kadioguy
Key Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2017
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- Taiwan
- Current Location
- Taiwan
Who is the Thief?
Extracted from the Correspondence of the London Police
[by Wilkie Collins]
(From Chief Inspector Theakstone, of the Detective Police, to Sergeant Bulmer, of the Same Force)
Sergeant Bulmer,
This is to inform you that you are wanted to assist in looking up a case of importance, which will require all the attention of an experienced member of the force. The matter of the robbery on which you are now engaged you will please shift over to the young man who brings you this letter. You will tell him all the circumstances of the case, just as they stand; you will put him up to the progress you have made (if any) towards detecting the person or persons by whom the money has been stolen; and you will leave him to make the best he can of the matter now in your hands. He is to have the whole responsibility of the case, and the whole credit of his success, if he brings it to a proper issue.
[...]
[source]
----
1.What does "you will please" mean? Is it a command in a polite way? Then how about "Will you please ...?"? (Is it a more indirect one?) I think it is possible to just say "you + verb", but that would be too strongly worded. Is that right?
2. Why is "bring" in the present simple? Why not "brought"?
3. What does "you will" mean? Like "you will please" but without "please" because it is not necessary to say that so many times, right?
[Edit: Changed "is" to "would be"]
Extracted from the Correspondence of the London Police
[by Wilkie Collins]
(From Chief Inspector Theakstone, of the Detective Police, to Sergeant Bulmer, of the Same Force)
Sergeant Bulmer,
This is to inform you that you are wanted to assist in looking up a case of importance, which will require all the attention of an experienced member of the force. The matter of the robbery on which you are now engaged you will please shift over to the young man who brings you this letter. You will tell him all the circumstances of the case, just as they stand; you will put him up to the progress you have made (if any) towards detecting the person or persons by whom the money has been stolen; and you will leave him to make the best he can of the matter now in your hands. He is to have the whole responsibility of the case, and the whole credit of his success, if he brings it to a proper issue.
[...]
[source]
----
1.What does "you will please" mean? Is it a command in a polite way? Then how about "Will you please ...?"? (Is it a more indirect one?) I think it is possible to just say "you + verb", but that would be too strongly worded. Is that right?
2. Why is "bring" in the present simple? Why not "brought"?
3. What does "you will" mean? Like "you will please" but without "please" because it is not necessary to say that so many times, right?
[Edit: Changed "is" to "would be"]
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