The Globe-republican., 1894-04-13
CHAPTER II

We met next day as he had ar
ranged, and inspected the rooms at
No. 221B Baker street. of which he had
spoken at our meeting. They con-
sisted of couple of comfortable bed
rooms and single large. airy sitting
room, cheerfully furnished, and IL
Illuminated by two broad windows. So
desirable in every way were the apart
ments. and so moderate did the terms
seem when divided between US, that
the bargain was concluded upon the
spot. and we at once entered into pos
session. That very evening l moved
my things round from the hotel, and
on the following morning Sherlock
Holmes followed me with several
boxes and portmanteaus. For day or
two we were busily employed in un-
packing; and laying out our property
to the best advantage. That done, we
gradually began to settle down and to
accommodate ourselves to our new sur
roundirgs.
Holmes was certainly not a difficult
man to live with. He was quiet in his
WAYS and his habits were regular. 1t
was rare for him to be up after ten at
night. and he had invariably break
tasted and gone out before rose in
the morning. Sometimes he spent his
Iay at the chemical laboratory, some
times in the dissecting-rooms and oe-
casionally in long walks. which APP
pcared to take him into the lowest por-
tions of the city. Nothing could sx-
ceed his energy when the working st
was upon him, 3ut now and again a re-
action would seize Sic. and for days
on end he would lie upo,l the sofa IN
the sittin;--roonn. hardly utteriIg 4
word or moving muscle from mora
ing to night. = On these occasions
have noticed such : Dreamy. vacant
expression in his eyes. that i might
have suspected him Of :bsiaIs addicted
to the use Of soi;le narcotic had not
the temperance and. cleanliness of his
whole life forbidden such a notion.
As the weeks went by, my interest
In him and my curiosity as to his aims
in life gradually deepened and in
creased. His very person and ap-
pearance were such as to strike the at
tention of the most casual observer.
In height he was rather over six feet.
and SO excessively lean that he seemed
to be considerably taller. His eyes
were sharp and piercing, save during
those intervals of torpor to which
have alluded: and his thin. hawk-likt
nose gave his whole expression an all
of aiertness and decision. His chin
too, had the prominence and square
ness which mark the man of determine
ton. His hands were invariably blottet
with ink and stained with chemicals
vet he was possessed of eNtraordinar.
delicacy of touch. as frequently has
occasion to observe when | watched
him manipulating his fragile philo
sophical instruments.
The reader may set me down as
hopeless busybody, VIXEN comics
how much this man stimulated m,
curiosity and how often l endeavore'
to break through the reticence which
he showed on all that concerned him
self. Before pronouncing ucgment
however. be it remembered how object
less was my life and how little Their
was to engage my attention. NJ
ne8lCn IOTU6uC AIOiA sCASuA -A6 ~
unless the weather was exceptionall
genial, and had no friends who woul
call upon me and break the monotOn
of my daily existence. Under thes
circumstances eagerly hailed the lii
tie mystery which hung around m
companion. and spent much Of m
time in endeavoring to unravel 1t.
He was not studying medicine. b
had himself in reply to question
confirmed Stamford's opinion upo
that point. Neither did he appear
have pursued any course of readin
which might fit him Cor degre
in science or any other recognize
portal which would give him an el
trance into the learned world. Ys
his zeal for certain studies was r
marl,ablc. aad within eccentric limit
- x. ovfra md a ri