of the investigation to his bank deposit box, not to be opened until everyone involved in the case is dead. He supposes that, due to undisclosed current events in Russia, this will likely be an imminent occurrence. The story is signed "S_ M__, Major (Ret'd)". Overview The reader, from the beginning of the story, is misled to believe that the detective and his veteran friend, the narrator, are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, by means of what information about them is provided and what concealed, and the fact that their roles in the story are parallel to those of Holmes and Watson in Conan Doyle's original Holmes stories. Indeed, the story strongly mirrors the opening chapters of the original Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, from which it takes its name. Whilst almost none of the characters are explicitly identified in the text, it is strongly hinted by the twist ending that 'Rache' is Holmes, and the detective and his veteran friend are Professor James Moriarty and Colonel Sebastian Moran (who, in Doyle's original stories, are the criminal mastermind enemy of Sherlock Holmes and his right-hand man and accomplice, respectively). The 'Limping Doctor', meanwhile, is identified explicitly as "John (or perhaps James) Watson". In particular: The 'detective' character has written a paper on 'The Dynamics of an Asteroid', which "Rache" comments on. In the Conan Doyle books, Moriarty is the author of this paper. The narrator signs his name at the end of his story. Although the name is obscured, he possesses the initials 'S.M.', indicating that he is Sebastian Moran. The narrator, when introduced to Vernet, is called Sebastian. The 'detective' character is described to have a 'thin smile', a physical characteristic Doyle repeatedly used to describe villainous characters in his stories. The narrator repeatedly mentions what a crack-shot he was before being wounded. In "The Adventure of the Empty House", Moran is described as an expert marksman. Conan Doyle's drafts show he originally intended to call Sherlock Holmes "Sherrinford" (which some Sherlockians consider was actually the name of Sherlock's oldest brother). Holmes' grandmother was a relative of the French artist Vernet. "Sherry Vernet" is therefore an obvious stage name for Sherlock Holmes. In this story, Sherlock is a gifted actor. In the story "A Scandal in Bohemia", Sherlock is said to be a master of disguise. In the same story Watson laments on how "the stage lost a