the red-headed league-第3章
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cheer me up； but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the whole
thing。 However； in the morning I determined to have a look at it
anyhow； so I bought a penny bottle of ink； and with a quill…pen；
and seven sheets of foolscap paper； I started off for Pope's
Court。
〃Well； to my surprise and delight； everything was as right as
possible。 The table was set out ready for me； and Mr。 Duncan Ross
was there to see that I got fairly to work。 He started me off
upon the letter A； and then he left me； but he would drop in from
time to time to see that all was right with me。 At two o'clock he
bade me good…day； complimented me upon the amount that I had
written； and locked the door of the office after me。
〃This went on day after day； Mr。 Holmes； and on Saturday the
manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my
week's work。 It was the same next week； and the same the week
after。 Every morning I was there at ten； and every afternoon I
left at two。 By degrees Mr。 Duncan Ross took to coming in only
once of a morning； and then； after a time； he did not come in at
all。 Still； of course； I never dared to leave the room for an
instant； for I was not sure when he might come； and the billet was
such a good one； and suited me so well； that I would not risk the
loss of it。
〃Eight weeks passed away like this； and I had written about
Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica； and
hoped with diligence that I might get on to the B's before very
long。 It cost me something in foolscap； and I had pretty nearly
filled a shelf with my writings。 And then suddenly the whole
business came to an end。〃
〃To an end？〃
〃Yes； sir。 And no later than this morning。 I went to my work
as usual at ten o'clock； but the door was shut and locked； with a
little square of card…board hammered on to the middle of the panel
with a tack。 Here it is； and you can read for yourself。〃
He held up a piece of white card…board about the size of a
sheet of note…paper。 It read in this fashion：
THE RED…HEADED LEAGUE
IS
DISSOLVED。
October 9； 1890。
Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the
rueful face behind it； until the comical side of the affair so
completely overtopped every other consideration that we both burst
out into a roar of laughter。
〃I cannot see that there is anything very funny；〃 cried our
client； flushing up to the roots of his flaming head。 〃If you can
do nothing better than laugh at me； I can go elsewhere。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Holmes； shoving him back into the chair from
which he had half risen。 〃I really wouldn't miss your case for
the world。 It is most refreshingly unusual。 But there is； if you
will excuse my saying so； something just a little funny about it。
Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the
door？〃
〃I was staggered； sir。 I did not know what to do。 Then I
called at the offices round； but none of them seemed to know
anything about it。 Finally； I went to the landlord； who is an
accountant living on the ground…floor； and I asked him if he could
tell me what had become of the Red…headed League。 He said that he
had never heard of any such body。 Then I asked him who Mr。 Duncan
Ross was。 He answered that the name was new to him。
〃‘Well；' said I； ‘the gentleman at No。 4。'
〃‘What； the red…headed man？'
〃‘Yes。'
〃‘Oh；' said he； ‘his name was William Morris。 He was a
solicitor and was using my room as a temporary convenience until
his new premises were ready。 He moved out yesterday。'
〃‘Where could I find him？'
〃‘Oh； at his new offices。 He did tell me the address。 Yes；
17 King Edward Street； near St。 Paul's。'
〃I started off； Mr。 Holmes； but when I got to that address it
was a manufactory of artificial knee…caps； and no one in it had
ever heard of either Mr。 William Morris or Mr。 Duncan Ross。〃
〃And what did you do then？〃 asked Holmes。
〃I went home to Saxe…Coburg Square； and I took the advice of
my assistant。 But he could not help me in any way。 He could only
say that if I waited I should hear by post。 But that was not
quite good enough； Mr。 Holmes。 I did not wish to lose such a
place without a struggle； so； as I had heard that you were good
enough to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it； I came
right away to you。〃
〃And you did very wisely；〃 said Holmes。 〃Your case is an
exceedingly remarkable one； and I shall be happy to look into it。
From what you have told me I think that it is possible that graver
issues hang from it than might at first sight appear。〃
〃Grave enough！〃 said Mr。 Jabez Wilson。 〃Why； I have lost four
pound a week。〃
〃As far as you are personally concerned；〃 remarked Holmes； 〃I
do not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary
league。 On the contrary； you are； as I understand； richer by some
30 pound； to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained
on every subject which comes under the letter A。 You have lost
nothing by them。〃
〃No； sir。 But I want to find out about them； and who they
are； and what their object was in playing this prankif it was a
prankupon me。 It was a pretty expensive joke for them； for it
cost them two and thirty pounds。〃
〃We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you。 And；
first； one or two questions； Mr。 Wilson。 This assistant of yours
who first called your attention to the advertisementhow long had
he been with you？〃
〃About a month then。〃
〃How did he come？〃
〃In answer to an advertisement。〃
〃Was he the only applicant？〃
〃No； I had a dozen。〃
〃Why did you pick him？〃
〃Because he was handy and would come cheap。〃
〃At half…wages； in fact。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What is he like； this Vincent Spaulding？〃
〃Small； stout…built； very quick in his ways； no hair on his
face； though he's not short of thirty。 Has a white splash of acid
upon his forehead。〃
Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement。 〃I
thought as much；〃 said he。 〃Have you ever observed that his ears
are pierced for earrings？〃
〃Yes； sir。 He told me that a gypsy had done it for him when
he was a lad。〃
〃Hum！〃 said Holmes； sinking back in deep thought。 〃He is
still with you？〃
〃Oh； yes； sir； I have only just left him。〃
〃And has your business been attended to in your absence？〃
〃Nothing to complain of； sir。 There's never very much to do
of a morning。〃
〃That will do； Mr。 Wilson。 I shall be happy to give you an
opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two。 To…day is
Saturday； and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion。〃
〃Well； Watson；〃 said Holmes when our visitor had left us；
〃what do you make of it all？〃
〃I make nothing of it；〃 I answered frankly。 〃It is a most
mysterious business。〃
〃As a rule；〃 said Holmes； 〃the more bizarre a thing is the
less mysterious it proves to be。 It is your commonplace；
featureless crimes which are really puzzling； just as a
commonplace face is the most difficult to identify。 But I must be
prompt over this matter。〃
〃What are you going to do； then？〃 I asked。
〃To smoke；〃 he answered。 〃It is quite a three pipe problem；
and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes。〃 He
curled himself up in his chair； with his thin knees drawn up to
his hawk…like nose； and there he sat with his eyes closed and his
black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird。
I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep； and
indeed was nodding myself； when he suddenly sprang out of his
chair with the gesture of a man who has made up his mind and put
his pipe down upon the mantelpiece。
〃Sarasate plays at the St。 James's Hall this afternoon；〃 he
remarked。 〃What do you think； Watson？ Could your patients spare
you for a few hours？〃
〃I have nothing to do today。 My practice is never very
absorbing。〃
〃Then put on your hat and come。 I am going through the City
first； and we can have some lunch on the way。 I observe that
there is a good deal of German music on the programme； which is
rather more to my taste than Italian or French。 It is
introspective； and I want to introspect。 Come along！〃
We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate； and a
short walk took us to Saxe…Coburg Square； the scene of the
singular story which we had listened to in the morning。 It was a
poky； little； shabby…genteel place； where four lines of dingy
two…storied brick houses looked out into a small railed…in
enclosure； where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded
laurel…bushes made a hard fight against a smoke…laden and
uncongenial atmosphere。 Three gilt balls and a brown board with
〃JABEZ WILSON〃 in white letters； upon a corner house； announced
the place where our red…headed client carried on his business。
Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side
and looked it all over； with his eyes shining brightly between
puckered lids。 Then he walked slowly up the street； and then down
again to the corner； still looking keenly at the houses。 Finally
he returned to the pawnbroker's； and； having thumped vigorously
upon the pavement with his stick two or three times； he went up to
the door and knocked。 It was instantly opened by a
bright…looking； clean…shaven young fellow； who asked him to step
in。
〃Thank you；〃 said Holmes； 〃I only wished to ask you how you
would go from here to the Strand。〃
〃Third right； fourth left；〃 answered th
