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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE GREEK INTERPRETER
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr。 Sherlock Holmes
I had never heard him refer to his relations； and hardly ever to his
own early life。 This reticence upon his part had increased the
somewhat inhuman effect which he produced upon me； until sometimes I
found myself regarding him as an isolated phenomenon； a brain
without a heart； as deficient in human sympathy as he was preeminent
in intelligence。 His aversion to women and his disinclination to
form new friendships were both typical of his unemotional character；
but not more so than his complete suppression of every reference to
his own people。 I had come to believe that he was an orphan with no
relatives living； but one day； to my very great surprise； he began
to talk to me about his brother。
It was after tea on a summer evening； and the conversation； which
had roamed in a desultory； spasmodic fashion from golf clubs to the
causes of the change in the obliquity of the ecliptic； came round at
last to the question of atavism and hereditary aptitudes。 The point
under discussion was； how far any singular gift in an individual was
due to his ancestry and how far to his own early training。
〃In your own case；〃 said I； 〃from all that you have told me； it
seems obvious that your faculty of observation and your peculiar
facility for deduction are due to your own systematic training。〃
〃To some extent〃 he answered thoughtfully。 〃My ancestors were
country squires； who appear to have led much the same life as is
natural to their class。 But； none the less； my turn that way is in
my veins； and may have come with my grandmother； who was the sister of
Vernet； the French artist。 Art in the blood is liable to take the
strangest forms。〃
〃But how do you know that it is hereditary？〃
〃Because my brother Mycroft possesses it in a larger degree than I
do。〃
This was news to me indeed。 If there were another man with such
singular powers in England； how was it that neither police nor
public had heard of him？ I put the question； with a hint that it was
my companion's modesty which made him acknowledge his brother as his
superior。 Holmes laughed at my suggestion。
〃My dear Watson；〃 said he； 〃I cannot agree with those who rank
modesty among the virtues。 To the logician all things should be seen
exactly as they are； and to underestimate one's self is as much a
departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers。 When I say；
therefore； that Mycroft has better powers of observation than I； you
may take it that I am speaking the exact and literal truth。〃
〃Is he your junior？〃
〃Seven years my senior。〃
〃How comes it that he is unknown？〃
〃Oh； he is very well known in his own circle。〃
〃Where； then？〃
Well； in the Diogenes Club； for example。〃
I had never heard of the institution； and my face must have
proclaimed as much； for Sherlock Holmes pulled out his watch。
〃The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London； and Mycroft one
of the queerest men。 He's always there from quarter to five to
twenty to eight。 It's six now； so if you care for a stroll this
beautiful evening I shall be very happy to introduce you to two
curiosities。〃
Five minutes later we were in the street walking towards Regent's
Circus。
〃You wonder；〃 said my companion； 〃why it is that Mycroft does not
use his powers for detective work。 He is incapable of it。〃
〃But I thought you said…〃
〃I said that he was my superior in observation and deduction。 If the
art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an armchair； my
brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived。 But he
has no ambition and no energy。 He will not even go out of his way to
verify his own solutions； and would rather be considered wrong than
take the trouble to prove himself right。 Again and again I have
taken a problem to him； and have received an explanation which has
afterwards proved to be the correct one。 And yet he was absolutely
incapable of working out the practical points which must be gone
into before a case could be laid before a judge or jury。〃
〃It is not his profession； then？〃
〃By no means。 What is to me a means of livelihood is to him the
merest hobby of a dilettante。 He has an extraordinary faculty for
figures； and audits the books in some of the government departments。
Mycroft lodges in Pall Mall； and he walks round the corner into
Whitehall every morning and back every evening。 From year's end to
year's end he takes no other exercise； and is seen nowhere else；
except only in the Diogenes Club； which is just opposite his rooms。〃
〃I cannot recall the name。〃
〃Very likely not。 There are many men in London； you know； who；
some from shyness； some from misanthropy； have no wish for the company
of their fellows。 Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and
the latest periodicals。 It is for the convenience of these that the
Diogenes Club was started； and it now contains the most unsociable and
unclubable men in town。 No member is permitted to take the least
notice of any other one。 Save in the Stranger's Room； no talking is；
under any circumstances； allowed； and three offences； if brought to
the notice of the committee； render the talker liable to expulsion。 My
brother was one of the founders； and I have myself found it a very
soothing atmosphere。〃
We had reached Pall Mall as we talked； and were walking down it from
the St。 James's end。 Sherlock Holmes stopped at a door some little
distance from the Carlton； and； cautioning me not to speak； he led the
way into the hall。 Through the glass panelling I caught a glimpse of a
large and luxurious room； in which a considerable number of men were
sitting about and reading papers； each in his own little nook。
Holmes showed me into a small chamber which looked out into Pall Mall；
and then； leaving me for a minute； he came back with a companion
whom I knew could only be his brother。
Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock。
His body was absolutely corpulent； but his face； though massive； had
preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so
remarkable in that of his brother。 His eyes； which were of a
peculiarly light； watery gray； seemed to always retain that
far…away； introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock's
when he was exerting his full powers。
〃I am glad to meet you； sir；〃 said he； putting out a broad； fat hand
like the flipper of a seal。 〃I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you
became his chronicler。 By the way； Sherlock； I expected to see you
round last week to consult me over that Manor House case。 I thought
you might be a little out of your depth。〃
〃No； I solved it；〃 said my friend； smiling。
〃It was Adams； of course。〃
〃Yes； it was Adams。〃
〃I was sure of it from the first。〃 The two sat down together in
the bow…window of the club。 To anyone who wishes to study mankind this
is the spot；〃 said Mycroft。 〃Look at the magnificent types！ Look at
these two men who are coming towards us； for example。〃
〃The billiard…marker and the other？〃
〃Precisely。 What do you make of the other？〃
The two men had stopped opposite the window。 Some chalk marks over
the waistcoat pocket were the only signs of billiards which I could
see in one of them。 The other was a very small； dark fellow； with
his hat pushed back and several packages under his arm。
〃An old soldier； I perceive；〃 said Sherlock。
〃And very recently discharged；〃 remarked the brother。
〃Served in India； I see。〃
〃And a non…commissioned officer。〃
〃Royal Artillery； I fancy；〃 said Sherlock。
〃And a widower。〃
〃But with a child。〃
〃Children； my dear boy； children。〃
〃Come；〃 said I； laughing； 〃this is a little too much。〃
〃Surely；〃 answered Holmes； 〃it is not hard to say that a man with
that bearing； expression of authority； and sun…baked skin； is a
soldier； is more than a private； and is not long from India。〃
〃That he has not left the service long is shown by his still wearing
his ammunition boots； as they are called；〃 observed Mycroft。
〃He had not the cavalry stride； yet he wore his hat on one side；
as is shown by the lighter skin on that side of his brow。 His weight
is against his being a sapper。 He is in the artillery。〃
〃Then； of course； his complete mourning shows that he has lost
someone very dear。 The fact that he is doing his own shopping looks as
though it were his wife。 He has been buying things for children； you
perceive。 There is a rattle； which shows that one of them is very
young。 The wife probably died in childbed。 The fact that he has a
picture…book under his arm shows that there is another child to be
thought of。〃
I began to understand what my friend meant when he said that his
brother possessed even keener faculties than he did himself。 He
glanced across at me and smiled。 Mycroft took snuff from a
tortoise…shell box and brushed away the wandering grains from his coat