Reading Help The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ch.IX-XII
Clickable text below...
Prev
Next Page #
IX. THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB `
` `
` Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. `
` Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, `
` there were only two which I was the means of introducing to his `
` notice--that of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and that of Colonel `
` Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a `
` finer field for an acute and original observer, but the other was `
` so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that `
` it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it `
` gave my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of `
` reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story `
` has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, `
` like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when `
` set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the `
` facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears `
` gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads `
` on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a `
` deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly `
` served to weaken the effect. `
` `
` It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the `
` events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned `
` to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker `
` Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally `
` even persuaded him to forgo his Bohemian habits so far as to come `
` and visit us. My practice had steadily increased, and as I `
` happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington `
` Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. One of `
` these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was `
` never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send `
` me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence. `
` `
` One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by `
` the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come `
` from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I `
` dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases `
` were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my `
` old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door `
` tightly behind him. `
` `
` "I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his `
` shoulder; "he's all right." `
` `
` "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was `
` some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. `
` `
` "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him `
` round myself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe `
` and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the `
` same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even `
` giving me time to thank him. `
` `
` I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the `
` table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a `
` soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of `
` his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all `
` over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than `
` five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but `
` he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who `
` was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his `
` strength of mind to control. `
` `
` "I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor," said he, "but I `
` have had a very serious accident during the night. I came in by `
` train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I `
` might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me `
` here. I gave the maid a card, but I see that she has left it upon `
` the side-table." `
` `
` I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic `
` engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, `
` style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have `
` kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You `
` are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself `
` a monotonous occupation." `
` `
` "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and `
` laughed. He laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, `
` leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical `
` instincts rose up against that laugh. `
` `
` "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out `
` some water from a caraffe. `
` `
` It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical `
` outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis `
` is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very `
` weary and pale-looking. `
` `
` "I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped. `
` `
` "Not at all. Drink this." I dashed some brandy into the water, `
` and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. `
` `
` "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would `
` kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb `
` used to be." `
` `
` He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand. It gave even `
` my hardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four `
` protruding fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the `
` thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from `
` the roots. `
` `
` "Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have `
` bled considerably." `
` `
` "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must `
` have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that `
` it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very `
` tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." `
` `
` "Excellent! You should have been a surgeon." `
` `
` "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own `
` province." `
` `
` "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very `
` heavy and sharp instrument." `
` `
` "A thing like a cleaver," said he. `
` `
` "An accident, I presume?" `
` `
` "By no means." `
` `
` "What! a murderous attack?" `
` `
` "Very murderous indeed." `
` `
` "You horrify me." `
` `
` I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered `
` it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back `
` without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. `
` `
` "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. `
` `
` "Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. `
` I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." `
` `
` "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently `
` trying to your nerves." `
` `
` "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; `
` but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing `
` evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they `
` believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I `
` have not much in the way of 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 `
`
` `
` Of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend, Mr. `
` Sherlock Holmes, for solution during the years of our intimacy, `
` there were only two which I was the means of introducing to his `
` notice--that of Mr. Hatherley's thumb, and that of Colonel `
` Warburton's madness. Of these the latter may have afforded a `
` finer field for an acute and original observer, but the other was `
` so strange in its inception and so dramatic in its details that `
` it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it `
` gave my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of `
` reasoning by which he achieved such remarkable results. The story `
` has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, `
` like all such narratives, its effect is much less striking when `
` set forth en bloc in a single half-column of print than when the `
` facts slowly evolve before your own eyes, and the mystery clears `
` gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step which leads `
` on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a `
` deep impression upon me, and the lapse of two years has hardly `
` served to weaken the effect. `
` `
` It was in the summer of '89, not long after my marriage, that the `
` events occurred which I am now about to summarise. I had returned `
` to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker `
` Street rooms, although I continually visited him and occasionally `
` even persuaded him to forgo his Bohemian habits so far as to come `
` and visit us. My practice had steadily increased, and as I `
` happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington `
` Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. One of `
` these, whom I had cured of a painful and lingering disease, was `
` never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send `
` me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence. `
` `
` One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by `
` the maid tapping at the door to announce that two men had come `
` from Paddington and were waiting in the consulting-room. I `
` dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases `
` were seldom trivial, and hastened downstairs. As I descended, my `
` old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door `
` tightly behind him. `
` `
` "I've got him here," he whispered, jerking his thumb over his `
` shoulder; "he's all right." `
` `
` "What is it, then?" I asked, for his manner suggested that it was `
` some strange creature which he had caged up in my room. `
` `
` "It's a new patient," he whispered. "I thought I'd bring him `
` round myself; then he couldn't slip away. There he is, all safe `
` and sound. I must go now, Doctor; I have my dooties, just the `
` same as you." And off he went, this trusty tout, without even `
` giving me time to thank him. `
` `
` I entered my consulting-room and found a gentleman seated by the `
` table. He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed with a `
` soft cloth cap which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of `
` his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all `
` over with bloodstains. He was young, not more than `
` five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong, masculine face; but `
` he was exceedingly pale and gave me the impression of a man who `
` was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his `
` strength of mind to control. `
` `
` "I am sorry to knock you up so early, Doctor," said he, "but I `
` have had a very serious accident during the night. I came in by `
` train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I `
` might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me `
` here. I gave the maid a card, but I see that she has left it upon `
` the side-table." `
` `
` I took it up and glanced at it. "Mr. Victor Hatherley, hydraulic `
` engineer, 16A, Victoria Street (3rd floor)." That was the name, `
` style, and abode of my morning visitor. "I regret that I have `
` kept you waiting," said I, sitting down in my library-chair. "You `
` are fresh from a night journey, I understand, which is in itself `
` a monotonous occupation." `
` `
` "Oh, my night could not be called monotonous," said he, and `
` laughed. He laughed very heartily, with a high, ringing note, `
` leaning back in his chair and shaking his sides. All my medical `
` instincts rose up against that laugh. `
` `
` "Stop it!" I cried; "pull yourself together!" and I poured out `
` some water from a caraffe. `
` `
` It was useless, however. He was off in one of those hysterical `
` outbursts which come upon a strong nature when some great crisis `
` is over and gone. Presently he came to himself once more, very `
` weary and pale-looking. `
` `
` "I have been making a fool of myself," he gasped. `
` `
` "Not at all. Drink this." I dashed some brandy into the water, `
` and the colour began to come back to his bloodless cheeks. `
` `
` "That's better!" said he. "And now, Doctor, perhaps you would `
` kindly attend to my thumb, or rather to the place where my thumb `
` used to be." `
` `
` He unwound the handkerchief and held out his hand. It gave even `
` my hardened nerves a shudder to look at it. There were four `
` protruding fingers and a horrid red, spongy surface where the `
` thumb should have been. It had been hacked or torn right out from `
` the roots. `
` `
` "Good heavens!" I cried, "this is a terrible injury. It must have `
` bled considerably." `
` `
` "Yes, it did. I fainted when it was done, and I think that I must `
` have been senseless for a long time. When I came to I found that `
` it was still bleeding, so I tied one end of my handkerchief very `
` tightly round the wrist and braced it up with a twig." `
` `
` "Excellent! You should have been a surgeon." `
` `
` "It is a question of hydraulics, you see, and came within my own `
` province." `
` `
` "This has been done," said I, examining the wound, "by a very `
` heavy and sharp instrument." `
` `
` "A thing like a cleaver," said he. `
` `
` "An accident, I presume?" `
` `
` "By no means." `
` `
` "What! a murderous attack?" `
` `
` "Very murderous indeed." `
` `
` "You horrify me." `
` `
` I sponged the wound, cleaned it, dressed it, and finally covered `
` it over with cotton wadding and carbolised bandages. He lay back `
` without wincing, though he bit his lip from time to time. `
` `
` "How is that?" I asked when I had finished. `
` `
` "Capital! Between your brandy and your bandage, I feel a new man. `
` I was very weak, but I have had a good deal to go through." `
` `
` "Perhaps you had better not speak of the matter. It is evidently `
` trying to your nerves." `
` `
` "Oh, no, not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; `
` but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing `
` evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they `
` believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I `
` have not much in the way of 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 `
`