The Illustrious Client.
The case begins Wednesday, September 3, 1902.
Why?
THE WORLD’S MOST PERFECT DATE STATEMENT:
"On the upper floor of the Northumberland Avenue establishment there is an isolated corner where two couches lie side by side, and it was on these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins."
"On the upper floor of the Northumberland Avenue establishment there is an isolated corner where two couches lie side by side, and it was on these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins."
THE PLACE OF WATSON’S RESIDENCE:
"I was living in my own rooms in Queen Anne Street at the time . . ."
"I was living in my own rooms in Queen Anne Street at the time . . ."
THE STATE OF WATSON’S CAREER:
"I had some pressing professional business of my own, but I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson’s, where, sitting at a small table in the front window and looking down at the rushing stream of life in the Strand."
"I had some pressing professional business of my own, but I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson’s, where, sitting at a small table in the front window and looking down at the rushing stream of life in the Strand."
AND A SECOND MENTION OF SIMPSON’S:
"I did not see Holmes again until the following evening when we dined once more at our Strand restaurant."
"I did not see Holmes again until the following evening when we dined once more at our Strand restaurant."
THAT "KENNEDY ASSASSINATION" MOMENT:
"I think I could show you the very paving-stone upon which I stood when my eyes fell upon the placard, and a pang of horror passed through my very soul. It was between the Grand Hotel and Charing Cross Station, where a one-legged news-vender displayed his evening papers. The date was just two days after the last conversation."
"I think I could show you the very paving-stone upon which I stood when my eyes fell upon the placard, and a pang of horror passed through my very soul. It was between the Grand Hotel and Charing Cross Station, where a one-legged news-vender displayed his evening papers. The date was just two days after the last conversation."
TIME OF HOLMES’S INVALIDITY:
"For six days the public were under the impression that Holmes was at the door of death."
"On the seventh day the stitches were taken out, in spite of which there was a report of erysipelas in the evening papers. The same evening papers had an announcement which I was bound, sick or well, to carry to my friend. It was simply that among the passengers on the Cunard boat Ruritania, starting from Liverpool on Friday, was the Baron Adelbert Gruner . . . ."
"Friday! Only three clear days."
"For six days the public were under the impression that Holmes was at the door of death."
"On the seventh day the stitches were taken out, in spite of which there was a report of erysipelas in the evening papers. The same evening papers had an announcement which I was bound, sick or well, to carry to my friend. It was simply that among the passengers on the Cunard boat Ruritania, starting from Liverpool on Friday, was the Baron Adelbert Gruner . . . ."
"Friday! Only three clear days."
THE TIME UNTIL FINAL RESOLUTION:
"Three days later appeared a paragraph in the Morning Post to say that the marriage between Baron Adelbert Gruner and Miss Violet de Merville would not take place."
"Three days later appeared a paragraph in the Morning Post to say that the marriage between Baron Adelbert Gruner and Miss Violet de Merville would not take place."
WHAT THE BARING-GOULD ANNOTATED SAYS:
September 3, 1902.
September 3, 1902.
WHAT ZEISLER, THE KING OF CHRONOLOGY, SAYS:
September 13, 1902.
September 13, 1902.
THE BIRLSTONE RAILWAY TIMETABLE:
When Watson says "September 3, 1902" at the beginning of a case, I have to go with Wednesday, September 3, 1902. As always, the good Zeisler wants to contradict Watson’s best fact based on a more trivial fact, counting off the days from the case’s beginning and deciding what beginning date fits the "Friday" reference. Too many details lie in figuring that day count, and all takes is one of them to be off to make the Zeisler thesis wrong. Better to go with Watson’s solid date, don’t you think?
When Watson says "September 3, 1902" at the beginning of a case, I have to go with Wednesday, September 3, 1902. As always, the good Zeisler wants to contradict Watson’s best fact based on a more trivial fact, counting off the days from the case’s beginning and deciding what beginning date fits the "Friday" reference. Too many details lie in figuring that day count, and all takes is one of them to be off to make the Zeisler thesis wrong. Better to go with Watson’s solid date, don’t you think?
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