#oldacre

[byfaithmedia]

The Crusader tunnels of Acre were hidden for hundreds of years and were rediscovered in 1994. This is where the dream of the Kingdom of Jerusalem ended and the Crusaders understood they needed secret tunnels to take their wealth to the sea.

[sarnie-for-varney]

I just noticed something about some of the actors in Granada Holmes.

A few of the actors (I've only noticed two so far) starred in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).

Charles Gray, who plays Mycroft Holmes (and was first introduced in the The Greek Interpreter episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes), also played The Criminologist in Rocky Horror Picture Show.

While watching the The Norwood Builder episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I noticed that Jonathan Adams portrays Jonah Oldacre. Jonathan Adams plays the role of Dr. Everett Scott in Rocky Horror Picture Show.

[no-side-us]

Letters From Watson Liveblog - Aug. 12

The Norwood Builder, Part 3 of 3

It would be easy to write it so Lestrade ignored Holmes because of how sure he is that the case has already been solved, so making Lestrade still listen despite all the evidence is a good showing of his character.

They're gonna smoke out Oldacre!

I have to question the safety of starting an indoor fire, but I guess it's as safe as can be with buckets of water on standby and an open window. Part of having a dramatic flair is also having a present sense of danger, after all.

The story is titled The Norwood Builder and it didn't even occur to me that the architecture would play a role somehow. And not to give Oldacre any credit, but I want to say that I would also include secret rooms and hidden places if I were building my own house, just because it'd be fun.

Perfect is the enemy of good, as they say, in both creative and criminal efforts. Sometimes you have to know just when to stop when framing someone for your own murder.

Oldacre's one of those "It's just a prank, guys" sort of people. Somehow this makes him even more despicable to me, more so than trying to get an innocent man hanged.

I'd be curious to see what a sequel to this story would look like. I wouldn't want Oldacre to do something boring like try to shoot Holmes, so I think you'd have to lean into his architectural skillset. Like maybe he tricks Holmes and Watson into a Saw-style scenario (a saw-nario if you will), or a trapped house of some kind.

I like that Holmes tells Watson to just say the remains were actually rabbits, and instead Watson just writes out that Oldacre decided not to tell them.

Speaking of, how badly were those remains burned that they were indistinguishable from either a rabbit or a human? I assumed they were something like a charred human skeleton, but evidently not.

Always love to see more Mycroft. Hopefully I'll be able to keep on time with this one.

[longlaz1972]

Rasheed Oldacre

[ogsherlockholmes]

13th October

In The Norwood Builder, not only is the client called John, but the antagonist, Jonas Oldacre, is also a J villain. Maybe the name isn’t too creative, but Oldacre certainly is, though slightly careless. 

The client, John, is made the sole beneficiary of Oldacre’s bill, and when Oldacre conveniently ‘dies’, obviously all eyes land on John. Immediately, he is blamed for the murder, and there’s plenty of damning evidence. However, the evidence against John contradicts itself: maybe the fact Oldacre’s will was being directed to him was suspicious, but a Mr Cornelius is getting his bit as well. 

Oldacre faked his death and framed John for his own murder. It was well planned out, as they had established a connection before the ‘death’ when they were discussing the will. He was also the ‘Mr Cornelius’, so he wasn’t losing his money either. But why go through all this effort?

Because Oldacre got rejected.

Yes, that’s right, poor Johnny Jonas got rejected by John’s mother many years ago, so he decided to take revenge. You know, despite the fact it had nothing to do with the son... and it happened ages ago... and he should just accept ‘no’. This is what John’s mother had to say about Oldacre:

‘He was more like a malignant and cunning ape than a human being,’ said she, ‘and he always was, ever since he was a young man.’ “ ‘You knew him at that time?’ said I [Sherlock]. “ ‘Yes, I knew him well; in fact, he was an old suitor of mine... I was engaged to him, Mr. Holmes, when I heard a shocking story of how he had turned a cat loose in an aviary, and I was so horrified at his brutal cruelty that I would have nothing more to do with him.’ 

Three cheers for John’s mother though for dumping his sorry arse. 

Oldacre even tried to further condemn John by making a bloody thumprint on his wall, which matched John’s. He got the thumprint when John sealed wax on a letter for him, which is quite well thought out. Fantastic idea, yet he did this after Sherlock investigated, so it was clearly fake. 

Now, how is Oldacre discovered?

Like I said, Oldacre is smart, but careless. 

Sherlock asked for a some straw to be put on fire in the hall, and he and the police called out ‘Fire’ multiple times. Coming from his hiding hole, Oldacre ran out, truly believing his house was on fire. Dead people don’t need to run away from flames, so it’s obvious he’s still very much alive and just cowering in his own house after his elaborate murder. 

Oldacre, pathetic as usual, tries to defend himself. 

‘Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh... “I have done no harm.” ... The wretched creature began to whimper. “I am sure, sir, it was only my practical joke.”’

I don’t need to tell you that this didn’t work. 

Anyway, moral of the story: if a girl rejects you after you committed an act of animal cruelty, don’t take it out on her son decades later and frame him for your own murder. Very specific, but it needs to be said.

[edwardian-girl-next-door]

"There is a God in Heaven, Mr. Holmes, and that same God who's punished that wicked man will show in His own good time my son's hands are guiltless of his blood."

Little moments from Granada's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes S1Ep10. Dir. Ken Grieve. Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, David Burke as Dr. Watson, Colin Jeavons as Inspector Lestrade, Michael Solon as John Hector McFarlane, Helen Ryan as Mrs. McFarlane, and Johnathon Adams as Jonas Oldacre

[holmesillustrations]

Vote for your favourite, the top 9 will proceed in the bracket. Since theyre all different shapes and sizes, make sure to click into the full views!

Paget Eliminations

Other Artist Eliminations

Full captions and details for each illustration below the cut:

"He examined with his glass the word upon the wall, going over every letter of it with the most minute exactness." DH Friston, A Study in Scarlet (Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887) Characters L-R: Watson, Holmes, Lestrade, Gregson

"The man, with a convulsive effort, tore the plaster from his lips." WH Hyde, The Greek Interpreter (Harper's Weekly) Characters: Sophy Kratides, Latimer and his associate, Paul Kratides, Mr Melas

"There was a sort of sulky defiance in her eyes." FD Steele, The Norwood Builder (Collier's) Characters: Mrs Lexington (Oldacre's housekeeper)

"It was a dog-grate, Mr Holmes, and he overpitched it. I picked this out unburned from the back of it." Arthur Twidle, Wisteria Lodge (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes, John Eccles, Gregson, Insp. Baynes

"They bundled him into a cab that was beside the kerb" HM Brock, Red Circle (The Strand) Characters: Mr Warren and his attackers

"Holmes examined the stone ledge and the grass border beyond it." Frank Wiles, Valley of Fear (The Strand) Characters: Holmes

"For an instant i could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman's lips." Arthur Keller, Valley of Fear (1915 US Novel) Characters: Mrs Douglas, Cecil Barker, White Mason, Holmes, Insp MacDonald

"Holmes was kneeling beside the stonework, and a joyous cry showed that he had found what he expected." Alfred Gilbert, Thor Bridge (The Strand) Characters: Holmes, Watson, Sgt Coventry

"It only needs one more Garrideb — and surely we can find one." JR Flanagan, Three Garridebs (Collier's) Characters: Nathan Garrideb

"See here, Mr. Holmes, you keep your hands out of other folks' business." HK Elcock, Three Gables (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Steve Dixie, Holmes

" 'Cut out the poetry, Watson,' said Holmes severely." Frank Wiles, Retired Colourman (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes

" 'If this is a joke, sir, it is a very questionable one,' said the vicar angrily." Frank Wiles, Retired Colourman (The Strand) Characters: Vicar, Josiah Amberley, Watson

[ofbakerst]

mourning in 'the norwood builder'

granada's norwood builder begins three months after the death of john hector macfarlane's father, whose surviving relatives are dressed in mourning attire

macfarlane is wearing a black band sewn around the left arm of his coat when oldacre visits his london office

at home in blackheath, mrs macfarlane is wearing a gown of a flat black fabric trimmed with crape, with a short black veil. her late husband's portrait is also draped in black

[dathen]

“It would strike him that in disappearing he might throw all pursuit off his track, and at the same time have an ample and crushing revenge upon his old sweetheart, if he could give the impression that he had been murdered by her only child.”

I love every change the Jeremy Brett adaption does to this case, but making Mrs. McFarlane a recent widow was a tiny one that really heightened the emotional stakes.

In that version, she’s freshly bereaved, and the only person she has in the world is her only son (who’s sweet and dutiful and loving). She’s still wearing mourning clothes for her husband when she gets the news her son is likely to be hanged for murder. It makes Oldacre’s efforts at revenge all the more sadistic.

And then there’s John Hector’s anguish over how his arrest will break his mother’s heart—he knows that if he dies he’ll be leaving his mother all alone, and he dreads that more than actually dying.

[mariana-oconnor]

The Norwood Builder pt 3

Back to the tragic tale of the unhappy John Henry McFarlane (was that his full name? I remember it was JHM because that was so similar to JHN last time) and his unfortunate framing for a murder he did not commit (that I'm pretty sure did not happen).

Last time, in a story set several years before fingerprints would be an accepted form of evidence in English courtrooms, we had falsified fingerprint evidence, which goes to show that crime is always a few steps ahead of crime prevention technology. Or that the author was applying future knowledge to a past time... one or the other of them.

Also, Lestrade is about to be told he's wrong.

Lestrade knew my friend too well to disregard his words. He laid down his pen and looked curiously at him.

He was a bit smug in the last section, but he's still willing to listen. Good man, Lestrade.

“May I ask if they are all large, able-bodied men with powerful voices?” “I have no doubt they are, though I fail to see what their voices have to do with it.”

Holmes wants to start a wrestling choir, obviously.

I get that the police would have had some sort of physical requirements, but vocal training was not one I would have thought of, but Lestrade seems to think this is an obvious police skill.

“In the outhouse you will find a considerable quantity of straw,” said Holmes. “I will ask you to carry in two bundles of it. I think it will be of the greatest assistance in producing the witness whom I require."

I... don't think he's been hiding in the straw for the past however many days.

"I believe you have some matches in your pocket, Watson. Now, Mr. Lestrade, I will ask you all to accompany me to the top landing.”

Burn it down. Burn it all down...

🙂🙂🙂

(I mean, smoke him out...

... or burn it down. Your choice.)

At one end of the corridor we were all marshalled by Sherlock Holmes, the constables grinning and Lestrade staring at my friend with amazement, expectation, and derision chasing each other across his features. Holmes stood before us with the air of a conjurer who is performing a trick.

He's certainly not keeping Mr Cornelius up his sleeve. There are no mirrors. There will be smoke, though, I suspect.

“Would you kindly send one of your constables for two buckets of water? Put the straw on the floor here, free from the wall on either side. Now I think that we are all ready.”

You're just going to set fire to it in the middle of the floor?

WHAT THE FUCK?

I thought you were going to hold it and do that wafting thing, not just make a pile of flammable material onto the wooden floor of the old house that is probably a large percentage wood and just... set alight to it.

I know I said to burn it all down, but those are original hardwood floors, Holmes. Do you have any idea how much damage you're about to do to them? Just go up into the attic and grab him. Now when Mr McFarlane inherits the house after Mr Oldacre/Cornelius is hanged for the murder of whatever poor unfortunate soul he burnt in the stable, he's going to have to explain the scorch marks.

Lestrade's face had begun to grow red and angry. “I don't know whether you are playing a game with us, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” said he. “If you know anything, you can surely say it without all this tomfoolery.”

I know we like to pick on the police in these stories a bit, but Lestrade's not wrong here. Holmes could absolutely explain his theory to them without setting fire to anything. Sure, there's chance Lestrade wouldn't believe him, but there's got to be a better way.

I guess he's doing this because the attic space has a concealed door and he doesn't know where it is, so this is the best way to get Mr Old Cornacrelius to come to them.

I don't know why I am surprised by this turn of events. We established early on that no one in this story has an ounce of chill in their entire body, and what could be less chill than actual flames?

Go forth and burninate.

“I assure you, my good Lestrade, that I have an excellent reason for everything that I do."

Debatable. A reason, sure, an excellent one? I feel like that's pushing it a bit.

"...you must not grudge me a little pomp and ceremony now."

Holmes. You're about to set a fire in the middle of the floor of the house that you are all standing in. A house that doesn't belong to you and which is still a crime scene. I don't think that counts as pomp and ceremony.

I think there have to be explosions for it to be pomp and ceremony.

And he makes Watson light the fire.

"Might I ask you all to join in the cry of ‘Fire!’? Now, then; one, two, three—” “Fire!” we all yelled.

The Victorian equivalent of waving a lighter under a smoke detector. I get that the fire isn't large and they've got water to put it out, this still seems like a really dumb move.

“Just once more, gentlemen, and all together.”

Altogether now...

Once more with feeling.

The fact that this plan works is hilarious to me. There was really no other way out of there?

It was an odious face—crafty, vicious, malignant, with shifty, light-grey eyes and white eyelashes.

Watson once again with the descriptions.

Oldacre gave an uneasy laugh, shrinking back from the furious red face of the angry detective. “I have done no harm.”

Then whose smouldering, unrecognisable corpse did they find in the stable Mister Cornold Liusacre?

No... really. I need to know. Were you waiting to spring this plot until you found a convenient dead body lying around or did you coincidentally happen to find a cadaver at the same time you wanted to frame someone for your murder? You'd clearly been planning this for a while, as evidenced by the transfer of much of your funds to 'Mr Cornelius'. So did you have a dead body on ice in your house that whole time. I know that would be illegal now, but was it illegal then? I guess that wouldn't really be called 'harm', but even so.

Also, there's still a missing hat. Mr McFarlane needs his hat back.

“I am sure, sir, it was only my practical joke.”

Frame someone for murder for the lulz.

The upsetting thing is that given some of the TikTok 'pranks' I have heard of, this isn't actually that unbelievable. Doesn't make it a good joke though, or decrease the guilt.

“There's the advantage of being a builder,” said Holmes, as we came out. “He was able to fix up his own little hiding-place without any confederate—save, of course, that precious housekeeper of his, whom I should lose no time in adding to your bag, Lestrade.”

Even though it's the title of the story, I did forget he was a builder.

"We could, of course, have gone in and taken him, but it amused me to make him reveal himself; besides, I owed you a little mystification, Lestrade, for your chaff in the morning.”

So you did know exactly where the entrance would be and yet you still went with the actual real fire plan.

I get that Lestrade was kind of a git in the last part, but there were ways of doing this dramatically without setting fire to anything.

"When those packets were sealed up, Jonas Oldacre got McFarlane to secure one of the seals by putting his thumb upon the soft wax."

Ah, yeah okay. That answers that question.

"...and the animal remains and buttons in the wood-pile..."

Those were animal remains?

Does Scotland Yard not have a doctor of any sort. By this point in time a doctor should be able to tell the difference between human bones and animal bones. There's no way that fire got hot enough to burn bone beyond recognition. Did they not find a skull? The bones burnt but the buttons were still in good enough shape that they could read the letters on them?

I... Animal remains? Seriously? I talk shit about Victorian medical practices.... because they were shit (seriously). But they at least knew what a human skeleton looked like, surely?

Did they just go 'oh, this is definitely a bone and this is a button, so it must have been a person because a pig couldn't work buttons with its trotters?'

Animal remains?

I'm actually a little upset about this. Sure, it's good that no innocent people were killed in this story, but Mr Oldacre. Commit. to the. Bit. If you're going to fake your death, you've got to make it believable. Put some effort in. If the Resurrectionists could dig up a fresh corpse to further medical science, then surely you could wend your way to a graveyard to further your own self-interest. For shame, Mr Oldacre. This is why you didn't prosper: you're half-arsing this.

“I have to thank you for a good deal,” said he. “Perhaps I'll pay my debt some day.”

Wow, my dude. You need to learn to let things go.

And also not to threaten people in front of the literal police.

"Well, well, I dare say that a couple of rabbits would account both for the blood and for the charred ashes."

No. no no no no no.

I was going to give some leeway if it was considered to be a pig rib cage or something like that. But rabbits?

Let's play a game.

Spot the difference! Which is two rabbits and which is a human being?

Sorry, I don't know how that ferret pic ended up in there (Sorry Lestrade. You were always my favourite character in BBC Sherlock. Seriously so sorry! Rupert Graves, you look nothing like a ferret.)

Let's try that again: Which is the rabbit, which is the human being?

I'm going to have to content myself with the idea that ACD knew nothing about how bodies burn...

Or maybe he didn't know the difference between rabbits and humans.

OMG Maybe ACD was secretly two very large rabbits in a trenchcoat this whole time. It explains so much.

Can't believe Mr McFarlane got arrested for a murder where they didn't even have a body.

They probably burnt the hat, though. Since it never did turn up. It really isn't Mr McFarlane's week.

Ooh, Bruce Partington Plans next! I remember that title. I think I remember some of it. Hopefully in that one our intrepid detectives will have greater luck distinguishing their hominidae from their leporidae. They may or may not have more chill. Probably not, but who can say?

[byfaithmedia]

Acre was the place of the last stand of the Templar Knights, the most powerful of the Crusaders. The Crusader Fort in Acre was a centre to send knights back and forth from Europe.

[skyriderwednesday]

So if Wisteria Lodge happens a month after Empty House, the early timeline of Holmes's return goes something like...

Early April: The Empty House, Holmes and Watson capture Colonel Moran

Mid to Late April: Holmes and Watson 'lock up Colonel Carruthers', an untold case

Early to Mid May: No cases. Holmes gets bored.

Late May: Wisteria Lodge, Holmes and Watson investigate the mysterious vacating of Wisteria Lodge and following events Watson will summarise as being to do with 'ex-President Murillo'.

Some time between June and July: Holmes and Watson investigate 'the shocking affair of the Dutch steamship Friesland' which nearly kills both of them, an untold case.

August: Norwood Builder, Holmes complains about being bored, though Watson claims this is unfounded. He works to exonerate John Hector McFarlane from being charged with the murder of Jonas Oldacre.

Meanwhile, at some point prior to the Norwood Builder case, Holmes has persuaded Watson to sell his practice and move back into Baker Street, giving a young cousin the money to buy it at the highest asking price. Then following that, they have enough cases to fill three volumes of Watson's yearbooks, including 'the repulsive story of the red leech and the terrible death of Crosby, the banker. [...]the Addleton tragedy, and the singular contents of the ancient British barrow. The famous Smith-Mortimer succession case [...] and the tracking and arrest of Huret, the Boulevard assassin' (all untold cases), and then The Golden Pince-Nez at the end of November.

So yeah.

[no-side-us]

Letters From Watson Liveblog - Aug. 10

The Norwood Builder, Part 2 of 3

I feel like Holmes and Watson have been through enough that there doesn't need to be some prospect of danger for Watson to tag along. I mean, Holmes asked Watson to sell his practice so they could live together again, so why not have him go with you for some standard investigating? What else could Watson be doing?

Alright, so Oldacre was a terrible person, and he was especially terrible to McFarlane's mother. This means it's incredibly suspect for him to bequeath young McFarlane everything in his will.

Side note, but I initially read this as the photo being of her mutilated face, not the photo itself being what was mutilated, which gave me an entirely different image of this woman.

Maybe the charred remains belong to this "Hyams" fellow if the name was on the button. Or perhaps another client of Hyams? I just don't think it's Oldacre what with the lack of positive ID on the burnt corpse, but I guess this would be the best positive ID back then.

Based on the way Oldacre treated McFarlane's mother, I could see Mrs. Lexington here being intimidated into whatever plot is going on and thus not revealing the truth. There is of course the possibility she's willingly involved, but I think that's much less likely.

Now that is a case I would like to read. Every client of Holmes and Watson has had at the very least some real problem at hand. But a genuine guilty murderer having the gall to go to Holmes to help him? Presenting as an innocent young man? He sounds so evil and I so want to see how Holmes and Watson dealt with it.

Mr. Cornelius, another possible candidate for the victim of the fire? Or actually an acquaintance? Perhaps Oldacre didn't want to send him any more of these large cheques, and saw a good opportunity to get rid of a body.

I have to admit, it's kind of fun to see Lestrade get one over on Holmes, even if I know he'll be wrong in the end in some way. It's sort of like letting a kid beat you at a game before annihilating them; he thinks he's won, so just let him have his moment.

I like this line because it shows that Lestrade has really gotten under Watson's skin, and we haven't really gotten Watson's reactions to much of the case so far.

No wonder Holmes is so happy, Lestrade found a damning piece of evidence against his own case.

[longlaz1972]

Rasheed Oldacre

[thefisherqueen]

Reading Letters from Watson's The Norwood Builder now! Here we go :)

“From the point of view of the criminal expert,” said Mr. Sherlock Holmes, “London has become a singularly uninteresting city since the death of the late lamented Professor Moriarty.” You literally killed him, Holmes, then faked your own death and spent years in hiding because of him, and now you're complaining that he's dead and you're bored - to the very one who's still recovering from the shock that you're alive? I diagnose you with some major Readjustment Issues and should consider therapy instead of just trying to cope with inappropriate humor. Watson is very valid in calling you whimsical

"At the time of which I speak Holmes had been back for some months, and I, at his request, had sold my practice and returned to share the old quarters in Baker Street." Of course. No news here

“I'm sorry, Mr. Holmes,” he cried. “You mustn't blame me. I am nearly mad. Mr. Holmes, I am the unhappy John Hector McFarlane.” Quite the introduction! By the way, why are so many of Holmes' clients young men on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

"Familiar as I was with my friend's methods, it was not difficult for me to follow his deductions, and to observe the untidiness of attire, the sheaf of legal papers, the watch-charm, and the breathing which had prompted them. Our client, however, stared in amazement." Character growth! Well done, Watson. I'm proud of you. Freemasonary, by the way, is so broad a movement it barely means anything. This quote prompted me to do some research into the symbols of freemasonry. The watch in itself isn't the symbol, a combination of a builder's square and compasses (used to draw perfect circles) with the letter G was the most common one. I guess Watson is referring to the fact that this gentlemen's watch has an added engraving or something similar with this symbol. Also, I wonder about the connection between freemasonary and the murdered man being a builder in this case.

“Arrest you!” said Holmes. “This is really most grati—most interesting. On what charge do you expect to be arrested?” Omg. Barely caught himself there

"My companion's expressive face" Oh, the contradictions in Holmes' character writing. Is Sherlock Holmes that expressive suddenly, or is Watson just able to read him really well?

"He was flaxen-haired and handsome in a washed-out negative fashion" Watson was that judgement really necessary

"For some years he has practically withdrawn from the business, in which he is said to have amassed considerable wealth." Not working, yet amassing wealth. I'd say that's suspicious but, really, under capitalism the only people who are able to gain wealth are those not working - either exploiting or investing (likely both)

"It is known that Mr. Jonas Oldacre had received a late visitor in his bedroom upon that night, and the stick found has been identified as the property of this person, who is a young London solicitor named John Hector McFarlane." Inviting young sollicitors into his bedroom at night. Creepy behaviour. (can't help but think about Dracula's Jonathan Harker). Also, I'm glad the openly naming of suspects is restricted nowadays. No opportunity of a fair trail otherwise

"The conduct of the criminal investigation has been left in the experienced hands of Inspector Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, who is following up the clues with his accustomed energy and sagacity.” Yay, we'll get to see Lestrade again!

"One moment, Lestrade,” said Holmes. “Half an hour more or less can make no difference to you, and the gentleman was about to give us an account of this very interesting affair, which might aid us in clearing it up.” “I think there will be no difficulty in clearing it up,” said Lestrade, grimly. Power struggle. Bless Holmes for working independent and not afraid to tell the police off

“‘Here is my will,’ said he. ‘I want you, Mr. McFarlane, to cast it into proper legal shape. I will sit here while you do so.’ “I set myself to copy it, and you can imagine my astonishment when I found that, with some reservations, he had left all his property to me." Strong Jekyll and Hyde paralell here. I wonder, is murder conviction a legal reason to exclude someone from a will? I guess that doesn't even matter anymore if McFarlane would be executed. And who will the inherentence go to then? The next in line family member? Strong motive for framing McFarlane for murder, then. Next line of inquiry, I guess: who else knew about the will?

Already really liking this story! Protect this poor young sollicitor from injustice, Holmes

"He was a strange little, ferret-like man" Comparing people to animals again. Did McFarlane really say that, Watson, or was that one of your fancy additions?

“You can imagine, Mr. Holmes, that I was not in a humour to refuse him anything that he might ask. He was my benefactor, and all my desire was to carry out his wishes in every particular." Dosing so might cost you your life, McFarlane. *mutters about power imbalace*

“Not until I have been to Blackheath.” “You mean to Norwood,” said Lestrade. “Oh, yes; no doubt that is what I must have meant,” said Holmes, with his enigmatical smile." Oh, Holmes is delightful here! Wasn't Blackheath where McFarlane lives? My guess is that Holmes wants to know what the connection between Oldacre and McFarlane's parents was. Were they both in a same freemasonry community? That would tie it neatly together

I don't trust Oldacre's motivation in leaving his inherentance to McFarlane. Seems a bit like whitewashing of ill-gotten money to me. Then, again, he wouldn't have arranged his own murder. Or - wait - is he really dead? Since there's only some blood and charred remains found. Easy enough to fake. I have a Theory. I feel Clever (likely wrong but who cares)

"You are too many for me" Love that expression. Going to use that

"It is curious—is it not?—that a man should draw up so important a document in so haphazard a fashion. It suggests that he did not think it was going to be of much practical importance. If a man drew up a will which he did not intend ever to be effective he might do it so.” He did not ever intend the will to be effective. I think we have our villain! *Points to my theory* And - did he hide McFarlane's walking cane on purpose? Motive still not entirely clear to me. Fake your own death for life insurence, sure, but not to claim an inherentence that is currently already your own. Something most be up with that money to devise an elaborate, dangerous plot like that

“Well, it is quite possible; but the case is not clear to me yet.” “Not clear? Well, if that isn't clear, what could be clear?" Oh, Lestrade. You started so well by being picking up that Holmes had Thoughts and being willing to listen to him. But now...

Holmes thinks a bypassing third person did it. I'm not buying that. And, after Lestrade's remark that no papers were taken while a third person would have done that, I don't think Holmes is convinced anymore either

"But it is evident to me that the logical way to approach the case is to begin by trying to throw some light upon the first incident—the curious will, so suddenly made, and to so unexpected an heir." Yes! Investigate that!

"There is no prospect of danger, or I should not dream of stirring out without you." Awww! Also, famous last words, Holmes

I had to look up what black-guard means. According to the cambridge dictonary, apperently a word for someone who has no moral principles.

Holmes did you really just call a human being 'fluffly?"

Yet another murder victim who was a terrible person and is not mourned. This is really a repeating theme

“‘You knew him at that time?’ said I." “‘Yes, I knew him well; in fact, he was an old suitor of mine. Thank Heaven that I had the sense to turn away from him and to marry a better, if a poorer, man." Oh, it's personal! Good for her for getting away from him

"She rummaged in a bureau, and presently she produced a photograph of a woman, shamefully defaced and mutilated with a knife. ‘That is my own photograph,’ she said. ‘He sent it to me in that state, with his curse, upon my wedding morning.’ What the fuck. Please let Oldacre be the villian of this story

"I crawled about the lawn with an August sun on my back, but I got up at the end of an hour no wiser than before." Another very amusing image

"Unless some lucky chance comes our way I fear that the Norwood Disappearance Case will not figure in that chronicle of our successes which I foresee that a patient public will sooner or later have to endure.” Holmes! Be more kind to your chronicler!

"But I fear, my dear fellow, that our case will end ingloriously by Lestrade hanging our client, which will certainly be a triumph for Scotland Yard.” Don't give up Holmes! *points to my theory, somehow it all still fits*

"I do not know how far Sherlock Holmes took any sleep that night, but when I came down to breakfast I found him pale and harassed, his bright eyes the brighter for the dark shadows round them." Now I'm feeling sad :( Please, Watson, cheer him up

"Take your breakfast, Watson, and we will go out together and see what we can do. I feel as if I shall need your company and your moral support to-day.” Awww

“At present I cannot spare energy and nerve force for digestion,” he would say in answer to my medical remonstrances." Damn it Holmes, that not how that works. Please take care of yourself

"He led us through the passage and out into a dark hall beyond. “This is where young McFarlane must have come out to get his hat after the crime was done,” said he." Wait, didn't the housekeeper say that McFarlane left his hat behind?? *beep beep* tempered with evidence?

“What a providential thing that this young man should press his right thumb against the wall in taking his hat from the peg! Such a very natural action, too, if you come to think of it.” Holmes was outwardly calm, but his whole body gave a wriggle of suppressed excitement as he spoke. “By the way, Lestrade, who made this remarkable discovery?” “It was the housekeeper, Mrs. Lexington, who drew the night constable's attention to it.” This is hilarious. Holmes is so ready to tear this 'evidence' to treads

"The fact is that there is one really serious flaw in this evidence to which our friend attaches so much importance.” “Indeed, Holmes! What is it?” “Only this: that I know that that mark was not there when I examined the hall yesterday" Yes :) Now just find the evidence to convince the police. I also wonder how Oldacre attained McForlane's thumb imprint? Perhaps he just asked for it, since McForlane was not in a position anyway to refuse even an odd request?

"And now, Watson, let us have a little stroll round in the sunshine.” I'm making a lot of awww-sounds while reading this story. This is just so cute. I love them going out for walks!

"Lestrade knew my friend too well to disregard his words. He laid down his pen and looked curiously at him. “What do you mean, Mr. Holmes?” “Only that there is an important witness whom you have not seen.” “Can you produce him?” “I think I can.” I'm excited! Is this where Oldacre is shown to be not dead at all? Hiding in one of those attic bedrooms, is my guess?

"Holmes stood before us with the air of a conjurer who is performing a trick." Of course Holmes can not help but be Dramatic (TM) about this. What is he going to do? Smoke the man out?

"A door suddenly flew open out of what appeared to be solid wall at the end of the corridor, and a little, wizened man darted out of it, like a rabbit out of its burrow. “Capital!” said Holmes, calmly. “Watson, a bucket of water over the straw. That will do! Lestrade, allow me to present you with your principal missing witness, Mr. Jonas Oldacre.” Can't believe I got it right! A fake door, no less. Such a fun, dramatic reveal

"It was an odious face—crafty, vicious, malignant, with shifty, light-grey eyes and white eyelashes." *Sigh* There we go with the criminal faces again

Lestrade really owes Holmes a lot this time

“And you don't want your name to appear?” “Not at all. The work is its own reward. Perhaps I shall get the credit also at some distant day when I permit my zealous historian to lay out his foolscap once more—eh, Watson?" Now this is just flirting. I approve

“There's the advantage of being a builder,” said Holmes, as we came out. “He was able to fix up his own little hiding-place without any confederate" Nice tie-up. I wonder about the other loose ends? Will the freemasonry still come up?

"I thought he had not the nerve to lie quiet before an alarm of fire. We could, of course, have gone in and taken him, but it amused me to make him reveal himself; besides, I owed you a little mystification, Lestrade, for your chaff in the morning.” And this is 100% Holmes. I love that man

"It was amusing to me to see how the detective's overbearing manner had changed suddenly to that of a child asking questions of its teacher." I adore Watson's narration here. He is just shamelessly laughing at Lestrade

"He determines to swindle his creditors, and for this purpose he pays large cheques to a certain Mr. Cornelius, who is, I imagine, himself under another name. I have not traced these cheques yet, but I have no doubt that they were banked under that name at some provincial town where Oldacre from time to time led a double existence. He intended to change his name altogether, draw this money, and vanish, starting life again elsewhere.” So that was how he intended to do it. Clever scheme.

It takes a special kind of evil to be angry at a woman for rejecting you and then, as revenge, frame her child for murder. Wow.