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The Great Detective sat back in the huge wing backed armchair, his
merschaum on the table beside him. The small tin that held his syringe and his
customary dose of cocaine, his refuge from boredom, lay closed and ignored
beside it. The woman was standing almost in front of him, clapping her hands
with excitement. “Oh, my darling” she said, “it’s all so wonderful. I can’t
believe you went to so much trouble.”
He looked up at her and smiled, giving a quiet shrug. “Well, I had some
help you know. Watson is a very handy chap you know and knows how to put a
service revolver to good use. He handled the last all by himself, believing he
was helping me on a case of considerable import concerning a dastardly group of
renegade musicians. I needed an alibi, of course. Who better
than the Inspector and the assembled cast of the principal suspects?” He
chuckled at the thought of the confusion caused.
“But all of these things. Such
extravagant gifts. I hardly know what to do with them all.”
“You are an extraordinary woman, you deserve
the most extraordinary gifts, Irene. You know I am besotted with you. That I would do anything for you. Anything!”
“Well,” she said approaching him and sitting down on the man’s lap. She
reached forward and loosened his necktie. “Such ardent declarations of
affection, such astonishing demonstrations of ardour, deserve their reward. I
am sure you can extend your detecting powers to discovering how to bring us
both great pleasure.”
“Why Miss Adler,” he responded, placing one hand on her tightly
corsetted waist, “you know that I desire nothing less.”
Irene Adler took him by the hand and drew him to his feet. The two
headed towards the door and the stairs that led to the man’s bedroom. Irene
smiled at the detective. “And just you wait until you find where I’m wearing
those gold rings,” she said with an intriguing smile.
(For the real story behind the Great Detective and his encounter with
Miss Irene Adler, read “A Scandal In Bohemia” available on-line at : http://sherlock-holmes.classic-literature.co.uk/a-scandal-in-bohemia/
)
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