CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.
Having
completato
completedmystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantSurgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,
però
however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituazione
situationasmyself,andsucceededinraggiungere
reachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.
IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.
IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,who
gettato
threwmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Wornwith
dolore
pain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattreno
trainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,IwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”and
atterrato
landedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgoverno
governmenttospendthenextnove
ninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.
Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeata
privato
privatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,andspendendo
spendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthe
stato
stateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompleto
completealterationinmystyleofliving.Scegliendo
Choosingthelatteralternative,Iiniziato
beganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomemeno
lesspretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterion
Bar
Bar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.ThesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.
InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguised
meraviglia
wonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehima
breve
shortsketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlyconcludeditbythetimethatweraggiunto
reachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemasto
se
whetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeoneto
condivida
sharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.Ishouldpreferhavinga
partner
partnertobeingalone.”YoungStamfordlooked
piuttosto
ratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedical
studente
student,Isuppose?”saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
His
studi
studiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancyseizeshim.”
“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnot
forte
strongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseorexcitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmynaturalexistence.
HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomIproposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.
“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhave
imparato
learnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.Youproposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“It
sembra
seemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.Isthisfellow’stempersoformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwitha
ridendo
laugh.“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icould
immaginare
imaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsemplicemente
simplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybe
spinto
pushedtoexcess.Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswitha
bastone
stick,itiscertainlytakingpiuttosto
ratherabizarreshape.”“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhis
studi
studiesare.Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.
Vicino
Nearthefurtherendabasso
lowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandportava
ledtothechemicallaboratory.Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheir
blu
blueflickeringflames.Therewasonlyone
studente
studentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistanttavolo
tableabsorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwitha
grido
cryofpleasure.“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
dubbio
doubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”“Itis
interessante
interesting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallible
test
testforbloodstains.Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothe
tavolo
tableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresulting
goccia
dropofbloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihaveno
dubbio
doubt,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,he
buttò
threwintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomofthe
vetro
glassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacum
test
testwasveryclumsyanduncertain.Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearsto
agire
actaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.Hadthis
test
testbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofa
crimine
crimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.Hislinenor
vestiti
clothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliable
test
test.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’
test
test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.
“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerably
sorpreso
surprisedathisenthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewould
sicuramente
certainlyhavebeenhunghadthistest
testbeeninexistence.ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwitha
ridendo
laugh.“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,
attaccando
stickingasmallpieceofplasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”he
continuò
continued,turningtomewithasorriso
smile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”Heheldouthishandashespoke,andI
notato
noticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,and
spingendo
pushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhispiede
foot.“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmes
sembrava
seemeddelightedattheideaofcondividere
sharinghisroomswithme.“IhavemyeyeonasuiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.
Youdon’tmindthesmellof
forte
strongtobacco,Ihope?”“Ialways
fumo
smoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.
Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmy
bocca
mouthfordaysonend.YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyoutoconfessnow?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowthe
peggio
worstofoneanotherbeforetheyiniziare
begintolivetogether.”I
riso
laughedatthiscross-examination.“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremelylazy.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerry
risata
laugh.“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmatical
sorriso
smile.“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproper
studio
studyofmankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.