The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Chapter 2 summary
Chapter 2 of 12 · 35 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 2, Sherlock Holmes investigates a paid copying job that draws Jabez Wilson away from his pawnshop each morning, then disappears without explanation. Holmes discovers that Wilson’s assistant uses the arrangement to dig toward a neighboring bank, organizes an ambush, and captures John Clay during the attempted robbery.
What happens
- Jabez Wilson tells Holmes and Watson that a league pays him to copy an encyclopedia, then abruptly closes its office.
- Holmes questions Wilson about Vincent Spaulding, the cheap assistant who encourages him to apply and frequently enters the cellar.
- Holmes inspects the pawnshop, studies the assistant’s trouser knees, and discovers that a bank stands beside the premises.
- Holmes brings Watson, Peter Jones, and Mr. Merryweather into the bank cellar to wait near its stored French gold.
- Two criminals emerge through the floor; Holmes captures John Clay, while his red-haired companion retreats into the tunnel.
- At Baker Street, Holmes explains that the copying job keeps Wilson away while the criminals dig their tunnel.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this chapter
What to notice
Holmes explains his personal motive after stopping the robbery. The unusual puzzle matters to him as an escape from boredom, not simply as public service.
Quick check
Why do the criminals arrange Wilson’s copying job?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
