The Dancing Men.
The case begins Monday, July 25, 1898.
Why?
WHAT HAPPENED THE YEAR BEFORE:
"Last year I came up to London for the Jubilee . . ."
"Last year I came up to London for the Jubilee . . ."
THE HASTY WEDDING:
"In some way we became friends, until before my month was up I was as much in love as man could be. We were quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk a wedded couple."
"In some way we became friends, until before my month was up I was as much in love as man could be. We were quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk a wedded couple."
THE MONTH, AND DURATION OF THE MARRIAGE:
"Well, we have been married now for a year, and very happy we have been. But about a month ago, at the end of June, I saw for the first time signs of trouble."
"Well, we have been married now for a year, and very happy we have been. But about a month ago, at the end of June, I saw for the first time signs of trouble."
THE DANCING MEN COMETH:
"About a week ago — it was the Tuesday of last week—I found on one of the window-sills a number of absurd little dancing figures like these upon the paper."
"None did come for a week, and then yesterday morning I found this paper lying on the sundial in the garden."
"When I got back after my visit to you, the very first thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men."
"Two mornings later, a fresh inscription had appeared."
"About a week ago — it was the Tuesday of last week—I found on one of the window-sills a number of absurd little dancing figures like these upon the paper."
"None did come for a week, and then yesterday morning I found this paper lying on the sundial in the garden."
"When I got back after my visit to you, the very first thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men."
"Two mornings later, a fresh inscription had appeared."
TIME BETWEEN CUBITT VISITS:
"The interview left Sherlock Holmes very thoughtful, and several times in the next few days I saw him take his slip of paper from his notebook and look long and earnestly at the curious figures inscribed upon it. He made no allusion to the affair, however, until one afternoon a fortnight or so later. I was going out when he called me back."
"The interview left Sherlock Holmes very thoughtful, and several times in the next few days I saw him take his slip of paper from his notebook and look long and earnestly at the curious figures inscribed upon it. He made no allusion to the affair, however, until one afternoon a fortnight or so later. I was going out when he called me back."
TIME BETWEEN MESSAGES:
"But there was a delay in that answering telegram, and two days of impatience followed, during which Holmes pricked up his ears at every ring of the bell. On the evening of the second there came a letter from Hilton Cubitt."
"But there was a delay in that answering telegram, and two days of impatience followed, during which Holmes pricked up his ears at every ring of the bell. On the evening of the second there came a letter from Hilton Cubitt."
WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
July 27, 1898.
July 27, 1898.
WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
July 27, 1898.
July 27, 1898.
THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY TIMETABLE:
As the matching dates of Zeisler and the B-G Annotated might infer, the paths of "Dancing Men" chronology are well trod along common paths. The year is determined by adding one to the year of the Jubilee. (The Diamond Jubilee in 1897 is the usual choice, as Watson seems so very married the year following the Golden Jubilee in 1887 — also, the "Return" cases would have to be post-hiatus for Watson to title them so, wouldn’t they?) The month is found in "a month ago, at the end of June," and the day in "about a week ago—it was the Tuesday of last week."
As the matching dates of Zeisler and the B-G Annotated might infer, the paths of "Dancing Men" chronology are well trod along common paths. The year is determined by adding one to the year of the Jubilee. (The Diamond Jubilee in 1897 is the usual choice, as Watson seems so very married the year following the Golden Jubilee in 1887 — also, the "Return" cases would have to be post-hiatus for Watson to title them so, wouldn’t they?) The month is found in "a month ago, at the end of June," and the day in "about a week ago—it was the Tuesday of last week."
To me, the phrase "about a week ago" or "about a month ago" would tend to mean "almost a week ago" or "almost a month ago," or else Hilton Cubitt would use the phrase "more than a week ago," "a little over a month ago," or something along those lines. Other chronologists would dispute such logic, claiming that "almost" Tuesday can’t be Monday because Watson played billiards the night before at his club.
For people who can’t say exactly which club Watson belonged to, however, or what his position in said club might have been, the lack of billiard availability on a Sunday night seems a bit of a stretch. Even if English law forbade open clubs or billiards on Sunday night, we still can’t say for certain that Watson and Thurston didn’t sneak into their club for a private game. Thus, I’m going to have to go with Monday for "almost Tuesday."
The last one in July of 1898 is nearly a week ahead of month-end, making it a good candidate for "about a month ago" following the same logic, so I’m going with Monday, July 25, 1898.
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