“Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up; and, even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so vague that it is a question whether justice will be done.”
“Ha!” cried I, “if it is anything in the nature of a problem which you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you to come to my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the official police.”
“Oh, I have heard of that fellow,” answered my visitor, “and I should be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of course I must use the official police as well. Would you give me an introduction to him?”
“I’ll do better. I’ll take you round to him myself.”
“I should be immensely obliged to you.”
“We’ll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to have a little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?”
“Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story.”
“Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an instant.” I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my wife, and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my new acquaintance to Baker Street.
Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The Times and smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed of all the plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day before, all carefully dried and collected on the corner of the mantelpiece. He received us in his quietly genial fashion, ordered fresh rashers and eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal. When it was concluded he settled our new acquaintance upon the sofa, placed a pillow beneath his head, and laid a glass of brandy and water within his reach.
“It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, Mr. Hatherley,” said he. “Pray, lie down there and make yourself absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are tired and keep up your strength with a little stimulant.”
“Thank you,” said my patient. “but I have felt another man since the doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has completed the cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable time as possible, so I shall start at once upon my peculiar experiences.”
Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story which our visitor detailed to us.
“You must know,” said he, “that I am an orphan and a bachelor, residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a hydraulic engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my work during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Matheson, the well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of money through my poor father’s death, I determined to start in business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria Street.
“I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in business a dreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so. During two years I have had three consultations and one small job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me. My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10s. Every day, from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waited in my little den, until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to believe that I should never have any practice at all.
“Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the office, my clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who wished to see me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with the name of ‘Colonel Lysander Stark’ engraved upon it. Close at his heels came the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle size, but of an exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have ever seen so thin a man. His whole face sharpened away into nose and chin, and the skin of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over his outstanding bones. Yet this emaciation seemed to be his natural habit, and due to no disease, for his eye was bright, his step brisk, and his bearing assured. He was plainly but neatly dressed, and his age, I should judge, would be nearer forty than thirty.
“‘Mr. Hatherley?’ said he, with something of a German accent. ‘You have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man who is not only proficient in his profession but is also discreet and capable of preserving a secret.’
“I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an address. ‘May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?’
“‘Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just at this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both an orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.’
“‘That is quite correct,’ I answered; ‘but you will excuse me if I say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter that you wished to speak to me?’
“‘Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to the point. I have a professional commission for you, but absolute secrecy is quite essential—absolute secrecy, you understand, and of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than from one who lives in the bosom of his family.’
“‘If I promise to keep a secret,’ said I, ‘you may absolutely depend upon my doing so.’
“He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye.
“‘Do you promise, then?’ said he at last.
“‘Yes, I promise.’
“‘Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?’
“‘I have already given you my word.’
“‘Very good.’ He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning across the room he flung open the door. The passage outside was empty.
“‘That’s all right,’ said he, coming back. ‘I know that clerks are sometimes curious as to their master’s affairs. Now we can talk in safety.’ He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look.
“A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun to rise within me at the strange antics of this fleshless man. Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from showing my impatience.
“‘I beg that you will state your business, sir,’ said I; ‘my time is of value.’ Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the words came to my lips.
“‘How would fifty guineas for a night’s work suit you?’ he asked.
“‘Most admirably.’
“‘I say a night’s work, but an hour’s would be nearer the mark. I simply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as that?’
“‘The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.’
“‘Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last train.’
“‘Where to?’
“‘To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a train from Paddington which would bring you there at about 11:15.’
“‘Very good.’
“‘I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.’
“‘There is a drive, then?’
“‘Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good seven miles from Eyford Station.’
“‘Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop the night.’
“‘Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.’
“‘That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient hour?’
“‘We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a young and man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the very heads of your profession. Still, of course, if you would like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do so.’
“I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they would be to me. ‘Not at all,’ said I, ‘I shall be very happy to accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to do.’
“‘Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I have no wish to commit you to anything without your having it all laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from eavesdroppers?’
“‘Entirely.’
“‘Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that fuller’s-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found in one or two places in England?’
“‘I have heard so.’
“‘Some little time ago I bought a small place—a very small place—within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to discover that there was a deposit of fuller’s-earth in one of my fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two very much larger ones upon the right and left—both of them, however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These good people were absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now
"哦,不,不是現在。我將不得不向員警; 告訴我的故事不過,私下說,如果不是因為這個傷口的礦井,令人信服的證據我應該感到驚訝如果他們認為我的發言,它是一個非常不尋常的人,和我有不多的方式證明用來備份;即使他們相信我,我可以給他們的線索是如此含糊,這是一個問題,是否正義將得到伸張。"哈!"我大喊道,"如果它是什麼性質的問題,你想要看到解決,我應該強烈推薦你來給我的朋友歇洛克 · 福爾摩斯先生之前你去官方的員警。"哦,我也聽說過那個傢伙,"回答我的客人,"和我應該很高興,如果他將接手這件事,儘管當然我必須使用以及官方的員警。將你給我介紹給他嗎?""我會做得更好。我會帶你到他自己。""我應該非常感激你。"我們會叫一部計程車,一起去。只是,我們應在一點跟他吃早餐的時間。你覺得等於它?""是的;不會感覺容易直到我告訴我的故事"。"然後我的僕人會叫一部計程車,和我將守候"。我沖到樓上,不久就向我的妻子,解釋這件事,在五分鐘內一部馬車,駕駛與我的新相識到貝克街。夏洛克 · 福爾摩斯,如我所料,他穿著他的睡衣的起居室閒蕩閱讀紐約時報 》 的答讀者問專欄和吸煙煙斗前早餐,組成的所有的插頭和 dottles 離開的前一天他抽煙,一切小心幹和收集壁爐台的角上。他接待了我們他悄悄和煦的時尚,下令新鮮火腿和雞蛋,和我們一道飽餐一頓。當它結束他解決我們在沙發上,放置一個枕頭在他的頭,下面的新相識,他到達把一杯白蘭地和水。"它很容易看到你的經歷一直沒有共同的一個,先生哈瑟利,"他說。"祈禱,躺在那裡,絕對在自己家。告訴我們你的可以,但停止當你累了,讓你用小興奮劑的力量。"謝謝你",說我的病人。"但有另一名男子因為醫生用繃帶包紮我,並且我認為你的早餐已經完成治療。我應採取盡可能少的你寶貴的時間,盡可能,所以我應馬上對我特有的經驗。福爾摩斯坐在疲倦、 昏昏欲睡的表達,遮掩他急於的性質,而我坐在他對面,他張大扶手椅上我們靜靜地聽著到的奇怪的故事,向我們詳述了客人。"你必須知道,"他說,"我是一個孤兒,一個單身漢,獨自居住在倫敦的寓所。職業我是一位水利工程師,和我有相當豐富的經驗,我的工作在 7 年中,我學徒單板及勿地臣,知名公司的格林威治。兩年前,擔任我的時間,也有進入一公平筆錢通過我可憐的父親的死,我決心要為自己在業務開始了職業行會在維多利亞街。"我想每個人都沉悶的經驗在業務中發現他首次獨立。我一直特別如此。在兩年期間曾有三次協商和一個小的工作,和那絕對是所有的我的職業給我帶來了。我粗暴的人質共計 27 磅 10s。每一天,從早上 9 時至下午 4 點,我在等我的小洞穴裡,直到最後我的心開始往下沉,我開始相信我應該永遠不會有有任何實踐。"昨天,然而,就像我想離開辦公室,我的秘書進入說,有位紳士在等待誰希望看到我對業務。他帶了一張卡,太,' 上校萊賽德塔克 ' 的名字刻在上面。密切緊跟著來到上校本人,而對中等規模,但超過瘦的一個人。我不想過這麼瘦的人。他整張臉磨沒了到鼻子和下巴,和他雙頰的皮膚是繪製很緊張他突出的骨頭上。然而這個消瘦似乎是他自然的習慣,和沒有病,因為他的眼睛明亮,他的腳步輕快和他的舉止放心。他穿著很明顯,但很整齊的服裝,和他的年齡,我應該是判斷,會更接近四十歲以上三十歲。'' 哈瑟利先生嗎? 他說,有一個德國口音.'你有作為一個不是精通他的職業,但也是謹慎的能保存一個秘密的人建議對我來說,先生瑟.'' 我鞠了一躬,感覺就像任何年輕人將在此類位址.'我想請問這是誰給了我這麼好一個字元誰?'"嗯,也許它是更好,我不該告訴你,只是這一刻。我已經從相同的源,您是一名孤兒和學士和獨自一人居住在倫敦。 '' 我回答說 '這是很正確的 '; '但你能原諒我的話,不見如何所有這事關我的專業資格。我明白這是對專業的問題,你想跟我說話嗎?“‘Undoubtedly so. But you will find that all I say is really to the point. I have a professional commission for you, but absolute secrecy is quite essential—absolute secrecy, you understand, and of course we may expect that more from a man who is alone than from one who lives in the bosom of his family.’“‘If I promise to keep a secret,’ said I, ‘you may absolutely depend upon my doing so.’“He looked very hard at me as I spoke, and it seemed to me that I had never seen so suspicious and questioning an eye.“‘Do you promise, then?’ said he at last.“‘Yes, I promise.’“‘Absolute and complete silence before, during, and after? No reference to the matter at all, either in word or writing?’“‘I have already given you my word.’“‘Very good.’ He suddenly sprang up, and darting like lightning across the room he flung open the door. The passage outside was empty.“‘That’s all right,’ said he, coming back. ‘I know that clerks are sometimes curious as to their master’s affairs. Now we can talk in safety.’ He drew up his chair very close to mine and began to stare at me again with the same questioning and thoughtful look.“A feeling of repulsion, and of something akin to fear had begun to rise within me at the strange antics of this fleshless man. Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from showing my impatience.“‘I beg that you will state your business, sir,’ said I; ‘my time is of value.’ Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the words came to my lips.“‘How would fifty guineas for a night’s work suit you?’ he asked.“‘Most admirably.’“‘I say a night’s work, but an hour’s would be nearer the mark. I simply want your opinion about a hydraulic stamping machine which has got out of gear. If you show us what is wrong we shall soon set it right ourselves. What do you think of such a commission as that?’“‘The work appears to be light and the pay munificent.’“‘Precisely so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last train.’“‘Where to?’“‘To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading. There is a train from Paddington which would bring you there at about 11:15.’“‘Very good.’“‘I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.’“‘There is a drive, then?’“‘Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good seven miles from Eyford Station.’“‘Then we can hardly get there before midnight. I suppose there would be no chance of a train back. I should be compelled to stop the night.’“‘Yes, we could easily give you a shake-down.’“‘That is very awkward. Could I not come at some more convenient hour?’“‘We have judged it best that you should come late. It is to recompense you for any inconvenience that we are paying to you, a young and man, a fee which would buy an opinion from the very heads of your profession. Still, of course, if you would like to draw out of the business, there is plenty of time to do so.’“I thought of the fifty guineas, and of how very useful they would be to me. ‘Not at all,’ said I, ‘I shall be very happy to accommodate myself to your wishes. I should like, however, to understand a little more clearly what it is that you wish me to do.’“‘Quite so. It is very natural that the pledge of secrecy which we have exacted from you should have aroused your curiosity. I have no wish to commit you to anything without your having it all laid before you. I suppose that we are absolutely safe from eavesdroppers?’“‘Entirely.’“‘Then the matter stands thus. You are probably aware that fuller’s-earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found in one or two places in England?’“‘I have heard so.’“‘Some little time ago I bought a small place—a very small place—within ten miles of Reading. I was fortunate enough to discover that there was a deposit of fuller’s-earth in one of my fields. On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a comparatively small one, and that it formed a link between two very much larger ones upon the right and left—both of them, however, in the grounds of my neighbours. These good people were absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was quite as valuable as a gold-mine. Naturally, it was to my interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value, but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this. I took a few of my friends into the secret, however, and they suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little deposit and that in this way we should earn the money which would enable us to buy the neighbouring fields. This we have now
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