In the study, the gas lamp cast Lionel's figure, bent over his desk, long onto the wall.
Looking at the scattered drafts filled with writing on the table, Lionel fell into contemplation, constantly recalling the first meeting between "Sherlock Holmes" and "Watson" in the original A Study in Scarlet.
This was a classic in literary history, yet it left Lionel with a hint of dissatisfaction.
In the original work, Holmes saw Watson and almost instantly concluded:
"I perceive that you have been in Afghanistan."
Was it shocking?
Undoubtedly, and it left readers in suspense.
However, in the subsequent chapter, "The Science of Deduction," Holmes's reasoning for this conclusion seemed somewhat overly reliant on general impressions, and even a friend's prior introduction—"This is Dr. Watson."
While combining "the demeanor of a medical worker" and "military bearing" had some merit, for Lionel, who had read many classic detective stories, it was clearly not "hardcore" enough, not convincing enough.
A truly adept detective should not rely too much on "intuition," but rather establish their case through a step-by-step, solid chain of logic that readers can follow and verify.
Moreover, the current 'Watson' was not a battle-hardened, mature, and steady military doctor, but a young medical school graduate fresh out of school, full of uncertainty about the future.
Lionel decided to increase the difficulty of this "instant deduction upon meeting."
He pulled out another sheet of manuscript paper and dipped his pen in ink until it was full.
[...Stanford smiled and introduced us:
"Mr. Holmes, this is Mr. John Watson. Watson, this is Mr. Sherlock Holmes."
"Hello."
Holmes's demeanor was cool yet friendly.
"I can see that surgical internship is tough, isn't it? Fortunately, it's over. But for a surgeon to end up in a second-rate clinic... what a waste of talent."
I was taken aback and instinctively looked at Stanford.
My old friend immediately raised his hands and shook his head repeatedly, signaling that he had absolutely not disclosed my profession or recent circumstances to Holmes.]
Lionel changed the "Doctor" suffix in Stanford's introduction of Watson in the original work to "Mr.," thereby adding a greater obstacle to Holmes's deduction.
After all, profession is a key factor in shaping a person's posture, appearance, habits, and other characteristics.
Without the prerequisite of "Doctor," Holmes's "quick glance" required a much greater mental workload than before.
The subsequent plot was largely similar to the original – Holmes did not explain why he could discern Watson's identity and experience, but instead rambled on about his findings in bloodstain research;
After some initial communication, the two decided to rent the apartment at 221B Baker Street.
After living there for a period, Watson gained a preliminary understanding of his rather eccentric roommate.
One morning, Watson read an article in a magazine titled The Book of Life.
The article attempted to illustrate how much a keen observer could gain if they systematically and carefully observed the things they encountered.
Although Watson believed the article made some sense, he found it absurdly ridiculous, overly far-fetched, and exaggerated.
Unexpectedly, Holmes was the author of this article.
He introduced his profession – "consulting detective" – and explained how he earned his living by relying on his skills in observation and deduction.
During their debate, they finally discussed why Holmes could tell at a glance that he had "just finished his surgical internship" and had "ended up in a second-rate clinic."
Watson thought his friend must have revealed his identity to Holmes, but Holmes denied this with rigorous deduction—
[... "Observation, Dr. Watson, merely observation and a little simple deduction."
He walked to the window and motioned for me to join him:
"Typically, people's professions and living habits are imprinted on them as clearly as birthmarks; most simply fail to see them. May I demonstrate for you?"
I nodded, still somewhat unconvinced:
"Of course! Please, by all means, explain."
Holmes turned, his gaze fixed on me:
"Excellent. Let us begin at the beginning. First, I noticed your hands."
I instinctively raised my hands to look at them – they were the hands of a young man, with distinct knuckles, and reasonably strong.
"Please observe carefully: your hands are inconsistent with the age and attire of a young gentleman such as yourself. They appear overly rough, with dull skin, some slight peeling and redness.
This condition is commonly seen on the hands of two types of people: firstly, housewives who constantly perform housework, coming into contact with alkaline water and coarse objects, commonly known as 'housewife's hands'; secondly..."
He paused, looking at me like a professor in medical school, giving me time to think, wanting me to answer the rest.
I could only shake my head blankly.
After a moment, he revealed the answer:
"Secondly, specific professions that require frequent, thorough cleaning of the hands. You are clearly not a housewife, nor do your hands bear the thick calluses formed by long-term labor.
So, what profession requires a young man to treat his hands so harshly, leading to such signs of premature aging?"
I felt like I was beginning to grasp something, but still felt confused.
Holmes continued, but his gaze shifted to my fingertips and the web of my thumb and forefinger:
"Next, I noticed that on your hands, especially your fingertips, the web of your thumb and forefinger, and the edges of your palms, there are some very subtle, almost imperceptible linear wounds.
They are both new and old, the newest still showing a pale pink color. Such wounds are typically caused by extremely sharp, light instruments."
I began to understand a little, and looked at my hands more carefully.
"Such wounds usually only appear on a chef's hands—cuts and scrapes.
But look closely, the wounds on your hands are too short, too dense, and their distribution is more biased towards the gripping parts used for precise operations.
Wounds caused by kitchen knives are usually longer and deeper. More importantly—"
He looked me up and down:
"Your posture, complexion, and clothing temperament are quite different from those of a professional chef.
So, what profession requires such frequent use of such sharp and intricate instruments, leaving these unique 'marks'?"
My breath was slightly held, the answer was already obvious.
Holmes's voice remained steady:
"Now, let us combine the above two points. A pair of hands prematurely aged due to frequent, harsh cleaning, coupled with a unique wound pattern caused by precise, sharp instruments.
In London, what kind of young gentleman would possess both of these characteristics?
The answer can only point to one profession: a surgeon. Or, more accurately, a surgical intern.
And as far as I know, only surgical procedures at Edinburgh Medical College require hands to be repeatedly scrubbed with diluted limewater before every dissection or operation—this led to the roughness and peeling of your hands; and only you, would so frequently use scalpels and suturing needles, as older doctors only perform a few surgeries a day.
As an assistant, being cut on the finger by a sharp blade during a tense operation is almost commonplace.
Combining this with your age, the answer becomes obvious – you are an Edinburgh Medical College graduate who has just completed an intensive surgical internship."
I listened in astonishment:
"Your deductive process is indeed as meticulous as unraveling silk, and perfectly coherent. But I still have one question in my mind—
How did you know I had 'just finished' my internship? And how did you know I... had 'ended up' in a second-rate clinic?"
I didn't think one could glean my entire experience merely from these hands.]
(End of Chapter)
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