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Allusions
Key Examples in A Scandal in Bohemia
Part 1
Explanation and Analysis—The Letter:
In the story's first part, Holmes tells Watson to read an anonymous letter that he recently received. Watson embeds the letter into his narrative, thereby giving the reader a chance to read it as well. The letter is marked by a distinct dialect, which confirms Holmes's suspicion that its writer is German:
There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight o’clock [it said], a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated. This account of you we have from all quarters received.
Related Themes:
