Question

Give reasons:

Statement	Reason/s
(a) Miss Morstan plans to meet Sherlock Holmes
(b) Miss Morstan gives the reference of Mrs. Cecil Forrester
(c) It’s a singular case
(d) Holmes needed some references
(e) Miss Morstan received a pearl every year
(f) The coachman confirmed that neither of Miss Morstan’s companion was a police officer

Answer 1

Statement	Reason/s
(a) Miss Morstan plans to meet Sherlock Holmes	An anonymous person who has been sending precious pearls to Miss Morstan through the mail since the past six years has now sent a letter requesting her to come for a meeting. Though he asks her not to call the police, he tells her that she can bring two friends. Fearing for her safety, but at the same time curious about the outcome of the event, Morstan decides to enlist Holmes’ help, who is known to be a master detective.
(b) Miss Morstan gives the reference of Mrs. Cecil Forrester	Mrs. Cecil Forrester, who is Miss Morstan’s employer, had been impressed with Holmes’ kindness and skill back when he had helped her to unravel a little domestic complication and it is through her that Morstan hears of Sherlock Holmes.
(c) It’s a singular case	Ten years ago, Miss Mary Morstan’s father, Captain Morstan, had just returned to London and had asked Mary to come and meet him at the Langham Hotel. However, before Mary could meet him, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances. There were no clues hinting at what might have happened and her father’s only friend in London, Major Sholto, whom the Captain might have met, declared that he didn’t even know that the Captain was in London. The absurdity of the details involving Captain Morstan’s disappearance causes Holmes to admit that it is indeed an extraordinary one.
(d) Holmes needed some references	Holmes was intrigued after hearing Miss Morstan’s story. They had decided to go to the meeting place in the evening. However, before that, Holmes wanted to get as much information as possible about the case. Therefore, he went to look at the backfiles of the Times to find more details pertaining to the case.
(e) Miss Morstan received a pearl every year	Based on Holmes’ deduction, the pearls were being sent to Miss Morstan as compensation for being deprived of her father. Since Miss Morstan started receiving the pearls shortly after Major Sholto’s death, Holmes had reason to believe that Sholto’s heir knew something about Miss Morstan’s father’s disappearance and was thus trying to compensate for the “wrong” that had been done to her all those years ago.
(f) The coachman confirmed that neither of Miss Morstan’s companion was a police officer	The letter from the anonymous sender clearly stated that Miss Morstan should not inform the police, as that would ruin everything. However, if she was unwilling to come alone, she could bring two friends with her. The coachman, acting on behalf of the anonymous sender, was simply trying to confirm that the condition mentioned in the letter had been met.