The Hound of the Baskervilles — книга для чтения (C1)

nate as to miss him and have no notion of his errand, this accidental souvenir becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct the man by an examination of it.’ ‘I think,’ said I, following as far as I could the methods of my companion, ‘that Dr. Mortimer is a successful, elderly medical man, well-esteemed since those who know him give him this mark of their appreciation.’ ‘Good!’ said Holmes. ‘Excellent!’

‘I think also that the probability is in favour of his being a country practitioner who does a great deal of his visiting on foot.’ ‘Why so?’

‘Because this stick, though originally a very handsome one has been so knocked about that I can hardly imagine a town practitioner carrying it. The thick-iron ferrule is worn down, so it is evident that he has done a great amount of walking with it.’ ‘Perfectly sound!’ said Holmes.

‘And then again, there is the ‘friends of the C.C.H.’ I should guess that to be the Something Hunt, the local hunt to whose members he has possibly given some surgical assistance, and which has made him a small presentation in return.’