13. Summary

The lesson 'The Dying Detective' is a story by Arthur Conan Doyle which features one of Sherlock Holmes' crime-solving episodes. Dr. Watson, a friend of Holmes, is approached by Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Holmes, to inform him that Holmes is very sick and is almost on his death bed. Watson offers to treat Holmes, but the latter insists on not seeing a doctor and does not even allow Watson near  him. He also says that he has the Tarpaunli fever, called the black Formosa plague. He instructs Watson to stay with him till six in the evening and then go bring a planter named Mr. Culverton Smith. When Smith comes over, Holmes reveals that he had been investigating the death of Smith's nephew Victor Savage. He also promises to forget the case if he could cure him based on his knowledge of the disease that spread from Sumatra. He also places an ivory box that he got from delivery on the table. Smith becomes confident that Holmes was dying and reveals that he sent the box with poison to kill him. But he gets caught by Inspector Morton, who was hiding. Holmes apologises to Watson for being rude.