Chapter Forty-One

Rome, 1901

Our train pulled into the Rome Tiburtina station at exactly 6:54, just as the sun was setting. Located in the northwest section of the city, the Tiburtina station is less than three miles from the Roma Termini - the main station.

As we stepped off the train, I noticed the platform was empty except for three other passengers who were also disembarking. Looking at Holmes in the twilight, I could discern a slight smile of satisfaction on his face.

“Giolitti should be meeting with the pope right about now,” Holmes said. “If His Holiness can keep him there for an hour, we should have plenty of time to get into place.” “What place are we getting into?” I asked.

“All in due time, Watson. Now, let us see if we can find a carriage.”

Walking outside the station, we saw two cabs for hire. Holmes selected the brougham and told the driver to take us to the Piazza Barberini.

“It’s less than five miles to our destination, and it’s such a pleasant night that I suppose we could have walked and still arrived in time; however, if the pope is unable to detain Giolitti, we could be cutting things very close.”

We drove down the Via Tiburtini, with Holmes pointing out the occasional landmark. I was impressed by how much of the city he had committed to memory in such a short time. As we turned onto the Via Bari, Holmes remarked that we were getting close. After another turn at a roundabout, we moved from the Via Nomenata onto the Via Vente Settembre.

A few minutes later, we turned onto the Via Barberini, and shortly thereafter, we arrived at the Piazza Barberini. After Holmes had paid the driver and asked him to deposit our bags at the convent, we walked the short distance to the Via Veneto.

As we turned the corner, we crossed the street and continued walking until we came to the Via dei Cappuccini, a small side street, not much more than an alley. Holmes turned into the passageway, and I followed him, nearly tripping over two boys, one of whom I recognized as Lucca, hiding behind trash cans. They were both dressed in dark clothing and just about invisible to anyone not looking for them.

“Anything to report?” asked Holmes.

“Not yet, signore,” said Lucca.

“Who else is watching?” asked Holmes.

“Fredo and Antonio are at the entrance to the Via di Saint Isidora, but where it begins on the Via Liguria, while Phillipo and Francis are keeping watch from the Via Molise. If anyone sees him, he will dispatch his partner to alert the rest of us. So far, everything is quiet.”

“How long have you been here?” asked Holmes.

“We started at 6 - just as you instructed signore. Everyone brought something to eat and a bottle of coffee. We will stay here all night, if necessary.”

“Hopefully, that won’t be the case,” said Holmes. Looking at me, he said, “Let’s settle in, Watson, and I’ll bring you up to speed on everything.”

***

Giolitti waited for the pontiff to answer.

After a prolonged pause, the pontiff said, “Mr. Holmes is no longer in the employ of the Vatican.”

“A very wise move, Your Holiness. May I ask what precipitated his termination?”

“There were a number of factors,” said the pope.

“Indulge me, Your Holiness,” Giolitti persisted.

“I decided that as long as Mr. Holmes remained in my employ, things would remain at an impasse.”

“That’s quite true,” said Giolitti. “I must tell you that he gave me quite a start when I opened my office door and found him waiting in my sitting room the other day. He is quite the formidable adversary.”

The pontiff merely shrugged his shoulders, and said nothing.

“Would Your Holiness like me to return the cameos tonight, or shall I bring them in the morning?”

“I should much prefer them in my possession as soon as possible. In fact, if you would like, I can have two members of the Swiss Guard accompany you.”

“That is certainly not necessary,” said Giolitti. “Just give me an hour or two, and I will bring the cameos to you.”

“As I said, Signore Giolitti, when you return the cameos to me, I will sign whatever you like in order to resolve the Roman Question.”

“We can do that tomorrow after you make the formal announcement,” said Giolitti. “That will allow me time to notify the press that it has been resolved.”

“And you would return the cameos before then?” asked the pope incredulously.

“If I cannot trust the pope to keep his word than whom can I trust?” asked Giolitti.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like the guards to accompany you, signore? I would feel much better if they did.”

“Now, it is you who must trust me, Your Holiness.”

Although the pope pressed his case for the guards, Giolitti stood firm.

As he left the papal palace 20 minutes later and walked across St. Peter’s Square, Giolitti checked several times to make certain that he was not being followed.

Hailing a cab, he ordered the driver to take him to the Palazzo Chigi. Giolitti had long admired the palace turned embassy, and he had promised himself that were he to become prime minister again, the Austro-Hungarian ambassador would have to look for a new residence. Built in the 16th century, the Palazzo Chigi is five stories high and offers an impressive view of the Piazza Colonna and the Via del Corso. “Such a building should be the seat of Italian government, not a home for a wayward diplomat who mangles the language every time he opens his mouth,” he thought.

However, Giolitti had chosen the Palazzo because of the large open square in front of it. Were anyone following him, Giolitti would surely detect their presence here.

After paying the driver, Giolitti looked around. He saw a few people strolling aimlessly, but no one that caught his attention. No eyes were furtively averted, no backs turned suddenly; all was as it should be. Best of all, there was not a single youngster to be seen.

Striding to the front door, he rang the bell. When it was answered by a butler, he pulled a letter from his pocket and asked the servant to deliver it to the ambassador. The letter was simply a request for the minister to contact him regarding the particulars of a trade agreement that was in the works, but were anyone following, it might give them pause.

He then started walking along the Via del Tritone. He stopped frequently - to tie his shoe, to light a cigarette, to look in the window of a shop and adjust his tie. Each time, he carefully scanned the faces, and after he had walked the first mile, he decided that he was not being followed.

However, with the prize this close, Giolitti decided that taking even the slightest chance was out of the question.

Had he walked straight along the Via del Tritone, he might have arrived at the church in about 25 minutes, but he turned the two-mile walk into a four-mile excursion. He cut down various side streets. He entered the front of a restaurant on the Via del Pannettria and exited it on the Via dei Maoniti.

Satisfied at last that no one was dogging him, Giolittii decided to carefully reconnoiter the streets around the church before entering. Making his way to the Via di St. Basilio, which runs parallel to the Via Veneto but behind the church, Giolitti considered turning down the Via Molise but decided instead to go the extra block and check out the Via Versilia.

He would examine the Via Molise as he neared the church on the Via Veneto.

The street was empty and as he turned left onto the Via Veneto, he was all eyes. When he had walked the short distance to the Via Molise, he entered the street and walked all the way back to the Via di St. Basilio, but he saw no one and had no cause for alarm. He also examined the Via di St. Isidoro, walking almost to the Via Liguria, and he again came up empty. He was debating whether to investigate the Via de Cappucini. He had been gone far longer than an hour, but he knew the pope would wait and decided two more minutes of caution might make all the difference.

He walked to the street and ventured halfway down. Again, he saw no one and although he felt a bit silly, he knew he was too close to the finish line to take any chances.

Retracing his steps, he pulled open the door of the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini and entered. After his eyes had adjusted to the glow of the candles, he looked around and was pleased to discover that the church was empty.

After hiding in a confessional for a few minutes to see if anyone entered, he made his way to the stairs, put the “Closed for repairs” sign in place and descended into the ossuary below.

***

We had been waiting in the street with the boys far longer than an hour, when all of a sudden we saw two youngsters sprinting down the Via Veneto in our direction. They turned into the alley, and after he had caught his breath, one of the youngsters blurted out, “Signore Giolitti just walked past our street on the Via di St. Basilio. I think he is checking all the streets and alleys.”

“I’m sure you are right,” said Holmes. “You have done excellent work. Now, I need all of you to go home and be safe. Lucca, I want you to take a very roundabout route to the Via Liguria and give my message to Fredo and Antonio. If, by chance, you should encounter Signore Giolitti, just ignore him. Do you understand?”

Holmes handed the boy a fistful of notes and said, “This is for your trouble. You have proven every bit as resourceful as Sister Angelica promised you would. Now, good night, boys. I will be touch tomorrow.”

After they had left, Holmes said, “Giolitti is almost home free. I don’t know how desperate he is, but I could never forgive myself if anything happened to any of those brave lads.”

We lapsed back into silence, and Holmes seemed to recede deeper into the shadows, occasionally sneaking glances around the corner, while I remained pressed against the wall. After several minutes, he tugged at my sleeve and motioned for me to follow him. I could sense his urgency but could only wonder what might have happened.

We hurried down the Via dei Cappucini to the next side street the Via della Purificazione. After we had turned the corner, Holmes motioned me get up against the wall, and then he threw himself upon the ground. Every few moments, he would peer around the corner. Finally, he rose, turned to me and speaking softly, said, “He gave me a fright, Watson. I saw him heading our way on the Via Veneto and knew that he would examine our street next. After we left, he started down the alley, and I was afraid to move from the ground, lest any motion attract his attention. He came about half way down the alley and then looked at his watch. I guess he was satisfied, for he then turned back to the Via Veneto. I think Signore Giolitti finally believes that he is alone.”

He continued, “From now on, it all depends on us. Let us hope that the pontiff’s prayers are answered.”

With that, Holmes headed up the Via dei Cappucini towards the Via Veneto. As we turned the corner, he looked at me and whispered, “I probably should have better prepared you for what you are about to see but I am not totally certain that words could do it justice.”

“Holmes, I am a doctor. I can assure you that I have seen my share of bones.”

“As you say, Watson. Just let me stress that silence is paramount. Even before we enter the church, I want you to remove your shoes.”

With a million questions running through my mind, I pulled off my boots and watched as Holmes did the same. We laid them next to the steps. Then, very quietly, Holmes inched open the church door and motioned for me to enter and slide to the right. I did so and then Holmes eased the door closed without making a sound.

The church seemed little different from any of the others I had visited, and I wondered why my friend had carried on so in describing it.

Holmes then motioned for me to follow him and we made our way to a staircase that was guarded by a sign that read “Closed for repairs.”

Holmes cupped his hands around my ear and whispered, “If we should make even the slightest noise now, all is lost.”

He continued, “Despite your training, you may be startled by what you see, but remember, the only dangerous thing down there right now is Giovanni Giolitti.”

With that, he turned and began to creep down the stairway. I followed, bracing myself for the unexpected and endeavoring to be as quiet as possible.

However, when we reached the bottom, I must admit that I was ill unprepared for the sight that awaited me.