CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.
Having
concluído
completedmystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantSurgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcould
juntar
joinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.OnlandingatBombay,I
soube
learnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.Ifollowed,
porém
however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituação
situationasmyself,andsucceededinchegar
reachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.
IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.
ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.
IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,who
jogou
threwmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Desgastado
Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreatcomboio
trainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedical
conselho
boarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternal
governo
governmenttospendthenextnove
ninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.
Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.
ThereIstayedforsometimeata
privado
privatehotelintheStrand,levando
leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,andgastando
spendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthe
estado
stateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonpercebi
realizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompleta
completealterationinmystyleofliving.Escolhendo
Choosingthelatteralternative,Icomecei
beganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel
hotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomemenos
lesspretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterion
Bar
Bar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.ThesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.
InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.
Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehima
breve
shortsketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwechegamos
reachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemasto
se
whetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
I
chorei
cried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetocompartilhar
sharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.Ishouldpreferhavinga
parceiro
partnertobeingalone.”YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedical
estudante
student,Isuppose?”saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,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’t
culpar
blamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.
Youproposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“It
parece
seemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforlavar
washingyourhandsofthematter.Isthisfellow’stempersoformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwitha
risada
laugh.“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icould
imaginar
imaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplesmente
simplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexactknowledge.”
“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybe
empurrado
pushedtoexcess.Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itis
certamente
certainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Céu
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.Buthereweare,andyoumust
formar
formyourownimpressionsabouthim.”Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneand
passamos
passedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliar
terreno
groundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Perto
Nearthefurtherendabaixa
lowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandlevava
ledtothechemicallaboratory.Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.
Therewasonlyone
aluno
studentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistantmesa
tableabsorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohis
pé
feetwithacryofprazer
pleasure.“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhediscovereda
ouro
goldmine,greaterdelightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
No
dúvida
doubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”“Itis
interessante
interesting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallible
teste
testforbloodstains.Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothe
mesa
tableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresulting
gota
dropofbloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceofpurewater.
Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,
no entanto
however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,he
atirou
threwintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomofthe
vidro
glassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
he
chorou
cried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacum
teste
testwasveryclumsyanduncertain.Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,thisappearsto
agir
actaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.Hadthis
teste
testbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanissuspectedofa
crime
crimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.Hislinenor
roupas
clothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?
Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliable
teste
test.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’
teste
test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.
“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewould
certamente
certainlyhavebeenhunghadthisteste
testbeeninexistence.ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“You
parece
seemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwitharisada
laugh.“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Very
interessante
interestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpedaço
pieceofplasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”he
continuou
continued,turningtomewithasorriso
smile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”Heheldouthishandashespoke,andI
notei
noticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,and
empurrando
pushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhispé
foot.“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”
SherlockHolmes
parecia
seemeddelightedattheideaofcompartilhar
sharinghisroomswithme.“Ihavemy
olho
eyeonasuiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntothechão
ground.Youdon’tmindthe
cheiro
smellofstrongtobacco,Ihope?”“Ialways
fumo
smoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,andoccasionallydoexperiments.
Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmy
boca
mouthfordaysonend.YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyoutoconfessnow?
It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowthe
pior
worstofoneanotherbeforetheycomeçarem
begintolivetogether.”I
ri
laughedatthiscross-examination.“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremelylazy.
IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisa
deleite
treatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.“Oh,that’sallright,”he
chorou
cried,withamerrylaugh.“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.
“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmy
hotel
hotel.“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanion
sorriu
smiledanenigmaticalsmile.“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
I
chorei
cried,rubbingmyhands.“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproper
estudo
studyofmankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhe
aprende
learnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.