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explained it； I confess that I am as amazed as
before。〃
〃It was very superficial； my dear Watson； I assure
you。 I should not have intruded it upon your
attention had you not shown some incredulity the other
day。 But the evening has brought a breeze with it。
What do you say to a ramble through London？〃
I was weary of our little sitting…room and gladly
acquiesced。 For three hours we strolled about
together； watching the ever…changing kaleidoscope of
life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet Street and the
Strand。 His characteristic talk； with its keen
observance of detail and subtle power of inference
held me amused and enthralled。 It was ten o'clock
before we reached Baker Street again。 A brougham was
waiting at our door。
〃Hum！ A doctor'sgeneral practitioner； I perceive；〃
said Holmes。 〃Not been long in practice； but has had
a good deal to do。 Come to consult us； I fancy！
Lucky we came back！〃
I was sufficiently conversant with Holmes's methods to
be able to follow his reasoning； and to see that the
nature and state of the various medical instruments in
the wicker basket which hung in the lamplight inside
the brougham had given him the data for his swift
deduction。 The light in our window above showed that
this late visit was indeed intended for us。 With some
curiosity as to what could have sent a brother medico
to us at such an hour； I followed Holmes into our
sanctum。
A pale； taper…faced man with sandy whiskers rose up
from a chair by the fire as we entered。 His age may
not have been more than three or four and thirty； but
his haggard expression and unhealthy hue told of a
life which has sapped his strength and robbed him of
his youth。 His manner was nervous and shy； like that
of a sensitive gentleman； and the thin white hand
which he laid on the mantelpiece as he rose was that
of an artist rather than of a surgeon。 His dress was
quiet and sombrea black frock…coat； dark trousers；
and a touch of color about his necktie。
〃Good…evening； doctor；〃 said Holmes； cheerily。 〃I am
glad to see that you have only been waiting a very few
minutes。〃
〃You spoke to my coachman； then？〃
〃No； it was the candle on the side…table that told me。
Pray resume your seat and let me know how I can serve
you。〃
〃My name is Doctor Percy Trevelyan；〃 said our visitor；
〃and I live at 403 Brook Street。〃
〃Are you not the author of a monograph upon obscure
nervous lesions？〃 I asked。
His pale cheeks flushed with pleasure at hearing that
his work was known to me。
〃I so seldom hear of the work that I thought it was
quite dead；〃 said he。 〃My publishers gave me a most
discouraging account of its sale。 You are yourself； I
presume； a medical man？〃
〃A retired army surgeon。〃
〃My own hobby has always been nervous disease。 I
should wish to make it an absolute specialty； but； of
course； a man must take what he can get at first。
This； however； is beside the question； Mr。 Sherlock
Holmes； and I quite appreciate how valuable your time
is。 The fact is that a very singular train of events
has occurred recently at my house in Brook Street； and
to…night they came to such a head that I felt it was
quite impossible for me to wait another hour before
asking for your advice and assistance。〃
Sherlock Holmes sat down and lit his pipe。 〃You are
very welcome to both；〃 said he。 〃Pray let me have a
detailed account of what the circumstances are which
have disturbed you。〃
〃One or two of them are so trivial；〃 said Dr。
Trevelyan； 〃that really I am almost ashamed to mention
them。 But the matter is so inexplicable； and the
recent turn which it has taken is so elaborate； that I
shall lay it all before you； and you shall judge what
is essential and what is not。
〃I am compelled； to begin with； to say something of my
own college career。 I am a London University man； you
know； and I am sure that your will not think that I am
unduly singing my own praises if I say that my student
career was considered by my professors to be a very
promising one。 After I had graduated I continued to
devote myself to research； occupying a minor position
in King's College Hospital； and I was fortunate enough
to excite considerable interest by my research into
the pathology of catalepsy； and finally to win the
Bruce Pinkerton prize and medal by the monograph on
nervous lesions to which your friend has just alluded。
I should not go too far if I were to say that there
was a general impression at that time that a
distinguished career lay before me。
〃But the one great stumbling…block lay in my want of
capital。 As you will readily understand； a specialist
who aims high is compelled to start in one of a dozen
streets in the Cavendish Square quarter； all of which
entail enormous rents and furnishing expenses。
Besides this preliminary outlay； he must be prepared
to keep himself for some years； and to hire a
presentable carriage and horse。 To do this was quite
beyond my power； and I could only hope that by economy
I might in ten years' time save enough to enable me to
put up my plate。 Suddenly； however； an unexpected
incident opened up quite a new prospect to me。
〃This was a visit from a gentleman of the name of
Blessington； who was a complete stranger to me。 He
came up to my room one morning； and plunged into
business in an instant。
〃'You are the same Percy Trevelyan who has had so
distinguished a career and own a great prize lately？'
said he。
〃I bowed。
〃'Answer my frankly；' he continued； 'for you will find
it to your interest to do so。 You have all the
cleverness which makes a successful man。 Have you the
tact？'
〃I could not help smiling at the abruptness of the
question。
〃'I trust that I have my share；' I said。
〃'Any bad habits？ Not drawn towards drink； eh？'
〃'Really； sir！' I cried。
〃'Quite right！ That's all right！ But I was bound to
ask。 With all these qualities； why are you not in
practice？'
〃I shrugged my shoulders。
〃'Come； come！' said he； in his bustling way。 'It's
the old story。 More in your brains than in your
pocket； eh？ What would you say if I were to start you
in Brook Street？'
〃I stared at him in astonishment。
〃'Oh； it's for my sake； not for yours；' he cried。
'I'll be perfectly frank with you； and if it suits you
it will suit me very well。 I have a few thousands to
invest； d'ye see； and I think I'll sink them in you。'
〃'But why？' I gasped。
〃'Well； it's just like any other speculation； and
safer than most。'
〃'What am I to do ； then？'
〃'I'll tell you。 I'll take the house； furnish it； pay
the maids； and run the whole place。 All you have to
do is just to wear out your chair in the
consulting…room。 I'll let you have pocket…money and
everything。 Then you hand over to me three quarters
of what you earn； and you keep the