THE MYSTERY TALE OF LONDON'S JACK THE RIPPER
PREAMBLE 1636 CAPE WRAPTH THE HIGHLANDS SCOTLAND
Parth moorland grass and soil remained unspoiled; eroded
greensward since feudal reign of valiant norse crusade
100A.D.-1014. Beneath Highland sky, silhouetted stovepipe hat
mortician trek'd misty ledge till Isaac came upon granite
namesake henceforth the Ghost of Runnymede. Nearby, small
cultivated patch of outlying woods remained hidden a rusted
shovel. Gaunt, lean, hasidic reverend turned and ambled into
enveloping mist, resonant DADGAD bagpipes in C dorian requiem.
Side by side, one plot remained filled, one plot remained
shallow; The Seamstress and the Governor. The Governor cum
Street Lighter (Governor by day and street lighter by night).
Unlikely, their death dates a mere fortnite apart; the
Seamstress' date precedent. Erstwhile, a pair of cricket bats
of an abandoned one-room schoolhouse called the achiemore.
"There shall be danger in thou path," the Chelsea Gypsy
crows, "beware the ides of march."
OVERTURE 1892 CAVENDISH SQUARE LONDON
Sixteen damsel corpses; barbiturate dolls; luminous and
delicately preserved; an immaculate bevy of calendar models
and a quartet of patrons remained laden at Cavendish Square
boutique; collateral damage of the Governor's mad, hidden
obsession for Emily the Cavendish Square Seamstress; an
unwitting muse for the Governor's macabre doctrine of the
affections, a florid baroque pianola player-piano sonata in
C sharp whole tone emanated from the victrola.
Quiescent parsifal; a gallery of the Seamstress'
victorian garment sketches; an array of felt hats, gloves,
petticoats, stockings, shawls, bodices, bustles and feathered
bonnets; replete with blueprints for precise measurements
for each unwitting disciple remained scattered inside
southwark riverside warehouse.
"Elementary, masquerade twas Jack the Ripper," cackles
the Chelsea Gypsy, "measure for measure a stitch in time."
Erstwhile at balfour, shielings and street lighter bunkers,
the Governor's large cresset cattycornered to a row of smaller
cressets; handmade for three children.
Meantime, sporting bob-cut hairdo, doe-eyed, timid,
tight-lipped bookkeeper, Penny the Mod from surrey remained
busy-bee at inverness public record office.
Meantime, scotland yard chief inspector Barnaby, evasive
escort at devil's bluff remained renfrewshire sentry at glasgow
embassy hence wayward "sightseer" tour guide.
Meanstime, Timothy, myopic remained afflicted, polio
henceforth an street urchin. One wintry evening ten-year-old
red-headed Timothy took a nasty spill on wooden stilts.
Erstwhile, the SSeamstress' governess, Esmeralda the gadfly,
bundled the ginger Timothy, "...what with malice towatd none,
aye, with charity for all."
"High hopes," ebulllient charcoal smudged cheeks, Timothy
carols, nuzzles Aunt Izzy's dowdy layers of peasant woolen
muffler scarf, "we've got high hopes!"
"Yuleside greeting humbug," as Aunt Izzy suddenly absconds
with the Governor's heirloom faberge egg as they stawaway aboard
vast liverpool steamship; exclusive ticket to opulent grand
saloon; ballroom; dining. Langourous fantaisie-impromptu
composition in C melodic minor, exemplary performance by ship's
enticing acomplished music room pianist; the Seamstress' twin
sister, mellifluent hybrid songbird, Aliyah raised on
londontown's burgeoning denmark street. Transatlantic voyage
dock at hudson pier; embark the empire city; new amsterdam;
cloaked villain swiftly merger' a face in the crowd; event
horizon; alas, the new world shall be her oyster.
Decolletage; Aliyah's exquisite heartbeat pulsate from
within an enamel shall of the embezzled imperial trinket, behold
a precious commodity consumed by relentless passion' entr'acte.