Chapter: 15. The Crown Of Diamonds
Comprehension
A. Answer these questions.
Who was the man who came to visit Holmes? What did the man do? The man who came to visit Holmes was Mr. Alexander Holder, head of the Bank of Holder and Stevenson. He came to ask for Holmes’s help because a priceless item, the Crown of Diamonds, had been damaged while in his care, and his son, Arthur, was arrested on suspicion of having stolen a piece of it. How had Mr Holder acquired the Crown of Diamonds? Mr. Holder had acquired the Crown of Diamonds as collateral for a loan of fifty thousand pounds that he had given to “one of the noblest personages in England.” The personage had left the crown in Holder’s care, promising to return the money in four days. How many people lived in or frequently visited Mr Holder’s house? Name them. Excluding trusted servants, five people lived in or frequently visited Mr. Holder’s house: Mr. Alexander Holder, his son Arthur, his orphaned niece Mary, and Arthur’s friend Sir George Burnwell. Who was arrested on suspicion of having stolen three of the diamonds? How did the person react when he was arrested? Arthur Holder, Mr. Alexander Holder’s son, was arrested on suspicion of having stolen three of the diamonds. When he was arrested, Arthur begged his father to let him leave the house for five minutes, saying it would help both of them. His father refused, and Arthur was taken away by the police. What did Holmes dress up as and why? Holmes dressed up as a beggar. He did this to visit Sir George Burnwell’s house and obtain his discarded shoes from Burnwell’s servant to compare them with the footprints found in the snow, confirming his theory about Burnwell’s involvement. How did Holmes solve the case? Holmes solved the case by: Observing two sets of footprints in the snow outside the house: Arthur’s bare feet and an unknown man’s (Burnwell’s). Deducing that Mary and Burnwell had a secret meeting at the hall window and that Burnwell convinced Mary to steal the crown. Realizing Arthur had seen Mary give the crown to Burnwell, fought him to retrieve it, and accidentally broke a piece off during the struggle. Understanding that Arthur’s silence was due to his love for Mary and his pride, preventing him from implicating her. Confirming Burnwell’s involvement by matching his discarded shoes (obtained while disguised as a beggar) to the footprints. Finally, confronting Burnwell to retrieve the missing diamonds. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
I suppose you think I’m quite mad.
a. Who said this?
* Mr. Alexander Holder said this.
b. Whom did the speaker say this to?
* The speaker said this to Sherlock Holmes.
c. Did the listener agree with what the speaker said? Why not?
* No, the listener did not agree. Holmes replied, “I think you have some great trouble and you have come to ask for my help,” indicating he understood Holder’s distress was due to a serious problem, not madness. You have stolen them, you evil boy.
a. Who said this and to whom?
* Mr. Alexander Holder said this to his son, Arthur Holder.
b. Why did the speaker say this?
* The speaker said this because he found Arthur in his sitting room holding the Crown of Diamonds, which had a missing piece, leading him to believe Arthur had stolen the diamonds.
c. How did the listener react?
* Arthur’s face turned red, and he refused to say another word, stating, “You have called me enough names, father. I won’t say another word.” C. Think and answer.
Find the clues in the story that helped Sherlock Holmes solve the case. Explain how they helped him. Mary standing near a side window in the hall: This seemingly innocent detail caught Holmes’s attention. He later deduced that this was the window Mary used to communicate with Sir George Burnwell and hand him the crown. The sound that woke Mr. Holder: Holder believed it might have been Arthur closing his bedroom door, but Holmes quickly dismissed this, reasoning a thief would be silent. This pushed Holmes to look for external sounds, leading him to the idea of someone outside. Arthur had no shoes on when found: This was a critical clue. If Arthur had been outside, his bare footprints would confirm it. Holmes used this to identify Arthur’s footprints in the snow, differentiating them from other prints. Two sets of footprints in the snow outside the hall window: Holmes found Arthur’s barefoot prints and another set of shoeprints. This was the most crucial physical evidence, indicating two people had been outside, and one was not Arthur. The shoeprints belonged to Burnwell. The location of the hall window overlooking the stable lane: This suggested an accessible meeting point from outside the house, away from direct view. Mary fainting when she saw the crown recovered: Holder interpreted this as shock over the theft, but Holmes later deduced it was shock that the crown was back, implying she knew it had been stolen and was now surprised by its return. Arthur’s mysterious silence and refusal to claim innocence: This was the biggest psychological puzzle. Holmes understood that an innocent person’s silence, especially in a dire situation, often stems from a deeper, often protective, motive. He correctly inferred Arthur’s love for Mary prevented him from exposing her. Mr. Holder’s distrust of Sir George Burnwell: This suggested Burnwell’s dubious character, making him a likely suspect in Holmes’s mind once other clues pointed towards an external party. The broken piece of the crown: This indicated a struggle or forceful removal, not a careful theft, supporting the idea of a conflict rather than a stealthy act. You see a classmate of yours steal something from the classroom. How would you react to this? Select the best possible solution and state your reasons for your choice. b. Talk to your classmate and ask him/her to return what he/she took. Direct and Private: This approach allows for a direct conversation with your classmate without immediately involving others or causing public humiliation. It gives them a chance to correct their mistake discreetly. Offers a Chance for Redemption: It assumes the classmate might regret their action or be facing a difficult situation, offering them an opportunity to do the right thing and return the item. Less Conflict: It avoids the potential for immediate accusation and conflict that reporting to the teacher or telling everyone might create, while still addressing the issue. If it fails, other options are still available: If they refuse, you can then escalate the issue to a teacher or other authority, but you’ve given them a chance first. 
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