A Study in Scarlet (Serial Edition Cover) — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

22 A STUDY IN SCARLET. which possessed him, but whether the music aided these thoughts, or whether the playing was simply the result of a whim or fancy, was more than I could determine. I might have rebelled against these exasperating solos had it not been that he usually terminated them by playing in quick succession a whole series of my favorite airs as a slight compensation for the trial upon my patience. During the first week or so we had no callers, and I hadébegun to think that my companion was as friendless a man as I was myself. Presently, however, I found that he had many acquaintances, and those in the most different classes of society. There was o: e little sallow, rat-faced, dark-eyed fellow who was ir .oduced to me as Mr. Lestrade, and who came three or four times in a single week. One morning a young girl called, fashion- ably dressed, and stayed for half an hour or more. The same afternoon brought a gray-headed, seedy visitor, looking like a Jew peddler, who appeared to me te be much excited, and who was closely followed by a slip- shod elderly woman. On another occasion an old white- haired gentleman had an interview with my companion; and on another, a railway porter in his velveteen uni- form. When any of these nondescript individuals put In an appearance, Sherlock Holmes used to beg for the use of the sitting-room, and I would retire to my bed- room. He always apologized to me for putting me to this inconvenience. | “T have to use this room as a place of business,” he said, “and these people are my clients.” Again I had an opportunity of asking him a point- Gomilcboo “SiG