The Final Problem
The case begins on Friday, April 24, 1891.
Why?
THE DATES OF THE NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
"As far as I know, there have been only three accounts in the public press: that in the Journal de Geneve on May 6th, 1891, the Reuter’s dispatch in the English papers on May 7th, and finally the recent letters to which I have alluded."
"As far as I know, there have been only three accounts in the public press: that in the Journal de Geneve on May 6th, 1891, the Reuter’s dispatch in the English papers on May 7th, and finally the recent letters to which I have alluded."
THE MARRIAGE, 1890, AND THE DATE OF THE CASE:
"It may be remembered that after my marriage, and my subsequent start in private practice, the very intimate relations which had existed between Holmes and myself became to some extent modified. He still came to me from time to time when he desired a companion in his investigations, but these occasions grew more and more seldom, until I find that in the year 1890 there were only three cases of which I retain any record. During the winter of that year and the early spring of 1891, I saw in the papers that he had been engaged by the French government upon a matter of supreme importance, and I received two notes from Holmes, dated from Narbonne and from Nimes, from which I gathered that his stay in France was likely to be a long one. It was with some surprise, therefore, that I saw him walk into my consulting-room upon the evening of April 24th."
"It may be remembered that after my marriage, and my subsequent start in private practice, the very intimate relations which had existed between Holmes and myself became to some extent modified. He still came to me from time to time when he desired a companion in his investigations, but these occasions grew more and more seldom, until I find that in the year 1890 there were only three cases of which I retain any record. During the winter of that year and the early spring of 1891, I saw in the papers that he had been engaged by the French government upon a matter of supreme importance, and I received two notes from Holmes, dated from Narbonne and from Nimes, from which I gathered that his stay in France was likely to be a long one. It was with some surprise, therefore, that I saw him walk into my consulting-room upon the evening of April 24th."
THE MORIARTY CAMPAIGN:
"You crossed my path on the fourth of January,’ said he. ‘On the twenty-third you incommoded me; by the middle of February I was seriously inconvenienced by you; at the end of March I was absolutely hampered in my plans; and now, at the close of April, I find myself placed in such a position through your continual persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty.’"
"You crossed my path on the fourth of January,’ said he. ‘On the twenty-third you incommoded me; by the middle of February I was seriously inconvenienced by you; at the end of March I was absolutely hampered in my plans; and now, at the close of April, I find myself placed in such a position through your continual persecution that I am in positive danger of losing my liberty.’"
THE TIMETABLE FOR ENDING MORIARTY’S REIGN:
"This morning the last steps were taken, and three days only were wanted to complete the business."
"’You must drop it, Mr. Holmes,’ said he, swaying his face about. ‘You really must, you know.’
"’After Monday,’ said I."
"This morning the last steps were taken, and three days only were wanted to complete the business."
"’You must drop it, Mr. Holmes,’ said he, swaying his face about. ‘You really must, you know.’
"’After Monday,’ said I."
THE EUROPEAN TOUR DATES:
"We made our way to Brussels that night and spent two days there, moving on upon the third day as far as Strasbourg. On the Monday morning Holmes had telegraphed to the London police . . ."
"For a charming week we wandered up the valley of the Rhone, and then, branching off at Leuk, we made our way over the Gemmi Pass, still deep in snow, and so, by way of Interlaken, to Meiringen."
"It was on the third of May that we reached the little village of Meiringen ... on the afternoon of the fourth we set off together, with the intention of crossing the hills and spending the night at the hamlet of Rosenlaui. We had strict injunctions, however, on no account to pass the falls of Reichenbach . . ."
"We made our way to Brussels that night and spent two days there, moving on upon the third day as far as Strasbourg. On the Monday morning Holmes had telegraphed to the London police . . ."
"For a charming week we wandered up the valley of the Rhone, and then, branching off at Leuk, we made our way over the Gemmi Pass, still deep in snow, and so, by way of Interlaken, to Meiringen."
"It was on the third of May that we reached the little village of Meiringen ... on the afternoon of the fourth we set off together, with the intention of crossing the hills and spending the night at the hamlet of Rosenlaui. We had strict injunctions, however, on no account to pass the falls of Reichenbach . . ."
WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
April 24, 1891.
April 24, 1891.
WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
April 24, 1891.
April 24, 1891.
THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY TIMETABLE:
Some things you just can’t argue with. Gravity. Semi-trucks. The dating of "The Final Problem." The only fellow ever to try it was named J. Christ (J. Finley Christ, to be specific, but you can see why he might have tried to pull off a miracle of chronology). Me, I’m going with Watson’s clear and accurate dates. This one starts on Friday, April 24, 1891.
Some things you just can’t argue with. Gravity. Semi-trucks. The dating of "The Final Problem." The only fellow ever to try it was named J. Christ (J. Finley Christ, to be specific, but you can see why he might have tried to pull off a miracle of chronology). Me, I’m going with Watson’s clear and accurate dates. This one starts on Friday, April 24, 1891.
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