Ringmaster: "First up for all you lucky people tonight, those aerial aces, the trailblazers of the trapeze, the Flying Graysons!"
Crowd: *Cheers*
Jago: "Litefoot. What was that name again? Flying Jasons?"
Litefoot: "Graysons. Why do you... Are you taking notes?"
Jago: "You don't get to be a titan of the theatrical trade by resting on your laurels. A man in my position must always be on the lookout for the next big attraction."
Litefoot: "Are you telling me I've gotten dressed up in this finery just so you can go spotting for talent? I was thinking the circus was a bit of a coachman's holiday for you."
Ellie: "Shh. You're missing the show."
***
A montage of circus events. Crowd reactions and snippets of performers. Bumbling clowns, comics and singers, ringing of a unicycle bell, cheers and gasps.
***
Ringmaster: "Settle down, settle down everyone. Now we've all been having fun so far, but I'm afraid I must insist on a calmer reaction from you for this next act. It is the most dangerous demonstration planned for tonight, and we must demand silence from you. What you are about to see is the result of months of intense training, and has resulted in several nasty scars for some of our performers.
Ladies and Gentlemen, all the way from the plains of Africa, from the depths of the Savannah, the most proud and majestic of all God's creature. You know his better as the King of the Jungle, a title he has earned from his fierce and deadly reputation as the world's greatest hunter."
A cart is rolled from behind a curtain into the arena, it's wheels squealing with the effort. Atop the cart sits a cage, in while a lion stands, roaring.
Jago: *clapping* "Marvelous!"
Litefoot: "If you say so."
Jago: "You're not impressed?"
Litefoot: "Don't mistake my lack of enthusiasm for disinterest, Henry. It's just, I've seen my fair share of large cats during my formative years in the Orient. Plus, our continued exposure to the phantasmagorical has tempered my awe of more terrestrial wonders, sadly."
Ellie: "Look at him, he's miserable."
Litefoot: "What do you mean?"
Ellie: "He's moping about in that tiny cage. Look at him, he barely has the energy to stand. And he looks so thin, like a starving Tomcat."
Litefoot: "Now that you mention it, he does appear somewhat malnourished."
Jago: "Funny. I don't remember the animals being so scrawny in my youth. A life of being ferried from town to town, surviving on scraps and never able to leave your one and only room, it hardly seems fair."
Ellie: "I'd much rather go to a zoo to see some animals. Sorry Mr. J. Didn't mean to ruin the night for you."
Jago: "It's quite alright Ellie. After all, you're not wrong. But even if this one aspect of the spectacle is tainted, I can still enjoy the overall show."
Litefoot: "That's the spirit. Chin up everyone."
***
***
Ringmaster: "And now, my wonderful audience, I'm afraid the night draws to a close."
Crowd: *boos playfully*
Ringmaster: "I know, I know, I don't want you to go either. You've been the best audience I've had the pleasure to address. And I've preformed for Royal courts across Europe! But I can't leave you empty handed, so let me introduce the final act. The fabled freak show!"
Jago: "Even I think he's laying it on a bit thick now."
Ringmaster:"We have gathered some of the most bizarre, the inexplicable and the fascinating for you tonight!
Meet, The Beared Lady! This hirsute housewife has a mane to rival the King of the Jungle himself!
The Lobster Man! Born with an unusual anomaly, the bones of his fingers have partially fused, giving him hands like a fleshly lobster! Watch out for his handshake!
Meet the Pygmy Warrior, hailing from darkest Peru! Careful with that spear!
Next up, Horned Herman, the Rhinoceros! Fear his protruding horn, rising out from his nose like the prow of a naval vessel. This horn isn't just for show, watch as Herman pierces this sheet of tin!
Finally, let me introduce Hawkeye! Now, I know what you're thinking. He doesn't look like a freak. Where's his deformity. Well, Hawkeye here has the best eyesight I've ever had the privilege to witness. I'll need a volunteer for this one. You, the lady near the back."
Ellie: "Me?"
Ringmaster: "Yes, you. What's your name my dear?"
Ellie: "Ellie, sir. Ellie Higson."
Ringmaster: "Wonderful, Mrs Higson. Now, I wonder if you could tell me what colour my eyes are?"
Ellie: "You joking? I can hardly make out the colour of your moustache from here."
*Audience chuckles*
Ringmaster: "Just the answer I expected. Nobody has eyesight that good. Nobody, that is, except Hawkeye. Go on then, what do you see?"
Hawkeye: "Green."
Ellie: "Oh my word!"
Jago: "Corks!"
Ringmaster: "And there we have it! On that note, we have to end the show. Goodnight everyone, and don't forget to tell all your friends about us!"
***
The show is over, the crowd is dispersing, footsteps crunching across the graveled surface.
Ellie: "Thanks again, Mr. J. It was a wonderful night. It feels good to do something social every once in a while. Sometimes it feels like all I do is wait on tables, waiting for you two to get in trouble again. I'll owe Jim a favour when I get back though."
Litefoot: "Who's this Jim character?"
Ellie: "Oh yeah, you haven't met him yet. He's one of the new boys helping out at the Red Tavern. We always get busy when the nights start to get long, so it's good to have a few extra pairs of hands around. He's a nice young lad, with a soothing Irish brogue."
Litefoot: "I look forward to meeting him. Thank you too, Henry. For the entertainment. Even if the last act was somewhat distasteful."
Jago: "I agree George. It's cruel to parade those with deformities on stage just for base titillation. For the braying public to laugh at the weirdos. At least most of them were fakes."
Ellie: "Fakes?"
Jago: "I could tell that woman was wearing a false beard. As a master of deception, I can spot a disguise from afar. Those lobster arms are merely high quality gloves. That's why he was wearing a long sleeved shirt. And as for the trick with your eyes? Most likely you'd been spotted by a stagehand and selected during the interval."
Ellie: "Well, if it was faked, I don't feel so bad about the content now."
Litefoot: "Whether it is fake or not, I still find it abhorrent to ridicule the concept of birth defects."
Jago: "Too true, Professor. Now if you'll excuse me, Ivan wanted to run some of his more risque material past me before tomorrow's show, so I'd best be off to catch him before he hits the spirits."
Litefoot: "Very well, Jago. See you tomorrow at the Red Tavern I presume. Come along Ellie, why don't we share a Hansom?"
***
Mortuary, St. Bart's
***
Quick: "Morning Professor. Did you get up to much yesterday evening?"
Litefoot: "Good morning to you too Inspector. As a matter of fact, I did. Jago treated Ellie and myself to a night at the circus. It was most... singular."
Quick: "That sounds like it was an enjoyable evening. The missus is away visiting family in Margate, so I was able to enjoy a night at the pub for once."
Litefoot: "Oh, the joys of matrimony. Excuse me, who are you?"
Italian Man: "Excuse my interruption, sirs. I'm looking for a Professor Litefoot?"
Litefoot: "I am he. What might your name be?"
Man: "My name is Gustav. I'm a student of pathology. I've been assigned to assist you for a week or two, as work experience? You should have received a letter from my lecturer."
Litefoot: "Oh yes! Of course. I'd completely forgotten that was scheduled for this week. I haven't really had time to prepare any assignments for you... What don't you take these surgical instruments and have them sterilized?"
Gustav: "But they are already sterile."
Litefoot: "True, but I want to examine you skills at sterilization. To test you, you see."
Gustav: "Very well Professor."
Quick: "I didn't know you were getting an apprentice? Weren't you a bit terse with him?"
Litefoot: "It's mostly news to me too. I did receive a letter, but the masthead was incorrect, and I didn't recognize the names of Gustav's referees. Something is fishy about that chap."
Quick: "What would somebody have to gain by pretending to be an apprentice pathologist?"
Litefoot: "I don't know, but I intend on keeping Gustav at arms length until his story checks out. So Quick, do I have anyone on my slab this morning?"
Quick: "Two bodies, both found in the early hours of the morning. One at 2am, the other at 3:30am. One was found on Hampstead Heath, the other floating in the Thames."
Litefoot: "Do you suspect a connection? Was there any visible sign of motive, mugging perhaps."
Quick: "Neither body has been identified yet, for reasons you'll soon discover. Both were found to be carrying amounts of cash, ruling out mugging. But the cause of death in both cases is consistent. They appear to have been savages by a wild animal."
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