Search for the Sunlight
Chapter 44

Basil was feeling a little melancholy. He was staring wistfully at the fire when his thoughts turned to the verse that Len had left behind on the mountain. Where had he put it?

He began searching through the contents of his lapsack and there, partly hidden amongst some socks and a badly creased Tree-shirt, he found it. He opened the envelope and began to read the contents.

It still didn’t make much sense. To all intents and purposes, it was just another anonymous verse, but as he read the words for a second time, he began to understand.

“I think I get it!” he suddenly called out.

His enthusiastic outburst awakened Sherlock with a start. He’d been asleep for more than five hours.

“Wh - what’s going on?” the officer stammered, sitting bolt upright and fumbling clumsily in the dim light for his truncheon. “Did somebody shout ‘fire’?”

“Don’t be silly!” Basil replied. “You’re dreaming.”

“Thank goodness for that,” the Constable mumbled and lay back down again.

“No, wake up!” Basil insisted. “It’s the verse! The Optician’s verse! I think I know what it’s all about!”

“Can’t this wait until morning?” Sherlock groaned. “No, it’s far too important!” Basil insisted. “Do you remember when Len gave us the glasses? He told us that they were no ordinary glasses and that, when the time was right, we would discover their special properties?”

“Mmm, vaguely,” the Constable croaked.

“Well, I think I’ve worked it out! Or at least some of it,” Basil exclaimed.

“Last night, while you were asleep, Catherine and I were sitting by the fire talking. She picked up my glasses and put them on. A few seconds later I got my face slapped!”

Sherlock looked puzzled. “What do you mean you got your face slapped?”

“I mean exactly that!” Basil replied. “When Catherine looked into my eyes, through the tinted lenses, she could read my mind. At first I thought she was fooling around, but when I tried them for myself, to my embarrassment, I discovered she was right! I could read her every thought. Later, when she had gone home, I remembered The Optician’s verse and that’s when it all began to make sense!” Basil took Len’s note from the envelope and read it out loud.

’Protected from deceit and lies,

My gift will open up your eyes.’

“It’s in the last verse!” he exclaimed. That’s the clue! Len’s gift, our sun glasses, will open up our eyes and show us the truth. Here, try them for yourself!” he said, passing his shades over to the Constable.

Sherlock wasn’t fully awake yet, but unable to escape Basil’s enthusiasm, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and put the glasses on. The result was immediate.

“Blimey!” He said, looking at his friend. “You’ve had a bit of a raunchy night, you lucky bounder!”

“No, forget that,” Basil replied, blushing a little. “My point is, you can read my mind. Yes?”

“I certainly can,” the Constable agreed, “and in exchange for your six blade pruning knife, I won’t mention a thing to the others!” They both started to laugh.

Sherlock was impressed with Basil’s discovery, but it was late. “Look, let’s get some sleep and we’ll examine this again in the morning,” he said.