LA CAN DE LA BASKERVILLES
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Capitol 1: Sr Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 1. Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Sr Sherlock Holmes, ci ia tende leva se multe tarda en la matinas, estra en acel avenis no nonfrecuente cuando el ia pasa tota la note sin dormi, ia senta a la table de come prima. Me ia sta sur la tapeto de ximineria e ia prende la basto lasada par nosa visitor en la sera presedente. Lo ia es un peso bela de lenio spesa, con testa bulbin, de la spesie nomida un “avocato de Penang”. Direta su la testa ia es un banda de arjento, con largia de cuasi un diton. “A James Mortimer, M.C.R.S., de sua amis en la O.C.C.” ia es gravada sur lo, con la data “1884”. Lo ia es un basto esata tal como portada par dotores de familias en un eda pasada – diniosa, solida e corajinte.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind him the night before. It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed, of the sort which is known as a “Penang lawyer.” Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch across. “To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.,” was engraved upon it, with the date “1884.” It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry – dignified, solid, and reassuring.

“Bon, Watson, cua es tua opina sur lo?”

“Well, Watson, what do you make of it?”

Holmes ia senta con sua dorso turnada a me, e me ia dona a el no sinia de mea ocupa.

Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation.

“Como tu ia sabe cua me fa? Me crede ce tu ave oios en la retro de tua testa.”

“How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head.”

“A la min, me ave ante me un vaso-de-cafe arjentida e bon limpida.” – el ia dise. “Ma dise a me, Watson, cua es tua opina sur la basto de nosa visitor? Car nos ia ave la mal fortuna de no encontra el e ave no comprende de sua taxe, esta suvenir nonintendeda deveni importante. Ta ce me oia tua reconstrui de la om par un esamina de lo.”

“I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me,” said he. “But, tell me, Watson, what do you make of our visitor’s stick? Since we have been so unfortunate as to miss him and have no notion of his errand, this accidental souvenir becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct the man by an examination of it.”

“Me opina” – me ia dise, seguente tan multe como posible la metodos de mea camerada – “ce Dr Mortimer es un om medical, vea e susedosa, e respetada si los ci conose el ia dona a el esta simbol de sua amira.”

“I think,” said I, following as far as I could the methods of my companion, “that Dr. Mortimer is a successful, elderly medical man, well-esteemed since those who know him give him this mark of their appreciation.”

“Bon!” – Holmes ia dise. “Eselente!”

“Good!” said Holmes. “Excellent!”

“Me pensa ance ce, longo la probablia, el es un dotor campanial ci fa multe de sua visitas par pede.”

“I think also that the probability is in favour of his being a country practitioner who does a great deal of his visiting on foot.”

“Perce tal?”

“Why so?”

“Car esta basto, an si orijinal multe bela, es tan bateda ce me pote apena imajina lo portada par un dotor urban. La metal spesa sirca la pede es gastada, donce lo es evidente ce el ia fa un cuantia grande de paseas usante lo.”

“Because this stick, though originally a very handsome one has been so knocked about that I can hardly imagine a town practitioner carrying it. The thick-iron ferrule is worn down, so it is evident that he has done a great amount of walking with it.”

“Perfeta razonada!” – Holmes ia dise.

“Perfectly sound!” said Holmes.

“E en ajunta, on ave la ‘amis en la O.C.C.’ Me divina ce esta es un club de cavalores, la club local de cual el ia dona cisa alga aida sirurjial a sua membros, e cual ia fa un presenta peti a el par intercambia.”

“And then again, there is the ‘friends of the C.C.H.’ I should guess that to be the Something Hunt, the local hunt to whose members he has possibly given some surgical assistance, and which has made him a small presentation in return.”

“Vera, Watson, tu esele tan.” – Holmes ia dise, puiante sua seja a retro e ensendente un sigareta. “Me es obligada a dise ce, en tota la racontas cual en tua jentilia grande tu ia dona sur mea propre atenis peti, tu ia suestima abitual tua propre talentos. Cisa tu mesma no es luminosa, ma tu condui la lus. Alga persones, sin posese jenia, ave un potia notable per stimula lo. Me confesa, mea cara bonom, ce me deta vera multe a tu.”

“Really, Watson, you excel yourself,” said Holmes, pushing back his chair and lighting a cigarette. “I am bound to say that in all the accounts which you have been so good as to give of my own small achievements you have habitually underrated your own abilities. It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it. I confess, my dear fellow, that I am very much in your debt.”

El ia dise ja nunca un tal cosa, e me debe confesa ce sua parolas ia dona a me un plaser intensa, car me ia es comun iritada par sua nonresponde a mea amira e a la atentas cual me ia fa per publici sua metodos. Me ia es orgulosa, ance, pensante ce me ia mestri sufisinte sua sistem per aplica lo en un manera cual ia gania sua aproba. El ia prende aora la basto de mea manos e ia esamina lo tra alga minutos par oios sin oculo. A pos, con fas interesada, el ia pone sua sigareta e, portante la basto a la fenetra, el ia esplora denova lo par un lupa convesa.

He had never said as much before, and I must admit that his words gave me keen pleasure, for I had often been piqued by his indifference to my admiration and to the attempts which I had made to give publicity to his methods. I was proud, too, to think that I had so far mastered his system as to apply it in a way which earned his approval. He now took the stick from my hands and examined it for a few minutes with his naked eyes. Then with an expression of interest he laid down his cigarette, and carrying the cane to the window, he looked over it again with a convex lens.

“Interesante, an si elementin.” – el ia dise en revade a sua angulo favoreda de la sofa. “On ave serta un o du indicas sur la basto. Lo dona a nos la funda per alga deduis.”

“Interesting, though elementary,” said he as he returned to his favourite corner of the settee. “There are certainly one or two indications upon the stick. It gives us the basis for several deductions.”

“Esce alga cosa ia evade me?” – me ia demanda con alga egosia. “Me espera ce on ave no partes major cual me ia fali atende, si?”

“Has anything escaped me?” I asked with some self-importance. “I trust that there is nothing of consequence which I have overlooked?”

“Me teme, mea cara Watson, ce la plu de vosa concluis ia es erosa. Cuando me ia dise ce tu ia stimula me, me ia vole dise, franca parlante, ce, en nota vosa falasias, a veses me ia es gidada en dirije a la veria. Ma tu no razona intera falsa en esta caso. La om es serta un dotor campanial. E el pasea multe.”

“I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions were erroneous. When I said that you stimulated me I meant, to be frank, that in noting your fallacies I was occasionally guided towards the truth. Not that you are entirely wrong in this instance. The man is certainly a country practitioner. And he walks a good deal.”

“Donce me ia vade coreta.”

“Then I was right.”

“A acel grado.”

“To that extent.”

“Ma acel ia es tota.”

“But that was all.”

“No, no, mea cara Watson, no tota – en no modo tota. Me ta sujesta, per esemplo, ce un presenta formal a un dotor ta veni plu probable de un ospital ca de un club de cavalores, e cuando la leteras ‘C.C.’ es poneda pos acel ospital, la parolas ‘Charing Cross’ es multe natural sujestada.”

“No, no, my dear Watson, not all — by no means all. I would suggest, for example, that a presentation to a doctor is more likely to come from a hospital than from a hunt, and that when the initials ‘C.C.’ are placed before that hospital the words ‘Charing Cross’ very naturally suggest themselves.”

“Cisa tu razona bon.”

“You may be right.”

“On va trova probablia en acel dirije. E si nos prende esta como un ipotese tempora, nos ave un funda fresca de cual nos pote comensa nosa construi de esta visitor nonconoseda.”

“The probability lies in that direction. And if we take this as a working hypothesis we have a fresh basis from which to start our construction of this unknown visitor.”

“Aora bon, si nos suposa ce ‘O.C.C.’ representa vera ‘Ospital de Charing Cross’, cual plu concluis nos pote dedui?”

“Well, then, supposing that ‘C.C.H.’ does stand for ‘Charing Cross Hospital,’ what further inferences may we draw?”

“Esce no concluis proposa se? Tu conose mea metodos. Aplica los!”

“Do none suggest themselves? You know my methods. Apply them!”

“Me pote pensa sola a la conclui evidente ce la om ia servi como dotor en la urbe ante vade a la campania.”

“I can only think of the obvious conclusion that the man has practised in town before going to the country.”

“Me opina ce nos pote aventura pico plu ca esta. Considera lo en esta manera. A cual tempo lo ta es la plu probable ce on ta fa un tal presenta? Cuando sua amis ta uni per dona a el un representa de sua bonvole? Evidente a la momento cuando Dr Mortimer ia retira se de la servi de la ospital per comensa sua propre posto medical. Nos sabe ce on ia fa un presenta. Nos crede ce un cambia ia aveni de un ospital urban a un posto campanial. Esce, aora, nos estende tro nosa indui en dise ce la presenta ia es fada en la tempo de la cambia?”

“I think that we might venture a little farther than this. Look at it in this light. On what occasion would it be most probable that such a presentation would be made? When would his friends unite to give him a pledge of their good will? Obviously at the moment when Dr. Mortimer withdrew from the service of the hospital in order to start a practice for himself. We know there has been a presentation. We believe there has been a change from a town hospital to a country practice. Is it, then, stretching our inference too far to say that the presentation was on the occasion of the change?”

“Serta, esta pare multe probable.”

“It certainly seems probable.”

“Aora, tu va oserva ce el no ia pote es un empleada de la ospital, car sola un om bon instituida en un posto medical en London ta pote ave un tal posto, e un tal person no ta migra a la campania. De cual tipo el ia es, alora? Si el ia es en la ospital ma no un empleada, el ia pote es sola un sirurjiste o mediciste stajiante – apena plu ca un studiante de nivel alta. E el ia parti a sinco anios pasada – la data es sur la basto. Donce tua dotor de familia, seria e de eda media, desapare sin trasa, mea cara Watson, e el ci emerje es un om joven de min ca tredes anios, amin, nonaspirante, distraeda, e la posesor de un can favoreda, cual me ta descrive aprosima como plu grande ca un terier e plu peti ca un mastin.”

“Now, you will observe that he could not have been on the staff of the hospital, since only a man well-established in a London practice could hold such a position, and such a one would not drift into the country. What was he, then? If he was in the hospital and yet not on the staff he could only have been a house-surgeon or a house-physician — little more than a senior student. And he left five years ago — the date is on the stick. So your grave, middle-aged family practitioner vanishes into thin air, my dear Watson, and there emerges a young fellow under thirty, amiable, unambitious, absent-minded, and the possessor of a favourite dog, which I should describe roughly as being larger than a terrier and smaller than a mastiff.”

Me ia rie noncredente en cuando Sherlock Holmes ia apoia a retro sur sua sofa e ia sofla anelos peti de fuma tremante en asende a la sofito.

I laughed incredulously as Sherlock Holmes leaned back in his settee and blew little wavering rings of smoke up to the ceiling.

“A tema de la parte final, me ave no metodo de esamina tu,” – me ia dise – “ma a la min lo no es difisil ce on descovre alga detalias sur la eda e carera profesal de la om.”

“As to the latter part, I have no means of checking you,” said I, “but at least it is not difficult to find out a few particulars about the man’s age and professional career.”

De mea scafal peti medical me ia estrae la Cataloga Medical e ia foraje la nom. Lo ia conteni plu ca un Mortimer, ma sola un ci ia pote es nosa visitor. Me ia leje sua descrive a vose:

From my small medical shelf I took down the Medical Directory and turned up the name. There were several Mortimers, but only one who could be our visitor. I read his record aloud.

Mortimer, James. Membro de la Corpora Reial de Sirurjistes, 1882, Grimpen (Stepe Dartmoor, Devon). Sirurjiste stajiante, de 1882 a 1884, a la Ospital de Charing Cross. Ganior de la Premio Jackson per Patolojia Comparante, con esajo titulida ‘Esce maladia es un retrosede?’ Membro corespondente de la Sosia Patolojial Svensce. Autor de ‘Esemplos strana de atavisme’ (Bisturi, 1882), ‘Esce nos progresa?’ (Jornal de psicolojia, marto 1883). Ofisior medical per la parocias Grimpen, Thorsley e Tumulo Alta.

Mortimer, James, M.R.C.S., 1882, Grimpen, Dartmoor, Devon. House-surgeon, from 1882 to 1884, at Charing Cross Hospital. Winner of the Jackson prize for Comparative Pathology, with essay entitled ‘Is Disease a Reversion?’ Corresponding member of the Swedish Pathological Society. Author of ‘Some Freaks of Atavism’ (Lancet 1882). ‘Do We Progress?’ (Journal of Psychology, March, 1883). Medical Officer for the parishes of Grimpen, Thorsley, and High Barrow.

“Con no refere a acel club de cavalores, Watson,” – Holmes ia dise con surie juosa – “ma un dotor campanial, como tu ia oserva multe astuta. Me opina ce mea deduis es relativa justida. En pertine a la ajetivos, me ia dise, si me recorda bon: amin, nonaspirante e distraeda. Lo es mea esperia ce un person amin es la sola en esta mundo ci reseta tribuis, un nonaspirante es la sola ci abandona un carera en London per vade a la campania, e un distraeda es la sola ci lasa sua basto e no sua carta de visita pos espeta tra un ora en la sala de algun.”

“No mention of that local hunt, Watson,” said Holmes with a mischievous smile, “but a country doctor, as you very astutely observed. I think that I am fairly justified in my inferences. As to the adjectives, I said, if I remember right, amiable, unambitious, and absent-minded. It is my experience that it is only an amiable man in this world who receives testimonials, only an unambitious one who abandons a London career for the country, and only an absent-minded one who leaves his stick and not his visiting-card after waiting an hour in your room.”

“E la can?”

“And the dog?”

“Ia abitua porta esta basto pos sua mestre. Car la basto es pesosa, la can ia teni forte la media de lo, e la marcas de sua dentes es multe clar vidable. La mandibula de la can, como mostrada par la spasio entre esta marcas, es tro larga en mea opina per un terier e no sufisinte larga per un mastin. Cisa lo ia es – si, Jupiter santa!, lo es un spaniel de capeles risa.”

“Has been in the habit of carrying this stick behind his master. Being a heavy stick the dog has held it tightly by the middle, and the marks of his teeth are very plainly visible. The dog’s jaw, as shown in the space between these marks, is too broad in my opinion for a terrier and not broad enough for a mastiff. It may have been — yes, by Jove, it is a curly-haired spaniel.”

El ia sta ja e ia pasea tra la sala en parla. Aora el ia para en la alcova de la fenetra. Un tal cualia de convinse ia presenta se en sua vose ce me ia regarda el con surprende.

He had risen and paced the room as he spoke. Now he halted in the recess of the window. There was such a ring of conviction in his voice that I glanced up in surprise.

“Mea cara bonom, como lo pote aveni ce tu es tan serta sur esta?”

“My dear fellow, how can you possibly be so sure of that?”

“Par la causa multe simple ce me vide la can mesma a nosa propre porte, e aora on oia la tintina par sua posesor. No sorti, me solisita, Watson. El es un de tua frates profesal, e tua presentia va es cisa aidante a me. Aora es la momento dramosa de la destina, Watson, cuando nos oia un paso sur la grado cual pasea prosiminte a nosa vive, e nos no sabe esce per bon o mal. Cua Dotor James Mortimer, om de siensa, va demanda de Sherlock Holmes, la spesialiste de crimin? Entra!”

“For the very simple reason that I see the dog himself on our very door-step, and there is the ring of its owner. Don’t move, I beg you, Watson. He is a professional brother of yours, and your presence may be of assistance to me. Now is the dramatic moment of fate, Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill. What does Dr. James Mortimer, the man of science, ask of Sherlock Holmes, the specialist in crime? Come in!”

La aspeta de nosa visitor ia es un surprende per me, car me ia espeta un dotor tipal de la campania. El ia es un om magra e multe alta, con un nas longa como un beco, cual ia protende entre du oios gris e agu, prosima locada a lunlotra e briliante sintilinte pos un oculo de montur de oro. El ia es vestida en modo profesal ma alga noncurada, car sua jacon ia es pico susia e sua pantalon gastada. An si joven, sua dorso longa ia es ja arcida, e el ia pasea con sua testa puiada a ante e un aira jeneral de bonvole miope. Cuando el ia entra, sua regarda ia cade a la basto en la mano de Holmes, e el ia core en dirije a lo con un esclama de joia.

The appearance of our visitor was a surprise to me, since I had expected a typical country practitioner. He was a very tall, thin man, with a long nose like a beak, which jutted out between two keen, grey eyes, set closely together and sparkling brightly from behind a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He was clad in a professional but rather slovenly fashion, for his frock-coat was dingy and his trousers frayed. Though young, his long back was already bowed, and he walked with a forward thrust of his head and a general air of peering benevolence. As he entered his eyes fell upon the stick in Holmes’s hand, and he ran towards it with an exclamation of joy.

“Me es tan multe contente.” – el ia dise. “Me no ia es serta esce me ia lasa lo asi o en la Ofisia de Barcones. Me no ta vole perde acel basto, an per la mundo.”

“I am so very glad,” said he. “I was not sure whether I had left it here or in the Shipping Office. I would not lose that stick for the world.”

“Presentada, me vide.” – Holmes ia dise.

“A presentation, I see,” said Holmes.

“Si, senior.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Par la Ospital de Charing Cross?”

“From Charing Cross Hospital?”

“Par un o du amis ala a la tempo de mea sposi.”

“From one or two friends there on the occasion of my marriage.”

“Ai, ai, lo es mal!” – Holmes ia dise, secutente la testa.

“Dear, dear, that’s bad!” said Holmes, shaking his head.

Dr Mortimer ia palpebri pos sua oculo con stona moderada. “Perce mal?”

Dr. Mortimer blinked through his glasses in mild astonishment. “Why was it bad?”

“Sola car tu ia desordina nosa deduis peti. Tua sposi, tu dise?”

“Only that you have disarranged our little deductions. Your marriage, you say?”

“Si, senior. Me ia sposi, e donce ia parti de la ospital, e ance de tota espera de un posto major. Me ia debe comensa mea propre casa.”

“Yes, sir. I married, and so left the hospital, and with it all hopes of a consulting practice. It was necessary to make a home of my own.”

“E bon, nos no ia es tan erante, an tal.” – Holmes ia dise. “E aora, Dr James Mortimer —”

“Come, come, we are not so far wrong, after all,” said Holmes. “And now, Dr. James Mortimer—”

“Senior, mera Senior – un M.C.R.S. umil.”

“Mister, sir, Mister — a humble M.R.C.S.”

“E un om de mente esata, evidente.”

“And a man of precise mind, evidently.”

“Un amator de siensa, Sr Holmes, un colior de concas sur la costas de la mar grande nonconoseda. Me suposa ce Sr Sherlock Holmes es el a ci me parla e no —”

“A dabbler in science, Mr. Holmes, a picker up of shells on the shores of the great unknown ocean. I presume that it is Mr. Sherlock Holmes whom I am addressing and not—”

“No, esta es mea ami Dr Watson.”

“No, this is my friend Dr. Watson.”

“Encantada, senior. Me ia oia referes a tua nom en relata con lo de tua ami. Tu interesa multe me, Sr Holmes. Me ia espeta apena un cranio tan dolicosefalica o un developa supraorbital tan asentuada. Esce tu ta oposa si me ta tira mea dito longo tua fesur parietal? Un moldida de tua cranio, senior, asta cuando la orijinal es disponable, ta orna vera cualce museo antropolojial. Me no intende adula, ma me confesa ce me anela posese tua cranio.”

“Glad to meet you, sir. I have heard your name mentioned in connection with that of your friend. You interest me very much, Mr. Holmes. I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic a skull or such well-marked supra-orbital development. Would you have any objection to my running my finger along your parietal fissure? A cast of your skull, sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament to any anthropological museum. It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull.”

Sherlock Holmes ia jesti nosa visitor strana a un seja.

Sherlock Holmes waved our strange visitor into a chair.

“Tu es tan zelosa sur tua ramo de pensa, me persepi, senior, como me es sur mea.” – el ia dise. “Me oserva par tua dito indicante ce tu prepara tua propre sigaretas. No esita ensende un de los.”

“You are an enthusiast in your line of thought, I perceive, sir, as I am in mine,” said he. “I observe from your forefinger that you make your own cigarettes. Have no hesitation in lighting one.”

La om ia estrae paper e tabaco e ia jira la un en la otra con destrosia surprendente. El ia ave ditos longa e tremante, tan ajil e ajitada como la antenas de un inseto.

The man drew out paper and tobacco and twirled the one up in the other with surprising dexterity. He had long, quivering fingers as agile and restless as the antennæ of an insect.

Holmes ia silenti, ma sua regardetas dardin ia mostra a me la interesa cual el senti sur nosa acompanior noncomun.

Holmes was silent, but his little darting glances showed me the interest which he took in our curious companion.

“Me suposa, senior,” – el ia dise final – “ce lo no ia es mera con la intende de esamina mea cranio ce tu ia onora me par visita asi en la sera de ier e denova oji?”

“I presume, sir,” said he at last, “that it was not merely for the purpose of examining my skull that you have done me the honour to call here last night and again today?”

“No, senior, no, an si me es felis ce me ia ave la capasia de fa ance acel. Me ia veni a tu, Sr Holmes, car me ia reconose ce me mesma es un om nonpratical e car me es subita frontida par un problem la plu grave e estracomun. Seguente mea reconose ce tu es la esperta du de la plu altas en Europa —”

“No, sir, no; though I am happy to have had the opportunity of doing that as well. I came to you, Mr. Holmes, because I recognized that I am myself an unpractical man and because I am suddenly confronted with a most serious and extraordinary problem. Recognizing, as I do, that you are the second highest expert in Europe—”

“Vera, senior! Esce me pote demanda ci ave la onora de es la prima?” – Holmes ia demanda con alga severia.

“Indeed, sir! May I inquire who has the honour to be the first?” asked Holmes with some asperity.

“A un om de mente esata siensal, la labora de Sr Bertillon debe sempre impresa forte.”

“To the man of precisely scientific mind the work of Monsieur Bertillon must always appeal strongly.”

“Donce esce tu no debe plu bon consulta el?”

“Then had you not better consult him?”

“Me ia dise, senior: a la mente esata siensal. Ma como un om de casos pratical, on aseta ce tu sta solitar. Me espera, senior, ce, contra intende, me no ia —”

“I said, sir, to the precisely scientific mind. But as a practical man of affairs it is acknowledged that you stand alone. I trust, sir, that I have not inadvertently—”

“Sola pico.” – Holmes ia dise. “Me opina, Dr Mortimer, ce tu ta ata saja si, sin plu pospone, tu ta informa me, per favore, clar sur la natur esata de la problem sur cual tu esije mea aida.”

“Just a little,” said Holmes. “I think, Dr. Mortimer, you would do wisely if without more ado you would kindly tell me plainly what the exact nature of the problem is in which you demand my assistance.”