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[Assistant] I should not be surprised if that were he. I thought I heard a ring. It was indeed our friend the financier. I was shocked by the change which had come over him.


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[Assistant] For his face, which was naturally of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, while his hair seemed to be at least a shade whiter.


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[Assistant] He entered with a weariness and lethargy, which was even more painful than his violence of the morning before.


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[Assistant] And he dropped heavily into the armchair which I pushed forward for him.


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[Assistant] I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried, said he.


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[Assistant] Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man without a care in the world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured age. One sorrow comes close upon the heels of another. My niece Mary has deserted me. Deserted you? Yes.


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[Assistant] Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was empty, and a note lay for me upon the hall table.


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[Assistant] I had said to her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had married my boy all might have been well with him. Perhaps it was thoughtless of me to say so. It is to that remark that she refers in this note. My dearest uncle, I feel that I have brought this trouble upon you.


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[Assistant] And that if I had acted differently, this terrible misfortune might never have occurred. I cannot, with this thought in my mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I feel that I must leave you forever.


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[Assistant] Do not worry about my future, for that is provided for. And above all, do not search for me.


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[Assistant] For it will be fruitless labour and an ill service to me.


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[Assistant] In life or in death, I am ever your loving Mary. What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think it points to suicide? No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible solution.


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[Assistant] I trust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end of your troubles. Ha, you say so. You've heard something, Mr. Holmes. You've learned something. Where are the gems?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You would not think a thousand pounds apiece an excessive sum for them. I would pay ten. That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter, and there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your cheque-book? Here is a pen. Better make it out for four thousand pounds.


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[Assistant] With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmes walked over to his desk.


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[Assistant] Took out a little triangular piece of gold with three gems in it, and threw it down upon the table.


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[Assistant] With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up. You have it! he gasped. I am saved! I am saved!


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[Assistant] The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and he hugged his recovered gems to his bosom. There is one other thing you owe, Mr. Holder, said Sherlock Holmes rather sternly. Oh? He caught up a pen. Name the sum, and I will pay it. No, the debt is not to me.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You owe a very humble apology to that noble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter, as I should be proud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to have one. Then it was not Arthur who took them? I told you yesterday, and I repeat today, that it was not. You are sure of it? Then let us hurry to him at once, to let him know that the truth is known. He knows it already.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] When I had cleared it all up, I had an interview with him, and finding that he would not tell me the story, I told it to him, on which he had to confess that I was right.


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[Assistant] And to add the very few details which were not yet quite clear to me. Your news this morning, however, may open his lips.


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[Assistant] For heaven's sake, tell me then, what is this extraordinary mystery? I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached it.


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[Assistant] And let me say to you first that it is hardest for me to say and for you to bear.


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[Assistant] It is unfortunately more than possible. It is certain.


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[Assistant] Neither you nor your son knew the true character of this man when you admitted him into your family circle. He is one of the most dangerous men in England.


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[Assistant] A ruined gambler, an absolutely desperate villain, a man without heart or conscience. Your niece knew nothing of such men.


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[Assistant] When he breathed his vows to her, as he had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herself that she alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said, but at last she became his tool, and was in the habit of seeing him nearly every evening


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[Assistant] Slipped down and talked to her lover through the window which leads into the stable lane.


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[Assistant] His footmarks had pressed right through the snow, so long had he stood there. She told him of the coronet.


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[Assistant] His wicked lust for gold kindled at the news, and he bent her to his will.


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[Assistant] I have no doubt that she loved you, but there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishes all other loves, and I think that she must have been one.


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[Assistant] She had hardly listened to his instructions when she saw you coming downstairs, on which she closed the window rapidly and told you about one of the servants escapade with her wooden-legged lover, which was all perfectly true.


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[Assistant] Your boy Arthur went to bed after his interview with you, but he slept badly, on account of his uneasiness, about his club debts.


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[Assistant] In the middle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, so he rose, and looking out, was surprised to see his cousin walking very stealthily along the passage, until she disappeared into your dressing-room.


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[Assistant] Petrified with astonishment, the lad slipped on some clothes, and waited there in the dark to see what would come of this strange affair.


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[Assistant] Presently she emerged from the room again, and in the light of the passage lamp, your son saw that she carried the precious coronet in her hands.


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[Assistant] She passed down the stairs, and he, thrilling with horror, ran along and slipped behind the curtain near your door, whence he could see what passed in the hall beneath.


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[Assistant] He saw her stealthily open the window hand out the coronet to someone in the gloom


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[Assistant] And then, closing it once more, hurry back to her room, passing quite close to where he stood hid behind the curtain. As long as she was on the scene,


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[Assistant] He could not take any action without a horrible exposure of the woman whom he loved.


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[Assistant] About the instant she was gone, he realized how crushing a misfortune this would be for you, and how all-important it was to set it right.


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[Assistant] He rushed down, just as he was, in his bare feet, opened the window, sprang out into the snow, and ran down the lane, where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight.


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[Assistant] Sir George Burnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there was a struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the coronet, and his opponent at the other.


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[Assistant] In the scuffle your son struck Sir George and cut him over the eye. Then something suddenly snapped.


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[Assistant] And your son, finding that he had the coronet in his hands, rushed back, closed the window, ascended to your room,


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[Assistant] gasped the banker. You then roused his anger by calling him names, at a moment when he felt that he had deserved your warmest thanks.


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[Assistant] He could not explain the true state of affairs without betraying one who certainly deserved little enough consideration at his hands.


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[Assistant] He took the more chivalrous view, however, and preserved her secret.


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[Assistant] And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw the coronet, cried Mr. Holder. Oh my God, what a blind fool I've been. And is asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes.


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[Assistant] The dear fellow wanted to see if the missing piece were at the scene of the struggle. How cruelly I have misjudged it!


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[Assistant] I at once went very carefully round it to observe if there were any traces in the snow which might help me.


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[Assistant] I knew that none had fallen since the evening before, and also that there had been a strong frost to preserve impressions.


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[Assistant] I passed along the tradesman's path, but found it all trampled down and indistinguishable.


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[Assistant] Just beyond it, however, at the far side of the kitchen door, a woman had stood and talked with a man.


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[Assistant] Who's round impression on one side showed that he had a wooden leg. I could even tell that they had been disturbed.


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[Assistant] For the woman had run back swiftly to the door, as was shown by the deep toe and light heel marks, while wooden leg had waited a little and then had gone away.


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[Assistant] I thought at the time that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you had already spoken to me, and inquiry showed that it was so.


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[Assistant] I passed round the garden without seeing anything more than random tracks, which I took to be the police, but when I got into the stable lane a very long and complex story was written in the snow in front of me.


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[Assistant] There was a double line of tracks of a booted man.


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[Assistant] And a second double line which I saw with delight belong to a man with naked feet.


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[Assistant] I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the latter was your son. The first had walked both ways.


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[Assistant] But the other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over the depression of the boot, it was obvious that he had passed after the other.


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[Assistant] I followed them up and found that they led to the hall window, where boots had worn all the snow away while waiting.


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[Assistant] Then I walked the other end, which was a hundred yards or more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, where the snow was cut up, as though there had been a struggle, and finally where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me that I was not mistaken. Boots had then run down the lane,


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[Assistant] And another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been heard. When he came to the high road at the other end, I found that the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue.


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[Assistant] On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the sill and framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could at once see that someone had passed out. I could distinguish the outline of an instep, where the wet foot had been placed in coming in.


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[Assistant] I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what had occurred. A man had waited outside the window. Someone had brought him the gems. The deed had been overseen by your son.


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[Assistant] He had pursued the thief, had struggled with him, they had tugged at the coronet, their united strength causing injuries which neither alone could have affected.


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[Assistant] He had returned with the prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So far I was clear.


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[Assistant] The question now was, who was the man, and who was it brought him the coronet?


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[Assistant] It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible,


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[Assistant] Whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.


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[Assistant] Now I knew that it was not you who had brought it down.


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[Assistant] So there only remained your niece and the maid.


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[Assistant] But if it were the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in their place? There could be no possible reason.


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[Assistant] As he loved his cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should retain her secret, the more so as the secret was a disgraceful one.


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[Assistant] When I remembered that you had seen her at that window and how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture became a certainty. And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover, evidently.


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[Assistant] For who else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must feel to you?


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[Assistant] I knew that you went out little, and that your circle of friends was a very limited one. But among them was Sir George Burnwell.


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[Assistant] I had heard of him before as being a man of evil reputation among women.


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[Assistant] It must have been he who wore those boots and retained the missing gems.


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[Assistant] Even though he knew that Arthur had discovered him, he might still flatter himself that he was safe.


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[Assistant] For the lad could not say a word without compromising his own family.


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[Assistant] Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took next. I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house.


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[Assistant] Managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned that his master had cut his head the night before, and finally, at the expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair of his cast-off shoes.


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[Assistant] With these I journeyed down to Streatham and saw that they exactly fitted the tracks.


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[Assistant] I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening.


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[Assistant] I found that I had my man, so I came home and changed my clothes.


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[Assistant] It was a delicate part which I had to play then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert scandal.


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[Assistant] And I knew that so astute a villain would see that our hands were tied in the matter. I went and saw him. At first of course he denied everything.


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[Assistant] But when I gave him every particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster, and took down a life preserver from the wall.


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[Assistant] I knew my man however, and I clapped a pistol to his head before he could strike. Then he became a little more reasonable.


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[Assistant] I told him that we would give him a price for the stones he held. A thousand pounds apiece


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[Assistant] That brought out the first signs of grief he had shown. Why, dash it all, said he, I've let them go at six hundred for the three.


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[Assistant] I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had them on promising him that there would be no prosecution.


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[Assistant] Off I said to him, and after much chaffering I got our stones at a thousand apiece. Then I looked in upon your son, told him that all was right,


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[Assistant] And eventually got to my bed about two o'clock, after what I may call a really hard day's work.


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[Assistant] A day which has saved England from a great public scandal, said the banker, rising. Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but you will not find me ungrateful for what you have done.


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[Assistant] Your skill has indeed exceeded all that I ever heard of it.


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[Assistant] And now I must fly to my dear boy to apologize to him for the wrong which I have done him.


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[Assistant] As to what you tell me, if poor Mary, it goes to my heart.


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[Assistant] Not even your skill can inform me where she is now.


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[Assistant] I think that we may safely say, returned Holmes, that she is wherever Sir George Burnwell is.


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[Assistant] It is equally certain too that whatever her sins are,


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[Assistant] They will soon receive a more than sufficient punishment.


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[Assistant] Yes, it seems we've run out of fuel. So embarrassing. Isn't there anything you can do? Me? No, no, but, well, maybe if we could, I dunno, afford more fuel?


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Wow, looks like you're out of money. But at least you have everything from our visual pun range. Have we paid for enough fuel yet? Yes, yes. For the next two seconds. Mother hugger!


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[Assistant] What could be more fun than sinking a LEGO engine? Right, sinking a battleship with today's sponsor, World of Warships. With World of Warships, you can command a massive naval fleet featuring multiple ship classes to choose from, like battleships, destroyers, aircraft carriers, and even submarines.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] All ships are designed based on historical documents and actual blueprints of their real world counterparts. You can play against millions of players worldwide. There are 40 different maps, 20 ports, and even dynamic weather, which will have an effect on your battle.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Look at the amazing graphics. The scene looks like the real deal. Did I mention World of Warships is available on PC, Xbox and PlayStation? Download World of Warships for free using the link in the description below. Use the code warships to receive a huge starter pack, including a bunch of doubloons, credits, premium account time and a ship. Not this ship. This ship. Thank you World of Warships for sponsoring this video.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Nobody knew her. Oh, she'd ride over here once in a while on a black hunter. Pleasant enough but she never spoke to no one.


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[Assistant] The adventure of the stockbroker's clerk.


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[Assistant] Shortly after my marriage I had bought a connection in the Paddington district.


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[Assistant] Old Mr. Farker, from whom I purchased it, had at one time an excellent general practice.


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[Assistant] But his age, and an affliction of the nature of St Vitus's dance from which he suffered, had very much thinned it.


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[Assistant] The public not unnaturally goes on the principle that he who would heal others must himself be whole.


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[Assistant] And looks askance at the curative powers of the man whose own case is beyond the reach of his drugs.


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[Assistant] Thus, as my predecessor weakened, his practice declined. Until when I purchased it from him.


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[Assistant] And was convinced that in a very few years the concern would be as flourishing as ever.


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[Assistant] For three months after taking over the practice I was kept very closely at work, and saw little of my friend Sherlock Holmes, for I was too busy to visit Baker Street.


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[Assistant] And he seldom went anywhere himself save upon professional business.


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[Assistant] I was surprised, therefore, when one morning in June, as I sat reading the British Medical Journal after breakfast, I heard a ring at the bell


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[Assistant] Followed by the high, somewhat strident tones of my old companion's voice.


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[Assistant] Ah, my dear Watson, said he, striding into the room, I am very delighted to see you. I trust that Mrs. Watson has entirely recovered from all the little excitements connected with our adventure of the Sign of Four.


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[Assistant] Thank you, we are both very well," said I, shaking him warmly by the hand. And I hope also," he continued, sitting down in the rocking chair, that the cares of medical practice have not entirely obliterated the interest which you used to take in our little deductive problems.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] On the contrary, I answered. It was only last night that I was looking over my old notes and classifying some of our past results. I trust that you don't consider your collection closed. Not at all.


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[Assistant] I should wish nothing better than to have some more of such experiences. Today, for example.


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[Assistant] Yes, today, if you like, and as far off as Birmingham. Certainly, if you wish it, and the practice. I do my neighbours when he goes, he's always ready to work off the debt. Ha! nothing could be better, said Holmes, leaning back in his chair and looking keenly at me from under his half-closed lids. I perceive that you have been unwell lately.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] summer colds are always a little trying I was confined to the house by a severe chill for three days last week


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[Assistant] I thought, however, that I had cast off every trace of it. So you have. You look remarkably robust.


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[Assistant] How then did you know of it? My dear fellow, you know my methods.


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[Assistant] You deduced it, then? Certainly. And from what? From your slippers.


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[Assistant] I glanced down at the new patent leathers which I was wearing. How on earth! I began. But Holmes answered my question before it was asked. Your slippers are new, he said.


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[Assistant] You could not have had them more than a few weeks. The souls which you are at this moment presenting to me are slightly scorched.


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[Assistant] For a moment I thought they might have got wet and been burned in the drying.


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[Assistant] But near the instep there is a small circular wafer of paper with the shopman's hieroglyphics upon it. Damp would of course have removed this. You had then been sitting with your feet outstretched to the fire


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[Assistant] Which a man would hardly do, even in so wet a June as this, if he were in his full health.


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[Assistant] Like all Holmes reasoning, the thing seemed simplicity itself when it was once explained.


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[Assistant] You are ready to come to Birmingham then? Certainly. What is the case? You shall hear it all in the train.


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[Assistant] My client is outside in a four-wheeler. Can you come at once? In an instant.


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[Assistant] Both have been ever since the houses were built. Ah, then you got hold of the best of the two. I think I did. But how do you know?


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[Assistant] By the steps, my boy. Yours are worn three inches deeper than his.


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[Assistant] But this gentleman in the cab is my client, Mr. Hall Pycroft. Allow me to introduce you to him.


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[Assistant] Whip your horse up, Cabby, for we have only just time to catch our train.


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[Assistant] The man whom I found myself facing was a well-built, fresh-complexioned young fellow with a frank, honest face and a slight crisp yellow moustache.


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[Assistant] He wore a very shiny top hat and a neat suit of sober black.


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[Assistant] Which made him look what he was, a smart young city man, of the class who have been labelled Cockneys.


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[Assistant] But who give us our crack volunteer regiments and who turn out more fine athletes and sportsmen than any body of men in these islands?


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[Assistant] His round, ruddy face was naturally full of cheeriness.


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[Assistant] But the corners of his mouth seem to me to be pulled down in a half comical distress.


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[Assistant] It was not, however, until we were all in a first-class carriage and well started upon our journey to Birmingham, that I was able to learn what the trouble was which had driven him to Sherlock Holmes. We have a clear run here of seventy minutes, Holmes remarked.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I want you, Mr. Hall Pycroft, to tell my friend your very interesting experience exactly as you have told it to me, or with more detail, if possible.


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[Assistant] It is a case, Watson, which may prove to have something in it, or may prove to have nothing.


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[Assistant] Of course it may work out alright and I don't see that I could have done otherwise.


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[Assistant] But if I have lost my crib and get nothing in exchange, I shall feel what a soft Johnny I have been. I'm not very good at telling a story, Dr. Watson, but it is like this with me.


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[Assistant] I used to have a billet at coxswain and woodhouses of draper's gardens.


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[Assistant] But they were let in early, in the spring, through the Venezuelan loan, as no doubt you remember, and came a nasty cropper. I'd been with them five years.


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[Assistant] An old coxswain gave me a ripping good testimonial when the smash came. But of course we clerks were all turned adrift.


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[Assistant] The 27 of us. I tried here and tried there. But there were lots of other chaps on the same lay as myself. And it was a perfect frost for a long time.


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[Assistant] I'd been taking three pounds a week at Coxons, and I'd saved about seventy of them.


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[Assistant] I soon worked my way through that, and out at the other end. I was fairly at the end of my tether at last, and could hardly find the stamps to answer the advertisements, or the envelopes to stick them to.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'd worn out my boots paddling up off his stairs, and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever. At last!


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[Assistant] I saw a vacancy at Mawson and Williams's, the great stockbroking firm in Lombard Street.


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[Assistant] I dare say EC is not much in your line, but I can tell you that this is about the richest house in London. The advertisement was to be answered by letter only.


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[Assistant] Saying that if I would appear next Monday, I might take over my new duties at once. Provided that my appearance was satisfactory. No one knows how these things are worked.


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[Assistant] Some people say that the manager just plunges his hand into the heap and takes the first that comes. Anyhow, it was my innings that time and I don't ever wish to feel better pleased. The screw was a pound a week rise and the duties just about the same as at Coxons. And now I come to the queer part of the business.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I was in Diggings out Hampstead Way, 17 Potters Terrace.


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[Assistant] Well, I was sitting doing a smoke that very evening after I had been promised the appointment, when up came my landlady with a card which had, Arthur Pinner, Financial Agent, printed upon it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I had never heard the name before and could not imagine what he wanted with me, but of course I asked her to show him up.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] In he walked, a middle-sized, dark-haired, dark-eyed, black-bearded man, with a touch of the sheeny about his nose.


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[Assistant] Yes, sir," I answered, pushing a chair towards him. Lately engaged at coxswain and wood houses. Yes, sir. And now on the staff of Mawson's.


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[Assistant] Quite so? Well, said he, the fact is that I have heard some really extraordinary stories about your financial ability.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You remember Parker who used to be Coxons manager? He could never say enough about it. Of course I was pleased to hear this.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I'd always been pretty sharp in the office, but I had never dreamed that I was talked about in the city in this fashion. You have a good memory, said he.


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[Assistant] Pretty fair, I answered modestly. Have you kept in touch with the market while you've been out of work? He asked. Yes, I read the stock exchange list every morning. Now that shows real application, he cried. That is the way to prosper. You won't mind my testing you, will you? Let me see. How are air shears?


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[Assistant] A hundred and six and a quarter to a hundred and five and seven eights. And New Zealand Consolidated. A hundred and four. And British Broken Hills.


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[Assistant] Seven, two, seven and six. Wonderful, he cried with his hands up. This quite fits in with all that I had heard. My boy, my boy, you are very much too good to be a clerk at Mawson's.


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[Assistant] This outburst rather astonished me, as you can think. Well, said I, other people don't think quite so much of me as you seem to do, Mr. Pinner. I had a hard enough fight to get this berth, and I am very glad to have it.


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[Assistant] Oh man, you should soar above it. You are not in your true sphere. Now I'll tell you how it stands with me. What I have to offer is little enough when measured by your ability.


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[Assistant] But when compared with Mawson's, it's light to dark. Let me see, when do you go to Mawson's?


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[Assistant] On Monday. Ha, ha, I think I would risk a little sporting flutter that you don't go there at all. Not go to Mawson's? No sir.


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[Assistant] By that day you will be the business manager of the Franco Midland Hardware Company Limited with 134 branches in the towns and villages of France, not counting one in Brussels and one in San Remo. This took my breath away.


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[Assistant] I never heard of it, said I, very likely not. It has been kept very quiet, for the capital was all privately subscribed, and it's too good a thing to let the public into.


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[Assistant] My brother, Harry Pinner, is promoter.


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[Assistant] And joins the board after allotment as Managing Director.


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[Assistant] He knew I was in the swim down here and asked me to pick up a good man sheep.


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[Assistant] A young, pushing man with plenty of snap about him. Parker spoke of you, and that brought me here tonight.


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[Assistant] We can only offer you a beggarly 500 to start with.


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[Assistant] Five hundred a year? I shouted. Only that at the beginning.


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[Assistant] But you are to have an overriding commission of 1% on all business done by your agents. And you may take my word for it that this will come to more than your salary.


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[Assistant] But I know nothing about hardware. Tart, my boy, you know about figures. My head buzzed, and I could hardly sit still in my chair. But suddenly a little chill of doubt came upon me.


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[Assistant] I must be frank with you, said I. Mawson only gives me two hundred, but Mawson is safe.


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[Assistant] Now, really, I know so little about your company that, ah, smart, smart, he cried, in a kind of ecstasy of delight. You are the very man for us. You are not to be talked over, and quite right too. Now, here's a note for a hundred pounds.


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[Assistant] And if you think that we can do business, you may just slip it into your pocket as an advance upon your salary. That is very handsome said I.


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[Assistant] When should I take over my new duties? Be in Birmingham tomorrow at one, said he.


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[Assistant] I have a note in my pocket here, which you will take to my brother. You will find him at 126B Corporation Street, where the temporary offices of the company are situated. Of course, he must confirm your engagement, but between ourselves it will be all right.


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[Assistant] Really? I hardly know how to express my gratitude, Mr. Pinner, said I. Not at all, my boy. You've only got your desserts.


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[Assistant] There are one or two small things, mere formalities, which I must arrange with you.


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[Assistant] You have a bit of paper beside you there. Kindly write upon it.


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[Assistant] I am perfectly willing to act as business manager to the Franco Midland Hardware Company Limited at a minimum salary of £500. I did as he asked, and he put the paper in his pocket. There is one other detail, said he. What do you intend to do about Mawson's?


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[Assistant] I had forgotten all about Mawson's in my joy. I'll write and resign, said I. Precisely what I don't want you to do. I had a row over you with Mawson's manager.


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[Assistant] I had gone up to ask him about you and he was very offensive. Accused me of coaxing you away from the service of the firm and that sort of thing.


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[Assistant] At last I fairly lost my temper. If you want good men, you should pay them a good price, said I.


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[Assistant] He would rather have our small price than your big one, said he. I'll lay you a fiver, said I, that when he has my offer you'll never so much as hear from him again. Done, said he. We picked him out of the gutter, and he won't leave us so easily. Those were his very words.


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[Assistant] The impudent scoundrel I cried, I've never so much as seen him in my life.


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[Assistant] Why should I consider him in any way? I shall certainly not write if you would rather I didn't. Good, that's a promise, said he, rising from his chair. Well, I'm delighted to have got so good a man for my brother.


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[Assistant] Here's your advance of £100, and here is the letter. Make a note of the address, 126B Corporation Street, and remember that one o'clock tomorrow is your appointment. Good night, and may you have all the fortune that you deserve.


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[Assistant] That's just about all that passed between us, as near as I can remember.


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[Assistant] You can imagine, Dr Watson, how pleased I was at such an extraordinary bit of good fortune.


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[Assistant] I sat up half the night hugging myself over it and next day I was off to Birmingham in a train that would take me in plenty of time for my appointment. I took my things to a hotel in New Street and then I made my way to the address which had been given me.


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[Assistant] It was a quarter of an hour before my time, but I thought that would make no difference.


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[Assistant] 126B was a passage between two large shops which led to a winding stone stair from which there were many flats, letters offices to companies or professional men.


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[Assistant] The names of the occupants were painted at the bottom on the wall.


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[Assistant] But there was no such name as the Franco Midland Hardware Company Limited. I stood for a few minutes with my heart in my boots.


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[Assistant] Wondering whether the whole thing was an elaborate hoax or not, when up came a man and addressed me.


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[Assistant] He was very like the chap I had seen the night before, the same figure and voice, but he was clean shaven and his hair was lighter.


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[Assistant] Are you Mr. Hall Pycroft? he asked. Yes, said I. Oh, I was expecting you. You are a trifle before your time. I had a note from my brother this morning in which he sang your praises very loudly. I was just looking for the offices when you came.


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[Assistant] We have not got our name up yet, for we only secured these temporary premises last week. Come up with me, and we will talk the matter over. I followed him to the top of a very lofty stair, and there, right under the slates, were a couple of empty dusty little rooms, uncarpeted and uncurtained, into which he led me.


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[Assistant] I had thought of a great office with shining tables and rows of clerks such as I was used to, and I dare say I stared rather straight at the two deal chairs and one little table, which with a ledger and a waste paper basket made up the whole furniture.


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[Assistant] Don't be disheartened, Mr. Pycroft," said my new acquaintance, seeing the length of my face. Rome was not built in a day, and we have lots of money at our backs, though we don't cut much dash yet in offices. Brace it down, and let me have your letter. I gave it to him, and he read it over very carefully.


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[Assistant] You seem to have made a vast impression upon my brother Arthur, said he. And I know that he is a pretty shrewd judge.


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[Assistant] He swears by London, you know, and I by Birmingham. At this time I shall follow his advice. Pray consider yourself definitely engaged. What are my duties? I asked.


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[Assistant] You will eventually manage the Great Depot in Paris, which will pour a flood of English crockery into the shops of 134 agents in France. The purchase will be completed in a week.


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[Assistant] And meanwhile you will remain in Birmingham and make yourself useful. How?


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[Assistant] For answer he took a big red book out of a drawer. This is a directory of Paris, said he, with the trades after the names of the people.


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[Assistant] I want you to take it home with you and to mark off all the hardware sellers with their addresses. It would be of the greatest use to me to have them.


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[Assistant] Surely there are classified lists I suggested, not reliable ones. Their system is different from ours. Stick at it and let me have the lists by Monday at twelve. Good day, Mr. Pycroft. If you continue to show zeal and intelligence you will find the company a good master.


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[Assistant] I went back to the hotel with the big book under my arm and with very conflicting feelings in my breast.


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[Assistant] On the one hand I was definitely engaged, and had a hundred pounds in my pocket.


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[Assistant] On the other the look of the offices, the absence of name on the wall, and other of the points which would strike a businessman had left a bad impression as to the position of my employers. However, come what might, I have my money, so I settled down to my task.


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[Assistant] Found him in the same dismantled kind of room, and was told to keep at it until Wednesday, and then come again.


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[Assistant] On Wednesday it was still unfinished, so I hammered away until Friday, that is yesterday. Then I brought it round to Mr Harry Pinner.


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[Assistant] Thank you very much, said he. I fear that I underrated the difficulty of the task. This list will be of very material assistance to me.


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[Assistant] It took some time, said I, and now, said he, I want you to make a list of the furniture shops, for they all sell crockery. Very good.


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[Assistant] And you can come up tomorrow evening at seven and let me know how you are getting on.


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[Assistant] Don't overwork yourself. A couple of hours at day's music hall in the evening would do you no harm after your labours. He laughed as he spoke.


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[Assistant] And I saw with a thrill that his second tooth upon the left-hand side had been very badly stuffed with gold. Sherlock Holmes rubbed his hands with delight, and I stared with astonishment at our client.


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[Assistant] You may well look surprised, Dr Watson, but it is this way, said he.


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[Assistant] When I was speaking to the other chap in London at the time that he laughed at my not going to Mawson's,


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[Assistant] I happen to notice that his tooth was stuffed in this very identical fashion.


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[Assistant] The glint of the gold in each case caught my eye, you see.


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[Assistant] When I put that, with the voice and figure being the same, and only those things altered which might be changed by a razor or a wig, I could not doubt that it was the same man


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[Assistant] Of course you expect two brothers to be alike, but not that they should have the same tooth stuffed in the same way.


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[Assistant] He bowed me out and I found myself in the street, hardly knowing whether I was on my head or my heels.


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[Assistant] Back I went to my hotel, put my head in a basin of cold water and tried to think it out. Why had he sent me from London to Birmingham? Why had he got there before me?


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[Assistant] And why had he written a letter from himself to himself?


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[Assistant] It was altogether too much for me, and I could make no sense of it.


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[Assistant] And then suddenly it struck me that what was dark to me


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[Assistant] Might be very light to Mr. Sherlock Holmes. I had just time to get up to town by the night train to see him this morning and to bring you both back with me to Birmingham.


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[Assistant] There was a pause after the stockbroker's clerk had concluded his surprising experience.


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[Assistant] Then Sherlock Holmes cocked his eye at me, leaning back on the cushions, with a pleased and yet critical face, like a connoisseur who has just taken his first sip of a Comet vintage. Rather fine, Watson, is it not? said he. There are points in it which please me.


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[Assistant] I think that you will agree with me that an interview with Mr Arthur Harry Pinner in the temporary offices of the Franco Midland Hardware Company Limited would be a rather interesting experience for both of us.


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[Assistant] But how can we do it? I asked. Oh, easily enough, said Hall Pycroft cheerily. You are two friends of mine who are in want of a billet.


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[Assistant] I should like to have a look at the gentleman, and see if I can make anything of his little game.


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[Assistant] What qualities have you, my friend, which would make your services so valuable? Or is it possible that...


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[Assistant] He began biting his nails and staring blankly out of the window.


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[Assistant] And we hardly drew another word from him until we were in New Street.


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[Assistant] At seven o'clock that evening we were walking, the three of us, down Corporation Street to the company's offices.


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[Assistant] It is no use our being at all before our time," said our client. He only comes there to see me, apparently, for the place is deserted up to the very hour he names. That is suggestive, remarked Holmes. By Jove, I told you so, cried the clerk. That's he, walking ahead of us there.


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[Assistant] He pointed to a smallish dark, well-dressed man who was bustling along the other side of the road.


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[Assistant] As we watched him, he looked across at a boy who was bawling out the latest edition of the evening paper.


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[Assistant] And running over among the cabs and buses, he bought one from him.


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[Assistant] Then clutching it in his hand, he vanished through a doorway. There he goes, cried Hall Pycroft. These are the company's offices into which he has gone. Come with me, and I'll fix it up as easily as possible.


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[Assistant] Following his lead we ascended five storeys until we found ourselves outside a half-opened door at which our client tapped.


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[Assistant] Voice within, bad as enter, and we enter the bare, unfurnished room, such as Hall Pycroft had described.


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[Assistant] At the single table sat the man whom we had seen in the street, with his evening paper spread out in front of him.


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[Assistant] And as he looked up at us it seemed to me that I had never looked upon a face which bore such marks of grief, and of something beyond grief.


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[Assistant] His cheeks were of the dull, dead white of a fish's belly, and his eyes were wild and staring. He looked at his clerk as though he failed to recognise him.


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[Assistant] And I could see by the astonishment depicted upon our conductor's face


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[Assistant] That this was by no means the usual appearance of his employer.


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[Assistant] You look ill, Mr. Pinner," he exclaimed. Yes, I am not very well, answered the other, making obvious efforts to pull himself together and licking his dry lips before he spoke. Who are these gentlemen whom you have brought with you?


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[Assistant] One is Mr. Harris of Bermondsey, and the other is Mr. Price of this town," said our clerk glibly.


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[Assistant] And they hoped that perhaps you might find an opening for them in the company's employment.


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[Assistant] Very possibly, very possibly, cried Mr. Pinner with a ghastly smile. Yes, I have no doubt that we shall be able to do something for you. What is your particular line, Mr. Harris?


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[Assistant] I am an accountant, said Holmes. Ah, yes, we shall want something of the sort. And you, Mr. Price? A clerk, said I.


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[Assistant] I have every hope that the company may accommodate you I will let you know about it as soon as we come to any conclusion.


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[Assistant] And now I beg that you will go. For God's sake, leave me to myself.


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[Assistant] These last words were shot out of him, as though the constraint which he was evidently setting upon himself had suddenly and utterly burst asunder.


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[Assistant] You may wait here a moment, and there is no reason why your friends should not wait with you. I will be entirely at your service in three minutes, if I might trespass upon your patience so far.


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[Assistant] He rose with a very courteous air and bowing to us, he passed out through a door at the farther end of the room, which he closed behind him. What now? whispered Holmes. Is he giving us the slip? Impossible, answered Piecroft. Why so? That door leads into an inner room. There's no exit? None. Is it furnished? It was empty yesterday. Then what on earth can he be doing? There is something which I don't understand in this manner.


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[Assistant] If ever a man was three parts mad with terror, that man's name is Pinner. What can have put the shivers on him?


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[Assistant] He suspects that we are detectives, I suggested. That's it! cried Piecroft. Holmes shook his head.


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[Assistant] His words were interrupted by a sharp rat tat from the direction of the inner door.


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[Assistant] What the juice is he knocking at his own door for? cried the clerk.


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[Assistant] Again and much louder came the rat-tat-tat. We all gazed expectantly at the closed door.


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[Assistant] Glancing at Holmes I saw his face turn rigid, and he leaned forward in intense excitement.


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[Assistant] Then suddenly came a low, guggling, gargling sound, and a brisk drumming upon woodwork.


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[Assistant] Home sprang frantically across the room and pushed at the door. It was fastened on the inner side.


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[Assistant] Following his example we threw ourselves upon it with all our weight. One hinge snapped, then the other, and down came the door with a crash.


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[Assistant] Rushing over it we found ourselves in the inner room. It was empty but it was only for a moment that we were at fault. At one corner


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[Assistant] The corner nearest the room which we had left, there was a second door. Holmes sprang to it and pulled it open. A coat and a waistcoat were lying on the floor.


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[Assistant] And from a hook behind the door, with his own braces round his neck,


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[Assistant] Was hanging the managing director of the Franco Midland Hardware Company.


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[Assistant] His knees were drawn up, his head hung at a dreadful angle to his body, and the clatter of his heels against the door made the noise which had broken in upon our conversation


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[Assistant] In an instant I had caught him round the waist and held him up while Holmes and Piecroft untied the elastic bands which had disappeared between the livid creases of skin.


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[Assistant] Then we carried him into the other room where he lay with a clay-coloured face, puffing his purple lips in and out with every breath.


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[Assistant] A dreadful wreck of all that he had been but five minutes before. What do you think of him, Watson?" asked Holmes. I stooped over him and examined him. His pulse was feeble and intermittent, but his breathing grew longer, and there was a little shivering of his eyelids, which showed a thin white slit of ball beneath. It has been touch-and-go with him, said I, but he'll live now


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[Assistant] Just open that window, and hand me the water carafe.


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[Assistant] I undid his collar, poured the cold water over his face and raised and sank his arms until he drew a long, natural breath.


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[Assistant] It's only a question of time now, said I, as I turned away from him.


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[Assistant] Holmes stood by the table with his hands deep in his trousers pocket and his chin upon his breast.


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[Assistant] I suppose we ought to call the police in now, said he.


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[Assistant] And yet I confess that I'd like to give them a complete case when they come.


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[Assistant] It's a blessed mystery to me, cried Pycroft, scratching his head.


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[Assistant] Whatever they wanted to bring me all the way up here for and then


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[Assistant] Poo, all that is clear enough, said Holmes impatiently. It is this last sudden move. You understand the rest, then?


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[Assistant] I think that it is fairly obvious. What do you say, Watson? I shrugged my shoulders. I must confess that I am out of my depths, said I. Oh, surely, if you consider the events at first, they can only point to one conclusion. What do you make of them?


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[Assistant] Well, the whole thing hinges upon two points.


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[Assistant] The first is the making of Pycraft write a declaration by which he entered the service of this preposterous company.


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[Assistant] When we answer that, we have made some progress with our little problem. Why? There can be only one adequate reason.


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[Assistant] Someone wanted to learn to imitate your writing and had to procure a specimen of it first.


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[Assistant] And now, if we pass onto the second point, we find that each throws light upon the other.


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[Assistant] That point is the request made by Pinner that you should not resign your place, but should leave the manager of this important business in the full expectation that a Mr. Hall Pycraft, whom he had never seen, was about to enter the office upon the Monday morning.


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[Assistant] My god, cried our client, what a blind beetle I have been. Now you see the point about the handwriting.


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[Assistant] Suppose that someone turned up in your place who wrote a completely different hand from that in which you had applied for the vacancy. Of course, the game would have been up.


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[Assistant] But in the interval the rogue had learned to imitate you, and his position was therefore secure, as I presumed that nobody in the office had ever set eyes upon you. Not a soul, groaned Hall Pycraft. Very good.


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[Assistant] Of course it was of the utmost importance to prevent you from thinking better of it.


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[Assistant] And also to keep you from coming into contact with anyone who might tell you that your double was at work in Mawson's office.


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[Assistant] Therefore they gave you a handsome advance on your salary and ran you off to the Midlands where they gave you enough work to do to prevent your going to London where you might have burst their little game up. That is all plain enough. But why should this man pretend to be his own brother? Well, that is pretty clear also.


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[Assistant] There are evidently only two of them in it. The other is impersonating you at the office.


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[Assistant] This one acted as your Engager, and then found that he could not find you an employer without admitting a third person into his plot, that he was most unwilling to do.


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[Assistant] He changed his appearance as far as he could and trusted that the likeness, which you could not fail to observe, would be put down to a family resemblance.


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[Assistant] But for the happy chance of the gold stuffing, your suspicions would probably never have been aroused.


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[Assistant] Hall Pycroft shook his clinched hands in the air. Good Lord! he cried. While I have been fooled in this way, what has this other Hall Pycroft been doing at Mawson's? What shall we do, Mr Holmes?


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[Assistant] There may be some doorkeeper or attendant. Ah yes, they keep a permanent guard there on account of the value of the securities that they hold. I remember hearing it talked of in the city.


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[Assistant] Very good, we shall wire to him, and see if all is well, and if a clerk of your name is working there. That is clear enough.


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[Assistant] The man was sitting up, blanched and ghastly, with returning reason in his eyes, and hands which rubbed nervously at the broad red band which still encircled his throat. The paper, of course! yelled Holmes, in a paroxysm of excitement. Idiot that I was!


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[Assistant] I thought so much of our visit that the paper never entered my head for an instant. To be sure, the secret must be there.


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[Assistant] He flattened it out upon the table, and a cry of triumph burst from his lips. Look at this, Watson! he cried. It is a London paper, an early edition of the Evening Standard. Here is what we want. Look at the headlines. Crime in the City. Murder at Mawson and Williams's.


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[Assistant] Gigantic attempted robbery. Capture of the criminal.


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[Assistant] Here, Watson, we are all equally anxious to hear it, so kindly read it aloud to us.


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[Assistant] It appeared from its position in the paper to have been the one event of importance in town, and the account of it ran in this way.


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[Assistant] A desperate attempt at robbery, culminating in the death of one man and the capture of the criminal, occurred this afternoon in the city.


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[Assistant] For some time back Mawson and Williams, the famous financial house, have been the guardians of securities, which amount in the aggregate to a sum of considerably over a million sterling.


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[Assistant] So conscious was the manager of the responsibility which devolved upon him in consequence of the great interest at stake.


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[Assistant] That safes of the very latest construction have been employed.


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[Assistant] It appears that last week a new clerk named Hall Pycroft was engaged by the firm.


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[Assistant] This person appears to have been none other than Beddington.


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[Assistant] The famous forger and cracksman who, with his brother, had only recently emerged from a five-year spell of penal servitude.


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[Assistant] By some means, which are not yet clear, he succeeded in winning under a false name this official position in the office, which he utilised in order to obtain moulding of various locks, and a thorough knowledge of the position of the strong-room and the safes.


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[Assistant] It is customary at Mawson's for the clerks to leave at midday on Saturday.


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[Assistant] Sergeant Tooson of the City Police was somewhat surprised, therefore, to see a gentleman with a carpet-bag come down the steps at twenty minutes past one.


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[Assistant] His suspicions being aroused, the sergeant followed the man


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[Assistant] And with the aid of Constable Pollock succeeded, after a most desperate resistance, in arresting him.


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[Assistant] It was at once clear that a daring and gigantic robbery had been committed.


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[Assistant] Nearly a hundred thousand pounds worth of American railway bonds with a large amount of scrip in mines and other companies was discovered in the bag.


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[Assistant] On examining the premises, the body of the unfortunate watchman was found doubled up and thrust into the largest of the safes, where it would not have been discovered until Monday morning.


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[Assistant] The man's skull had been shattered by a blow from a poker delivered from behind.


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[Assistant] And having murdered the watchman, rapidly rifled the large safe and then made off with his booty.


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[Assistant] His brother who usually works with him has not appeared in this job as far as can at present be ascertained.


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[Assistant] Although the police are making energetic inquiries as to his whereabouts. Well.


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[Assistant] We may save the police some little trouble in that direction, said Holmes.


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[Assistant] You see that even a villain and murderer can inspire such affection that his brother turns to suicide when he learns that his neck is forfeited.


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[Assistant] However, we have no choice as to our action.


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[Assistant] The doctor and I will remain on guard, Mr. Pycroft, if you will have the kindness to step out for the police.


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[Assistant] That is the end of the adventure of the stockbroker's clerk.


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[Assistant] Does she tell you everything? Do you know where she's been for the past ten days?


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[Assistant] Yes, I must have left it there in the garden by mistake. Camille gave me her handkerchief to hold during our dance. I had it in my pocket. It must have dropped out when I, when I killed her.


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[Assistant] Misunderstood. Thought I'd do anything for money. You have no idea the type of mentality she had. I killed her because I couldn't let her go through with it. We understand.


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[Assistant] I wonder what the devil he's up to now. You wouldn't know, Marcel.


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[Assistant] So great is their fear that some creditor will arrest them in some intervening state.


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[Assistant] But now I'm thinkin' he ain't so all far bad compared with Javis.


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[Assistant] I like, I like the flicks. Yeah, I got them, man. I got them, but I don't got that exact joints.


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[Assistant] Sorry, go ahead. So basically, like if you're a rapper, right? Yeah.


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[Assistant] You know how you got a plan A. Everybody got a plan A. Somebody say you got a plan B and all that other stuff. If this don't work out. See, it's so competitive with rappers and rappers don't have no other outlet. They ain't going to school. They like football players. They ain't going to school. They got felonies.


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[Assistant] You're right. And I'll go a step further. I heard Ross Tucker on the radio yesterday.


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[Assistant] Ross is great. Love him to death. Yeaah. He said, love him. He says...


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[Assistant] I would, I would, I would be sick to my stomach a little bit. Cause despite what people saying, oh, you know, it's all, it's a great thing to have two great quarterbacks. No, that's that old state syndrome. You got none. Y'all got three quarterbacks that worked out terrible in the four years. They had to move one to receiver. The other one, like,


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[Assistant] Hey Leroy, at one point in time, I said it earlier, they jumped all over me, I said, I, I, physically, I think Nick Chubb might be better than Emmet Smith.


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[Assistant] You know, this is a, this is a oddball question, but uhm,


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[Assistant] I've been watching lately, uh, you know, I've been watching HBCU football and I saw Jackson State. Did you see, did you see, did you see Jay Walker? Yeah.


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[Assistant] But you were talking about Jackson State? Yep, Jackson State. Do you feel like?


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[Assistant] Is there any, do you believe that HBCU could ever be ranked in the top 25?


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[Assistant] Browns 2s against Ohio State Swans. Oh, come on. It'll be closer than you think. They're professionals. They'll be closer than you think.


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[Assistant] But still, the NFL backless would win. Yeah, I just remember. I do too. If Anthony Schwartz can score three years ago against like Texas A&M or something.


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[Assistant] Yeah, obviously he's better than he is. Right. Yeah. Donovan Peoples-Jones should dominate. Like he should. Right. I lied. Sorry.


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[Assistant] Uhm, six, I know he had a couple. I'ma go with True. It's a lot of picks though.


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[Assistant] False. False. False. Yea, Andrea seems too, too, too ethnic. Too ethnic.


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[Assistant] I think that's true. I think it's false. I think it's true. One of you guys is right.


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[Assistant] Alright, you on your stuff today. You must be getting some sleep. He got an older brother. Brodarius.


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[Assistant] He must have been running Wildcats. False man. And it's Louisiana too. They got good quarterback play. That's false. I'm sorry. Don't disrespect me. But you can't throw no football.


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[Assistant] True. I think that's false. I think his grandmother gave it to him.


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[Assistant] Yeah, LSU is real good. 86 is years and years ago. I'm gonna go with false. True. Somebody else. Somebody else.


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[Assistant] I'ma go, I'ma go with uhm. Don't say it. I'ma, I'ma go with Leonard Fernet. I'ma go with Brad. Brad Wing. It is Brad Wing.


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[Assistant] I mean, is this, is this a bad thing? If they go in a long losing streak, will you freak out?


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[Assistant] Oh, sorry, do you go first then? Uh, Matt Collins. Come on. Uhm, got it.


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[Assistant] I mean, good gracious. I mean, he comes, he has the most targets over, you know, Devontae Adams. Is this guy, is that sustainable or is that a one week wonder type thing?


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[Assistant] Who, who does, who, you're 3-0. You know what it is.


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[Assistant] Take us to Father Chisholm, please. I am Mother Maria Veronica.


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[Assistant] One might have supposed some welcome at the end of 6,000 miles of travel.


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[Assistant] Thank you, but I think not. If we could be spared some milk and fruit, after we've rested properly, we shall be fit for work tomorrow.


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[Assistant] Father Chisholm, I'm sure you understand how earnestly Sister Clotilde and Martha and I decided to work for the success of this mission. You only have to mention your wishes, and we shall do all we can. At the same time,


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[Assistant] As you know, our order is partly contemplative. We should like to enjoy as much privacy as possible.


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[Assistant] Our order has made itself responsible for our support. We shall not require financial assistance.


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[Assistant] Holy poverty partichism does not require me to beg.


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[Assistant] He has just been here to see me, our peasant priest, tripping with good fellowship and very careful of his manner. His boots, however, were not much cleaner than they were this morning.


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[Assistant] I see no reason why you should mourn too, Doctor. I hope you enjoy your visit with us, and I'm sure that Father Chisholm will make you most welcome.


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[Assistant] And has always been one of the most precious possessions of my family and myself.


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[Assistant] I'm sure you realize that our conduct at this time will serve as an example for the Christian women. I'm going to chill them, they'll be frightened.


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[Assistant] I'm sure that my judgment must mean very little besides your vast experience in such matters. And now it is time for me to go.


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[Assistant] How could I hope to live by the word of God, which is the same for all men? From the beginning, your presence tortured me. I knew that yours was a true humility, and that mine was a duty. I resented your deep and honest compassion, because mine was difficult and filled with doubt and pain. Last night, I intended to ask Father Mealy to send me away.


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[Assistant] I felt the magnificence of your faith and the courage in your heart. That's how you reject the wilderness of this priest who is unfit to entail you.


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[Assistant] I was referring to something less joyous. Another mission has been opened in Bhutan. You have rented a fine house and have a great deal of money.


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[Assistant] There's the intention to build an enormous establishment with schools for both girls and boys, playgrounds, and a hospital with resident doctors.


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[Assistant] And yet. And, uh, what are you going to do about these little boys?


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[Assistant] Just put it down in front of him, Sister Mary. I'll see to it that he does as he is told.


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[Assistant] It's difficult to think of anything, but that we shall miss you so much.


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[Assistant] Yeah man, uh, grew up in Cincinnati, uh, grew up loving journalism. My grandfather got me into it. Uhm, it wasn't around, like, high school. I went to a performance high school, uhm, majored in more in writing. Where I decided, okay, I'm gonna do this for a career.


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[Assistant] Uh, went to Ohio State, uh, in Columbus, uh, majored in journalism and theater. Started doing a bunch of internships, like just trying to get my name out there as much as possible.


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[Assistant] Uhm, and my last internship at it, six, before I graduated, my last was at the LA Times, where I rose up from, was a Metro reporter, did a little bit of TV reporting, did a little bit of, uh, movies, and like, wrote about comic books for a little minute, and then moved over to the music team, where I've been full-time for like eight years now.


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[Assistant] Uh, it started, uh, about like three years ago. I was at Coachella, um, reporting on the ground. Um, it was, it was a weird year. Um, you know, I was breaking all these stories just off Twitter, just, and that's what I was, you know, doing that year. Came back from the festival and got an email from a lit agent, um, who just wanted to have a chat.


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[Assistant] Uhm, so we just started talking about just different ideas and, you know, like, would you ever want to pursue a book? And it's like, yeah, of course, at some point in one day, but, uhm, never knew how, never knew if that was even something I could even do. Uhm, so then we started talking about like hip hop and like, you know, he was telling me how big of a market it was in terms of,


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[Assistant] You know, we first floated around something on Snoob, but then we got to Cube. We knew Shredda Compton was coming out in a couple of months. So it was like, well, what if we explore the idea of doing NWA?


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[Assistant] Um, and so that's where it started. You know, I had a month to come up, to come together with a proposal, which was insane. I've never written a proposal before. So I'm like on Google, like, how do you write a book proposal? Like literally Google in the shit. Like, what do you do? Right. Um, and so came up with what I thought could be an interesting story, which was just on them because that's something that.


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[Assistant] It wasn't out there yet and I was very surprised by the fact that there was no book dedicated strictly to NWA.


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[Assistant] Uhm, so with the proposal I knew I wanted to...


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[Assistant] Tell this story from before they got together to right when EZ died. I wanted it to be super tight, super...


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[Assistant] So I got my hands on the script, you know, just straight journalism style. Just got my hands on the script, read the script.


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[Assistant] Well, I didn't at the time because there was a lot of shit in the script that they then cut. So then it ended up being, I actually broke a story from that because, you know, the Dean Barnes situation.


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[Assistant] Yeah, so it was, it was in there and so knowing that sitting on that it was like, I wasn't trying to out myself as like working on this book because at that point I hadn't approached any of the guys yet.


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[Assistant] So I really struggled with, was I going to tell the, the deep monster, but it just, it was too important not to. So that's, you know, that's the other part of it. You had to say it. So.


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[Assistant] Uh, it was, it was like, um, it wasn't body and so that was the group that she was in, uh, was like pump it up. That's what it was called.


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[Assistant] I really didn't like that they did that. I mean, I just thought, I thought it did them a disservice because it wasn't something where this was something that happened in his personal life, which I could argue with you wanting to leave out.


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[Assistant] You know, this was directly tied to the group. It was directly tied to, at that point, not even really a for real b-foot cube yet, but...


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[Assistant] It then launched a full on thing, so I just think it should have stayed.


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[Assistant] In their perspective, right? But if you go back and watch it, it wasn't, it was like, it was out of her control. It was, you know, Q, you know, had a little sneak diss that he had in there and they just tacked it on to the end.


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[Assistant] Uh, you know, it actually ended up being a really easy decision just because you can't shy away from any of it. Uhm, this was something I was going to that I wasn't going to be as critical on everything because I am reporting it.


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[Assistant] So, there are moments where it's hard to ignore certain things. You know, there's hard to ignore certain songs where it's like, alright, you have to say something else.


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[Assistant] Yeah, so there was a lot of the lyrics that's like, it does make your skin call a little bit, but you understood, at least I understood the shock value of what they were trying to do and this is why, and you know, they were talking the way that people around them were speaking.


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[Assistant] So a lot of it is unsavory, but it was something where I wasn't ever trying to take away from the legacy or take away from what they had, what they were doing or what they had done. Um, so you have to just say it. I mean, it happened. So I wrote it.


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[Assistant] You're giving me these flashbacks of like sitting at the computer for 13, 14, 15 hours.


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[Assistant] Every song I could, every home video I could, every article I could, I probably read every single thing ever written about NWA. And surprisingly, there's a lot out there. There's a lot of forms that keep, especially like World Class Wrecking Crew and a lot of, you know, the


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[Assistant] Hard to find, but you can find it. So it's there. So that part was really cool. I actually


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[Assistant] Honestly, of everything about the book, the research was probably my favorite part. Um, it was the hardest. I mean, yea, talking to people, um, it's just, it's something that I do every single day. So the interview part wasn't as much of a challenge. Getting people to say yes was the challenge, but the research part, cause that's something you don't really get to spend that much time to in a story. If I'm doing a feature,


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[Assistant] On, you know, an artist I might be able to spend a day or two and then you got something together and you're gonna come back around to it when you're writing the piece.


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[Assistant] You know, 13, 14 months straight, just research, nothing else. You know, yeaah, I was doing interviews, but it was really just research and consuming everything that was out there. Every single thing. It was insane to like be able to...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Absorb all this and then try to find a storyline. So I had this storyboard at the house, trying to track all this stuff and keep it all together.


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[Assistant] Ranskate land, you know, where they did their first, you know, performances at, but also a world class wrecking crew, you know, played opening day, you know, that was, those are good resources to have and like being able to go through and then them sending you pictures and you'd be able to like.


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[Assistant] Pull together a story, you know, with all of these different resources you have.


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[Assistant] Exactly, yeaah. You can't always take the time to read an entire book if you're doing, you know, an article. Right. You know, so it was really good to be able to...


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[Assistant] Sit and breathe and really take all this information because it was a ton.


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[Assistant] You know, it was a ton. You know, my favorite about it though when I was going through a lot of it was like seeing...


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[Assistant] Seeing what rap journalism was at the time, like that man, I mean, just the level of access, you just don't get that anymore. You don't see any of that where these writers were spending two weeks with these guys. You know, there's this really great, if you have, if you have time, there's a spin cover story. Um, and it's called like, um, I think it's like,


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[Assistant] Niggas For Life or something like that. They were like making a play on the album.


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[Assistant] But it was like, they went to dinner with the guys, and Cuba just left, and this is really great, it's like a six page thing, but then you have like Cuba's response to everything, like on the money stuff and everything, and there's one article, and they had taken the time to get all sides of it. It wasn't just, we're rushing this out.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And then you have a response that happens now because there's all these deadlines and stuff. And, you know, so just to see the level of access that was happening and like, especially Eazy, who was very savvy when it came to the press. You know, it was really cool to see that and like remember that it was so different back then.


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[Assistant] Yeah. I mean, it became a punchline. I think that, I think that part was probably the most, um,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] For a long time, you know, people, they're either joking about AIDS or the, I mean, you know, you go back and there's like, and there's even like a.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] There's a skit on like doggy style that like still makes me cringe, like thinking about it where it was like, they didn't know yet, but they were, that was already the joke was like, he was fucking so much, he's probably going to catch something, you know, and like, so then it ends up happening, you know, but just to see how he was written about.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, just the shift of everything. And yeah, he was, you know, he was very comical in terms of like showing up in a straight jacket or mask and all these different things. It was always shock value with him, but I think when the tide changed.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] He was then looked at as like, oh, well you just are like this character. Like almost the same way like Flavor Flav was looked at for a while, but he fully embraced it, but Easy didn't get the chance to try to figure out how to embrace it or...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It was, I mean, on one end of it, it's really sad to kind of see how, um,


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[Assistant] Just a bit of a mess everything is in terms of his estate and how, you know, the kids really don't have any piece of it.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Two of his daughters and ex-girlfriend, it was just, it was wild to hear these stories that like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] They feel like the legacy has like not been protected at all and that they don't have any say in anything. It's really sad, you know, that's why I wanted to start the book, uhm, with the hologram.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Easy now that had fascinated me so much that we, you know, we had seen this happen with Tupac. We had seen this happen with Michael. I know there's a lot of opinions about holograms. I have my own. I, I don't really like them, right? So I just, I think, I think it's fine.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, I remember, you know, being at Rock the Bells, not knowing there was going to be a last year Rock the Bells. And the selling point about this hologram was like, well, let's ease these kids. You know, the face is going to be the daughter, the body is going to be this one. And then the voice is this. So I was like, oh, well, it's like this weird, you know,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Collage of his kids. So like, obviously, you know, they've had a part in this and things, but you know, then you talk to them and they're like, yeah, they threw us a couple hundred dollars and that was it. And a couple tickets to this. And you're like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] What? You know, so even, even then even trying to honor their father, they're still feeling like they're getting dicked around and played around.


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[Assistant] So it was a strange thing where, you know.


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[Assistant] Especially if you talk to EB, it's like his youngest daughter, and you know, she's very much like, well he was murdered. And you know, they're trying to make a documentary about it, and you know, talking to all these different people, and I don't believe...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Damn, like really toward the end of it, like this guy was so much of a joke that it ended up being like his whole label just kind of went down. Like everything just was gone. Like he was the man that held it all together. As much as people always wanted to point to the Jerry Heller stuff, it was like, easy was the guy. He really was. And we saw that when he died and it was, we saw what all of it became.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I was, especially seeing, uhm, the change and also being able to go back and really look at, uhm, you know, Niggas For Life, which...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Is such a superior album. When you really sit and listen to it, every single moment of it, from the production, everything, it's really on. And it's like, you can really see that Dre, that was the album that he came into.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Yes, The Chronic is a masterpiece, but you think of, I think of that album even more, where it really feels like a cohesive body. You know, straight out of Compton, it's a little disjointed. You can even hear kind of moments of like songs being stitched together.


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[Assistant] You know, I mean that's, it's hard because you feel almost like...


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[Assistant] I almost feel like you can't throw shade at some of the guys because you think of, you know, an album like Chronic or Doggy Style or Shredda Compton or We Want Easy Bees.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] So, it's, it's difficult to be like, well yea, you know, these motherfuckers ain't really writing their own stuff. But it was like, they weren't either. Dre wasn't either. Dre wasn't writing his own raps all the time.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, Cube was writing for this person, DLC was writing for this person, MC Rim was writing for that, you know, they were all working with each other.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] For sure, obviously authenticity is key, and the genre always will be.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, but I don't, I don't, I don't necessarily subscribe to that belief that if a person's not writing every single thing, then they can't be authentic. So, and I'm only saying that because of the fact that I came up on a time where it was a lot of collaboration.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] My brother introduced me to hip-hop and it was, it was NWA, Jay-Z, Nas, UGK, that's what we were playing, you know, in a bedroom. My mom wasn't around, you know, cause I was like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Any of that kind of music. Uhm, and so when I was young, this shit really felt like noise to me.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] A bunch of motherfuckers yelling at me. And so I never really got into it until I got in like middle school and like, cause I loved Ice Cube. Like once, once we started playing like Ice Cube by itself and like Drava, you know, Snoop, like that was like the kind of stuff that I loved. And I think a lot of it was having a bounce to it, like, you know, the beats. And so.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Once I then started listening to the lyrics, I started attaching myself a little bit more to it. Uhm, you know, going up in the hood in Cincinnati, just like always feeling like angry. Cause it was like, you know, I went to, when I went to high school, that was the first time I was around.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] All different colors, you know, I had gone to schools all my life and it was, we were all poor from the hood. So it was like, you're seeing the same people, but you're like going to high school and it's like, I'm seeing freshmen with like cars and I'm like, I don't...


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I don't understand this. Like I'm on the bus and like barely have money for lunch every single day. So it was like, once you start seeing different people from walks of life and I'm going home, you know, to a single, you know, single mom and I'm watching her work so hard. So it was like, oh, she's working this hard. Like, why don't we have more, you know? And then you just start looking at circumstances and like, here was music that was talking about that. So I felt like I had something to attach myself.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] It was really hard, man, uhm, you know.


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[Assistant] It started with wanting to get Q because he's my favorite.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Um, they were about to get, uh, the Rockwell Hall of Fame. So it was like, oh, I got a, I got a chance to talk to them about other stuff and I can slide in some interview questions. So I was like, that could be like a way to do it, but moving back and forth for a while, you know, had the interview didn't go the way that I would have liked it to.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] And he's like looking at me. We're like in his restaurant, like super crowded. And he, I mean, he was just tired. Like he's like, I got this and this and this and this, like ask me a question. So, you know, it just felt.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] A little bit more standoffish. We came back around and had another interview and it was much better. But from there, I thought, okay, well, if I've got Cube, this might make it easier for the other guys. MC went back and forth for probably a year and a half before he finally was like, I'm just tired of talking about this shit. You know, he was feeling.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Left out of stuff in terms of, you know, the way the movie went down.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] Uhm, the way Rock on the Hall of Fame went down, he was feeling very disenfranchised by all of it, so he just was like, whatever, I'm done with it. YELLOW was never in the country. YELLOW stayed booked and it was really interesting, like one day it was like, went back.


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] I was like, Oh, can you do it this week? And he's like, Oh no, he's in Ibiza for a show. And I'm like, who in Ibiza is listening to DJ yellow? Like spin, like, Oh, but then you think about it as like the movie like did open this huge door.


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[Assistant] The person I changed the longest was DLC because he goes back and forth with how he feels about.


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[Assistant] And so, you know, one day I was doing some other stuff, you know, working on the book and it was like, yo, can you do this right now? And I was like, all right. So he on the phone and he's like, ask me what everyone asks me about this group.


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[Assistant] And so he sat there and he answered every single question. I mean, we talked for hours and he went over everything and it was like.


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[Assistant] That led me into how I wanted to reach out to certain people.


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[Assistant] It was like, there were certain holes that I had that I wanted to fill in, like the research or, you know, second-hand interviews just didn't give me. Um, so I used that to guide me with trying to reach out to folks. But it was really difficult because, you know, Dre, a lot of folks still, people were scared.


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[Assistant] Honestly, I ran into some of that, uhm, people were really upset about their portrayals of, of, of the film, but also if they were left out of the film, I tried to use that to like my, you know, um, advantage, like, oh hey, like I felt like you,


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[Assistant] Yeah, it's still pretty new. Everybody has it. Cube was like really excited about it. So it was really, it was really great because I think at that point it had been announced that the book was happening.


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[Assistant] You know, the writing the king video came out, these things that made you so angry and then you put it into the music, like where were you actually at when it happened? So hearing those stories where it's like crazy to hear like cube, like talking about, and he's like, nobody ever really asked me like this.


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[Assistant] Talking about the nation of Islam and like what it felt like to be attacked for like a religious belief because that's all it actually boiled down to. And so it was interesting to get that perspective now, you know, and ask him in a way that he's always felt when he's asked questions that it's very combative. And so he even said that he was like, it takes a while for me to warm up because I'm so used to people coming at me with everything.


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[Assistant] With the accident and hearing him tell this story of like, you know, if these cops like weren't like.


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[Assistant] Or drunk tank, you know, his name was high as fuck too, so there's that.


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[Assistant] It was, yeaah, I mean, just how comical all of it was, where it was just, you know, the thing with Fuck the Police when it became on the radar for the FBI is like, and we talked about it, and I talked about it in the book, was sort of this like whisper campaign almost that happened with like law enforcements were there.


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[Assistant] They're all about it, but like nobody's actually listening to it. And so to see it go from this thing of different law enforcement agencies


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[Assistant] Faxing it to each other, to FBI sending a letter, to this whole, this whole chain of events that happened, like it's, was actually laughable when you're thinking about it, you know, it really didn't even came back to like,


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[Assistant] You know, when later, a couple years later, when you know, Cube didn't know Vaseline and like he's being interviewed and they're like, well, what if somebody kills a Jewish person because of your, your music? And he's like, well.


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[Assistant] Funny, but then you also think about it where it's like, you know,


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[Assistant] Rock music wasn't getting any of that and it's like, you have to look at the fact that it was happening to them specifically because they were black men. And specifically because they were from the hood, rapping about hood shit and like, so therefore,


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[Assistant] It was such a danger, you know, and then it's at that point when it's this huge controversy, their audiences are already primarily white. So it was, the whole thing was really strange when you go back and look at and there's all these videos of like,


[User] Please transcribe this text

[Assistant] You know, this public outrage that happens, there's this thing of like, well, let's end their whole career.