A Study in Scarlet | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

A Study in Scarlet | Progressive Translation Books for French A2 Students

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CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.
Having
terminé
completed
mystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantSurgeon.
TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcould
rejoindre
join
it,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,I
appris
learned
thatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,
cependant
however
,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesame
situation
situation
asmyself,andsucceededin
atteindre
reaching
Candaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.
Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.
IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.
IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,who
jeté
threw
meacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.
Wornwith
douleur
pain
,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreat
train
train
ofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.
HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,IwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandeda
mois
month
lateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternal
gouvernement
government
tospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.
IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.
Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeata
privé
private
hotelintheStrand,
menant
leading
acomfortless,meaninglessexistence,and
dépensant
spending
suchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakea
complète
complete
alterationinmystyleofliving.
Choisissant
Choosing
thelatteralternative,I
commencé
began
bymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsome
moins
less
pretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.
OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterion
Bar
Bar
,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.
ThesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.
InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,Iaskedhimto
déjeuner
lunch
withmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguised
demandé
wonder
,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehima
bref
short
sketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwe
atteint
reached
ourdestination.
“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”
“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
I
pleuré
cried
,“ifhereallywantssomeoneto
partager
share
theroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavinga
partenaire
partner
tobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlooked
plutôt
rather
strangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedical
étudiant
student
,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancyseizeshim.”
“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnot
fort
strong
enoughyettostandmuchnoiseorexcitement.
IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmynaturalexistence.
HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldrive
tour
round
togetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomIproposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.
“Youmustn’t
blâmer
blame
meifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.
Youproposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonfor
laver
washing
yourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’stempersoformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofa
esprit
spirit
ofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.
Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybe
poussé
pushed
toexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswitha
bâton
stick
,itiscertainlytaking
plutôt
rather
abizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumust
former
form
yourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneand
passâmes
passed
throughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashed
mur
wall
anddun-coloureddoors.
Nearthefurtherenda
bas
low
archedpassagebranchedawayfromitand
menait
led
tothechemicallaboratory.
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.
Therewasonlyone
étudiant
student
intheroom,whowasbendingoveradistant
table
table
absorbedinhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohis
pieds
feet
withacryof
plaisir
pleasure
.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhediscoveredagoldmine,greaterdelightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.
“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
No
doute
doubt
youseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itis
intéressant
interesting
,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallible
test
test
forbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothe
table
table
atwhichhehadbeenworking.
“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresulting
goutte
drop
ofbloodinachemicalpipette.
“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihaveno
doute
doubt
,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,he
jeta
threw
intothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.
Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomofthe
verre
glass
jar.
“Ha!
ha!”
he
pleurait
cried
,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacum
test
test
wasveryclumsyanduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearsto
agir
act
aswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthis
test
test
beeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofa
crime
crime
monthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
Hislinenor
vêtements
clothes
areexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliable
test
test
.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’
test
test
,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.
“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerably
surpris
surprised
athisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewould
certainement
certainly
havebeenhunghadthis
test
test
beeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstarta
journal
paper
onthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,
collant
sticking
asmallpieceofplasterovertheprickonhisfinger.
“Ihavetobecareful,”he
poursuivi
continued
,turningtomewitha
sourire
smile
,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andI
remarquai
noticed
thatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.
“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,and
poussant
pushing
anotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmes
semblait
seemed
delightedattheideaof
partager
sharing
hisroomswithme.
“Ihavemy
œil
eye
onasuiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntothe
sol
ground
.
Youdon’tmindthesmellof
fort
strong
tobacco,Ihope?”
“Ialways
fume
smoke
‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.
Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmy
bouche
mouth
fordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyoutoconfessnow?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowthe
pire
worst
ofoneanotherbeforethey
commencer
begin
tolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremelylazy.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerry
rire
laugh
.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmy
hôtel
hotel
.
“Bytheway,”Iasked
soudainement
suddenly
,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmatical
sourire
smile
.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
I
pleuré
cried
,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”
“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhe
apprend
learns
moreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.