CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorof
Medicina
MedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersas
Assistente
AssistantSurgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmycorpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.
Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharin
segurança
safety,whereIfoundmyregiment,andatonceentrei
entereduponmynewduties.Thecampaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutmisfortuneand
desastre
disaster.IwasremovedfrommybrigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomI
servi
servedatthefatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckonthe
ombro
shoulderbyaJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheosso
boneandgrazedthesubclavianartery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionand
coragem
courageshownbyMurray,myorderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,and
fraco
weakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebase
basehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyenteric
febre
fever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwasso
fraco
weakandemaciatedthatamédico
medicalboarddeterminedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmy
saúde
healthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissão
permissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsintentando
attemptingtoimproveit.IhadneitherkithnorkininEngland,andwas
portanto
thereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersofthe
Império
Empireareirresistiblydrained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablymorefreelythanIought.
Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethemetropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmy
estilo
styleofliving.Choosingthelatteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretentiousandless
caro
expensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothisconclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeonthe
ombro
shoulder,andturningroundIreconheci
recognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.The
visão
sightofafriendlyfaceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantthingindeedtoasolitário
lonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeena
particular
particularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwithenthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,parecia
appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmy
alegria
joy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareas
magro
thinasalathandascastanho
brownasanut.”Igavehimashortsketchofmyadventures,andhad
mal
hardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingto
resolver
solvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthatexpressiontome.”
“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthechemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.
Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishould
prefiro
preferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesof
ciência
science.AsfarasIknowheisa
decente
decentfellowenough.”“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupinanatomy,andheisafirst-classchemist;
but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-theway
conhecimento
knowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthe
fantasia
fancyseizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishould
prefiro
preferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuch
barulho
noiseorexcitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmy
natural
naturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeither
evita
avoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andthe
conversa
conversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,Stamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthe
cavalheiro
gentlemanwhomIproposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.
Youproposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”
“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”I
acrescentei
added,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.Isthisfellow’stempersoformidable,orwhatisit?
Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasyto
expressar
expresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—it
aproxima
approachestocold-bloodedness.Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthe
mais recente
latestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.Todohim
justiça
justice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.He
parece
appearstohaveapassionfordefiniteandexato
exactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedtoexcess.
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.
Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoa
ala
wingofthegreathospital.Itwas
familiar
familiargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakpedra
stonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalowarchedpassagebranchedawayfromitandledtothechemicallaboratory.
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwithcountlessbottles.
Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.
Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingoveradistanttableabsorbedinhiswork.
Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”he
gritou
shoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhediscoveredagoldmine,
maior
greaterdelightcouldnothavebrilhado
shoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,
apresentando
introducingus.“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwitha
força
strengthforwhichIshoulddificilmente
hardlyhavegivenhimcredit.“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.
Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.
“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,
cavando
diggingalongbodkinintohisdedo
finger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,I
adiciono
addthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.Youperceivethattheresultingmixturehastheappearanceof
pura
purewater.Theproportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.
Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtainthecharacteristicreaction.”
Ashespoke,hethrewintothevesselafewwhitecrystals,andthen
acrescentou
addedsomedropsofatransparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontents
assumiu
assumedadullmahoganycolour,andabrownishpó
dustwasprecipitatedtothefundo
bottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanew
brinquedo
toy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”Iremarked.
“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasveryclumsyanduncertain.
Soisthemicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.
Thelatterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.
Now,this
parece
appearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”
“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
Amanis
suspeito
suspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencometido
committed.Hislinenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.
Aretheybloodstains,ormudstains,orruststains,or
fruta
fruitstains,orwhatarethey?Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasnoreliabletest.
NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeapplauding
multidão
crowdconjuredupbyhisimaginação
imagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.
Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.
“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceofplasterovertheprickonhis
dedo
finger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.
“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,andpushinganotheroneinmy
direção
directionwithhisfoot.“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.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIam
extremamente
extremelylazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,witha
alegre
merrylaugh.“Ithinkwemay
considerar
considerthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherand
resolveremos
settleeverything,”heanswered.“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,
apertando
shakinghishand.Welefthimworking
entre
amonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
a
mistério
mysteryisit?”Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘The
apropriado
properstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’llwagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.
Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THE
Ciência
SCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.