0:00 CHAPTER IX.
0:17 THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER'S THUMB. of all the problems which have been submitted to my friend mr sherlock holmes for solution during the years of our intimacy there were only two which i was the means of introducing to his notice that of mr hatherley's thumb and that of colonel warburton's madness an acute and original observer, but the other was so strange in its inception, and so dramatic
0:46 in its details, that it may be the more worthy of being placed upon record, even if it gave
0:51 my friend fewer openings for those deductive methods of reasoning by which he achieved
0:56 such remarkable results.
0:58 The story has, I believe, been told more than once in the newspapers, but, like all such
1:03 narratives, its effect is much less striking
1:06 when set forth on block in a single half-column of print than when the facts slowly evolve before
1:11 your own eyes, and the mystery clears gradually away as each new discovery furnishes a step
1:17 which leads on to the complete truth. At the time the circumstances made a deep impression upon me,
1:23 and the lapse of two years has hardly served to weaken the effect.
1:28 It was in the summer of 89, not long after my marriage, that the events occurred which
1:33 I am now about to summarize.
1:34 I had returned to civil practice and had finally abandoned Holmes in his Baker Street rooms,
1:40 although I continually visited him, and occasionally even persuaded him to forego his bohemian
1:45 habits so far as to come and visit us my practice had steadily increased and as i happened to live at no very great distance from paddington station i got a few patients from among the officials
1:57 one of these whom i had cured of a painful and lingering disease was never weary of advertising my virtues and of endeavouring to send me on every sufferer over whom he might have any influence.
2:08 One morning, at a little before seven o'clock, I was awakened by the maid tapping at the
2:13 door to announce that two men had come from Paddington, and were waiting in the consulting
2:18 room.
2:19 I dressed hurriedly, for I knew by experience that railway cases were seldom trivial, and
2:24 hastened downstairs. As I descended,
2:27 my old ally, the guard, came out of the room and closed the door tightly behind him.
2:32 I've got him in here, he whispered, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. He's all right.
2:37 What is it, then, I asked, for his manner suggested that it was some strange creature
2:41 which he had caged up in my room. "'It's a new patient,' he whispered.
2:48 I thought I'd bring him round myself, then he couldn't slip away.
2:50 There he is, all safe and sound.
2:52 I must go now, Doctor.
2:54 I have my duties just the same as you.'
2:58 And off he went, this trusty toad, without even giving me time to thank him.
3:03 I entered my consulting-room, and found a gentleman seated by the table.
3:11 He was quietly dressed in a suit of heather tweed, with a soft cloth cap, which he had laid down upon my books. Round one of his hands he had a handkerchief wrapped, which was mottled all over with blood-stains. He was
3:16 young, not more than five-and-twenty, I should say, with a strong masculine face. But he was
3:21 exceedingly pale, and gave me the impression of a man who was suffering from some strong agitation, which it took all his strength of mind to control.
3:29 I am sorry to knock you up so early, doctor, he said, but I have had a very serious accident during the night.
3:34 I came in by train this morning, and on inquiring at Paddington as to where I might find a doctor, a worthy fellow very kindly escorted me here.
3:42 I gave the maid a card, but I see that she has left it upon the
3:45 side table. I took it up and glanced at it. Mr. Victor Hatherley, Hydraulic Engineer, 16A,
3:52 Victoria Street, 3rd floor. That was the name, style, and abode of my morning visitor.
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