A Necessary Experiment
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holmes_minorTitle: A Necessary Experiment
Form/Word count: 282
Characters/Pairing: Mr Sherlock Holmes, Dr John Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Stanley Hopkins
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Holmes believes he has been justified in conducting an experiment, Watson is less sure.
We were once more alone in our rooms. I looked balefully at Holmes who, half-apologetically, looked back at me.
“I learnt something,” he said, attempting to justify himself to me.
“I fail to see how learning what makes young Hopkins blush is ever going to be of any benefit,” I replied.
“It was a puzzle. He’s a promising police inspector, and therefore cannot normally blush in the course of his every day work. I was curious if there was a particular reason why he should do so.”
“And therefore you blamed him when Mrs Hudson complained about the muddy footprints in the middle of our carpet. Ones which you yourself had made on returning half an hour earlier.”
“Obviously it couldn’t have been him. He wipes his feet scrupulously whenever he enters the house. He must have known that.”
“So you didn’t accuse Hopkins just to make Mrs Hudson sigh and say, ‘Really, Inspector, I’d have expected better of you.’?”
“How can you think that of me?”
“And you didn’t choose the exact moment when Hopkins was looking at the small picture which is hung near the edge of the room, to make your accusation?”
“Hmm.”
“And it was an accidental choice of words which made you say, once Mrs Hudson had left, ‘You don’t need to stand in the corner all afternoon’?”
“It was a necessary experiment.”
“What, to prove Mrs Hudson reminds Hopkins of his nanny, who was another formidable woman? I’ve a good mind to go and tell her you’ve been mean to Hopkins.”
“You wouldn’t tell tales on me, would you, Watson? There’s apple pie for dessert tonight and if she finds out she won’t give me any.”
Form/Word count: 282
Characters/Pairing: Mr Sherlock Holmes, Dr John Watson, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Stanley Hopkins
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Holmes believes he has been justified in conducting an experiment, Watson is less sure.
We were once more alone in our rooms. I looked balefully at Holmes who, half-apologetically, looked back at me.
“I learnt something,” he said, attempting to justify himself to me.
“I fail to see how learning what makes young Hopkins blush is ever going to be of any benefit,” I replied.
“It was a puzzle. He’s a promising police inspector, and therefore cannot normally blush in the course of his every day work. I was curious if there was a particular reason why he should do so.”
“And therefore you blamed him when Mrs Hudson complained about the muddy footprints in the middle of our carpet. Ones which you yourself had made on returning half an hour earlier.”
“Obviously it couldn’t have been him. He wipes his feet scrupulously whenever he enters the house. He must have known that.”
“So you didn’t accuse Hopkins just to make Mrs Hudson sigh and say, ‘Really, Inspector, I’d have expected better of you.’?”
“How can you think that of me?”
“And you didn’t choose the exact moment when Hopkins was looking at the small picture which is hung near the edge of the room, to make your accusation?”
“Hmm.”
“And it was an accidental choice of words which made you say, once Mrs Hudson had left, ‘You don’t need to stand in the corner all afternoon’?”
“It was a necessary experiment.”
“What, to prove Mrs Hudson reminds Hopkins of his nanny, who was another formidable woman? I’ve a good mind to go and tell her you’ve been mean to Hopkins.”
“You wouldn’t tell tales on me, would you, Watson? There’s apple pie for dessert tonight and if she finds out she won’t give me any.”
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no subject
Date: 2017-09-03 06:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-03 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-03 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-03 07:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-04 01:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-04 07:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-04 09:17 pm (UTC)Drabble
Date: 2017-09-05 11:19 am (UTC)I was completely thunderstruck. So I asked hopefully, "Could you make another?"
"Unfortunately I have to clean up the footprints, so do not have time." Mrs Hudson waved the brush and dustpan in evidence.
"Holmes," I said, "it is very good of you to volunteer to sweep up."
Holmes smiled weakly.
Re: Drabble
Date: 2017-09-05 08:58 pm (UTC)Well played, Mrs. Hudson and Watson :P
Re: Drabble
Date: 2017-09-05 09:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-07 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-07 08:33 am (UTC)