smadehimasmallpresentationinreturn.”
“Really,Watson,youexcelyourself,”saidHolmes,pushingbackhischairandlightingacigarette.“Iamboundtosaythatinalltheaccountswhichyouhavebeensogoodastogiveofmyownsmallachievementsyouhavehabituallyunderratedyourownabilities.Itmaybethatyouarenotyourselfluminous,butyouareaconductoroflight.Somepeoplewithoutpossessinggeniushavearemarkablepowerofstimulatingit.Iconfess,mydearfellow,thatIamverymuchinyourdebt.”
Hehadneversaidasmuchbefore,andImustadmitthathiswordsgavemekeenpleasure,forIhadoftenbeenpiquedbyhisindifferencetomyadmirationandtotheattemptswhichIhadmadetogivepublicitytohismethods.Iwasproud,too,tothinkthatIhadsofarmasteredhissystemastoapplyitinawaywhichearnedhisapproval.Henowtookthestickfrommyhandsandexamineditforafewminuteswithhisnakedeyes.Thenwithanexpressionofinteresthelaiddownhiscigarette,andcarryingthecanetothewindow,helookedoveritagainwithaconvexlens.
“Interesting,thoughelementary,”saidheashereturnedtohisfavouritecornerofthesettee.“Therearecertainlyoneortwoindicationsuponthestick.Itgivesusthebasisforseveraldeductions.”
“Hasanythingescapedme?”Iaskedwithsomeself-importance.“ItrustthatthereisnothingofconsequencewhichIhaveoverlooked?”
“Iamafraid,mydearWatson,thatmostofyourconclusionswereerroneous.WhenIsaidthatyoustimulatedmeImeant,tobefrank,thatinnotingyourfallaciesIwasoccasionallyguidedtowardsthetruth.Notthatyouareentirelywronginthisinstance.Themaniscertainlyacountrypractitioner.Andhewalksagooddeal.”
“ThenIwasright.”
“Tothatextent.”
“Butthatwasall.”
“No,no,mydearWatson,notall—bynomeansall.Iwouldsuggest,forexample,thatapresentationtoadoctorismorelikelytocomefromahospitalthanfromahunt,andthatwhentheinitials‘C.C.’areplacedbeforethathospitalthewords‘CharingCross’verynatura