I’d like to ask about a sentence in The Last Bow by Conan Doyle.
My dear sir, if you did anything so foolish you would probably enlarge
the two limited titles of our village inns by giving us ‘The Dangling
Prussian’ as a signpost.I want to make sure this “the two limited titles of our village inns” part refers to.
It’s not the name of the inn, it it? My understanding is this two titles is Holmes and Watson (the speaker of the sentence above is Holmes) because I guess in old days they somehow put names of people staying in the accommodation on the signpost which is put up on the hotel’s front to let postman know they are here.. ? The inns had just Homes and Watson at that particular time, hence “two limited titles”?
Or, is this “titles” about the inn’s name, or even it’s selling point written on the advertising sign post put on inn’s front or something?
Can someone clarify this for me please? Thank you.
Answer
Yes, it is the names of the inns. British pubs traditionally have pictorial signs, illustrating their name, hanging outside (a relic of the time when most people were illiterate). Holmes is suggesting that the German will be lynched and his body will make a third hanging sign in addition to those of the two village inns.
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : giraffe , Answer Author : Kate Bunting
