The Blue Carbuncle.
The case begins Friday, December 27, 1889.
Why?
THE MOST FAMOUS DATE REFERENCE IN THE CANON:
"I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas . . ."
"I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas . . ."
SIGNIFICANT REFERENCES TO OTHER CASES:
" . . . of the last six cases which I have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any legal crime."
"Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the adventure of the man with the twisted lip.
" . . . of the last six cases which I have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any legal crime."
"Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler papers, to the singular case of Miss Mary Sutherland, and to the adventure of the man with the twisted lip.
LENGTH OF TIME SINCE BAKER HAD CASH:
"If this man could afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world."
"If this man could afford to buy so expensive a hat three years ago, and has had no hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world."
RECONFIRMING THE DATE:
"Precisely so, on December 22d, just five days ago."
"Precisely so, on December 22d, just five days ago."
STATE OF WATSON’S PRACTICE:
"I shall continue my professional round. But I shall come back in the evening . . ."
"I shall continue my professional round. But I shall come back in the evening . . ."
THE ARRIVAL OF THE BIRD:
"This year our good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, on consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to receive a bird at Christmas."
"This year our good host, Windigate by name, instituted a goose club, by which, on consideration of some few pence every week, we were each to receive a bird at Christmas."
WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
December 27, 1887.
December 27, 1887.
WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
December 27, 1889.
December 27, 1889.
THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY’S TIMETABLE:
It’s a testimony to the power of "Blue Carbuncle" that no one, but NO ONE denies that this case began on December 27 -- a really remarkable thing, when one considers how fast and loose Sherlockian scholars have played with much more plainly stated dates. As for the year, well as the latest of the three cases Watson refers to as most recent in his chronicles in TWIS, which has 1889 written all over it (literally). Thus the Smash must go with the crowd once more on this one: Friday, December 27, 1889.
It’s a testimony to the power of "Blue Carbuncle" that no one, but NO ONE denies that this case began on December 27 -- a really remarkable thing, when one considers how fast and loose Sherlockian scholars have played with much more plainly stated dates. As for the year, well as the latest of the three cases Watson refers to as most recent in his chronicles in TWIS, which has 1889 written all over it (literally). Thus the Smash must go with the crowd once more on this one: Friday, December 27, 1889.
Added note: Holmes’s statement of the three cases of Watson’s last six sounds as though the chronology student is now limited to placing five, and only five, cases between SCAN and BLUE. Could Watson have participated in a case and not taken notes on it during that period, only to write it up later?
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