Holmes: Hound of the Baskervilles (in English and Chinese) – 1 Mr. Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right">Mr. Sherlock Holmes</h1>

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > Mr. Sherlock Holmes</h1>

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind him the night before. It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed, of the sort which is known as a "Penang lawyer." Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch across. "To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.," was engraved upon it, with the date "1884." It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry -- dignified, solid, and reassuring.

Monsieur Sherlock Holmes sat at the table for breakfast, and apart from his frequent sleeplessness, he always got up late in the morning. I stood on the small rug in front of the fireplace and picked up the cane that guest had forgotten last night. It is a delicate and heavy cane with a knot on the top; this wood is produced in Penang and is called betel nut wood. Immediately below the top was a wide circle of silver hoops, about an inch wide. Inscribed on "To James Mortimus, Bachelor of Surgeons of the Royal College of Surgeons, C. Ｃ． Ｈ． Friends Give", also engraved with "1884". This is nothing more than a solemn, sturdy and practical cane commonly used by old-fashioned private doctors.

"Well, Watson, what do you make of it?"

"Ah, Watson, what do you think of it?"

Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation.

Holmes was sitting there with his back to me, and I thought I hadn't noticed that I was fiddling with my cane.

"How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head."

"How do you know what I'm doing?" I think you must have had eyes on the back of your head. ”

"I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me," said he. "But, tell me, Watson, what do you make of our visitor's stick?

"At least I have a polished silver-plated coffee pot in front of my eyes." He said, "But, Watson, tell me, what do you think of our guest's cane?"

Since we have been so unfortunate as to miss him and have no notion of his errand, this accidental souvenir becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct the man by an examination of it."

Unfortunately, we did not meet him and did not know the purpose of his coming, so this unexpected souvenir became even more important. After you've examined it carefully, describe this person to me. ”

"I think," said I, following as far as I could the methods of my companion, "that Dr. Mortimer is a successful, elderly medical man, well-esteemed since those who know him give him this mark of their appreciation."

"I suppose," I tried to follow the reasoning method of my partner, "that from the souvenir that people who knew him gave him as a sign of respect, Dr. Mortimer was a well-established, older man of the medical profession, and very respected. ”

"Good!" said Holmes. "Excellent!"

"Wow!" Holmes said, "Great! ”

"I think also that the probability is in favour of his being a country practitioner who does a great deal of his visiting on foot."

"I also think he's probably a doctor practicing medicine in the countryside, and he's mostly on foot when he goes out."

"Why so?"

"Why?"

"Because this stick, though originally a very handsome one has been so knocked about that I can hardly imagine a town practitioner carrying it. The thick-iron ferrule is worn down, so it is evident that he has done a great amount of walking with it."

"Because this cane, though beautiful, has been bumped so badly that it is hard to imagine a doctor practicing medicine in the city still holding it." The thick iron bale on the lower end had been worn so badly that it was clear that he had traveled a lot with it. ”

"Perfectly sound!" said Holmes.

"Exactly!" Holmes said.

"And then again, there is the 'friends of the C.C.H.' I should guess that to be the Something Hunt, the local hunt to whose members he has possibly given some surgical assistance, and which has made him a small presentation in return."

"Also, it was inscribed 'Friends of C.C.H.', which, I suppose, was probably referring to a hunter's guild; he probably had done some surgical treatment for the members of the local hunter's society, and that's why they gave him this little gift in return."

"Really, Watson, you excel yourself," said Holmes, pushing back his chair and lighting a cigarette. "I am bound to say that in all the accounts which you have been so good as to give of my own small achievements you have habitually underrated your own abilities. It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it. I confess, my dear fellow, that I am very much in your debt."

"Watson, you have grown a great deal," said Holmes, pushing his chair back and lighting a cigarette, "I cannot but say that in all the accounts you have whisently written for my little achievements, you have become accustomed to underestimating your own abilities. Maybe you can't emit light by yourself, but you are the conductor of light. Some people have no genius per se, but they have considerable power to inspire genius. I confess, dear partner, I am so grateful to you. ”

He had never said as much before, and I must admit that his words gave me keen pleasure, for I had often been piqued by his indifference to my admiration and to the attempts which I had made to give publicity to his methods. I was proud, too, to think that I had so far mastered his system as to apply it in a way which earned his approval. He now took the stick from my hands and examined it for a few minutes with his naked eyes. Then with an expression of interest he laid down his cigarette, and carrying the cane to the window, he looked over it again with a convex lens.

He had never said so many words before, and admittedly his words gave me great satisfaction. Because in the past he had often ignored my admiration for him and his attempts to make his reasoning public, which hurt my self-esteem. And now that I have mastered his method and applied it in practice, I have also received his approval, and I am very proud to think of this. Now he took the cane from my hand, examined it with his eyes for a few minutes, then put down the paper cigarette with a very interested look, took the cane to the window and examined it carefully with a magnifying glass.

"Interesting, though elementary," said he as he returned to his favourite corner of the settee. "There are certainly one or two indications upon the stick. It gives us the basis for several deductions."

"It's simple, but it's funny," he said, and he sat down again at the end of his favorite bench, "and there are indeed one or two places on the cane that tell the story." It gives us a basis for our inferences. ”

"Has anything escaped me?" I asked with some self-importance. "I trust that there is nothing of consequence which I have overlooked?"

"Did I miss something?" I asked, somewhat conceitedly, "I'm sure I didn't ignore the big points." ”

"I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions were erroneous. When I said that you stimulated me I meant, to be frank, that in noting your fallacies I was occasionally guided towards the truth. Not that you are entirely wrong in this instance. The man is certainly a country practitioner. And he walks a good deal."

"Dear Watson, I'm afraid that most of your conclusions are wrong! Frankly, when I say that you inspire me, I mean that while I point out your fallacies, they often lead me to the truth. But that's not to say you're completely wrong this time. The man must have been a doctor practicing medicine in the countryside, and he did walk a lot. ”

"Then I was right."

"Well, my guess is correct."

"To that extent."

"And that's just the point."

"But that was all."

"But that's the whole truth."

"No, no, my dear Watson, not all -- by no means all. I would suggest, for example, that a presentation to a doctor is more likely to come from a hospital than from a hunt, and that when the initials 'C.C.' are placed before that hospital the words 'Charing Cross' very naturally suggest themselves."

"No, no, my dear Watson, not all—not all. I would like to propose, for example, that this gift to this doctor is not so much from the Hunters' Society as from a hospital; since the two words 'C.C.' precede the word 'hospital'. Therefore, it is natural to think of the word Charring Cross. ”

"You may be right."

"Maybe you're right."

"The probability lies in that direction. And if we take this as a working hypothesis we have a fresh basis from which to start our construction of this unknown visitor."

"Probably so. If we take this as a valid hypothesis, then we have a new basis. From this basis, the unknown visitor can be depicted. ”

"Well, then, supposing that 'C.C.H.' does stand for 'Charing Cross Hospital,' what further inferences may we draw?"

"Okay! Assuming that 'C.C.H.' refers to Charing Cross Hospital, what further conclusions can we draw? ”

"Do none suggest themselves? You know my methods. Apply them!"

"Isn't there a point where that can be said?" Now that you know my method, then apply it! ”

"I can only think of the obvious conclusion that the man has practised in town before going to the country."

"I can only come up with one obvious conclusion, that the man had practiced medicine in the city before going to the countryside."

"I think that we might venture a little farther than this. Look at it in this light. On what occasion would it be most probable that such a presentation would be made? When would his friends unite to give him a pledge of their good will? Obviously at the moment when Dr. Mortimer withdrew from the service of the hospital in order to start in practice for himself. We know there has been a presentation. We believe there has been a change from a town hospital to a country practice. Is it, then, stretching our inference too far to say that the presentation was on the occasion of the change?"

"I think we can boldly go one step further than that, and from this point of view, in what situation is it most likely that such a gift-giving action would take place?" When will his friends band together to show him their kindness? Apparently, it was when Mortimer left the hospital in order to open his own business. We know of a gift; we believe he was transferred from a city hospital to the countryside to practice medicine. So let's conclude that it is not too much to say that this gift was given at the time of this conversion. ”

"It certainly seems probable."

"It certainly seems possible."

"Now, you will observe that he could not have been on the staff of ohe hospital, since only a man well-established in a London practice could hold such a position, and such a one would not drift into the country. What was he, then? If he was in the hospital and yet not on the staff he could only have been a house-surpeon or a house-physician -- little more than a senior student. And he left five years ago -- the date is on the stick. So your grave, middle-aged family practitioner vanishes into thin air, my dear Watson, and there emerges a young fellow under thirty, amiable, unambitious, absent-minded, and the possessor of a favourite dog, which I should describe roughly as being larger than a terrier and smaller than a mastiff."

"Now, you can tell, he won't be the chief physician, because only when a man has a considerable reputation in London can hold such a position, and such a man will not move to the countryside." So, what exactly is he doing? If he was working in a hospital and not counting among the principal physicians, he could have been only a resident surgeon or a resident physician—a slightly higher status than a student in the highest grades of medical school; and he left five years ago—the date was engraved on a cane, so your serious, middle-aged doctor was gone. But here appeared, dear Watson, a young man, less than thirty years old, amiable, content with the status quo, so-so, and he had a beloved dog which I could roughly describe as larger than a tanuki and smaller than a mastiff. ”

I laughed incredulously as Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his settee and blew little wavering rings of smoke up to the ceiling.

I laughed in disbelief. Sherlock Holmes leaned back on the bench and spat out small fluttering smoke rings to the ceiling.

"As to the latter part, I have no means of checking you," said I, "but at least it is not difficult to find out a few particulars about the man's age and professional career." From my small medical shelf I took down the Medical Directory and turned up the name. There were several Mortimers, but only one who could be our visitor. I read his record aloud.

"As for the latter part, I cannot check that you are correct," I said, "but it is at least not very difficult to find out a few characteristics of his age and resume." "I took a medical manual from my little shelf of medical books and turned it over to the name column. There were several people with the surname Mortimer, but only one could be our visitor. I read this passage aloud:

"Mortimer, James, M.R.C.S., 1882, Grimpen, Dartmoor, Devon. House-surgeon, from 1882 to 1884, at Charing Cross Hospital. Winner of the Jackson prize for Comparative Pathology, with essay entitled 'Is Disease a Reversion?' Corresponding member of the Swedish Pathological Society. Author of 'Some Freaks of Atavism' (Lancet 1882). 'Do We Progress?' (Journal of Psychology, March, 1883). Medical Officer for the parishes of Grimpen, Thorsley, and High Barrow."

James Mortimer, a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1882, was a native of Green Basin, Dart Moor, Devon. From 1882 to 1884 he worked as a resident surgeon at the Charing Cross Hospital. He received the Jackson Comparative Pathology Fellowship for his book "Whether Diseases Are Inherited from Generations". Corresponding member of the Swedish Pathology Association. He is the author of Several Generational Genetic Malformations (Lancet, 1882), Are We Moving Forward? (Published in the March 1883 issue of the Journal of Psychology). He served as a medical officer for the parishs of Greenbon, Sosley, and Takatsuka Village. ”

"No mention of that local hunt, Watson," said Holmes with a mischievous smile, "but a country doctor, as you very astutely observed. I think that I am fairly justified in my inferences. As to the adjectives, I said, if I remember right, amiable, unambitious, and absent-minded. It is my experience that it is only an amiable man in this world who receives testimonials, only an unambitious one who abandons a London career for the country, and only an absent-minded one who leaves his stick and not his visiting-card after waiting an hour in your room."

"There's no mention of that local hunter-gatherer, Watson!" Holmes said with a mocking smile, "As you have said, he is no more than a country doctor; I think my reasoning is quite correct." As for those adjectives, if I remember them correctly, I said 'amiable, content with the status quo and so-so'. In my experience, only people who are kind to others in this world will receive souvenirs; only those who are not greedy for fame will give up their careers in London and run to the countryside; only so-so people will wait in your house for an hour and then leave their business cards and instead leave their canes. ”

"And the dog?"

"What about dogs?"

"Has been in the habit of carrying this stick behind his master. Being a heavy stick the dog has held it tightly by the middle, and the marks of his teeth are very plainly visible. The dog's jaw, as shown in the space between these marks, is too broad in my opinion for a terrier and not broad enough for a mastiff. It may have been -- yes, by Jove, it is a curly-haired spaniel."

"Often it was with this cane that followed its owner. Because the stick was so heavy, the dog had to hold it tightly in the center, so its tooth marks could be seen clearly. Judging from the gaps between these tooth marks, I thought that the dog's chin was wider than the tanuki's chin and narrower than the mastiff's chin. It could be... By the way, it must be a curly-haired long-eared canine. ”

He had risen and paced the room as he spoke. Now he halted in the recess of the window. There was such a ring of conviction in his voice that I glanced up in surprise.

He stood up and walked back and forth around the house as he spoke. He stood in front of the window sill that protruded out of the building. His tone was full of confidence, which caused me to look up at him in amazement.

"My dear fellow, how can you possibly be so sure of that?"

"Dear fellow, how can you be so sure of this?"

"For the very simple reason that I see the dog himself on our very door-step, and there is the ring of its owner. Don't move, I beg you, Watson. He is a professional brother of yours, and your presence may be of assistance to me. Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill. What does Dr. James Mortimer, the man of science, ask of Sherlock Holmes, the specialist in crime? Come in!"

"The reason is simple, I have now seen the dog on the steps of our main entrance, and the sound of its owner ringing the bell has also been heard. Don't move, I beg you, Watson. He's your brother, and your presence might help me. Watson, this is the most dramatic moment of fate, you can hear the footsteps on the stairs, he is entering your life; but you do not know whether it is a curse or a blessing. What would this medical figure, Dr. James Mortimer, ask sherlock Holmes, a crime expert? Come in! ”

The appearance of our visitor was a surprise to me, since I had expected a typical country practitioner. He was a very tall, thin man, with a long nose like a beak, which jutted out between two keen, gray eyes, set closely together and sparkling brightly from behind a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He was clad in a professional but rather slovenly fashion, for his frock-coat was dingy and his trousers frayed. Though young, his long back was already bowed, and he walked with a forward thrust of his head and a general air of peering benevolence. As he entered his eyes fell upon the stick in Holmes's hand, and he ran towards it with an exclamation of joy. "I am so very glad," said he. "I was not sure whether I had left it here or in the Shipping Office. I would not lose that stick for the world."

The appearance of this guest was a real surprise to me, for I had expected a typical country doctor, but he was a tall and thin man, with a long nose like a bird's beak, protruding between a pair of sharp and gray eyes, which were very close together and glowing behind a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He was wearing clothes that his line of people often liked to wear, but they were quite sloppy, because his coat was dirty and his pants were worn. Although he was still young, his long back was already bent, and he leaned forward as he walked, with an aristocratic demeanor of kindness. As soon as he entered, his eyes fell on the cane that Holmes was holding, and he ran towards him with a shout of joy. "I'm so happy!" He said, "I'm not sure I forgot it here? I still forgot about the steamship company. I'd rather lose the whole world than this cane. ”

"A presentation, I see," said Holmes.

"I guess it's a gift." Holmes said.

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, sir."

"From Charing Cross Hospital?"

"Was it sent by Charing Cross Hospital?"

"From one or two friends there on the occasion of my marriage."

"It was given to me by two friends there when I got married."

"Dear, dear, that's bad!" said Holmes, shaking his head.

"Alas! Oh my God, that sucks! Holmes shook his head.

Dr. Mortimer blinked through his glasses in mild astonishment.

Dr. Mortimer blinked slightly in amazement through his glasses.

"Why was it bad?"

"Why bad?"

"Only that you have disarranged our little deductions. Your marriage, you say?"

"Because you've disrupted a few of our little inferences. You said it was when you got married, didn't you? ”

"Yes, sir. I married, and so left the hospital, and with it all hopes of a consulting practice. It was necessary to make a home of my own."

"Yes, sir, I left the hospital as soon as I got married, and gave up all hope of becoming a consultant doctor. However, in order to be able to build your own family, it is absolutely necessary to do so. ”

"Come, come, we are not so far wrong, after all," said Holmes. "And now, Dr. James Mortimer --"

"Aha! We still haven't made a mistake. Holmes said, "Well, Dr. James Mortimer..."

"Mister, sir, Mister -- a humble M.R.C.S."

"You call me sir, I'm a humble student of the Royal College of Surgeons."

"And a man of precise mind, evidently."

"And obviously, he's a man of sophisticated thought."

"A dabbler in science, Mr. Holmes, a picker up of shells on the shores of the great unknown ocean. I presume that it is Mr. Sherlock Holmes whom I am addressing and not --"

"A man who knows a thing or two about science, Mr. Holmes; a man who picks shells on the shores of a vast unknown ocean. I think I was addressing Monsieur Sherlock Holmes, not..."

"No, this is my friend Dr. Watson."

"No, this is my friend Dr. Watson."

"Glad to meet you, sir. I have heard your name mentioned in connection with that of your friend. You interest me very much, Mr. Holmes. I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic a skull or such well-marked supra-orbital development. Would you have any objection to my running my finger along your parietal fissure? A cast of your skull, sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament to any anthropological museum. It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I've heard people compare your name to your friend's. You have intrigued me, Mr. Holmes. I couldn't have imagined seeing such a long head or such a deeply sunken eye socket. You don't object to me touching my finger along the slit of your skull, sir? Until you get a physical copy of your skull, a model of your skull would be an excellent specimen for any anthropological museum. I don't want to be annoying, but I admit that I really envy your skull. ”

Sherlock Holmes waved our strange visitor into a chair. "You are an enthusiast in your line of thought, I perceive, sir, as I am in mine," said he. "I observe from your forefinger that you make your own cigarettes. Have no hesitation in lighting one."

Sherlock Holmes gestured to our strange guest to sit down in a chair. "Sir, I can see that you, like me, are a very enthusiastic person who thinks about the problems of my profession, just as I have of my profession." He said, "I can tell from your index finger that you smoked your own cigarette; don't hesitate, please order one." ”

The man drew out paper and tobacco and twirled the one up in the other with surprising dexterity. He had long, quivering fingers as agile and restless as the antennae of an insect.

The man took out cigarette paper and tobacco and rolled them into one in his hand with astonishing skill. His long fingers trembled like the tentacles of an insect.

Holmes was silent, but his little darting glances showed me the interest which he took in our curious companion.

Holmes was calm, but his rapidly rolling eyes showed me that he had become interested in our strange guest.

"I presume, sir," said he at last, "that it was not merely for the purpose of examining my skull that you have done me the honour to call here last night and again to-day?"

"I think, sir," he spoke at last, "that you came last night to see the light, and today you came again, I'm afraid it's not just to study my head, are you?" ”

"No, sir, no; though I am happy to have had the opportunity of doing that as well. I came to you, Mr. Holmes, because I recognized that I am myself an unpractical man and because I am suddenly confronted with a most serious and extraordinary problem. Recognizing, as I do, that you are the second highest expert in Europe --"

"No, sir, no, though I'm glad I had the opportunity to do so. I came to you, Mr. Holmes, because I knew that I myself was a man of little practical experience, and that I had suddenly encountered one of the most serious and very peculiar problems. Since I know for sure that you are the second most intelligent expert in Europe..."

"Indeed, sir! May I inquire who has the honour to be the first?" asked Holmes with some asperity.

"Oh sir! Who is honored to stand first? Holmes asked somewhat harshly.

"To the man of precisely scientific mind the work of Monsieur Bertillon must always appeal strongly."

"For a man with a precise scientific mind, Mr. Betty Rong's approach to handling cases is always very attractive."

"Then had you not better consult him?"

"Wouldn't it be better for you to go to him and discuss it?"

"I said, sir, to the precisely scientific mind. But as a practical man of affairs it is acknowledged that you stand alone. I trust, sir, that I have not inadvertently --"

"Sir, I mean, in terms of people with precise scientific minds. But in terms of practical experience of things, as we all know, you are unique. I believe, sir, that I did not inadvertently..."

"Just a little," said Holmes. "I think, Dr. Mortimer, you would do wisely if without more ado you would kindly tell me plainly what the exact nature of the problem is in which you demand my assistance."

"But a little," said Holmes, "I suppose, Dr. Mortimer, it would be better to ask you to tell me at once the question of my assistance." ”