Quotes About Mystery

And here it is that I miss my Watson. By cunning questions and ejaculations of wonder he could elevate my simple art, which is but systematized common sense, into a prodigy. When I tell my own story I have no such aid.

No ghosts need apply. - Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire

His name, said the cabman, was Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Never have I seen my friend more completely taken aback than by the cabman's reply. For an instant he sat in silent amazement. Then he burst into a hearty laugh.

You're too late. She's my wife. No, she's your widow. His revolver cracked, and I saw the blood spurt from the front of Woodley's waistcoat. He spun round with a scream and fell upon his back, his hideous red face turning suddenly to a dreadful mottled pallor.

It is a mistake to confound strangeness with mystery.

WATSON: Then you are yourself inclining to the supernatural explanation.      HOLMES: if Dr. Mortimer's surmise should be correct, and we are dealing with forces outside the ordinary laws of Nature, there is an end of our investigation. But we are bound to exhaust all other hypotheses before falling back upon this one.

There were no footmarks.' 'Meaning that you saw none?' 'I assure you, sir, that there were none.' 'My good Hopkins, I have investigated many crimes, but I have never yet seen one which was committed by a flying creature. As long as the criminal remains upon two legs so long must there be some indentation, some abrasion, some trifling displacement which can be detected by the scientific searcher.

What object is served by this circle of misery and violence and fear? It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance, which is unthinkable. But what end? There is the great standing perennial problem to which human reason is as far from an answer as ever.

Birdy Edwards is here. I am Birdy Edwards!

You remind me of Edgar Allan Poe's Dupin. I had no idea that such individuals did exist out of stories.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes...was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night.

Who are you, then?" "My name is Sherlock Holmes." "Good Lord!" "You have heard of me, I see.

Look at you. Why is the only woman you ever cared about a world-class criminal - are you a masochist?

I am afraid that I rather give myself away when I explain, said he. Results without causes are much more impressive.

What do you think of this, Holmes? Sholto was, on his own confession, with his brother last night. The brother died in a fit, on which Sholto walked off with the treasure? How's that? On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside.

How do you know that? I followed you. I saw no one. That is what you may expect to see when I follow you.

The setting is a worthy one, if the devil did desire to have a hand in the affairs of men.

We give you best, Holmes. I believe you are the devil himself.

It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume. His expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime.

Yes, the setting (Dartmoor) is a worthy one. If the devil did desire to have a hand in the affairs of men. Sherlock Holmes

By Jove! I cried; if he really wants someone to share the rooms and the expense, I am the very man for him. I should prefer having a partner to being alone. Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wineglass. "You don't know Sherlock Holmes yet," he said; "perhaps you would not care for him as a constant companion.

The affair seems absurdly trifling, and yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most classic cases have had the least promising commencement. You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day.

Who knows, Watson? Woman's heart and mind are insoluble puzzles to the male.

I can understand. There is a mystery about this which stimulates the imagination; where there is no imagination, there is no horror.