Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk by Boris Akunin

delivered a new letter from New Ararat that shocked and astounded the bishop, Berdichevsky, and Pelagia, while at the same time explaining a great deal.
    But then why should we attempt to explain in our own words, when that will only confuse matters? Here is the document itself. As they say, any comment is superfluous.
    Reverend Bishop
    I am not certain that you are in fact the person to whom this letter should be addressed, but there is no one here who knows the place of residence or family circumstances of the young man who was staying at the Noah's Ark Hotel under the name of Alexei Stepanovich Lentochkin. On the table in the room that he occupied, an envelope was discovered bearing the words “To His Reverence Father Mitrofanii, the Episcopal Residence, Zavolzhsk,” with a blank piece of paper lying beside it, as if Lentochkin were intending to write you a letter, but did not have enough time to do so. And therefore I am writing to Your Grace in the hope that you know this youth and will be able to inform his relatives of the misfortune that has befallen him, and provide me with any details in your possession concerning his life hitherto, since this is of great importance in selecting the correct method of treatment.
    Mr. Lentochkin (if that is his real name) is suffering from an extremely acute form of mental disturbance that excludes any possibility of transporting him off the island. At dawn this morning he came dashing into the psychiatric clinic that I run in such a lamentable state that I have been obliged to keep him here. He does not reply to any questions, but keeps mumbling, over and over again, Credo, credo, Domine , from time to time declaiming incoherent, entirely delirious monologues. Apart from the obvious inadvisability of moving the patient from place to place, as a medical man I find the nature of his mania interesting. I assume that you have heard about my clinic, but you might possibly not know that I do not undertake the treatment of absolutely any mental malady, but only those that have been little studied by the science of psychiatry. Lentochkin is precisely such a case.
    I will not burden you with all the sad details, since I am still not absolutely certain that you are acquainted with my new patient. In view of the religious theme of his ravings (which are obscure and almost totally incoherent), one might easily assume that Lentochkin had decided to write to the provincial bishop just as others in my care write to His Highness the Emperor of Russia, the Pope of Rome, or the Emperor of China.
    However, if you do happen to know how to contact Lentochkin's relatives, please do not delay. I know from experience that with very few exceptions the condition of patients of his kind deteriorates very rapidly and soon leads to a fatal outcome.
    I remain Your Reverences
    most respectful servant ,
    Donat Savvich Korovin, Doctor of Medicine

The Second Expedition
    THE ADVENTURES OF THE MAN OF COURAGE
    THIS DEPLORABLE NEW turn of events (it was, indeed, rather surprising that it had not actually been foreseen by such clever people) gave rise to a new quarrel about who should go, but eventually the bishop insisted on his original choice and the chief of police was dispatched to New Ararat. This outcome was, however, preceded by a sharp argument between Mitrofanii and Sister Pelagia (on the question of Lagrange, Matvei Bentsionovich maintained his neutrality and therefore said nothing for most of the time).
    The argument concerned the Gordian knot. It began with the prelate comparing Lagrange to the resolute Alexander, who, finding himself unable to untie the intricate knot, had found an excellent way out of his awkward situation by simply slicing it in two with his sword. In His Grace s opinion that was exactly how Lagrange would act if he were to find himself in difficulties: as a military man he would not capitulate in the face of any baffling conundrum, but tackle it head-on, which could prove to be the most