Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

Chapter 1.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes (the great detective of Baker Street)

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent (not happening often) occasions (a particular time; cause) when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug (the rug before a fireplace) and picked up the stick which our visitor (one who visits) had left behind him the night before. It was a fine, thick (of great depth through; dense) piece of wood, bulbous-headed (with a rounded knob at the top), of the sort which is known as a “Penang lawyer (a heavy walking stick of palm wood).” Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch (a small measure of length) across. “To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, a doctor's letters)., from his friends of the C.C.H (Charing Cross Hospital, as lettered on the stick).,” was engraved (to cut into metal or stone) upon it, with the date “1884.” It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned (of the old fashion) family practitioner (a working doctor) used (use: habit; custom — the old sense here) to carry—dignified (full of dignity), solid, and reassuring (comforting).

“Well, Watson (Dr Watson, Holmes's friend and the teller of the tale), what do you make of it?”

Holmes (Mr Sherlock Holmes, the great detective of Baker Street) was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation (one's work; military holding).

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

“I have, at least, a well-polished (polished well), silver-plated (coated with silver) coffee-pot (a pot for coffee) in front of me,” said he. “But, tell me, Watson, what do you make of our visitor (one who visits)’s stick? Since we have been so unfortunate (without luck) as to miss him and have no notion (an idea) of his errand (a short task one is sent on), this accidental (happening by chance) souvenir (a keepsake) becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct (to build up again) the man by an examination (a close inspection) of it.”

“I think,” said I, following as far as I could the methods of my companion (one who keeps company), “that Dr. Mortimer (the country doctor who brings the case to Holmes) is a successful, elderly (getting old) medical man, well-esteemed (highly regarded) since those who know him give him this mark of their appreciation (valuing; thanks).”

“Good!” said Holmes. “Excellent!”

“I think also that the probability (likelihood) is in favour (a kind act; to prefer) of his being a country practitioner (a working doctor) who does a great deal of his visiting on foot.”

“Why so?”

“Because this stick, though originally a very handsome (fine-looking) one has been so knocked (to strike with the knuckles) about that I can hardly imagine a town practitioner (a working doctor) carrying it. The thick-iron (of thick iron) ferrule (the metal cap on the end of a stick) is worn down, so it is evident (plain to see) that he has done a great amount of walking with it.”

“Perfectly sound!” said Holmes.

“And then again, there is the ‘friends of the C.C.H (Charing Cross Hospital, as lettered on the stick).’ I should guess that to be the Something Hunt (to chase game), the local hunt (to chase game) to whose members he has possibly given some surgical (of surgery) assistance, and which has made him a small presentation (a formal showing) in return.”

“Really, Watson, you excel yourself,” said Holmes, pushing back his chair and lighting a cigarette (a small paper roll of tobacco). “I am bound (to tie fast) to say that in all the accounts which you have been so good as to give of my own small achievements (a thing achieved) you have habitually (by settled habit) underrated (to value too low) your own abilities. It may be that you are not yourself luminous (giving off light), but you are a conductor (a leader of music) of light. Some people without possessing (to own; to hold) genius (surpassing inborn power) have a remarkable (worthy of note) power of stimulating (to spur to action) it. I confess (to own up; to make confession), my dear fellow, that I am very much in your debt.”

He had never said as much before, and I must admit that his words gave me keen (sharp and eager) pleasure, for I had often been piqued (piqued: stung with wounded pride) by his indifference (absence of care or interest) to my admiration (wondering approval) and to the attempts which I had made to give publicity (public notice) 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 (to inspect closely) it for a few minutes with his naked (bare of clothes) eyes. Then with an expression of interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) he laid down his cigarette (a small paper roll of tobacco), and carrying the cane (a walking stick) to the window, he looked over it again with a convex (curved outward, like a magnifying lens) lens.

“Interesting, though elementary (of the beginnings),” said he as he returned to his favourite corner of the settee (a small sofa). “There are certainly one or two indications (a pointing sign) upon the stick. It gives us the basis for several deductions (reasoning from facts; a subtraction).”

“Has anything escaped me?” I asked with some self-importance (a swollen sense of one's own weight). “I trust that there is nothing of consequence (what follows) which I have overlooked (to look out over; to miss seeing)?”

“I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions (an end; a decision) were erroneous (mistaken). When I said that you stimulated (to spur to action) me I meant, to be frank, that in noting your fallacies (a false belief) I was occasionally (now and then) guided towards the truth. Not that you are entirely wrong in this instance. The man is certainly a country practitioner (a working doctor). And he walks a good deal.”

“Then I was right.”

“To that extent (how far a thing reaches).”

“But that was all.”

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

“You may be right.”

“The probability (likelihood) lies in that direction. And if we take this as a working hypothesis (a supposed explanation) we have a fresh basis from which to start our construction of this unknown visitor (one who visits).”

“Well, then, supposing that ‘C.C.H (Charing Cross Hospital, as lettered on the stick).’ does stand for ‘Charing Cross Hospital,’ what further inferences (inferences: conclusions drawn from evidence) may we draw?”

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

“I can only think of the obvious conclusion (an end; a decision) that the man has practised (to do again and again to learn) in town before going to the country.”

“I think that we might venture (a risky undertaking) a little farther (farther) than this. Look at it in this light. On what occasion (a particular time; cause) would it be most probable (likely) that such a presentation (a formal showing) would be made? When would his friends unite (to join into one) to give him a pledge (a solemn promise) of their good will? Obviously at the moment when Dr. Mortimer withdrew (to draw back) from the service of the hospital in order to start a practice for himself. We know there has been a presentation (a formal showing). We believe there has been a change from a town hospital to a country practice. Is it, then, stretching (to draw out) our inference (inferences: conclusions drawn from evidence) too far to say that the presentation (a formal showing) was on the occasion (a particular time; cause) of the change?”

“It certainly seems probable (likely).”

“Now, you will observe (to watch; to remark) that he could not have been on the staff of the hospital, since only a man well-established (firmly settled) in a London practice could hold such a position, and such a one would not drift (to be carried along; a snow heap) 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 (a surgeon living in at a hospital) or a house-physician (a physician living in at a hospital)—little more than a senior student. And he left five years ago—the date is on the stick. So your grave (the burial pit; solemnly serious), middle-aged (of middle age) family practitioner (a working doctor) vanishes (to disappear) into thin (of little thickness) air, my dear Watson, and there emerges (to come out) a young fellow under thirty (thirty), amiable (friendly and pleasant), unambitious (without ambition), absent-minded (with the mind elsewhere), and the possessor (the owner) of a favourite dog, which I should describe roughly (without gentleness) as being larger than a terrier and smaller than a mastiff (a large powerful guard dog).”

I laughed incredulously (unable to believe) as Sherlock Holmes leaned (to tilt against; thin) back in his settee (a small sofa) and blew little wavering (swaying in doubt) rings of smoke up to the ceiling (the room's overhead surface).

“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.” From my small medical shelf (a flat holding board) I took down the Medical Directory and turned up the name. There were several Mortimers, but only one who could be our visitor (one who visits). I read his record aloud (out loud).

“Mortimer, James, M.R.C.S (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, a doctor's letters)., 1882, Grimpen, Dartmoor, Devon. House-surgeon (a surgeon living in at a hospital), from 1882 to 1884, at Charing Cross Hospital. Winner of the Jackson prize for Comparative Pathology, with essay (an attempt) entitled ‘Is Disease a Reversion?’ Corresponding (to write letters; to match) 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 (a priest's district) of Grimpen, Thorsley, and High Barrow.”

“No mention of that local hunt (to chase game), Watson,” said Holmes with a mischievous (full of playful mischief) smile, “but a country doctor, as you very astutely (with sharp good sense) observed (to watch; to remark). I think that I am fairly justified (shown to be right) in my inferences (inferences: conclusions drawn from evidence). As to the adjectives (adjectives: describing words), I said, if I remember right, amiable (friendly and pleasant), unambitious (without ambition), and absent-minded (with the mind elsewhere). It is my experience that it is only an amiable (friendly and pleasant) man in this world who receives testimonials (testimonials: letters of praise), only an unambitious (without ambition) one who abandons (to leave behind for good) a London career for the country, and only an absent-minded (with the mind elsewhere) one who leaves his stick and not his visiting-card (a card bearing one's name) after waiting an hour in your room.”

“And the dog?”

“Has been in the habit (a settled way of acting) of carrying this stick behind his master. Being a heavy stick the dog has held it tightly (with a tight hold) by the middle, and the marks of his teeth are very plainly (clearly; simply) visible (able to be seen). The dog’s jaw (the mouth's bone), as shown in the space between these marks, is too broad in my opinion for a terrier and not broad enough for a mastiff (a large powerful guard dog). It may have been—yes, by Jove, it is a curly-haired (with curly hair) spaniel (a long-eared drop-coated dog).”

He had risen and paced (a step's length; speed) the room as he spoke. Now he halted (to stop) in the recess (a set-back hollow) of the window. There was such a ring of conviction (settled belief; a finding of guilt) in his voice that I glanced (a quick look) up in surprise.

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

“For the very simple reason that I see the dog himself on our very door-step (the step at a door), and there is the ring of its owner. Don’t move, I beg (to ask humbly) you, Watson. He is a professional brother of yours, and your presence may be of assistance to me. Now is the dramatic (striking as a play) moment of fate (the appointed lot), Watson, when you hear a step upon the stair (a step of a flight) 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 (one skilled in one field) in crime? Come in!”

The appearance of our visitor (one who visits) was a surprise to me, since I had expected a typical country practitioner (a working doctor). He was a very tall, thin (of little thickness) man, with a long nose like a beak (a bird's hard mouth), which jutted (to stick out) out between two keen (sharp and eager), grey (the colour between black and white) eyes, set closely together and sparkling (to flash with small lights) brightly (with bright light) from behind a pair of gold-rimmed (rimmed with gold) glasses. He was clad (to dress) in a professional but rather slovenly (untidy and careless) fashion, for his frock-coat (a long-skirted formal coat) was dingy (dull and dirty-looking) and his trousers (trousers) frayed (a fight). Though young, his long back was already bowed (to bend in respect; a ribbon knot), and he walked with a forward thrust (to push hard) of his head and a general air of peering (to look closely; an equal) benevolence (kindly good will). As he entered his eyes fell upon the stick in Holmes’s hand, and he ran towards it with an exclamation (a cry of surprise or feeling) of joy. “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.”

“A presentation (a formal showing), I see,” said Holmes.

“Yes, sir.”

“From Charing Cross Hospital?”

“From one or two friends there on the occasion (a particular time; cause) of my marriage.”

“Dear, dear, that’s bad!” said Holmes, shaking (to move quickly to and fro) his head.

Dr. Mortimer blinked (to shut and open the eyes quickly) through his glasses in mild (gentle) astonishment (great surprise). “Why was it bad?”

“Only that you have disarranged (disarranged: thrown into disorder) our little deductions (reasoning from facts; a subtraction). Your marriage, you say?”

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

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

“Mister, sir, Mister—a humble (lowly and modest) M.R.C.S (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, a doctor's letters).”

“And a man of precise (exactly fixed) mind, evidently (as plainly appears).”

“A dabbler (one who dips lightly into a study) in science, Mr. Holmes, a picker (a picker up: a gatherer) up of shells (a hard outer case; a bursting cannon ball) on the shores (the water's edge) of the great unknown ocean. I presume (to take for granted) that it is Mr. Sherlock Holmes whom I am addressing and not—”

“No, this is my friend Dr. Watson.”

“Glad to meet you, sir. I have heard your name mentioned in connection with that of your friend. You interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) me very much, Mr. Holmes. I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic (long-headed — a term of skull science) a skull (the head's bone) or such well-marked (strongly marked) supra-orbital (above the eye socket) development. Would you have any objection (a reason against) to my running my finger (a digit of the hand) along your parietal (of the side of the skull) fissure (a groove or crack)? A cast of your skull (the head's bone), sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament (a decoration) to any anthropological (of the study of mankind) museum. It is not my intention (what one means to do) to be fulsome (overdone in praise), but I confess (to own up; to make confession) that I covet (to long to have) your skull (the head's bone).”

Sherlock Holmes waved our strange visitor (one who visits) into a chair. “You are an enthusiast (one full of eager interest) in your line of thought, I perceive (to see and grasp), sir, as I am in mine,” said he. “I observe (to watch; to remark) from your forefinger (the first finger) that you make your own cigarettes (a small paper roll of tobacco). Have no hesitation (a pause of doubt) in lighting one.”

The man drew out paper and tobacco (the smoking leaf) and twirled (to spin lightly) the one up in the other with surprising (causing surprise) dexterity (skill with the hands). He had long, quivering (to tremble finely) fingers (a digit of the hand) as agile (quick and nimble) and restless (unable to rest) as the antennæ (feelers) of an insect (the small six-legged creature).

Holmes was silent (making no sound), but his little darting (quick and sudden) glances (a quick look) showed me the interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) which he took in our curious (eager to know; strange) companion (one who keeps company). “I presume (to take for granted), sir,” said he at last, “that it was not merely (only) for the purpose of examining (to inspect closely) my skull (the head's bone) that you have done me the honour (honor) to call here last night and again today?”

“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 (not practical) man and because I am suddenly confronted (to face) with a most serious and extraordinary (beyond the ordinary) problem. Recognizing, as I do, that you are the second highest expert in Europe—”

“Indeed, sir! May I inquire (to ask) who has the honour (honor) to be the first?” asked Holmes with some asperity (sharpness of temper).

“To the man of precisely (exactly) scientific mind the work of Monsieur Bertillon must always appeal strongly (with strength).”

“Then had you not better consult (to seek counsel) him?”

“I said, sir, to the precisely (exactly) scientific mind. But as a practical (fit for use) man of affairs it is acknowledged (to admit; to answer a greeting) that you stand alone. I trust, sir, that I have not inadvertently (without meaning to)—”

“Just a little,” said Holmes. “I think, Dr. Mortimer, you would do wisely (with wisdom) if without more ado (fuss) you would kindly (kind; gently) tell me plainly (clearly; simply) what the exact nature of the problem is in which you demand my assistance.”