A Study in Scarlet | Gradually Hardening French B2 Translation Books

A Study in Scarlet | Gradually Hardening French B2 Translation Books

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CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourse
prescrit
prescribed
forsurgeonsinthearmy.
Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasduly
attaché
attached
totheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistant
Chirurgien
Surgeon
.
TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,and
réussis
succeeded
inreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmy
régiment
regiment
,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.
The
campagne
campaign
broughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.
Iwasremovedfrommy
brigade
brigade
andattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthe
fatale
fatal
battleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,which
brisé
shattered
theboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.
IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthe
dévouement
devotion
andcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,and
réussi
succeeded
inbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.
Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.
HereI
rallié
rallied
,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewas
désespéré
despaired
of,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,IwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwasdispatched,
en conséquence
accordingly
,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.
Ihadneitherkithnor
parent
kin
inEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasan
revenu
income
ofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywill
permettra
permit
amantobe.
Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturellement
naturally
gravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelinthe
Strand
Strand
,leadingacomfortless,meaningless
existence
existence
,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymore
librement
freely
thanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethe
métropole
metropolis
andrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthe
dernière
latter
alternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomeless
prétentieux
pretentious
andlessexpensivedomicile.
OntheverydaythatIhadcometothis
conclusion
conclusion
,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeena
habilleur
dresser
undermeatBarts.
Thesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreat
désert
wilderness
ofLondonisa
agréable
pleasant
thingindeedtoalonelyman.
InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
enthousiasme
enthusiasm
,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobe
ravi
delighted
toseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
croquis
sketch
ofmyadventures,andhadhardly
conclu
concluded
itbythetimethatwereachedour
destination
destination
.
“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”
“That’sastrangething,”
remarqua
remarked
mycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemical
laboratoire
laboratory
upatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandthe
dépenses
expense
,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedrather
étrangement
strangely
atmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasa
constant
constant
companion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-class
chimiste
chemist
;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancy
saisit
seizes
him.”
“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseorexcitement.
IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
reste
remainder
ofmynaturalexistence.
HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmy
compagnon
companion
.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
proposé
proposed
totakeasafellow-lodger.
“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghim
occasionnellement
occasionally
inthelaboratory.
You
proposé
proposed
thisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmy
compagnon
companion
,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’s
tempérament
temper
soformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletoo
scientifique
scientific
formytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittle
pincée
pinch
ofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.
Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingrathera
bizarre
bizarre
shape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
vérifier
verify
howfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddowna
étroite
narrow
laneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthe
sombre
bleak
stonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelong
couloir
corridor
withitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.
Nearthefurtherendalowarched
passage
passage
branchedawayfromitandledtothechemical
laboratoire
laboratory
.
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
flammes
flames
.
Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistanttable
absorbé
absorbed
inhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomy
compagnon
companion
,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
découvert
discovered
agoldmine,greaterdelightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.
“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthis
découverte
discovery
ofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemost
pratique
practical
medico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
saisi
seized
mebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.
“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodina
chimique
chemical
pipette.
“Now,Iaddthissmall
quantité
quantity
ofbloodtoalitreofwater.
You
percevez
perceive
thattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
The
proportion
proportion
ofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
obtenir
obtain
thecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,hethrewintothe
récipient
vessel
afewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofa
transparent
transparent
fluid.
Inaninstantthecontentsassumeda
terne
dull
mahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglass
pot
jar
.
“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingas
heureux
delighted
asachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”I
remarquer
remarked
.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasvery
maladroit
clumsy
anduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
The
dernier
latter
isvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeen
inventé
invented
,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
continuellement
continually
hinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
His
lin
linen
orclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,or
boue
mud
stains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
fiable
reliable
test.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.
“Youaretobecongratulated,”I
remarquer
remarked
,considerablysurprisedathis
enthousiasme
enthusiasm
.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
célèbre
notorious
Muller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalking
calendrier
calendar
ofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”
remarquer
remarked
SherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceof
plâtre
plaster
overtheprickonhisfinger.
“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
plâtre
plaster
,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.
“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-legged
tabouret
stool
,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwere
plaigniez
complaining
thatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmesseemed
enchanté
delighted
attheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.
“Ihavemyeyeonasuitein
Baker
Baker
Street,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.
Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tabac
tobacco
,Ihope?”
“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
I
généralement
generally
havechemicalsabout,and
occasionnellement
occasionally
doexperiments.
Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
avouer
confess
now?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
paresseux
lazy
.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyou
inclus
include
violin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“It
dépend
depends
ontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-played
violon
violin
isatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereat
midi
noon
to-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
My
compagnon
companion
smiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,
frottant
rubbing
myhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”
“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’ll
parie
wager
helearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
Chapitre
CHAPTER
II.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.