Marcel and the Shakespeare Letters

Marcel  is  a  French  mouse.  He's  a  detective  and  he  lives  in  Paris.  But  Marcel  doesn't  live  in  Paris.  All  year.  Every  November,  he  visits  London.

His  old  friend  Henry  has  a  small  flat  there.  Marcel  loves  London.  The  beautiful  buildings,  the  big  black  taxis,  the  museums  and  shops.  He  loves  Paris,  but  he  loves  London,  too.  This  story  is  about  one  of  Marcel's  November  holidays.

It  starts  at  03:00  on  a  Tuesday  afternoon.  Marcel  is  walking  from  Knightsbridge  station  to  Henry's  flat.  He  has  two  heavy  bags  with  him.  Henry's  address  is  42  Old  Wilton  Street.  Marcel  looks  at  the  numbers.

36  38  40.  Yes,  here  it  is.  Number  42.  He  sees  a  sign.  It  says  Professor  J.

T.  Barton.  Marcel  looks  at  it  and  thinks,  that's  new.  Then  he  goes  down  to  Henry's  flat.  Henry  opens  the  door  and  smiles.

Marseille,  he  says.  Come  in,  come  in.  Hello,  Henry,  Marcel  says.  How  are  you?  His  English  is  very  good.

I'm  very  well.  And  you?  Yes,  thanks.  Good.  Henry  takes  Marcel's  coat.

Now,  he  says,  let's  have  some  tea.  The  two  friends  sit  in  big  chairs.  They  drink  tea  and  talk.  At  05:00,  Marcel  says,  there's  a  new  person  in  number  42.  What's  his  name?

Burton  barnum?  Barton,  Henry  says.  Professor  Barton.  Henry  says.  Professor  Barton.

He's  very,  very  clever.  And  that's  not  all.  After  tomorrow,  he's  going  to  be  famous.  Too  famous.  Marcel  looks  at  his  English  friend.

Why?  It's  a  very  interesting  story,  Henry  says.  He  has  some  letters.  They  were  under  the  floor  of  an  old  woman's  house  in  Oxford.  A  learned,  marcel  says.

And  they're  from  Shakespeare  to  his  son.  Henry  says.  Shakespeare?  Yes.  Henry  smiles.

Shakespeare.  The  old  lady  telephoned  Professor  Barton  and  the  professor  visited  her.  They  talked  about  the  letters  and  she  said,  I  want  to  give  them  to  the  British  Museum  in  London.  Can  you  do  that  for  me?  And  Professor  Barton  said,  yes,  that's  right.

Where  are  the  letters  now?  Marcel  asks.  In  the  professor's  flat.  He's  going  to  give  them  to  the  British  Museum  tomorrow  morning  at  10:00.  A  lot  of  journalists  and  TV  people  are  going  to  be  there.

Suddenly  there's  a  big  bang  and  then  a  long  whiz.  What's  that  noise?  Marcel  asks.  He  goes  to  the  window.  Then  he  remembers.

Oh,  fireworks.  Of  course.  It's  the  5  November.  Your  quat  guy.  Fox  Day.

Then  a  man  walks  down  the  steps  from  42  Old  Wilton  Street.  Marcel  looks  at  him.  Er  tent.  Professor  Barton.  She  asks.

Yes,  Henry  answers.  He  always  goes  to  the  cinema  on  Tuesday  evenings.  AHA,  Marcel  says.  Why  do  you  say  AHA?  Henry  looks  at  his  French  friend.

Then  suddenly  he  understands  friend.  Then  suddenly  he  understand.  Oh,  you  want  to  look  at  the  Shakespeare  letters.  He  smiles.  Okay.

Why  not?  After  tea,  the  two  mice  visit  Professor  Barton's  flat.  There's  a  small  hole  near  the  front  door.  Henry  stops  in  front  of  it.  Here  we  are,  he  says.

Do  you  want  to  go  in  first?  No,  no,  after  you,  Marcel  says.  At  5.55.  They're  in  the  professor's  flat.  It's  very  big,  with  a  lot  of  old  chairs  and  books.

There  are  some  beautiful  pictures,  too.  Come  with  me,  henry  says.  He  walks  across  the  floor.  Then  he  starts  to  climb  a  very  tall  bookcase.  Marcel  is  behind  him.

They  go  up  and  up  and  up  and  up  for  a  long  time.  Then  Marcel  sits  on  Charles  Dickens's  book,  Little  Dorett.  He  can  hear  a  lot  of  fireworks  in  the  street.  Bang,  bang.  Bang.

Bang,  bang.  They  go  we  POW  hoosh.  There's  a  small  white  button  in  the  bookcase.  Henry  smiles  at  Marseille  and  presses  it.  Suddenly,  some  of  the  books  start  to  move.

Why  are  they  moving?  Marcel  says.  Then  he  understands.  Ah,  I  understand.  There's  a  safe.

Yes,  Henry  says.  Now,  you  stay  here.  I'm  going  to  open  it.