Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 304 The Successor to "Sherlock Holmes"

Next, Lionel meticulously described how Holmes observed the gold coin:

Since it is a commemorative coin, the fine scratches on the edge are not caused by wear and tear from circulation, but more likely by being handled with a specific tool—such as jewelry tweezers.
One side of the relief has tiny spots, as if it had been slightly corroded by an acidic substance;

The lingering scent on the surface of the gold coin comes from a certain spice and a specific type of wood…

Based on these observations, Holmes began his reasoning:

The owner of the gold coin was not an ordinary collector, but more likely a doctor or biochemist who frequently dealt with chemicals;

And they had long experience living in overseas colonies, because the aroma of spices and wood was a specialty there;
The marks on the edge suggest that he often carefully examined the gold coin, which may be related to an important personal experience or emotional attachment to it.
Those tiny stains and spots suggest that the preservation environment was not always ideal, perhaps indicating that the area had experienced turbulent changes...

Lionel's narration was logically rigorous and rich in detail, captivating Conan Doyle and prompting him to write with lightning speed.

This reasoning process once again demonstrates Holmes's extraordinary observational skills and vast knowledge.

Just as Holmes finished his brilliant analysis of the gold coins, and Watson was still marveling at it, the doorbell rang.

Lionel's narration maintains a perfectly balanced sense of suspense: "[Just then, the doorbell rang urgently downstairs, followed by Mrs. Hudson's footsteps and her announcement: 'Mr. Holmes, a young lady requests an audience. She says her name is Meryl Morstan.']"

The story thus officially begins. Lionel describes in detail Miss Meryl Morstan's entrance.

Her beauty, her elegance, and her anxiety, not to mention the bizarre requests she brings—

She receives anonymous pearls every year, and now she has received another invitation letter that involves her missing father.

In his narration, Lionel does not simply advance the plot or portray the characters.

Sometimes, Conan Doyle would ask questions because he didn't understand a certain plot twist or detail, for example:

"Leon, why is Miss Morstan being asked to mention details of her father's service in the Indian Army? Is this closely related to the main plot later on?"

Lionel would patiently pause to explain: "It's very important, Arthur. It's not just about the character's background, but also the core motivation of the entire story and the imprint of its historical context."

India, colonial wealth, military secrets... these elements constitute the unique 'exotic' atmosphere and criminal environment of this case.

Remember, Sherlock Holmes' cases are often rooted in the various social problems and contradictions brought about by the expansion of the British Empire.

Conan Doyle, as an Englishman, also felt this deeply.

By the end of the nineteenth century, the vast colonies had become almost entirely a liability for Britain, both in terms of economic and social costs.

However, Britain's elite remained obsessed with the glory of the "empire on which the sun never sets," leaving the British army exhausted from fighting for those barren lands.

Just two months ago, Britain and Afghanistan signed an agreement to end the war in Afghanistan;
But just days ago, Parliament passed a temporary war appropriation of up to £2000 million to deal with the impending war with the Boers.

Not to mention the constant fighting in the princely states of India.

As a Briton, Conan Doyle had mixed feelings about this.

During their previous conversation, he heard Lionel explain in detail what a "social detective" is.

Lionel argues that cases should be placed within a real social context, revealing social contradictions and human dilemmas through the criminal motives.

This kind of "detective novel" is essentially a branch of realist novels and is closely related to Lionel's previous works.

"A detective's reasoning should not be a purely intellectual game, and the motives for a crime should not always revolve around insurance money and inheritance." On this point, Conan Doyle stood on the same side as Lionel.

……

When Lionel recounted that Holmes and Watson were heading to Mr. Bartholomew Schulto's residence and about to enter the crime scene, he deliberately stopped.

Lionel particularly emphasized the importance of hidden clues in environmental descriptions: "Notice here, Arthur, we are describing the environment as they approach the house."

You could write it like this: '...we carefully made our way along a narrow path, next to a newly painted wooden fence...'

He looked at Conan Doyle: "Here, we've planted a crucial clue—'wood tar.'"

It is often used for wood preservation, especially in docks, warehouses, and outdoor buildings that require moisture and corrosion protection.

We can't let Sherlock Holmes walk in, take a sniff, and immediately declare, "Ah, this is creosote!"

That would be unfair to the readers, and it would seem too 'divine'.

Conan Doyle said thoughtfully, "So, we need to place the clues in the environmental descriptions in a less conspicuous way beforehand?"

For example, that newly painted wooden fence—it hints at the presence of 'wood tar'.

Lionel nodded approvingly: "Exactly! Make it one of the many environmental details, make it look like just part of the background, without emphasizing it."

In this way, when Holmes smells and confirms the scent again in the room later, the reader will suddenly realize and recall the seemingly casual description from before.

They gained a sense of participation from the feeling that 'the clues had been given all along,' which also satisfied their self-affirmation regarding their intelligence.

This is the so-called 'fairness of clues' principle—in a good detective novel, the author must honestly reveal all the key clues in advance.

However, as the narrators of the story, we must cleverly 'hide' it from the public eye.

Conan Doyle's face lit up with a look of sudden realization, as if a new door had been opened to the hall of detective novel writing.

He excitedly jotted down the words "fair clues - hidden environmental details - wood tar" on the edge of the manuscript.

In his subsequent narration, Lionel focused even more on the application of this technique.

He described the strangeness of Mr. Schulte's death scene: the closed room, the strange murder weapon, the piece of paper with "Sign of Four" written on it, the unusual footprints...

Through Holmes's words, he meticulously analyzed the footprints, dust, and traces on the window, revealing a past from a foreign land, filled with greed and betrayal...

It is closely linked to the murder case at hand.

The rain outside the window had stopped sometime ago, and dusk was falling; Edinburgh seemed to be about to fall asleep.

Inside the hotel room, the gas lamps were still on, illuminating the two figures engrossed in their work.

A new Sherlock Holmes adventure—The Sign of Four—is gradually taking shape on this peaceful Scottish night.

Only Conan Doyle knew that he had learned far more tonight than simply recording a wonderful story.

(End of this chapter)