CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
Intheyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineoftheUniversityofLondon,and
procedí
proceededtoNetleytogothroughthecourseprescrito
prescribedforsurgeonsinthearmy.Havingcompletedmystudiesthere,Iwasdulyattachedtothe
Quinto
FifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantCirujano
Surgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthetime,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,thesecondAfghanwarhadbrokenout.
OnlandingatBombay,Ilearnedthatmy
cuerpo
corpshadadvancedthroughthepasses,andwasalreadydeepintheenemy’scountry.Ifollowed,however,withmanyotherofficerswhowereinthesamesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,whereIfoundmy
regimiento
regiment,andatonceentereduponmynewduties.The
campaña
campaignbroughthonoursandpromotiontomany,butformeithadnothingbutdesgracia
misfortuneanddisaster.Iwasremovedfrommy
brigada
brigadeandattachedtotheBerkshires,withwhomIservedatthefatal
fatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderbyaJezailbullet,which
rompió
shatteredtheboneandgrazedthesubclavianarteria
artery.IshouldhavefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthe
devoción
devotionandcourageshownbyMurray,myordenado
orderly,whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Wornwithpain,andweakfromtheprolongedhardshipswhichIhad
sufrido
undergone,Iwasremoved,withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tothebasehospitalatPeshawar.HereIrallied,andhadalready
mejorado
improvedsofarastobeabletowalkaboutthewards,andeventobaskalittleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmylifewasdespairedof,andwhenatlastIcametomyselfandbecameconvalescent,Iwassoweakandemaciatedthatamedicalboard
determinó
determinedthatnotadayshouldbelostinsendingmebacktoEngland.Iwas
enviado
dispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthenextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.Ihadneitherkithnor
parientes
kininEngland,andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfreeasanincomeofelevenshillingsandsixpenceadaywillpermitirá
permitamantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,I
naturalmente
naturallygravitatedtoLondon,thatgreatcesspoolintowhichalltheloungersandidlersoftheEmpireareirresistiblydrained.ThereIstayedforsometimeataprivatehotelintheStrand,leadingacomfortless,
sin sentido
meaninglessexistence,andspendingsuchmoneyasIhad,considerablemente
considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarmingdidthestateofmyfinancesbecome,thatIsoonrealizedthatImusteitherleavethe
metrópolis
metropolisandrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,orthatImustmakeacompletealterationinmystyleofliving.Choosingthelatter
alternativa
alternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtoleavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretencioso
pretentiousandlessexpensivedomicile.OntheverydaythatIhadcometothis
conclusión
conclusion,IwasstandingattheCriterionBar,whensomeonetappedmeontheshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedyoungStamford,whohadbeenavestidor
dresserundermeatBarts.Thesightofafriendlyfaceinthegreat
desierto
wildernessofLondonisaagradable
pleasantthingindeedtoalonelyman.InolddaysStamfordhadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmine,butnowIhailedhimwith
entusiasmo
enthusiasm,andhe,inhisturn,appearedtobedelightedtoseeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,IaskedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,andwestartedofftogetherinahansom.
“Whateverhaveyoubeendoingwithyourself,Watson?”
heaskedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledthroughthecrowdedLondonstreets.
“Youareasthinasalathandasbrownasanut.”
Igavehimashort
boceto
sketchofmyadventures,andhadhardlyconcluido
concludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestino
destination.“Poordevil!”
hesaid,commiseratingly,afterhehadlistenedtomymisfortunes.
“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”Ianswered.
“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritispossibletogetcomfortableroomsatareasonableprice.”
“That’sastrangething,”
comentó
remarkedmycompanion;“youarethesecondmanto-daythathasusedthat
expresión
expressiontome.”“Andwhowasthefirst?”
Iasked.
“Afellowwhoisworkingatthe
químico
chemicallaboratoryupatthehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthismorningbecausehecouldnotgetsomeonetogohalveswithhiminsomeniceroomswhichhehadfound,andwhichweretoomuchforhispurse.”
“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhereallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsandthe
gastos
expense,Iamtheverymanforhim.Ishouldpreferhavingapartnertobeingalone.”
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeoverhiswine-glass.
“Youdon’tknowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesaid;
“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimasaconstantcompanion.”
“Why,whatisthereagainsthim?”
“Oh,Ididn’tsaytherewasanythingagainsthim.
Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasIknowheisadecentfellowenough.”
“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
saidI.
“No—Ihavenoideawhatheintendstogoinfor.
Ibelieveheiswellupin
anatomía
anatomy,andheisafirst-classquímico
chemist;but,asfarasIknow,hehasnevertakenoutanysystematicmedicalclasses.
Hisstudiesareverydesultoryandeccentric,buthehasamassedalotofout-of-thewayknowledgewhichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”
“Didyouneveraskhimwhathewasgoinginfor?”
Iasked.
“No;
heisnotamanthatitiseasytodrawout,thoughhecanbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancy
apodera
seizeshim.”“Ishouldliketomeethim,”Isaid.
“IfIamtolodgewithanyone,Ishouldpreferamanofstudiousandquiethabits.
Iamnotstrongenoughyettostandmuchnoiseor
emoción
excitement.IhadenoughofbothinAfghanistantolastmeforthe
resto
remainderofmynaturalexistence.HowcouldImeetthisfriendofyours?”
“Heissuretobeatthelaboratory,”returnedmycompanion.
“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,orelseheworkstherefrommorningtonight.
Ifyoulike,weshalldriveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”
“Certainly,”Ianswered,andtheconversationdriftedawayintootherchannels.
AswemadeourwaytothehospitalafterleavingtheHolborn,StamfordgavemeafewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomI
propuse
proposedtotakeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’tgetonwithhim,”hesaid;
“IknownothingmoreofhimthanIhavelearnedfrommeetinghim
ocasionalmente
occasionallyinthelaboratory.You
propuso
proposedthisarrangement,soyoumustnotholdmeresponsible.”“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbeeasytopartcompany,”Ianswered.
“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhavesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.
Isthisfellow’s
temperamento
tempersoformidable,orwhatisit?Don’tbemealy-mouthedaboutit.”
“Itisnoteasytoexpresstheinexpressible,”heansweredwithalaugh.
“Holmesisalittletoo
científico
scientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.Icouldimaginehisgivingafriendalittlepinchofthelatest
vegetal
vegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youunderstand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinvestigación
inquiryinordertohaveanexacta
accurateideaoftheeffects.Todohimjustice,Ithinkthathewouldtakeithimselfwiththesamereadiness.
Heappearstohaveapassionfor
definido
definiteandexactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,butitmaybepushedto
exceso
excess.Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomswithastick,itiscertainlytakingratherabizarreshape.”
“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,to
verificar
verifyhowfarbruisesmaybeproducir
producedafterdeath.Isawhimatitwithmyowneyes.”
“Andyetyousayheisnotamedicalstudent?”
“No.
Heavenknowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.
Buthereweare,andyoumustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”
Ashespoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneandpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoawingofthegreathospital.
Itwasfamiliargroundtome,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseandmadeourwaydownthelong
corredor
corridorwithitsvistaofwhitewashedwallanddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurtherendalow
arqueado
archedpassagebranchedawayfromitandledtothequímico
chemicallaboratory.Thiswasaloftychamber,linedandlitteredwith
innumerables
countlessbottles.Broad,lowtableswerescatteredabout,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickering
llamas
flames.Therewasonlyonestudentintheroom,whowasbendingovera
distante
distanttableabsorbedinhiswork.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedroundandsprangtohisfeetwithacryofpleasure.
“I’vefoundit!
I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishand.
“Ihavefoundare-agentwhichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,andbynothingelse.”
Hadhe
descubierto
discoveredagoldmine,greaterdeleite
delightcouldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”saidStamford,introducingus.
“Howareyou?”
hesaidcordially,grippingmyhandwithastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyhavegivenhimcredit.
“YouhavebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”
“Howonearthdidyouknowthat?”
Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”saidhe,chucklingtohimself.
“Thequestionnowisabouthæmoglobin.
Nodoubtyouseethe
significado
significanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”Ianswered,“butpractically——”.
“Why,man,itisthemost
práctico
practicalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.Don’tyouseethatitgivesusaninfallibletestforbloodstains.
Comeoverherenow!”
He
agarró
seizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,anddrewmeovertothetableatwhichhehadbeenworking.“Letushavesomefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingalongbodkinintohisfinger,anddrawingofftheresultingdropofbloodina
química
chemicalpipette.“Now,Iaddthissmallquantityofbloodtoalitreofwater.
You
percibe
perceivethattheresultingmixturehastheapariencia
appearanceofpurewater.The
proporción
proportionofbloodcannotbemorethanoneinamillion.Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeableto
obtener
obtainthecharacteristicreaction.”Ashespoke,hethrewintothe
recipiente
vesselafewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofatransparente
transparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahogany
color
colour,andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,
aplaudió
clappinghishands,andlookingasdelightedasachildwithanewtoy.“Whatdoyouthinkofthat?”
“Itseemstobeaverydelicatetest,”I
comenté
remarked.“Beautiful!
beautiful!
TheoldGuiacumtestwasvery
torpe
clumsyanduncertain.Soisthemicroscopic
examen
examinationforbloodcorpuscles.The
último
latterisvaluelessifthestainsareafewhoursold.Now,thisappearstoactaswellwhetherthebloodisoldornew.
Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmennowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlongagohavepaidthe
pena
penaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesare
continuamente
continuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.Amanissuspectedofacrimemonthsperhapsafterithasbeencommitted.
Hislinenorclothesareexamined,andbrownishstains
descubren
discovereduponthem.Aretheybloodstains,or
barro
mudstains,orruststains,orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?Thatisaquestionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,andwhy?
Becausetherewasno
confiable
reliabletest.NowwehavetheSherlockHolmes’test,andtherewillnolongerbeanydifficulty.”
Hiseyes
bastante
fairlyglitteredashespoke,andheputhishandoverhisheartandbowedasiftosomeaplaudiendo
applaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”I
comenté
remarked,considerablysurprisedathisentusiasmo
enthusiasm.“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfortlastyear.
Hewouldcertainlyhavebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.
ThentherewasMasonofBradford,andthe
notorio
notoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,andSamsonofNewOrleans.Icouldnameascoreofcasesinwhichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”
“Youseemtobeawalking
calendario
calendarofcrime,”saidStamfordwithalaugh.“Youmightstartapaperonthoselines.
Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingitmightbemade,too,”
comentó
remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingasmallpieceofyeso
plasterovertheprickonhisfinger.“Ihavetobecareful,”hecontinued,turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblewithpoisonsagooddeal.”
Heheldouthishandashespoke,andInoticedthatitwasallmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesof
yeso
plaster,anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“Wecamehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sittingdownonahighthree-legged
taburete
stool,andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionwithhisfoot.“Myfriendherewantstotakediggings,andasyouwere
quejabas
complainingthatyoucouldgetnoonetogohalveswithyou,IthoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”SherlockHolmesseemeddelightedattheideaofsharinghisroomswithme.
“Ihavemyeyeona
suite
suiteinBakerStreet,”hesaid,“whichwouldsuitusdowntotheground.Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrong
tabaco
tobacco,Ihope?”“Ialwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Ianswered.
“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerallyhavechemicalsabout,and
ocasionalmente
occasionallydoexperiments.Wouldthat
molestaría
annoyyou?”“Bynomeans.”
“Letmesee—whataremyothershortcomings.
Igetinthedumpsattimes,anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.
YoumustnotthinkIamsulkywhenIdothat.
Justletmealone,andI’llsoonberight.
Whathaveyouto
confesar
confessnow?It’sjustaswellfortwofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherbeforetheybegintolivetogether.”
Ilaughedatthiscross-examination.
“Ikeepabullpup,”Isaid,“andIobjecttorowsbecausemynervesareshaken,andIgetupatallsortsofungodlyhours,andIamextremely
perezoso
lazy.IhaveanothersetofviceswhenI’mwell,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”
“Doyou
incluye
includeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”heasked,anxiously.
“Itdependsontheplayer,”Ianswered.
“Awell-played
violín
violinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,withamerrylaugh.
“Ithinkwemayconsiderthethingassettled—thatis,iftheroomsareagreeabletoyou.”
“Whenshallweseethem?”
“Callformehereat
mediodía
noonto-morrow,andwe’llgotogetherandsettleeverything,”heanswered.“Allright—noonexactly,”saidI,shakinghishand.
Welefthimworkingamonghischemicals,andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.
“Bytheway,”Iaskedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidheknowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”
Mycompanionsmiledanenigmaticalsmile.
“That’sjusthislittlepeculiarity,”hesaid.
“Agoodmanypeoplehavewantedtoknowhowhefindsthingsout.”
“Oh!
amysteryisit?”
Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisisverypiquant.
Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingustogether.
‘Theproperstudyof
humanidad
mankindisman,’youknow.”“Youmuststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsaid,ashebademegood-bye.
“You’llfindhimaknottyproblem,though.
I’ll
apuesto
wagerhelearnsmoreaboutyouthanyouabouthim.Good-bye.”
Capítulo
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.