DarqueDante/test2 · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 74
proof with which to back it up; and, even if they believe me, the
clues which I can give them are so vague that it is a question
whether justice will be done."

"Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem which
you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you to come to
my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the official
police."

"Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I should
be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of course I must
use the official police as well. Would you give me an introduction to
him?"

"I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself."

"I should be immensely obliged to you."

"We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to have a
little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?"

"Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story."

"Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an
instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my wife,
and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my new
acquaintance to Baker Street.

Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room
in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The Times and
smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed of all the
plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day before, all
carefully dried and collected on the corner of the mantelpiece. He
received us in his quietly genial fashion, ordered fresh rashers and
eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal. When it was concluded he
settled our new acquaintance upon the sofa, placed a pillow beneath
his head, and laid a glass of brandy and water within his reach.

"It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, Mr.
Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself
absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are tired
and keep up your strength with a little stimulant."

"Thank you," said my patient. "but I have felt another man since the
doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has completed the
cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable time as possible, so
I shall start at once upon my peculiar experiences."

Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded
expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat
opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story
which our visitor detailed to us.

"You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor,
residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a hydraulic
engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my work during
the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Matheson, the
well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, having served my time,
and having also come into a fair sum of money through my poor
father's death, I determined to start in business for myself and took
professional chambers in Victoria Street.

"I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in
business a dreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so.
During two years I have had three consultations and one small job,
and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me. My
gross takings amount to £27 10s. Every day, from nine in the morning
until four in the afternoon, I waited in my little den, until at last
my heart began to sink, and I came to believe that I should never
have any practice at all.

"Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the office, my
clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who wished to see
me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with the name of
'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at his heels came
the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle size, but of an
exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have ever seen so thin a
man. His whole face sharpened away into nose and chin, and the skin
of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over his outstanding bones. Yet
this emaciation seemed to be his natural habit, and due to no
disease, for his eye was bright, his step brisk, and his bearing
assured. He was plainly but neatly dressed, and his age, I should
judge, would be nearer forty than thirty.

"'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. 'You
have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man who is not
only proficient in his profession but is also discreet and capable of
preserving a secret.'

"I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an
address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?'

"'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just at
this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both an
orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.'

"'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if I
say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional
qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter
that you wished to speak to me?'

proof with which to back it up; and, even if they believe me, the

clues which I can give them are so vague that it is a question

whether justice will be done."

"Ha!" cried I, "if it is anything in the nature of a problem which

you desire to see solved, I should strongly recommend you to come to

my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, before you go to the official

police."

"Oh, I have heard of that fellow," answered my visitor, "and I should

be very glad if he would take the matter up, though of course I must

use the official police as well. Would you give me an introduction to

him?"

"I'll do better. I'll take you round to him myself."

"I should be immensely obliged to you."

"We'll call a cab and go together. We shall just be in time to have a

little breakfast with him. Do you feel equal to it?"

"Yes; I shall not feel easy until I have told my story."

"Then my servant will call a cab, and I shall be with you in an

instant." I rushed upstairs, explained the matter shortly to my wife,

and in five minutes was inside a hansom, driving with my new

acquaintance to Baker Street.

Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room

in his dressing-gown, reading the agony column of The Times and

smoking his before-breakfast pipe, which was composed of all the

plugs and dottles left from his smokes of the day before, all

carefully dried and collected on the corner of the mantelpiece. He

received us in his quietly genial fashion, ordered fresh rashers and

eggs, and joined us in a hearty meal. When it was concluded he

settled our new acquaintance upon the sofa, placed a pillow beneath

his head, and laid a glass of brandy and water within his reach.

"It is easy to see that your experience has been no common one, Mr.

Hatherley," said he. "Pray, lie down there and make yourself

absolutely at home. Tell us what you can, but stop when you are tired

and keep up your strength with a little stimulant."

"Thank you," said my patient. "but I have felt another man since the

doctor bandaged me, and I think that your breakfast has completed the

cure. I shall take up as little of your valuable time as possible, so

I shall start at once upon my peculiar experiences."

Holmes sat in his big armchair with the weary, heavy-lidded

expression which veiled his keen and eager nature, while I sat

opposite to him, and we listened in silence to the strange story

which our visitor detailed to us.

"You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor,

residing alone in lodgings in London. By profession I am a hydraulic

engineer, and I have had considerable experience of my work during

the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Matheson, the

well-known firm, of Greenwich. Two years ago, having served my time,

and having also come into a fair sum of money through my poor

father's death, I determined to start in business for myself and took

professional chambers in Victoria Street.

"I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in

business a dreary experience. To me it has been exceptionally so.

During two years I have had three consultations and one small job,

and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me. My

gross takings amount to £27 10s. Every day, from nine in the morning

until four in the afternoon, I waited in my little den, until at last

my heart began to sink, and I came to believe that I should never

have any practice at all.

"Yesterday, however, just as I was thinking of leaving the office, my

clerk entered to say there was a gentleman waiting who wished to see

me upon business. He brought up a card, too, with the name of

'Colonel Lysander Stark' engraved upon it. Close at his heels came

the colonel himself, a man rather over the middle size, but of an

exceeding thinness. I do not think that I have ever seen so thin a

man. His whole face sharpened away into nose and chin, and the skin

of his cheeks was drawn quite tense over his outstanding bones. Yet

this emaciation seemed to be his natural habit, and due to no

disease, for his eye was bright, his step brisk, and his bearing

assured. He was plainly but neatly dressed, and his age, I should

judge, would be nearer forty than thirty.

"'Mr. Hatherley?' said he, with something of a German accent. 'You

have been recommended to me, Mr. Hatherley, as being a man who is not

only proficient in his profession but is also discreet and capable of

preserving a secret.'

"I bowed, feeling as flattered as any young man would at such an

address. 'May I ask who it was who gave me so good a character?'

"'Well, perhaps it is better that I should not tell you that just at

this moment. I have it from the same source that you are both an

orphan and a bachelor and are residing alone in London.'

"'That is quite correct,' I answered; 'but you will excuse me if I

say that I cannot see how all this bears upon my professional

qualifications. I understand that it was on a professional matter

that you wished to speak to me?'