Sherlock60: The Story Continues... with "The Creeping Man"

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

This Sunday, 21st December, we'll be posting our 60 word ficlets for The Creeping Man.

"Why does Professor Presbury’s wolfhound, Roy, endeavour to bite him?”

Just what is behind the strange behaviour and change in personality of the eminent professor? Holmes and Watson travel to the famous university town of "Camford" (hmm...) to investigate.

If you haven't tried 60 for 60 before, full information - including our schedule - can be found on our profile. But in essence: you read ACD's story and then you write a 60 word story inspired by it! You don't have to post a story every week - just join in whenever you feel like it.

We also offer a second challenge: pick a character from ACD’s story and write a clerihew about them. You can choose to write a 60 and a clerihew, or you can do one or the other. (There's further information about posting on our profile.) Or you can just take part in the weekly discussion. All options are absolutely fine!

Hope to see you on Sunday ^^

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Sorry to ask an obvious question. But my edition of the story, and the on-line edition I checked, has the Professor and Alice being engaged, and no mention of her trying to break it off. And then Bennett says age stood in the way. Should it be taken as a slip up of sought to be engaged, or something like that?

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Yes, you're quite right - it is an ambiguous passage.

I suppose either, as you say, Bennett has made a slip and meant to say that Presbury wishes to become engaged but hasn't yet, or he is engaged but doesn't merely want Miss Morphy's grudging agreement to the marriage - he wants her to be passionately in love with him.

I suppose there is a third possibility that the marriage has been arranged but Presbury is aware that Miss Morphy is still considering other suitors and worries that she might want to break the engagement off. But I assume that is less likely because of the social expectations of that time - Miss Morphy wouldn't agree to an engagement if she didn't seriously intend to go through with the marriage.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.