Red Széll

The bath.

Why the relaxing and expensive Turkish rather than the invigorating homemade article?

Because for the last few days I've been feeling rheumatic and old.

A Turkish bath is what we call an alterative in medicine, a fresh starting point, a cleanser of the system.

By the way, Holmes, I added, I have no doubt the connection between my boots and a Turkish bath is a perfectly self-evident one to a logical mind, and yet I should be obliged to you if you would indicate it.

The train of reasoning is not very obscure, Watson, said Holmes with a mischievous twinkle.

It belongs to the same elementary class of deduction which I should illustrate if I were to ask you who shared your cab in your drive this morning.

I don't admit that a fresh illustration is an explanation, said I with some asperity.

Bravo, Watson.

A very dignified and logical remonstrance.

Let me see, what were the points?

Take the last one first, the cab.

You observe that you have some splashes on the left sleeve and shoulder of your coat.

Had you sat in the centre of a handsome, you would probably have had no splashes, and if you had, they would certainly have been symmetrical.

Therefore, it is clear that you sat at the side.

Therefore, it is equally clear that you had a companion.

That is very evident.

Absurdly commonplace, is it not?

But the boots and the bath, equally childish.

You are in the habit of doing up your boots in a certain way.