Sub Rosa

[prof_pangaea]

Title: Sub Rosa
Author: Professor Pangaea
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes
Disclaimer: Mr. Holmes and sundry other characters are now in the public domain, but of course I give ultimate credit and thanks for their existence to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Summary: "One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. The truly beautiful and noble puts its lover, as it were, at an infinite distance, while it attends him more strongly than ever." -- Henry David Thoreau
























































































































































































Note: The full quote of the text "High and mighty" etc. is from Hamlet, Act IV, scene vii. It is a letter from Hamlet to Claudius, and reads: "High and Mighty,-You shall know I am set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall I beg leave to see your kingly eyes; when I shall (first asking your pardon thereunto) recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return."


EDIT: I want to sincerely thank everyone who has commented, both positively and critically -- I am very pleased at the amount of response that has resulted from this piece. I'm afraid that there were so many comments initially that I wasn't able to reply to each individually, as I usually do, but be assured that I have (and continue to) read and appreciate every single comment.

Comments

Bravo!!

[epalladino.livejournal.com]

What more can I say. The storytelling was really gripping and the way it was presented was fascinating. Thanks for posting this, Beth Palladino

[infiniteviking]

My... dear... heavens....

This is fantastic. Beautiful, touching... I did think MH's telegrams were slightly easier to interpret than Caine might have wished, but their tender brotherly interactions (/snerk), Mycroft's alarmed persistence and Sherlock's brusque moodiness, were right on the mark.

The format is also extremely engaging. I love the multinational telegraphs, and you incorporated the text very nicely. The references to Watson's publication of Hound and especially the unknown Atlantis '63 are highly intriguing. And Holmes quoting Hamlet? Very sweet.

P.S. Sherlock calling himself Caine? I find myself Without A Clue as to why....

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Perhaps Cain and Abel?

[book-addict.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Really. Thank you for taking the time to do this -- I am glad to have read it.

[katemonkey.livejournal.com]

Oh good God, that's beautiful.

I'm utterly in awe. Fantastic!

[executivehpfan.livejournal.com]

That is completely original and amazing. God, I love you.

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

I got here from cimorene111's rec, and oh my GOD. Seriously: I'm stunned. That's amazing, amazing work, and I cower in fear at the idea of how long it must have taken. Wow. I can only say that it is equal to the books, and that's the highest compliment I can think of.

(also: WOW. This comment is not really getting over the sheer amount of squealing I'm doing over here. Dude.)

[kudo-kid.livejournal.com]

Cooooooool... this is good and the 'pictures' really bring out the fic ^_^

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

A lovely and fantastic thing. *g* Nice work.

[tuff-ghost.livejournal.com]

OMG

<3333333333

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous.

The story and voices are pitch-perfect, and the telegram forms make me a happy geek girl. Really lovely.

Here via aubrem.

[hidekodahlia.livejournal.com]

Amazing! I'm going to have to stalk this as obsessively as the Shoebox Project. *is extremely impressed*

[btvshond.livejournal.com]

This is beyond cool. Love the writing, the "authenticity" of the telegrams, and the last one Mycroft sends is classic.

By the way, did you receive my email? Would you like HOUN and SIGN?

[onooyes.livejournal.com]

lovely and amazing!

[onooyes.livejournal.com]

by the way, i don't know where it's from, but i love the photograph of holmes. excellent touch!

[j-bluestocking.livejournal.com]

I AM HELPLESS BEFORE THE CHARM OF THIS CORRESPONDENCE STOP DON'T STOP.

[xanthe42.livejournal.com]

directed here by cesario. Amazing work! I am totally in awe of your photoshop prowess (among other things ;)

Very enjoyable!

[deepforestowl.livejournal.com]

this was amazing! Well done! Well done!

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I was directed here by synaesthete7's [insanely enthusiastic] rec on RUSS-L, but I would have found it soon enough anyway. And I was impressed when you started telling me about this in IM, but having seen the finished product, I'm in awe. I never imagined that you could fit so much emotion and pathos, not only into an exchange between the Holmes brothers (who don't do melodrama), but into the telegram format. Which I would normally have said was only slightly more romantic than a text message.

Your attention to detail in the images is also brilliant. I'm simply blown away by every aspect of this achievement.

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

No1TEK: i need mny
M2theH: Wr R U???
No1TEK: i stl need mny
M2theH: yr frnd s sad
No1TEK: lalala
M2TheH: hr s yr mny
M2theH: tlk to me now?
No1TEK: no
M2theH: uv bn gon a lng tme
M2theH: ur frnd s stl sad
No1TEK: stfu

[october-9-1890.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was incredibly brilliant and creative. The images are so beautifully put together and the writing outstanding. Your promise to deliver something which had never been seen before was more than fulfilled. Well done!!!

[kerowyn47.livejournal.com]

w00t!

Artistic and inspired. Will we be seeing more?

[ljrags.livejournal.com]

Simply. Brilliant. More please??

[coloredink.livejournal.com]

GUHBIBBLE.

Excellent work!

[only-seimei.livejournal.com]

** APPLAUSE! **

[shinigamu.livejournal.com]

that was amazing. Perhaps you'll make more?

[wens.livejournal.com]

Um, I'd rather appreciate it if you don't steal my icon, or, having done so, do be so good as to credit me for it.

[delirieuse.livejournal.com]

Awesome. I am in awe. Wow. I have no words.

[odditycollector.livejournal.com]

This is very excellent. I don't remember who pointed me this way, but I'm glad I came.