Hoy dejo aquí un fragmento de Estudio en Escarlata de Conan Doyle. Se trata de la escena en la que Holmes y Watson se conocen y decidien compartir vivienda. La sabia frase en negrita la he tomado para una escena de la novela que estoy escribiendo.
Sherlock Holmes seemed delighted at the idea of sharing his rooms with me. «I have my eye on a suite in Baker Street,» he said, «which would suit us down to the ground. You don’t mind the smell of strong tobacco, I hope?»
«I always smoke ‘ship’s’ myself,» I answered.
«That’s good enough: I generally have chemicals about, and occasionally do experiments. Would that annoy you?»
«By no means.»
«Let me see—what are my other shortcomings. I get in the dumps at times, and don’t open my mouth for days on end. You must not think I am sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I’ll soon be right. What have you to confess now? It’s just as well for two fellows to know the worst of one another before they begin to live together.«
I laughed at this cross-examination. «I keep a bull pup,» I said, «and I object to rows because my nerves are shaken, and I get up at all sorts of ungodly hours, and I am extremely lazy. I have another set of vices when I’m well, but those are the principal ones at present.»
«Do you include violin playing in your category of rows?» he asked, anxiously.
«It depends on the player,» I answered. «A well-played violin is a treat for the gods—a badly-played one——»
«Oh, that’s all right,» he cried, with a merry laugh. «I think we may consider the thing as settled—that is, if the rooms are agreeable to you.»