CHAPTERI.MR.SHERLOCKHOLMES.
In
den
theyear1878ItookmydegreeofDoctorofMedicineofden
theUniversityofLondon,andproceededtoNetleytogothroughden
thecourseprescribedforsurgeonsinden
thearmy.Havingcompletedmystudies
där
there,IwasdulyattachedtotheFifthNorthumberlandFusiliersasAssistantSurgeon.TheregimentwasstationedinIndiaatthe
tiden
time,andbeforeIcouldjoinit,theandra
secondAfghanwarhadbrokenut
out.OnlandingatBombay,Ilearned
att
thatmycorpshadadvancedgenom
throughthepasses,andwasredan
alreadydeepintheenemy’sland
country.Ifollowed,however,with
många
manyotherofficerswhowereinthesamma
samesituationasmyself,andsucceededinreachingCandaharinsafety,där
whereIfoundmyregiment,och
andatonceentereduponmynya
newduties.Thecampaignbroughthonours
och
andpromotiontomany,butformeithadinget
nothingbutmisfortuneanddisaster.Iwasremovedfrommybrigade
och
andattachedtotheBerkshires,med
withwhomIservedatdet
thefatalbattleofMaiwand.ThereIwasstruckontheshoulderby
en
aJezailbullet,whichshatteredtheboneoch
andgrazedthesubclavianartery.Ishould
ha
havefallenintothehandsofthemurderousGhazishaditnotbeenforthedevotionoch
andcourageshownbyMurray,myorderly,som
whothrewmeacrossapack-horse,och
andsucceededinbringingmesafelytotheBritishlines.Worn
med
withpain,andweakfromde
theprolongedhardshipswhichIhade
hadundergone,Iwasremoved,med
withagreattrainofwoundedsufferers,tode
thebasehospitalatPeshawar.Här
HereIrallied,andhadredan
alreadyimprovedsofarastobekunde
abletowalkaboutthewards,och
andeventobaskalite
littleupontheverandah,whenIwasstruckdownbyentericfever,thatcurseofourIndianpossessions.Formonthsmy
liv
lifewasdespairedof,andnär
whenatlastIcametomyselfoch
andbecameconvalescent,Iwassoweakoch
andemaciatedthatamedicalboarddeterminedthatnoten
adayshouldbelostinskicka
sendingmebacktoEngland.Iwasdispatched,accordingly,inthetroopship“Orontes,”
och
andlandedamonthlateronPortsmouthjetty,med
withmyhealthirretrievablyruined,men
butwithpermissionfromapaternalgovernmenttospendthekommande
nextninemonthsinattemptingtoimproveit.I
hade
hadneitherkithnorkininEngland,och
andwasthereforeasfreeasair—orasfri
freeasanincomeofelevenshillingsoch
andsixpenceadaywillpermitaman
mantobe.Undersuchcircumstances,InaturallygravitatedtoLondon,that
stora
greatcesspoolintowhichallden
theloungersandidlersofden
theEmpireareirresistiblydrained.Där
ThereIstayedforsometid
timeataprivatehotelinde
theStrand,leadingacomfortless,meaninglessexistence,och
andspendingsuchmoneyasIhade
had,considerablymorefreelythanIought.Soalarming
göra
didthestateofmyfinancesblev
become,thatIsoonrealizedatt
thatImusteitherleavethemetropolisoch
andrusticatesomewhereinthecountry,eller
orthatImustmakeen
acompletealterationinmystyleofliving.Choosing
det
thelatteralternative,Ibeganbymakingupmymindtolämna
leavethehotel,andtotakeupmyquartersinsomelesspretentiousoch
andlessexpensivedomicile.On
den
theverydaythatIhade
hadcometothisconclusion,Iwasstod
standingattheCriterionBar,när
whensomeonetappedmeonden
theshoulder,andturningroundIrecognizedunge
youngStamford,whohadbeenadresserunder
undermeatBarts.Thesightofafriendly
ansikte
faceinthegreatwildernessofLondonisapleasantsak
thingindeedtoalonelyman
man.InolddaysStamford
hade
hadneverbeenaparticularcronyofmin
mine,butnowIhailedhimmed
withenthusiasm,andhe,inhissin tur
turn,appearedtobedelightedtose
seeme.Intheexuberanceofmyjoy,I
bad
askedhimtolunchwithmeattheHolborn,och
andwestartedofftogetherinen
ahansom.“Whateverhaveyoubeen
gjort
doingwithyourself,Watson?”he
frågade
askedinundisguisedwonder,aswerattledgenom
throughthecrowdedLondonstreets.“Youareasthinas
en
alathandasbrownasen
anut.”Igavehim
en
ashortsketchofmyadventures,och
andhadhardlyconcludeditbythetimethatwereachedourdestination.“Poordevil!”
he
sa
said,commiseratingly,afterhehadlyssnat
listenedtomymisfortunes.“Whatareyouuptonow?”
“Lookingforlodgings,”I
svarade
answered.“Tryingtosolvetheproblemastowhetheritis
möjligt
possibletogetcomfortableroomsatett
areasonableprice.”“That’sastrangething,”remarkedmycompanion;
“youarethe
andra
secondmanto-daythathasusedsom
thatexpressiontome.”“And
vem
whowasthefirst?”I
frågade
asked.“Afellowwhoisworkingat
det
thechemicallaboratoryupatdet
thehospital.Hewasbemoaninghimselfthis
morse
morningbecausehecouldnotfå
getsomeonetogohalvesmed
withhiminsomeniceroomssom
whichhehadfound,andsom
whichweretoomuchforhispurse.”“ByJove!”
Icried,“ifhe
verkligen
reallywantssomeonetosharetheroomsoch
andtheexpense,Iamtheverymannen
manforhim.Ishouldprefer
ha
havingapartnertobeingalone.”Unge
YoungStamfordlookedratherstrangelyatmeöver
overhiswine-glass.“Youdon’t
känner
knowSherlockHolmesyet,”hesa
said;“perhapsyouwouldnotcareforhimas
en
aconstantcompanion.”“Why,whatis
det
thereagainsthim?”“Oh,Ididn’t
sa
saytherewasanythingagainsthonom
him.Heisalittlequeerinhisideas—anenthusiastinsomebranchesofscience.
AsfarasI
vet
knowheisadecentfellowenough.”“Amedicalstudent,Isuppose?”
sa
saidI.“No—Ihaveno
aning om
ideawhatheintendstogoinfor.I
tror
believeheiswellupinanatomy,och
andheisafirst-classchemist;men
but,asfarasIvet
know,hehasnevertakenoutnågra
anysystematicmedicalclasses.Hisstudiesareverydesultory
och
andeccentric,buthehasamasseden
alotofout-of-thewayknowledgesom
whichwouldastonishhisprofessors.”“Didyou
aldrig
neveraskhimwhathewasåka
goinginfor?”Iasked.
“No;
heisnot
en
amanthatitislätt
easytodrawout,thoughhekan
canbecommunicativeenoughwhenthefancyseizeshim.”“Ishouldliketo
träffa
meethim,”Isaid.“IfIamtolodge
med
withanyone,Ishouldpreferen
amanofstudiousandtysta
quiethabits.Iamnotstrong
nog
enoughyettostandmuchnoiseeller
orexcitement.Ihadenoughof
båda
bothinAfghanistantolastmefortheremainderofmynaturalexistence.Hur
HowcouldImeetthisvän
friendofyours?”“Heis
säker
suretobeatthelaboratory,”återvände
returnedmycompanion.“Heeitheravoidstheplaceforweeks,
eller
orelseheworkstherefrommorgon
morningtonight.Ifyoulike,weshall
köra
driveroundtogetherafterluncheon.”“Certainly,”I
svarade
answered,andtheconversationdriftedbort
awayintootherchannels.Aswemadeour
väg
waytothehospitalafterlämnat
leavingtheHolborn,Stamfordgavemeanågra
fewmoreparticularsaboutthegentlemanwhomIproposedtota
takeasafellow-lodger.“Youmustn’tblamemeifyoudon’t
får
getonwithhim,”hesa
said;“Iknownothingmoreofhim
än
thanIhavelearnedfromträffa
meetinghimoccasionallyinthelaboratory.Youproposed
här
thisarrangement,soyoumustnothålla
holdmeresponsible.”“Ifwedon’tgetonitwillbe
lätt
easytopartcompany,”Isvarade
answered.“Itseemstome,Stamford,”Iadded,
tittade
lookinghardatmycompanion,“thatyouhar
havesomereasonforwashingyourhandsofthematter.Is
här
thisfellow’stempersoformidable,eller
orwhatisit?Don’tbemealy-mouthed
om
aboutit.”“Itisnot
lätt
easytoexpresstheinexpressible,”hesvarade
answeredwithalaugh.“Holmesisa
lite
littletooscientificformytastes—itapproachestocold-bloodedness.I
kan
couldimaginehisgivingavän
friendalittlepinchofden
thelatestvegetablealkaloid,notoutofmalevolence,youförstår
understand,butsimplyoutofaspiritofinquiryinordertohaveanaccurateideaofden
theeffects.Todohimjustice,I
tror
thinkthathewouldtakeithimselfmed
withthesamereadiness.Heappearsto
ha
haveapassionfordefiniteoch
andexactknowledge.”“Veryrighttoo.”
“Yes,
men
butitmaybepushedtoexcess.När
Whenitcomestobeatingthesubjectsinthedissecting-roomsmed
withastick,itiscertainlytar
takingratherabizarreshape.”“Beatingthesubjects!”
“Yes,toverifyhowfarbruises
kan
maybeproducedafterdeath.I
såg
sawhimatitwithmyegna
owneyes.”“Andyetyou
säger
sayheisnotamedicalstudent?”“No.
Heaven
vet
knowswhattheobjectsofhisstudiesare.Men
Buthereweare,andyoumåste
mustformyourownimpressionsabouthim.”Ashe
talade
spoke,weturneddownanarrowlaneoch
andpassedthroughasmallside-door,whichopenedintoen
awingofthegreathospital.Itwasfamiliargroundto
mig
me,andIneedednoguidingasweascendedthebleakstonestaircaseoch
andmadeourwaydownthelongcorridormed
withitsvistaofwhitewashedwalloch
anddun-coloureddoors.Nearthefurther
änden
endalowarchedpassagebranchedbort
awayfromitandledtothechemicallaboratory.Detta
Thiswasaloftychamber,linedoch
andlitteredwithcountlessbottles.Broad,lowtableswerescattered
om
about,whichbristledwithretorts,test-tubes,och
andlittleBunsenlamps,withtheirblueflickeringflames.Therewas
bara
onlyonestudentintherummet
room,whowasbendingoveradistanttableabsorbedinhisarbete
work.Atthesoundofourstepsheglancedround
och
andsprangtohisfeetmed
withacryofpleasure.“I’ve
hittat
foundit!I’vefoundit,”heshoutedtomycompanion,
sprang
runningtowardsuswithatest-tubeinhishanden
hand.“Ihavefoundare-agent
som
whichisprecipitatedbyhæmoglobin,och
andbynothingelse.”Hadhediscovered
en
agoldmine,greaterdelightkunnat
couldnothaveshoneuponhisfeatures.“Dr.
Watson,Mr.SherlockHolmes,”
sa
saidStamford,introducingus.“Howareyou?”
he
sa
saidcordially,grippingmyhandmed
withastrengthforwhichIshouldhardlyha
havegivenhimcredit.“You
har
havebeeninAfghanistan,Iperceive.”“Howonearthdidyou
visste
knowthat?”Iaskedinastonishment.
“Nevermind,”
sa
saidhe,chucklingtohimself.“Thequestion
nu
nowisabouthæmoglobin.Nodoubtyouseethesignificanceofthisdiscoveryofmine?”
“Itisinteresting,chemically,nodoubt,”I
svarade
answered,“butpractically——”.“Why,man,itisthe
mest
mostpracticalmedico-legaldiscoveryforyears.Don’tyou
ser
seethatitgivesusett
aninfallibletestforbloodstains.Kom
Comeoverherenow!”Heseizedmebythecoat-sleeveinhiseagerness,
och
anddrewmeovertothetableatdär
whichhehadbeenworking.“Letushave
lite
somefreshblood,”hesaid,diggingen
alongbodkinintohisfinger,och
anddrawingofftheresultingdropofblod
bloodinachemicalpipette.“Now,Iadd
här
thissmallquantityofbloodtoen
alitreofwater.Youperceive
att
thattheresultingmixturehasden
theappearanceofpurewater.Theproportionof
blod
bloodcannotbemorethanoneinamiljon
million.Ihavenodoubt,however,thatweshallbeabletoobtain
den
thecharacteristicreaction.”Ashe
talade
spoke,hethrewintothevesselen
afewwhitecrystals,andthenaddedsomedropsofen
atransparentfluid.Inaninstantthecontentsassumedadullmahoganycolour,
och
andabrownishdustwasprecipitatedtothebottomoftheglassjar.“Ha!
ha!”
hecried,clappinghishands,
och
andlookingasdelightedasabarn
childwithanewtoy.“Whatdoyou
tycker
thinkofthat?”“Itseemstobe
ett
averydelicatetest,”Iremarked.“Beautiful!
beautiful!
Det
TheoldGuiacumtestwasmycket
veryclumsyanduncertain.Sois
den
themicroscopicexaminationforbloodcorpuscles.Det
Thelatterisvaluelessifdet
thestainsareafewhoursgamla
old.Now,thisappearstoactas
bra
wellwhetherthebloodisoldeller
ornew.Hadthistestbeeninvented,therearehundredsofmen
nu
nowwalkingtheearthwhowouldlänge
longagohavepaidthepenaltyoftheircrimes.”“Indeed!”
Imurmured.
“Criminalcasesarecontinuallyhinginguponthatonepoint.
A
man
manissuspectedofacrimemonthskanske
perhapsafterithasbeencommitted.Hislinen
eller
orclothesareexamined,andbrownishstainsdiscoveredupondem
them.Aretheybloodstains,
eller
ormudstains,orruststains,eller
orfruitstains,orwhatarethey?Thatisa
fråga
questionwhichhaspuzzledmanyanexpert,och
andwhy?Becausetherewas
inte
noreliabletest.Nowwe
har
havetheSherlockHolmes’test,och
andtherewillnolongerbenågra
anydifficulty.”Hiseyesfairlyglitteredashe
talade
spoke,andheputhishand
handoverhisheartandbowedasom
iftosomeapplaudingcrowdconjuredupbyhisimagination.“Youaretobecongratulated,”Iremarked,considerablysurprisedathisenthusiasm.
“TherewasthecaseofVonBischoffatFrankfort
förra
lastyear.Hewouldcertainly
ha
havebeenhunghadthistestbeeninexistence.ThentherewasMasonofBradford,
och
andthenotoriousMuller,andLefevreofMontpellier,och
andSamsonofNewOrleans.I
kunna
couldnameascoreofcasesindär
whichitwouldhavebeendecisive.”“Youseemtobeawalkingcalendarofcrime,”
sa
saidStamfordwithalaugh.“You
kan
mightstartapaperondessa
thoselines.Callitthe‘PoliceNewsofthePast.’”.
“Veryinterestingreadingit
kan
mightbemade,too,”remarkedSherlockHolmes,stickingen
asmallpieceofplasteröver
overtheprickonhisfinger.“I
måste
havetobecareful,”hecontinued,vände
turningtomewithasmile,“forIdabblemed
withpoisonsagooddeal.”Heheld
ut
outhishandashetalade
spoke,andInoticedthatitwasallt
allmottledoverwithsimilarpiecesofplaster,och
anddiscolouredwithstrongacids.“We
kom
camehereonbusiness,”saidStamford,sitter
sittingdownonahighthree-leggedstool,och
andpushinganotheroneinmydirectionmed
withhisfoot.“Myfriend
här
herewantstotakediggings,och
andasyouwerecomplainingthatyoukunde
couldgetnoonetogå
gohalveswithyou,Itänkte
thoughtthatIhadbetterbringyoutogether.”SherlockHolmesseemeddelightedatthe
tanken
ideaofsharinghisroomsmed
withme.“Ihavemyeyeon
en
asuiteinBakerStreet,”hesa
said,“whichwouldsuitusner
downtotheground.Youdon’tmindthesmellofstrongtobacco,Ihope?”
“I
alltid
alwayssmoke‘ship’s’myself,”Isvarade
answered.“That’sgoodenough.
Igenerally
har
havechemicalsabout,andoccasionallygör
doexperiments.Wouldthatannoyyou?”
“By
inte
nomeans.”“Letmesee—whataremy
andra
othershortcomings.Igetinthedumpsattimes,
och
anddon’topenmymouthfordaysonend.Youmustnot
tro
thinkIamsulkywhenIgör
dothat.Justletme
ifred
alone,andI’llsoonberätt
right.Whathaveyoutoconfess
nu
now?It’sjustaswellfor
två
twofellowstoknowtheworstofoneanotherinnan
beforetheybegintolivetogether.”Ilaughedat
detta
thiscross-examination.“Ikeepabullpup,”I
sa
said,“andIobjecttorowseftersom
becausemynervesareshaken,och
andIgetupatalla
allsortsofungodlyhours,och
andIamextremelylazy.Ihaveanother
uppsättning
setofviceswhenI’mbra
well,butthosearetheprincipalonesatpresent.”“Doyouincludeviolin-playinginyourcategoryofrows?”
he
frågade
asked,anxiously.“Itdependsontheplayer,”I
svarade
answered.“Awell-playedviolinisatreatforthegods—abadly-playedone——”.
“Oh,that’sallright,”hecried,
med
withamerrylaugh.“I
tror
thinkwemayconsiderthesaken
thingassettled—thatis,ifdet
theroomsareagreeabletoyou.”“Whenshallwe
se
seethem?”“Callforme
hit
hereatnoonto-morrow,andwe’llgår
gotogetherandsettleeverything,”hesvarade
answered.“Allright—noonexactly,”said
Jag
I,shakinghishand.We
lämnade
lefthimworkingamonghischemicals,och
andwewalkedtogethertowardsmyhotel.“Bytheway,”I
frågade
askedsuddenly,stoppingandturninguponStamford,“howthedeucedidhevisste
knowthatIhadcomefromAfghanistan?”Mycompanionsmiled
ett
anenigmaticalsmile.“That’sjusthis
lilla
littlepeculiarity,”hesaid.“Agood
många
manypeoplehavewantedtoveta
knowhowhefindsthingsout.”“Oh!
ett
amysteryisit?”Icried,rubbingmyhands.
“Thisis
väldigt
verypiquant.Iammuchobligedtoyouforbringingus
samman
together.‘Theproperstudyofmankindisman,’youknow.”
“You
måste
muststudyhim,then,”Stamfordsa
said,ashebademegood-bye.“You’ll
hitta
findhimaknottyproblem,dock
though.I’llwagerhelearns
mer
moreaboutyouthanyouom
abouthim.Good-bye.”
CHAPTERII.THESCIENCEOFDEDUCTION.