Chapter 1. Mr. Sherlock Holmes

talinordertostartapracticeforhimself.Weknowtherehasbeenapresentation.Webelievetherehasbeenachangefromatownhospitaltoacountrypractice.Isit,then,stretchingourinferencetoofartosaythatthepresentationwasontheoccasionofthechange?” “Itcertainlyseemsprobable.” “Now,youwillobservethathecouldnothavebeenonthestaffofthehospital,sinceonlyamanwell-establishedinaLondonpracticecouldholdsuchaposition,andsuchaonewouldnotdriftintothecountry.Whatwashe,then?Ifhewasinthehospitalandyetnotonthestaffhecouldonlyhavebeenahouse-surgeonorahouse-physician—littlemorethanaseniorstudent.Andheleftfiveyearsago—thedateisonthestick.Soyourgrave,middle-agedfamilypractitionervanishesintothinair,mydearWatson,andthereemergesayoungfellowunderthirty,amiable,unambitious,absent-minded,andthepossessorofafavouritedog,whichIshoulddescriberoughlyasbeinglargerthanaterrierandsmallerthanamastiff.” IlaughedincredulouslyasSherlockHolmesleanedbackinhissetteeandblewlittlewaveringringsofsmokeuptotheceiling. “Astothelatterpart,Ihavenomeansofcheckingyou,”saidI,“butatleastitisnotdifficulttofindoutafewparticularsabouttheman’sageandprofessionalcareer.”FrommysmallmedicalshelfItookdowntheMedicalDirectoryandturnedupthename.TherewereseveralMortimers,butonlyonewhocouldbeourvisitor.Ireadhisrecordaloud. “Mortimer,James,M.R.C.S.,1882,Grimpen,Dartmoor,Devon.House-surgeon,from1882to1884,atCharingCrossHospital.WinneroftheJacksonprizeforComparativePathology,withessayentitled‘IsDiseaseaReversion?’CorrespondingmemberoftheSwedishPathologicalSociety.Authorof‘SomeFreaksofAtavism’(Lancet1882).‘DoWeProgress?’(JournalofPsychology,March,1883).MedicalOfficerfortheparishesofGrimpen,Thorsley,andHighBarrow.” “Nomentionofthatlocalhunt,Watson,”saidHolmeswithamischievoussmile,“butacountrydoctor,asyouveryastutelyobserved.IthinkthatIamfairlyjustifiedinmyinferences.Astotheadjectives,Isaid,ifIrememberright,amiable,unambitious,andabsent-minded.Itismyexperiencethatitisonlyanamiablemaninthisworldwhoreceivestestimonials,onlyanunambitiousonewhoabandonsaLondoncareerforthecountry,andonlyanabsent-mindedonewholeaveshisstickandnothisvis