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The Sign of the Four
kindness to let me have an opinion upon the character or habits of the late
owner？〃
I handed him over the watch with some slight feeling of amusement in
my heart； for the test was； as I thought； an impossible one； and I intended
it as a lesson against the somewhat dogmatic tone which he occasionally
assumed。 He balanced the watch in his hand； gazed hard at the dial；
opened the back； and examined the works； first with his naked eyes and
then with a powerful convex lens。 I could hardly keep from smiling at
his crestfallen face when he finally snapped the case to and handed it back。
〃There are hardly any data；〃 he remarked。 〃The watch has been
recently cleaned； which robs me of my most suggestive facts。〃
〃You are right；〃 I answered。 〃It was cleaned before being sent to
me。〃 In my heart I accused my companion of putting forward a most
lame and impotent excuse to cover his failure。 What data could he
expect from an uncleaned watch？
〃Though unsatisfactory； my research has not been entirely barren；〃 he
observed； staring up at the ceiling with dreamy； lack…lustre eyes。
〃Subject to your correction； I should judge that the watch belonged to your
elder brother； who inherited it from your father。〃
〃That you gather； no doubt； from the H。 W。 upon the back？〃
〃Quite so。 The W。 suggests your own name。 The date of the watch
is nearly fifty years back； and the initials are as old as the watch： so it
was made for the last generation。 Jewelry usually descents to the eldest
son； and he is most likely to have the same name as the father。 Your
father has； if I remember right； been dead many years。 It has； therefore；
been in the hands of your eldest brother。〃
〃Right； so far；〃 said I。 〃Anything else？〃
〃He was a man of untidy habits；very untidy and careless。 He was
left with good prospects； but he threw away his chances； lived for some
time in poverty with occasional short intervals of prosperity； and finally；
taking to drink； he died。 That is all I can gather。〃
I sprang from my chair and limped impatiently about the room with
considerable bitterness in my heart。
〃This is unworthy of you； Holmes；〃 I said。 〃I could not have
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The Sign of the Four
believed that you would have descended to this。 You have made inquires
into the history of my unhappy brother； and you now pretend to deduce
this knowledge in some fanciful way。 You cannot expect me to believe
that you have read all this from his old watch！ It is unkind； and； to speak
plainly； has a touch of charlatanism in it。〃
〃My dear doctor；〃 said he； kindly； 〃pray accept my apologies。
Viewing the matter as an abstract problem； I had forgotten how personal
and painful a thing it might be to you。 I assure you； however； that I never
even know that you had a brother until you handed me the watch。〃
〃Then how in the name of all that is wonderful did you get these facts？
They are absolutely correct in every particular。〃
〃Ah； that is good luck。 I could only say what was the balance of
probability。 I did not at all expect to be so accurate。〃
〃But it was not mere guess…work？〃
〃No； no： I never guess。 It is a shocking habit；destructive to the
logical faculty。 What seems strange to you is only so because you do not
follow my train of thought or observe the small facts upon which large
inferences may depend。 For example； I began by stating that your
brother was careless。 When you observe the lower part of that watch…
case you notice that it is not only dinted in two places； but it is cut and
marked all over from the habit of keeping other hard objects； such as coins
or keys； in the same pocket。 Surely it is no great feat to assume that a
man who treats a fifty…guinea watch so cavalierly must be a careless man。
Neither is it a very far…fetched inference that a man who inherits one
article of such value is pretty well provided for in other respects。〃
I nodded； to show that I followed his reasoning。
〃It is very customary for pawnbrokers in England； when they take a
watch； to scratch the number of the ticket with a pin…point upon the inside
of the case。 It is more handy than a label； as there is no risk of the
number being lost or transposed。 There are no less than four such
numbers visible to my lens on the inside of this case。 Inference；that
your brother was often at low water。 Secondary inference；that he had
occasional bursts of prosperity； or he could not have redeemed the pledge。
Finally； I ask you to look at the inner plate； which contains the key…hole。
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The Sign of the Four
Look at the thousands of scratches all round the hole；marks where the
key has slipped。 What sober man's key could have scored those grooves？
But you will never see a drunkard's watch without them。 He winds it at
night； and he leaves these traces of his unsteady hand。 Where is the
mystery in all this？〃
〃It is as clear as daylight；〃 I answered。 〃I regret the injustice which I
did you。 I should have had more faith in your marvellous faculty。 May
I ask whether you have any professional inquiry on foot at present？〃
〃None。 Hence the cocaine。 I cannot live without brain…work。
What else is there to live for？ Stand at the window here。 Was ever such
a dreary； dismal； unprofitable world？ See how the yellow fog swirls
down the street and drifts across the dun… colored houses。 What could be
more hopelessly prosaic and material？ What is the use of having powers；
doctor； when one has no field upon which to exert them？ Crime is
commonplace； existence is commonplace； and no qualities save those
which are commonplace have any function upon earth。〃
I had op