Story Night 1023

Chapter1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes In the year 1878,I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine in the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course arranged for doctors in the army. My regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out. So I was sent to Afghanistan ,and we advanced deep into the enemy’s country. There I was struck on the shoulder by a bullet, which shattered the bone. I was shipped home, and landed a month later at Portsmouth harbor, with my health permanently ruined. With permission from a caring government, I spent the next 9 months in attempting to improve my health. I naturally settled in London.So alarming did the state of my finances become that I soon realized that I must either leave the city and move to the country, or make a complete change in my style of living. On the very day that I had come to this conclusion, I was standing at the Criterion Bar, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. After turning round,I recognized young Stamford, an old friend of mine. The sight of a friendly face in the great wilderness of London is a pleasant thing indeed to a lonely man. I felt so relieved and happy that I asked him to lunch with me at the Holborn, and we started off together in a cab. During our lunch, Stamford asked, ”What are you up to now?” “Looking for somewhere to live,”I answered.”Trying to solve the problem of whether it is possible to get comfortable rooms at a reasonable price.” “That’s a strange thing,”remarked my companion,”you are the second man today that has used that expression to me.” “And who was the first?”I asked. “A fellow who is working at the chemical laboratory up at the hospital.He was complaining this morning because he could not get someone to share some nice rooms which he had found,and which were too expensive to rent on his own.” “Really!”I cried,”If he really wants someone to share the rooms and the expense,I am the very man for him.I should prefer having a partner to being alone.” Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wine-glasses.”You don’t know Sherlock Holmes yet,”he said,”perhaps you would not care for him as a constant companion.” “Why,what is there against him?” “Oh,I didn’t say there was anything against him.He is a little odd in some of his ideas-an enthusiast in some branches of science.As far as I know he is a decent enough fellow.” “A medical student,I suppose?”said I. “No.I have no idea what he intends to do as a career.I believe he know a lot about anatomy,and he is a first-class chemist.But,as far as I know,he was never taken any regular medical classes.His studies are very strange,but he has collected a lot of unusual knowledge which would astonish his professors.” “Did you never ask him what his planned career was?”I asked. “No.It’s not easy to get him talking,though he can communicate very well when he wants to.” “I should like to meet him,”I said.”If I am to share rooms with anyone,I should prefer a man who likes to study and has quiet habits.I am not strong enough yet to stand much noise or excitement.I had enough of both in Afghanistan to last me for the rest of my life.How could I meet this friend of yours?” “He is sure to be at the laboratory,”returned my companion.”If you like,we can drive round together after lunch.” “Certainly,”I answered,and the conversation drifted away to other subjects. As we went to the hospital after leaving the Holborn,Stamford gave me a few more details about the gentleman with whom I might be sharing rooms. “You mustn’t blame me if you don’t get on with him,”he said,”I know nothing more of him than I have learned from meeting him occasionally in the laboratory.You suggested this arrangement,so you must not hold me responsible.” “If we don’t get on,it will be easy to separate,”I answered,”It seems to me,Stamford,”I added,looking hard at my companion,”that you have some reason for washing your hands of the matter.Is this fellow’s temper so formidable,or what is it?Please tell me frankly.” “It’s not easy to put into words,”he answered with a laugh.”Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes—almost cold-blooded.I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch of some drug he had discovered,not out of ill-will,you understand,but simply out of a spirit of inquiry—in order to have an accurate idea of the effects.To be fair,I think that he would be equally prepared to take it himself.He appears to have a passion for definite and exact knowledge.” “Very right too.” “Yes,but it may be pushed to excess.When it comes to beating the bodies in the dissecting-rooms with a stick,it is certainly taking rather a strange shape.” “Beating the bodies!” “Yes,to find out what extend bruises may be produced after death.I saw him doing it with my own eyes.” “And yet you say he is not a medical student?” “No.I have no idea what he is studying.But here we are,and you must form your own impressions about him.”As he spoke,we turned down a narrow lane and passed through a small side-door,which opened into the wing of the great hospital.It was familiar ground to me,and I needed no guiding as we climbed the bleak stone staircase and made our way down the long corridor with its view of whitewashed walls and brownish doors.Near the far end,a low passage branched away from it and led to the chemical laboratory. There was only one student in the room,who was bending over a table,intensely focused on his work.At the sound of our steps,he glanced round and sprang to his feet with a cry of pleasure. “I’ve found it!I’ve found it!”he shouted to my companion,running towards us with a test-tube in his hand.”I’ve found a reagent which is precipitated by hemoglobin,and by nothing else.”He could not have been more delighted if he had discovered a gold mine. “Dr.Watson,Mr.Sherlock Holmes,”said Stamford,introducing us. “How are you?”he said kindly,shaking my hand with unbelievable strength.”You have been in Afghanistan,I observe.” “How on earth did you know that?”I asked in shock. “Never mind,”said he,laughing to himself.”The question now is about hemoglobin.No doubt you see the significance of this discovery of mine?” “It is interesting,chmically,no doubt.”I answered,”but practically--” “Well,man,it is the most practical medico-legal discovery for years.Don’t you see that it gives us an infallible test for blood stains.Come over here now!”He seized me by the coat-sleeve in his eagerness,and drew me over to the table at which he had been working.”Let us have some fresh blood,”he said,sticking a long needle into his finger.”Now,I add this small quantity of blood to a litre of water.You can see that the resulting mixture looks like pure water.The proportion of blood cannot be more than one in a million.But look now!”As he spoke,he threw into the water a few white crystals,and then added some drops of a transparent liquid.In an instant the contents turned a reddish-brown color,and a brownish dust was precipitated to the bottom of the glass jar. “Ha!ha!”he cried,clapping his hands,and looking as delighted as a child with a new toy.”What do you think of that?” “It seems to be a very sensitive test.”I remarked. “Beautiful!Beautiful!The old guaiacum test was very clumsy and uncertain.So is the microscopic for blood cells.The latter is also useless if the stains are even a few hours old.Now,this appears to act as well whether the blood is old or new.If this test had been invented,there are hundreds of men now walking the earth who would long ago have paid the penalty of their crimes.” “Indeed!”I murmured. “Criminal cases often depend upon that one point.A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed.His clothes are examined,and brownish stains discovered upon them.Are they blood stains,or mud stains,or rust stains,or fruit stains,or what are they?That is a question which has puzzled many an expert,and why?Because there was no reliable test.Now we have the Sherlock Holmes’test,and there will no longer be any difficulty.” His eyes fairly glittered as he spoke,and he put his hand over his heart and bowed as if to some applauding crowd created by his imagination. “You are to be congratulated,”I remarked,considerably surprised at his enthusiasm. “There was the case of Von Bischoff at the Frankfort last year.He would certainly have been hung if this test had been in existence.Then there was Mason of Bradford,and the notorious Muller,and Lefevre of Montpellier,and Samson of New Orleans.I could name twenty cases,or more,in which this test would have decided the result.” “You seem to be a walking calender of crime,”said Stamford with a laugh.”You might start a paper on those lines.Call it the’Police News of the Past’.” “It might make very interesting reading,too.”remarked Sherlock Holmes,sticking a small bandage over the place where his finger was bleeding.”I have to be careful,”he continued,turning to me with a smile,”for I experiment with poisons a good deal.”He held out his hand as he spoke,and I noticed that it was covered with similar bandages. “We came here on business,”said Stamford,turning to Sherlock Holmes.”My friend here is looking for somewhere to live,and as you were complaining that you could get no one to share rooms with you,I thought that I had better bring you together.” Sherlock Holmes seemed delighted at the idea of sharing his rooms with me.”I have my eye on an apartment in Baker Street,”he said,”which would suit us perfectly.You don’t mind the smell of strong tobacco,I hope?” “I am a pipe smoker myself.”I answered. “That’s good enough.I generally have chemicals everywhere,and occasionally do experiments.Would that bother you?” “Not at all.” “Let me see—what my other faults are,I get very withdrawn at times,and don’t open my mouth for days.You must not think I am angry at you when I do that.Just leave me alone,and I’ll soon be all right.What have you to confess now?It’s just as well for two people to know the worst of one another before they begin to live together.” I laughed at this cross examination.”I keep a small dog,”I said,”and I object to noise because my nerves are shaken,and I get up at all sorts of strange hours,and I am extremely lazy.I have another set of faults when I am well,but those are the main ones at present.” “Do you include violin-playing in your category of noise?”he asked,anxiously. “It depends on the player,”I answered,”A well-played violin is a treat for the gods—a badly-played one--” “Oh,that’s all right,”he cried,with a happy laugh.”I think we may consider the thing as settled—that is,if the rooms are acceptable to you.” “When shall we see them?” “Call for me here at noon tomorrow,and we’ll go together and settle everything,”he answered. “All right—noon exactly,”said I,shaking his hand. We left him working among his chemicals,and we walked together towards my hotel. “By the way,”I asked suddenly,stopping and turning upon Stamford,”how did he know that I had come from Afghanistan?” My companion smiled.”That’s just his special little talent,”he said.”Many people have wanted to know how he finds things out.” “Oh!A mystery is it?”I cried,rubbing my hands.”This is very interesting.I am very grateful to you for bringing us together.Good-bye.”I said,and walked into my hotel,considerably in my new acquaintance.