A Study in Scarlet had ended.
The intellectual adventure that had lasted half a year, the bi-weekly anticipation and discussion, had suddenly reached a conclusion.
The figure wearing a deerstalker, cloaked, and clenching a pipe seemed to vanish quietly with the end of the story.
Even the latest issue of The Consulting Detective's Code - 5, which detailed how to determine a movement path using mud spots, could not fully fill the huge void left by the story's termination.
Over the next few days, London's social circle seemed to have caught a communal "cold." Arguments in clubs lessened, and more people were seen staring blankly at The Echo in public reading rooms. Londoners felt a crucial part of their lives was missing, making things somewhat tedious.
However, this sluggish mood did not last long.
When the mid-January 1881 issue of The Echo was released, readers found an announcement in the magazine sufficient to ignite excitement:
[The Echo Magazine Grand Announcement!
Following the sensation of A Study in Scarlet across Britain, we are honored to announce:
Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson are returning soon!
A new adventure, a more bizarre and twisting mystery, has quietly arrived at 221B Baker Street.
The Sign of Four
Serializing with a bang in mid-February 1881!
Fate, fortune, betrayal, and a curse from the East...
All in the brand-new "Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories"!]
Accompanying this text announcement was an exquisitely designed, suspense-filled poster.
The main body of the poster was still the side silhouette of Sherlock Holmes; the background was a hazy London nightscape. He still wore the deerstalker, holding a magnifying glass in his hand, with light shining through the lens.
The magnifying glass focused on several thought-provoking objects: a crudely made wooden leg, a few letters next to a peculiar iron trunk...
At the very bottom of the picture was a smaller tagline:
[A secret darker than "Scarlet," a curse older than vengeance... to be revealed soon.]
An enlarged version of this poster was quickly pasted in London's major newsstands, bookstores, and The Echo's own distribution points. It instantly aroused new enthusiasm among readers—
"Look! A new story! The Sign of Four!"
"A wooden leg? An Eastern curse? My God, this looks even more complicated than 'Scarlet'!"
"I knew it! Holmes wouldn't leave us!"
"Mid-February... we have to wait another month? That's pure torture!"
Disappointment and emptiness were quickly swept away, replaced by fiercer anticipation and more heated discussion.
Readers meticulously studied every detail on the poster, trying to discern the main plot of the new story.
In clubs and salons, speculations about the wooden leg, the Eastern trunk, and the "older curse" became the most fashionable topics.
Figures were once again seen lingering outside the windows of 221B Baker Street, hoping to catch a glimpse of the detective before the new story began.
January 1881. While Paris was still enveloped in cold, damp air, Lionel's villa in the small town of Villeneuve on the banks of the Seine welcomed a new look.
The property transfer procedures had been completed before Christmas thanks to the efficient work of Monsieur Delaroux-Lac.
The contractor Lionel hired was carrying out necessary repairs and renovations according to his requirements.
Walls were repainted, old floorboards were reinforced, and the kitchen and washroom were "modernized" according to Lionel's design.
Although the entire villa hadn't drastically changed, it radiated new vitality.
Lionel had carefully considered the news about the upcoming "Edison Electric Light Company" power plant nearby.
The plant's location was two kilometers downstream from the villa and situated downwind, so the impact from noise or coal smoke pollution would be minimal.
Conversely, Lionel had always been dissatisfied with the dim gaslights and flickering candlelight. For him, being among the first in Paris to use electric lights was undoubtedly extremely appealing.
Thus, while the renovation was underway, Lionel signed a "lighting contract" with the Edison Electric Light Company in Paris.
Since the "electric meter" had not yet been invented, electric lights in this era were essentially "rented"—the wires, bulbs, and instruments all belonged to the electric light company, and fees were calculated based on the wattage and usage duration of each lamp; damage required professional replacement.
Lionel signed a contract for 500 francs a year, which allowed for the installation of 5-7 lamps, averaging 5 hours of illumination per day. This amount was equivalent to two to three months of income for a middle-class family, making him a high-end customer of the "Edison Electric Light Company"!
The Edison company took this order extremely seriously.
A few days after the application was submitted, the company's engineering team came to survey the site and prepare for installation.
When the doorbell rang, Lionel was in the ground-floor living room of the villa supervising workers placing the newly arrived furniture.
Patty went to open the door and led in a tall, thin, neatly dressed young man.
He appeared to be barely twenty, with a refined face, a small mustache, and clear eyes.
The young man offered a business card to Lionel. "Good day, sir. I am an engineer from the Edison Electric Light Company, responsible for the light installation here."
Lionel took the card, his eyes scanning the name, and his heart leaped—Nikola Tesla.
He suppressed the turmoil within him without showing it, looking up to scrutinize the future genius before him.
At this time, Tesla was still very green and no different from any other young man.
But Lionel couldn't help but ask,
"Mr. Tesla, you don't sound like a Frenchman?"
Nikola Tesla smiled shyly:
"I am from Austria, sir."
Lionel nodded:
"Welcome to Paris. You may begin your work!"
Nikola Tesla did not engage in further pleasantries and cut straight to work:
"I need to conduct a comprehensive survey of your villa. This will allow me to determine the optimal wiring routes and the placement of the fixtures."
Lionel gestured:
"Please do. Shall I accompany you?"
Tesla politely declined:
"Not necessary for now, thank you. I need to measure and calculate alone first."
He then opened the toolkit he carried, pulled out a tape measure, notebook, and pencil, and began working busily in the ground-floor foyer and living room. His movements were swift and efficient, and he frequently jotted down data and sketches in his notebook.
Lionel did not disturb him, only observing from the side.
About half an hour later, Tesla completed his preliminary survey and walked toward Lionel. He spread the sketch he drew before Lionel:
"Monsieur Sorelle, based on the villa's structure, I recommend installing one 16-candlepower incandescent lamp each in the foyer, living room, dining room, master bedroom, and the second-floor corridor.
This should meet the basic lighting needs for the main activity areas. The wiring will be brought in from outdoors and run along the corners of the walls and the edges of the ceiling, minimizing aesthetic impact. What do you think?"
Lionel nodded:
"A very reasonable arrangement. Please proceed as you have designed!"
Nikola Tesla put away the blueprints and was about to take his leave, but Lionel stopped him:
"Mr. Tesla, I have a few more questions I'd like to ask. Could you stay a little longer?"
Tesla stopped upon hearing this.
(End of Chapter)