“I am in hopes of getting it
“Mr. Holmes!”
“If it had it would certainly have been public by now
“But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house
answered ['A:ns@d], apprehended [,&prI'hendId], convinced [k@n'vInst]
“Purely negative as yet,” my friend answered. “I have inquired at every point where it might be, and I am sure that there is no danger to be apprehended.”
“But that is not enough, Mr. Holmes. We cannot live forever on such a volcano. We must have something definite.”
“I am in hopes of getting it. That is why I am here. The more I think of the matter the more convinced I am that the letter has never left this house.”
“Mr. Holmes!”
“If it had it would certainly have been public by now.”
“But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house?”
“I am not convinced that anyone did take it
“Then how could it leave the despatch-box
“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box
“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed
“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning
“No. It was not necessary
“You may conceivably have overlooked it
“Impossible, I say
assurance [@'Su@r@ns], necessary ['nesIs(@)rI], conceivably [k@n'si:v@blI]
“I am not convinced that anyone did take it.”
“Then how could it leave the despatch-box?”
“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box.”
“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill‑timed. You have my assurance that it left the box.”
“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning?”
“No. It was not necessary.”
“You may conceivably have overlooked it.”
“Impossible, I say.”
“But I am not convinced of it
“It was on the top
“Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it
“No, no, I had everything out
“Surely it is easily decided, Hope
The Secretary rang the bell