Once again we are beholden to the current executors of the Knolly estate for letting us publish this, the second package of the great man's journals and memoirs.

Seeing as how Bertie was so obviously busy making the parlour feline-friendly (a somewhat obvious attempt to further prove his earlier observations regarding the young lady's usefulness), Hobbes led me along the landing to a room which served as his library-cum-study.

This particular room was immaculate. It was everything that his chaotic laboratory was not: ordered, pristine, polished, neat and tidy. 'I haven't been in here for months,' remarked Hobbes. That explained it.

'Bertie certainly seems set against the girl accompanying you both on this mission, doesn't he?' said Hobbes, gently closing the door.

I nodded and smiled. 'I must admit, I do agree with some of his points...'

At this point, I noticed a hairy caterpillar on Hobbes' brow. It appeared that the little blighter was enjoying its self-appointed license to roam across my colleague's forehead. I also noticed that this was rather cheeky behaviour from a little lepidoptorus. I was about to swat the creature when I realised that it was in fact one of Hobbes' tufted eyebrows, moving in a fashion quite autonomous from the rest of his facial muscles.

'But... you think you'll still be taking her along with you?' asked Hobbes uneasily as he observed my hand, raised as it was in preparation for the swatting that was now redundant.

I quickly (and, I thought, nonchalantly) scratched my head. 'Oh, I have no doubt about that, Hobbes. Elspeth, I'm sure, will sway the case if necessary, but Charlotte may do the job on her own.'

'I see. So what else did your wife tell you?'

'You will see in the next hour or so. But let us not waste this opportunity. Let us discuss the "Y-File" and my concerns around recent happenings in Scotland.'

'Hmmm... yes. Pray continue, as I find something that might be of use to us both.' He went around the bookshelves, casting an eye as he ran his index finger along the shelf that contained subject matter beginning with the letter 'P'. 'Let me see... P... P... Pharmaceuticals... phlogiston... pig iron... getting warmer... porridge... Ah! Here we are!' Hobbes reached out and removed a large leather-bound volume. Behind it were a decanter of port and two glasses. 'For emergencies! Plus, we left our tea with Bertie.'

'We need to go back to 1845 and Rothwell.'

'...and perhaps the disappearance of your adopted "uncle"?'

'Quite so. Rothwell, as you are well aware, has been the subject of much discussion over the years.'

'Oh yes! I have myself seen the cylinder and the remains of its crew. I can vouch for the authenticity of both.'

'Hmmm yes, your report has been widely read by the League and I wish sometimes that certain individuals hadn't seen it and then used it for the basis of a novel.'

'HG didn't mean any harm by it. I think it did some good. It put people off of the trail, as most now think that life on other planets is pure fiction.'

'Yes, but there are still some hysterical indviduals out there who chase every meteor shower and then contact the local press. However, there is something of which you are not aware. During its fall to Earth, something fell from the main cylinder and landed in the Thames.'

Hobbes downed his port with a gulp and thumped his glass on the desk. 'You are sure of this?'

'Not one hundred percent, but there are many clues if one cares to look, and I can assure you that I have been looking for a very long time because I have some great personal interest in the whole episode. You see, Colonel Lord 'Monty' Montagu of Avebury was a member of the retrieval team. I believe that they found what they were looking for and were in the process of transporting it when the so-called 'tidal wave' struck the Woolwich Ferry, sinking the vessel and all hands. Including Monty.'

'So whatever they found was again lost in the Thames?'

I shook my head. 'No. I rather fear that the "tidal wave" was created by whatever they had retrieved after it had been stolen by persons unknown — and in so doing, the Service personal were murdered.'

'Does anyone else share this view?'

'Bertie has his suspicions, as does Biggfat, which is why he wants this handled by the League.'

'So what happened next?'

'I cannot be sure, except that since the disaster, there have been various similar disappearances of people due to tidal waves, earthquakes and suchlike, where none had ever been reported before.'

'Good Lord! And this is where Loch Ness come in, yes?'

I nodded. 'Indeed, and it is now complicated by this chappie that Bertie has discovered who has been executing marine investigations.'

'Surely that will help?'

I put down my glass, grabbed Hobbes by the wrists and looked into his eyes. 'Hobbes, imagine for a moment. Imagine that whatever fell from the cylinder in 1845 was something that should not have been there. Imagine some kind of device or technology... or...' A thought crossed my mind — the like of which had never before surfaced — and I stopped momentarily, long enough for Hobbes to notice.

'Or... what, Knolly?'

'... it doesn’t matter. Let us continue. If this thing has the potential to locally affect nature, then some unscrupulous person or persons could harness the energy and use it to experiment on people — people who are different, maybe deformed in some way. People such as Merrick and other such unfortunate types whom few would miss if, indeed, they went missing.'

Hobbes looked concerned and appeared to be struggling to find the right words with which to express himself. 'Um... can you let go of my wrists now, please?'

'Oh yes... sorry.' I loosened my grip.

'So this would explain the American chappie's interest! But is it possible? I mean, it does smack of something that Verne or Wells would cook up, does it not?'

I smiled. 'Indeed it does, and it is a great shame that neither is available to assist us this time round. Merrick is quite certain that HMS Augustus is being used for something rather more serious and sinister than straightforward sea trials.'

'I have heard that they are playing with submarines.'

'Oh Lord! Please don't tell Bertie that!' I pleaded.

'Well, Knolly...' said Hobbes, topping up my glass and leaning back in his chair, 'you really don’t know what you are going to find up there, do you? In which case, you might just as well take young Charlotte in case she proves useful. Mind you... you'll have the devil of a job to get her to dive after these submersibles.'

I smiled. 'Yes, if we can get her ready during the journey.'

Hobbes then suddenly became serious. He grabbed my hand and I jumped. 'You can’t fool an old man, Knolly. I think that you are going to use her as bait!' he hissed.

I pulled his hand away from mine but said nothing.

'I'm right, ain't I?' he asked in a hushed but assured tone.

'Hobbes, we need a way in and she'll provide it.'

'But we are Englishmen. We do not endanger innocents!'

'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, Hobbes.'

'Poppycock! But if you insist on progressing the affair along this route, then I shall need to design something for her. Errrr... special clothing, perhaps, or...'

'Hobbes! Do you think that I am correct in my theory about the retrieved device? About its application?'

'Knolly, I think you have an irrational obsession about the "uncle" you never knew,' said Hobbes. 'But if this is the way to cure you, then so be it.' He checked his fob-watch and continued, 'Now let us go and see what Bertie has done to the parlour before the ladies arrive.'

Just then, we heard from the pavement the clip-clopping of a horse-drawn cab. It drew up outside and I recognised Elspeth's voice as she paid and thanked the driver. They were here! I made to leave the library, but was halted by Hobbes. 'I feel it would be rude not to,' he said, as he offered me another small snort of port. Not wishing to be rude to anyone, I accepted.

Louis beat a hasty exit as we entered the parlour. I noticed that Bertie seemed quite smitten with the kitten that was before him. How different Charlotte looked following her shopping trip with Elspeth! The broad-brimmed hat concealed much of her face and gave her a coquettish air. She was obviously not comfortable with the button boots and the heels, but I knew her feline sense of balance would overcome these impediments when required.

The Great Knolly Archive

The Shepherd and
huzzah4knolly

09.08.07 Front Page

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