Private sale

[Chris]

He did not say what it was he recognized as a trait (or two or more traits) typical to the Parkinson range of diseases.

Why do you keep making all this stuff up? Did your parents give you special treats as a child when they caught you fibbing, or something?

You know very well - because I've had to "remind" you several times what Dr Davies really said - that he said nothing about anything being "typical", and nothing about "the Parkinson range of diseases". Conversely there's no mystery at all about what feature of the handwriting he was referring to - obviously it's the "evidence of occasional tremor".

Here it is yet again. (I'm thinking of making it my signature so I don't have to keep looking it up for you.)
"The [endpaper notes] show evidence of occasional tremor which is similar to that sometimes found in the writing of individuals with certain neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's."

[Lechmere]

It's a great pity he didn't just say that the handwriting showed signs of a tremor - and leave it at that.
But he didn't for some reason.

Here's food for thought, to keep you going.
Next week I'm having luncheon with Elvis Presley and I fear those greasy cheeseburgers will be on the menu again.

[Chris]

7. Suggested that a fake version of the lab report could have been planted in the envelope while the letter was in transit.

Seriously, this has got me thinking. Everyone has just accepted that the report we've been shown was really written by Dr Davies, but how do we know it was? We need to know where that text came from.

But wait! Even if someone tells us where it came from, they could be lying. What we need is a notarised statement by Dr Davies, including the full text of the report, confirming that he really wrote it.

But wait! How would we know that the person who made the notarised statement was really Dr Davies. Better make sure the notary sees some official photo ID.

But wait! What if Dr Davies has an identical twin brother? Better check the registers of births, and if so get notarised statements from both of them.

But wait! How do we know that Dr Davies really exists? Doesn't that photo in the article look suspiciously like Nevill Swanson wearing a false beard?

But wait! How do we know that Nevill Swanson didn't have a real beard at that time?

But wait! Who are these men in white coats coming into the roo

[Sally]

It's a great pity he didn't just say that the handwriting showed signs of a tremor - and leave it at that.
But he didn't for some reason.

Here's food for thought, to keep you going.
Next week I'm having luncheon with Elvis Presley and I fear those greasy cheeseburgers will be on the menu again.

Cool. Will he be singing "Suspicious Minds"?

[Lechmere]

But wait - you have made no attempt to answer any if the points that have been raised about the Marginalia.
But who cares - let the sale commence!

[Chris]

But wait - you have made no attempt to answer any if the points that have been raised about the Marginalia.

?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????

[Chris]

Cool. Will he be singing "Suspicious Minds"?

I have a feeling it may be "A Little Less Conversation".

[Sally]

I have a feeling it may be "A Little Less Conversation".

That'll be his encore.

[Robert]

Given Presley's fondness for food, I'd plump for "In The Gateau."

[Lechmere]

Robert
That was the correct answer as you changed the words.

Stop press.
I went to see Paddington earlier than expected and he tried to sell me a jar of his Robinson's marmalade. Just before I parted with my cash the label fell off and underneath was a different label that said 'Costcutter Marmalade'.
I made my excuses and left.
I'm sharing this information just with you. Should I tell anyone or keep quiet?

[Chris]

I'm sharing this information just with you. Should I tell anyone or keep quiet?

Keep quiet.

[Lechmere]

That was to Robert - I knew what your answer would be.

[Sally]

Robert
That was the correct answer as you changed the words.

Stop press.
I went to see Paddington earlier than expected and he tried to sell me a jar of his Robinson's marmalade. Just before I parted with my cash the label fell off and underneath was a different label that said 'Costcutter Marmalade'.
I made my excuses and left.
I'm sharing this information just with you. Should I tell anyone or keep quiet?

Don't trust him Ed! I heard that his daily route to Portobello Meerkat could take him past several Costcutter stores. And have you ever asked him why he spends so much time with a foreign Antique Dealer?

That's confidential, mind you - the less you know, the safer you are...

[Chris]

That was to Robert - I knew what your answer would be.

The reason being that I think you may be jumping to an unsafe conclusion. In fact I'm rather shocked to see you accepting surface appearances without conducting all the necessary tests and investigations.

The very first thing you should have done was to check underneath the Costcutter label to see if there was a Robertson's label there (assuming you meant Robertson's and not Robinson's). Even if there wasn't, surely the correct course of action would have been to take a sample for chemical analysis - preferably in three laboratories in different continents, of course.

[Stephen Thomas]

And not a gollywog badge in sight.