Page 249 - SHERLOCK transcripts

248

JIM: But don’t be scared. Falling’s just like flying, except there’s a more permanent destination.
(In the cut-away, his gaze reaches the floor and he makes the sound of something thudding to
the ground. Raising his head slowly, he glowers across at Sherlock, who bares his teeth slightly
and then stands and buttons his jacket.)
SHERLOCK: Never liked riddles.
(Jim stands as well and straightens his jacket, locking his gaze onto Sherlock’s eyes.)
JIM: Learn to. Because I owe you a fall, Sherlock. I ... owe ... you.
(He continues to gaze at Sherlock for about six seconds, sealing his promise, then slowly turns
and walks away. Sherlock doesn’t move as Jim leaves the room, but after a while he moves
towards the apple which Jim left on the arm of his chair with the penknife still stuck in it. He
picks it up by the knife handle and looks at it. Jim has dug a large circular piece out of the
apple, and on the left of the circle he has carved an “I” shape while on the right of the circle is a
“U” shape, forming the letters “I O U”. Sherlock’s mouth twitches into the beginning of a smile.)

The next morning the “Daily Express” front page headline screams “MORIARTY WALKS FREE”
with the strapline “Shock verdict at Old Bailey trial”. The opening paragraph reads: “The Judge
could only look on dumbfounded as the Jury found ‘Jimbo’ Moriarty ‘Not Guilty’. Gasps were
heard around the courtroom as the Jury declared their verdict”. “The Guardian” declares “Shock
verdict at trial” and the article begins, “In an unbelievable turn of events Moriarty walked free
today after putting up no defence at all for what has been described as the Trial of the Century.
Star witness Sherlock Holmes was not present for the verdict as in another twist to the case
was thrown out of court by the Judge. Questions have been asked in Parliament and the Prime
Minister was quoted as saying ‘This is a disgrace, a sign if ever we needed one that broken
Britain is still broken...” [and yes, they do open the quote with single speech marks, then close
it with double speech marks]. The “Daily Star” goes with “How was he ever acquitted” [but
apparently can’t be bothered to put a question mark after it].

Some time later “The Guardian” declares “Moriarty vanishes” while on one of its inside pages is
a cartoon caricature of Sherlock holding a crystal ball with the caption underneath reading,
“What Next for the Reichenbach Hero?”

TWO MONTHS LATER.
John goes to a NatWest cashpoint machine and inserts his card. Typing in his PIN, he then
selects a transaction. After a few seconds he is greeted with the onscreen message:

There is a problem with
your card
Please wait

(John grimaces and a second later a new message appears:

Thank you for
your patience.

A moment later the message adds:

John

John frowns and behind him a black car pulls up to the kerb and stops. John turns and looks at
it, then turns back to the ATM, sighing in exasperation. However, he still hasn’t learned his
lesson about getting into strange cars and apparently meekly gets in and allows himself to be
driven to an elegant white painted building which has a brass plaque outside declaring the
venue to be THE DIOGENES CLUB. He goes inside and enters a large room which – back when
the building used to be a house – was probably a drawing room. A large marble fireplace
surrounds an unlit fire and the walls have heavy wooden panelling and ornate white plaster
coving. The room contains five small round tables, each with a single armchair beside it, and
four of the chairs are currently occupied by smartly dressed middle aged or elderly gentlemen
reading newspapers and taking no notice of each other or of the new arrival. John looks around
and then walks over to one of the older men sitting at the far end of the room.)
JOHN: Er, excuse me. Um, I’m looking for Mycroft Holmes.
(The old man’s face becomes appalled but he doesn’t look up.)

Transcripts by Ariane DeVere (arianedevere@livejournal.com)