CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.
Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersas
Asszisztens
AssistantSurgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.
Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.
IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezail
golyó
bullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.
Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothe
bázis
basehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,that
átok
curseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwasso
gyenge
weakandemaciatedthataorvosi
medicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.
IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwas
ezért
thereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersofthe
Birodalom
Empireareirresistiblydrained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthelatteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretentiousandless
drága
expensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundI
felismertem
recognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.Thesightofa
barátságos
friendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingvalóban
indeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,
úgy tűnt
appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareas
vékony
thinasalathandasbarna
brownasanut.”Igavehimashortsketchofmyadventures,andhad
alig
hardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingto
megoldani
solvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetkényelmes
comfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“A
fickó
fellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesof
tudomány
science.AsfarasIknowheisa
tisztességes
decentfellowenough.”“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematic
orvosi
medicalclasses.Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancyseizeshim.”
“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishould
inkább
preferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuch
zajt
noiseorexcitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmy
természetes
naturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andthe
beszélgetés
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.”
“Itisnoteasyto
kifejezni
expresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthe
legújabb
latestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteand
pontos
exactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwas
ismerős
familiargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakkő
stonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandledtothechemicallaboratory.
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.
Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistanttableabsorbedinhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhediscoveredagoldmine,
nagyobb
greaterdelightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshould
alig
hardlyhavegivenhimcredit.“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,and
húzott
drewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,and
húzta
drawingofftheresultingdropofbloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceof
tiszta
purewater.Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.
Inaninstantthecontents
feltételezett
assumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownishpor
dustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasveryclumsyanduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
Hislinenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliabletest.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplauding
tömeg
crowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceofplasterovertheprickonhisfinger.
“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwith
hasonló
similarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“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.
“Ikeepa
bika
bullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamrendkívül
extremelylazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,witha
vidám
merrylaugh.“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,
megráztam
shakinghishand.Welefthimworking
között
amonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogetherfelé
towardsmyhotel.“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
a
rejtély
mysteryisit?”Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘The
megfelelő
properstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.