On June 3rd…

Edward Hardwicke as Watson and Jeremy Brett as Holmes (1994)

According to A Day by Day Chronology of Mr Sherlock Holmes, According to Zeisler and Christ, compiled and edited by William S Dorn, BSI and DWNP, on June 3, 1902, Holmes visited Mrs Maberly at Three Gables. [3GAB]

We found The Three Gables a very different establishment to the orderly household of the previous day. A small group of idlers had assembled at the garden gate, while a couple of constables were examining the windows and the geranium beds. Within we met a gray old gentleman, who introduced himself as the lawyer, together with a bustling, rubicund Inspector, who greeted Holmes as an old friend.
“Well, Mr. Holmes, no chance for you in this case, I’m afraid. Just a common, ordinary burglary, and well within the capacity of the poor old police. No experts need apply.”
“I am sure the case is in very good hands,” said Holmes. “Merely a common burglary, you say?”

[PS: In two days you will read a song dedicated (Maybe not the right word) to the female villain of this tale!!! -Chips]

On June 2nd…

According to A Day by Day Chronology of Mr Sherlock Holmes, according to Zeisler and Christ, compiled and edited by William S Dorn, BSI and DWNP, on June 2, 1902, the house agent presented Mrs Maberly terms of sale for Three Gables. [3GAB]

Mary Ellis as Mary Maberly in “The Three Gables” (1994)

“Yesterday the man arrived with the agreement all drawn out. Luckily I showed it to Mr. Sutro, my lawyer, who lives in Harrow. He said to me, `This is a very strange document. Are you aware that if you sign it you could not legally take anything out of the house – not even your own private possessions?’ When the man came again in the evening I pointed this out, and I said that I meant only to sell the furniture.
” `No, no; everything,’ said he.
” `But my clothes? My jewels?’
” `Well, well, some concession might be made for your personal effects. But nothing shall go out of the house unchecked. My client is a very liberal man, but he has his fads and his own way of doing things. It is everything or nothing with him.’
” `Then it must be nothing,’ said I. And there the matter was left, but the whole thing seemed to me to be so unusual that I thought – ”
Here we had a very extraordinary interruption.

On May 31st…

According to A Day by Day Chronology of Mr Sherlock Holmes, according to Zeisler and Christ, compiled and edited by William S Dorn, BSI and DWNP, on May 31, 1902, a house agent agreed to Mrs Maberly’s terms for sale of Three Gables. [3GAB]

Three days ago I had a call from a man who said that he was a house agent. He said that this house would exactly suit a client of his, and that if I would part with it money would be no object. It seemed to me very strange, as there are several empty houses on the market which appear to be equally eligible, but naturally I was interested in what he said. I therefore named a price which was five hundred pounds more than I gave. He at once closed with the offer, but added that his client desired to buy the furniture as well, and would I put a price upon it. Some of this furniture is from my old home, and it is, as you see, very good, so that I named a good round sum. To this also he at once agreed. I had always wanted to travel, and the bargain was so good a one that it really seemed that I should be my own mistress for the rest of my life.