

never can resist a touch of the dramatic.' Phelps seized his hand and kissed it. "'God bless you,' he cried. "'You have saved my honor." "'Well, my own was at stake, you know,' said Holmes. "'I assure you it is just as hateful to me to fail in a case as it can be to you to blunder over a commission.' Phelps thrust away the precious document into the innermost pocket of his coat. I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any further, and yet I am dying to know how you got it and where it was.

Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee and turned his attention to the ham and eggs. Then he rose, lit his pipe, and settled himself down into his chair. I'll tell you what I did first and how I came to do it afterwards, said he. How can you get even more of everything you love about Porter with the new BeMo VI Porter MasterCard? Enjoy more freedom, more flexibility, more rewards, more of all the things you love. Need I say more?

Get your ticket to more with the new BeMo VI Porter MasterCard and get up to $2,400 in value in your first 13 months. Terms and conditions apply. Visit bmo.com slash VI Porter to learn more. After leaving you at the station, I went for a charming walk through some admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little village called Ripley, where I had my tea at an inn and took the precaution of filling my flask and of putting a paper of sandwiches in my pocket.

There I remained until evening, when I set off for Woking again, and found myself in the high road outside Briarbray just after sunset. Well, I waited until the road was clear, it is never a very frequented one at any time I fancy, and then I clambered over the fence into the grounds. Surely the gate was open, gasped Phelps. Yes, but I have a peculiar taste in these matters. I chose the place where the three fir trees stand, and behind their screen I got over without the least chance of anyone in the house being able to see me. I crouched down among the bushes on the other side and crawled from one to the other, witness

the disreputable state of my trouser knees, until I had reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite to your bedroom window. There I squatted down and awaited developments. The blind was not down in your room and I could see Miss Harrison sitting there reading by the table. It was quarter past ten when she closed her book, fastened the shutters, and retired. I heard her shut the door and felt quite sure that she had turned the key in the lock. The key? exclaimed Phelps. Yes, I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock the door on the outside and take the key with her when she went to bed.

She carried out every one of my injunctions to the letter, and certainly without her cooperation you would not have that paper in your coat pocket. She departed then, and the lights went out, and I was left squatting in the rhododendron bush. The night was fine, but still it was a very weary vigil. Of course it has the sort of excitement about it that the sportsman feels when he lies beside the water-course and waits for the big game. It was very long, though.

Almost as long, Watson, as when you and I waited in that deadly room when we looked into the little problem of the speckled band. There was a church clock down at Woking which struck the quarters, and I thought more than once that it had stopped. At last, however, about two in the morning, I suddenly heard the gentle sound of a bolt being pushed back and the creaking of a key. A moment later, the servant's door was open, and Mr. Joseph Harrison stepped out into the moonlight.

Joseph! cried Phelps. He was bareheaded, but he had a black coat thrown over his shoulder so that he could conceal his face in an instant if there were any alarm. He walked on tiptoe under the shadow of the wall, and when he reached the window he worked a long-bladed knife through the sash and pushed back the catch. Then he flung open the window and putting his knife through the crack in the shutters he thrust the bar up and swung them open. From where I lay I had a perfect view of the inside of the room and of every one of his

movements. He lit the two candles which stood upon the mantelpiece and then he proceeded to turn back the corner of the carpet in the neighborhood of the door. Presently, he stopped and picked out a square piece of board, such as is usually left to enable plumbers to get to the joints of the gas pipes. This one covered, as a matter of fact, the T-joint which gives off the pipe which supplies the kitchen underneath. Out of this hiding place he drew that little cylinder of paper, pushed down the board, rearranged the carpet, blew out the candles, and walked straight

into my arms as I stood waiting for him outside the window. Well, he has rather more viciousness than I gave him credit for, has Master Joseph. He flew at me with his knife and I had to grasp him twice and got a cut over the knuckles before I had the upper hand of him. He looked murder out of the only eye he could see with when he had finished, but he listened to reason and gave up the papers. Having got them, I let my man go, but I wired full particulars to Forbes this morning. If he is quick enough to catch his bird, well and good, but if, as I shrewdly suspect, he finds the nest empty before he gets there, why, all the better for the government.

I fancy that Lord Holthurst for one, and Mr. Percy Phelps for another, would very much rather that the affair never got as far as a police court. My God," gasped our client, "'do you tell me that during these long ten weeks of agony, the stolen papers were within the very room with me all the time?' So it was. And Joseph? Joseph, a villain? And a thief? Hum, I am afraid Joseph's character is a rather deeper and more dangerous one than one might judge from his appearance.

From what I have heard from him this morning, I gather that he has lost heavily in dabbling with stocks, and that he is ready to do anything on earth to better his fortunes. Being an absolutely selfish man, when a chance presented itself, he did not allow either his sister's happiness or your reputation to hold his hand." Percy Phelps sank back in his chair. "'My head whirls,' said he "'your words have dazed me.'" "'The principal difficulty in your case,' remarked Holmes, in his didactic fashion, "'lay in the fact of there being too much evidence. What was vital was overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant.

Of all the facts which were presented to us, we had to pick just those which we deemed to be essential, and then piece them together in their order, so as to reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events. I had already begun to suspect Joseph, from the fact that you had intended to travel home with him that night, and that therefore it was a likely enough thing that he should call for you." Knowing the Foreign Office well upon his way. When I heard that someone had been so anxious to get into the bedroom in which no one but Joseph could have concealed anything, you told us in your narrative how you had turned Joseph out

when you arrived with the doctor. My suspicions all changed to certainties, especially as the attempt was made on the first night upon which the nurse was absent, showing that the intruder was well acquainted with the ways of the house. How blind I have been! The facts of the case, as far as I have worked them out, are these. This Joseph Harrison entered the office through the Charles Street door, and, knowing his way, he walked straight into your room the instant after you left it. Finding no one there, he promptly rang the bell, and at the instant that he did so, his eyes caught the paper upon the table.

A glance showed him that chance had put in his way a state document of immense value, and in an instant he had thrust it into his pocket, and was gone. A few minutes elapsed, as you remember, before the sleepy commissioner drew your attention to the bell, and those were just enough to give the thief time to make his escape. He made his way to Woking by the first train, and having examined his booty and assured himself that it really was of immense value, he had concealed it in what he thought was a very safe place, with the intention of taking it out again in a day or two and carrying it to the French Embassy, or wherever he thought

that a long price was to be had. Then came your sudden return. He, without a moment's warning, was bundled out of his room, and from that time onward there were always at least two of you there to prevent him from regaining his treasure. The situation to him must have been a maddening one. But at last he thought he saw his chance. He tried to steal in, but was baffled by your wakefulness.

You remember that you did not take your usual draft that night? I remember. I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draft efficacious, and that he quite relied upon your being unconscious. Of course, I understood that he would repeat the attempt whenever it could be done with safety. Your leaving the room gave him the chance he wanted. I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he might not anticipate us. Then, having given him the idea that the coast was clear, I kept guard as I have described.

I already knew that the papers were probably in the room, but I had no desire to rip up all the planking and skirting in search of them. I let him take them, therefore, from the hiding place, and so saved myself an infinity of trouble. Is there any other point which I can make clear?" "'Why did he try the window on the first occasion?' I asked. "'When he might have entered by the door.'

In reaching the door he would have to pass seven bedrooms. On the other hand, he could get out onto the lawn with ease. Anything else?' "'You do not think,' asked Phelps, that he had any murderous intention? The knife was only meant as a tool." "'It may be so,' answered Holmes, shrugging his shoulders. "'I can only say for certain that Mr. Joseph Harrison is a gentleman to whose mercy I should be extremely unwilling to trust. Next time on Sherlock Holmes Short Stories we follow Holmes and Watson to

the depths of the English countryside in The Adventure of the Abbey Grange. When Sherlock is called to a stately manor home to investigate the gruesome murder of Sir Eustace Brackenstall, the police assure him that it's a simple case of a burglary gone wrong. But a series of subtle clues scattered throughout the estate lead Holmes to believe that there's more to the story. Someone at Abbegrange is hiding something, and it's up to the great detective to find out who. That's next time. Can't wait a week until the next episode? Well, listen to it right away by subscribing to Noiza Plus. Head to www.noiza.com slash subscriptions for more information or click the link in

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