 Rank: Newbie
Joined: 11/29/2018 Posts: 32 Neurons: 10,928 Location: Cairo, Al Qahirah, Egypt
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In the short story "The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone" by Arthur Conan Doyle,in a dialogue between Billy, Sherlock Holmes' page, and Dr. Watson:
'I don't mind telling you, sir, but it should go no farther. It's this case of the Crown diamond.'
'What - the hundred-thousand-pound burglary?'
'Yes, sir. They must get it back, sir. Why, we had the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary both sitting on that very sofa. Mr Holmes was very nice to them. He soon put them at their ease and promised he would do all he could. Then there is Lord Cantlemere-'
'Ah!'
'Yes, sir, you know what that means. He's a stiff 'un, sir, if I may say so. I can get along with the Prime Minister, and I've nothing against the Home Secretary, who seemed a civil, obliging sort of man, but I can't stand his lordship. Neither can Mr Holmes, sir. You see, he don't believe in Mr Holmes and he was against employing him. He'd rather he failed.' ____________________________ What does Billy mean by saying "Then there is Lord Cantlemere-"? And what does he mean by describing Lord Cantlemere with "stiff 'un"?
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 4/13/2012 Posts: 1,099 Neurons: 74,926
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I haven't read the story, but I can guess. That "then" in "then there is Lord..." indicates contraposition: as opposed to the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary, who let themselves be convinced by Mr. Holmes's assurance, Lord Cantlemere is a "stiff one" (his attitude is different, he is more rigid, unyielding, he doesn't believe in Mr. Holmes and will not be so easily convinced and change his mind).
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 Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 9/21/2009 Posts: 43,209 Neurons: 605,144 Location: Helsinki, Southern Finland Province, Finland
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Lord Cantlemere is of such people who never trust on anybody. They follow you to the end of the world just to see if you make a mistake, and then comb your hair with a rasp. These people are a double harm when they end up in being a teacher or military instructor.
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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 9/2/2019 Posts: 3 Neurons: 15
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Agree with the comment above me.
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