Fic: Many Visitors
May. 7th, 2016 07:06 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
holmes_minorTitle: Many Visitors
Form/Wordcount: 430
Characters/Pairings: Dr John Watson; Mr Sherlock Holmes
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: Watson is looking at some of those who have made the journey from A to 221B
Holmes, of course, is delighted with the variety of visitors there are to 221B. While they relate their case, he looks at their footwear in an act of apparent concentration, and then surprises them by saying something similar to “But surely you went to the newsagents before you came here?” and they almost always agree. For something on their shoes or boots, be it mud or a leaf, will have furnished him with sufficient clues to make such a deduction.
Lestrade tried to fool him on one occasion, by changing his boots for a pair he had worn the previous day. Holmes merely asked him why he had bothered, since the marks on his trousers betrayed his attempts to confuse.
Holmes also nearly accused Inspector Hopkins of trying a similar trick, but then paused and said, “You would be better served by going to the cobbler’s in Weymouth Street; their leather is of a better quality.” The young inspector was so startled he nearly made an entry in his notebook to that effect, before realising this was not strictly necessary.
Even those who arrive by cab do not escape these deductions, even though our latest client believed he could. He had sought to impress Holmes with his wealth; and indeed his clothing, although not of the very latest cut, had been made by the best tailors and was of excellent quality. He had come to ask for Holmes assistance, for he had discovered a necklace of his wife’s had been stolen. The necklace had been stored at the back of a locked drawer in his desk and he had not realised it was missing. He suspected his brother-in-law to be the thief and therefore did not wish to go to the police.
Holmes looked at the man. “Please do not waste my time,” he said. “You seek to deny you have any concerns regarding money, but your attire gives you away.”
The man looked surprised and smoothed his impeccable waistcoat.
“Your boots,” Holmes continued, “show signs of recent wear. You have walked a considerable distance from your home, before taking the cab for the last part of your journey. You may wish to ask your brother-in-law for a loan to redeem the necklace from the pawnbroker’s.”
“How dare you, sir!” the man exclaimed, before turning and rapidly leaving.
“Another triumph, Holmes,” I remarked. “Although somehow I doubt you will be receiving a fee.”
Holmes chuckled. “And neither from the expression on his face, did the cabby receive a tip. Which was, incidentally, the first indication of the lack of funds.”
Form/Wordcount: 430
Characters/Pairings: Dr John Watson; Mr Sherlock Holmes
Rating: G
Warnings/Content: Watson is looking at some of those who have made the journey from A to 221B
Holmes, of course, is delighted with the variety of visitors there are to 221B. While they relate their case, he looks at their footwear in an act of apparent concentration, and then surprises them by saying something similar to “But surely you went to the newsagents before you came here?” and they almost always agree. For something on their shoes or boots, be it mud or a leaf, will have furnished him with sufficient clues to make such a deduction.
Lestrade tried to fool him on one occasion, by changing his boots for a pair he had worn the previous day. Holmes merely asked him why he had bothered, since the marks on his trousers betrayed his attempts to confuse.
Holmes also nearly accused Inspector Hopkins of trying a similar trick, but then paused and said, “You would be better served by going to the cobbler’s in Weymouth Street; their leather is of a better quality.” The young inspector was so startled he nearly made an entry in his notebook to that effect, before realising this was not strictly necessary.
Even those who arrive by cab do not escape these deductions, even though our latest client believed he could. He had sought to impress Holmes with his wealth; and indeed his clothing, although not of the very latest cut, had been made by the best tailors and was of excellent quality. He had come to ask for Holmes assistance, for he had discovered a necklace of his wife’s had been stolen. The necklace had been stored at the back of a locked drawer in his desk and he had not realised it was missing. He suspected his brother-in-law to be the thief and therefore did not wish to go to the police.
Holmes looked at the man. “Please do not waste my time,” he said. “You seek to deny you have any concerns regarding money, but your attire gives you away.”
The man looked surprised and smoothed his impeccable waistcoat.
“Your boots,” Holmes continued, “show signs of recent wear. You have walked a considerable distance from your home, before taking the cab for the last part of your journey. You may wish to ask your brother-in-law for a loan to redeem the necklace from the pawnbroker’s.”
“How dare you, sir!” the man exclaimed, before turning and rapidly leaving.
“Another triumph, Holmes,” I remarked. “Although somehow I doubt you will be receiving a fee.”
Holmes chuckled. “And neither from the expression on his face, did the cabby receive a tip. Which was, incidentally, the first indication of the lack of funds.”
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