Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Study in Scarlet Illustrated Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In 1881, Doctor John Watson has returned to London after serving in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. He visits the Criterion Restaurant and runs into an old friend named Stamford, who had been a dresser under him at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Watson tells Stamford he is looking for a place to live before his nine-month half-pay pension runs out. Stamford mentions that an acquaintance of his, Sherlock Holmes, is looking for someone to split the rent at a flat at 221B Baker Street, but he cautions Watson about Holmes's eccentricities. Stamford takes Watson back to St. Bartholomew's where, in a laboratory, they find Holmes experimenting with a reagent, seeking a test to detect human hemoglobin. Holmes explains the significance of bloodstains as evidence in criminal trials. Watson raises their parallel quests to find a place to live. At Holmes's prompting, the two review their various shortcomings to make sure that they can live together. After seeing the rooms at 221B, they move in and grow accustomed to their new situation. Holmes reveals that he is a "consulting detective" and that his frequent guests are clients. Facing Watson's doubts about some of his claims, Holmes casually deduces to Watson that one visitor, a messenger from Scotland Yard, is also a retired Marine sergeant. When the man confirms this, Watson is astounded. Original illustration of Holmes with magnifying glass, by David Henry Friston. Left to right: Watson, Holmes, Lestrade, GregsonA telegram requests a consultation in a murder case. Holmes is reluctant to help because credit would go entirely to the officials, but Watson urges him to reconsider, and, at Holmes' suggestion, accompanies him to the crime scene, an abandoned house. Holmes observes the pavement and garden leading up to the house before he and Watson meet Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade. The male corpse is identified as a wealthy man named Enoch Drebber. They also learn from documents found on his person that he was in London with his secretary, Joseph Stangerson. On one wall, written in red, is "RACHE". Holmes remarks that it is the German word for "revenge". He deduces that the victim died from poison and supplies a description of the murderer. Holmes says "RACHE" was a ploy to fool the police. Upon moving Drebber's body, they discover a woman's gold wedding ring. Holmes and Watson visit the home of the constable who found the corpse and learn that a seemingly drunk loiterer had attempted to approach the crime scene. Holmes reasons that the murderer returned on realising he'd forgotten the wedding ring. Holmes dispatches some telegrams including an order for a newspaper notice about the ring. He also buys a facsimile of it. He guesses that the murderer, having already returned to the scene of the crime for it, would come to retrieve it. The advertisement is answered by an old woman who claims that the ring belongs to her daughter. Holmes gives her the duplicate, follows her, and returns to Watson later that night, explaining that she took a cab, he hopped onto the back of it, and when it stopped, he found that she had vanished. This leads Holmes to believe that it was an accomplice in disguise.