A Scandal in Bohemia: Why Else?

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: A Scandal in Bohemia
Title: Why Else?
Author: mundungus42
Word Count: 60
Rating: G

My bow was just deep enough to see the underside of the king's ostentatious beryl brooch, where I observed its tiny hinges and the trimmed edge of an albumin print.

Knowing how close he kept the carte de visite print of himself and Mrs. Norton, I knew the king could not refuse me her photograph.

For future identification purposes, naturally.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Excellent reasoning from Holmes.

Thank you for this elegant and romantic 60. Lovely last line.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I received the Baring-Gould Annotated Holmes for Christmas (having coveted it ever since reading the Klinger New Annotated Holmes), and two of his intriguing footnotes inspired this: one on relative sizes of Victorian photographic prints, and the other disputing a romantic interpretation for Holmes choosing to take Irene's photograph as payment. As if wanting to memorize her face to avoid being taken in by her disguises and possible romantic interest are mutually exclusive things! :D

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I've just had to do a bit of Googling - I now know a little bit more about 19th century photography ^^

You are always left wondering - why exactly does Holmes want to keep Irene Adler's photograph..? Perhaps he himself isn't quite sure.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

I got the idea for the second photograph from an annotation in the Baring-Gould describing a cabinet sized photograph as smaller than a boudoir but larger than a carte de visite, which suggested to me that the king had his own more discreet copy. Isn't it just like the king to want to keep his and not want Irene to have hers?

Perhaps he himself isn't quite sure.
This is absolutely my personal headcanon. I don't buy a pure romantic interpretation any more than I buy a wholly calculating interpretation, but a combination of motives, some conscious, some unconscious feels sufficiently complext to me.

[debriswoman]

I like the deduction and justification:-)

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I like to think he suspected where the king's copy of the portrait was hidden all along but required more reasons to ask for Irene's photograph :D

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Of course. This is the only reason Holmes will admit to - ever.

[mundungus42.livejournal.com]

Bless Watson for knowing Holmes well enough to allow him plausible deniability :D