The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-21
ADVENTURE XIV
The Greek Interpreter.
ADVENTURE XIV.

~ IRE. ms ret1cence upon MS part
had increased the somewhat inhuman
effect which he produced upon me, until
sometimes l found myself regarding
him as an isolated phenomenon, brain
without heart, as deficient in human
sympathy as he was eminent In IN
teillgence. His aversion to women and
his disinclination to form new friend
ships were both typical of his unemo-
tional character, but not more so than
his complete suppression OF every ref !
erence. to his own people. had come
TO- belieye that he was as an orphan WITH
very great surprise, he began to talk
to me about his brother.
1t was after tea on summer eve,
ming, and the conversation, which had
roamed in a desultory, spasmodic fash
ion from golf clubs to the causes of the
change in the obliquity of the eclip-
tic, came round at last to the question
Of atavism and hereditary aptitudes.
The point under discussion was, how
far any singular gift in an individual
was due to his ancestry 1sa;nHr and now tar
I'm Your own ease,' said I, "from
all that you have told me-, it seems OBJ
vious that your faculty of observation
and your peculiar facility for deduction
are due to your own systematic train
HTo some extent" he answered,
country squires, who appear to have led
much the same life as is natural to their
class. But, none the less, my turn that
way is in my veins, and may have come
ter of Vernet, the French artist. Art
in the blood is liable to take the stran-
gest forms.'
hereditary?'
''Because my brother Mycroft pos
.orca- r. IN 10 rro,. Gauraa than I dO -
This was news to me indeed. IL
there were another man with such sin
gular powers in England, how, was 1T
that neither the police nor public had
heard of him9 put the question, with
hint that it was my companion s mod
estv which made him acknowledge his
brother as his superior. Holmes laughed
at my suggestion.
"My dear Watson,' said he, 81 can
not agree with those who rank modest,y
things should be seen exactly, as they
are, and to underestimate ones self IS
as much departure from truth as to
exaggerate one $ own powers: When L
say, therefore, that Mycroft has better
powers Of observation ehan +b you may
and literal TRUTH
"Is he your junlorF>'
HSeven wears my senior.'
"How comes it that he is unknown9'
ooh, he is very we'll known in his
own circle.'
"Well, in the Diogenes club for ex-
had never heard of the institution,
and my face must have PROCLAIMED as
much, for Sherlock Holmes pulled out
"The Diogenes club is the queerest
club in London, and Mycroft one of the
oucerest men. He's always there from
Quarter to five to twenty to eight, 1t g
six now, so if you care for stroll TINS
beautiful evening l shall be very happy
to Introduce YOU to two curiosities. -
Five minutes later we were IN the
street. walking towards Regent Circus
UYou wonder,' said my companion
"why it is that Mycroft does not use
INCAPABLE Of it, :,
81 said that he was my superior In
observation and deduction. If the art
= of the detective began and ended IN
reasoning from an armchair, my broth
er would be the greatest criminal agen'
that ever lived. But he has no ambl
ton and no energy. He will not ever
90 out of his way to verify his owl
Solution, and would rather be consld
cred wrong than take the trouble t(
prove himself right. Again and agar
I have taken problem to him, ant
have received an explanation which ha
afterwards proved to be- the correc
capable of working out the praetlca
noints which must be gone into before
case could be laid before judge O.
jury, ~. he ,,roqession +benqu
"By no means: What is to To- me ,e ~
means of livelihood IS to him the mer
- est hobby of a. dilettante. He has a.
extraordinary faculty for figures, an
audits the books in some Of the govern
ment departments. Mycroft lodges i
Pail Mail, and he walks around tn
corner into Whitehall every mornln,
and back every evening. From year
end to years end he ia es no other eS
ercise. and is seen nowhere else, excep
only in the Diogeness club, which is jus
- opposite his rooms.' .,
II cannot recall the name.'
every likely not. There are man
men in London, you know, who, som
from shyness, some from mlsanthrop!
fellows Yet they are not averse
comfortable chairs and the latest pr
riodicals. 1t is for the convenience c
these that the Diogenes club wa
- started. and it now contains the mos
unsociable and unclubable men IN tow
No member is permitted to take tn
least notice Of any other one. Save
the strangers room, no talking is, III
der any circumstances, allowed, an
three offenses, if brought to the motto
of the committee, render the talkt
liable to expulsion. My brother W;
one of the founders, and have mIyse
Il found it very soothing atmosphere.
We had reached Pail Mall as "
talked, and were walking down 1t Iro
the ST. James end. Sherlock Holm
stopped at door some little dlstan'
from the Carlton, and, cautlonlng n
not to speak, he led the way into tt
hall. Thru the glass panel1ng caugl
glimpse of a'large and. luxurious rool
In which considerable number OF me
- were sitting about and reading paper
each in his own little nook: Holm
q showed mo into small chamber VINE
& looked out into Pail Mall, and the
. leaving me for minute, he came bat
with a companion whom knew cou
q only be his brother.
8 Mycroft Holmes was much larg
q and stouter man than Sherlock. II
y body was absolutely corpulent, but 4
u fact,s tho massive, had preserved som
. thing of the sharpness of expressl
: which was so remarkable in that OF
. brother. His eyes, which were Of a r
] culiarly light watery gray, seemed
& always retain that far-away, introspe
! tive look which I had only observed
I Sherlock 8 when he was exerting /
G full powers.
g II am glad to meet you, sir, /" sa