Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 303 This novel is called "The Sign of Four"!
As I left the University of Edinburgh, the sky over Edinburgh was already overcast, and a fine drizzle began to fall.

Back in the living room of his hotel room, Lionel stood by the window, gazing at the city skyline shrouded in rain.

Rainwater meandered down the glass window, blurring the distant Castle Hill and making the room feel exceptionally quiet.

Conan Doyle was still immersed in excitement and agitation, fidgeting in the room, repeatedly pondering Dr. Bell's words.

His voice trembled slightly: "He agreed! Leon, did you hear that? Professor Bell agreed! He even said he doesn't blame me!"

Lionel turned around, a calm smile on his face. "Yes, Arthur, I heard you. This is a very good start."

He walked to the desk and tapped the surface lightly with his fingers: "Now, let's tone down the excitement a bit. We still have work to do."

Conan Doyle paused for a moment: "Work?"

Lionel sat down in the armchair behind the desk: "Take out your paper and pen, Arthur. I'm going to tell you a new story, and you write it down."

Conan Doyle came to his senses, and an even stronger excitement than before swept over him, making him almost jump out of his chair: "Leon...Leon?"
You...you mean, let me...let me directly record...participate in creating a new 'Sherlock Holmes' story? Not just gather information?"

This has a completely different meaning! Gathering information is the assistant's job; it's behind-the-scenes support.

But recording Lionel's dictation, and possibly even participating in the construction of the story, almost makes him a true collaborator!
For this young man who had just staked his entire future on the role of "Sherlock Holmes," his dream had become a reality.

Lionel smiled gently at his bewildered expression: "Yes, Arthur, record it, and understand why I'm telling the story this way."

In the future, 'Sherlock Holmes' will encounter many cases, and he will solve one mystery after another, becoming a familiar and anticipated old friend to readers.

But in my mind, there are still many stories and many characters waiting to be brought into this world; I cannot remain merely 'Sherlock Holmes'.

Conan Doyle immediately understood Lionel's implied meaning.

His heart skipped a beat, and a daring idea surfaced in his mind—

Will Lionel gradually hand over the creation of "Sherlock Holmes" stories to himself in the future?

Conan Doyle swayed and almost fell off his chair.

This is no longer just simple assistance; it is a legacy, a great trust and honor!
This means that he, Arthur Conan Doyle, could potentially become one of the "creators" of that great detective.

In the future, he might even become the main narrator!
This made him feel a sense of apprehension, but he was also overjoyed and eager to try it out.

Conan Doyle's voice still trembled: "Leon...I...I don't know what to say..."

Leon certainly had his own plans. There was no doubt that the "Sherlock Holmes" series would bring him enormous fame and fortune, as history had proven.

But he also knew how damaging it would be to his mental well-being to repeatedly create the same character and repeat similar story patterns.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in history, once pushed the detective off the Reichenbach Falls because he was tired of him.

He didn't want to repeat the same mistake, getting bogged down in a role and then exhausting his passion in the daily grind of creation.

Therefore, nurturing Conan Doyle and enabling him to deeply understand the creative logic of "Sherlock Holmes" as early as possible so that he could take over in the future was an important part of the process.

He was confident of this—after all, even without him, Conan Doyle would have written "A Study in Scarlet" seven years later.

This time, he decided to use the "oral" method for creation, which was both a challenge for himself and a way to "train" Conan Doyle. The history of oral creation is long in Europe and was still used by many writers until the 19th century.

For example, when Victor Hugo was writing "Quiet Contemplation," he first dictated the text, which was then recorded by a scribe, and finally he revised and perfected it.

This requires clear logical thinking and strong language skills, but Lionel wanted to challenge himself.

At the same time, it allows Conan Doyle to experience firsthand the process of a story coming into being.

Lionel took a deep breath and focused all his attention: "Are you ready, Arthur?"

Conan Doyle sat up straight, spread out a new sheet of paper, unscrewed the cap of his pen, held the nib above the page, and nodded vigorously: "Ready!"

Lionel's voice became rhythmic: "This new 'Sherlock Holmes' novel is called—The Sign of Four."

Lionel began his narration, his voice not loud, but clearly echoing in the room:

"In my long-term relationship with Sherlock Holmes, his unconventional way of thinking and his occasional expressions of boredom with the monotony of life often puzzled me."

It was on an autumn evening... well, shortly after we collaborated on solving the 'Research in Scarlet' case...

He dictated the beginning of the story, describing the familiar scene inside 221B Baker Street: Holmes leaning back on the sofa, looking bored.

However, this time the detective doesn't fiddle with his syringe bottle; in this version, Holmes no longer injects cocaine for thrills.

Lionel only vaguely mentions his "impatience" with a monotonous life and his "tendency to seek mental stimulation".

He emphasized Watson's concerns and the ensuing discussion between the two about "deductive reasoning."

"...'Life, my dear Watson, is far more mundane than people imagine,' Holmes complained. 'I am restless and agitated when I have nothing to do. Give me problems, give me work, give me the deepest codes, give me the most complex analyses, and I feel most comfortable...'"

I utterly despise a mundane life; I crave intellectual stimulation. Therefore, I chose my own unique profession—or rather, I created it, for I am the only person in the world to practice it.

Conan Doyle took notes quickly, nodding occasionally and sometimes showing a thoughtful expression.

Next, Lionel once again had Holmes demonstrate the power of deduction in everyday life.

This is currently the most interesting part of "A Study in Scarlet" to the public, even more so than the later crime-solving process.

Lionel felt it necessary to constantly reinforce this label: "Arthur, repetition, can continuously deepen the character's impression on the reader."

But repetition is not simple—the 'deductive method' can be repeated, but the object of its application must be novel.

Conan Doyle looked as if he had just realized something.

In Lionel's version, Watson does not take out his brother's pocket watch—a move already made in *A Study in Scarlet*.

He had Watson pull a five-pound gold coin from his vest pocket—coins typically used for commemorative or collectible purposes, rather than for everyday circulation.

"['Then, Holmes,' I placed the gold coin, which gleamed with an alluring light, in my palm, 'and see if you can read anything from this little piece of metal?'"

(End of this chapter)