IX.THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER’S THUMB

Ofalltheproblemswhichhavebeensubmittedtomyfriend,Mr.SherlockHolmes,forsolutionduringtheyearsofourintimacy,therewereonlytwowhichIwasthemeansofintroducingtohisnotice—thatofMr.Hatherley’sthumb,andthatofColonelWarburton’smadness.Ofthesethelattermayhaveaffordedafinerfieldforanacuteandoriginalobserver,buttheotherwassostrangeinitsinceptionandsodramaticinitsdetailsthatitmaybethemoreworthyofbeingplaceduponrecord,evenifitgavemyfriendfeweropeningsforthosedeductivemethodsofreasoningbywhichheachievedsuchremarkableresults.Thestoryhas,Ibelieve,beentoldmorethanonceinthenewspapers,but,likeallsuchnarratives,itseffectismuchlessstrikingwhensetforthenblocinasinglehalf-columnofprintthanwhenthefactsslowlyevolvebeforeyourowneyes,andthemysteryclearsgraduallyawayaseachnewdiscoveryfurnishesastepwhichleadsontothecompletetruth.Atthetimethecircumstancesmadeadeepimpressionuponme,andthelapseoftwoyearshashardlyservedtoweakentheeffect. Itwasinthesummerof’89,notlongaftermymarriage,thattheeventsoccurredwhichIamnowabouttosummarise.IhadreturnedtocivilpracticeandhadfinallyabandonedHolmesinhisBakerStreetrooms,althoughIcontinuallyvisitedhimandoccasionallyevenpersuadedhimtoforgohisBohemianhabitssofarastocomeandvisitus.Mypracticehadsteadilyincreased,andasIhappenedtoliveatnoverygreatdistancefromPaddingtonStation,Igotafewpatientsfromamongtheofficials.Oneofthese,whomIhadcuredofapainfulandlingeringdisease,wasneverwearyofadvertisingmyvirtuesandofendeavouringtosendmeoneverysuffereroverwhomhemighthaveanyinfluence. Onemorning,atalittlebeforeseveno’clock,IwasawakenedbythemaidtappingatthedoortoannouncethattwomenhadcomefromPaddingtonandwerewaitingintheconsulting-room.Idressedhurriedly,forIknewbyexperiencethatrailwaycaseswereseldomtrivial,andhasteneddownstairs.AsIdescended,myoldally,theguard,cameoutoftheroomandclosedthedoortightlybehindhim. “I’vegothimhere,”hewhispered,jerkinghisthumboverhisshoulder“he’sallright.” “Whatisit,then?”Iasked,forhismannersuggestedthatitwassomestrangecreaturewhichhehadcagedupinmyroom. “It’sanewpatient,”hewhispered.“IthoughtI’dbringhimroundmyselfthenhecouldn’tslipaway.Thereheis,allsafeandsound.Imustgonow,DoctorIhavemydooties,justthesameasyou.”Andoffhewent,thistrustytout,withoutevengivingmetimetothankhim. Ienteredmyconsulting-roomandfoundagentlemanseatedbythetable.Hewasquietlydressedinasuitofheathertweedwithasoftclothcapwhichhehadlaiddownuponmybooks.Roundoneofhishandshehadahandkerchiefwrapped,whichwasmottledalloverwithbloodstains.Hewasyoung,notmorethanfive-and-twenty,Ishouldsay,withastrong,masculinefacebuthewasexceedinglypaleandgavemetheimpressionofamanwhowassufferingfromsomestrongagitation,whichittookallhisstrengthofmindtocontrol. “Iamsorrytoknockyouupsoearly,Doctor,”saidhe,“butIhavehadaveryseriousaccidentduringthenight.Icameinbytrainthismorning,andoninquiringatPaddingtonastowhereImightfindadoctor,aworthyfellowverykindlyescortedmehere.Igavethemaidacard,butIseethatshehasleftitupontheside-table.” Itookitupandglancedatit.“Mr.VictorHatherley,hydraulicengineer,16A,VictoriaStreet(3rdfloor).”Thatwasthename,style,andabodeofmymorningvisitor.“IregretthatIhavekeptyouwaiting,”saidI,sittingdowninmylibrary-chair.“Youarefreshfromanightjourney,Iunderstand,whichisinitselfamonotonousoccupation.” “Oh,mynightcouldnotbecalledmonotonous,”saidhe,andlaughed.Helaughedveryheartily,withahigh,ringingnote,leaningbackinhischairandshakinghissides.Allmymedicalinstinctsroseupagainstthatlaugh. “Stopit!”Icried“pullyourselftogether!”andIpouredoutsomewaterfromacaraffe. Itwasuseless,however.Hewasoffinoneofthosehystericaloutburstswhichcomeuponastrongnaturewhensomegreatcrisisisoverandgone.Presentlyhecametohimselfoncemore,verywearyandpale-looking. “Ihavebeenmakingafoolofmyself,”hegasped. “Notatall.Drinkthis.”Idashedsomebrandyintothewater,andthecolourbegantocomebacktohisbloodlesscheeks. “That’sbetter!”saidhe.“Andnow,Doctor,perhapsyouwouldkindlyattendtomythumb,orrathertotheplacewheremythumbusedtobe.” Heunwoundthehandkerchiefandheldouthishand.Itgaveevenmyhardenednervesashuddertolookatit.Therewerefourprotrudingfingersandahorridred,spongysurfacewherethethumbshouldhavebeen.Ithadbeenhackedortornrightoutfromtheroots. “Goodheavens!”Icried,“thisisaterribleinjury.Itmusthavebledconsiderably.” “Yes,itdid.Ifaintedwhenitwasdone,andIthinkthatImusthavebeensenselessforalongtime.WhenIcametoIfoundthatitwasstillbleeding,soItiedoneendofmyhandkerchiefverytightlyroundthewristandbraceditupwithatwig.” “Excellent!Youshouldhavebeenasurgeon.” “Itisaquestionofhydraulics,yousee,andcamewithinmyownprovince.” “Thishasbeendone,”saidI,examiningthewound,“byaveryheavyandsharpinstrument.” “Athinglikeacleaver,”saidhe. “Anaccident,Ipresume?” “Bynomeans.” “What!amurderousattack?” “Verymurderousindeed.” “Youhorrifyme.” Ispongedthewound,cleanedit,dressedit,andfinallycovereditoverwithcottonwaddingandcarbolisedbandages.Helaybackwithoutwincing,thoughhebithislipfromtimetotime. “Howisthat?”IaskedwhenIhadfinished. “Capital!Betweenyourbrandyandyourbandage,Ifeelanewman.Iwasveryweak,butIhavehadagooddealtogothrough.” “Perhapsyouhadbetternotspeakofthematter.Itisevidentlytryingtoyournerves.” “Oh,no,notnow.Ishallhavetotellmytaletothepolicebut,betweenourselves,ifitwerenotfortheconvincingevidenceofthiswoundofmine,Ishouldbesurprisediftheybelievedmystatement,foritisaveryextraordinaryone,andIhavenotmuchinthewayofproofwithwhichtobackitupand,eveniftheybelieveme,theclueswhichIcangivethemaresovaguethatitisaquestionwhetherjusticewillbedone.” “Ha!”criedI,“ifitisanythinginthenatureofaproblemwhichyoudesiretoseesolved,Ishouldstronglyrecommendyoutocometomyfriend,Mr.SherlockHolmes,beforeyougototheofficialpolice.” “Oh,Ihaveheardofthatfellow,”answeredmyvisitor,“andIshouldbeverygladifhewouldtakethematterup,thoughofcourseImustusetheofficialpoliceaswell.Wouldyougivemeanintroductiontohim?” “I’lldobetter.I’lltakeyouroundtohimmyself.” “Ishouldbeimmenselyobligedtoyou.” “We’llcallacabandgotogether.Weshalljustbeintimetohavealittlebreakfastwithhim.Doyoufeelequaltoit?” “YesIshallnotfeeleasyuntilIhavetoldmystory.” “Thenmyservantwillcallacab,andIshallbewithyouinaninstant.”Irushedupstairs,explainedthemattershortlytomywife,andinfiveminuteswasinsideahansom,drivingwithmynewacquaintancetoBakerStreet. SherlockHolmeswas,asIexpected,loungingabouthissitting-roominhisdressing-gown,readingtheagonycolumnofTheTimesandsmokinghisbefore-breakfastpipe,whichwascomposedofalltheplugsanddottlesleftfromhissmokesofthedaybefore,allcarefullydriedandcollectedonthecornerofthemantelpiece.Hereceivedusinhisquietlygenialfashion,orderedfreshrashersandeggs,andjoinedusinaheartymeal.Whenitwasconcludedhesettledournewacquaintanceuponthesofa,placedapillowbeneathhishead,andlaidaglassofbrandyandwaterwithinhisreach. “Itiseasytoseethatyourexperiencehasbeennocommonone,Mr.Hatherley,”saidhe.“Pray,liedownthereandmakeyourselfabsolutelyathome.Telluswhatyoucan,butstopwhenyouaretiredandkeepupyourstrengthwithalittlestimulant.” “Thankyou,”saidmypatient,“butIhavefeltanothermansincethedoctorbandagedme,andIthinkthatyourbreakfasthascompletedthecure.Ishalltakeupaslittleofyourvaluabletimeaspossible,soIshallstartatonceuponmypeculiarexperiences.” Holmessatinhisbigarmchairwiththeweary,heavy-liddedexpressionwhichveiledhiskeenandeagernature,whileIsatoppositetohim,andwelistenedinsilencetothestrangestor