The Fourth Napoleon by William R. Cochran

What a strange chain of events takes place in “The Six Napoleons,” leading to Holmes taking possession of the stolen Borgia pearl. Lestrade seems to serve as narrator in many of the incidents, as he does not call upon Holmes until after the third bust is destroyed. Lestrade’s initial reaction to the first bust in the shop was to surmise that “The plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings, and the whole affair appeared to be too childish for any particular investigation.” However, when the second victim, Dr. Barnicott, is burgled twice in the same night, Lestrade sees it as a serious crime and then comes to Holmes for assistance. One may well ponder why Lestrade finds the bust worth only a few shillings should now be considered a serious crime. 

The third instance, where the forth Napoleon is smashed, murder is involved. Although the murder takes place in a journalist’s home, Mr. Horace Harker, of the Central Press Syndicate, is quite put out that he did not get the story to press. The murder aside, it is interesting, as the fourth Napoleon was purchased “four months ago.” Could this coupling of fours possibly refer to a month– April? Note that the smashed bust is discovered “in the front garden of an empty house in Campden House Road.” Watson and Holmes held a vigil in “Camden House” in order to capture Colonel Moran. Ten years later, this story is published and Watson finds himself on Campden House Road. Moreover, even Sherlock Holmes draws attention to the empty house. 

One of the interesting elements of Lestrade’s account is that the bumbling detectives should find the plaster fragments and know that they were from this particular bust of Napoleon.  The Inspector is puzzled when Holmes draws his attention “ very particularly to the position of this house in the garden of which the bust was destroyed.”  

Lestrade looked about him. 

“It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be disturbed in the garden.” “Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street which he must have passed before he came to this one. Why did he not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?” 

“I give it up,” said Lestrade. 

Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads. 

“He could see what he was doing here and he could not be there. That was his reason.” Therefore it is clear that Lestrade is sticking to his theory that the busts are being smashed by someone who harbors a strong dislike of the “Little Corporal.” However, if the madman must see the pieces, it is clear that something is in the bust he is seeking. 

The fifth bust adds fodder to the theory that this case identifies Holmes’s date of birth. If the month was the fourth, could this fifth bust possibly indicate the fifth day. Note that as Holmes and Watson depart to Chiswick, Watson “was not surprised when Holmes suggested that I should take my revolver with me. He had himself picked up the loaded hunting-crop which was his favourite weapon.” They are about to lie in wait in the dark, hoping to snare the man who has expended so much energy breaking busts of Napoleon. How many times has Holmes referred to Professor Moriarty as “The Napoleon of Crime.” With Moriarty gone, Colonel Moran was captured in a similar manner in Camden House on 5th April 1894. As they head for their destination that fateful night in 1894, Watson remembers “It was indeed like old times when, at that hour, I found myself seated beside him in a hansom, my revolver in my pocket and the thrill of adventure in my heart.” And so it was as they headed to Chiswick the four wheeler—another reference to four. 

However, it is the sixth Napoleon that contains the Borgia Pearl. Since Lestrade is present as Holmes reveals the pearl in the sixth bust, why does the detective not take possession of the stolen pearl? True, Holmes went to great pains to ascertain that he owned the bust by having the good doctor sign a receipt. “You will kindly sign that paper, Mr. Sandeford, in the presence of these witnesses. It is simply to say that you transfer every possible right that you ever had in the bust to me.” It amazes me that Sanderford did not suspect the bust contained something of value when Holmes offered to pay almost ten times what had paid for it. Although it may well have made a rather mysterious jewel his for a moment, it is doubtful that Holmes will be allowed to keep the gem; and that he will return the pearl to its rightful owner.