CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorof
Medizin
MedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantSurgeon.
TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.
Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneand
katastrophe
disaster.IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatal
schlacht
battleofMaiwand.ThereIwas
getroffen
struckontheshoulderbyaJezailkugel
bullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionand
mut
courageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,and
schwach
weakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,that
fluch
curseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwasso
schwach
weakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmy
gesundheit
healthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwas
daher
thereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthelatteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.
OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeonthe
schulter
shoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.The
anblick
sightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmy
freude
joy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareas
dünn
thinasalathandasbraun
brownasanut.”Igavehimashortsketchofmyadventures,andhad
kaum
hardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingto
lösen
solvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesof
wissenschaft
science.AsfarasIknowheisadecent
kerl
fellowenough.”“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-theway
wissen
knowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthe
fantasie
fancyseizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishould
bevorzugen
preferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuch
lärm
noiseorexcitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmynaturalexistence.
HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeither
vermeidet
avoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andthe
gespräch
conversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomIproposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.
“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.
Youproposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’stempersoformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.
Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohavea
leidenschaft
passionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoa
flügel
wingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.
Nearthefurtherendalowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandledtothechemicallaboratory.
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.
Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistanttableabsorbedinhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”he
rief
shoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhediscoveredagoldmine,greaterdelightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.
“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwitha
stärke
strengthforwhichIshouldkaum
hardlyhavegivenhimcredit.“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.
“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohis
finger
finger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.
Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownish
staub
dustwasprecipitatedtotheboden
bottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanew
spielzeug
toy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasveryclumsyanduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeen
begangen
committed.Hislinenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliabletest.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplauding
menge
crowdconjuredupbyhisfantasie
imagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerably
überrascht
surprisedathisenthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceofplasterovertheprickonhis
finger
finger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.
“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,andpushinganotheroneinmy
richtung
directionwithhisfoot.“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmesseemeddelightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.
“IhavemyeyeonasuiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.
Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrongtobacco,Ihope?”
“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.
Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyoutoconfessnow?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremelylazy.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemay
betrachten
considerthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherand
regeln
settleeverything,”heanswered.“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
a
rätsel
mysteryisit?”Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”
“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THE
Wissenschaft
SCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.