The Sign of Four (Sherlock Holmes, #2)

by Arthur Conan Doyle

“It is of the first importance,” he said, “not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. A client is to me a mere unit—a factor in a problem. The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning.

“They can go everywhere, see everything, overhear everyone.

“I would not tell them too much,” said Holmes. “Women are never to be entirely trusted—not the best of them.”

gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging into a chemical analysis. One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest.

Whoever had lost a treasure, I knew that night that I had gained one.

But love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things. I should never marry myself, lest I bias my judgment.”

“The division seems rather unfair,” I remarked. “You have done all the work in this business. I get a wife out of it, Jones gets the credit, pray what remains for you?” “For me,” said Sherlock Holmes, “there still remains the cocaine-bottle.” And he stretched his long white hand up for it.