Этюд в багровых тонах
The Science of Deduction.
Underthesecircumstances,Ieagerlyhailedthelittlemysterywhichhungaroundmycompanion,andspentmuchofmytimeinendeavouringtounravelit.
Hewasnotstudyingmedicine. Hehadhimself,inreplytoaquestion,confirmedStamford’sopinionuponthatpoint. Neitherdidheappeartohavepursuedanycourseofreadingwhichmightfithimforadegreeinscienceoranyotherrecognizedportalwhichwouldgivehimanentranceintothelearnedworld. Yethiszealforcertainstudieswasremarkable,andwithineccentriclimitshisknowledgewassoextraordinarilyampleandminutethathisobservationshavefairlyastoundedme. Surelynomanwouldworksohardorattainsuchpreciseinformationunlesshehadsomedefiniteendinview. Desultoryreadersareseldomremarkablefortheexactnessoftheirlearning. Nomanburdenshismindwithsmallmattersunlesshehassomeverygoodreasonfordoingso.
Hisignorancewasasremarkableashisknowledge. Ofcontemporaryliterature,philosophyandpoliticsheappearedtoknownexttonothing. UponmyquotingThomasCarlyle,heinquiredinthenaivestwaywhohemightbeandwhathehaddone. Mysurprisereachedaclimax,however,whenIfoundincidentallythathewasignorantoftheCopernicanTheoryandofthecompositionoftheSolarSystem. ThatanycivilizedhumanbeinginthisnineteenthcenturyshouldnotbeawarethattheearthtravelledroundthesunappearedtobetomesuchanextraordinaryfactthatIcouldhardlyrealizeit.
“Youappeartobeastonished,”hesaid,smilingatmyexpressionofsurprise. “NowthatIdoknowitIshalldomybesttoforgetit.”
