Thursday, January 12, 2006

So that's what his secret is

"I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your results."

"I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag [tobacco]."


Quite a system, I'm sure...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like Holmes' comment in _The Red-Headed League_ even better. He explains how he deduces a man's life story from his appearance. The man says that "when you first said all that, I'd though you had done something clever, but not what you explain it, it seems there is nothing to it at all."

Holmes turns to Watson and dryly states: "In the future, Watson, I ought not explain myself so fully."

Becca said...

I don't know. I like the bit where Watson remarks to Holmes that the world is actually round rather than flat as Holmes (presumably) supposed it. Holmes replied that he would try to forget that information as it was not in the least useful in his trade and thus cluttered his mind with uneccessary information.