ing.
“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,andwelistenedinsilencetothestrangestory