The Greek Interpreter

           DuringmylongandintimateacquaintancewithMr.SherlockHolmesIhadneverheardhimrefertohisre}ations,andhardlyevertohisownearlylife.Thisreticenceuponhisparthadincreasedthesomewhatinhumaneffectwhichheproduceduponme,untilsometimesIfoundmyselfregardinghimasanisolatedphenomenon,abrainwithoutaheart,asdeficientinhumansympathyashewaspreeminentinintelligence.Hisaversiontowomenandhisdisinclinationtoformnewfriendshipswerebothtypicalofhisunemotionalcharacter,butnotmoresothanhiscompletesuppressionofeveryreferencetohisownpeople.Ihadcometobelievethathewasanorphanwithnorelativesliving;butoneday,tomyverygreatsurprise,hebegantotalktomeabouthisbrother.

           Itwasafterteaonasummerevening,andtheconversation,whichhadroamedinadesultory,spasmodicfashionfromgolfclubstothecausesofthechangeintheobliquityoftheecliptic,cameroundatlasttothequestionofatavismandhereditaryaptitudes.Thepointunderdiscussionwas,howfaranysingulargiftinanindividualwasduetohisancestryandhowfartohisownearlytraining.

           "Inyourowncase,"saidI,"fromallthatyouhavetoldme,itseemsobviousthatyourfacultyofobservationandyourpeculiarfacilityfordeductionareduetoyourownsystematictraining."

           "Tosomeextent,"heansweredthoughtfully."Myancestorswerecountrysquires,whoappeartohaveledmuchthesamelifeasisnaturaltotheirclass.