The Cabman's Story
A family embarks on a holiday from Hammersmith to Alexandra Palace, opting for a four-wheeler cab due to inclement weather. The narrator climbs beside the driver, an experienced cabman who shares his thoughts on the trade. He values respectability over profit, having spent 47 years as a cab driver. The driver recounts a chilling experience from his past involving a dead man he unknowingly transported. One night, after a slow day, he picks up a man in evening dress, supported by two women. They request he take the man home discreetly, offering a sovereign as payment. Upon arriving at the address, the driver discovers the man is dead, having been placed in the cab while already deceased. The police investigate, concluding he was murdered, but the case remains unsolved due to a lack of evidence. The driver continues his stories, recalling a peculiar customer, an elderly man who hired him daily for three hours. This man, later revealed to be a forger, used the cab to avoid suspicion while working on counterfeit banknotes. The driver reflects on the various criminals he has encountered, including a sailor who carried a hollow coal box, later linked to a coal torpedo explosion. As they reach their destination, the driver expresses a willingness to share more stories, emphasizing the truth of his experiences. The family disembarks, and the cabman drives away, leaving the narrator intrigued by the tales of life on the streets of London.
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · First published 1896 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Literary Fiction · 4,555 words
First lines
The Mysteries of a London "Growler"
What this Textopian page supports
The Cabman's Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Crime, Literary Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction
- Length: 4,555 words
- Structure: 1 section, 58 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Cabman's Story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Cabman's Story?
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Mystery — The plot revolves around a cab driver's recounting of mysterious and criminal events he has witnessed, including murder and forgery.
- Crime — The narrative includes elements of crime, such as murder and forgery, as well as the cab driver's interactions with criminals.
- Literary Fiction — The story explores themes of social class, morality, and the human condition through the cab driver's perspective.
- Drama — The emotional weight of the cab driver's stories and the interactions with his passengers create dramatic tension.
Tags
mystery · detective · suspense · crime · London · cabman · narrative · short story · 19th century · literature · adventure · realism
More by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Parish Magazine (1914)
- The Great Brown-Pericord Motor (1914)
- The Holocaust of Manor Place (1901)
- The Debatable Case of Mrs. Emsley (1901)
- The Love Affair of George Vincent Parker (1901)
- The Disintegration Machine (1927)
- The Bully of Brocas Court (1914)
- The Brown Hand (1914)
- All works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle