CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourse
prescrito
prescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasduly
anexado
attachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantCirurgião
Surgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmy
corpo
corpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmy
regimento
regiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.The
campanha
campaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutinfortúnio
misfortuneanddisaster.Iwasremovedfrommy
brigada
brigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatal
fatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,which
quebrou
shatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianartéria
artery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthe
devoção
devotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myordenado
orderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesegurança
safelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhadundergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.
HereIrallied,andhadalreadyimprovedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.
Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboard
determinou
determinedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.
Ihadneitherkithnor
parente
kininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanrenda
incomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitirá
permitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturalmente
naturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelinthe
Strand
Strand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistência
existence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,consideravelmente
considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethe
metrópole
metropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.Choosingthelatter
alternativa
alternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretensioso
pretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothis
conclusão
conclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonebateu
tappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenadresserundermeatBarts.Thesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreat
deserto
wildernessofLondonisaagradável
pleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
entusiasmo
enthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobeencantado
delightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
esboço
sketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestino
destination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”
“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmy
companheiro
companion;“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthat
expressão
expressiontome.”“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthe
químico
chemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandtheexpense,Iamtheverymanforhim.
Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasa
constante
constantcompanion.”“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhathe
pretende
intendstogoinfor.Ibelieveheiswellupin
anatomia
anatomy,andheisafirst-classquímico
chemist;but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancy
apreende
seizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseor
excitação
excitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
resto
remainderofmynaturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmy
companheiro
companion.“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
propus
proposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghim
ocasionalmente
occasionallyinthelaboratory.You
propôs
proposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmy
companheiro
companion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.Isthisfellow’s
temperamento
tempersoformidable,orwhatisit?Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.
Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittle
pitada
pinchofthelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofindagação
inquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfor
definido
definiteandexactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedto
excesso
excess.Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
verificar
verifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducedafterdeath.Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddowna
estreito
narrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingaswe
subíamos
ascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelongcorredor
corridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalowarched
passagem
passagebranchedawayfromitandledtothequímico
chemicallaboratory.Thiswasalofty
câmara
chamber,linedandlitteredwithinúmeras
countlessbottles.Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
chamas
flames.Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingovera
distante
distanttableabsorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomy
companheiro
companion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
descoberto
discoveredagoldmine,greaterprazer
delightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethe
importância
significanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemostpracticalmedico-legal
descoberta
discoveryforyears.Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
agarrou
seizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodina
química
chemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmall
quantidade
quantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.You
percebe
perceivethattheresultingmixturehastheaparência
appearanceofpurewater.The
proporção
proportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
obter
obtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,hethrewintothe
recipiente
vesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparente
transparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahogany
cor
colour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassfrasco
jar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.
“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”I
observei
remarked.“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasvery
desajeitado
clumsyanduncertain.Soisthemicroscopic
exame
examinationforbloodcorpuscles.The
último
latterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeen
inventado
invented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthepena
penaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
continuamente
continuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
His
linho
linenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,or
lama
mudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
confiável
reliabletest.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyes
bastante
fairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeaplaudindo
applaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”I
observei
remarked,considerablysurprisedathisentusiasmo
enthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
notório
notoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalking
calendário
calendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceof
gesso
plasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
gesso
plaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-legged
banco
stool,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwere
queixar
complainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”SherlockHolmesseemed
encantado
delightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.“Ihavemyeyeona
suite
suiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tabaco
tobacco,Ihope?”“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
I
geralmente
generallyhavechemicalsabout,andocasionalmente
occasionallydoexperiments.Wouldthat
irritaria
annoyyou?”“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
confessar
confessnow?It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
preguiçoso
lazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyour
categoria
categoryofrows?”heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-played
violino
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
companheiro
companionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,
esfregando
rubbingmyhands.“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyof
humanidade
mankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’ll
aposto
wagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.Good-bye.”
Capítulo
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.