The Crown Diamond E-Book

Arthur Conan Doyle

• Herausgeber: Al-Mashreq eBookstore
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 23

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Crown Diamond is a one-act Sherlock Holmes stage play written by Arthur Conan Doyle, later expanded into the short story "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone." In this compact drama, Holmes attempts to recover a spectacular stolen diamond (part of the Crown Jewels) from an aristocratic thief in a single evening. The action unfolds in one room where Holmes employs a daring ruse: using a wax dummy of himself to draw out the culprits while he eavesdrops in disguise nearby. Taut and clever, the play is rich with Holmes's signature deductive tricks – from secret listening devices to bold confrontation – all within about twenty minutes of stage time. Dr. Watson and Inspector Lestrade have supporting roles, mostly marveling at Holmes's theatrics. The Crown Diamond offers a crystalized dose of Holmesian suspense and ingenuity, written specifically for the theater. Doyle's playful use of a dummy to deceive villains gives the audience the delightful experience of outwitting criminals alongside the Great Detective.

Leseprobe

The Crown Diamond

An Evening with Sherlock Holmes

By: Arthur Conan Doyle

Prepared and edited by: Rafat Allam

Copyright © 2025 by Al-Mashreq eBookstore

First UK performances: Bristol Hippodrome, May 2,1921; London, May 16, 1921,

starring Dennis Neilson-Terry as Sherlock Holmes

Short story adaptation published as:

“The Adventure Of The Mazarin Stone”, The Strand Magazine, October 1921

No part of this publication may be reproduced whole or in part in any form without the prior written permission of the author

Table of Contents

The Crown Diamond

CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE PLAY

Arthur Conan Doyle

Early Life and Education

Medical Studies and Early Career

The Birth of Sherlock Holmes

Other Literary Works

Personal Life

Spiritualism and Later Life

Honours and Legacy

Landmarks

Table of Contents

Cover

CAST OF CHARACTERS

MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES. The famous DetectiveDR. WATSON. His FriendBILLY. Page to MR. HOLMESCOL. SEBASTIAN MORAN. An intellectual CriminalSAM MERTON. A Boxer

THE PLAY

SCENE.— MR. HOLMES’S room in Baker Street. It presents the usual features, but there is a deep bow window to it, and across there is drawn a curtain running upon a brass rod fastened across eight feet above the ground and enclosing the recess of the window.

Enter WATSON and BILLY.

WATSON: Well, Billy, when will he be back?

BILLY: I’m sure I couldn’t say sir.

WATSON: When did you see him last?

BILLY: I really couldn’t tell you.

WATSON: What, you couldn’t tell me?

BILLY: No sir. There was a clergyman looked in yesterday and there was an old bookmaker and there was a workman.

WATSON: Well?

BILLY: But I’m not sure they weren’t all Mr. Holmes. You see he’s very hot on a chase just now.

WATSON: Oh!

BILLY: He neither eats nor sleeps. Well you’ve lived with him same as me. You know what he’s like when he’s after some one.

WATSON: I know.

BILLY: He’s a responsibility sir, that he is. It’s a real worry to me sometimes. When I asked him if he would order dinner, he said. “Yes, I’ll have chops and mashed potatoes at 7:30 the day after to morrow.” “Won’t you eat before then sir?” I asked. “I haven’t time, Billy. I’m busy,” said he. He gets thinner and paler and his eyes get brighter. It’s awful to see him.

WATSON: Tut, tut, this will never do. I must certainly stop and see him.

BILLY: Yes sir, it will ease my mind.

WATSON: But what is he after?

BILLY: It’s this case of the Crown Diamond.

WATSON: What the hundred thousand pound burglary?