Alec MacDonald
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Fictional character.
In the Sherlock Holmes stories
- Inspector of Scotland Yard (VALL 213).
Description
- He was from Aberdeen, Scotland (VALL 291).
- He achieved a national fame (VALL 214).
- His tall, bony figure gave promise of exceptional physical strength, while his great cranium and deep-set, lustrous eyes spoke no less clearly of the keen intelligence which twinkled out from behind his bushy eyebrows (VALL 216).
- He was a silent, precise man, with a dour nature and a hard Aberdonian accent (VALL 217).
- MacDonald had talent enough for his profession to enable him to perceive that there was no humiliation in seeking the assistance of Sherlock Holmes (VALL 220).
Career
- When he was a young but trusted member of the detective force, he had distinguished himself in several cases which had been entrusted to him (VALL 215).
- He was in charge of the Birlstone's tragedy (VALL 213).
Relationship with Holmes
- Twice already in his career had Holmes helped him to attain success, his own sole reward being the intellectual joy of the problem. For this reason the affection and respect of the Scotchman for his amateur colleague were profound, and he showed them by the frankness with which he consulted Holmes in every difficulty (VALL 218).
