Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 1

Chapter 67 Adventure History 27
During the years of my close association with Holmes, of all the cases offered to Holmes for solution, only two were introduced to him by me: the case of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and the case of Colonel Wharton's madness.To the discerning and astute reader, the latter of the two cases may perhaps be the more worthy of consideration.The first, however, is perhaps more noteworthy because of its odd opening and its dramatic details.Objective existence Although it is difficult to use my friend's deductive reasoning, I believe that this has been published in the newspapers many times.But like other similar accounts, it is difficult to attract people's attention when it is only published in this column in general.So it's all the more fascinating to let the facts slowly unfold before you, and have the mysteries of the case gradually be solved with each new discovery.The scene at that time left a deep impression on me, even though two years have passed, I still remember it vividly.

The story I am about to tell took place in the summer of [-].I had then resumed my practice and 'leaved' Holmes alone in my Baker Street flat.But I visit him often.My business was prospering, and it so happened that I lived not far from Paddington Station, and some railway workers came to see me, as I had cured one of their afflictions.This is a patient who has been cured for a long time, so he publicizes my medical skills everywhere, and tries his best to send every patient he can influence to me for treatment.

One morning, just before 7 o'clock, I was woken up by the maid's knocking on the door.She said two people from Paddington were waiting in the consulting room.I quickly put on my clothes and hurried downstairs.According to experience, people who come from the railway are generally very seriously ill.After I went downstairs, my old friend, the railway policeman, came out of the consulting room and closed the door behind him.

"I brought him here," he whispered, pointing back. "He's all right now."

"What's going on?" I asked, because he acted as if he had locked a monster in my room.

"It's a new patient," he said quietly, "and I think I'd better bring him in myself, so that he can't get away. I've got to go at once, Doctor, and I've got to be on duty. He's in there now. It's nothing else." After finishing speaking, the introducer walked away.

I went into the consulting room and saw a gentleman sitting at a table.One of his hands was wrapped in a handkerchief, which was stained with blood.He was not more than twenty-five years old, pale, and gave me the impression that he was exerting all his will to control the pain caused by some violent shock.

"I am sorry to wake you up so early, doctor," said he, "I have had a very serious accident in the night, and I came here this morning by train to inquire at Paddington station where a doctor could be found." I was escorted to you by a kind person at the time. I gave the maid a card, which she had placed on the table."

I picked up the business card and looked at it, and saw that it was printed: Victor?Mr Hatherley, Hydraulic Engineer, 16A Victoria Street ([-]th Floor). "I'm sorry to keep you waiting," I said, sitting in my armchair, "I see you've just been on the train all night."

"Oh, I haven't had a dull night," he said, and couldn't help laughing out loud, high-pitched.He fell back on the chair, shaking from laughing so hard.This laughter disgusted me greatly.

"Stop laughing!" I yelled. "Calm down!" I poured him a glass of water from the carafe.

My words, however, had no effect at all. He was in a fit of hysteria, the product of a man of strong character after a great crisis.Soon he was awake, exhausted and pale.

"I've made a fool of myself," he gasped.

"If it's okay, drink this." I mixed some brandy with the water, and his pale cheeks began to flush a little.

"Much better!" said he. "Doctor, please show me my thumb, or exactly where it used to be."

He unfastened his handkerchief and held out his hand.This kind of situation is even a hard-hearted person will feel terrible!All I could see were four protruding fingers and a horrible blood-red section. This was where the thumb should have been. The thumb had been chopped off or pulled off by Qi Zhi.

"My God!" I yelled, "It's terrible, you've lost a lot of blood."

"Yes, I was wounded and passed out, and when I awoke I found it still bleeding, so I wrapped the end of the handkerchief tightly around my wrist, and held it taut with a twig."

"It's so well bandaged! You should have been a surgeon!"

"You see, this is a hydraulic problem, which falls within my field of expertise."

"It was cut with a very heavy, sharp instrument," I said as I examined the wound.

"It looks like the tool was chopped with a butcher's cleaver," he said.

"It must have been an accident, didn't it?"

"Absolutely not."

"What? Did someone chop it on purpose?"

"Well, very brutal."

"terrible."

I washed his wound, wiped it clean, and finally bandaged it.He lay there motionless, clenching his teeth occasionally.

After the dressing was done, I asked, "How do you feel now?"

"Very well, your brandy and bandages make me feel like I'm becoming someone else. I'm weak, but I have a lot to do."

"I think you'd better not talk about it. Obviously, it's a torture to your nerves."

"Oh, no, I'm going to report this to the police, and to tell you the truth, they wouldn't have believed me if I hadn't had a wound to testify against me. Because it's very unusual and I don't have enough Moreover, even if they believe me, I can only provide very vague clues, and it is difficult to say whether they can finally do justice for me."

"Hey!" I said, "if you really want to solve the problem, I would like to recommend to you my friend - Mr. Holmes. Before you go to the police, you may as well go to him."

"Oh, I've heard of this man," replied the visitor, "and I shall be very glad if he can take up the case, although he must also call the police. Can you introduce me?"

"Of course, I can go with you personally."

"That would be too much trouble for you!"

"We'll take a cab together, and we'll have breakfast with him. Do you think you're all right?"

"Okay, I won't feel comfortable if I don't tell my misfortune."

"Well, tell my servant to hire a carriage, and I'll be right there." I hurried upstairs and explained to my wife. Five minutes later my new friend and I were in a pony carriage heading straight for Baker Street.

As I had expected, Holmes was pacing up and down his drawing-room, reading the columns in The Times on Missing Persons, Divorces, and the like.He received us graciously, ordered bacon and eggs, and we ate our fill.When breakfast was over, he settled our new friend on the sofa, put a pillow behind his back, and kept a glass of brandy-and-water close to him.

"It is not difficult to see that your fate has been very unfortunate, Mr. Hatherley," he said. "You are welcome to lie down here without restraint. Tell us as much as you can, rest a little when you are tired, and drink a drink to remind you." Refreshing."

"Thank you," said my patient, "I feel much better since the doctor bandaged me, and your breakfast made me feel very good about the whole treatment. I will try to take up as little of your precious time as possible, so I will immediately Tell me about my experience!"

Holmes had an expression of weariness and sleepiness which belied his eagerness and keenness of mind.

He said, "I am a bachelor, living in London, and a hydraulic engineer. During a seven-year apprenticeship at a Wenner and Matheson firm in Greenwich, I gained extensive experience in the trade. Two years ago, I After my apprenticeship I inherited a large fortune after my father died, so I decided to set up my own business and rented offices in Victoria Street.

"It is very boring to start a business alone for the first time, especially for me. In two years, I only accepted three consultations and one small job, with a total income of 27 pounds ten shillings. Every day from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, I waited in my little room until I was discouraged. I finally realized that no customers would ever come to my door.

"Yesterday, however, when I was about to leave the office, my clerk came in and said a gentleman wanted to see me on a business matter, and handed me a card bearing the name of Colonel Lysander Stark. The Colonel followed him into the room. He was very thin, his whole face reduced to the nose and chin, but his haggard appearance was not due to disease but to nature. As far as I can judge , his age is almost 40 years old.

"'Is that Mr. Hatherley?'" he said, speaking with a German accent. "Mr. Hatherley, you have been recommended to me as an expert in business and discreet enough to keep a secret. '"

"I took a bow, buoyed by the compliment. 'May I venture to ask who complimented me like that?'

"'Perhaps it would be better if I didn't tell you just now. I also heard that you were a bachelor and lived alone in London.'"

"'Yes,' I replied, 'but, if you will excuse me, I do not see how it has anything to do with my business abilities. As far as I know, you have come to me on business matters.'

"That's true, but you will see that I am not talking nonsense. We would like to entrust you with a job, but the most important thing is confidentiality, absolute confidentiality, do you understand? Of course, we think that a person who lives alone is better than a A man who lives with his family is more able to maintain absolute secrecy.'

"'You can absolutely believe it,' said I, 'if I can promise you strict secrecy, I can absolutely do it.'

"His eyes were fixed on me while I was talking.

"At the end, he said: 'Can you make a pledge?'

"'Is it possible to promise to keep absolutely silent, never to speak of the matter, either verbally or in writing?'

"'I have made my pledge.'

"'That would be great.' Suddenly he jumped up, ran across the room, and slammed the door open.

"'Not bad!' he came back. 'I know clerks are sometimes weird about their employers. Now, our conversation is safe.' He sat down beside me, again full of questions and inquiries. looked at me.

"I have a feeling of revulsion, borderline horror, and even impatience at seeing this man's strange behaviour.

"'Please tell me your business, sir,' said I; 'I must value my time.'

"'Do you think fifty guineas a night is right for you to work?' he asked.

"'I am very satisfied.'

"'Although said to be an evening's work, it may actually take up only an hour. I just wanted to ask you about a hydraulic press gear that came off. If you point out what's wrong, we'll be quick on our own fix it. What do you think of such a commission?'

"'The job may seem easy, but it pays well.'

"'I think so. I want you to take the last train tonight.'

"'To where?'

"'To Edinburg, in Berkshire. It's a little village near Oxfordshire, not seven miles from Reading. There's a bus from Paddington that will take you there at about eleven-fifteen.'

"'OK.'

"'I will meet you in a carriage in a moment.'

"'Then it takes a carriage for some distance?'

"'Yes, our little village is in the country, seven miles from Eyzin station.'

"'So we won't get there before midnight. I don't expect to catch the return train, so I'll have to spend the night with you.'

"'Yes, we will arrange accommodation for you.'

"'It's inconvenient, can't I go at a more convenient time?'

"'We think it would be best for you to come this evening. It is to make up for your inconvenience that we pay such a price for a young man like you, which is enough to pay for the teaching of the best minds in your profession. people. Of course, if you don’t want to accept, there’s still time.’

"I thought of fifty guineas, and how useful it would be to me. 'That's not what I mean,' said I, 'I will gladly do what you want, but I would like to know more clearly. , what exactly do you want me to do.'

(End of this chapter)