Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 229: The "Golden Three Chapters" of Detective Novels!
When Conan Doyle created the character of "Sherlock Holmes," he did not initially fully realize the charm of "deductive reasoning" and its foundational position in the history of world detective fiction, so he was somewhat careless.

Following his own habits, he devoted too much time to Watson's personal affairs and a great deal of trivial conversations between Watson and Holmes.

It's worth noting that, within the same length, other Gothic detective novels of that era at least featured a corpse, and one that died in a particularly bizarre manner.

This was also the main reason why "A Study in Scarlet" was repeatedly rejected when it was first submitted – the beginning of the novel was too rambling and the most important selling point was not highlighted.

In the parlance of 21st-century online literature, it means that the "golden three chapters" were not written!
Although "A Study in Scarlet" was published in the Beaton Christmas Yearbook in 1887, Conan Doyle ultimately received only £25 in royalties.

For the first time, British readers also derived from reading detective novels the enjoyment of an intellectual game, beyond the gore, violence, sex, and the detectives' pretentious wit.

So what Lionel had to do was remove the tedious and uninteresting dialogue and content from the original work, and focus on the content that readers were most likely to be interested in, adding more content and making the novel grab their attention from the very beginning.

Holmes begins his narration, his tone remaining calm: "This is clearly a pocket watch inherited from his father. The case is a style popular forty years ago. It is in decent condition but shows obvious wear, indicating that it has long been used as an everyday watch rather than a collectible. Its original owner was clearly a gentleman who lived a disciplined life, valued time, but was not extremely wealthy."

I nodded. It wasn't difficult. The style and quality of a watch could indicate its age and the social class of its original owner.

But I still couldn't help asking, "How do you know it was inherited and not a second-hand watch I bought?"

"Two reasons—first, on the inside of the case back, in this inconspicuous spot, there are two scratches with unusual shapes, likely caused by long-term friction from a specific bracelet clasp. The clasp on your current bracelet doesn't match one of these old scratches; the scratches on the new bracelet are much shallower. This indicates that this bracelet was fitted in recent years, and the original bracelet was damaged or lost. Typically, people don't replace the expensive silver bracelet on a secondhand watch they bought; they usually opt for a steel bracelet—this effort to maintain consistency is more common with heirlooms. As for the other reason, I'll discuss it later."

I nodded, indicating my agreement with his reasoning.

Holmes continued, “It was carefully maintained and used for many years, but about seven or eight years ago, its fate took a significant turn…”

My heart started racing slightly.

He gestured for me to look at the wear and tear I had long since become accustomed to: “Please notice these scratches on the back of the case. They are not evenly distributed, but concentrated at a few specific points along the edge. Although they are old, they haven’t started to turn black yet. This kind of wear and tear is usually caused by the case being frequently rubbed against other hard objects—such as coins or keys—in the same small pocket. This indicates that the person carrying it has changed their economic situation or lifestyle. They may no longer use a special watch bag, or they may have started a job that requires them to frequently reach into their pockets to retrieve change or tools, greatly increasing the chances of the watch colliding with hard objects.”

I looked closely at the scratches, and after his explanation, it seemed to be true. My father had indeed experienced some changes at that time, and his financial situation had become very bad, which almost made me drop out of medical school.

Holmes pointed to a very subtle dent on the side of the watch case: “What’s more interesting is this. It’s from a slight impact, not a big one, but very concentrated. Judging from its shape and location, I strongly suspect that during some… well… heated argument or shoving, the watch slipped out of my pocket and hit something hard, like a table corner or a door frame.”

My face paled slightly. My father had indeed had several unpleasant arguments with his business partner due to business failures…

"Then there's its interior. Although it's in relatively good condition, you can still hear slight, abnormal wear on its gears and bearings. This indicates that it has been used in a rather turbulent environment for quite some time. It may have experienced a lot of bumps along with its owner—perhaps frequent short trips, or perhaps persistent emotional distress—causing its movements to no longer be as smooth and gentle as they used to be."

He paused for a moment before continuing, “Taking all these signs together—the changes in economic conditions that began about seven or eight years ago, possible interpersonal conflicts, the anxieties of life… it all points to one conclusion: your father went through a rather difficult and difficult time. He tried to maintain a respectable appearance—the watch is still being used and maintained, but the pressures of life are clearly etched on this timepiece that has accompanied him. It records not only precise time, but also a turbulent life.”

"And you, Watson, inherited this watch, and with it, a responsibility? Or perhaps a yearning to step out of your father's shadow and restore the family's honor? You've taken such good care of it, even beyond its intrinsic value. That's why there are very few scratches from recent years—if this were just a secondhand pocket watch you bought, you wouldn't cherish it so much! Am I right?" I was completely stunned. These family secrets had been read by a stranger from a cold piece of metal! This was far more chilling than any deduction about my profession!
I murmured to myself, all my doubts vanishing in that instant: "God...you...you're absolutely right. My father...those years were truly difficult for him."

Holmes nodded slightly, without a hint of pride on his face: "Objects can speak, Watson, if we know how to listen. They record their owners' habits, experiences, and even emotions. Every wear and tear, every scratch, is a story. My job is to decipher these stories."

He walked to the fireplace, picked up his violin, and gently plucked a string, producing a monotonous note, as if trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere of the conversation with music.

...]

At this point, Lionel put down his pen and let out a long sigh of relief.

Outside the window, Paris was quiet and still in the night, with only the occasional sound of a horse-drawn carriage breaking the silence.

He examined the plot he had just finished writing—this approach preserved the suspense of Holmes seeing through Watson's background at their first meeting, while also giving it greater scientific validity and persuasiveness through a progressive and detailed reasoning process.

The analysis of the pocket watch delves into the character's family background and psychological state, and he also subtly reveals a hidden meaning—

As an essential timekeeping tool for the middle class in this era, the popularity of pocket watches is undeniable. After reading the previous reasoning, readers will probably be tempted to take out their pocket watches and examine them closely, trying to use "deductive reasoning" to see what kind of life experiences they or others have left on them.

This not only makes the reader feel more involved, but also completes a clever interaction with the reader.

After all, surgeons are not common, and even if you do see one, it's impolite to stare at someone's hand; a pocket watch, on the other hand, can be carried around and checked at any time.

Creating a sense of "participation" for the reader is key to the success of a mystery novel.

Lionel also used a little trick from later generations.

He planned to send the opening to Conan Doyle and Good Words magazine respectively, so that they could prepare for his new story.

Preparations for the Sherlock Holmes stories are complete, but the actual content of the cases in A Study in Scarlet will have to wait until he finishes serializing The Curious Cases of Benjamin Buton.

Throughout February, he was involved in so many "big events"!

　I reread "A Study in Scarlet," "Sherlock," and "Sherlock Holmes" these past couple of days... Writing mystery novels is really a headache...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)