"Holmes, you cannot send this back to Scotland Yard, unless you desire to see Lestrade stripped of his position and forced to find other work!" I protested.

"They asked for my honest opinion, Watson, and I have given it: Lestrade is a perfectly competent inspector for any cases that are routine and require no original thought to solve."

I have always known that Holmes lacks some of the social graces that the rest of us take for granted, but in the same way that he surprises me with his knowledge when we are on a case, he occasionally takes away my ability to speak by not knowing things that I would consider remedial.