Some of my Favorite Sherlockian Things by E.A. (Bud) Livingston

Author:E.A. (Bud) Livingston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sherlock Holmes, mystery, crime, british crime, sherlock holmes fiction, sherlock holmes short stories
ISBN: 9781780929637
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2016
Published: 2016-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

Mea Culpa Canonica

I count eighty-eight instances of apologies, pardons, sorries, excuse-me’s, or other offerings of regret in the Canon and perhaps, surprisingly, thirty-five per cent of them (31) emanate from that austere automaton, the positively inhuman calculating machine with the cold and proud nature, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. The most frequent recipient of his regrets (15) are, of course, the man he was closest to, Dr. Watson. To Watson, Holmes says, “excuse my rudeness,” and “excuse my using your name” (STUD); “pray accept my apologies” (SIGN); “Excuse me, my dear fellow. I am sorry to make you a victim of what may seem a mere whim” (ABBE); “I must apologize for calling so late” (FINA); “You will excuse me for not waiting for you” (FIVE); “I’ll just step in and see that kind gentleman, and tell him that if I was a bit gruff in my manner there was not any harm meant” and then a few moments later, “My dear Watson, I owe you a thousand apologies” and “I owe you many apologies” (EMPT). In SPEC Holmes says, “very sorry to knock you up;” in DYIN, “My dear Watson, I owe you a thousand apologies;” and in DANC, “As to you, my friend Watson, I owe you every atonement for having allowed your natural curiosity to remain so long unsatisfied.” His most sincere apology occurs in DEVI when he almost causes the demise of both himself and his Boswell. “Upon my word, Watson!” said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, “I owe you both my thanks and an apology. I am really very sorry.” This incident answers the trivia question, “Who came closest to killing off Holmes and Watson?” The answer is, of course, Holmes.

And the famous alleged misogynist apologizes, in some form, to the fair sex, on no less than six occasions, more then to any other group. To Mrs. Straker (SILV) “Ah, that quite settles it.” With an apology he followed the inspector outside. To Mrs. Toller (COPP): “I am sure we owe you an apology.” To the telegraph operator (MISS): “I am sorry to trouble you.” To Lady Trelawney Hope (SECO): “I am sorry for you Lady Hilda.” To Irene Adler, in the disguise of the old clergyman (SCAN), “I rose, and, making my excuses, escaped from the house.” To Lady Brackenstall (ABBE), “I am sorry.”

He apologizes to police officers three times. “I really must apologize, Hopkins, I fear the scrambled eggs are cold” (BLAC); and to Lestrade, “I really beg your pardon” (STUD). In (REIG), after feigning illness, with a shamefaced apology for his weakness,” and later, “I was sorry to cause you the sympathetic pain which I know that you felt.” Inspector Forrester is among the recipients of this. Holmes apologizes to a doctor (Leslie Armstrong, MISS), to a professor (Presbury, CREE), to a convict (Jonathan Small, SIGN), to a foreign office clerk (Percy Phelps, NAVA), to an heir (Sir Henry Baskerville, HOUN), to a discreet intermediary (Sir James Damery, ILLU) and to a pawnbroker (Jabez Wilson; REDH).

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