The Second Stain: A Visit to Sussex

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Second Stain
Title: A Visit to Sussex
Author: scfrankles
Rating: G
Author's Notes: …I had given a promise that "The Adventure of the Second Stain" should be published when the times were ripe… But when you compare the details given in NAVA with SECO itself, Watson appears to be talking about two different cases…


Holmes stared at my manuscript.

“The Second Stain? I gave my word we wouldn't make it public yet!”

“No, I said, “this isn’t the Second Stain. It’s the other Second Stain. I wouldn’t write about the first Second Stain, but this is the second Second Stain. So it’s fine.”

“Oh,” said Holmes. “Well, it’ll all come out in the wash.”

Comments

[debriswoman]

Ah yes, the first and second Second Stain...I wonder if the first relates to the reference to a case including a laundry in one of the tales?( which I will have to look up.)

Neat last line:-)

re: A Visit to Sussex

[vaysh]

What a lovely scene between Holmes and Watson in their retirement. I can just imagine Holmes being shocked that Watson would reveal a secret he was sworn to keep, and then his humorous relief that Watson, in fact, had not broken his trust.

Personally, I am convinced that the "Second Stain" is the adventure Watson refers to in NAVA. The world of ACD's stories just was never meant to be as consistent as we today may wish it to be. ;)

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

Yes, come on, Holmes, this is the second second stain! Keep up! :D

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Nice to see you haven't lost your ability to pun.

And of course, once you've had one case with a second stain, the second case is going to be much easier to solve.

[garonne.livejournal.com]

Hah, clever! Love it :)

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I do think Watson could have taken that patter act round the music halls ^__^

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

If I ever lose my ability to pun that will be the end of me as a writer ^_^

And, yes, - it's no wonder that Holmes put 2 and 2 together so quickly ^^

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was pleased with that last line ^^

Must admit I don't remember the laundry reference at all. Let me know when you've looked it up?

Re: A Visit to Sussex

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Thank you ^^

Yes, I have no doubt ACD meant SECO to be the adventure referred to in NAVA. But having a second Second Stain just amuses me a great deal ^_^

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much ^_^ *giggles*

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

That's a great piece of dialogue; both Watson's GetSmartism and Holmes' crack. (And I love the bit in the discussion about the second second stain.)

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Oh, you made it through! ^^ (By chance, I was reading some comments on someone's journal yesterday and you're definitely not the only person having problems with lj. I've had minor problems but I must admit I'd thought the fault lay with the family computer ^^")

Thank you so much ^^ I think of it as Watson being entirely unaware that he's being confusing, and Holmes being entirely bewildered ^__^ And I liked the "second second stain" comment too - that was exactly what I was getting at with the joke ^_^