A Study in Scarlet | Gradually Hardening Italian B2 Books

A Study in Scarlet | Gradually Hardening Italian B2 Books

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CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourse
prescritto
prescribed
forsurgeonsinthearmy.
Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasdulyattachedtothe
Quinto
Fifth
NorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistant
Chirurgo
Surgeon
.
TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmy
corpo
corps
hadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,and
riuscii
succeeded
inreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmy
reggimento
regiment
,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.
The
campagna
campaign
broughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbut
sfortuna
misfortune
anddisaster.
Iwasremovedfrommy
brigata
brigade
andattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthe
fatale
fatal
battleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.
IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthe
devozione
devotion
andcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,and
riuscito
succeeded
inbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.
Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhad
subito
undergone
,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.
HereIrallied,andhadalready
migliorato
improved
sofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboard
deciso
determined
thatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwas
inviato
dispatched
,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.
Ihadneitherkithnor
parenti
kin
inEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasan
reddito
income
ofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywill
permetterà
permit
amantobe.
Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturalmente
naturally
gravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,
senza senso
meaningless
existence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,
considerevolmente
considerably
morefreelythanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethe
metropoli
metropolis
andrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthelatter
alternativa
alternative
,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomeless
pretenzioso
pretentious
andlessexpensivedomicile.
OntheverydaythatIhadcometothis
conclusione
conclusion
,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.
Thesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreat
deserto
wilderness
ofLondonisa
piacevole
pleasant
thingindeedtoalonelyman.
InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
entusiasmo
enthusiasm
,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
schizzo
sketch
ofmyadventures,andhadhardly
concluso
concluded
itbythetimethatwereachedour
destinazione
destination
.
“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”
“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmy
compagno
companion
;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthe
chimico
chemical
laboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandthe
spese
expense
,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasa
costante
constant
companion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhathe
intenda
intends
togoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupin
anatomia
anatomy
,andheisafirst-class
chimico
chemist
;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancyseizeshim.”
“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseor
eccitazione
excitement
.
IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
resto
remainder
ofmynaturalexistence.
HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmy
compagno
companion
.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
proposto
proposed
totakeasafellow-lodger.
“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghim
occasionalmente
occasionally
inthelaboratory.
You
proposto
proposed
thisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmy
compagno
companion
,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’s
temperamento
temper
soformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletoo
scientifico
scientific
formytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittle
pizzico
pinch
ofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritof
indagine
inquiry
inordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.
Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
verificare
verify
howfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddowna
stretto
narrow
laneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingaswe
salivamo
ascended
thebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelong
corridoio
corridor
withitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.
Nearthefurtherendalowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandledtothe
chimico
chemical
laboratory.
Thiswasalofty
camera
chamber
,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswere
sparsi
scattered
about,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
fiamme
flames
.
Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowas
piegato
bending
overadistanttable
assorbito
absorbed
inhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomy
compagno
companion
,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
scoperto
discovered
agoldmine,greater
piacere
delight
couldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.
“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethe
significato
significance
ofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
afferrato
seized
mebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.
“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodinachemicalpipette.
“Now,Iaddthissmall
quantità
quantity
ofbloodtoalitreofwater.
You
percepisce
perceive
thattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
ottenere
obtain
thecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparent
fluido
fluid
.
Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahogany
colore
colour
,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglass
barattolo
jar
.
“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasvery
goffo
clumsy
anduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeen
inventato
invented
,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthe
pena
penalty
oftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
continuamente
continually
hinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
His
lino
linen
orclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,or
fango
mud
stains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
affidabile
reliable
test.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyes
abbastanza
fairly
glitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosome
applaudente
applauding
crowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.
“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,
notevolmente
considerably
surprisedathisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
famigerato
notorious
Muller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalking
calendario
calendar
ofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceof
gesso
plaster
overtheprickonhisfinger.
“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
gesso
plaster
,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.
“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-legged
sgabello
stool
,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmesseemeddelightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.
“Ihavemyeyeona
suite
suite
inBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.
Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tabacco
tobacco
,Ihope?”
“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.
Wouldthat
infastidirebbe
annoy
you?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
confessare
confess
now?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
pigro
lazy
.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyou
includi
include
violin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-played
violino
violin
isatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereat
mezzogiorno
noon
to-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
My
compagno
companion
smiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”
“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’ll
scommetto
wager
helearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
Capitolo
CHAPTER
II.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.