| Author: | R. Austin Freeman | ISBN: | 1230000197307 |
| Publisher: | WDS Publishing | Publication: | November 17, 2013 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | R. Austin Freeman |
| ISBN: | 1230000197307 |
| Publisher: | WDS Publishing |
| Publication: | November 17, 2013 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
By one of those coincidences which are quite inadmissible in fiction, but
of frequent occurrence in real life, an incident in the story of The
Cat's Eye has found an almost exact duplicate in an actual case which has
been reported in the Press.
The real case was concerned with a most alarming misadventure which
befell a distinguished police official of high rank. The fictitious
incident occurs in Chapter Ten of this book; and the reading of that
chapter will inevitably convey the impression that I have appropriated
the real case and incorporated it in my story; a proceeding that the
reader might properly consider to be in questionable taste.
It seems, therefore, desirable to explain that Chapter Ten was written
some months before the real tragedy occurred. Indeed, by that time, the
book was so nearly completed that it was impracticable to eliminate the
incident, which was an integral part of the plot.
The coincidence is to be regretted; but worse things might easily have
happened. But for the circumstance that I had to lay this book aside to
complete some other work, The Cat's Eye would have been in print when the
crime was committed; and it might then have been difficult for any
one--even for the author--to believe that the fictitious crime had not
furnished the suggestion for the real one.
By one of those coincidences which are quite inadmissible in fiction, but
of frequent occurrence in real life, an incident in the story of The
Cat's Eye has found an almost exact duplicate in an actual case which has
been reported in the Press.
The real case was concerned with a most alarming misadventure which
befell a distinguished police official of high rank. The fictitious
incident occurs in Chapter Ten of this book; and the reading of that
chapter will inevitably convey the impression that I have appropriated
the real case and incorporated it in my story; a proceeding that the
reader might properly consider to be in questionable taste.
It seems, therefore, desirable to explain that Chapter Ten was written
some months before the real tragedy occurred. Indeed, by that time, the
book was so nearly completed that it was impracticable to eliminate the
incident, which was an integral part of the plot.
The coincidence is to be regretted; but worse things might easily have
happened. But for the circumstance that I had to lay this book aside to
complete some other work, The Cat's Eye would have been in print when the
crime was committed; and it might then have been difficult for any
one--even for the author--to believe that the fictitious crime had not
furnished the suggestion for the real one.
