Complete Sherlock Holmes
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The Complete Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle
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This text comes from the collection’s version 1.19. Table of contents
A Study In Scarlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Sign of the Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
A Scandal in Bohemia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
The Red-Headed League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
A Case of Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
The Boscombe Valley Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
The Five Orange Pips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
The Man with the Twisted Lip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
The Adventure of the Speckled Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
The Adventure of the Copper Beeches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
Silver Blaze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
The Yellow Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
The Stock-Broker’s Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
The “Gloria Scott” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
The Musgrave Ritual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
The Reigate Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
The Crooked Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
The Resident Patient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
The Greek Interpreter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
The Naval Treaty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
The Final Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 iii The Return of Sherlock Holmes
The Adventure of the Empty House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
The Adventure of the Dancing Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
The Adventure of the Priory School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
The Adventure of Black Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507
The Adventure of the Three Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
The Adventure of the Abbey Grange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555
The Adventure of the Second Stain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
The Hound of the Baskervilles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
The Valley Of Fear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659 His Last Bow
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 741
The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 743
The Adventure of the Cardboard Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 761
The Adventure of the Red Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 773
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787
The Adventure of the Dying Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 803
The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813
The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825
His Last Bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839 iv
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 851
The Illustrious Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 853
The Blanched Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867
The Adventure Of The Mazarin Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 879
The Adventure of the Three Gables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909
The Problem of Thor Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919
The Adventure of the Creeping Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 933
The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 945
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 965
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 975 v A Study In Scarlet A Study In Scarlet Table of contents Part I
Mr. Sherlock Holmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Science Of Deduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Lauriston Garden Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
What John Rance Had To Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Our Advertisement Brings A Visitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Light In The Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Part II
On The Great Alkali Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Flower Of Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
John Ferrier Talks With The Prophet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
A Flight For Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
The Avenging Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
A Continuation Of The Reminiscences Of John Watson, M.D. . . . . . . . . . 55
The Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 3 PART I.
(Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.,
late of the Army Medical Department.) A Study In Scarlet CHAPTER I. Mr. Sherlock Holmes n the year 1878 I took my degree of
which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are
Doctor of Medicine of the University of
irresistibly drained. There I stayed for some time
London, and proceeded to Netley to go
at a private hotel in the Strand, leading a com-
I through the course prescribed for sur-
fortless, meaningless existence, and spending such
geons in the army. Having completed my studies
money as I had, considerably more freely than I
there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northum-
ought. So alarming did the state of my finances
berland Fusiliers as Assistant Surgeon. The regi-
become, that I soon realized that I must either
ment was stationed in India at the time, and before
leave the metropolis and rusticate somewhere in
I could join it, the second Afghan war had bro-
the country, or that I must make a complete alter-
ken out. On landing at Bombay, I learned that my
ation in my style of living. Choosing the latter al-
corps had advanced through the passes, and was
ternative, I began by making up my mind to leave
already deep in the enemy’s country. I followed,
the hotel, and to take up my quarters in some less
however, with many other officers who were in the
pretentious and less expensive domicile.
same situation as myself, and succeeded in reach-
On the very day that I had come to this con-
ing Candahar in safety, where I found my regi-
clusion, I was standing at the Criterion Bar, when
ment, and at once entered upon my new duties.
some one tapped me on the shoulder, and turn-
The campaign brought honours and promotion
ing round I recognized young Stamford, who had
to many, but for me it had nothing but misfortune
been a dresser under me at Bart’s. The sight of a
and disaster. I was removed from my brigade and
friendly face in the great wilderness of London is
attached to the Berkshires, with whom I served at
a pleasant thing indeed to a lonely man. In old
the fatal battle of Maiwand. There I was struck
days Stamford had never been a particular crony
on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shat-
of mine, but now I hailed him with enthusiasm,
tered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery.
and he, in his turn, appeared to be delighted to
I should have fallen into the hands of the murder-
see me. In the exuberance of my joy, I asked him
ous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and
to lunch with me at the Holborn, and we started
courage shown by Murray, my orderly, who threw off together in a hansom.
me across a pack-horse, and succeeded in bringing
“Whatever have you been doing with yourself,
me safely to the British lines.
Watson?” he asked in undisguised wonder, as we
rattled through the crowded London streets. “You
Worn with pain, and weak from the prolonged
are as thin as a lath and as brown as a nut.”
hardships which I had undergone, I was removed,
with a great train of wounded sufferers, to the base
I gave him a short sketch of my adventures,
hospital at Peshawar. Here I rallied, and had al-
and had hardly concluded it by the time that we
ready improved so far as to be able to walk about reached our destination.
the wards, and even to bask a little upon the ve-
“Poor devil!” he said, commiseratingly, after he
randah, when I was struck down by enteric fever,
had listened to my misfortunes. “What are you up
that curse of our Indian possessions. For months to now?”
my life was despaired of, and when at last I came
“Looking for lodgings,” I answered. “Trying to
to myself and became convalescent, I was so weak
solve the problem as to whether it is possible to
and emaciated that a medical board determined
get comfortable rooms at a reasonable price.”
that not a day should be lost in sending me back
“That’s a strange thing,” remarked my com-
to England. I was dispatched, accordingly, in the
panion; “you are the second man to-day that has
troopship Orontes, and landed a month later on used that expression to me.”
Portsmouth jetty, with my health irretrievably ru-
“And who was the first?” I asked.
ined, but with permission from a paternal govern-
“A fellow who is working at the chemical labo-
ment to spend the next nine months in attempting
ratory up at the hospital. He was bemoaning him- to improve it.
self this morning because he could not get some-
I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was
one to go halves with him in some nice rooms
therefore as free as air—or as free as an income
which he had found, and which were too much
of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit for his purse.”
a man to be. Under such circumstances, I natu-
“By Jove!” I cried, “if he really wants someone
rally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into
to share the rooms and the expense, I am the very 7 A Study In Scarlet
man for him. I should prefer having a partner to
matter. Is this fellow’s temper so formidable, or being alone.”
what is it? Don’t be mealy-mouthed about it.”
Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me
“It is not easy to express the inexpressible,”
over his wine-glass. “You don’t know Sherlock he answered with a laugh. “Holmes is a little
Holmes yet,” he said; “perhaps you would not care
too scientific for my tastes—it approaches to cold-
for him as a constant companion.”
bloodedness. I could imagine his giving a friend a
little pinch of the latest vegetable alkaloid, not out
“Why, what is there against him?”
of malevolence, you understand, but simply out
“Oh, I didn’t say there was anything against
of a spirit of inquiry in order to have an accurate
him. He is a little queer in his ideas—an enthusi-
idea of the effects. To do him justice, I think that
ast in some branches of science. As far as I know
he would take it himself with the same readiness.
he is a decent fellow enough.”
He appears to have a passion for definite and exact
“A medical student, I suppose?” said I. knowledge.”
“No—I have no idea what he intends to go in “Very right too.”
for. I believe he is well up in anatomy, and he is a
“Yes, but it may be pushed to excess. When
first-class chemist; but, as far as I know, he has
it comes to beating the subjects in the dissecting-
never taken out any systematic medical classes.
rooms with a stick, it is certainly taking rather a
His studies are very desultory and eccentric, but bizarre shape.”
he has amassed a lot of out-of-the way knowledge “Beating the subjects!”
which would astonish his professors.”
“Yes, to verify how far bruises may be pro-
“Did you never ask him what he was going in
duced after death. I saw him at it with my own for?” I asked. eyes.”
“No; he is not a man that it is easy to draw out,
“And yet you say he is not a medical student?”
though he can be communicative enough when the
“No. Heaven knows what the objects of his fancy seizes him.” studies are. But here we are, and you must
“I should like to meet him,” I said. “If I am to
form your own impressions about him.” As he
lodge with anyone, I should prefer a man of stu-
spoke, we turned down a narrow lane and passed
dious and quiet habits. I am not strong enough yet
through a small side-door, which opened into a
to stand much noise or excitement. I had enough
wing of the great hospital. It was familiar ground
of both in Afghanistan to last me for the remain-
to me, and I needed no guiding as we ascended the
der of my natural existence. How could I meet this
bleak stone staircase and made our way down the friend of yours?”
long corridor with its vista of whitewashed wall
“He is sure to be at the laboratory,” returned
and dun-coloured doors. Near the further end a
my companion. “He either avoids the place for
low arched passage branched away from it and led
weeks, or else he works there from morning to to the chemical laboratory.
night. If you like, we shall drive round together
This was a lofty chamber, lined and littered after luncheon.”
with countless bottles. Broad, low tables were scat-
tered about, which bristled with retorts, test-tubes,
“Certainly,” I answered, and the conversation
and little Bunsen lamps, with their blue flickering
drifted away into other channels.
flames. There was only one student in the room,
As we made our way to the hospital after leav-
who was bending over a distant table absorbed in
ing the Holborn, Stamford gave me a few more
his work. At the sound of our steps he glanced
particulars about the gentleman whom I proposed
round and sprang to his feet with a cry of pleasure. to take as a fellow-lodger.
“I’ve found it! I’ve found it,” he shouted to my
“You mustn’t blame me if you don’t get on with
companion, running towards us with a test-tube in
him,” he said; “I know nothing more of him than
his hand. “I have found a re-agent which is precip-
I have learned from meeting him occasionally in
itated by hœmoglobin, and by nothing else.” Had
the laboratory. You proposed this arrangement, so
he discovered a gold mine, greater delight could
you must not hold me responsible.”
not have shone upon his features.
“If we don’t get on it will be easy to part com-
“Dr. Watson, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” said Stam-
pany,” I answered. “It seems to me, Stamford,” I ford, introducing us.
added, looking hard at my companion, “that you
“How are you?” he said cordially, gripping
have some reason for washing your hands of the
my hand with a strength for which I should 8 A Study In Scarlet
hardly have given him credit. “You have been in
His eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and he put Afghanistan, I perceive.”
his hand over his heart and bowed as if to some ap-
“How on earth did you know that?” I asked in
plauding crowd conjured up by his imagination. astonishment.
“You are to be congratulated,” I remarked, con-
siderably surprised at his enthusiasm.
“Never mind,” said he, chuckling to himself.
“The question now is about hœmoglobin. No
“There was the case of Von Bischoff at Frank-
doubt you see the significance of this discovery of
fort last year. He would certainly have been hung mine?”
had this test been in existence. Then there was
Mason of Bradford, and the notorious Muller, and
“It is interesting, chemically, no doubt,” I an-
Lefevre of Montpellier, and Samson of new Or-
swered, “but practically—”
leans. I could name a score of cases in which it
“Why, man, it is the most practical medico- would have been decisive.”
legal discovery for years. Don’t you see that it
“You seem to be a walking calendar of crime,”
gives us an infallible test for blood stains. Come
said Stamford with a laugh. “You might start a pa-
over here now!” He seized me by the coat-sleeve
per on those lines. Call it the ‘Police News of the
in his eagerness, and drew me over to the table at Past.’ ”
which he had been working. “Let us have some
“Very interesting reading it might be made,
fresh blood,” he said, digging a long bodkin into
too,” remarked Sherlock Holmes, sticking a small
his finger, and drawing off the resulting drop of
piece of plaster over the prick on his finger. “I have
blood in a chemical pipette. “Now, I add this small
to be careful,” he continued, turning to me with a
quantity of blood to a litre of water. You perceive
smile, “for I dabble with poisons a good deal.” He
that the resulting mixture has the appearance of
held out his hand as he spoke, and I noticed that it
pure water. The proportion of blood cannot be
was all mottled over with similar pieces of plaster,
more than one in a million. I have no doubt, how-
and discoloured with strong acids.
ever, that we shall be able to obtain the characteris-
“We came here on business,” said Stamford, sit-
tic reaction.” As he spoke, he threw into the vessel
ting down on a high three-legged stool, and push-
a few white crystals, and then added some drops
ing another one in my direction with his foot. “My
of a transparent fluid. In an instant the contents
friend here wants to take diggings, and as you
assumed a dull mahogany colour, and a brownish
were complaining that you could get no one to go
dust was precipitated to the bottom of the glass jar.
halves with you, I thought that I had better bring
“Ha! ha!” he cried, clapping his hands, and you together.”
looking as delighted as a child with a new toy.
Sherlock Holmes seemed delighted at the idea
“What do you think of that?”
of sharing his rooms with me. “I have my eye on a
“It seems to be a very delicate test,” I remarked.
suite in Baker Street,” he said, “which would suit
“Beautiful! beautiful! The old Guiacum test
us down to the ground. You don’t mind the smell
was very clumsy and uncertain. So is the micro- of strong tobacco, I hope?”
scopic examination for blood corpuscles. The lat-
“I always smoke ‘ship’s’ myself,” I answered.
ter is valueless if the stains are a few hours old.
“That’s good enough. I generally have chem-
Now, this appears to act as well whether the blood
icals about, and occasionally do experiments.
is old or new. Had this test been invented, there Would that annoy you?”
are hundreds of men now walking the earth who “By no means.”
would long ago have paid the penalty of their
“Let me see—what are my other shortcomings. crimes.”
I get in the dumps at times, and don’t open my “Indeed!” I murmured.
mouth for days on end. You must not think I am
“Criminal cases are continually hinging upon
sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I’ll
that one point. A man is suspected of a crime
soon be right. What have you to confess now? It’s
months perhaps after it has been committed. His
just as well for two fellows to know the worst of
linen or clothes are examined, and brownish stains
one another before they begin to live together.”
discovered upon them. Are they blood stains, or
I laughed at this cross-examination. “I keep a
mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what
bull pup,” I said, “and I object to rows because
are they? That is a question which has puzzled
my nerves are shaken, and I get up at all sorts of
many an expert, and why? Because there was no
ungodly hours, and I am extremely lazy. I have
reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes’
another set of vices when I’m well, but those are
test, and there will no longer be any difficulty.”
the principal ones at present.” 9 A Study In Scarlet
“Do you include violin-playing in your cate-
My companion smiled an enigmatical smile.
gory of rows?” he asked, anxiously.
“That’s just his little peculiarity,” he said. “A good
“It depends on the player,” I answered. “A
many people have wanted to know how he finds
well-played violin is a treat for the gods—a badly- things out.” played one—”
“Oh, that’s all right,” he cried, with a merry
“Oh! a mystery is it?” I cried, rubbing my
laugh. “I think we may consider the thing as set-
hands. “This is very piquant. I am much obliged
tled—that is, if the rooms are agreeable to you.”
to you for bringing us together. ‘The proper study “When shall we see them?”
of mankind is man,’ you know.”
“Call for me here at noon to-morrow, and we’ll
go together and settle everything,” he answered.
“You must study him, then,” Stamford said, as
“All right—noon exactly,” said I, shaking his
he bade me good-bye. “You’ll find him a knotty hand.
problem, though. I’ll wager he learns more about
We left him working among his chemicals, and
you than you about him. Good-bye.”
we walked together towards my hotel.
“By the way,” I asked suddenly, stopping and
“Good-bye,” I answered, and strolled on to my
turning upon Stamford, “how the deuce did he
hotel, considerably interested in my new acquain-
know that I had come from Afghanistan?” tance. CHAPTER II. The Science Of Deduction
We met next day as he had arranged, and in-
long walks, which appeared to take him into the
spected the rooms at No. 221b, Baker Street, of
lowest portions of the City. Nothing could exceed
which he had spoken at our meeting. They con-
his energy when the working fit was upon him;
sisted of a couple of comfortable bed-rooms and
but now and again a reaction would seize him, and
a single large airy sitting-room, cheerfully fur-
for days on end he would lie upon the sofa in the
nished, and illuminated by two broad windows.
sitting-room, hardly uttering a word or moving a
So desirable in every way were the apartments,
muscle from morning to night. On these occasions
and so moderate did the terms seem when divided
I have noticed such a dreamy, vacant expression in
between us, that the bargain was concluded upon
his eyes, that I might have suspected him of being
the spot, and we at once entered into possession.
addicted to the use of some narcotic, had not the
That very evening I moved my things round from
temperance and cleanliness of his whole life for-
the hotel, and on the following morning Sherlock bidden such a notion.
Holmes followed me with several boxes and port-
As the weeks went by, my interest in him and
manteaus. For a day or two we were busily em-
my curiosity as to his aims in life, gradually deep-
ployed in unpacking and laying out our property
ened and increased. His very person and appear-
to the best advantage. That done, we gradually be-
ance were such as to strike the attention of the
gan to settle down and to accommodate ourselves
most casual observer. In height he was rather over to our new surroundings.
six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to
Holmes was certainly not a difficult man to live
be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and
with. He was quiet in his ways, and his habits
piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to
were regular. It was rare for him to be up after ten
which I have alluded; and his thin, hawk-like nose
at night, and he had invariably breakfasted and
gave his whole expression an air of alertness and
gone out before I rose in the morning. Sometimes
decision. His chin, too, had the prominence and
he spent his day at the chemical laboratory, some-
squareness which mark the man of determination.
times in the dissecting-rooms, and occasionally in
His hands were invariably blotted with ink and 10 A Study In Scarlet
stained with chemicals, yet he was possessed of ex-
and you have to stock it with such furniture as
traordinary delicacy of touch, as I frequently had
you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every
occasion to observe when I watched him manipu-
sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge
lating his fragile philosophical instruments.
which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or
The reader may set me down as a hopeless
at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things so
busybody, when I confess how much this man
that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it.
stimulated my curiosity, and how often I endeav-
Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as
oured to break through the reticence which he
to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have
showed on all that concerned himself. Before pro-
nothing but the tools which may help him in doing
nouncing judgment, however, be it remembered,
his work, but of these he has a large assortment,
how objectless was my life, and how little there
and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to
was to engage my attention. My health forbade me
think that that little room has elastic walls and can
from venturing out unless the weather was excep-
distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes
tionally genial, and I had no friends who would
a time when for every addition of knowledge you
call upon me and break the monotony of my daily
forget something that you knew before. It is of the
existence. Under these circumstances, I eagerly
highest importance, therefore, not to have useless
hailed the little mystery which hung around my
facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
companion, and spent much of my time in endeav-
“But the Solar System!” I protested. ouring to unravel it.
“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted
He was not studying medicine. He had him-
impatiently; “you say that we go round the sun.
self, in reply to a question, confirmed Stamford’s
If we went round the moon it would not make a
opinion upon that point. Neither did he appear to
pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”
have pursued any course of reading which might
fit him for a degree in science or any other recog-
I was on the point of asking him what that
nized portal which would give him an entrance
work might be, but something in his manner
into the learned world. Yet his zeal for certain
showed me that the question would be an unwel-
studies was remarkable, and within eccentric lim-
come one. I pondered over our short conversa-
its his knowledge was so extraordinarily ample
tion, however, and endeavoured to draw my de-
and minute that his observations have fairly as-
ductions from it. He said that he would acquire
tounded me. Surely no man would work so hard
no knowledge which did not bear upon his object.
or attain such precise information unless he had
Therefore all the knowledge which he possessed
some definite end in view. Desultory readers are
was such as would be useful to him. I enumerated
seldom remarkable for the exactness of their learn-
in my own mind all the various points upon which
ing. No man burdens his mind with small matters
he had shown me that he was exceptionally well-
unless he has some very good reason for doing so.
informed. I even took a pencil and jotted them
His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowl-
down. I could not help smiling at the document
edge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and
when I had completed it. It ran in this way—
politics he appeared to know next to nothing.
Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired Sherlock Holmes—his limits.
in the naivest way who he might be and what he
1. Knowledge of Literature.—Nil.
had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, 2. Philosophy.—Nil.
when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of 3. Astronomy.—Nil.
the Copernican Theory and of the composition of 4. Politics.—Feeble.
the Solar System. That any civilized human being 5. Botany.—Variable. Well up in belladonna,
in this nineteenth century should not be aware that
opium, and poisons generally. Knows noth-
the earth travelled round the sun appeared to be to ing of practical gardening.
me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly
6. Geology.—Practical, but limited. Tells at a realize it.
glance different soils from each other. Af-
“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smil-
ter walks has shown me splashes upon his
ing at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do
trousers, and told me by their colour and
know it I shall do my best to forget it.”
consistence in what part of London he had “To forget it!” received them.
“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a 7. Chemistry.—Profound.
man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic,
8. Anatomy.—Accurate, but unsystematic. 11 A Study In Scarlet
9. Sensational Literature.—Immense. He ap-
any of these nondescript individuals put in an ap-
pears to know every detail of every horror
pearance, Sherlock Holmes used to beg for the use perpetrated in the century.
of the sitting-room, and I would retire to my bed- 10. Plays the violin well.
room. He always apologized to me for putting me
11. Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and
to this inconvenience. “I have to use this room as a swordsman.
place of business,” he said, “and these people are
my clients.” Again I had an opportunity of asking
12. Has a good practical knowledge of British law.
him a point blank question, and again my delicacy
prevented me from forcing another man to confide
When I had got so far in my list I threw it into
in me. I imagined at the time that he had some
the fire in despair. “If I can only find what the
strong reason for not alluding to it, but he soon
fellow is driving at by reconciling all these accom-
dispelled the idea by coming round to the subject
plishments, and discovering a calling which needs of his own accord.
them all,” I said to myself, “I may as well give up
It was upon the 4th of March, as I have good the attempt at once.”
reason to remember, that I rose somewhat earlier
I see that I have alluded above to his pow-
than usual, and found that Sherlock Holmes had ers upon the violin. These were very remark-
not yet finished his breakfast. The landlady had
able, but as eccentric as all his other accomplish-
become so accustomed to my late habits that my
ments. That he could play pieces, and difficult
place had not been laid nor my coffee prepared.
pieces, I knew well, because at my request he
With the unreasonable petulance of mankind I
has played me some of Mendelssohn’s Lieder, and
rang the bell and gave a curt intimation that I was
other favourites. When left to himself, however, he
ready. Then I picked up a magazine from the ta-
would seldom produce any music or attempt any
ble and attempted to while away the time with it,
recognized air. Leaning back in his arm-chair of an
while my companion munched silently at his toast.
evening, he would close his eyes and scrape care-
One of the articles had a pencil mark at the head-
lessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his
ing, and I naturally began to run my eye through
knee. Sometimes the chords were sonorous and it.
melancholy. Occasionally they were fantastic and
Its somewhat ambitious title was “The Book of
cheerful. Clearly they reflected the thoughts which
Life,” and it attempted to show how much an ob-
possessed him, but whether the music aided those
servant man might learn by an accurate and sys-
thoughts, or whether the playing was simply the
tematic examination of all that came in his way.
result of a whim or fancy was more than I could
It struck me as being a remarkable mixture of
determine. I might have rebelled against these ex-
shrewdness and of absurdity. The reasoning was
asperating solos had it not been that he usually
close and intense, but the deductions appeared to
terminated them by playing in quick succession a
me to be far-fetched and exaggerated. The writer
whole series of my favourite airs as a slight com-
claimed by a momentary expression, a twitch of a
pensation for the trial upon my patience.
muscle or a glance of an eye, to fathom a man’s
inmost thoughts. Deceit, according to him, was an
During the first week or so we had no callers,
impossibility in the case of one trained to observa-
and I had begun to think that my companion was
tion and analysis. His conclusions were as infalli-
as friendless a man as I was myself. Presently,
ble as so many propositions of Euclid. So startling
however, I found that he had many acquaintances,
would his results appear to the uninitiated that un-
and those in the most different classes of society.
til they learned the processes by which he had ar-
There was one little sallow rat-faced, dark-eyed fel-
rived at them they might well consider him as a
low who was introduced to me as Mr. Lestrade, necromancer.
and who came three or four times in a single
week. One morning a young girl called, fashion-
“From a drop of water,” said the writer, “a lo-
ably dressed, and stayed for half an hour or more.
gician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or
The same afternoon brought a grey-headed, seedy
a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or
visitor, looking like a Jew pedlar, who appeared
the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature
to me to be much excited, and who was closely
of which is known whenever we are shown a sin-
followed by a slipshod elderly woman. On an-
gle link of it. Like all other arts, the Science of
other occasion an old white-haired gentleman had
Deduction and Analysis is one which can only be
an interview with my companion; and on another
acquired by long and patient study nor is life long
a railway porter in his velveteen uniform. When
enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest 12 A Study In Scarlet
possible perfection in it. Before turning to those
you can’t unravel the thousand and first. Lestrade
moral and mental aspects of the matter which
is a well-known detective. He got himself into a
present the greatest difficulties, let the enquirer be-
fog recently over a forgery case, and that was what
gin by mastering more elementary problems. Let brought him here.”
him, on meeting a fellow-mortal, learn at a glance “And these other people?”
to distinguish the history of the man, and the trade
or profession to which he belongs. Puerile as such
“They are mostly sent on by private inquiry
an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties of
agencies. They are all people who are in trouble
observation, and teaches one where to look and
about something, and want a little enlightening. I
what to look for. By a man’s finger nails, by his
listen to their story, they listen to my comments,
coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by and then I pocket my fee.”
the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his
“But do you mean to say,” I said, “that with-
expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these
out leaving your room you can unravel some knot
things a man’s calling is plainly revealed. That
which other men can make nothing of, although
all united should fail to enlighten the competent
they have seen every detail for themselves?”
enquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.”
“Quite so. I have a kind of intuition that way.
“What ineffable twaddle!” I cried, slapping the
Now and again a case turns up which is a little
magazine down on the table, “I never read such
more complex. Then I have to bustle about and see rubbish in my life.”
things with my own eyes. You see I have a lot of
“What is it?” asked Sherlock Holmes.
special knowledge which I apply to the problem,
and which facilitates matters wonderfully. Those
“Why, this article,” I said, pointing at it with
rules of deduction laid down in that article which
my egg spoon as I sat down to my breakfast. “I
aroused your scorn, are invaluable to me in prac-
see that you have read it since you have marked it.
tical work. Observation with me is second na-
I don’t deny that it is smartly written. It irritates
ture. You appeared to be surprised when I told
me though. It is evidently the theory of some arm-
you, on our first meeting, that you had come from
chair lounger who evolves all these neat little para- Afghanistan.”
doxes in the seclusion of his own study. It is not
practical. I should like to see him clapped down “You were told, no doubt.”
in a third class carriage on the Underground, and
“Nothing of the sort. I knew you came from
asked to give the trades of all his fellow-travellers.
Afghanistan. From long habit the train of thoughts
I would lay a thousand to one against him.”
ran so swiftly through my mind, that I arrived at
“You would lose your money,” Sherlock
the conclusion without being conscious of interme- Holmes remarked calmly. “As for the article I
diate steps. There were such steps, however. The wrote it myself.”
train of reasoning ran, ‘Here is a gentleman of a
medical type, but with the air of a military man. “You!”
Clearly an army doctor, then. He has just come
“Yes, I have a turn both for observation and for
from the tropics, for his face is dark, and that is
deduction. The theories which I have expressed
not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are
there, and which appear to you to be so chimerical
fair. He has undergone hardship and sickness, as
are really extremely practical—so practical that I
his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been
depend upon them for my bread and cheese.”
injured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural man-
“And how?” I asked involuntarily.
ner. Where in the tropics could an English army
doctor have seen much hardship and got his arm
“Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose
wounded? Clearly in Afghanistan.’ The whole
I am the only one in the world. I’m a consult-
train of thought did not occupy a second. I then re-
ing detective, if you can understand what that is.
marked that you came from Afghanistan, and you
Here in London we have lots of Government de- were astonished.”
tectives and lots of private ones. When these fel-
lows are at fault they come to me, and I manage
“It is simple enough as you explain it,” I said,
to put them on the right scent. They lay all the ev-
smiling. “You remind me of Edgar Allen Poe’s
idence before me, and I am generally able, by the
Dupin. I had no idea that such individuals did
help of my knowledge of the history of crime, to exist outside of stories.”
set them straight. There is a strong family resem-
Sherlock Holmes rose and lit his pipe. “No
blance about misdeeds, and if you have all the de-
doubt you think that you are complimenting me
tails of a thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if
in comparing me to Dupin,” he observed. “Now, 13 A Study In Scarlet
in my opinion, Dupin was a very inferior fellow.
I was still annoyed at his bumptious style of
That trick of his of breaking in on his friends’
conversation. I thought it best to change the topic.
thoughts with an apropos remark after a quarter of
“I wonder what that fellow is looking for?” I
an hour’s silence is really very showy and superfi-
asked, pointing to a stalwart, plainly-dressed in-
cial. He had some analytical genius, no doubt; but
dividual who was walking slowly down the other
he was by no means such a phenomenon as Poe
side of the street, looking anxiously at the num- appeared to imagine.”
bers. He had a large blue envelope in his hand,
“Have you read Gaboriau’s works?” I asked.
and was evidently the bearer of a message.
“Does Lecoq come up to your idea of a detective?”
“You mean the retired sergeant of Marines,”
Sherlock Holmes sniffed sardonically. “Lecoq said Sherlock Holmes.
was a miserable bungler,” he said, in an angry
voice; “he had only one thing to recommend him,
“Brag and bounce!” thought I to myself. “He
and that was his energy. That book made me pos-
knows that I cannot verify his guess.”
itively ill. The question was how to identify an
The thought had hardly passed through my
unknown prisoner. I could have done it in twenty-
mind when the man whom we were watching
four hours. Lecoq took six months or so. It might
caught sight of the number on our door, and ran
be made a text-book for detectives to teach them rapidly across the roadway. We heard a loud what to avoid.”
knock, a deep voice below, and heavy steps as-
I felt rather indignant at having two characters cending the stair.
whom I had admired treated in this cavalier style.
“For Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” he said, stepping
I walked over to the window, and stood looking
into the room and handing my friend the letter.
out into the busy street. “This fellow may be very
clever,” I said to myself, “but he is certainly very
Here was an opportunity of taking the conceit conceited.”
out of him. He little thought of this when he made
that random shot. “May I ask, my lad,” I said, in
“There are no crimes and no criminals in these
the blandest voice, “what your trade may be?”
days,” he said, querulously. “What is the use of
having brains in our profession? I know well that
“Commissionaire, sir,” he said, gruffly. “Uni-
I have it in me to make my name famous. No form away for repairs.”
man lives or has ever lived who has brought the
“And you were?” I asked, with a slightly mali-
same amount of study and of natural talent to cious glance at my companion.
the detection of crime which I have done. And
what is the result? There is no crime to detect, or,
“A sergeant, sir, Royal Marine Light Infantry,
at most, some bungling villany with a motive so sir. No answer? Right, sir.”
transparent that even a Scotland Yard official can
He clicked his heels together, raised his hand see through it.” in a salute, and was gone. CHAPTER III. The Lauriston Garden Mystery
I confess that I was considerably startled by
past my comprehension. When I looked at him
this fresh proof of the practical nature of my
he had finished reading the note, and his eyes had
companion’s theories. My respect for his powers
assumed the vacant, lack-lustre expression which
of analysis increased wondrously. There still re- showed mental abstraction.
mained some lurking suspicion in my mind, how-
ever, that the whole thing was a pre-arranged
“How in the world did you deduce that?” I
episode, intended to dazzle me, though what asked.
earthly object he could have in taking me in was
“Deduce what?” said he, petulantly. 14
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