Scene 9

INT. THE SITTING-ROOM AT 221b BAKER STREET.

As before.

Glass chinks as Watson pours a drink.

WATSON: Here you are Peterson. Drink this.

PETERSON: ( Weakly) Thank you, Doctor.

He drinks, splutters and coughs. Eventually:

PETERSON: That’s better.

WATSON: Sit there for a moment. Get your breath back.

PETERSON: You are sure, Mr. Holmes? You wouldn’t say it if you weren’t sure, would you?

HOLMES: ( Occupied, a little off) Perfectly sure. The reward was announced today. One-thousand pounds.

WATSON: You’re a rich man, Peterson.

PETERSON: The shock’ll kill my Elsie.

HOLMES: Then you’d better break it to her gently.

He finishes what he’s been writing.

HOLMES: There. ( Approaching) You see, Watson? Our little deductions have suddenly assumed a much less innocent aspect. Here is the gem, the gem came from the goose, and the goose came from the gentleman with the bad hat and all the other characteristics with which I bored you.

WATSON: And now we must locate him. What were you writing?

HOLMES: “Found at the corner of Goodge Street and the Tottenham Court Road, a goose and a black felt hat. Mr. Henry Baker can have the

same by applying at 6:30 this evening at 221b Baker Street.” That is clear and concise.

WATSON: Very. But will he see it?

HOLMES: He’s sure to keep an eye on the papers. Don’t forget, he’s a poor man; the loss must have been a heavy one. Peterson, are you recovered?

PETERSON: Yes, Mr. Holmes.

HOLMES: Good. Run down to the advertising agency and have this put in the evening papers.

PETERSON: Which ones, sir?

HOLMES: Oh, The Globe, Star, Pall Mall, St. James’s Gazette, Evening News, Standard, Echo, and any others that occur to you.

PETERSON: Very well, sir. And the stone?

HOLMES: Ah, yes. I shall keep the stone.

PETERSON: Ah.

HOLMES: And Peterson, stop off on your way back and buy a goose. We must have one to give to Mr. Baker this evening.

PETERSON: Certainly sir. Er...

Holmes fishes out a coin, passes it over.

HOLMES: Here’s a sovereign.

PETERSON: Mr. Holmes. ( Moving off) Thank you very much, gentlemen.

( Stopping at the door) A thousand pounds...

The door shuts.

WATSON: He won’t forget this Christmas in a hurry. ( A moment) Holmes?

HOLMES: ( Lost in the jewel) Look at it, Watson. Just see how it glints and sparkles. It is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil’s pet baits. There have been two murders, a vitriol-throwing, a suicide, and several robberies brought about for the sake of this forty-grain

weight of crystallised charcoal. Who would think that so pretty a toy would be a purveyor to the gallows and the prison? It’s a bonny thing.

WATSON: What will you do with it? Are you going to tell the police that it’s been found?

HOLMES: All in good time, my dear Doctor. All in good time.

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