Awoooooo

He burst into one of his rare fits of laughter as he turned away from the picture. I have not heard him laugh often, and it has always boded ill to somebody.

-Watson on Holmes in The Hound Of The Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I (semi) recently watched The Hound Of The Baskervilles, you know, with the young Christopher Lee and it put within me an urge to read the book. See, I hadn't. All I knew about it was what that loveable scamp Wishbone had told me.

Well, I'm glad the movie wasn't that accurate, because the actual twists in the book were much more entertaining. Not that I didn't enjoy the movie, it was fun. Love Christopher Lee.

This is one of the most referenced Sherlock Holmes cases and everyone knows about the dog. What I found really interesting was the Stapletons, Dr. Mortimer (Actual quote: "I covet your skull") and the bits here and there about Frankland and his daughter. Frankland was a gem of a character. Certainly not that likeable, but...

Here, I'll get you the quote about him:

One other neighbour I have met since I wrote last. This is Mr. Frankland, of Lafter Hall, who lives some four miles to the south of us. He is an elderly man, red-faced, white-haired, and choleric. His passion is for the British law, and he has spent a large fortune in litigation. He fights for the mere pleasure of fighting and is equally ready to take up either side of a question, so that it is no wonder that he has found it a costly amusement. Sometimes he will shut up a right of way and defy the parish to make him open it. At others he will with his own hands tear down some other man's gate and declare that a path has existed there from time immemorial, defying the owner to prosecute him for trespass. He is learned in old manorial and communal rights, and he applies his knowledge sometimes in favour of the villagers of Fernworthy and sometimes against them, so that he is periodically either carried in triumph down the village street or else burned in effigy, according to his latest exploit. He is said to have about seven lawsuits upon his hands at present, which will probably swallow up the remainder of his fortune and so draw his sting and leave him harmless for the future.

He shows up later to crow about taking away a little town's place to picnic. It's funny, in a horrible little man sort of way.

I really should have written this when I finished up the other day, I was so much more excited then!

Oh oh! Almost forgot the real gem that I will translate from its original Victorian:

Watson: Stop messing with my head, Sherlock!
Sherlock: But it was all part of the pla--NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE!

This scene has happened at least twice in Sherlock stories I've read. Once in the book. Also, when they're running around swearing vengeance=adorable.

Hound of the Baskervilles is an excellent example of Sherlockness and can be gotten at Gutenberg.org, if you don't want to buy or borrow a physical copy.

I will leave you with this:

"Are you armed, Lestrade?"

The little detective smiled. "As long as I have my trousers I have a hip-pocket, and as long as I have my hip-pocket I have something in it."