Sherlock Holmes and the Woman in Green

---

I won't forget

that morning.

Not if I live to be 100.

I counted the men as they

marched out of the Yard.

They'd hardly

slept for weeks.

We at the CID had

slept even less.

For the nightmare

that kept us awake

was all the

same nightmare.

That's why we

weren't surprised

when the Commissioner

had asked us up to

the conference room

for a bit of a talk.

He would talk to us

plenty. We knew that.

It didn't help any

to know what

was ahead of us.

Must we have that

window open. Gregson?

Oh shut it if you want to.

The Chief will be in

enough of a temper

without having

a ruddy blast

down the back of his neck!

Gentlemen.

The Commissioner.

Stuffy in here.

Be seated. Won't you?

Gentlemen.

If you wish to know

what able men you are.

Read any of the works

of popular fiction

that glamorize

your achievement

but don't. I beg of you.

Read the daily papers.

They might give you

an inferiority complex.

I hate to mention it.

But we're confronted

with a series of

the most atrocious murders

since Jack the Ripper.

And in the meantime.

The CID might as well be

playing at (unintelligible)

For all the good

we've accomplished.

Now. look...

here. Here and here.

Each of these red flags

scattered through the city

stands for a woman

brutally murdered.

A woman's terror.

A woman's death agony.

These are no

ordinary crimes.

These are the works of

a fiend who kills first

and mutilates afterwards.

A ghoul who hacks off a

part of his victim's body

and carries

it away with him.

A loathsome souvenir

of his butchery.

Three women

murdered so far.

And you haven't

turned in one clue.

You haven't

given me one lead.

Here you sit and wait for

news of a fourth victim

with your arms folded.

Well. We hadn't

long to wait.

It was down

Lamberth Way where

a young woman

was hurrying home

late last night.

She saw

something and stopped.

It was a Constable.

He spoke to her.

And he walked along

with her just in case.

He saw her go

down the stairway

to the basement

lodging where she lived.

I can only surmise

what happened after that.

So I put my

pride in my pocket

and went to see the man

that so often helped out

Inspector Lestrade

and myself in the past

Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

If ever a man

needed help. I did.

This makes

four. Inspector.

Four defenseless women

here in the

heart of London.

And every one

with the right

forefinger hacked off.

Not hacked.

Inspector Gregson.

Cleanly. Expertly severed.

The work of a

skilled surgeon.

That's our only clue.

Much about the age

of my sister's girl.

Is there no way of

stopping this Mr. Holmes?

Yes. There's

a way somehow.

A fiend did this.

I promise. I promise.

We've nothing go on.

That's the

rotten part of it.

We can't get far

without knowing

the motive.

Well. At least we know

what the motives were not.

It wasn't robbery nor

passion. Nor vengeance.

Because they

all came at totally

unrelated families.

Steady Inspector. Steady.

Sorry. Mr. Holmes.

I don't turn a hair

when it's a bloke that

can protect himself.

But a little slip

of a thing like that.

Yes. It's horrible.

Come on.

Let's get a drink.

Good evening.

Mr. Holmes.

Good evening. Vincent.

Whiskey and soda. Please.

And a double for my friend

here. Inspector Gregson.

There you go. Sir.

Make mine Irish.

It's noble to give

me a hand on this

thing. Mr. Holmes.

Always a pleasure to

be of help to Scotland

Yard. Inspector.

A little out of my line.

looking for a maniac

that murders just for

the fun of the hunt.

Or perhaps just to

get a human finger.

In all four cases.

The murderer

risks capture.

By stopping to

secure a finger.

And what for?

Who knows?

He's just a madman.

Perhaps there's a

method in his madness.

If we could just trace

those missing fingers.

If?

If we could just drain

the English Channel.

We might find a penny.

Oh. Thank you.

You may keep

those. Mr. Holmes.

Thank you.

Sir George Fenwick.

Isn't it?

Yes.

Is that his

daughter with him?

Don't be so

naive. Inspector.

You know everyone.

Don't you darling?

Well. Hardly.

A week ago.

I didn't know you.

A week.

How fast it's gone.

I collect these things.

How very quaint of you.

Shall we go?

Yes.

What are you looking

at. Mr. Holmes?

Looking at a very

handsome woman.

Not fond of the purple.

But giving an

excellent invitation.

Would you like to come to

my flat for a nightcap?

Lovely idea.

Yes. Isn't it?

I wonder where she's

taking Sir George Fenwick?

Don't be so

naive. Mr. Holmes.

Good evening. Mum.

Hello. Crandon.

Any messages?

No. Mum.

Thank you.

Uh. Drinks. Crandon...

one of your

nice surprises.

Yes. Mum.

I say. you

don't mean that...

Crandon's a marvel.

Aren't you Crandon?

Yes. Mum.

You wouldn't believe

the things she can do.

Hmm.

Ah. Charming

place. Delightful.

Really. you think so?

I'm so glad.

Do sit down.

Do you mind?

Do I mind?

What a question.

I don't mind

anything. Really.

Except not being with you.

Now. you really

don't want me to

believe that. Do you?

Not too seriously.

Good.

We're both quite

grown up. Aren't we?

Quite.

You're a

treasure. Crandon.

And lower the lights

a little as you leave.

I prefer a more

flattering light.

In any light. you'd be...

Would I?

And don't you know it.

Perhaps I do.

Oh. That priceless woman.

You wouldn't believe it.

But she's

absurdly romantic.

She loves dreamy music.

And she thinks that we...

But we do. Don't we?

Do we?

Well. It's rather

soothing. Restful.

Yes.

And we all need

rest at times.

Like tired children

who played too long.

You've played with wooden

soldiers. I suppose?

Funny. Hadn't thought

of that for years.

Toy boats were

my special joy.

Anything I could

set afloat anywhere.

Like this. And this.

Toy boats sailing into

the never-never land.

The land of

beautiful dreams.

Look.

Look odd. Isn't it. How

the light is reflected.

Little specks of light

that move and move.

Like stars on a

slowly-moving stream.

You know Holmes I'm very

sensitive to atmosphere.

Oh?

Yes I can tell by

the feel of this room

there's been a

murder committed here.

It may interest you to

know. My dear fellow.

It was at the other

side of that door

at the foot of the

stairs that the poor

girl was murdered.

If only I could find it.

Find what?

The one thing

these unfortunate

victims have in common

that might give us a

motive for these murders.

There must be something.

Another Jack the Ripper.

If you ask me

a homicidal maniac.

No. Watson. In the

case of Jack the Ripper.

There was one

thing in common.

His victims were all

from one walk of life.

Living in the same

section of the city.

In this case. The murderer

chooses his victims

from all walks of life

and from different

sections of the city.

No. My dear fellow.

This is not the work

of a homicidal maniac.

It's something

infinitely more sinister.

You're giving

me the creeps.

What on earth are

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