Young Sherlock
Season 1 – Episode 4
Episode title: The Case of the Missing Button
Original release date: March 4, 2026
Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Dónal Finn, Zine Tseng, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, Colin Firth
Opening theme: “Days Are Forgotten” by Kasabian
Episode plot: Sherlock visits his mother Cordelia in the asylum, where he discovers a hidden recording device in her room. He breaks her out and brings her to the Holmes family home with Moriarty. Cordelia’s repeated warning about “the man with the bird’s claw” leads Sherlock to deduce she is describing Professor Malik’s distinctive walking cane – suggesting Malik has been secretly recording her. Sherlock and Moriarty question the imposter in her cell; she reveals a safe house and confirms Malik is connected to whoever orchestrated the murders. The real Princess Shou’an tells Hodge that her captors spoke of meeting Malik at a ruined medieval abbey. Meanwhile, Mycroft and Sherlock find solicitor Lawson Jaggers apparently murdered and a recording cylinder sabotaged to conceal what passed between him and Cordelia. At the abbey, Hodge confronts Malik, who reveals he betrayed Hodge because he feared his discoveries would be stolen; Hodge then collapses and dies – apparently poisoned. The imposter escapes custody, and the Holmes family father Silas unexpectedly arrives.
* * *
Transcript
Note for Students & Writers: This transcript is archived here for educational purposes, critical analysis, and screenwriting study. All rights belong to the original creators.
Mr Holmes…
[knocks on door]
[Sherlock] Mother?
Stand back from the door.
[grunts]
Sherlock, you’re in trouble, darling?
Oh.
What a good idea.
Sit down.
“The man with the bird’s claw.”
Did you say those words to anyone else?
No.
You didn’t tell anyone apart from me and Mycroft?
I tried to tell you. He’s coming back for me.
Who’s he?
[whispers] They’re listening.
The whirring.
Always the whirring.
I-I couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t believe me.
Can you hear it now?
[crackly whirring]
I do.
[sighs]
I hear it.
[poker clanks]
[grunts]
[Cordelia] Sherlock.
[Sherlock] What in God’s name…
Oh, what fun.
[Cordelia grunts]
What is it?
[crackly whirring]
Some sort of listening device.
You were right, Mother.
Someone has been recording you.
[pounding]
[orderly] Open the door!
Time to leave.
[pounding continues]
[orderly] Open up!
Mr Holmes!
Wait.
[pounding continues]
[grunts]
[Cordelia whispers] Sherlock.
[indistinct chatter]
[ballroom music playing]
Shall we take the floor?
Now, I never was very good at this. You did try to teach me.
[Cordelia] You always had two left feet.
[Sherlock] Still do.
One, two, three. One, two, three.
One, two, three.
[both] One, two, three. One, two, three.
Look at me, Mother. Just us.
You, me, and the music.
[gasps]
[grunting]
[electricity buzzing]
[groaning]
[thud]
[panting]
See how you like it.
I think he liked it. [panting]
Are we making an escape?
[laughs]
Yes.
[horses neighing]
Stop! Thief!
[“Days Are Forgotten” playing]
♪ Hey, son I’m looking forwards ♪
♪ You’re aiming backwards Of this I’m sure ♪
♪ Have you had enough? Are you feeling rough? ♪
♪ Does your skull hurt? Well, if it’s war ♪
♪ I’m waiting ♪
♪ Right here now I’m waiting ♪
♪ For someone or something ♪
♪ To take me To take me over ♪
♪ Days ♪
♪ Days are forgotten ♪
♪ Now it’s all over ♪
♪ You’ve simply forgotten How to disappear ♪
[music ends]
[inmates clamouring, chattering]
[inmate] Get out of here!
You’ve got an appointment, Princess.
[clamouring continues]
[chains rattle]
Two bushels.
What?
Your weight. Just approximate.
[Hodge] For the drop.
Because if the rope’s too short, then your neck won’t snap, and then you’ll be left slowly choking.
It’s a rather undignified way to shuffle off this mortal coil, wouldn’t you agree?
Eight stone, I’d guess. 7’10” drop.
Did you know that the first account of execution by hanging is in Homer’s Odyssey?
No, I did not know that, sir. Fascinating.
Is this supposed to intimidate me?
No, it’s supposed to kill you.
I know about British justice.
You’re not allowed to play both judge and executioner.
Cheerio.
In five…
In four…
Are you counting down? [scoffs]
Why are you killing my scientists?
In three…
Handler!
I work through a handler.
And he works for?
Not my place to ask.
Only my place to light the fuse and walk away.
In two…
I receive instructions.
I’m a hired gun, that is all.
Then you’re of no further use to me. In one.
What the hell are you doing?
I think you’ll find I don’t answer to you, Mycroft.
We don’t torture prisoners, sir.
[panting]
There are rules. Protocol.
This woman is trying to destroy me, and I will have my satisfaction.
[creaking]
And you have every right, sir. Every right.
But consider this, if you would.
You’re out of favour with the Foreign Secretary, are you not?
Do you really wish to alienate him further by not consulting with him on such a delicate matter as this?
May I remind you, she is our only link to whoever is killing your scientists, sir.
I was merely endeavouring to loosen her lips.
But we are Englishmen.
Has to mean something.
And in a changing world, how much do you think you’re going to achieve with your Queensbury rules and your absurd sense of fair play, hmm?
[inmates jeering]
Loosen the ropes.
[sighs]
[whistles]
[door creaks]
[James whistling]
Alas, poor Yorick.
I knew him, Horatio.
[horse neighs]
[Silas] I’m afraid there’s going to have to be some changes around here.
I’m needed abroad on an expedition.
Mycroft, I have arranged a government clerkship for you in London.
Thank you, Father.
Sherlock…
I know you’re not going to want to hear this, but…
Your mother and I think it’s best if you went to boarding school.
I don’t want to leave.
[Silas] Be strong, my boy.
Mother?
We’re here.
Hmm.
Oh, you brought me home.
You’re safe now.
Yes, let’s get you sat down
and I’ll light you a fire.
Hello.
Oh! Who’s that?
No, no, Mother, Mother.
This is James. James Moriarty. He’s a friend of mine.
Hello.
Oh, I’m so glad, darling.
Sherlock never had any friends.
Oh, really? [chuckles]
[Cordelia] Mmm.
Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Holmes.
Darling, can you hear that music?
Oh, that sound.
That’s you!
[footsteps departing]
[violin playing]
Bea?
[disembodied giggling]
Oh, Beatrice!
Oh, my darling.
[violin continues]
[Beatrice giggling]
[distorted] Bea!
You’re so beautiful.
[Beatrice, distorted] Come find me.
[giggling]
[Cordelia, normal] Why are you running away from me?
[Cordelia laughs]
Bea! Where are you running off to?
I want to crown you.
[Beatrice giggling]
I want to crown you. Come!
[violin continues playing]
[Beatrice giggling]
[distorted] Come find me, Mummy.
[Cordelia, normal] Beatrice!
Bea?
Beatrice?
Perhaps…
Perhaps we should sit down for a moment, Mother.
All right, let’s– let’s take a seat.
[Cordelia exhales]
[sighs]
[sighs] She is absolutely exhausted.
Will you light a fire? She needs warmth, rest and food.
Yes, Sherlock, where is your father in all of this?
This shouldn’t all be on your shoulders.
He’s in Vienna. He’s a busy man.
It’s all right. I’m here and I’m dealing with this.
What, by breaking her out of the asylum?
They were recording her in there, James.
They were listening to every single word she said.
I had no choice. And Shou’an knew about it.
There’s a man with a bird’s claw. He’s coming back for me.
How did she know?
[echoes] Sherlock!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
No, no, no. No, no, no, darling. I have to find her.
She’s sinking. She’s sinking.
She’s not here, Mother.
She’s sinking! She’s sinking!
She’s not! No, she’s not! She’s gone!
Beatrice!
I need to save her!
Beatrice!
Come on, Mother.
Well done.
Right, let’s get you warm and dry.
[speaking indistinctly]
[door opens]
Stop right there. You are not taking her…
Master Holmes!
Crowle.
I do apologise.
I heard the commotion.
Yes. [sighs]
Mrs Holmes.
Mr Crowle, it’s so delightful to see you.
You, too, Mrs Holmes. We weren’t expecting you.
Or we would’ve had the house ready.
Tell me, does Dr Maltby still live in the village?
He does, yes.
[Sherlock] Would you fetch him, please?
How is Mrs Crowle?
Oh, she’s well, thank you.
Right away, please, Crowle. I rather need his help.
Of course.
For your head.
[groans] More trouble than she’s worth.
Electric shock has clearly fried your faculties, Philpot.
No Cordelia Holmes, no money.
And I rather like money.
Do you follow?
Find her.
And quickly.
As you wish… sir.
[electricity buzzes]
[Cordelia] Razor talons.
Sharp as knives.
So vivid.
Sweetheart, there is nothing you can do.
He is coming back for me, the man with the bird’s claw.
Who is it you’re talking about, Mrs Holmes?
[knocking on door]
[clears throat]
Right, stand back, please. Let’s, um, not crowd the patient.
Ah!
Hello, Cordelia.
Can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you again, even in such circumstances.
But don’t you worry. We’re going to get you right as rain.
Do you know what she was prescribed at the asylum?
Alkaloids, I believe.
Ah, right, yes. Well, she’s obviously suffering from withdrawals.
Perhaps I can give you something else, something to clear the fog a little.
It’s all right, Mother. He’s not like the others.
He’s here to help you.
[Maltby] Right, Cordelia.
I want you to take two of these with some water, please.
Here we go.
Down the hatch.
Your mother’s in trouble, Sherlock.
She’ll get better.
Yes, I believe that she will, but that’s not what I’m referring to.
Shou’an knows about those recordings.
Now, we don’t know whether she’s responsible for them, but either way, this does connect your mother to the murders in Oxford.
So how can we say that she’s safe here?
We can’t.
“The man with the bird’s claw.” You have no idea what she means?
My mind is blank.
Well, then maybe it’s not a person, hmm?
Bird’s claw, it’s a phrase, or a place, or a thing.
Perhaps it’s some sort of crest. The bird’s claw.
Good. Good. So whose crest? Someone at the asylum?
Or someone at Oxford.
[James] Sherlock?
I’ve got nothing.
Perhaps I was wrong.
Words I never thought I’d hear you say.
No, perhaps I was wrong about the crest. Perhaps it’s some other sort of symbol.
The answer to many of life’s problems lie at the bottom of a glass.
♪ The best thing in nature ♪
♪ For drowning your sorrows ♪
♪ For raising your joy ♪
♪ And God knows I wonder ♪
♪ If lightning and thunder ♪
♪ Were made from the plunder ♪
♪ Of whiskey, me boys ♪
I’ve seen it somewhere. Where have I seen it?
Bird claw.
It’s Professor Malik.
Well, go on.
Professor Malik has a cane.
Yes.
And his cane…
Yes?
…has a bird’s claw.
[laughing]
All right.
Bravo!
So if I am correct, if it is Malik, what’s his business with my mother? What’s his why? What’s his incentive?
Well, Shou’an knows about those recordings.
So perhaps she can answer that. So perhaps you need to ask her.
I took the liberty of rustling a little something up, Master Holmes.
I thought you’d be hungry after the night you’ve had.
Yes, thank you, Mrs Crowle. That’s very, very thoughtful.
But we need to pop into town for a few hours, so I’ll need you to look after my mother.
She’ll want for nothing, Master Holmes.
There’s ammunition in my father’s study.
Don’t let anyone into this house.
Understood.
And if you need to send word, you can reach us at Oxford police station.
James?
A man can’t think on an empty stomach.
Thank you, Mrs Crowle.
You’re welcome.
Thank you, Mrs Crowle.
[horses snorting]
Stolen?
Borrowed.
Hmm. Lovely.
From the asylum.
Ah, I’m starting to appreciate your thieving ways, Sherlock.
Get on!
It’s a far cry from a pocket watch.
[gasps]
Would you stop creeping up on me?
Well?
What is it?
[Mycroft] You did what?
She is at home and she is safe. Mrs Crowle is looking after her.
They were recording her, Mycroft. I don’t know what you expected me to do.
How about not breaking her out of the asylum, for starters?
How about going one single day without breaking the law?
Sounds a very disappointing life.
I can’t imagine what Father’s going to say.
I would imagine he’d be pleased at one of us showing some initiative.
We should wire him. He could sort this out.
Are you quite well, hmm?
Have you fallen down and bumped your head on something hard?
Professor Malik was at the asylum.
He must have been the one recording her. Mother gave me a description.
Of him?
Of his cane. The man with the bird’s claw.
You were there, Mycroft.
Sherlock, she rambles.
There’s always an outside chance she’s gonna accidentally say something half plausible.
Apis mellifera.
No, no, no, no.
The honeybees. Yes, Mycroft. The honeybees.
Yes, I know about the honeybees.
I don’t.
When we were little, we had a hive. Apis mellifera.
I watched the bees and I told Mycroft that I’d seen them dancing.
And you called me foolish.
“Witless” was the word I used.
[Sherlock] I then went and checked with Father–
And he said that honeybees do a little circling dance
to communicate with each other.
It’s called the tarantella.
And you called me a half-wit.
“Witless” was the word he used.
Well, I wasn’t witless, because I was right.
Glad to see you’re not holding on to a grudge there, Sherlock.
This is the honeybees all over again, Mycroft.
Just because something appears to be random, it doesn’t mean that it is.
Mother said that they were listening to her, and they were.
She’s mentioned the man with the bird’s claw.
Professor Malik has a cane with a bird’s claw.
Yes, but it’s not exactly case closed, is it?
Tell me… where is Professor Malik now?
Well, we are not exactly sure.
He seems to have vanished after last night’s events.
[James] Why would he vanish?
If Shou’an is in a cell, if the threat is gone… then why would he vanish?
Yeah.
Ten minutes with Shou’an.
No.
Nine minutes.
[inmates chattering]
Sherlock!
Mr Patton!
What are you in for this time?
I’m just visiting today.
Remember, prison is in here.
He’s very, uh… I don’t know, Mycroft, what’s the word?
Bothersome.
[laughs]
Vexatious.
Unbearable.
I could empty the dictionary.
Oh, no, no, no. I was thinking he’s very… intense.
Hmm.
How was he like, as a small boy?
Well, growing up in the same house was…
[laughing]
[scoffs]
Yes, I can only imagine.
No, actually, I can’t.
Tell me.
Put it this way.
I took a job in the Foreign Office in pursuit of an easier life.
Wars, famine, that sort of thing.
[Shou’an] I wondered when you and I would be seeing each other again.
I must admit, life has become somewhat tepid without you.
You mind if I sit?
Please. Take the royal throne.
Thank you, Princess.
What game are we playing today?
What game would you like to play?
I’ll let you decide.
How very kind. Why don’t we start by you telling me how my mother is involved?
Ah. English boys and their mothers.
Very touching.
How did you know what she said to me in the asylum?
First principles: the likeliest explanation is always the simplest.
The likeliest explanation would be that you heard her say it.
The recordings.
You had access to them?
Ooh. Lightning fast.
Professor Malik.
Is there a question there?
Why did he visit my mother?
How do you know it was him?
“The man with the bird’s claw.” Clearly a reference to his walking cane.
That was Malik.
There’s a place where I met my handler.
A safe house.
[Cordelia] They’re listening to me.
A whirring all the time.
There’s a man with a bird claw. He’s coming back for me.
This safe house, do you think it’s possible Malik is still there?
Imagine if we combined our talents.
You want Malik. I want him too.
For very different reasons.
I want to find out why he was recording my mother.
You, on the other hand, want to kill him.
Then let’s help each other.
The final act we can debate later.
Where is this safe house?
You are going to have to give up something.
I very much doubt Hodge is going to let you out of here until you do.
But that is preposterous. Slanderous.
Professor Malik works for me. Why on earth would he be at this– this–
Safe house, sir.
Safe house.
There is nothing in Malik’s file to suggest any nefarious activity.
All I know is what I saw.
I should have hanged you this morning.
Get her out of here.
Hold on.
I didn’t see him at the gala.
[Bucephalus] Who?
Professor Malik.
When I came through the wall at the gala, I didn’t see him.
All of the other professors were there at the table, except him.
Yes, but…
He left.
[Bucephalus] …of Her Majesty’s empire.
Don’t take the empire for granted.
We may live to regret it.
During your speech, sir.
I thought it odd at the time. Why would anyone leave my speech?
I assumed the poor fellow had bladder issues.
Were you given an exact time to carry out the explosion?
[Shou’an] Eight o’clock.
My instructions were quite explicit on that point.
Unless Malik had a conveniently life-saving desire to urinate, I think it fair to say he knew the bomb would go off at 8:00.
[Mycroft] If he is in this safe house, sir, and if he is indeed working against your interests, wouldn’t you rather know?
Let’s go, Constable.
[Shou’an] Front and back doors are sealed with plate metal.
Bars on the windows half an inch thick.
Basement has a coded lock.
I want an officer by her side at all times.
I’ll take Sherlock.
You think she gets to choose who babysits her?
No, sir.
No, sir.
Sherlock or no one.
Or send me back to my cell.
And you can find Malik yourself.
Why are you doing this?
Because there’s a chance it keeps me alive.
No, why are you after Malik? Why are you killing professors?
It’s what I am paid to do.
I don’t believe that.
Do you trust me?
Of course I don’t trust you. You know I don’t trust you.
[chuckles]
And nor I you.
The code is Hydra.
Seventeen stars in the southern sky.
[clanking]
[grunting]
All yours.
Don’t force my hand.
Right, come on!
[grunting]
Thank you.
No, thank you.
[screaming]
Malik.
[screaming continues]
[speaking mandarin, muffled]
[speaking Mandarin]
Your Highness.
May I present to you the real Princess Shou’an.
Your Highness, Sir Bucephalus Hodge.
I only wish that our first meeting had been under more salubrious circumstances.
Trust me when I tell you that I have spared no expense in my search for you.
O’Shea, send a wire immediately to the Foreign Secretary.
O’Shea…
Be sure to tell him I found her.
[O’Shea] Yes, sir.
This is where I saw Professor Malik listening.
Sherlock?
Your mother.
All of her recordings.
[static crackling]
[Cordelia] I had a little pony, his name was Dapple Grey.
I lent him to a lady to ride a mile.
She whipped him and she slashed him, and she…
[electricity buzzing]
[sobbing] Make it…
[electricity buzzing]
[screaming] Make it stop!
I’m so sorry.
Why would anybody want to do this?
While you were detained by these nefarious individuals, did you, by any chance, happen to see… this man?
No.
You see, I knew he would never have been embroiled in this unsavoury business, Mycroft.
You see, unlike you, Professor Malik understands the meaning of loyalty.
Malik?
Yes.
You recognise his name?
Yes, they mentioned him.
Perhaps you misheard.
I did not.
Only yesterday they talked of visiting him.
Your Highness, did they say where?
“At Abdon. Behind the locks.”
That’s all I heard.
Sherlock, all of these are transcripts of the recordings.
Her entire life is laid out in here.
This is a record of her visitors. Myself, my brother, my father.
There’s a “Lawson Jaggers”. A lawyer.
[James] Is that someone you know?
[Sherlock] No.
[James] When did Jaggers last visit?
Friday, August 11th. 10 o’clock.
Sherlock, that page has been torn out of the transcriptions.
August 11th, 10 o’clock?
[Sherlock] Yes.
[static crackling]
[director] Mr Jaggers’ here to see you.
Mrs Holmes, charming to see you again.
I’ll leave you two to talk.
Hmm.
New rooms, I see. Very nice.
Now, perhaps we might continue with our previous matter of business.
[recording crackles]
[clicks]
It’s been scratched.
The cylinder. It’s…
Sabotaged.
Someone must have been rather keen to make sure we don’t find out what’s on there.
Ah, Sherlock. What’s all this?
They’re recordings of our mother.
All of them.
[stammers] Why would someone do this to her, Sherlock?
We are working on that.
We have a lead on the potential whereabouts of Professor Malik.
Um, obviously, Hodge wants to pursue it himself, but…
No, you find Professor Malik.
Right.
You find out why he’s been doing this.
You have my word.
And we will pay a visit to this Lawson Jaggers fellow and see what business he’s had with our mother.
[Mycroft] Wait, who…
Where is she?
Shou’an, or whatever the hell her real name is. Where is she?
She– She was here just a moment ago.
Damn you, Holmes, if she’s escaped, you will be held personally responsible.
I have men on all the doors. There’s no way she could have got out.
How could she have possibly slipped–
Wait.
O’Shea, consider yourself my hunting hound.
[whispers] Don’t bring her back.
This is why she brought us here. You’re an idiot, Holmes. She duped you.
[Shou’an] Get out of the way!
Wait! Stop!
[grunts]
Move! Out of the way!
[O’Shea] Stop right there!
[gun clicks]
[gunshots]
[body thuds]
[Lestrade] There is no “Abdon” on the map.
She said “behind the locks”. Now, could it be somewhere on the canal?
Could Abdon be the name of a boat?
We keep a register of boats and vessels somewhere.
But where is O’Shea?
He hasn’t reported back yet, sir.
This is becoming a bloody fiasco!
Find Professor Malik, damn it, man!
Thinks he can betray me? I’ll rip his bloody head off!
Might I ask exactly what the Princess said, sir?
She said they were meeting Professor Malik at Abdon.
Behind the locks.
Abdon and Sennen.
They’re ancient Catholic martyrs.
If I may.
There’s a ruined medieval abbey not far from Oxford.
It was once dedicated to them.
“Behind the locks”?
The locks of Marian.
Ah.
An old relic believed to have been kept at the abbey.
According to legend, it was the hair of Mary, mother of Jesus.
Well, I never, Edie. How did you know this?
My father encouraged me to read, sir.
Oh. Why don’t you know this, Mycroft?
A little scratchy on my esoteric Christian martyrs, sir.
Where is this ruined abbey?
There, sir.
Shou’an’s making a good habit of beating you.
Nonsense.
As a matter of fact, I think you’ll find I helped her to regain her liberty.
Oh, I see. So you knew about the passageway?
You knew she was going to escape?
I simply decided the world was a more interesting place with her in it.
Mm-hmm.
What a load of shite.
[James] Ah, Lawson Jaggers, Esquire.
[groans] Smells interesting.
[sniffs, coughs]
Are you all ready?
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, James.
Well, this is how I like to skin my cats.
[door creaks]
[flies buzzing]
Oh, dear Lord.
That’s the last of Jaggers, Esquire.
Mrs Holmes, how charming to see you again.
Is that blood?
[sniffs]
Sign of a struggle.
He got in a scrap.
So someone erases his conversations with my mother.
And then he finds himself unceremoniously erased.
A rather convenient suicide, don’t you think?
Diaries. Might tell you what business he had with your mother.
[Sherlock] I am going to report this.
To the police?
Yes.
And do their jobs for them?
Because I have been suspected of murder before, and I would rather it didn’t happen again.
Seneca says the problem with this life is not that it’s short.
It’s that we waste an awful lot of it dicking about.
[metallic clink]
I’d like to report a death.
Lawson Jaggers. Solicitor. 4 Alba Lane.
And you are?
Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes?
We have a wire for you.
[James] Sherlock?
Hyah! Giddyap!
[stammers] Sherlock.
[Cordelia] Let me go!
[people clamouring]
[Sherlock] Mother?
Sherlock!
Mother! Get off her! Unhand her! Unhand her now!
She requires help. She needs to be somewhere she can be cared for.
I’m so sorry, Sherlock, I was only gone for a moment.
Don’t you worry, Crowle. They won’t be taking her anywhere.
I believe you’ll find I have jurisdiction over her.
[gun clicks]
And I believe you’ll find I have jurisdiction over this.
Is the double-barrelled 12-bore hammer gun not persuasive enough for you?
Let her go.
Thank you.
We’re only acting in her best interests.
You knew, didn’t you?
You knew about the recordings. About Professor Malik.
Why did he do it?
You’ll have to ask him.
I was merely paid to look the other way.
I am so sorry, Mother.
I’m so sorry. I should never have left you.
Can I respectfully suggest that ye all fuck off?
[officer] Right, move up!
You’re quite sure this is the place?
Quite sure, sir.
Lestrade, I want it on the record that I was the one who blew this case wide open.
Yes, of course, sir.
I think I saw movement by the church, sir.
I wish to be the one to apprehend him.
Very good, sir.
[twigs snapping]
Good day to you, Bucephalus.
Kishore Malik.
So it’s true. My very own personal Judas.
There is nothing that can’t be sacrificed in the pursuit of science.
“Knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.”
Don’t quote the Bard at me, sir.
Don’t dress up your grubby greed in noble sentiment.
You were going to sell my project to the highest bidder.
What was it, I wasn’t paying you enough?
Greed, pure and simple.
As if you stand for anything else.
I stand for Queen and country, sir.
To be an Englishman is to win the lottery of life.
Something I remind myself of each and every day.
Can I help it if I stand to make the odd penny from my tireless dedication to the cause?
I did not betray you, sir, for money.
I betrayed you because what I discovered could change the world entirely.
And I couldn’t bear to see you take credit for my discoveries.
For history to forget me.
Oh, but it will, sir.
I will go down as the man who built the Empire.
You, on the other hand, will be forgotten even by your own mother.
Oh, just one request, before I bid you adieu.
I mean, if you’d be so accommodating, who did you betray me for?
The Prussians?
Ottomans?
Take your hand out of your pocket, man.
[gunshot]
[birds cawing]
[officers speaking indistinctly]
Hodge?
Hodge!
Right, fan out! Malik can’t have gone far.
[officer speaking indistinctly]
Has he been shot?
Uh. [breathes shakily]
There’s-There’s… There’s no blood. Uh…
There’s no bullet hole. Nothing.
Sir Bucephalus?
[groans]
He’s not– He’s not breathing.
He’s dead.
[James] Guns and hot toddies.
Jesus, you’re a woman after my own heart, Mrs Crowle.
Mrs Crowle.
Thank you.
You’re welcome.
Must have felt very good, that slap.
Oh, James. [laughs]
It was such a tonic.
[chuckles]
So, what now?
We’re still no closer to figuring out why you were involved in any of this.
[Shou’an] The likeliest explanation is always the simplest.
[indistinct whispering]
[director] I was merely paid to look the other way.
[banging on door]
Darling.
[Silas] Sherlock.
My boy. I heard you had a spot of bother.
[“The Man Comes Around” playing]
♪ There’s a man goin’ ’round Takin’ names ♪
♪ And he decides who to free And who to blame ♪
♪ Everybody won’t be treated All the same ♪
♪ There’ll be a golden ladder Reachin’ down ♪
♪ When the man comes around ♪
♪ The hairs on your arm will stand up ♪
♪ At the terror in each sip And in each sup ♪
♪ Will you partake Of that last offered cup ♪
♪ Or disappear into the potter’s ground? ♪
♪ When the man comes around ♪
♪ The whirlwind is in the thorn tree ♪
♪ It’s hard for thee to kick Against the prick ♪
♪ In measured hundredweight And penny pound ♪
♪ When the man comes around ♪
♪ And I hear a voice in the midst Of the four beasts ♪
