CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,and
fortsatte
proceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseforeskrevet
prescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasduly
tilknyttet
attachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantKirurg
Surgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmy
korps
corpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmy
regiment
regiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.Thecampaignbroughthonoursand
forfremmelse
promotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.Iwasremovedfrommy
brigade
brigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavian
arterie
artery.Ishouldhavefallenintothehandsofthe
morderiske
murderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthehengivenhed
devotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesikkert
safelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhad
gennemgået
undergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofsårede
woundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalready
forbedret
improvedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,IwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwasdispatched,
derfor
accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoforbedre
improveit.Ihadneitherkithnor
slægtninge
kininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanindkomst
incomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywilltillade
permitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturligt
naturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrænet
drained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,
meningsløs
meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,betydeligt
considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthe
sidstnævnte
latteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothis
konklusion
conclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.ThesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisa
behagelig
pleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
begejstring
enthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobeglad
delightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
skitse
sketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlykonkluderet
concludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestination
destination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsata
rimelig
reasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthat
udtryk
expressiontome.”“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthe
kemiske
chemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedrather
mærkeligt
strangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasa
konstant
constantcompanion.”“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupin
anatomi
anatomy,andheisafirst-classkemiker
chemist;but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancy
greb
seizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseor
spænding
excitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
resten
remainderofmynaturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
foreslog
proposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghim
lejlighedsvis
occasionallyinthelaboratory.You
foreslog
proposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’s
temperament
tempersoformidable,orwhatisit?Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletoo
videnskabelig
scientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohavean
nøjagtig
accurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfor
bestemt
definiteandexactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingrathera
bizar
bizarreshape.”“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
kontrollere
verifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddowna
smal
narrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthe
dystre
bleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongkorridor
corridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalowarched
passage
passagebranchedawayfromitandledtothekemiske
chemicallaboratory.Thiswasalofty
kammer
chamber,linedandlitteredwithutallige
countlessbottles.Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
flammer
flames.Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowas
bøjede
bendingoveradistanttableoptaget
absorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
opdaget
discoveredagoldmine,greaterglæde
delightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthis
opdagelse
discoveryofmine?”“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemost
praktiske
practicalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
greb
seizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodina
kemisk
chemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmall
mængde
quantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.You
opfatter
perceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
opnå
obtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofa
gennemsigtig
transparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumeda
kedelig
dullmahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,
klappede
clappinghishands,andlookingasglad
delightedasachildwithanewtoy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeavery
delikat
delicatetest,”Iremarked.“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasvery
klodset
clumsyanduncertain.Soisthemicroscopic
undersøgelse
examinationforbloodcorpuscles.The
sidstnævnte
latterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeen
opfundet
invented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
hele tiden
continuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
His
linned
linenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
pålidelig
reliabletest.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyes
temmelig
fairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,
betydeligt
considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
berygtede
notoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceof
gips
plasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
gips
plaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwere
klagede
complainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”SherlockHolmesseemeddelightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.
“Ihavemyeyeona
suite
suiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tobak
tobacco,Ihope?”“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
I
normalt
generallyhavechemicalsabout,andlejlighedsvis
occasionallydoexperiments.Wouldthat
irritere
annoyyou?”“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
tilstå
confessnow?It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
doven
lazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyour
kategori
categoryofrows?”heasked,anxiously.
“It
afhænger
dependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.“Awell-played
violin
violinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyof
menneskeheden
mankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
Kapitel
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.