The Adventure of the Dancing Men

           Holmeshadbeenseatedforsomehoursinsilencewithhislong,thinbackcurvedoverachemicalvesselinwhichhewasbrewingaparticularlymalodorousproduct.Hisheadwassunkuponhisbreast,andhelookedfrommypointofviewlikeastrange,lankbird,withdullgreyplumageandablacktop-knot.

           “So,Watson,”saidhe,suddenly,“youdonotproposetoinvestinSouthAfricansecurities?”

           Igaveastartofastonishment.AccustomedasIwastoHolmes’scuriousfaculties,thissuddenintrusionintomymostintimatethoughtswasutterlyinexplicable.

           “Howonearthdoyouknowthat?”Iasked.

           Hewheeledrounduponhisstool,withasteamingtest-tubeinhishand,andagleamofamusementinhisdeep-seteyes.

           “Now,Watson,confessyourselfutterlytakenaback,”saidhe.

           “Iam.”

           “Ioughttomakeyousignapapertothateffect.”

           “Why?”

           “Becauseinfiveminutesyouwillsaythatitisallsoabsurdlysimple.”

           “IamsurethatIshallsaynothingofthekind.”

           “Yousee,mydearWatson,”—heproppedhistest-tubeintherack,andbegantolecturewiththeairofaprofessoraddressinghisclass—“itisnotreallydifficulttoconstructaseriesofinferences,eachdependentuponitspredecessorandeachsimpleinitself.If,afterdoingso,onesimplyknocksoutallthecentralinferencesandpresentsone’saudiencewiththestarting-pointandtheconclusion,onemayproduceastartling,thoughpossiblyameretricious,effect.