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The Sign of the Four
The Sign of the Four
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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The Sign of the Four
CHAPTER 1 The Science of
Deduction
Sherlock Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantel… piece
and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case。 With his long；
white； nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle； and rolled back his
left shirt…cuff。 For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the
sinewy forearm and wrist all dotted and scarred with innumerable
puncture…marks。 Finally he thrust the sharp point home； pressed down
the tiny piston； and sank back into the velvet…lined arm…chair with a long
sigh of satisfaction。
Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance；
but custom had not reconciled my mind to it。 On the contrary； from day
to day I had become more irritable at the sight； and my conscience swelled
nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest。
Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon
the subject； but there was that in the cool； nonchalant air of my companion
which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything
approaching to a liberty。 His great powers； his masterly manner； and the
experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities； all made
me diffident and backward in crossing him。
Yet upon that afternoon； whether it was the Beaune which I had taken
with my lunch； or the additional exasperation produced by the extreme
deliberation of his manner； I suddenly felt that I could hold out no longer。
〃Which is it to…day？〃 I asked；〃morphine or cocaine？〃
He raised his eyes languidly from the old black…letter volume which he
had opened。 〃It is cocaine；〃 he said；〃a seven…per… cent。 solution。
Would you care to try it？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 I answered； brusquely。 〃My constitution has not got
over the Afghan campaign yet。 I cannot afford to throw any extra strain
upon it。〃
He smiled at my vehemence。 〃Perhaps you are right； Watson；〃 he
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The Sign of the Four
said。 〃I suppose that its influence is physically a bad one。 I find it；
however； so transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind that its
secondary action is a matter of small moment。〃
〃But consider！〃 I said； earnestly。 〃Count the cost！ Your brain may；
as you say； be roused and excited； but it is a pathological and morbid
process； which involves increased tissue…change and may at last leave a
permanent weakness。 You know； too； what a black reaction comes upon
you。 Surely the game is hardly worth the candle。 Why should you； for
a mere passing pleasure； risk the loss of those great powers with which
you have been endowed？ Remember that I speak not only as one
comrade to another； but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he
is to some extent answerable。〃
He did not seem offended。 On the contrary； he put his finger… tips
together and leaned his elbows on the arms of his chair； like one who has a
relish for conversation。
〃My mind；〃 he said； 〃rebels at stagnation。 Give me problems； give
me work； give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate
analysis； and I am in my own proper atmosphere。 I can dispense then
with artificial stimulants。 But I abhor the dull routine of existence。 I
crave for mental exaltation。 That is why I have chosen my own
particular profession；or rather created it； for I am the only one in the
world。〃
〃The only unofficial detective？〃 I said； raising my eyebrows。
〃The only unofficial consulting detective；〃 he answered。 〃I am the
last and highest court of appeal in detection。 When Gregson or Lestrade
or Athelney Jones are out of their depthswhich； by the way； is their
normal statethe matter is laid before me。 I examine the data； as an
expert； and pronounce a specialist's opinion。 I claim no credit in such
cases。 My name figures in no newspaper。 The work itself； the pleasure
of finding a field for my peculiar powers； is my highest reward。 But you
have yourself had some experience of my methods of work in the
Jefferson Hope case。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said I； cordially。 〃I was never so struck by anything in
my life。 I even embodied it in a small brochure with the somewhat
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The Sign of the Four
fantastic title of 'A Study in Scarlet。'〃
He shook his head sadly。 〃I glanced over it；〃 said he。 〃Honestly； I
cannot congratulate you upon it。 Detection is； or ought to be； an exact
science； and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner。
You have attempted to tinge it with romanticism； which produces much
the same effect as if you worked a love…story or an elopement into the fifth
proposition of Euclid。〃
〃But the romance was there；〃 I remonstrated。 〃I could not tamper
with the facts。〃
〃Some facts should be suppressed； or at least a just sense of proportion
should be observed in treating them。 The only point in the case which
deserved mention was the curious analytical reasoning from effects to
causes by which I succeeded in unraveling it。〃
I was annoyed at this criticism of a work which had been specially
designed to please him。 I confess； too； that I was irritated by the egotism
which seemed to demand that every line of my pamphlet should be
devoted to his own special doings。 More than once during the years that
I had lived with him in Baker Street I had observed that a small vanity
underlay my companion's quiet and didactic manner。 I made no remark；
however； but sat nursing my wounded leg。 I had a Jezail bullet through it
some time before； and； though it did not prevent me from walking； it
ached wearily at every change of the weather。
〃My practice has extended recently to the Continent；〃 said Holmes；
after a while； filling up his old brier…root pipe。 〃I was consulted last
week by Francois Le Villard； who； as you probably know； has come rather
to the front lately in the French detective service。 He has all the Celtic
power of quick intuition； but he is deficient in the wide range of exact
knowledge which is essential to the higher developments of his art。 The
case was concerned with a will； and possessed some features of interest。
I was able to refer him to two parallel cases； the one at Riga in 1857； and
the other at St。 Louis in 1871； which have suggested to him the true
solution。 Here is the letter which I had this morning acknowledging my
assistance。〃 He tossed over； as he spoke； a crumpled sheet of foreign
notepaper。 I glanced my eyes down it； catching a profusion of notes of
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The Sign of the Four
admiration； with stray 〃magnifiques；〃 〃coup…de…maitres；〃 and 〃tours…de…
force；〃 all testifying to the ardent admiration of the Frenchman。
〃He speaks as a pupil to his master；〃 said I。
〃Oh； he rates my assistance too highly；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； lightly。
〃He has considerable gifts himself。 He possesses two out of the three
qualities necessary for the ideal detective。 He has the power of
observation and that of deduction。 He is only wanting in knowledge； and
t