The Curse of the Baskervilles

           Ihaveinmypocketamanuscript,"saidDr.JamesMortimer. 

           "Iobserveditasyouenteredtheroom,"saidHolmes. 

           "Itisanoldmanuscript." 

           "Earlyeighteenthcentury,unlessitisaforgery." 

           "Howcanyousaythat,sir?" 

           "Youhavepresentedaninchortwoofittomyexaminationallthetimethatyouhavebeentalking. Itwouldbeapoorexpertwhocouldnotgivethedateofadocumentwithinadecadeorso. Youmaypossiblyhavereadmylittlemonographuponthesubject.Iputthatat1730." 

           "Theexactdateis1742."Dr.Mortimerdrewitfromhisbreast-pocket. "ThisfamilypaperwascommittedtomycarebySirCharlesBaskerville,whosesuddenandtragicdeathsomethreemonthsagocreatedsomuchexcitementinDevonshire. ImaysaythatIwashispersonalfriendaswellashismedicalattendant. Hewasastrong-mindedman,sir,shrewd,practical,andasunimaginativeasIammyself. Yethetookthisdocumentveryseriously,andhismindwaspreparedforjustsuchanendasdideventuallyovertakehim." 

           Holmesstretchedouthishandforthemanuscriptandflattenedituponhisknee. 

           "Youwillobserve,Watson,thealternativeuseofthelongsandtheshort. Itisoneofseveralindicationswhichenabledmetofixthedate."