Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who, aside from frequent sleepless nights, was always a very late riser, sat at breakfast.Standing on the rug in front of the hearth, I picked up the cane that the previous night's guest had forgotten.It was a fine and heavy walking-stick, with a knot at the top; a wood of this kind, native to Penang, called betel-nut wood.Immediately below the top was a broad silver hoop, about an inch across."To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from friends of the CCH" is engraved on it, with "1884".It was nothing more than a dignified, sturdy, and practical walking stick of the old-fashioned kind used by private physicians.

"Ah, Watson, what do you think of it?" Holmes was sitting there with his back to me, and I thought I hadn't noticed my handling of the cane. "How do you know what I'm doing? I think you must have eyes in the back of your head." "I have, at least, a well-polished silver-plated coffeepot before me," said he. "But, Watson, tell me, what do you think of our guest's cane? It is a pity that we did not meet I know nothing of the purpose of his visit, which makes this unexpected souvenir all the more important. When you have examined it carefully, describe the man to me."

"I suppose," I said, following my companion's reasoning as best I could, "that Dr. Mortimer, from this souvenir of his honour, which was sent to him by those who knew him, was an accomplished, Big medical people, and well respected." "Wow!" said Holmes. "Excellent!" "I also think it is likely that he was a doctor practicing in the country and that he made most of his visits on foot." "why?" "Because this walking stick, although beautiful, has been so badly bumped that it is hard to imagine a doctor practicing medicine in the city would still hold it. The thick iron cap on the lower end has been worn out badly, So obviously he's been on a lot of ground with it."

"Exactly!" said Holmes. "Also, it says 'Friends of the CCH' on it, which, I guess, refers to a hunter's order; he may have performed some surgical treatment on members of this local hunter's order, so they sent I thank him with this little gift." "You have come a long way, Watson," said Holmes, pushing back his chair and lighting a cigarette, "and I cannot fail to say that, after all your zeal for my little achievements In all records, you have been used to underestimating your own ability. Maybe you can't shine, but you are the conductor of light. Some people don't have geniuses themselves, but they have considerable power to inspire geniuses. I admit, my dear I can't thank you enough, buddy."

He had never spoken so much before, and it cannot be denied that his words gave me great pleasure.For my admiration for him and my efforts to make his reasoning known to the public were often treated with indifference, which hurt my pride.And now I can actually master his method, and actually apply it, and get his approval. I feel very proud when I think of this.He now took the stick from my hand, examined it with his eyes for a few minutes, then put down the cigarette with an air of great interest, and took the stick to the window to examine it carefully again with a magnifying glass. "Simple, but interesting," he said, and sitting down again at the end of his favorite bench, "there is a point or two on the cane that does tell. It gives us a basis for our inferences. "

"Is there anything else I'm missing?" I asked, somewhat pompously. "I'm sure I'm not missing something important." "I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions are wrong! Frankly, when I say you inspire me, I mean that, while I point out your fallacies, I often led me to the truth. Not that you were entirely wrong this time. The man must have been a doctor practicing in the country, and he did walk a lot." "Then my guess was right." "It's only to this extent." "But, that's the whole truth."

"No, no, my dear Watson, not all--by no means all. For example, I would like to suggest that this present for the doctor came not so much from the Hunter's Society as from a hospital." ;Because the two prefixes 'CC' are placed before the word 'hospital' (in English, the prefix of the word hospital is also H). Therefore, it is natural to remind people of the word Charing Cross .” "Maybe you're right." "Probably so. If we take this as a valid hypothesis, then we have a new basis. Starting from this basis, we can describe this unknown visitor."

"Okay! Assuming 'CCH' refers to Charing Cross Hospital, what further conclusions can we draw?" "Is there nothing that can explain the problem? Now that you understand my method, then apply it!" "I can only think of one obvious conclusion, that the man practiced medicine in the city before going to the country." "I think we can boldly go a step further than that, and from this point of view, under what circumstances is it most likely that such a gift-giving will take place? When will his friends United to show him their kindness? Apparently when Mortimer left the hospital to practice for himself. We know that there was a gift; It is not too much to say that this gift was given at this time of conversion."

"It certainly seems possible." "Now, as you can see, he would not be the chief physician, for such a position can only be assumed when a man has established a considerable reputation in the practice of medicine in London, and such a man would not have moved to the country. So, what is he really doing? If he works in a hospital and is not counted among the main physicians, then he can only be a resident surgeon or a resident physician-a little higher status in the last year of the medical school; and he left five years ago--the date is engraved on the cane, and thus your serious, middle-aged doctor vanishes into nothingness. Dear Watson, But here appeared a young man, not more than thirty years old, amiable, content with the status quo, so-so, and he also had a beloved dog, which I can roughly describe as bigger than a raccoon dog and smaller than a mastiff."

I laughed in disbelief.Sherlock Holmes leaned back on the bench and breathed small erratic rings of smoke towards the ceiling. "As for the latter part, I can't check that you're right," I said, "but at least it's not too difficult to find a few characteristics about his age and history." I took down a medical handbook from the shelf where the medical books were placed, and turned to the place where the name column was.There were several Mortimers in there, but only one could have been our visitor.I read this record aloud: "James Mortimer, Graduated of the Royal College of Surgeons, Green Basin, Dart Moor, Devonshire. Resident surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital from 1882 to 1884. Received the Jackson Prize in Comparative Pathology for the article "Whether Diseases Are Inherited from Generations". Corresponding member of the Swedish Pathology Association. Author of "Several Abnormalities of Atavism" (published in 1882), " Are we on the march?" (Acta Psychologica, March, 1883). Surgeon to parishes of Grimpen, Southley, and Takamura."

"There is no mention of the local hunters' society, Watson!" said Holmes, with a mocking smile. "As you have stated, he is no more than a country doctor; I think my inference is quite correct. Yeah. As for the adjectives, if I remember correctly, I said 'Amiable, Confident and So-so'. From my experience, in this world only people who are nice receive souvenirs; would give up his life in London and go to the country; only a so-so man would leave his cane instead of his card after an hour's waiting in your room." "What about the dog?" "Often followed his master with the cane in his mouth. Because of the weight of the cane, the dog had to hold it tightly in the middle, so the marks of his teeth could be seen clearly. From these From the gaps between the teeth marks, I thought the dog's jaw was wider than that of a tanuki and narrower than that of a mastiff. It could be... well, it must be a curly-haired spaniel. " He stood up and walked up and down the room as he spoke.He stopped before the ledge protruding from the building.There was such confidence in his tone that I looked up at him in wonder. "My dear fellow, how can you be so sure of that?" "For the simple reason that I have now seen the dog on our gate-steps, and the sound of his master's ringing has been heard. Hold still, I beseech you, Watson. He is your fellow brother, Your presence may help me. Watson, this is the most dramatic moment of fate. You can hear footsteps on the stairs. He is coming into your life; but you don't know Misfortune is blessing. What does this man of medicine, Dr. James Mortimer, have to ask of Sherlock Holmes, the expert on crime? Come in!" The appearance of this guest was a real surprise to me, for I had expected a typical country doctor, but he turned out to be a tall, thin man with a long nose like a bird's beak, Protruding between a pair of keen gray eyes, set close together, shining brightly behind a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.He was dressed in the usual clothes of his party, but rather slovenly, for his coat was soiled and his trousers frayed.Though young, his long back was already arched, he walked with his head thrust forward, and he had the benevolence of an aristocrat.As soon as he entered, his eyes fell on the cane Holmes was holding, and he ran towards him with a cheer. "I'm so glad!" said he. "I'm not sure whether it was forgotten here, or in the steamship line. I'd rather lose the whole world than this stick." "I suppose it was a present," said Holmes. "Yes, sir." "Was it from Charing Cross Hospital?" "It was given to me by two friends there when I got married." "Oh, my God, how awful!" said Holmes, shaking his head. Dr. Mortimer blinked in mild surprise through his spectacles. "Why is it bad?" "Because you've disturbed some of our little inferences. You said it was at the time of marriage, didn't you?" "Yes, sir, I left the hospital as soon as I got married and gave up all hope of becoming. But it was absolutely necessary in order to be able to start a family of my own." "Aha! We are not mistaken at all," said Holmes. "Well, Dr. James Mortimer . . . " "You call me sir, I am a humble student of the Royal College of Surgeons." "And obviously, a sophisticated mind." "A man who knows a thing or two about science, Mr. Holmes; a man who picks shells on the shores of vast unknown oceans. I think I am speaking to Mr. Sherlock Holmes, rather than..." "No, this is my friend Dr. Watson." "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. I have heard you referred to by your friend's name. You interest me, Mr. Holmes. I did not expect to see such a long head or such a deep Sunken eye sockets. You have no objection to my running my fingers along the crevices of your skull, sir? Say to any museum of anthropology if you make a model of your skull before you have the actual skull. It will be a splendid specimen. I don't mean to be offensive, but I confess that I am very envious of your skull." Sherlock Holmes beckoned our strange visitor to sit down in his chair. "I can see, sir, that you are as much a man of thought about my profession as I am of mine," he said. "I can tell by your forefinger that you are yourself. I smoke cigarettes; don't hesitate, just order one." The man took out the rolling paper and tobacco, and rolled one with astonishing skill in his hands.His long fingers trembled like insect tentacles. Holmes was calm, but the rapid movement of his eyes told me that he had taken an interest in our eccentric visitor. "I think, sir," he said at last, "that you came here again today after your honorable visit last night, perhaps not just to study my head?" "No, sir, no, though I am glad to have the opportunity of doing so. I have come to you, Mr. Holmes, because I know myself to be an inexperienced man, and I have come across a most serious and And a very peculiar question. Since I am sure you are the second best expert in Europe..." "Come, sir! Who is it that has the honor of being first?" asked Holmes, somewhat bitterly. "To a man of precise scientific mind, Mr. Bertillon's approach to the case has always had a strong appeal." "Then wouldn't it be better for you to consult with him?" "Sir, I mean, as far as men have a precise scientific mind. But as far as actual experience of things is concerned, you are known to be unique. I believe, sir, that I have not Unintentionally..." "Only a little," said Holmes. "I think, Dr. Mortimer, that it would be well if you would give me at once the matter in which my assistance is requested."

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