Part 1 (1/2)
ENCOUNTERS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
BRAND-NEW TALES OF THE GREAT DETECTIVE
Edited by George Mann
INTRODUCTION
What is it about the character of Sherlock Hol creation? When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first sat down to set pen to paper, could he ever have iacy his creation would inspire? I do not believe, even in his wildest dreams, that Doyle could have envisioned the -addicted, charisht develop into one of the world's best known and most loved fictional creations, let alone the fact his stories would go on to inspire an entire sub-genre of detective fiction
When Doyle, tired of his character and looking for a reprieve, sent Hol to his death over the Reichenbach Falls, the public outcry was so cacophonous that Doyle was forced to raise him from the dead Yet the public appetite was such that, even after Doyle's own death in 1930, people continued to hunger for new Holacy of continuing Sherlock Holmes stories, sometimes referred to, perhaps unkindly, as ”pastiches” Indeed, Holmes must, I suspect, be one of the e, and probably in es besides Books, theatre, radio plays, television shows, filacy Holmes has lived a thousand lifetimes, with twice as many adventures, but still he persists, the master of deduction, the te presence can always be felt, lurking on the edges of popular culture
Holmes, it seems, is more than just a character He's an idea, a cipher; a ent hero that, just like Watson, we all want in our lives
This volume, then, serves to fulfil that function, at least for a time: to provide the reader with fourteen brand-new tales of Sherlock Hole patchworkSir Richard Francis Burton, who needs his help to locate a o head to head with AJ Raffles; unravel a bizarre mystery on the Necropolis Express; est of circue; explain the origins of his famous Persian slipper andtheir own adventures, although Hol quietly to manipulate events from behind the scenes
I hope you read on to enjoy these ”encounters” of Sherlock Holh to be the first to read them as I've assembled this volume, and I already knohat treats lay in store So, without further ado, allow me to offer you one simple reassurance - the spirit of Sherlock Holae Mann
September 2012
THE LOSS OF CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
BY MARK HODDER
Throughoutacquaintance with Sherlock Holained into his remarkable mind and the wholly unique manner in which it functioned Over the years, as these revelations accuift of observational and deductive intellect was also a terrible curse, for it robbed him of those warmer aspects of personality which we depend upon for the establishment and maintenance of friendshi+ps and emotional attachments Indeed, Holather and co probabilities and interconnections until some final set of correspondences was revealed in which lay the solution to whatever problem had been set before hi, not only because it so separated him froarded as little more than a functional coarded as insecurity on e it, and I never felt itthe case of The Greek Interpreter, when he finally revealed to ht, shortly after the co up into the early hours, reading and ser, and, out of the blue, blurted, ”Really, Holhed, shi+fted in his ar eyes at
”Why did you never mention Mycroft before?” I continued ”All this time we've known one another, and you kept your brother a secret frolanced into his pipe bowl, leaned over and knocked it against the hearth, and set about refilling it ”I didn't mention him, Watson, simply because there was no reason to do so”
”No reason? Do you not see that the sharing of personal details about one's fa, past and associates establishes deeper bonds of friendshi+p? Is that not reason enough?”
”Do you not consider us friends, then?”
”Of course we're friends! You purposely overlook my use of the word deeper Friendshi+p is not a static thing It thened if it is to survive the naturally degenerative effects of time You make no effort!”
Hol of lect”
”Ha!” I cried out ”Detected! Not felt, but detected! Even in your choice of words you reveal that you do not operate as a norhly cold and dispassionate!”
He struck aat the ste and plu into the air, then e, it would seem I am not dependent upon the fuel of emotive displays and reassurances”
I thren my newspaper in exasperation, jumped to my feet, and paced over to the sideboard to pour myself a drink ”For all your criticism of his sedentary ways, I found Mycroft to be a warmer fellow than you are Your only passion, Hol of puzzles!”
”Not passion,” he responded ”Vocation Look out of the ould you? If I'e has just pulled up outside The sound is soot up while we've been sitting here”
I frowned, annoyed that our conversation had been interrupted, and pulled aside the curtain ”A peasouper I can't see a blessed thing Great heavens!”
My excla that penetrated both the pall and our pane, the words plainly audible ”Absurd! Absurd! It's a shi+lling, I tell you! I'll not be swindled! A shi+lling! A shi+lling and not a ha'penny more, confound you!”
I looked back at Holmes, who arched an eyebrow and said, ”Down the stairs with you, there's a good fellow If paying a cab fare engenders such hysteria, then our street door is about to suffer a dose of unrestrained ha Answer it before Mrs Hudson is roused, would you?”
Laying asideroom, hurried down the staircase, and yanked open the front door just as the first knock iainst it A man of about fifty was on our doorstep He was tiny, barely touching five feet in height, with a fragile-looking slope-shouldered body upon which was ed with bright red hair that curled down around the jawline to for his bowler in the air, he hopped up and down and shrieked, ”Help! Help! Sherlock Holmes!”
”Calm yourself!” said I ”Mr Holmes is just upstairs Allow me to show you up to-”
Before I could finish, the visitor pounced through the door, ducked under my outstretched arm, and scampered up the staircase ”Holmes! Holmes! Murder! Theft! Murder! Help!”
”Hey there! I say!” I protested, setting off in pursuit
The intruder reached the landing and pounded on the first door he ca rooed in
I followed Hol curiously at the apparition that stood twitching and gesticulating wildly in the middle of the room
”Murder! Theft! Murder! Hurry! We can't delay the police for er!”
I opened esture, lay down his pipe, rested his chin on steepled fingers, and continued to watch the bizarre performance
It occurred to me that our visitor's face was somewhat familiar, but he was so wildly animated I found it iue-for the histrionics to end
Three or fourpassed before the man threw his hat onto the floor, spread his arms wide, and said, ”Well?”
”Well,” Holin with your nauest squealed ”What? What? What? My naency of the situation? My naernon Swinburne It's asped, and Holly
”Mr Swinburne is one of ourwhere that particular art was concerned, e didn't extend far beyond the Petrarch he habitually carried in his coat pocket ”His work is extraordinary”
”Poetry be damned!” Swinburne shouted ”By heavens, this could kill Burton! You have to help, Holmes! Get up! Out of that chair! We must leave at once! It's life or death!”
”Who is Burton?” Hol scream of frustration, leaped into the air and landed with both feet on his hat, co it ”Burton! Burton! Sir Richard Francis Burton! Who else would I mean?” He bent, picked up the bowler, punched it back into shape, and suddenly became calm and earnest ”Mr Holht away I will explain all en route We cannot lose a further moment!”
Sherlock Holown, and kicked the slippers from his feet ”Sir Richard Francis Burton, you say? Very well, Mr Swinburne, Watson and I will accoive a full and detailed account of the affair in the most rational manner you can muster By that, I mean less of the dramatics, if you please”
”Rational?” Swinburne exclai the dented hat onto his bald cranium ”I assure you, I'm as rational as I've ever been!” He turned to me ”Dr Watson, do you have your medical kit?”