THE COPPER BEECHES

By

Juan Diego Galvez

Laura Villalba

Diana Rojas

Paula Rojas

Vanessa Ortiz

http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/32/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/363/adventure-12-the-
adventure-of-the-copper-beeches/
Scene 1

SHERLOCK’S HOUSE. LIVING ROOM- DAY

*Sherlock walks around holding a magazine*

Holmes: To the man who loves art for its own sake it is
usually in its smallest and most trivial manifestations that
he finds greater pleasure.
*Sherlock tosses the magazine on the table*
I like the way you capture this truth in your small
recordings of our adventures Watson, but I still have a
little complain. You focus too much on the wrong details, the
ones that embellish the story instead of those who helped me
find the truth of the matter.
Watson (annoyed) : It looks like I won't escape easily from
those charges of sensationalism…
Holmes: Maybe it's because you're trying to make them
interesting and colorful to the public instead of sticking to
the heart of the matter, which is portraying the science of
reasoning from cause to effect. That's the only remarkable
thing in these stories.
Watson (annoyed):Well, I think I have done you full justice
for that matter.
Holmes:Nah, this is not about me, If I claim full justice for
my art, it’s because cause it’s an impersonal thing beyond
myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. That's why you should
focus on the logic more than the crime. Actually, this
recordings of yours should be a series of lessons, not tales.
*Sherlock sits down in a chair, puts his fingers together and
looks a the ceiling *
Holmes: *sighs* In your defense, we can hardly call it
sensationalism since many of our cases didn't even have to
deal with crime.

Holmes: Everything is so trivial now. Criminals, these days,

have lost their creativity till the point of turning my
practice into an agency for recovering lead pencils and
advising young ladies from board-schools.
Watson: Calm down, Sherlock, you're just exaggerating.
Holmes: No, I’m not. Criminals today are completely boring.
They've lost all originality. (sighs) I think I have finally
reached bottom. Look, this email here marks my zero-point.
(Hands a laptop to Watson)
Watson (Reading out loud):
    Dear MR. Holmes,
   I would like to consult you about a job that has been
offered to me as a governess, the conditions are quite
peculiar and I’m very anxious about this matter, I’d be very
grateful if you decided to help me figure this out.
I’ll pay you a small visit to your office tomorrow at 10:30
if it’s fine with you.
  
 Violet Hunter
Watson: So this means she’ll be here very soon…
Sherlock ( looking through the window): Indeed, she’s
probably the one who’s on the entrance right now.
Watson: Cheer up a little bit! Remember the case of the Blue
Carbuncle and how it all started as the most trivial thing in
this world. This situation could surprise us in the same way.
Holmes: Let’s hope so.
(Violet Hunter enters the room)
Violet: Sorry for bothering you Mr. Holmes, but something
really weird has just happened to me and I have no one else
to talk to about it.

Scene 2

FLASHBACK- DAY

Violet’s voice on off.

Violet:I've worked as a tutor for five years,but two months

ago my employer moved so I lost my job. I've been looking for
another one through an employment agency. Last week, the
owner of the agency called me about a possible offer.

(She walks into the room where the employer is waiting for
her. Her manager is talking to him.)
Manager: Oh, there she is Mr. Rucastle. She is the girl I
told you about.
Jephro: Yes! You are exactly what I am looking for. I can see
right away you have the manners of a lady and that's
something no one can fake. Exactly the teacher I want for my
son. Now, how’s a starting salary of 100 pounds a year? That
must be about twice the salary you got at your previous job,
right?
(violet stands there astonished)
Jephro: Also, I heard you've been unemployed for a while now,
so I'll give you this…
(starts writing on a check and hands it over to Violet)
Here, I'm paying you half of your salary beforehand so you
have no trouble with transportation or wardrobe (smiles)
Violet(Surprised): What will my duties be?
Jephro: You will be living at my house, outside of the city,
in a villa called Mayflower. You will be responsible for my
six-year-old boy. Also, my wife wants you to perform small
tasks around our home. For example, she might ask you to wear
certain clothes as uniform, or might want you to sit in a
particular place – and we would insist that you cut your hair
quite short before coming to us.
Violet(surprised): Sorry but I’m afraid I won’t be able to
fulfill your last request; I’d like to keep my hair as it is
right now.
Jephro: Well, this is essential for the job. If you don’t cut
your hair you won't be able to hire you.
Manager: You should reconsider your answer Violet. The
payment is more than you will ever get, girl.
Violet: I’m afraid I really can’t, thank you both for the
offer anyways. (leaves)
(Violet enters a small room with a chair and a table with
some papers on it)
Violet When I went back home, and found so little in the
fridge and some new bills to pay on the table,
(looks worried while checking the bills)
Violet: I regretted my decision.
(at the office, the manager hands her a letter)
Violet:I went back to the employment agency the next day, and
found a letter from Mr. Rucastle waiting for me. He was
offering me a raise – 120 pounds per year now – and
clarifying that these facts he mentioned the day before
weren't that bad. His wife likes a particular color: blue, so
I’d have to wear a jacket in this shade indoors. Luckily,
they already happened to have such a jacket on hand!
As for the hair, that was absolutely non negotiable – I would
have to get a haircut, or give up the job.

Scene 3

FLASHBACK’S OVER.

Violet: (Gives the letter to Holmes)What do you think Mr.

Holmes, should I take the job?
Holmes(sighing): To be honest, I wouldn't recommend- not even
to a sister of mine- to take such a position.
Violet: I agree that it sounds really suspicious. But Mr.
Rucastle seems like a really nice man, maybe his wife is not
very sane, you know, and maybe he doesn't want to put her in
an institution.
Holmes: That’s a possibility, but something still seems off.
I mean, why is Rucastle offering you so much money when he
could hire any for a third of the price?
Violet: I know, I know. I want to take the job, but I’m still
nervous about the whole thing. And I absolutely don’t want to
give up my hair.
Holmes: Well, No matter what your decision is,if you decide
to take the job and you find yourself in trouble, you can
count on us for help. Here, save my number, you can write
anytime if things seem to go south.

(Violet and Holmes exchange phone numbers).

Violet (excited): Thank you so much for your advice Mr.
Holmes, I feel like I have nothing to worry about now that
you promised to help me, I really need the money so I’ll make
sure to text you in case anything goes wrong.

Holmes (smiling): We’ll keep in touch then.

(Violet leaves)

Scene 4

NEXT DAY. LIVING ROOM AT SHERLOCK’S HOUSE. -LATE-NIGHT

(Sherlock’s phone buzzes.)

Holmes: (Hands his phone to Watson for him to read)
Watson:(Off voice) Please meet me at midday tomorrow, I’ll
send you the address of a cafeteria where we can talk without
worries.
Holmes : (answers the message) Will you come with me?
Watson: Sure! I’ll look up a route.

TRANSMILENIO- DAY

Holmes:(while looking through the window) Looking at all

these pretty houses, I can only think how easy it’d be to
commit a crime here without anyone noticing.
Watson: Good Lord. Why would you associate a crime with this
neighborhood?
Holmes: The thing is that in the city you can hear your
neighbors fighting or screaming, and you can go and help out.
The police is also close by. But in these lonely houses, no
one can hear you struggle. And the law feels, as it very
often is, far away.
Watson: Your thoughts in this matter horrify me! This is such
a beautiful place!
Holmes: Sorry Watson, old habits. I can’t stop thinking of
all the impunity, all the horrible things that may go on and
on without being noticed, year in, year out, in these places.
If Ms. Hunter had gone to live in Winchester, I wouldn’t
worry about her well-being. But those five miles of country
make the danger. Gladly, it’s clear that she’s not personally
threatened yet.
Watson: Yeah. If she can come to Winchester to meet us, she
can get away.
Holmes: Exactly. At least by the moment she has her freedom.

Scene 5

CAFETERIA.-DAY
(Violet is sitting in a table beside Sherlock and Watson)
Violet: As you can see I am perfectly fine, but I must say
that the Rucastles' weird behavior is worrying me.
Watson: Do you mind telling us why?
Violet: Very well. First of all,I don’t think Mrs. Rucastle
is crazy, she’s just quiet. She is extremely dedicated to her
husband and her son, but she also seems constantly worried
about something. I think it’s because of the boy, he is by
far the worst kid I have ever tutored. He's mean and enjoys
torturing small animals.
Also I learned that Mr. Rucastle had been married before. His
wife died, they had a daughter who’s now grown and studying
in another city; her name is Alice Rucastle, and apparently
she left the house because she couldn’t stand her stepmother.

Something else that really disturbs me is the behavior of the

servants, a husband and a wife, Mr. and Mrs. Toller. He is
often drunk and his wife is silent, withdrawn, and very
strict.

Scene 6:

FLASHBACK. THE COPPER BEECHES PROPERTY

Narrator: On the third day after her arrival to the Copper

Beeches

Mr. Rucastle (carrying a blue jacket): I want you to wear it

from now on.

Violet: Yes sir (She puts it on).

Wife: Violet, please sit across from us on that chair.

Narrator: Mr. Rucastle then launched into a stand-up comedy
routine that had Violet basically rolling on the floor
laughing. Once He was was done he said:
Mr. Rucastle (with a straight face): You shall continue with
your business now, young lady.
Narrator: And the same thing happened Two days later.
Mrs. Rucastle: Could you please come sit and read for us for
a while?
(Violet reads and is interrupted mid-sentence)
Mrs. Rucastle: That'll be all for today.
Narrator: Violet noticed, that in the middle of all this
weirdness, Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were always very careful to
keep her back turned to the window that showed the front of
the house. Violet wants to know what's going on behind her.
The next time the Rucastles went through these fun-story
performances, she hid a piece of mirror in her handkerchief.
Then, she pretended to cry with laughter, wipe her tears and
managed, to see a man standing on the road and looking in her
direction. She lowered her handkerchief, and catched Mrs.
Rucastle staring at her.
Mrs. Rucastle: Darling, there's someone staring at Violet
from the road.
Mr. Rucastle: Friend of yours?
Violet: No sir, I don’t know him.
Mr. Rucastle: In that case, would you mind, Ms. Hunter, to
wave him away?
Violet: But...(waves at the man outside the window in
resignation)
(Alice’s fiancée, Dumbfounded, tries to get closer to speak)
(Mr. Rucastle draws the blind over the window)
Violet: (voice on off) It's been a week since this event.
Mr.Rucastle took some time to show me his watchman, Steve. He
patrols the villa every night; he suffers from Schizophrenia
but it doesn’t represent a problem because he knows them and
he had had never hurt them, but he might react in a negative
way towards me, warned me Mr. Rucastle.
Narrator: One night Violet noticed that there was one wing of
the house that seemed to be empty. But one day, she saw Mr.
Rucastle coming out of this part of the house looking
furious. He locked the door behind him and walked past her
without a word.
Trying to act natural, Violet took a walk outside to get a
better look at this part of the house from the outside. She
saw four windows, three of which were dirty. But one that was
completely shuttered up.
-later that day-
(Mr. Rucastle approaches Violet)
Mr. Rucastle: I am deeply sorry for passing you in the hall
so rudely.
Violet: May I ask what’s in the shuttered room?
Mr. Rucastle (surprised): Oh, just my little hobby. I set up
a dark room in that wing for my photos. But dear, what an
observant young lady I’ve hired.
(Mr. Rucastle glares subtly at her, violet stands there
intimidated)
Narrator: But Violet didn't buy that story, instead she was
now certain that there was something in that wing that was
being hidden from her, something the Tollers would surely
know about. So one day, when everyone was downstairs, Violet
unlocked the door and sneaked inside.
Narrator: After a short, bare passage, Violet saw another
door with a big padlock and no key, this door seemed to
correspond with the shuttered window she saw from outside.
(There's a line of light under the door. A shadow passes in
front of the light).
(Violet runs away down the passage – and straight into Mr.
Rucastle).
Mr. Rucastle (comforting): What has frightened you so much?
Hunter: I foolishly went into the locked wing, but small dark
spaces terrify me, so I couldn't stand it and ran away.
Mr. Rucastle: Is that all?
Hunter (stammering): Well, w...what else could it be?
Mr. Rucastle: My dear young lady, I keep that wing locked for
a reason, and if I ever catch you here again, I'll make sure
you have a little chat with Steve. (Smiles psychopathically).
(Violet runs downstairs, grabs her phone and sends the
message to Holmes).
Narrator: This threat made Violet realize she needed help,she
needed to know what to do, so she sent Holmes a message, he
may be able to sneak in while Mr. Toller was passed out
drunk.

Scene 7

BACK AT THE CAFETERIA. PRESENT.

Holmes: Is Toller still drunk?, are the Rucastles going out

tonight?, is there a cellar with a strong lock?

Violet: All those questions have an affirmative answer.

Holmes: Alright, We are going to the villa at 7pm, at that

time the Rucastles should be out, and Toller, unconscious.
You should try and lure Mrs. Toller into the kitchen and then
lock her in, if you can.
(Violet nods)
*Sherlock smiles in approval*

Scene 8

THE MAYFLOWER VILLA. -NIGHT OR LATE AFTERNOON

(Violet locks MRS. TOLLER in the cellar and goes out with
everyone else).
(Holmes and Watson are outside waiting for her).
(They go upstairs)
(Holmes forces open the door to the shuttered room, but no
one is inside).
Holmes: I think that Mr. Rucastle has already disposed of his
daughter, and he has brought a ladder around and dragged her
out through the skylight to avoid anyone seeing her.
( Mr. Rucastle comes in).
Holmes: Tell me what happened to your daughter.
Mr. Rucastle: I won’t do such a thing, what are you doing
here? You thieves!
(Mr. Rucastle runs to get Steve. Holmes and Watson run after
him to block the front door against the guard).
(Steve screams indistinctly)
(Male screams)
(Thudding sounds)
MR. TOLLER (coming into the scene): What have you done?!
Steve has been off his medications! He must be out of
control, he may kill Mr. Rucastle!
(They all rush out)
(Steve is choking Mr. Rucastle, he pases out)
(Watson injects the Watchman in the neck and gets him to
release Mr. Rucastle)
Watson: I’ll do what I can to make Mr. Rucastle regain
consciousness and I’ll also treat the pain and inflammation
due to the hits.
Mr. Toller: I guess I’ll be the one to tell his wife what
happened.

LIVING ROOM
MRS. TOLLER, SHERLOCK AND WATSON TALKING
Mrs. Toller: I have always been Miss Alice Rucastle's friend.
I felt pity for the girl because, with Mr. Rucastle's
remarriage, the poor girl never had any say in anything. But
Miss Rucastle's life didn't really get bad until she got
engaged to a certain Mr. Fowler. See, Miss Rucastle had an
inheritance from her mother's will that Mr. Rucastle handled
for her. Once marriage came on the horizon, Mr. Rucastle
wanted his daughter to sign a contract giving him control of
her funds whether she was married or not. Miss Rucastle
wouldn't do it, and the stress over the whole thing made her
sick. Despite her pitiful situation and reduced beauty, her
fiancé stayed by her side. So after six weeks of recovery,
Mr. Rucastle locked her up in that abandoned wing of the
house. That's when Mr. Rucastle went up to London to hire
Hunter, so that she could make Miss Rucastle’s fiancé think
she had forgotten about him and he’d go away. But the fiancé,
Mr. Fowler, really loves Miss Rucastle. So he bribed me to
leave a ladder by Miss Rucastle's window the instant the
Rucastles went out for the evening, and that’s how Miss
Rucastle managed to escape through the skylight tonight.
Scene 9

WATSON’S LIVING ROOM.

Watson: (writing on his blog)(voice in off)
After the incident, Sherlock, Hunter and I went to the town
to find a doctor who could come to the house to help Jephro
and Steve. Mr. Rucastle survived being almost choked to death
by his guard, but suffered some brain damage due to the long
time he spent without oxygen. Luckily, his loyal wife is
always by his side.
Mr. and Mrs. Troller went as far away as they could from the
mayflower after they were forced to sign a confidentiality
agreement.
Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle got married after the girl’s
recovery, keeping her mother’s inheritance. And they now live
in a lovely villa in Boyacá.
After this incident, Violet Hunter began a great career as
the head of a private school , but as the small mystery was
solved she didn’t have anymore contact with the famous
detective. Watson went back to his house with his wife, and
Sherlock, a little more optimistic, stayed alert for the new
cases yet to come.