CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,and
fortsatte
proceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseforeskrevet
prescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasduly
knyttet
attachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantKirurg
Surgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmy
korps
corpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,and
lyktes
succeededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment
regiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbut
ulykke
misfortuneanddisaster.Iwasremovedfrommy
brigade
brigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,which
knuste
shatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthe
hengivenhet
devotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andlyktes
succeededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.
HereIrallied,andhadalready
forbedret
improvedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,IwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.
Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingto
forbedre
improveit.IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasan
inntekt
incomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywilltillate
permitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturlig
naturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrenert
drained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,
meningsløs
meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,betydelig
considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.
Choosingthe
sistnevnte
latteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretensiøs
pretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.
Thesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreat
villmarken
wildernessofLondonisabehagelig
pleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
entusiasme
enthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobeglad
delightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
skisse
sketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlykonkludert
concludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestinasjon
destination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsata
rimelig
reasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmy
følgesvenn
companion;“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthe
kjemiske
chemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedrather
merkelig
strangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasa
konstant
constantcompanion.”“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupin
anatomi
anatomy,andheisafirst-classkjemiker
chemist;but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryand
eksentrisk
eccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancy
griper
seizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseor
spenning
excitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
resten
remainderofmynaturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmy
følgesvenn
companion.“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversation
drev
driftedawayintootherchannels.AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
foreslo
proposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.
You
foreslo
proposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmy
følgesvenn
companion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.Isthisfellow’s
temperament
tempersoformidable,orwhatisit?Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletoo
vitenskapelig
scientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatest
vegetabilske
vegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveannøyaktig
accurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingrathera
bisarre
bizarreshape.”“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
bekrefte
verifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddowna
smal
narrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthe
dystre
bleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongkorridoren
corridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalowarched
passasje
passagebranchedawayfromitandledtothekjemiske
chemicallaboratory.Thiswasalofty
kammer
chamber,linedandlitteredwithutallige
countlessbottles.Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
flammer
flames.Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowas
bøyde
bendingoveradistanttableabsorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomy
følgesvenn
companion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
oppdaget
discoveredagoldmine,greaterglede
delightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthis
oppdagelsen
discoveryofmine?”“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legal
oppdagelsen
discoveryforyears.Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
grep
seizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodina
kjemisk
chemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
You
oppfatter
perceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
få
obtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofa
gjennomsiktig
transparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumeda
kjedelig
dullmahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,
klappet
clappinghishands,andlookingasglad
delightedasachildwithanewtoy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeavery
delikat
delicatetest,”Iremarked.“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasveryclumsyanduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopic
undersøkelse
examinationforbloodcorpuscles.The
sistnevnte
latterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
kontinuerlig
continuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
His
lin
linenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsoppdaget
discovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
pålitelig
reliabletest.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyes
ganske
fairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,
betydelig
considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
beryktede
notoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalking
kalender
calendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceof
gips
plasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
gips
plaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.
“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwere
klaget
complainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”SherlockHolmesseemed
fornøyd
delightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.“Ihavemyeyeona
suite
suiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tobakk
tobacco,Ihope?”“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
I
vanligvis
generallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.Wouldthat
irritert
annoyyou?”“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
bekjenne
confessnow?It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
lat
lazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyour
kategori
categoryofrows?”heasked,anxiously.
“It
avhenger
dependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.“Awell-played
fiolin
violinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
My
følgesvenn
companionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,
gnidd
rubbingmyhands.“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuch
forpliktet
obligedtoyouforbringingustogether.‘Theproperstudyof
menneskeheten
mankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’ll
satse
wagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.Good-bye.”
Kapittel
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.