Elementary Stories Sherlock Holmes Library the Adventure of the Three Students

The Return of Sherlock Holmes #9

by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventure of the Three Students It was in the year '95 that a combination of events, into which I need not enter, caused Mr. Sherlock Holmes and myself to spend some weeks in one of our great university towns, and it was during this time that the small but instructive adventure which I am about to relate befell us. It will be obvious that any details which would help the reader exactly to identify the college or the criminal would be injudicious and offensive. So painful a scandal may well be allowed to die out. With due discretion the incident itself may, however, be described, since it serves to illustrate some of those qualities for which my friend was remarkable. I will endeavour, in my statement, to avoid such terms as would serve to limit the events to any particular place, or give a clue as to the people concerned.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Detective, Crime, Audiobook

26 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1904

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Adventure of the Three Students is an often overlooked story from the canon of Sherlock Holmes work written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; and perhaps The Adventure of the Three Students is overshadowed by the fact that it was preceded by two of the most famous Sherlock Holmes tales, The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton and The Adventure of the Six Napoleons.

The Adventure of the Three Students was first published in the Strand Magazine in June 1904, before appearing in Collier’s Weekly on 24th September 1904. Then, in 1905, the tale would appear as part of the compilation work titled The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

[Isa Cantos (Crónicas de una Merodeadora) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este fue un relato bastante sencillo en comparación con los anteriores, pero de todas maneras estuvo algo divertido. La resolución me pareció más tierna que otra cosa, pero en general no disfruté tanto este caso como los otros de este libro. Este se sintió de relleno, por decirlo de alguna manera.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. A neat little package. Quite enjoyable. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is so easy to read. Not as complex as modern mysteries and thrillers, but often just as satisfactory. Not all of the stories relate to important matters of state or the indiscreet affairs of Princes and leading actresses. Here he responds to the urgent pleadings of a young tutor and lecturer at Oxford University, or is it Cambridge? Our narrator, Dr. Watson, deliberately conceals that tidbit. It appears that tomorrow's Greek translation exam has been copied and the tutor is in a complete tizzy! Should the exam go on if one of the students is cheating? Holmes doesn't want to but surrenders to a stronger force and visits the rooms of the tutor at college. The scene of the crime, so to speak. Here he finds numerous clues, all of which are perplexing to Watson, Hilton Soames, the tutor, and his servant Bannister. We soon learn that there are three suspects, all students living in rooms in the same building: Gilchrist, a fine scholar and sporting star, Ras, a good student from India, steady and methodical but inscrutable, and McLaren, a brilliant fellow if he choses to apply himself. Can you figure it out? (Au2023/Jul2025)

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I have to say this is one of the sweetest Holmes’ stories. He is such a great counsellor and helper! The characters, the storyline, are all so enjoyable and excellent. The mystery is simple, yet very pleasant; the humour excellent. I love it all so much!

A Favourite Quote: “As to you, sir, I trust that a bright future awaits you in Rhodesia. For once you have fallen low. Let us see, in the future, how high you can rise.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “He looked at us in a queer way.”
“So would you, if a flock of strangers came in on you when you were preparing for an examination next day, and every moment was of value. No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives—all was satisfactory. But that fellow DOES puzzle me.”
“Who?”
“Why, ———. What’s his game in the matter?”
“He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man.”
“So he did me. That’s the puzzling part.”

[bookaholic_kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always loved Sherlock Holmes because of the movie and the series but hasn't actually read any of it. And I hate my self for that so I had to read one at least. But because I am in reading slump, I listened to the audio book instead. The narrator is really awesome. I forgot his name but his voice is really nice.

Sherlock Holmes short stories are always awesome and are good to read when you are in a reading slump. And of course the characters and the humor make it exciting together with the mystery feel it gives.

I will surely read or listen (audiobook) more of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having bought (and read) a lot of new books in the last few months I thought it was time to return to an old favourite. I have read Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories many times, but this is one I haven't revisited for a long time. There is no murder this time, just a straightforward mystery to solve. Well, straightforward for the great detective but not for mere mortals like myself!

[Jacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For once you have fallen low. Let us see, in the future, how high you can rise."

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Sherlock Holmes story ever. A friend assured me that there were some short stories that didn’t include murder and suggested this one. I enjoyed it. I did know who did it before I was told, but I didn’t have all the clues so I hadn’t figured out how and why. Overall it was a fun little adventure and clean. I wouldn’t mind reading more of these stories.

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good adventure to Cambridge where they were sent to discovery a cheating conspiracy on cheating on a test. It was very well written and kept my attention throughout.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Federico DN · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh.

Not worth reviewing it.

For the moment at least.

It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.

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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1905] [30p] [Crime] [Not Recommendable]
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★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes <--
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes

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Meh.

No vale la pena reseñarlo.

Al menos por ahora.

Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.

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NOTA PERSONAL :
[1905] [30p] [Crimen] [No Recomendable]
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[Dr.Abdulwahab Alnaif · Rating 3 out of 5]

رد فعل هولمز المثير بعد سرد الاحداث له من قبل صاحب المشكلة في كل الروايات يجعلني اتخيل كيف كان شكله قبل سماع ما حدث وبعد .. واخالني صنعت تصوراً في عقلي للطبيب واطسون
هذه الرواية القصيرة جميلة جداً وفيها من المعاني والرسائل ما يجعلها صالحة لان تدرس للطلاب
اعي تماماً ان الكاتب ارثر كونان دويل ليس عبقرياً فقط بل وصل به الحال الى جعلنا نحب شخصية هولمز في جميع جوانبها واضاف في هذه القصة الجانب العاطفي او كون هولمز ليس فقط محقق يتعامل مع الجرائم ، بل هو الانسان الذي يحمل ما يحمله كل انسان آخر من مشاعر .. تمت

[Nö Ğå · Rating 3 out of 5]

يحقق شيرلوك هنا ف واقعه سرقه امتحان ف احدي الجامعات وكانت الاتهامات ل ٣ اشخاص فقط سيخوضون الامتحان
وكانت الادله قلم رصاص مكسور اثناء النسخ وقطع من الطين والخادم الذي نسي مفتاحه ف الباب وكان اهمال منه

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"By Jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. What with your eternal tobacco, Watson, and your irregularity at meals, I expect you will get notice to quit, and I shall share your downfall–not, however, before we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant, and the three enterprising students.” -- Sherlock Holmes to Watson

Holmes is uncomfortable being away from Baker Street for long periods of time.

Watson begins this entry with some vague vagaries about things he will not tell the reader. Shame on him. He is kind enough to relay the events of this scandal, vaguely, if only to highlight his friend’s unique abilities that make him remarkable. Such a nice fellow.

At a local university, where Holmes and Watson are staying because of unknown reasons, a Mr. Soames’ office has been burgled where the papers for an examination are kept. Copies were made of the papers with a pencil (clue #1) that broke and was sharpened. Holmes then states that if you find the owner of the small, blue pencil with a soft lead, you will find your man. There is also the mystery of the black, triangular-shaped clay, filled with sawdust (clue #2) left at the scene.

The three students come into question as they all use the stairs and pass by Soames’ office (clue #3). They also are to do the examination. By this account, they are suspect. The servant, Bannister, left his key in the lock on the night in question (clue #4). Holmes sees this as purposeful and suspicious.

Holmes studies windows.

Apparently, the smallest of scandals seem to make grown men faint.

Holmes visits each student, save one, and uses a pencil to sketch until it breaks. He then borrows one from the student and a knife to sharpen his own. Smart, this. Holmes then says he’s ready to retire for the night and he will check in with Soames the next morning.

The next morning, Holmes wakes Watson, denies him breakfast, and they go to solve the case. Soames fetches Bannister, who is very suspicious, and then the student Mr. Gilchrist, who breaks down into tears at the accusation. Holmes finds that the clay is from the shoes of Gilchrist who is a long-distance jumper and has special shoes for such an activity, shoes that left triangular-shaped molds behind. Bannister only helps Gilchrist since he was once the family butler of the Gilchrist’s and wished to protect the young man.

I personally feel like this ‘scandal’ is a bit stretched for Doyle. It’s not exactly a matter of murder or grand theft -- It’s a college test that can be delayed a day or two due to possible cheating. But I suppose Holmes needs something to do while he and Watson are on their mystery trip and, of course, Watson’s life mission is to make Holmes look good. Such a good friend. Not my favorite story but I will admit that Holmes’ methods are quite nicely executed.

[Crime Addict Sifat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's 1895 and Holmes and Watson are at an anonymous English college. It's anonymous on the grounds that this case is somewhat outrageous, and Watson wouldn't like to get anybody in a bad position. Be that as it may, you have a 50/50 possibility of speculating effectively since Watson depicts the college as a renowned one with loads of gothic design. So it's likely either Oxford or Cambridge. Anyway, Holmes is there doing examination or something, and a man named Hilton Soames comes up and asks for offer assistance. Holmes needs him to leave however Hilton is stubborn. Holmes at long last says OK and Hilton recounts his story. He's a Greek educator and is going to regulate a major exam tomorrow for a grant prize. The test includes interpreted a long Greek passage.Soames had the content in his office, and he needed to venture out for a bit. His steward, Banister (extraordinary compared to other head servant names at any point) inadvertently left the key in the workplace entryway. At the point when Soames returned he discovered papers scattered around the room and fears that somebody duplicated the test and plans to cheat tomorrow. Rail flipped out and needed to take a seat. Soames forgot him cracking and went to discover some assistance. Holmes is intrigued, and he flame broils Soames for more subtle elements. Soames depicts a few intimations left at the scene. He additionally says an Indian understudy, named Daulat Ras, came to visit him before, yet that the exam was moved up at the time. Thus, Ras couldn't have seen anything. Holmes goes to explore the scene and does his super investigator schedule, discovering a wide range of modest hints. He discovers pencil shavings, a little triangle of dark putty on the floor, and a scratch on a table. He chooses that the likeliest suspects are the three understudies who live in dormitories over Hilton's office.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final exam at a prestigious school has been compromised and the professor in charge knows he must cancel the exam if he can't identify the culprit from amongst three students who might have done the deed. He calls upon Holmes to identify the perpetrator.
As usual, our hero identifies the person responsible and then arrives at a solution to the case that saves the day for everybody.
A great read.

[Alice O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and great practice!

Great for practicing and increasing french language level of comprehension. Entertaining and awesome read.
It is a must have in your library...

[marwah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a very “arthur conna doyle” thing but I enjoyed it

[فاطِمة طه · Rating 3 out of 5]

صنائع المعروف تقي مصارع السوء.

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheats never prosper with Mr Holmes around. When a student has been sneaking a peek at examination papers there's only one man to call in.

[Marwa Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

قضية يعُمها التسامح و الندم مع الرغبة بالتغيير دون توجيه اتهامات من مَحض الضمير و ولاء المحبين و حُسن نُصحهم

[Claire Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook in French while packing to go to Vietnam for spring break. I’m trying to brush up on my French for when I meet my gf’s mom’s French bf next week. It was a decent, simple enough story with complex enough language that it did the job. Huge shoutout to the Libby app + my local library for having French audiobooks online.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For once, you have fallen low. Let us see in the future how high you can rise."
-Sherlock Holmes

An inspirational quote that reminds me of the saying that goes something like "All Saints have a past, and all sinners can have a future."

[Cintia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Sherlock Holmes mystery, as usual. I love his power of deduction, that will never change. With his stories, it's never time wasted!

[Jason Parent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. No murders. I like murder. :) A nice little mystery, but the stakes were of little importance to all but one or two people.

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a rather "elementary" Sherlock Holmes story as the master detective is able to easily detect who the culprit is and bring the case to a swift and satisfactory conclusion.

[Omar · Rating 3 out of 5]

قصة “مغامرة الطلاب الثلاثة” واحدة من الحكايات القصيرة التي كتبها آرثر كونان دويل، والتي تحمل طابعًا مختلفًا عن القضايا الدموية أو الغامضة المعتادة في عالم شيرلوك هولمز. تدور الأحداث داخل أجواء جامعية بريطانية تقليدية، حيث يُستدعى هولمز للتحقيق في حادثة تسريب أسئلة امتحان مهم قبل موعده، ما قد يطيح بمستقبل أحد الطلاب أو يلطخ سمعة المؤسسة الأكاديمية بأكملها.

ما يميز القصة هو بساطتها وهدوؤها، فهي لا تقوم على جريمة قتل أو على مؤامرة كبيرة، بل على خطأ أو محاولة غش قد تحدث في أي بيئة تعليمية. ومع ذلك، يثبت هولمز قدرته على استخدام نفس أدواته في الملاحظة الدقيقة والاستنتاج المنطقي لكشف الحقيقة، سواء كان أمام لغز دموي معقد أو موقف يبدو عابرًا.

الشخصيات هنا مرسومة بشكل سريع، من مدير الكلية الذي يشعر بالقلق على سمعة مؤسسته، إلى الطلاب الثلاثة الذين يقع عليهم الاشتباه. ومع أن دوافعهم وخلفياتهم لا تُعرض بعمق، إلا أن القصة تكشف شيئًا من الجانب الاجتماعي والطبقي في الحياة الجامعية آنذاك.

قد لا تكون هذه المغامرة من أكثر قصص هولمز إثارة أو تشويقًا، لكنها تحمل قيمة خاصة في إظهار أن الاستنتاج والبحث عن الحقيقة لا يتطلبان دائمًا جرائم بشعة، بل يمكن أن يتجسدا حتى في أبسط المواقف. القصة تُقرأ بخفة، وتمنح القارئ لمحة عن مهارة هولمز في التعامل مع المواقف الصغيرة بنفس الجدية التي يواجه بها القضايا الكبرى.


“The Adventure of the Three Students” is one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories that carries a slightly different tone from the usual bloody or mysterious cases in the world of Sherlock Holmes. The events take place in the traditional setting of a British university, where Holmes is called in to investigate an incident involving the leakage of important examination questions before their scheduled time—an event that could ruin a student’s future or tarnish the reputation of the academic institution.

What makes the story stand out is its simplicity and quietness. It is not built around a murder or a grand conspiracy but rather on an act of cheating or misconduct that could occur in any educational environment. Yet Holmes demonstrates his ability to employ the same tools of sharp observation and logical deduction to uncover the truth, whether he faces a complex and bloody mystery or a seemingly trivial matter.

The characters are sketched quickly, from the anxious college director worried about his institution’s reputation to the three students who fall under suspicion. While their motives and backgrounds are not deeply explored, the story does highlight aspects of the social and class structure within academic life at the time.

This adventure may not be among the most thrilling or suspenseful of Holmes’s cases, but it carries a special value in showing that deduction and the search for truth do not always require gruesome crimes. They can emerge even in the simplest of situations. The story reads lightly and offers the reader a glimpse of Holmes’s ability to treat small matters with the same seriousness as major cases.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Holmes

The Adventure of the Three Students is Holmes in academia mode—no fog-drenched London alleys, no exotic poison from the colonies, but the cloisters of a university town where an examination paper has been tampered with. It’s one of those stories where the stakes are reputational rather than mortal, but Doyle still manages to spin tension out of an apparently modest scandal.

What’s striking here is the restraint: no crime of blood, but the betrayal of academic integrity, which in its own way feels just as damning in a place built on honour and tradition. Holmes is called in discreetly to ensure fairness, and the suspects—three very different students—each represent a type: the athletic but careless fellow, the nervous foreigner, and the overly clever scholar. Doyle plays with stereotypes only to let Holmes cut through them with his clinical logic.

The solution is neat and elegant, and, true to the quieter nature of the case, it avoids public humiliation. Holmes identifies the guilty party not with theatrical unmasking but with a kind of gentlemanly discretion, showing once again that he adapts his justice to the context.

Watson’s narration keeps the story moving briskly, and there’s a charm in seeing Holmes apply his powers to something as seemingly trivial as an exam paper—yet treating it with the same rigour he would apply to a murder.

This tale might never rank among the “greats��� like The Adventure of the Speckled Band or Silver Blaze, but it has its place as a small gem in the canon: a reminder that Doyle’s detective wasn’t confined to the dramatic underworld but was equally at home in the quieter scandals of ordinary institutions. It’s Holmes as guardian not just of law, but of fairness itself.

[Boukhalfa Inal Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Modeste et instructive"... 1895, John Watson s'attache à nous dévoiler une affaire qui n'a pas un grand intérêt criminel, mais qui donne encore à analyser un trait du caractère humain.
Plusieurs semaines après un grand scandale qui a secoué Sherlock Holmes (il est écrit "douloureux scandale"), le directeur des études et conférencier au Collège Saint-Luc, M. Hilton Soames, demande au détective de solutionner une affaire au sein de son établissement, le plus rapidement et le plus discrètement possible.
Trois étudiants qui doivent passer un examen de grec ancien en vue d'une importante bourse d'études sont mis sur la sellette car ils sont soupçonnés d'avoir consulté les épreuves écrites. Des papiers sur le bureau de M. Soames déplacés et une clé ne se trouvant pas être à sa place sont des indices qui prouvent que le bureau a été visité durant son absence.
Holmes et Watson suivent donc M. Soames sur les lieux du délit pour interroger les suspects.
Gilchrist, Daulat et Miles n'ont en commun qu'une brillante intelligence. D'origines différentes, de tempéraments différents, ils restent une énigme pour le directeur, mais pas pour le célèbre détective extralucide... Mais au trio d'étudiants, vient s'ajouter un autre personnage, M. Bannister le fidèle domestique de M. Soames.
Qui est le scélérat qui s'est déshonoré ? La réponse ne tardera pas à arriver... et fort heureusement, car Sherlock Holmes peut se montrer désagréable lorsqu'il est loin de Baker Street.
Une nouvelle dans les annales encore bien écrite ! Moins ténébreuse que certaines, son dénouement se conclue par une clémence qui arrange bien tout le monde.

[Shuggy L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a simple story set in 1895 about finding out which one of a university college (St. Lukes) professors' (Mr. Hilton Soames) three students tried to cheat on an scholarship based examination (Fortescue Scholarship).

The examination consists of a large of Greek translation (Thucydides). The three students are called Daulat Ras (Indian), Miles McLaren ("wayward") and Gilchrist.

Gilchrist is from a formerly wealthy aristocratic family, his father is Silr Jabez Gilchrist. A servant from this household, Mr. Bannister, is now Mr. Soames' servant.

Colonial aspirations are current at this time as one of the students has been offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police.

Holmes, with Watson by his side, follows a series of clues in the professor's rooms to discover the culprit. Holmes is very pleasant to everyone in the course of his investigation.

A lovely little story of its time!

......
Republic of Rhodesia

In the late 19th century, the territory north of the Transvaal was chartered to the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes and his Pioneer Column marched north in 1890, acquiring a huge block of territory that the company would rule until the early 1920s. In 1923, the company's charter was revoked, and Southern Rhodesia attained self-government and established a legislature. Between 1953 and 1963, Southern Rhodesia was joined with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Wikipedia
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