UN STUDIA EN SCARLATA
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Capitol 2: La siensa de dedui

2. The Science of Deduction

Nos ia reuni a la dia seguente, como el ia projeta, e ia esamina la salas a Numero 221B de Strada Baker, sur cual el ia parla a nosa encontra. Los ia es composada de un duple comfortosa de salas de dormi e un salon grande e airosa, mobilida en manera felisinte e luminada par du fenetras larga. La apartes ia es tan desirable en tota modos, e la finansia ia pare tan moderada cuando divideda entre nos, ce la negosia ia es concluida sin retarda, e nos ia embarca direta la posese. En acel sera mesma, me ia move mea cosas ala de la otel, e a la matina seguente, Sherlock Holmes ia segue me con alga caxas e valisones. Tra un dia o du, nos ia es ativa ocupada en despaci e posa nosa propria a benefica masima. Pos fa esta, nos ia comensa gradal deveni abituada e ajusta nos a nosa ambiente nova.

We met next day, as he had arranged, and inspected the rooms at No. 221B Baker Street, of which he had spoken at our meeting. They consisted of a couple of comfortable bedrooms and a single large airy sitting-room, cheerfully furnished and illuminated by two broad windows. So desirable in every way were the apartments, and so moderate did the terms seem when divided between us, that the bargain was concluded upon the spot, and we at once entered into possession. That very evening I moved my things round from the hotel, and on the following morning Sherlock Holmes followed me with several boxes and portmanteaus. For a day or two we were busily employed in unpacking and laying out our property to the best advantage. That done, we gradually began to settle down and to accommodate ourselves to our new surroundings.

Holmes ia es serta no un om difisil en coabita. El ia ave un condui cuieta, e sua abituas ia es coerente. Lo ia es rara si el ia es veliada pos la ora dudes-du, e el ia fa ja sempre sua come de matina e ia sorti ja ante mea leva en la matina. A alga dias, el ia spende sua tempo a la laboreria cimical, a algas en la morerias, e de ves a ves en paseas longa, cual ia pare prende lo a la partes la plu basa de la site. No cosa ta pote esede sua enerjia cuando la zelo de labora ia teni el; ma aora e alora el ia deveni saisida par un reata, e tra dias en serie el ia reclina sur la sofa en la salon, apena vosinte un parola o movente un musculo de matina a note. A esta veses, me ia persepi en sua oios un espresa tan soniosa e vacua ce me ia ta suspeta el de depende de la usa de alga narcotica si la asteni e puria de sua vive intera no ia proibi un tal idea.

Holmes was certainly not a difficult man to live with. He was quiet in his ways, and his habits were regular. It was rare for him to be up after ten at night, and he had invariably breakfasted and gone out before I rose in the morning. Sometimes he spent his day at the chemical laboratory, sometimes in the dissecting-rooms, and occasionally in long walks, which appeared to take him into the lowest portions of the city. Nothing could exceed his energy when the working fit was upon him; but now and again a reaction would seize him, and for days on end he would lie upon the sofa in the sitting-room, hardly uttering a word or moving a muscle from morning to night. On these occasions I have noticed such a dreamy, vacant expression in his eyes that I might have suspected him of being addicted to the use of some narcotic had not the temperance and cleanliness of his whole life forbidden such a notion.

Con la pasa de la semanas, mea interesa a el e mea curiosia sur sua goles de vive ia profondi e grandi gradal. An sua person e aspeta ia es tal ce los ta atrae la atende de un oservor la plu casual. En altia el ia ave alga plu ca ses pedes, e ia es tan nonusual magra ce el ia pare es notable plu alta. Sua oios ia es agu e intensa, estra en acel intervales de letarjia a cual me ia refere; e sua nas streta e falconin ia furni a sua espresa intera un manera de vijila e deside. Ance sua mento ia ave la protende e cuadria cual marca un om determinosa. Sua manos ia es sempre manxada con inca e tinjeda con cimicales, ma el ia posese un capasia estracomun delicata de toca, como me ia pote oserva a multe veses en regarda sua manipula de sua strumentos siensal.

As the weeks went by, my interest in him and my curiosity as to his aims in life gradually deepened and increased. His very person and appearance were such as to strike the attention of the most casual observer. In height he was rather over six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to which I have alluded; and his thin, hawklike nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness and decision. His chin, too, had the prominence and squareness which mark the man of determination. His hands were invariably blotted with ink and stained with chemicals, yet he was possessed of extraordinary delicacy of touch, as I frequently had occasion to observe when I watched him manipulating his fragile philosophical instruments.

Cisa la lejor va opina ce me es un interferor nonremediable cuando me confesa cuanto esta om ia stimula mea curiosia e a cuanto veses me ia atenta penetra la secretosia cual el ia mostra sur tota cual conserna el. Ante cuando on proclama la judi, an tal, ta ce on recorda ce mea vive ia es tan nondirijeda e ce me ia ave tan poca per engrana mea atende. Mea sania ia proibi me de sorti su la sielo estra cuando la clima ia es spesial temperada, e me ia ave no amis ci ta visita me per rompe la monotonia de mea esiste dial. En esta situa, me ia saluta zelosa la misterio peti cual ia pende sirca mea acompanior, e ia pasa multe de mea tempo en atenta desmarania lo.

The reader may set me down as a hopeless busy-body, when I confess how much this man stimulated my curiosity, and how often I endeavoured to break through the reticence which he showed on all that concerned himself. Before judgement is pronounced, however, be it remembered how objectless was my life and how little there was to engage my attention. My health forbade me from venturing out unless the weather was exceptionally genial, and I had no friends who would call upon me and break the monotony of my daily existence. Under these circumstances, I eagerly hailed the little mystery which hung around my companion, and spent much of my time in endeavouring to unravel it.

El no ia es un studiante de medica. El mesma, en responde a un demanda, ia confirma la opina de Stamford sur esta punto. Plu, lo ia pare ce el ia segue no curso de studia cual ta prepara el per un diploma en siensa o cualce otra porte reconoseda cual ta permete sua entra a la mundo erudita. Ma sua zelo per alga studias ia es notable e, entre limitas nonortodox, sua sabes ia es tan estracomun abundante e atendosa ce sua oservas ia es an stonante per me. Serta, no person ta labora tan asidua o ta ateni informas tan esata si el no ta ave alga gol definida en sua pensas. Los ci leje en manera acaso es rara notada per la esatia de sua aprende. No person carga sua mente con detalias peti sin alga razona multe bon per fa lo.

He was not studying medicine. He had himself, in reply to a question, confirmed Stamford’s opinion upon that point. Neither did he appear to have pursued any course of reading which might fit him for a degree in science or any other recognised portal which would give him an entrance into the learned world. Yet his zeal for certain studies was remarkable, and within eccentric limits his knowledge was so extraordinarily ample and minute that his observations fairly astounded me. Surely no man would work so hard or attain such precise information unless he had some definite end in view. Desultory readers are seldom remarkable for the exactness of their learning. No man burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some very good reason for doing so.

Sua nonsabes ia es tan notable como sua sabes. De leteratur contempora, filosofia e politica el ia pare ave cuasi no conose. Cuando me ia sita Thomas Carlyle, el ia demanda en modo la plu naive ci esta ia es e cua el ia fa. Mea surprende ia ariva a un apico, an tal, cuando me ia trova en pasa ce el es nonconsensa de la teoria copernical e de la composa de la sistem solal. Ce cualce umana sivilida en esta sentenio des-nove no sabe ce la Tera viaja sirca la Sol ia pare a me un fato tan estracomun ce me ia pote apena comprende lo.

His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he enquired in the naïvest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilised human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to be to me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realise it.

“Tu pare es stonada,” el ia dise, suriente a mea espresa de surprende. “Aora, sabente lo, me va fa la plu cual me pote per oblida lo.”

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“Per oblida lo!”

“To forget it!”

“Vide,” el ia esplica, “me considera ce la serebro de un person es orijinal simil a un suteto peti vacua, e on debe pleni lo con furnis tal cual on eleje. Un fol emporta tota la bricabrac de cada spesie cual el encontra, tal ce la sabes cual ta pote aida el deveni escluida par la fola o, a la plu bon, es miscada con un monton de otra cosas, tal ce el esperia un difisil en retrae los a sua mano. Ma la laboror capas atende vera multe cua el emporta a sua suteto serebral. El va ave sola la utiles cual va pote aida el a fa sua labora, ma de estas el ave un colie grande, e tota es en state la plu perfeta. Lo es un era si on crede ce acel sala peti ave mures elastica e pote infla sin limita. On pote es serta ce un tempo veni cuando, per cada ajunta de sabe, on perde alga cosa cual on ia sabe a ante. Lo es masima importante, donce, ce on no ave fatos nonusable cual forsa la usables a via.”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilled workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“Ma la sistem solal!” me ia protesta.

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“Como de diablo lo pertine a me?” el interompe nonpasiente. “Tu dise ce nos vade sirca la Sol. Si nos ta vade sirca la Luna, lo no ta afeta me e mea labora par an un sentim.”

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently. “You say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Me ia es a punto de solisita de el la natur de acel labora, ma alga cosa en sua manera ia mostra a me ce lo ta es un demanda nonbonvenida. Me ia serebri sur nosa conversa corta, an tal, e ia atenta tira mea deduis de lo. El ia dise ce el oteni no sabes cual no pertine a sua ojeto. Donce tota la sabes poseseda par el es tal ce los ta pote es aidosa per el. Me ia cataloga en mea mente tota la puntos diversa sur cual el ia mostra a me ce el es estrema bon informada. Me ia prende an un lapis e ia scrive los. Me no ia pote evita surie a la documento cuando me ia completi lo. Lo ia ave esta testo:

I was on the point of asking him what that work might be, but something in his manner showed me that the question would be an unwelcome one. I pondered over our short conversation, however, and endeavoured to draw my deductions from it. He said that he would acquire no knowledge which did not bear upon his object. Therefore all the knowledge which he possessed was such as would be useful to him. I enumerated in my own mind all the various points upon which he had shown me that he was exceptionally well informed. I even took a pencil and jotted them down. I could not help smiling at the document when I had completed it. It ran in this way:

SHERLOCK HOLMES — sua limitas
1. Sabes de leteratur — zero
2. Sabes de filosofia — zero
3. Sabes de astronomia — zero
4. Sabes de politica — debil
5. Sabes de botanica — variante. Bon conose de beladona, opio e venenas en jeneral. No conose de jardinoria pratical.
6. Sabes de jeolojia — pratical, ma limitada. Capas de distingui spesies diversa de solos de tera par un regardeta. Pos paseas, el ia mostra a me salpicas sur sua pantalon e ia informa me par sua color e viscosia en cual parte de London el ia reseta los.
7. Sabes de cimica — profonda
8. Sabes de anatomia — esata, ma nonsistemosa
9. Sabes de reportas scandalosa — vasta. El pare sabe cada detalia de cada ata terorinte realida en la sentenio.
10. Bon juor de violin
11. Esperta como boxor, spador e scrimor con baston
12. Bon sabes pratical de lege brites

SHERLOCK HOLMES — his limits
1. Knowledge of literature — nil
2. Knowledge of philosophy — nil
3. Knowledge of astronomy — nil
4. Knowledge of politics — feeble
5. Knowledge of botany — variable. Well up in belladonna, opium and poisons generally. Knows nothing of practical gardening.
6. Knowledge of geology — practical, but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other. After walks, has shown me splashes upon his trousers and told me by their colour and consistence in what part of London he had received them.
7. Knowledge of chemistry — profound
8. Knowledge of anatomy — accurate, but unsystematic
9. Knowledge of sensational literature — immense. He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.
10. Plays the violin well
11. Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman
12. Has a good practical knowledge of British law

Cuando me ia ariva a esta punto en mea lista, me ia lansa lo a la foco en despera. “Si me ta pote sola trova a cual esta om dirije se, par reconsilia tota esta atenis e descovre un carera cual nesesa tota de los,” me ia dise a me. “Abandona la atenta ta es aora la ata la plu saja.”

When I had got so far in my list I threw it into the fire in despair. “If I can only find what the fellow is driving at by reconciling all these accomplishments and discovering a calling which needs them all,” I said to myself. “I may as well give up the attempt at once.”

Me vide ce me ia refere a supra a sua capasias con la violin. Estas ia es multe notable, ma tan nonusual como tota sua otra atenis. Ce el ia pote jua pesos, e pesos difisil, me ia sabe bon, car a mea solisita el ia jua per me alga de la Lieder de Mendelssohn, e otra favoredas. Lasada a sua propre eleje, an tal, el ia produi comun no spesie de musica e ia atenta no melodia reconoseda. Apoiante sua dorso en sua sejon en la seras, el ia tende clui sua oios e raspa nonatendente a la violin lansada a traversa de sua jeno. A alga veses, la acordas ia es resonante e melancolica. De ves a ves, los ia es fantasin e felis. Clar, los ia refleta la pensas cual ia posese el, ma esce la musica ia aida acel pensas, o la jua ia es simple la resulta de un capris o desira, lo ia es plu ca me ia pote determina. Me ia ta rebela cisa contra acel solos frustrante sin la esiste de la fato ce el ia fini usual los par jua en segue rapida un serie completa de mea melodias favoreda como un compensa minor per la carga a mea pasientia.

I see that I have alluded above to his powers upon the violin. These were very remarkable, but as eccentric as all his other accomplishments. That he could play pieces, and difficult pieces, I knew well, because at my request he had played me some of Mendelssohn’s Lieder, and other favourites. When left to himself, however, he would seldom produce any music or attempt any recognised air. Leaning back in his armchair of an evening, he would close his eyes and scrape carelessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his knee. Sometimes the chords were sonorous and melancholy. Occasionally they were fantastic and cheerful. Clearly they reflected the thoughts which possessed him, but whether the music aided those thoughts, or whether the playing was simply the result of a whim or fancy was more than I could determine. I might have rebelled against these exasperating solos had it not been that he usually terminated them by playing in quick succession a whole series of my favourite airs as a slight compensation for the trial upon my patience.

En la semana prima o simil, nos ia ave no visitores, e me ia comensa pensa ce mea acompanior es un om tan sin amis como me mesma. Pos corta, an tal, me ia trova ce el ave multe conosedas, e ce estas parteni a clases la plu diversa de sosia. On ia ave un om peti con fas pal e ratin e oios oscur, ci on ia presenta a me como Sr Lestrade, e ci ia veni a tre o cuatro veses en sola un semana. A un matina, un xica joven ia visita, vestida a la moda, e ia resta per un dui de ora o plu. La mesma posmedia ia trae un visitor con vestes gastada e capeles gris, semblante un vendor iudi vagante, ci ia pare a me multe stimulada, e ci ia es prosima segueda par un fem senesente en sapatos destalonida. A un otra ves, un senior vea con capeles blanca ia fa un intervisa con mea acompanior; e a un otra, un portor de ferovia en sua uniforma de veludin. Cuando cualce de esta individuas nondefinida ia fa un apare, Sherlock Holmes ia solisita sempre la usa de la salon, e me ia retira me a mea sala de dormi. El ia demanda per mea pardona a cada ves de forsa esta nonoportunia a me. “Me nesesa usa esta sala como un loca de comersia,” el ia dise, “e esta persones es mea clientes.” Denova, me ia ave la posible de xuta un demanda direta a el, e denova mea tato ia preveni me de obliga un otra om a confida a me. Me ia imajina alora ce el ave alga razona forte per no refere a lo, ma pos corta el ia desapare la idea par prosimi a la tema en modo propre e volente.

During the first week or so we had no callers, and I had begun to think that my companion was as friendless a man as I was myself. Presently, however, I found that he had many acquaintances, and those in the most different classes of society. There was one little sallow, rat-faced, dark-eyed fellow who was introduced to me as Mr Lestrade, and who came three or four times in a single week. One morning a young girl called, fashionably dressed, and stayed for half an hour or more. The same afternoon brought a grey-headed seedy visitor, looking like a Jew pedlar, who appeared to me to be much excited, and who was closely followed by a slipshod elderly woman. On another occasion an old white-haired gentleman had an interview with my companion; and on another, a railway porter in his velveteen uniform. When any of these nondescript individuals put in an appearance Sherlock Holmes used to beg for the use of the sitting-room, and I would retire to my bedroom. He always apologised to me for putting me to this inconvenience. “I have to use this room as a place of business,” he said, “and these people are my clients.” Again I had an opportunity of asking him a point-blank question, and again my delicacy prevented me from forcing another man to confide in me. I imagined at the time that he had some strong reason for not alluding to it, but he soon dispelled the idea by coming round to the subject of his own accord.

Lo ia es a la 4 de marto, como me ave bon razona per recorda, ce me ia leva alga plu temprana ca usual, e ia trova ce Sherlock Holmes ancora no ia fini sua come de matina. La proprioresa ia deveni ja tan abituada a mea abituas de tardia ce mea loca a table no ia es posada e mea cafe no preparada. Con la malumor nonrazonante de un om, me ia sona la campaneta e ia fa un indica brusca ce me es espetante. Pos esta, me ia prende un revista de la table e ia atenta consuma la tempo con lo, en cuando mea acompanior ia mastica silente a sua tostada. Un de la articles ia ave un marca de lapis a la introdui, e natural me ia comensa pasa mea oio tra lo.

It was upon the 4th of March, as I have good reason to remember, that I rose somewhat earlier than usual, and found that Sherlock Holmes had not yet finished his breakfast. The landlady had become so accustomed to my late habits that my place had not been laid nor my coffee prepared. With the unreasonable petulance of mankind I rang the bell and gave a curt intimation that I was ready. Then I picked up a magazine from the table and attempted to while away the time with it, while my companion munched silently at his toast. One of the articles had a pencil mark at the heading, and I naturally began to run my eye through it.

Sua titulo alga aspirante ia es “La libro de la vive”, e lo ia atenta mostra cuanto un person oservante ta pote aprende par un esamina esata e sistemosa de tota cual veni en sua dirije. Lo ia impresa me como un misca notable de astutia e de asurdia. La stilo de razona ia es consisa e intensa, ma la deduis ia pare a me bizara e esajerada. La autor ia reclama un capasia de comprende par un espresa momental, un spasmeta de musculo o un turna de oio la pensas la plu interna de cualcun. Engana, longo el, es un nonposible en la caso de un person instruida per oserva e analise. Sua concluis ia es tan nonerante como tan multe proposas de Euclide. A un person nonesperiosa, sua resultas ta pare tan surprendente ce asta cuando on ta aprende la prosedes par cual el ia ariva a los, on ta pote egal bon regarda el como un sorsor.

Its somewhat ambitious title was “The Book of Life”, and it attempted to show how much an observant man might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his way. It struck me as being a remarkable mixture of shrewdness and of absurdity. The reasoning was close and intense, but the deductions appeared to me to be far-fetched and exaggerated. The writer claimed by a momentary expression, a twitch of a muscle or a glance of an eye to fathom a man’s inmost thoughts. Deceit, according to him, was an impossibility in the case of one trained to observation and analysis. His conclusions were as infallible as so many propositions of Euclid. So startling would his results appear to the uninitiated that until they learned the processes by which he had arrived at them they might well consider him as a necromancer.

De un gota de acua (la autor ia dise), un lojiciste ta pote dedui la posiblia de un Atlantica o un Niagara sin vide o es consensa de la un o la otra. Donce tota la vive es un cadena grande, de cual sua natur es sabeda sempre do on mostra a nos un sola anelo de lo. Como tota otra artes, la siensa de dedui e analise es un cual on pote developa sola par studia longa e pasiente, e la longia de un vive no sufisi per permete ce cualce mortal ateni la perfetia la plu alta de lo. Ante dirije se a la aspetas moral e mental de la tema cual presenta la difisiles la plu grande, ta ce la xercor comensa par mestri problemes plu fundal. Cuando el encontra un otra mortal, ta ce el aprende distingui par un regardeta la istoria de la person e la comersia o profesa a cual el parteni. An si un tal eserse pote pare enfantin, lo agi la capasias de oserva, e lo ensenia do on debe xerca e cual on pote trova. Par la ungias de dito de algun, par sua manga de jacon, par sua bota, par sua jenos de pantalon, par la calos de sua dito xef e diton, par sua espresa, par sua polsos de camisa — par cada de esta cosas la carera de un person es clar revelada. Ce tota en uni ta fali lumina un xercor capas en cualce caso es cuasi nonconsetable.

From a drop of water [said the writer], a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known wherever we are shown a single link of it. Like all other arts, the Science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it. Before turning to those moral and mental aspects of the matter which present the greatest difficulties, let the enquirer begin by mastering more elementary problems. Let him, on meeting a fellow-mortal, learn at a glance to distinguish the history of the man and the trade or profession to which he belongs. Puerile as such an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties of observation, and teaches one where to look and what to look for. By a man’s fingernails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser-knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt-cuffs — by each of these things a man’s calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent enquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.

“Un babela aturdinte!” me ia esclama, palminte la revista sur la table; me ia leje nunca un cosa tal asurda en mea vive.”

“What ineffable twaddle!” I cried, slapping the magazine down on the table; “I never read such rubbish in my life.”

“Lo es cua?” Sherlock Holmes ia demanda.

“What is it?” asked Sherlock Holmes.

“Ma esta article,” me ia dise, indicante lo con mea culier de ovo en senta me per mea come. “Me vide ce tu ia leje lo, car tu ia marca lo. Me no nega ce lo es intelijente scriveda. Lo irita me, an tal. Lo es evidente la teoria de alga pantoflor de sejon ci evolui tota esta peti paradoxes destrosa en la privatia de sua propre studio. Lo no es pratical. Me ta vole oserva cuando on ta depone el en un vagon de metro de clase tre e ta demanda ce el presenta la ocupas de tota sua coviajores. Me ta aposta mil contra un ce el ta fali.”

“Why, this article,” I said, pointing at it with my egg-spoon as I sat down to my breakfast. “I see that you have read it since you have marked it. I don’t deny that it is smartly written. It irritates me though. It is evidently the theory of some armchair lounger who evolves all these neat little paradoxes in the seclusion of his own study. It is not practical. I should like to see him clapped down in a third-class carriage on the Underground, and asked to give the trades of all his fellow-travellers. I would lay a thousand to one against him.”

“Tu ta perde tua mone,” Holmes ia comenta calma. “E a tema de la article, me mesma ia scrive lo.”

“You would lose your money,” Holmes remarked calmly. “As for the article, I wrote it myself.”

“Tu!”

“You!”

“Si; me ave un talento e per oserva e per dedui. La teorias cual me ia espresa ala, e cual pare a tu tan cimerin, es vera estrema pratical — tan pratical ce me depende de los per mea pan e ceso.”

“Yes; I have a turn both for observation and for deduction. The theories which I have expressed there, and which appear to you to be so chimerical, are really extremely practical — so practical that I depend upon them for my bread and cheese.”

“E como?” me ia demanda spontan.

“And how?” I asked involuntarily.

“Alora, me ave mea propre ocupa. Me suposa ce me es la sola de mundo. Me es un detetor consultable, si tu pote comprende cua acel es. Asi en London nos ave multe detetores ofisial e multe privatas. Cuando esta xicos es confondeda, los veni a me, e me emprende turna los a la bon trasas. Los presenta tota la informa a me, e me es jeneral capas, par la aida de mea sabes de la istoria de crimin, de clari los. Un sembla forte de familia parteni a atas criminal, e si on dispone direta tota la detalias de mil, lo es strana si on no pote desmarania la numero mil un. Lestrade es un detetor bon conoseda. Resente, el ia entra a un nebla de confusa sur un caso de falsi, e esta ia es lo cual ia trae el asi.”

“Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose I am the only one in the world. I’m a consulting detective, if you can understand what that is. Here in London we have lots of government detectives and lots of private ones. When these fellows are at fault, they come to me, and I manage to put them on the right scent. They lay all the evidence before me, and I am generally able, by the help of my knowledge of the history of crime, to set them straight. There is a strong family resemblance about misdeeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at your finger-ends, it is odd if you can’t unravel the thousand and first. Lestrade is a well-known detective. He got himself into a fog recently over a forgery case, and that was what brought him here.”

“E esta otra persones?”

“And these other people?”

“Los es jeneral enviada par ajenterias de investiga privata. Tota de los es persones ci ave alga problem e desira un peseta de lumina. Me escuta sua raconta, los escuta mea comentas, e alora me poxi mea paia.”

“They are mostly sent on by private enquiry agencies. They are all people who are in trouble about something, and want a little enlightening. I listen to their story, they listen to my comments, and then I pocket my fee.”

“Ma esce tu vole dise,” me ia dise, “ce sin sorti de tua sala, tu pote desmarania alga noda cual otra persones no pote comprende, an si los mesma ia vide cada detalia?”

“But do you mean to say,” I said, “that without leaving your room you can unravel some knot which other men can make nothing of, although they have seen every detail for themselves?”

“Esata tal. Me ave un spesie de intui en acel relata. De ves a ves un caso apare cual es pico plu complicada. Alora me debe pasea ativa e regarda cosas con mea propre oios. Vide, me ave multe sabes spesial cual me aplica a la problem, e cual fasili la situa a grado merveliosa. Acel regulas de dedui, declarada en acel article cual ia velia tua despeta, es esensal per me en labora pratical. Oserva ia deveni un instinto natural per me. Tu ia pare es surprendeda cuando me ia informa tu, a nosa encontra prima, ce tu ia veni de Afganistan.”

“Quite so. I have a kind of intuition that way. Now and again a case turns up which is a little more complex. Then I have to bustle about and see things with my own eyes. You see I have a lot of special knowledge which I apply to the problem, and which facilitates matters wonderfully. Those rules of deduction laid down in that article which aroused your scorn are invaluable to me in practical work. Observation with me is second nature. You appeared to be surprised when I told you, on our first meeting, that you had come from Afghanistan.”

“On ia informa tu, sin duta.”

“You were told, no doubt.”

“A tota no grado. Me ia sabe ce tu ia veni de Afganistan. Par abitua longa, la serie de pensas ia flue tan rapida tra mea mente ce me ia ariva a la conclui sin es consensa de pasos interveninte. Tal pasos ia esiste, an tal. La serie de razona ia es: ‘Asi es un senior de tipo medical, ma con la manera de un om militar. Clar un dotor de la armada, alora. El ia veni resente de la tropicos, car sua fas es bronzida, e acel no es la tinje natural de sua pel, car sua polsos es pal. El ia sufri descomforta e maladia, como sua fas fatigada dise clar. Sua braso sinistra ia es ferida. El teni lo en modo rijida e nonatural. Do en la tropicos un dotor de la armada engles ia pote esperia multe sufris e reseta un braso ferida? Clar en Afganistan.’ La serie intera de pensa ia ocupa an no un secondo. Me ia comenta alora ce tu ia veni de Afganistan, e tu ia es stonada.”

“Nothing of the sort. I knew you came from Afghanistan. From long habit the train of thoughts ran so swiftly through my mind that I arrived at the conclusion without being conscious of intermediate steps. There were such steps, however. The train of reasoning ran, ‘Here is a gentleman of a medical type, but with the air of a military man. Clearly an army doctor, then. He has just come from the tropics, for his face is dark, and that is not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are fair. He has undergone hardship and sickness, as his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been injured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural manner. Where in the tropics could an English army doctor have seen much hardship and got his arm wounded? Clearly in Afghanistan.’ The whole train of thought did not occupy a second. I then remarked that you came from Afghanistan, and you were astonished.”

“Lo es sufisinte simple como tu esplica lo,” me ia dise, suriente. “Tu remente me a Dupin en la libros de Edgar Allan Poe. Me ia ave no idea ce tal individuas esiste vera estra naras.”

“It is simple enough as you explain it,” I said, smiling. “You remind me of Edgar Allan Poe’s Dupin. I had no idea that such individuals did exist outside of stories.”

Sherlock Holmes ia leva se e ia ensende sua pipa. “Sin duta, tu crede ce tu loda me par compara me a Dupin,” el ia oserva. “Aora, en mea opina, Dupin ia es un om multe inferior. Acel sua truco de interompe la pensas de sua amis con un comenta pertinente pos un cuatri de ora de silentia es vera multe ostentosa e surfasal. El ia ave alga talento analisal, sin duta; ma el ia es a no grado un fenomeno tan notable como Poe ia pare imajina.”

Sherlock Holmes rose and lit his pipe. “No doubt you think that you are complimenting me in comparing me to Dupin,” he observed. “Now, in my opinion, Dupin was a very inferior fellow. That trick of his of breaking in on his friends’ thoughts with an apropos remark after a quarter of an hour’s silence is really very showy and superficial. He had some analytical genius, no doubt; but he was by no means such a phenomenon as Poe appeared to imagine.”

“Tu ia leje la obras de Gaboriau?” me ia demanda. “Esce Lecoq ateni tua idea de un detetor?”

“Have you read Gaboriau’s works?” I asked. “Does Lecoq come up to your idea of a detective?”

Sherlock Holmes ia ensofla burlante. “Lecoq ia es un malfaor misera,” el ia dise, en vose coler; “el ia ave sola un cualia recomendable, e esta ia es sua enerjia. Acel libro ia maladi me, vera. La demanda ia conserna un modo de identifia un prisonida nonconoseda. Me ia ta pote fa lo en dudes-cuatro oras. Lecoq ia spende ses menses o simil. On ta pote usa lo como un libro per ensenia a detetores cua on debe evita.”

Sherlock Holmes sniffed sardonically. “Lecoq was a miserable bungler,” he said, in an angry voice; “he had only one thing to recommend him, and that was his energy. That book made me positively ill. The question was how to identify an unknown prisoner. I could have done it in twenty-four hours. Lecoq took six months or so. It might be made a textbook for detectives to teach them what to avoid.”

Me ia senti alga ofendeda par la trata de du carateres ci me ia amira, en esta stilo despetosa. Me ia pasea asta la fenetra, e ia sta regardante la strada ativa a estra. “Esta xico es cisa multe intelijente,” me ia dise a me, “ma el es serta multe vana.”

I felt rather indignant at having two characters whom I had admired treated in this cavalier style. I walked over to the window, and stood looking out into the busy street. “This fellow may be very clever,” I said to myself, “but he is certainly very conceited.”

“On ave no crimines e no criminores en esta dias,” el ia dise, cexosa. “Cua es la valua de ave un serebro en nosa profesa? Me sabe bon ce me posese la capasia de porta mea nom asta fama. No person vive o ia vive ja ci ia trae la mesma cuantia de studia e de talento natural a la deteta de crimines como me ia fa. E cua es la resulta? On ave no crimines per deteta, o no plu ca alga malfas vil con motivas tan transparente ce an un ofisior de la polisia urban pote vide clar tra los.

“There are no crimes and no criminals in these days,” he said, querulously. “What is the use of having brains in our profession? I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous. No man lives or has ever lived who has brought the same amount of study and of natural talent to the detection of crime which I have done. And what is the result? There is no crime to detect, or, at most, some bungling villainy with a motive so transparent that even a Scotland Yard official can see through it.”

Me ia es ancora iritada par sua stilo egosa de conversa. Me ia deside ce me debe cambia la tema.

I was still annoyed at his bumptious style of conversation. I thought it best to change the topic.

“Me vole sabe cua acel senior xerca?” me ia demanda, indicante un individua spesa en vestes simple ci ia es lenta paseante longo la otra lado de la strada, regardante la numeros. El ia ave un envelopa blu grande en sua mano e ia es evidente la portor de un mesaje.

“I wonder what that fellow is looking for?” I asked, pointing to a stalwart, plainly dressed individual who was walking slowly down the other side of the street, looking anxiously at the numbers. He had a large blue envelope in his hand and was evidently the bearer of a message.

“Tu refere a la sarjento jubilada de la infantria de marina,” Sherlock Holmes ia dise.

“You mean the retired sergeant of marines,” said Sherlock Holmes.

“Vanta e menti!” me ia pensa a me. “El sabe ce me no pote confirma sua divina.”

“Brag and bounce!” thought I to myself. “He knows that I cannot verify his guess.”

La pensa ia pasa apena tra mea mente cuando la om ci nos ia es oservante ia persepi la numero sur nosa porte, e ia core rapida en traversa la via. Nos ia oia un bateta forte, un vose profonda a su, e pasos pesosa asendente la scalera.

The thought had hardly passed through my mind when the man whom we were watching caught sight of the number on our door, and ran rapidly across the roadway. We heard a loud knock, a deep voice below, and heavy steps ascending the stair.

“Per Sr Sherlock Holmes,” el ia dise, entrante a la sala e donante la letera a mea ami.

“For Mr Sherlock Holmes,” he said, stepping into the room and handing my friend the letter.

Asi ia es un posible de sutrae la egosia de el. El ia considera poca esta cuando el ia fa acel divina acaso. “Esce me ta pote demanda, mea xico,” me ia dise, en vose la plu blanda, “cua es tua profesa?”

Here was an opportunity of taking the conceit out of him. He little thought of this when he made that random shot. “May I ask, my lad,” I said, in the blandest voice, “what your trade may be?”

“Gardaporte, senior,” el ia dise, roncin. “Con uniforma asente per reparas.”

“Commissionaire, sir,” he said, gruffly. “Uniform away for repairs.”

“E en la pasada?” me ia demanda, con un regardeta pico malvolente a mea acompanior.

“And you were?” I asked, with a slightly malicious glance at my companion.

“Un sarjento, senior, Infantria Lejera de la Marina Real, senior. No responde? Bon, senior.”

“A sergeant, sir, Royal Marine Light Infantry, sir. No answer? Right, sir.”

El ia clica sua talones contra lunlotra, ia leva sua mano en saluta, e ia desapare.

He clicked his heels together, raised his hand in a salute, and was gone.