NCERT Book Class 11 English (Woven Words) Short Stories 4 The Adventure of the Three Garridebs

The Adventure of the Three Garridebs 37

4 The Adventure of the Three
Garridebs
Arthur Conan Doyle

F Look for these expressions in the text and guess what they mean
from the context

with a disconsolate air of sinister and murderous reputation
want of imaginative intuition penitentiary
devilish ingenuity confederate in crime
shamefaced grin dissipated dreams
rigmarole of lies syncopated dialogue
cadaverous face

It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy.
It cost one man his reason, it cost me a blood-letting, and
it cost yet another man the penalties of the law. Yet there
was certainly an element of comedy. Well, you shall judge
for yourselves.
I remember the date very well, for, it was in the same
month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which
may perhaps some day be described. I only refer to the
matter in passing, for, in my position of partner and
confidant I am obliged to be particularly careful to avoid
any indiscretion. I repeat, however, that this enables me to
fix the date, which was the latter end of June 1902, shortly
after the conclusion of the South African War. Holmes had
spent several days in bed, as was his habit from time to
time, but he emerged that morning with a long foolscap
document in his hand and a twinkle of amusement in his
austere grey eyes.
‘There is a chance for you to make some money, friend
Watson,’ said he. ‘Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?’