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observation and that of deduction。 He is only wanting in knowledge； and
that may come in time。 He is now translating my small works into
French。〃
〃Your works？〃
〃Oh； didn't you know？〃 he cried； laughing。 〃Yes； I have been guilty
of several monographs。 They are all upon technical subjects。 Here； for
example； is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various
Tobaccoes。' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar…；
cigarette…； and pipe…tobacco； with colored plates illustrating the difference
in the ash。 It is a point which is continually turning up in criminal trials；
and which is sometimes of supreme importance as a clue。 If you can say
definitely； for example； that some murder has been done by a man who
was smoking an Indian lunkah； it obviously narrows your field of search。
To the trained eye there is as much difference between the black ash of a
Trichinopoly and the white fluff of bird's…eye as there is between a
cabbage and a potato。〃
〃You have an extraordinary genius for minutiae；〃 I remarked。
〃I appreciate their importance。 Here is my monograph upon the
tracing of footsteps； with some remarks upon the uses of plaster of Paris as
a preserver of impresses。 Here； too； is a curious little work upon the
influence of a trade upon the form of the hand； with lithotypes of the
hands of slaters； sailors； corkcutters； compositors； weavers； and diamond…
polishers。 That is a matter of great practical interest to the scientific
detective；especially in cases of unclaimed bodies； or in discovering the
antecedents of criminals。 But I weary you with my hobby。〃
〃Not at all；〃 I answered； earnestly。 〃It is of the greatest interest to me；
especially since I have had the opportunity of observing your practical
application of it。 But you spoke just now of observation and deduction。
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Surely the one to some extent implies the other。〃
〃Why； hardly；〃 he answered； leaning back luxuriously in his arm… chair；
and sending up thick blue wreaths from his pipe。 〃For example；
observation shows me that you have been to the Wigmore Street Post…
Office this morning； but deduction lets me know that when there you
dispatched a telegram。〃
〃Right！〃 said I。 〃Right on both points！ But I confess that I don't see
how you arrived at it。 It was a sudden impulse upon my part； and I have
mentioned it to no one。〃
〃It is simplicity itself；〃 he remarked； chuckling at my surprise；〃so
absurdly simple that an explanation is superfluous； and yet it may serve to
define the limits of observation and of deduction。 Observation tells me
that you have a little reddish mould adhering to your instep。 Just
opposite the Seymour Street Office they have taken up the pavement and
thrown up some earth which lies in such a way that it is difficult to avoid
treading in it in entering。 The earth is of this peculiar reddish tint which
is found； as far as I know； nowhere else in the neighborhood。 So much is
observation。 The rest is deduction。〃
〃How； then； did you deduce the telegram？〃
〃Why； of course I knew that you had not written a letter； since I sat
opposite to you all morning。 I see also in your open desk there that you
have a sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of post… cards。 What could you
go into the post…office for； then； but to send a wire？ Eliminate all other
factors； and the one which remains must be the truth。〃
〃In this case it certainly is so；〃 I replied； after a little thought。 〃The
thing； however； is； as you say； of the simplest。 Would yo think me
impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he answered； 〃it would prevent me from taking a
second dose of cocaine。 I should be delighted to look into any problem
which you might submit to me。〃
〃I have heard you say that it is difficult for a man to have any object in
daily use without leaving the impress of his individuality upon it in such a
way that a trained observer might read it。 Now； I have here a watch
which has recently come into my possession。 Would you have the
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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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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 becaus