The Water Room(46)

‘Oh, I think there’s a penis.’

May looked surprised. ‘I don’t see that. Are you sure?’

‘Quite sure. It’s rather faint.’ Bryant slid the bone panel under a sheet of paper and ran a pencil back and forth across the top. ‘See it now?’ He held up the rubbed sheet. ‘It isn’t just any penis, either. I’ve seen this before.’ He had that knowing smile on his face that May had come to dread, the one that said, I know something you don’t.

‘Go on, then. You’re dying to tell me.’

‘Look at the base. It’s a penis that’s not attached to a body. It’s got wings—you can just make out the traces. See these tall flowers in the background—they’re lotus leaves. And the other ones intertwined—that’s papyrus.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘The lotus flower and the papyrus reed are the symbols of Lower and Upper Egypt. When they’re tied together like this, a new meaning is created, an indication of unity and strength. These are very common symbols, especially when used in conjunction with river glyphs. Rivers feature strongly in Egyptian mythology because life springs from the waters of the Nile. But the penis . . .’ He scratched thoughtfully at his unshaven chin. ‘According to Plutarch, Osiris was killed by his evil brother Seth, who tricked him into climbing inside a coffin which he then cast into the sea. He later ripped the corpse into fourteen pieces and threw them into the Nile. Isis and her sister Nephthys found all the pieces except the phallus, which had been swallowed by a crocodile, and buried them. They gave new life to Osiris, who stayed in the underworld as its judge and ruler. The penis of Osiris is therefore a potent symbol of fertility and rebirth.’

‘Very interesting. But does it have anything to do with Greenwood?’

‘It’s an Osiris bracelet representing death as a male and rebirth as a woman. It could simply mean the loss of the sun and the arrival of the moon, or any other great change. The flight symbolism is interesting. A winged penis was a Tudor icon used by the prostitutes of south London, specifically the ones working near the river between Blackfriars and Lambeth.’

‘Is the bracelet old?’

‘No, it’s probably quite recent. Things like this are still sold all over the Upper Nile. The symbolism is clearly connected with the site of its discovery. The bracelet cord and clasp are unbroken; it didn’t fall off someone’s wrist.’

‘I wonder why it was left there.’

‘I think we can work that out, John. Old beliefs never die. There’s hardly a building or thoroughfare in London that doesn’t contain a token somewhere in or under its construction. A more interesting question is who left it. We should congratulate Bimsley on his discovery.’ Bryant pinned the bracelet on the wall behind his desk. ‘While you were out in the field, Meera and I did a bit of research. The demolished building you entered was once the headquarters of Carolson Watchmakers, who bought it from a violin manufacturer. We know that violins were first produced from this address in 1835, which would lead me to believe that the building would be listed, despite being invisible from the road. But Meera checked with the council and it appears to be a legal demolition. The site has recently been purchased by a development company, and if Jackson Ubeda is involved, his name certainly doesn’t appear on the company register. All we can really do is wait for Greenwood to return to the spot.’

‘Let’s suppose he has a way of getting into the remaining Fleet tunnel,’ May suggested. ‘You said it doesn’t pass beneath any important buildings on its way to the river, but you may be wrong. There’s a discreet bank behind Ludgate Circus, a new one with smoked-glass windows and ram-raid-prevention bars, that deals with fund transfers from the Upper Nile. I think your first idea wasn’t so barmy after all, Arthur. Jackson Ubeda was born in Tennessee, but according to his file he’s of Egyptian extraction.’

‘You think he’s about to drop in on an old friend?’

‘Or an enemy.’ He helped Bryant gather up the maps. ‘There’s not a jot of evidence, of course, which means we’ll have to hope that Greenwood decides to go spelunking while we can still afford to keep an eye on him.’

‘I have a better idea,’ said Bryant. ‘Janice, would you step in here a moment?’

‘You won’t be able to bellow at me when they finally put a door on your office,’ Longbright warned. ‘What do you want?’

‘Tell me, do you own any valuable jewellery?’

‘On my salary? Don’t be ridiculous.’