Chapter I The Science of Deduction

yeyebrows. “Theonlyunofficialconsultingdetective,”heanswered.“Iamthelastandhighestcourtofappealindetection.WhenGregsonorLestradeorAthelneyJonesareoutoftheirdepths—which,bytheway,istheirnormalstate—thematterislaidbeforeme.Iexaminethedata,asanexpert,andpronounceaspecialist’sopinion.Iclaimnocreditinsuchcases.Mynamefiguresinnonewspaper.Theworkitself,thepleasureoffindingafieldformypeculiarpowers,ismyhighestreward.ButyouhaveyourselfhadsomeexperienceofmymethodsofworkintheJeffersonHopecase.” “Yes,indeed,”saidI,cordially.“Iwasneversostruckbyanythinginmylife.Ievenembodieditinasmallbrochurewiththesomewhatfantastictitleof‘AStudyinScarlet.’” Heshookhisheadsadly.“Iglancedoverit,”saidhe.“Honestly,Icannotcongratulateyouuponit.Detectionis,oroughttobe,anexactscience,andshouldbetreatedinthesamecoldandunemotionalmanner.Youhaveattemptedtotingeitwithromanticism,whichproducesmuchthesameeffectasifyouworkedalove-storyoranelopementintothefifthpropositionofEuclid.” “Buttheromancewasthere,”Iremonstrated.“Icouldnottamperwiththefacts.” “Somefactsshouldbesuppressed,oratleastajustsenseofproportionshouldbeobservedintreatingthem.TheonlypointinthecasewhichdeservedmentionwasthecuriousanalyticalreasoningfromeffectstocausesbywhichIsucceededinunravelingit.” Iwasannoyedatthiscriticismofaworkwhichhadbeenspeciallydesignedtopleasehim.Iconfess,too,thatIwasirritatedbytheegotismwhichseemedtodemandthateverylineofmypamphletshouldbedevotedtohisownspecialdoings.MorethanonceduringtheyearsthatIhadlivedwithhiminBakerStreetIhadobservedthatasmallvanityunderlaymycompanion’squietanddidacticmanner.Imadenoremark,however,butsatnursingmywoundedleg.IhadaJezailbulletthroughitsometimebefore,and,thoughitdidnotpreventmefromwalking,itachedwearilyateverychangeoftheweather. “MypracticehasextendedrecentlytotheContinent,”saidHolmes,afterawhile,fillinguphisoldbrier-rootpipe.“IwasconsultedlastweekbyFran?oisLeVillard,who,asyouprobablyknow,hascomerathertothefrontlatelyintheFrenchdetectiveservice.HehasalltheCelticpowerofquickintuition,butheisdeficientinthewiderangeofexactknowledgewhichisessentialtothehigherdevelopmentsofhisart.Thecasewasconcernedwithawill,andpossessedsomefeaturesofinterest.Iwasabletoreferhimtotwoparallelcases,theoneatRigain1857,andtheotheratSt.Louisin1871,whichhavesuggestedtohimthetruesolution.HereistheletterwhichIhadthismorningacknowledgingmyassistance.”Hetossedover,ashespoke,acrumpledsheetofforeignnotepaper.Iglancedmyeyesdownit,catchingaprofusionofnotesofadmiration,withstray“magnifiques,”“coup-de-ma?tres,”and“tours-de-force,”alltestifyingtotheardentadmirationoftheFrenchman. “Hespeaksasapupiltohismaster,”saidI. “Oh,heratesmyassistancetoohighly,”saidSherlockHolmes,lightly.“Hehasconsiderablegiftshimself.Hepossessestwooutofthethreequali