Podcast
Questions and Answers
What does William Morris enjoy reading?
What does William Morris enjoy reading?
How does Morris observe people to gain insights into human nature?
How does Morris observe people to gain insights into human nature?
What was the distinctive feature of the gum-chewing American man?
What was the distinctive feature of the gum-chewing American man?
Where did Morris notice the young woman in the yellow quarter-length coat with brown checks?
Where did Morris notice the young woman in the yellow quarter-length coat with brown checks?
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What did the American do when the shop owner signaled to another employee for help?
What did the American do when the shop owner signaled to another employee for help?
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Why was the shop owner surprised and embarrassed as the American left the store?
Why was the shop owner surprised and embarrassed as the American left the store?
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How did the shop owner find out about the missing ring?
How did the shop owner find out about the missing ring?
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Why was the shop owner surprised by the woman who bought the bracelet for repair?
Why was the shop owner surprised by the woman who bought the bracelet for repair?
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What feature did Mariam notice about the American customer that led her to realize he was left-handed?
What feature did Mariam notice about the American customer that led her to realize he was left-handed?
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Why did the American customer ask William to hold the ring for him?
Why did the American customer ask William to hold the ring for him?
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What action did Mariam take that led to the American customer's ring being misplaced?
What action did Mariam take that led to the American customer's ring being misplaced?
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What did Sidrah, the owner of the funeral society, occasionally do with regards to Premium's shop?
What did Sidrah, the owner of the funeral society, occasionally do with regards to Premium's shop?
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Study Notes
- William Morris, a quiet man of 53, married with one daughter, lives at Waldingham, enjoys reading and painting watercolors, and does odd jobs around the house.
- Morris has a deep interest in detective fiction, particularly works by Poe, Collins, Gabriel, Holmes, Trent, and Dr. Thorndike.
- Morris believes "detective stories" are those that feature ordinary detectives with sharp eyes and common sense, and he has developed a keen observational skill.
- Morris observes people unobtrusively, focusing on details like clothing, jewelry, and body language to gain insights into human nature.
- At Rainier's antique jewelers in Knightsbridge, Morris notices a young woman in a yellow quarter-length coat with brown checks, also with long yellow hair, looking into the window of an undertaker's across the street. He wonders about her interest in the undertaker's, as there is little to draw her attention beyond some urns and a photograph. Interrupted by a customer, Morris does not follow up on his observation at the time.
- The customer is a gum-chewing American man, seemingly quiet in appearance but with a distinctive die pattern that looks more like an accident than a design.
- Morris estimates the customer to be between 35 and 40 years old.- A large American man entered the jewelry shop and asked to see rings.
- The shop owner brought out some rings for him to consider.
- The American was left-handed and seemed unfamiliar with antique jewelry.
- He asked about the price of several rings and picked up a few.
- The shop owner noticed the American did not know much about stones or settings.
- One of the rings, a 17th century floral pattern ring with diamonds and rubies, was particularly beautiful and the shop owner was fond of it.
- The American expressed interest in the ring but did not make a decision.
- The shop owner signaled to another employee for help.
- As they were waiting for the other employee, the American noticed a tray of rings in the safe and asked to see it.
- The shop owner got the tray out and the American chose a different ring.
- The shop owner was surprised and felt embarrassed as the American left the store with the ring.
- The shop owner and employees searched for the missing ring but could not find it.
- Another customer, a woman, came into the shop and bought a cheap bracelet for repair.
- The shop owner noticed her fingers were unusually short for a woman and she had no wedding ring.
- When the shop owner opened the bracelet, she found a ring inside.
- The woman denied knowing anything about the ring and left the shop.
- The shop owner returned the ring to the American customer.
- The American was grateful but curious about how the ring ended up in the bracelet.
- The shop owner explained that they rarely get customers like the American and the woman's behavior was unusual.
- The shop owner also noticed the American had disposed of his gum under the counter and there was a ring print on it.
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Description
Test your observational and deductive skills with this quiz based on a narrative involving a man's keen observation of people and an incident at an antiques shop. Explore the details of the characters' behavior and interactions to solve the mystery.
