Chapter 1. Mr. Sherlock Holmes

iushavearemarkablepowerofstimulatingit.Iconfess,mydearfellow,thatIamverymuchinyourdebt.” Hehadneversaidasmuchbefore,andImustadmitthathiswordsgavemekeenpleasure,forIhadoftenbeenpiquedbyhisindifferencetomyadmirationandtotheattemptswhichIhadmadetogivepublicitytohismethods.Iwasproud,too,tothinkthatIhadsofarmasteredhissystemastoapplyitinawaywhichearnedhisapproval.Henowtookthestickfrommyhandsandexamineditforafewminuteswithhisnakedeyes.Thenwithanexpressionofinteresthelaiddownhiscigarette,andcarryingthecanetothewindow,helookedoveritagainwithaconvexlens. “Interesting,thoughelementary,”saidheashereturnedtohisfavouritecornerofthesettee.“Therearecertainlyoneortwoindicationsuponthestick.Itgivesusthebasisforseveraldeductions.” “Hasanythingescapedme?”Iaskedwithsomeself-importance.“ItrustthatthereisnothingofconsequencewhichIhaveoverlooked?” “Iamafraid,mydearWatson,thatmostofyourconclusionswereerroneous.WhenIsaidthatyoustimulatedmeImeant,tobefrank,thatinnotingyourfallaciesIwasoccasionallyguidedtowardsthetruth.Notthatyouareentirelywronginthisinstance.Themaniscertainlyacountrypractitioner.Andhewalksagooddeal.” “ThenIwasright.” “Tothatextent.” “Butthatwasall.” “No,no,mydearWatson,notall—bynomeansall.Iwouldsuggest,forexample,thatapresentationtoadoctorismorelikelytocomefromahospitalthanfromahunt,andthatwhentheinitials‘C.C.’areplacedbeforethathospitalthewords‘CharingCross’verynaturallysuggestthemselves.” “Youmayberight.” “Theprobabilityliesinthatdirection.Andifwetakethisasaworkinghypothesiswehaveafreshbasisfromwhichtostartourconstructionofthisunknownvisitor.” “Well,then,supposingthat‘C.C.H.’doesstandfor‘CharingCrossHospital,’whatfurtherinferencesmaywedraw?” “Dononesuggestthemselves?Youknowmymethods.Applythem!” “Icanonlythinkoftheobviousconclusionthatthemanhaspractisedintownbeforegoingtothecountry.” “Ithinkthatwemightventurealittlefartherthanthis.Lookatitinthislight.Onwhatoccasionwoulditbemostprobablethatsuchapresentationwouldbemade?Whenwouldhisfriendsunitetogivehimapledgeoftheirgoodwill?ObviouslyatthemomentwhenDr.Mortimerwithdrewfromtheserviceofthehospi