The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
The trapdoor
Describe the climax and the resolution, and explain figurative expressions in the story.
Holmes and Watson hide behind a cupboard in Nathan's empty room. Evans comes in, rolls back the carpet, and opens a trapdoor in the floor. He climbs down into the space below.
When he comes up again, he finds two pistols pointing at him. He smiles, but then suddenly fires, wounding Watson in the thigh.
Holmes knocks Evans down. Then he turns to Watson, full of fear for his friend. For once, the cold, calm Holmes shows his deep friendship, and Watson is greatly moved: it was worth a wound to see it.
Below the floor is Presbury's printing press, and bundles of perfect forged banknotes. Evans is arrested. Poor Nathan's dream of a great fortune collapses, and he never recovers from the shock.
Figurative phrases from the story:
- 'a fine-toothed comb': a very careful search;
- 'no bolt-hole': no place to escape to;
- 'castle in the air': an impossible dream, like Nathan's.
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