Here, for the curious, I'll put up all my recent notes on the progress of my Holmesian novel, still very incomplete. The general intro, or "Why Helen?" is available if you're unfamiliar with it.
This novel is purely my own, sometimes randomly inspired, speculation, and I work on it intermittently in what spare time that I have; it is, after all, being written for my personal satisfaction only. Deeper In Memory (or DIM, as I'll abbreviate it), is indeed largely focused on the different memories of its characters, and it explores psychological and introspective moments. A couple of excerpts reside on the Foxhound's pastiche page, but I also have some revisions listed on this page.
Apparently, Sherlockian minds think alike, for my chronology of Moriarty-related events parallels that of the late scholar William S. Baring-Gould in his Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street. I've only just recently read Baring-Gould's "biography" of Holmes, and I discovered unexpectedly that he had had the same idea as I--namely, to conclude by logic that the beginning conversations about Moriarty in Valley of Fear and "Final Problem" ought to be switched. I too believe that Holmes must have investigated and fought Moriarty for some years prior to changing his strategy, or making bolder progress, in the first four months of 1891. However, I concluded that it must have been six years, whereas Baring-Gould declared it to but three years, and I've also included the possibility that Moriarty once struck a major defeat against Holmes, one that temporarily discredited Holmes with Scotland Yard and immobilized the detective's will to continue. I hope this clears up any confusion that my prior explanations about Moriarty may have caused. Baring-Gould's work, by the way, is a darn interesting study in Holmes (and Watson!), even if certain insights of his go a little too far.
So on to my notes now. Each number on the following list represents the chapter number, and each chapter is intended to have an appropriate opening quotation from the canon. I use the standard four-letter abbreviations to identify the quotations. From time to time, I will add more links to DIM excerpts or sketches. Any suggestions, questions, or comments are welcome. crescent( or Miss Roylott
"Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill." (HOUN)
Holmes's childhood, according to me. The "folk" are the deceased Holmes parents whose fate is kept perpetually shrouded in mystery, much to the distress of their orphaned children. I suppose that my fairly original thoughts on our detective's youth are my placing Sherlock's birth in 1856, and my inclusion of a Holmes sister named Violet, whose spirited personality later endears him to clear, strong, and forthright women of the same name. This chapter covers Holmes's birth up to his adolescence, during which Violet dies young. Sherlock and his siblings live with their relatives the Verners, whom they mockingly term "our Vernets". It is not a happy childhood, but certainly an influential one.
The first half of Sherlock's college career, which begins for him early, at age 16; meanwhile, Mycroft makes progress in his mysterious government position, "some dull post having to do with numbers," according to his brother. Holmes's studies are unique, but he eventually befriends Victor Trevor and delves into the fateful "Gloria Scott" adventure. Holmes having clinched his final decision for his career path, there follows what I call his "missing year in America" where he meets the Pinkertons and Wilson Hargreave.
Holmes's return to England, and to college, to complete his specialized training. He also meets Reginald Musgrave at this other university. He slowly builds a practice at Montague Street. Though much time is spent in studying and writing monographs, Holmes has frustratingly long stretches of free time.
Some events of Watson's life, followed by the very early days of Holmes and Watson's partnership. Rather than repeat the whole text of STUD, I will work around it, and add some speculations. Perhaps I will follow around that bull-pup, and Mrs. Hudson's old terrier, for a while? :) I also have in mind meeting a wronged Mormon ex-wife of Enoch Drebber, who provides a partial framework of information which Doyle will eventually amplify and dramatize (perhaps distort?) for the second part of STUD. Also, Holmes comments on the concepts of revenge and love: "Vengeance. An ugly thing, for whatever reason. Can you imagine it, Watson? Such a love? But then love is a dangerous, consuming passion...."
Watson begins the pursuit of chronicling his friend, though with not much support from Holmes. Sherlock discusses the good doctor with Mycroft, asking whether it is wise to reveal to Watson his "occasional, though unpleasant" habit.
Note: Since Chapter 6 is the only major exception to my practice of using third person throughout this novel, I have put what I call a third person "frame" around it. The end of Chapter 5 breaks off from the narrative about Holmes and Watson, inserting a terse and startling scene of a woman's disorientation in the early hours of a certain April 1883 morning. Chapter 7 resumes the third person narrative during Holmes and Watson's train ride back to London. Just as Watson tries to contemplate the fascinating character of that certain woman, Holmes displays such an irascible and unjustified temper such as to make Watson wonder for the detective's health and sanity. We follow Watson's thoughts as he retraces the recent case from his point of view, adding significant scenes to which their client was not a witness.
This entire chapter being a first-person narrative, it is firmly marked off as the "Reminiscences of Miss Helen Stoner, recorded a few months after the described events".
I want to do a rewrite of Reminiscences, but can't yet figure out how to change Miss Stoner's matter-of-fact tone of voice to something more atmospheric and distressed. You can see the current version here with the new/altered passages marked in red. Ah, if I could only do with Holmes and Helen Stoner what I've recently (and heretically) done with Holmes and Irene Adler.
Resumption of third person narrative. Holmes grates on Watson's nerves more and more. As Holmes carries on a correspondence, and more, with the still unmarried Helen Stoner, Watson practices his "technique" of constructing intricate, elegant short stories, in order to relieve his continuing difficulties at writing the Study in Scarlet novel. Also, there's an explanation of why Helen Stoner wrote her "Reminiscences" and how she came to acknowledge to herself a certain ... fascination with Holmes.
An unfortunate encounter with Helen Stoner and her ex-fiance in New York. (Irene Adler will also be in the background.)
Return to a focus on cases, 1885-1887. (I'm also going to transplant the "Charles Augustus Milverton" adventure to here, on the assumption that the electric light switch was a red herring to chronologists.) Holmes avoids discussing the incidents of chapter 8, and begins investigating the criminal organization of Moriarty. Watson, meanwhile, has met a certain doctor named Doyle, who helps to co-author his long unfinished novel. Also, in the spring of 1887, Watson goes so far as to leave Baker Street, only to be won back by Holmes's April collapse and the "Reigate Puzzle" adventure.
Holmes's successes of 1888, soon to be eclipsed by an appalling failure in the summer. While trying to prove Porlock's murder by Moriarty, Holmes is temporarily discredited with Scotland Yard. Feeling that he's been checkmated, he slumps into depression, and begins to alternate between cocaine and morphine. That, and Watson's recent injury to his leg, make for a spell of bad-temper in Baker Street, only to be relieved in September 1888 by the arrival of Mary Morstan.
Watson's departure due to marriage, and his sending of a new (Sign of Four) manuscript to his coauthor, to help preserve the surprise for his bride. For Holmes, a Bohemian scandal brings not only a renewed acquaintance with Irene Adler, but also renewed thoughts of Helen Stoner.
More cases of 1889, from summer onward. Mary Watson takes an interest in Holmes's cases as well, after intervening in "A Case of Identity" 's conclusion. This is quite the opposite of Holmes's expectations, and a little bewildering. In the "Naval Treaty" adventure, Holmes unexpectedly quotes from one of Helen Stoner's letters: "Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in flowers." However, near the end of the year, three cases in a row result in pointless deaths, making Holmes a little in doubt of his powers. (These cases are FIVE, HOUN, and a case of my own fabrication, involving Diana Struthers.)
In Watson's absence for most of 1890, Holmes refrains from mentioning his troubles to him at all. Mycroft tries to steady his brother, who's in a state of distress comparable to his condition just after Violet's death. But a visit from Helen Stoner brings with it a hope for the future.
Building up to a tragedy. Holmes and Helen Stoner share a calm before the storm. They spend the year in private preparations and anticipations. Holmes particularly wishes to wrap up the long-standing Moriarty case. But a telegram in early January of 1891 informs Holmes of Helen Stoner's death in New York.
A new chess game with Moriarty. Due to Inspector Lestrade's ill-timed breaking in upon Holmes's shock and grief, our detective purposefully renews his assault on the old professor. So intent is Sherlock, that he is nowhere to be found when Mycroft comes to offer some brotherly advice--a suggestion that he visit a Dr. Freud in Vienna. On April 24th, Holmes updates Watson on his progress against Moriarty. Having no time to wait for Mary's return after the arson in Baker Street, they hurry to the Continent.
Events at the Reichenbach Falls, and their after-effects. As Holmes joins Struthers, Watson unhappily goes home alone.
It's on Foxhound's page, but I have made a minor change to Reichenbach, due to my realisation that something was fishy about my mention of France.
The downfall of Moriarty's organization, as the agents are tried and convicted for their numerous crimes. I will make the rather shocking claim that all the professor's agents were captured by the police, and that Colonel Moran was hanged, though not before a certain intrigued author sketched this villain's profile, and wrote down the details of his infamous skill with his air gun. Doyle is fascinated by the drama unfolding during the trials, and he urges Watson to spend more time at court, to help record these facts for posterity. Watson is rather too busy, though, mainly concentrating on publishing his short stories as a tribute to Holmes. When Doyle informs him of the amazing success of his stories, and the demand for more, Watson is then distracted by the fact that Mary is expecting a baby. As for Mycroft, since the sad memorial for his brother, he's been supervising the restoration of 221B for Mrs. Hudson, though she's likely to never have so extraordinary a lodger as Sherlock Holmes again. Meanwhile, Struthers finds herself coping with Holmes's bitter confessions and brooding. To her attempts to prod him into activity, he sarcastically replies with a list of possible grandiose feats that he might embark upon--a list that bears striking similarity to the exploits of "Sigerson" that would be reported over ten years later in "Empty House" adventure.
A trip, in hopes of breaking Holmes out his pattern of pitiful morbidity and self-blame. Struthers takes Holmes back to Stoke Moran, Surrey, to retrieve various letters and journals of Helen's from her aunt Honoria Westphail. Honoria had been trying to contact Holmes for months now, to give such private items to him, but had been ignored thoroughly by Holmes. Struthers makes him confront his pain face-on, and shares her own regrets. Both in sore need of a break, they decide to visit America, mailing to Watson a notebook which he had left with Helen Stoner back in 1883. When Watson receives it, it only bears the message that "the lady is dead." Watson begins to write the tale while consulting the notebook, but he receives a far worse interruption. Mary Watson miscarries, barely surviving the childbirth herself.
A withdrawal of Watson from writing. Since Mary is distraught and haunted by the loss of their child, John searches for some way to comfort her. Between his practice and his attempts to finish off some bits of writing, he finds it difficult to be with her often enough. Finally, he sends Doyle his tin-dispatch box and tells him to pick and choose whichever case he liked out of the manuscripts, but to only make sure to change names and use any necessary discretion. Watson simply doesn't have the time, and he wishes to take Mary away somewhere to some peace and quiet.
The American trip, as well as the Watsons' activities. Mary being recovered, John returns to practice and to writing. Even as the "Yellow Face" adventure is published, Holmes and Struthers ramble through Atlanta, the home of Effie Munro's first husband John Hebron. Holmes talks of his late sister's aspiration to visit America and learn the truth behind their parents' death. By such small, slow steps is the detective brought back into an investigative state of mind.
Holmes's 1894 return, with Struthers. Reading Watson's moving account of Holmes's death, the detective has reconsidered his renunciation of London. He obviously gives quite a shock to his close friends upon his arrival, but after recounting his activities to Watson, he comforts him over his bereavement with a case. This case, obviously, shall have to be a modified version of the "Empty House" adventure. It involves a different card-playing, murderous Colonel, with a different method of assassination. The reasons for his being eventually obscured in the "Empty House" story by Colonel Moran shall be fully explained in the next chapter.
Post-return cases, the turn of the century, and Watson's venture into publication again, beginning with Hound of the Baskervilles. Doyle and Watson have a little fun with constructing the "Empty House," for reasons which I am currently fine-tuning. Overall, they are rather playful with the many stories which will eventually comprise the "Return" and "Casebook" collections.
My speculations on Holmes's retirement, of which I am still working out the details.
A look-in on Doyle's activities, such as Spiritualism, courting Jean Leckie, solving of cases, anticipating World War I, etc.
"His Last Bow" to ?
DIM will probably contain less than 30 chapters, total. It depends upon whether I decide to break up any of these currently listed chapters into shorter ones. The major reason for my being currently stalled on this novel is that I have yet to perfect the varied mysteries that our great Detective is to solve. I admit, I am more addicted to plotting out emotions and thoughts, than I am to plotting out actions and ... well, plots.