Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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It can't be that door leads into an empty room, does it? Wait, what was that? Seems to be a train of furniture about. Furniture?
There's only one chair. Let's see.
Quickly. Frequently, cases of my friend Sherlock Holmes began quietly enough, but led on to rather violent developments. My name is Watson, Dr. Watson, and it was my privilege to share the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I will tell you about the case of the stockbroker's clerk.
After my marriage, I still visited Holmes now and then to see what new case he was engaged on, and even to become engaged on it myself, as you shall hear in a moment. Well, my dear Watson, I'm delighted to see you again. And I hope the cares of your new practice haven't entirely obliterated the interest you used to take in my little deductive problem. Far from it.
Why, only last night I was looking over my own notes. I was satisfying some of our past results, you know. Excellent. But I thought you don't consider your collection. Oh, no, not at all. There's nothing I like better than to have some more experiences to add to it. Today, for example? Well, yes, of course. As far off today as Birmingham? Oh, certainly, certainly.
You're quite sure you're fit enough to travel? Fit? I tell you, I've never felt better. But you've not been too well lately, I see. Now, how on earth... Your slippers, of course. Slippers? They're quite obvious in you. It's not more than a few weeks old, in fact. I noticed the soles when you were sitting opposite me there. The soles? Yes, of course.
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Chapter 2: What is the case of the stockbroker's clerk about?
Ah, Mr. Paul Pycroft, I believe. Yes. Oh, will you take a chair? Ah, thanks. Mr. Pycroft of Mason and Williams, are you?
Chapter 3: How does Watson describe his relationship with Holmes?
Mason and Williams, yes, that's right. Oh, well, rather I haven't started yet. I only got their letter today taking me on, you know. You haven't been to the office yet? No, haven't set eyes on them. I don't start till Monday. You were formerly with Coxwell and Woodhouses? Yes. Do you mind if I ask?
Well, Mr. Pycroft, the fact is I've heard some really extraordinary stories about your financial ability. About me? Talking to Parker. You know, he used to be Coxon's manager. Can't say enough for you. That's very nice of him. Very nice indeed. He's a good fellow, Parker. Yes, that's right. Now, look here, Mr. Pycroft. Have you kept in touch with the market while you've been out of work?
Every day. I read the stock exchange list every morning. Ah, that's the way to get on, my boy. Now, let me see. How are New Zealand consolidated? A hundred and four. Air shears? A hundred and five to a hundred and five and a quarter. Wonderful. It quite fits in with all I've heard. My dear boy, you're much too good to be a clerk at Morton's. No, sir.
By Monday, you'll be business manager of the Franco Midland Hardware Company Limited. With 134 branches in the towns and villages of France... And not counting one in Brussels and one in San Remo. I'm afraid I've never heard of it. Ah, very likely not. It's being kept very quiet. Too good to let the public into, you understand. I see. My daughter, Harry Penna, is promoter.
All the capital's being privately subscribed. Yes, I see. Harry's managing director. He asked me if I could pick up the right man for business manager. Parker spoke of you, and that's what brought me here tonight. But... Mind you, I'll be honest... And he asked me to get a man cheap. I can't pay more than $500. $500? Yes, I'm afraid that's all.
But there's an overriding commission of 1% on all business done by your agents. Take my word for it. That'll come to more than your salary. Yes, indeed. A great deal more. Mr. Penner, I don't know anything about hardware. No, but you do know about figures. Yes, that's true. Well, look here, Mr. Penner. I can't deny that your offer is a very good one. It's a splendid one, but...
I've been out of work long enough, and, well, Mawson's may only be offering 200, but they are well known. They're safe. Well, tell me what I'll do, then. You take this note. It's for 100 pounds. Now, if you think we can do business, you just slip that into your pocket as an advance on your salary. Now, what do you say? I say this, Mr. Penner. When do you want me to start? Splendid.
Now, my company's offices are temporarily situated in Birmingham. If you could go up there tomorrow, perhaps. Certainly. Well, should we say one o'clock then? Yes, indeed. Now, take this note to 126B Corporation Street, and you'll find my brother there. Of course, he'll have to confirm your engagement. Oh, yes, of course. That's between you and me. It'll be all right.
Well, I hardly know how to thank you, Mr. Pinnacle. Not at all, my boy. You've only got what you deserve, at last. Oh, before I go, there are one or two small details, though. Formalities, you know. Yes. Have you a pen and paper handy? Yes, over here. Splendid. Now, if you could just jot these few lines down, covering the firm, you know. Oh, yes, of course.
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Chapter 4: What details does Mr. Pycroft provide about his previous job?
Good. I knew you had spit it. My brother will be delighted to have you, I know. Tomorrow, then, at 126B Corporation Street, Birmingham. Have I missed anything out, Mr. Holmes? Your memory goes further than figures, Mr. Picar. Well, Watson, what do you think of that? Extraordinary good fortune, I'd say. What sort of a fellow was this Pinar?
Well, a middle-sized, black beard, bit of a hook to his nose, you know, brisk sort of way with him. Yes, I can see it. But now, Mr. Picar, tell Watson what happened the next day when you got to Birmingham to keep your appointment. Yes. Well... 126B Corporation Street turned out to be a passage between two big shops.
It led to a flight of stairs with the names of a lot of companies painted on the wall at the bottom. I read them all, but there wasn't a Franco-Midland Hardware Company among them. But while I was standing there wondering what to do next, a man came up and introduced himself as Harry Pinner. We haven't got a name up yet, Mr. Parkoff, as you see. They're only temporary premises, sir.
We only got them last week. Oh. Yes, I ought to apologise to you for the empty rooms, I'm afraid. Temporary problem, though, Mr. Bacoff. One wasn't built in a day. No, no, of course. One table, a ledger, and a waste paper basket. Empty for the moment. Well, there's enough to be going on with. Oh, by the way, I have a note for you from your brother, Mr. Spinner.
Ah, yes, well, we'll do that first, then. Yes, you've certainly made your impression on Arthur. He's a shrewd judge. Mr. Pycroft, you may consider yourself definitely engaged. Thank you very much, Mr. Pinnock. And, uh, now, can I ask what my duties ought to be? Of course, your duties. Mr. Pycroft, you will eventually manage Franco Midland's great depot in Paris. Really?
Yes, you'll be handling there a flood of English crockery which you'll distribute to the shops of 134 agents throughout France. The purchase will be completed in a week. Meanwhile, I'd like you to remain in Birmingham and make yourself useful. Certainly, how? Well, here's a directory at Paris with the trades after the names of the people. I see. I want you to take it to wherever you're taking it.
Where is that, by the way? Oh, well, I'll find a hotel quite near here, I'm sure. Oh, yes, plenty, plenty. Very reasonable, too. Well, I want you to take this directory back there. There's no need to work in this discomfort. Take it back and mark off all the hardware sellers with their addresses. Stick at it, Mr. Bycroft, and let me have the results by Monday at 12.
Hardly managerial work, I admit, but we're all pitching in at whatever needs doing for the time being. And then I found a cheap hotel and settled down to do as he does, Mr. Holmes. With pretty mixed feelings, I don't know. Well, yes, indeed. On the one hand, I was definitely engaged, and I had a hundred pounds in my pocket. But on the other hand... Well, the look of those officers.
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Chapter 5: What unusual circumstances surround Mr. Pycroft's new job offer?
I must say, I thought they'd have fixed themselves up with something a bit better. Well, anyway, I settled down to the job he'd given me. I soon found it wasn't going to be done by Monday, either. By the time I went to see Mr. Pinner again, I'd only got to the letter H. Oh, dear. He told me to go away, keep at it until Wednesday, and then come and see him again.
Well, I did, but the job still wasn't finished even then. Mr. Pinner told me not to worry, but to push on with it still and see him again on Friday. So I did.
THE END
It took me till this morning, though. I'd never have believed there were half as many hardware tickets in Paris. Well, there you get some idea at last of the size of trade you're going to be handling soon. Yes, I do. Well, uh, the best thing is to ask you if you wouldn't mind keeping Atom until everything's clear at the other end. But I finished.
Now, now, now, my boy, you just think for a moment. Doesn't anyone else sell crockery besides hardware, sir? Well, I suppose... Yes, the furniture people do over here, so I expect the same in France. Ah, that's just the brand of acumen for getting to the top. Thank you. So, what I want you to do now is to take away that invaluable director again and start marking up the furniture first.
It's very good. Now, don't be downhearted, my boy. I'll tell you what. I may hear some news from London by tomorrow morning. I'll be out and about all day, but if you pop up here at, shall we say, seven tomorrow evening? Yes. I may be ready to put you out of this suspense. Oh, that's very good of you. Right then. And don't forget, tomorrow is Saturday. Saturday?
Well, all work and no play, you know. Oh, after you see me in the evening, why not cut along for a couple of hours at Dave's Music Hall? Oh, it's just the place for a young blood like you, eh? What an extraordinary way to run some business. May I help? Remarkable. Tell me, Mr. Pycroft, on your visits to the offices, have you ever seen signs of any other business being done there?
That's another funny thing. Every time, the place has been just the same. The wastepaper box is still empty every time. It seems to me he only goes there to meet me. But Mr. Pycroft's powers of observation rise to even greater levels. Let's hear again, sir, what else you noticed at your last interview. Oh, yes.
Well, when he added that bit about the music hall, you know, he kept laughing, and I couldn't help noticing that his second tooth on the left-hand side was a gold one. Uh, I don't quite follow. Well, the point is, Dr. Watson, when his brother, Arthur Pinner, had come to my room in London, I'd noticed exactly the same thing about him. Quite extraordinary. Phil, I don't quite see him.
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