A Mystery Unfolds

A1.
1. Mr Roundhay, a bachelor, was the vicar of the parish. He was also a bit of an archaeologist.

2. Mortimer Tregennis , a local gentleman , was a lodger in one of the rooms in Roundhay's large, sprawling house.

3.Holmes and Watson had accepted Roundhay's invitation to tea once and met Mortimer Tregennis there.

4. They went to Holmes to report a curious tragedy that had led to Tregennis's two brothers going insane , and his sister's death. They wanted Holmes to solve the case.

5. Tregennis had gone to visit his siblings in their house , played whist with them , and then left. When he came back in the morning , he found them still sitting in their places at the table , the brothers , George and Owen , laughing and singing , and the sister , Brenda , dead.

6. Dr Leon Sterndale was a famous lion hunter and African explorer. He had been in love with Mortimer's sister , but could not marry her due to bitter family disputes regarding money. He reported that Mortimer had always thought the family had cheated him.

A2.
1a. The speaker is the narrator. Mr. Watson.

1b. The vicar was glad that Mortimer, a local gentleman, had rented one of the rooms in his large house.

2a. The vicar said this to Sherlock Holmes.

2b. They were lucky that Holmes was there on holiday when this strange incident took place. They were sure that he would be able to solve this extraordinary case.

2c. It means that Holmes was present at the village at the time that the tragedy took place.

5a. "We" refers to Holmes and Watson.

5b. Here, he refers to Dr. Leon Sterndale.

5c. Watson was surprised at the interest shown by Dr. Leon Sterndale as he did not know the relationship between Leon Sterndale and Mortimer Tregennis at that point of time.

A3.
1. Tregennis declares that the horrific event is the work of the devil. Such a demonic act cannot be the work of a human being.

2. Holmes observed the remains of a fire in the fireplace. He became suspicious and questioned its need on a spring evening.