The Fantastical and Undeniably Indisputable Escapades of Sir Arthur Fauntleroy Bartleby III, Esquire, and his Loyal Manservant Digby – Part 34: The Plot Thickens

Much hi-jinx and PERMISSIBLE SHENANIGANS have pursued our intrepid explorers as they seek the rumored TREASURE OF THE ROMAN IMPERATOR. We return to discover them amid the wild streets of the UNRULY CITY OF CHARLOTTE, North Carolina.

Sir Arthur strode through the intersection without hesitation. Time was running short.

“The secret lies with Charlotte,” Digby said from next to him. “Right smart you were to look in a city named Charlotte. I thought it were a woman, myself. That’s pretty clever, boss.”

“Of course I am, good Digby,” Arthur said. “Now, keep your eyes peeled for anything peculiar. The next clue to the Imperator’s Fortune lays somewhere amid these boulevards.”

They passed another alley crossroad and entered into the shadows of the next row of buildings. The great fortifications towered above them, blotting out the sun, leaving them to scuttle among the rubbish-filled depths like a brace of cockroaches.

“Sure is a lot of webs here, boss,” Digby said, looking amid the debris.

“Yes, there–Wait. What did you say?” Arthur asked, grabbing tightly onto the lapels of Digby’s filthy jacket.

“I… said there was a lot of webs here. Why, boss?”

Ingenious. Digby laughed aloud. “Of course! Don’t you see? It’s so simple! Webs in Charlotte! Charlotte’s Web! The tome written by E.B. White!”

“What’s it about? I’ve never read much, boss.”

“Never panic, Digby! In my many escapades, I stumbled across a reproduction. The book extensively details the misfortunes of a swine named Wilbur.”

“Wilbur? Wasn’t he one of the Wright brothers?” Digby asked.

“On the button, Digby! Orville and Wilbur Wright! And they flew their aeroplane at Kittyhawk! Don’t you see?”

“Kittyhawk, boss? You mean a cat and a bird?”

“Of course! A cat and a bird! Now tell me, Digby, what entity concerning cats and birds was momentous to Imperial Rome?”

Digby was silent a moment. “Uh… the Vatican?”

“The Sphinx! The emblem of their most despised adversary, Egypt! A fusion of bird and cat!”

Digby pondered a moment, the rusty gears of his mind twisting together. “There’s a bird on the Sphinx? Thought it were just a cat. And a man.”

Arthur chuckled. Meager, irrational Digby. So ignorant. “Not a flying bird. Bird as in an attractive woman. And, as you know, the Sphinx is modeled on the visage of the legendary Cleopatra! Our next step lies before the antediluvian monument of the Sphinx! Away, Digby, there’s no time to lose! Back to the aeroplane and then… Egypt awaits!”

Tune in next week as our audacious protagonists infiltrate the darkest reaches of Egypt and dare to step where LOADS OF OTHER MORTALS have stepped before. Will they uncover the TREASURE OF THE ROMAN IMPERATOR? Will the OUTLANDISH HOBO wielding a GOLDEN ABACUS persist in bothering our champions? Find out next week on:

The Fantastical and Undeniably Indisputable Escapades of Sir Arthur Fauntleroy Bartleby III, Esquire, and his Loyal Manservant, Digby – Part 35: Drowning in Denial