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The Red Headed League · Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Recently, the left-handed people of the world have been voicing
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: some legitimate complaints. They feel, with some justice, that they're
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: being penalized for being different, since almost all the gadgets
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: and conveniences of life are built for people who are right-handed.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: They also feel they're unjustly accused of being less reliable.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: Than their right-handed brethren.
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Whether or not that's a bad rap is open to question.
• 0:29
  Speaker 3: But there are also.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: The so-called hot-tempered redheads who, so far, haven't banded together
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: to object to being thus labeled.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: But A.
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: Conan Doyle immortalized redheads forever when he pitted the red-headed
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: league against the marvelous deductive abilities of the world's greatest detective, Mr.
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: Sherlock Holmes.
• 0:52
  Speaker 4: Uh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?
• 0:54
  Speaker 3: I'm Holmes.
• 0:55
  Speaker 4: Holmes?
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: And this is my colleague, Dr.
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Watson.
• 0:58
  Speaker 4: How do you know me?
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: Now, you've told me your name is Jabez Wilson, and
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: beside the obvious facts that you've at some time done
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: manual labor, that you take snuff, that you're a Freemason,
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: that you've been in China, and that you've done a
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: about you.
• 1:17
  Speaker 4: What?
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: What?
• 1:19
  Speaker 4: How in the name of all that's holy do you
• 1:20
  Speaker 4: know all that? Are you some kind of a wizard, Mr.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: Holmes?
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: Not at all. Well, then it's some kind of trick.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Certainly, I began working in life as a ship's carpenter,
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: but there's no way.
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: You could have known that except.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is at
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: least one size larger.
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: Than your left. Oh.
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: Therefore, you've worked with it.
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: The muscles are obviously more developed.
• 1:42
  Speaker 4: Oh. But the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry.
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: I won't insult your intelligence by explaining this stuff. As
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: for the Freemasonry, against the strict rules of your order,
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: you use an.
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: Arc and compass press pin.
• 1:57
  Speaker 4: Of course, of course, I forgot that. But the writings, what.
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: Else can be indicated?
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: By that right cuff, so very shiny for five inches,
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: and the left one with the smooth patch near the
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: elbow where you rested it upon a desk.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, yes, yes.
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: But China, that's something quite different. The fish tattooed immediately
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: above your right wrist could only have been done in China.
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: I've made a small study of tattoo marks, and that
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: prick of staining the fish's scale a delicate pink.
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: Is quite peculiar to China.
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: When, in addition, I see a Chinese coin hanging from
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: your watch chain, the matter becomes even more simple. Ah, well,
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: I thought at first you'd done something clever, but I
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: see there was nothing to it after all. I begin
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: to think, Watson, that I make a mistake in explaining.
• 2:46
  Speaker 4: Oh, sir.
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: I fear my reputation will suffer shipwreck if I continue
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: to be so candid.
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: But now, Mr.
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: Wilson, what brings you to me? Oh, it was this
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: advertisement here.
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: Read it for yourself, sir.
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: Thank you. You don't mind if I let Dr. Watson
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: read it?
• 3:05
  Speaker 4: No, not at all. To the Red-Headed League. On account
• 3:11
  Speaker 4: of the bequest of the late Ezekiel Hopkins of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA,
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: there is now another vacancy open which entitles a member
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: of the League to a salary of four pounds a
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: week for purely nominal services... All red-headed men who are
• 3:30
  Speaker 4: sound in body and mind and above the age of
• 3:33
  Speaker 4: 21 are eligible. Oh, my goodness. Apply in person Monday
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: at 11 o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices of
• 3:41
  Speaker 4: the League, 7 Pope's Court, Fleet Street. What on earth
• 3:46
  Speaker 4: does this mean, Holmes?
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: It is a little off the beaten track and may
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: well be the start of a very pretty puzzle.
• 3:54
  Speaker 4: Mr. Wilson.
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: Tell us all about this strange advertisement and you. Watson, you,
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: of course, noted the date of the newspaper.
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: Yes, April the 27th, 1890. Just two months ago. Excellent, excellent.
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: Now, Mr. Wilson.
• 4:08
  Speaker 4: Oh, well, I keep a small.
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: Tobacconist shop at Coburg Square. It's not very large and
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: it doesn't do more than just give me a living,
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: you know, but since I have a flat above the shop,
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: I make out all right. Well, sir, I used to
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: keep two assistants, but now I can.
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: Only afford one.
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: And that only because he's willing to work at half
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: wages to get a place to live while he learns
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: the business. What's the name of this obliging youth? Oh,
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: his name is Vincent Spalding, and he's not such a
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: youth either. Oh, it's hard to say how old he is,
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: but I tell you, Mr. Holmes, I couldn't have a
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: sharper assistant.
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: Never was such a fellow for photography.
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: Snapping away all the time with a camera and then
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: diving down into the cellar to develop his pictures. That's
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: his main fault, but there's no vice in him, you know.
• 4:56
  Speaker 4: As a matter of fact, it was he who called
• 4:57
  Speaker 4: my attention.
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: To the advertisement.
• 4:59
  Speaker 4: Ah.
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: Can you remember how that happened?
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: Oh, Doc, it was yesterday, Mr. Holmes.
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: I was coming down from my living quarters into the
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: shop when Vincent said... I wish to heaven, Mr. Wilson,
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: that I was a red-headed man.
• 5:13
  Speaker 4: Ah? Why on earth should you wish that?
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: Why?
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: Because here's another vacancy on the League of the Red-Headed Men.
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: What?
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: It's worth quite a bit of money to the man
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: who gets it.
• 5:26
  Speaker 4: If only my hair.
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: Would change colour. It'd be a nice little post all
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: ready for me to step into.
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: Oh, well, what.
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: Is this red-headed league?
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: Oh, I'm not surprised you've never heard of it. With
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: your head of red hair, you're eligible for one of
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: the vacancies.
• 5:43
  Speaker 4: Ah? What's a vacancy worth?
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: A couple of hundred pounds a year.
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: But the work doesn't interfere with.
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: One's other occupations. Doesn't interfere.
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: Well, tell me about it.
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: Do you know how it got started?
• 5:56
  Speaker 4: Well, as far as I know, the league was founded by.
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: An American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins, who was a real eccentric.
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: He himself was red-headed, and he had a great sympathy
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: for all red-headed men. We never married, had no relatives,
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: and when he died... He left his entire fortune in
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: the hands of trustees with specific instructions to apply the
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: interest only to provide easy jobs to men.
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: With red hair.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: Oh, but there'd be millions of red-headed men who'd apply.
• 6:30
  Speaker 4: Oh, not as many as you might think.
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: I believe if you cared to apply, you'd walk away
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: with the job.
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: But perhaps it's not.
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: Worth your while to put yourself out for the sake
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: of a few hundred pounds.
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: Ah! It was certainly true that our visitor's hair was
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: of a particularly brilliant shade of crimson. But to me,
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: the whole business smacked with the ridiculous. I couldn't understand
• 6:57
  Speaker 4: Holmes' keenness in asking Wilson for more details. Well, you see, Mr.
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: Holmes, since Vincent Spalding seemed to know so much about it,
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: I figured he might be useful to have along. So
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: I ordered him to put up the shutters for the
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: day and to come along with me. All right, sirs.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: This way, if you please. Allow me to introduce myself.
• 7:18
  Speaker 4: I'm Duncan Ross. Give me your hand, Mr. Wilson. Allow
• 7:23
  Speaker 4: me to congratulate you. The vacancy is yours. What did
• 7:27
  Speaker 4: I tell you? Are you a married man, Mr. Wilson?
• 7:29
  Speaker 4: Do you have a family?
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: Well, neither, but does it make any difference?
• 7:34
  Speaker 4: Oh, dear me, dear me. This is very serious indeed.
• 7:37
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry to hear about your bachelorhood. I must explain
• 7:42
  Speaker 4: that the fund wasn't only set up... for providing pleasant
• 7:45
  Speaker 4: jobs for red-headed men... but for the propagation and spread
• 7:49
  Speaker 4: of redheads as well.
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: You must see this puts me in an awkward position,
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: most awkward. Oh, couldn't there possibly be an exception made, Mr.
• 7:59
  Speaker 4: Ross?
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: I mean, in this case where you have such a
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: magnificent head of hair. Hmm.
• 8:06
  Speaker 4: Yes, well... Well, we might stretch a point in your case. Yes,
• 8:10
  Speaker 4: we might. After all, it isn't as if you hated women...
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: You very well may someday marry.
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: Oh, well, I might, but.
• 8:19
  Speaker 4: Then let's say no more about it. When can you start?
• 8:24
  Speaker 4: That might be a problem, you see. I already have
• 8:26
  Speaker 4: a business.
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: Don't you worry about that, Mr.
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: Wilson.
• 8:29
  Speaker 3: I can look after that for you. Well, now, what
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: are the hours?
• 8:34
  Speaker 4: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. six days a week. That
• 8:37
  Speaker 4: might work out.
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: My busiest time is early in the morning and the
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: early evening. And I can handle the shop while you're away.
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: Yes, it seems satisfactory.
• 8:46
  Speaker 4: And the pay? Four pounds a week.
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: And the work?
• 8:53
  Speaker 4: Purely nominal.
• 8:54
  Speaker 3: What does purely nominal mean?
• 8:56
  Speaker 4: Well, you must be.
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: In this office the entire time. The will is very
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: clear upon that point. I cannot make it strong enough.
• 9:05
  Speaker 4: If you leave, you lose the position forever.
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to stay here the
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: whole four hours. And no excuse will prevail, neither sickness
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: nor business.
• 9:16
  Speaker 4: There's no such thing as an emergency.
• 9:18
  Speaker 3: Oh, yes, sir, I understand.
• 9:19
  Speaker 4: Well, I certainly hope you do, Mr.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: Wilson.
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: I've already made one concession, but there'll be absolutely no others.
• 9:25
  Speaker 4: I should abide by the rule, but what is the work?
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: To copy the entire Encyclopedia Britannia.
• 9:35
  Speaker 4: Now, there is the first volume on that press.
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: You must find your own ink, pens, and blotting paper.
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: We provide the table and the chair, and you agree
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: to start tomorrow.
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: Do we understand each other? Oh, yes, perfectly, Mr. Ross.
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: And you may depend upon me being here promptly at
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: 10 tomorrow a famous old radio show started with these
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: words who knows what evil.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: Lurks in the hearts of men the shadow.
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: Knows and indeed he did But if he knew about
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: the evil in the hearts of men, the world's greatest detective,
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: Sherlock Holmes, knew better than anyone what evil lurked in
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: the minds of men. I'll be back to hear what
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: Sherlock Holmes unravels in the puzzle of the red-headed leader.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: Mr. Phineas T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute.
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: And one thing's for sure, it's always easy to see
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: the other fellow's mistakes.
• 10:50
  Speaker 4: Certainly, Mr.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: Jabez Wilson seemed to be gullible in swallowing the story
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: about the Red-Headed League. But looking at it from his
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: point of view, he was doing nothing wrong, and he
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: was making money at his strange job, obtained in strange fashion.
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: But let's pick up Mr.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: Wilson as he unfolds the rest of his perplexing tale.
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: Well, I must say, Mr.
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: Holmes, that I left the office in Pope's Court in.
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: Very high spirits.
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: But when I got home, the more I thought about it,
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: I became convinced the whole thing was some.
• 11:22
  Speaker 4: Kind of a hoax, you know.
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: But for what reason, I couldn't fathom. However, in the morning,
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: I thought I might as well try it and.
• 11:30
  Speaker 4: See what happened.
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: Very sensible, since you had nothing to lose except a
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: trip to Pope's court.
• 11:36
  Speaker 3: And what happened when you arrived?
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: To my surprise and delight, everything was as right as rain.
• 11:42
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: Ross was there to see that I started work. Well, sir,
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: I began with the letter A and worked away quite industriously.
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: And what about Mr. Ross? Did he stay with you?
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: Oh, not all the time, but he'd drop in from
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: time to time, you know, to see that everything was
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: all right with me. And also to see that you
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: lived up to the terms of your employment, no doubt.
• 12:00
  Speaker 4: I suppose that, too.
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: But at two o'clock sharp, he bade me good day,
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: complimented me upon the amount I'd written, and locked the
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: door behind me.
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: Uh-huh.
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: And did this continue? Well, not in the same fashion.
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: After a few weeks, he wouldn't drop by quite so frequently.
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: And the last two weeks, he didn't come at all.
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: Only on Saturday, when he gave me the four golden southerns.
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: You had no curiosity about this position?
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: Ah, well, to be honest, Mr.
• 12:28
  Speaker 4: Holmes, I had a lot of questions.
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: But the four pounds a week stifled my curiosity. After
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: eight weeks, I'd written about abbots and archery and got
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: all the way to Attica and hoped that I might
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: soon get on to the bees.
• 12:44
  Speaker 4: When suddenly the old business came to an end.
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: Capital.
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: Capital.
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: Capital.
• 12:49
  Speaker 3: I can't understand your relation, Mr.
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: Holmes. It certainly shocked me when I came to work
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: early this morning to find the door locked and this
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: little square of cardboard hooked onto the middle with a tack.
• 13:00
  Speaker 4: Shall I read it, Holmes?
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: Please, Doctor.
• 13:04
  Speaker 4: Red-headed league is hereby dissolved. There may be further communication,
• 13:10
  Speaker 4: but it will be done by post, if at all. Aha.
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: Did you take any steps when you found this car?
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: At first, I was completely staggered. Then I went round
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: to the offices in the building, but none of them
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: knew anything at all.
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: The landlord?
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: Did you.
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: The landlord's an accountant who lives on the ground floor.
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: I asked if he could tell me what had become
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: of the Red-Headed League, but he said he'd never even
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: heard of them.
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: And your employer, Mr. Duncan Ross?
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: The landlord said he knew no such gentleman.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: Now, come, come, Mr.
• 13:40
  Speaker 4: Wilson.
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: Your employer must have been known to the landlord... If
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: not by that name, then another.
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: Oh, exactly, sir.
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: When I described the red-headed gentleman in room number four,
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: the landlord told me that his name was Charles Morris.
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: He was a solicitor, using the room only until his.
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: New officers were ready.
• 14:00
  Speaker 4: He moved out.
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: Yesterday and was at his new address, 17 King Edward Street,
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: near St.
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: Paul's.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: And when you got there, the cupboard was bare.
• 14:07
  Speaker 4: Ha, ha.
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: It was a manufacturing house No one had ever heard
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: of Ross or Morris or the League Oh, I tell you, sir,
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: I was in a state I hurried back to my
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: shop and started in on Vincent Who kept trying.
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: To calm me down Now, now, now, please, Mr.
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: Wilson Shouting won't do you any good If you'll only
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: take my advice and wait Wait?
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: Wait for what? And what about my salary for the
• 14:33
  Speaker 4: past week, eh? What about that?
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: Mr. Wilson, the league has been in existence for a
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: number of years, and I'm sure they'll get in touch
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: with you by post. Well, if the league's been in
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: existence for so long, I can't understand how it's been
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: such a well-kept secret.
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: Well, now, Mr.
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: Wilson, you must admit that you're not much of a
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: man for going around. Why, since I first came here,
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: you rarely.
• 14:55
  Speaker 4: Put your foot out of doors.
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: Oh, well... I'll confess you have something there. And that's
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: why you've never heard of the league. But I assure
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: you it's been well known and highly regarded for a
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: long time. All right, since you know so much, can
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: you explain what happened?
• 15:13
  Speaker 4: No, sir. I cannot.
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: But I'm willing to wager that you will hear from
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: them again. I just hope that it won't be what
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: I fear.
• 15:22
  Speaker 3: Eh?
• 15:23
  Speaker 4: What's that? You remember when.
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: You got the job, there was some question about your
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: marital status? Now, I'm not saying this is so, but
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: it's just possible that the entire board may have had
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: some second thoughts and overruled Mr. Ross' decision about taking
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: you on. Well, if that's the case, I should have
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: a chance to explain. Perhaps I could set their minds
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: at rest. How do you mean? Well, it just so
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: happens that... that recently I have encountered a young lady
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: who I think might just be suitable for... Well, I
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: have been thinking about marriage. Oh, now, that's an important factor, Mr. Wilson,
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: very important. And I feel that somehow the leg should
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: be informed of your intentions.
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: Well, well, well.
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: Hmm. Hmm.
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: How and when did romance enter your life, Mr.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Wilson? Mr.
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: Holmes, it was most peculiar, most peculiar.
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: As you could generally stay at home, you know, but
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: being cooped up in that office every day for so
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: long made me want to stretch my legs a bit.
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: And this one evening.
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: How come, Mr.
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: Wilson?
• 16:40
  Speaker 3: There's no need to be embarrassed about romance, eh, Watson?
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: Quite so, quite so.
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: Well.
• 16:48
  Speaker 1: As I tell you, it sounds like she... You see,
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: there was this lady, not a young flippity-jibbit, but a
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: mature lady, you.
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: Know, and she stumbled.
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: Oh, dear.
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: And I managed to keep her from taking quite a spill,
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: and since we seem to have a lot in common...
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: Was she a redhead? No, but at any rate, we
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: hit it off, and I began to see quite a
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: bit of her, and, well.
• 17:16
  Speaker 4: Hang it all up. I'm thinking of marrying her.
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: Did you and your lady ever discuss the red-headed league?
• 17:24
  Speaker 3: Well, I may have mentioned it, but we didn't.
• 17:26
  Speaker 4: Dwell on it.
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: Can you recall her reaction?
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: No.
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: No, and I can't see how she has anything to
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: do with the matter at hand.
• 17:33
  Speaker 4: Perhaps not.
• 17:35
  Speaker 3: At any rate, Mr.
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: Wilson, today is Friday, and if you'll see me on Monday,
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: we may have some answers for you.
• 17:41
  Speaker 4: Do you think that I should.
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: You should go back to your shop and take care
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: of your business.
• 17:51
  Speaker 4: After our red-headed visitor had left, Holmes sat with his
• 17:55
  Speaker 4: lean figure hunched in his chair and his eyes closed.
• 17:59
  Speaker 4: Suddenly he opened his eyes and asked... Well, Watson.
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: What do you make of it?
• 18:06
  Speaker 4: I make nothing of it, Holmes. It's a less mysterious
• 18:08
  Speaker 4: business that seems to have no rhyme or reason.
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is, the
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: less mysterious it proves to be. But I feel that
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: this may very well be a serious matter. And if
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: what I fear to be true is true, there's little
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: time left.
• 18:25
  Speaker 4: Well, what do you propose to do?
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: To smoke.
• 18:29
  Speaker 1: It's quite a three-pipe problem... And I beg that you don't.
• 18:32
  Speaker 3: Speak to me for 50 minutes.
• 18:38
  Speaker 4: With his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose,
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: and his eyes closed, and his black clay pipe thrusting
• 18:46
  Speaker 4: out like the bill of some strange bird, my friend
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: sat lost in thought. Suddenly, he sprang out of the chair,
• 18:54
  Speaker 4: put his pipe down on the mantelpiece, and said, What
• 18:56
  Speaker 4: do you think, my dear? I've nothing to do today.
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: My practice is never very absorbing. Good.
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: Then come along.
• 19:10
  Speaker 4: We traveled by underground as far as Aldersgate. And then
• 19:14
  Speaker 4: a short walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square. It was
• 19:18
  Speaker 4: a pokey little shabby, genteel place with four lines of dingy,
• 19:23
  Speaker 4: two-story buildings. We stood across the street from the corner
• 19:27
  Speaker 4: house on which one could read Jabez Wilson, tobacconist. My
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: companion stood carefully scrutinizing the houses. What are you looking at, Holmes?
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: The houses and shops and the names.
• 19:43
  Speaker 4: Well, surely you know the name of Jabez Wilson.
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: This is a time for observation. We are, so to speak,
• 19:49
  Speaker 3: in an country. Alex Reckonwater.
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: There's Mortimer's, the pawnbroker's, vegetarian restaurant, the Coburg branch of
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: the city and suburban bank, and McFarland Brothers, architects. Have
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: you any interest in architecture, doctor?
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: No, I can't say that I have. Well, that's a pity.
• 20:10
  Speaker 3: Because at this moment, that's our destination.
• 20:16
  Speaker 4: I wondered what in the world Holmes wanted with a
• 20:19
  Speaker 4: firm of architects. But as we approached the door, I
• 20:23
  Speaker 4: was amazed to see the familiar figure of Athelney Jones,
• 20:27
  Speaker 4: the detective from Scotland Yard. My surprise was equaled by Jones. Ah.
• 20:34
  Speaker 3: If it isn't Mr.
• 20:35
  Speaker 4: Sherlock Holmes. What brings you to this part of London?
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: I might ask the same question of you. Oh, purely
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: a routine matter.
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: A stupid attempt at robbery, although why in the world
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: any criminal would want to break into McFarlane Brothers.
• 20:50
  Speaker 4: Beats me.
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: Ah, this was recent.
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: No, I've just come down to tell the owners that
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: our investigations haven't turned up anything and that we'd.
• 20:59
  Speaker 4: Best forget it for a while.
• 21:01
  Speaker 3: I'm curious. Could you give me some details? Oh, it's
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: really not in your line, Mr.
• 21:05
  Speaker 4: Holmes. But here are the facts.
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: A couple of months ago, the night watchman was making
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: his usual rounds... when he came upon two men trying
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: to open the safe in the offices of McFarlane. Although
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: there's no cash and no securities, in fact, nothing of
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: any value. Ah, that does seem stupid. And what happened?
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: They overpowered, bound and gagged the watchman, left him in
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: the outer room, and then left without taking anything because
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: there was nothing missing from the safe in the morning.
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: Was a thorough check made?
• 21:40
  Speaker 4: Oh, come, come, Mr. Holmes.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: Every penny accounted for.
• 21:44
  Speaker 3: Hmm.
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: Well, since you came down here to report failure, I
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: assume that the night watchman didn't give you much of
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: a description of the robbers. No, it was the usual
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: meaningless jobber. No good to us at all. One thing, though,
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: they were entomateurs. They used gloves, so as not to
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: leave fingerprints.
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: That's very significant.
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: To you, maybe, Mr. Holmes, but to us it's normal.
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: The usual procedure of professionals.
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: Quite so.
• 22:11
  Speaker 3: Well, come along, Watson. There's nothing more that we can
• 22:14
  Speaker 3: do here.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: But, Holmes, what about your interest in architecture and our
• 22:19
  Speaker 4: visit to McFarland?
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: My dear doctor, we must remain flexible if we're to
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: get to the bottom of the matter we're investigating.
• 22:26
  Speaker 3: Oh, yes, sir. Let's say goodbye to Inspector Jones.
• 22:28
  Speaker 4: Now, hold on a minute, Mr.
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: Holmes.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: This matter you're investigating, is it something that Scotland Yard
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: might be interested in? It very well may be, Inspector,
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: but before I call on you for help, I have
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: to prove my theory beyond a shadow of a doubt.
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: That was a most informative discussion we had with Jones,
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: don't you think, Doctor?
• 22:56
  Speaker 4: Oh, you consider a bungled burglary and a failure on
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: the part of the police informative. I suppose you can
• 23:02
  Speaker 4: call it that.
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: Oh, my dear chap, how can you listen and not hear?
• 23:07
  Speaker 4: Well, I heard every word that was said.
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: You don't think it instructive that an obvious pair of
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: professional thieves, while careful enough to wear gloves, select an
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: unlikely target, such as an architect's office, as a likely.
• 23:22
  Speaker 3: Place for a halt?
• 23:24
  Speaker 4: Everybody makes mistakes.
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: Very true, Watson, but mark you.
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: They tie the men up, open the safe, and don't
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: touch the cash.
• 23:33
  Speaker 4: Because it wasn't worthwhile taking. Ah?
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: I put it to you, Watson, that it was a
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: very successful robbery. The thieves got exactly what they wanted.
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: And if what I suspect is true, the watchman is
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: lucky to be alive.
• 23:49
  Speaker 4: What in the world were they after?
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: You know my methods, Watson. You have all the information
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: I have. All that's necessary is for you to think.
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: But here we are, outside our destination.
• 24:04
  Speaker 4: Why on earth are you beating the pavement with your stick?
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: Part of my observations, Doctor. Now let's see the inside
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: of Mr.
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: Wilson's establishment.
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: Yes, gentlemen.
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: What can I do for you?
• 24:17
  Speaker 3: I'm sorry to bother you.
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: We only wish to know how to get from here
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: to the Strand. Third right, fourth left, and you're on
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: the Strand.
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: Thank you. Smart fellow, that.
• 24:29
  Speaker 4: In my judgment, he's the far smartest man in London.
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: And for daring, I'm not sure that he hasn't a
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: claim to be third.
• 24:37
  Speaker 4: Evidently, Mr. Wilson's assistant counts for a good deal in
• 24:40
  Speaker 4: this affair of the red-headed league. I'm sure that you
• 24:44
  Speaker 4: asked your way only in order to see him.
• 24:47
  Speaker 2: Not him.
• 24:47
  Speaker 4: Oh? What then?
• 24:50
  Speaker 3: The knees of his trousers.
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: Not only Watson, but all the millions of Sherlock Holmes
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: fans are familiar with his methods.
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: You, like Watson, have all the information.
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: All you have to do is apply the science of
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: deductive reasoning, as expounded so often and so well by
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: Sherlock Holmes, and you'll come up with the answer as
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: to why Holmes was interested in the knees of Vincent
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: Spalding's trousers. You will find out whether you are right
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: or not when I return shortly with Act Three.
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: At the risk of.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: Being labeled a male chauvinist, I submit that writers of
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: detective fiction believe that thinking and women are incompatible. To
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: prove my thesis, let me point out that the three
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: greatest thinking detectives of all times, Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe,
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: and Arsène Lupin, avoided involvements with the opposite sex. They
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: must have believed that romantic involvement would, in some way,
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: affect their judgment.
• 26:11
  Speaker 4: At any rate, in.
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: Today's story, Holmes is concentrating on red-headed males, and we
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: find him and Dr.
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: Watson in their Baker Street flat.
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: Holmes had been poring over a map of London streets
• 26:28
  Speaker 4: for some time and also had a back issue of
• 26:31
  Speaker 4: the Times open to the financial page when he finally
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: folded the map, looked up, and said with a sigh.
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: Of satisfaction, I think there's no chance of my being
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: wrong now.
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: Well, I'm sure you're right, but I'm blessed if I
• 26:47
  Speaker 4: know what you're right about.
• 26:50
  Speaker 3: Can't be the visitors I'm expecting, but.
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: Come in.
• 26:54
  Speaker 4: Vincent Spalding was right, Mr. Holmes, and so were you.
• 26:56
  Speaker 4: I've heard from the Red-Headed League.
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: Indeed. There's to be a weekend meeting starting tonight at
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: the Cork and Bottle in Surrey.
• 27:03
  Speaker 3: Surrey?
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: Reservations have been made for me, and then they'll discuss
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: my problem.
• 27:08
  Speaker 4: Well, what do you think of that, Mr. Holmes?
• 27:10
  Speaker 3: How did they get in touch with you?
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: By post, as they said they would. I brought the
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: letter with me.
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: Would you care to see it?
• 27:16
  Speaker 3: No, I don't think that's necessary.
• 27:18
  Speaker 4: But I've come to you for advice, and here you are.
• 27:21
  Speaker 3: Mr. Wilson.
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: I think that I can assure you that I will
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: have the answers you want by the end of this weekend.
• 27:27
  Speaker 4: But what about this note? Should I go or not?
• 27:30
  Speaker 3: I insist that you go.
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: But if you want the answer to your problems, don't
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: expect to find it in Surrey.
• 27:41
  Speaker 4: After Holmes had persuaded a reluctant Jabez Wilson to keep
• 27:45
  Speaker 4: his weekend rendezvous in Surrey, and he'd rushed off, I
• 27:48
  Speaker 4: looked at Holmes. Holmes, I'll confess that this nonsensical charade
• 27:54
  Speaker 4: of the red-headed lead seems to me to be just
• 27:57
  Speaker 4: a silly kind of game.
• 27:58
  Speaker 3: On the contrary, my dear Watson.
• 28:01
  Speaker 4: It's serious.
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: Very serious indeed.
• 28:04
  Speaker 4: Oh, dear.
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: You characterize this as a charade, and your instincts are
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: always good. The whole device used to get our friend
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: Wilson away from his shop for four hours a day
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: was staged.
• 28:16
  Speaker 3: And quite serious.
• 28:17
  Speaker 2: Brilliant.
• 28:18
  Speaker 4: But why in the world would anyone want that? There's
• 28:21
  Speaker 4: nothing in that shop or house of any value.
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: Think, Doctor.
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: Remember I observed that the knees of Vincent Spaulding's trousers
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: were covered with dust and badly worn? Yes. Add to
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: that his habit of rushing down to the cellar at
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: every opportunity.
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: Oh, of course.
• 28:37
  Speaker 4: Buried treasure.
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: You're an incurable romantic, Doctor, but at that, you're.
• 28:42
  Speaker 2: Not too far off the mark.
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: And that, I think, signals the arrival of our companions
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: for this evening's hunt.
• 28:49
  Speaker 3: Will you be kind enough, Doctor?
• 28:50
  Speaker 4: Yes. Come in, gentlemen.
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: Now our party is complete, Watson.
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: I think you know Inspector Jones of Scotland Yard. Let
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: me introduce you to Mr. Merriweather, who will accompany us tonight.
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see. Our friend
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: Holmes is a wonderful man for starting the chase.
• 29:11
  Speaker 4: All he wants is.
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: An old dog to help him do the running down.
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: I hope we don't find a wild goose at the
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: end of our chase. Bankers don't place too much trust
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: in theories and fantasies, Inspector. interested only in cold facts.
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: And cold cash also, eh, Mr. Merriweather?
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: Well, that's why I allowed the inspector to persuade me
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: into coming. Although it's the first Saturday night in 27
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: years that I haven't played bridge.
• 29:40
  Speaker 4: I should miss that, Mr.
• 29:41
  Speaker 3: Holmes.
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: Well, I think you'll find you're playing for a higher
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: stake tonight than you've ever done before. And that the
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: play will be more exciting.
• 29:49
  Speaker 4: And what do you think the stakes are? £ 30, 000.
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: How do you arrive at that figure? Isn't it true
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: that some months ago you had occasion to strengthen the
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: resources of your branch of the city and suburban bank?
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: And according to the times here, you borrowed 30,000 Napoleons
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: from the Bank of France?
• 30:10
  Speaker 4: That's very common knowledge, sir.
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, there's been some discussion among
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: our directors about the wisdom of keeping so much bullion on.
• 30:18
  Speaker 4: The single branch.
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: A discussion which was very well justified. I have reason
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: to believe that an attempt will be made upon that
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: bullion this very night. No, that's ridiculous. We have the
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: best protective service in the city of London. The cases
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: containing the bullion have never been unpacked. We're absolutely immune
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: to any attempt at such a theft.
• 30:37
  Speaker 3: I beg to differ, Mr.
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: Merriweather.
• 30:39
  Speaker 3: Come in. What's this?
• 30:43
  Speaker 2: A telegram.
• 30:44
  Speaker 3: I'll give it to you, lad. And this is for you.
• 30:54
  Speaker 2: The fool.
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: This may spoil everything.
• 30:57
  Speaker 4: What is it, Holmes?
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: Our friend Wilson arrived in Surrey and found he was
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: the only guest expected.
• 31:02
  Speaker 3: He's furious. And returning to London tonight... He must be
• 31:06
  Speaker 3: stopped at all costs.
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: No, that's hardly possible, unless he isn't already on the train. Well,
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: if he returns to his shop, we may miss our
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: chance to lay these fellows by the heels.
• 31:16
  Speaker 3: His life is also very much in danger.
• 31:18
  Speaker 1: Inspector, you didn't tell me there might be some physical
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: danger in this situation.
• 31:25
  Speaker 3: Not to you, Mr. Metterweather.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: They don't know you, but if this Vincent Spalding is
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: the man I believe him to be, murder isn't beyond him.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: And if Jabez Wilson interrupts those plans, Spalding would think
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: nothing of killing him. Well, here, let's see. From Surrey.
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: Early's train up. Wouldn't get in before ten tonight.
• 31:45
  Speaker 4: Capital.
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: Watson, get down to Waterloo Station and intercept Wilson.
• 31:49
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir.
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: Then join us in Saxe-Coburg Square in front of the
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: bank as soon as you can. We don't go in
• 31:55
  Speaker 1: until we hear from you that Wilson is safe.
• 31:57
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir. I was at Waterloo Station in time to
• 32:04
  Speaker 4: meet the train from Surrey. I just hoped that Wilson
• 32:07
  Speaker 4: would be on it. There was a later train, but
• 32:10
  Speaker 4: that would have meant Holmes and the others would be
• 32:12
  Speaker 4: forced to wait until I arrived. And Holmes seemed to
• 32:15
  Speaker 4: feel there was a chance that we might miss the
• 32:17
  Speaker 4: scoundrels we were after. Well, unfortunately, I spotted his flaming
• 32:22
  Speaker 4: red hair. Oh. Why, Doctor, Watson, I hardly expected to
• 32:26
  Speaker 4: be met. Yes, right. Well, Sherlock Holmes sent me. He
• 32:30
  Speaker 4: says it's vital that you don't go back to your
• 32:32
  Speaker 4: house tonight. Now, what nonsense is that? Well, it is
• 32:35
  Speaker 4: for your own good. If you go home, Holmes feels
• 32:38
  Speaker 4: you're in grave danger.
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: Oh, well, nothing's going to stop me from sleeping in
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: my own bed tonight. If your detective friend thinks I'm
• 32:45
  Speaker 1: in danger, let him protect me.
• 32:46
  Speaker 4: Well, that's why I'm here. All right, fine. Then come
• 32:48
  Speaker 4: along home with me. No, look here. Holmes has put
• 32:51
  Speaker 4: a lot of work for you in this, and he
• 32:54
  Speaker 4: thinks we're going to be able to bring things to
• 32:56
  Speaker 4: a successful conclusion tonight, if you do as he asks.
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: If I don't?
• 33:02
  Speaker 4: Well, then I shall have you arrested. You can spend
• 33:06
  Speaker 4: the night safely in a cell. But, Dr. Watson, where
• 33:11
  Speaker 4: shall I go? You can come with me. I'll drop
• 33:14
  Speaker 4: you off at our rooms at Baker Street. And that's
• 33:20
  Speaker 4: the way it was arranged. I dropped Wilson at Baker
• 33:24
  Speaker 4: Street and then hastened to Coburn Square when I saw Holmes, Jones,
• 33:28
  Speaker 4: and Merriweather waiting. This will do, my man. Right here
• 33:32
  Speaker 4: is fine.
• 33:34
  Speaker 3: Ah, Watson.
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: I knew I could rely on you. Where did you
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: leave our friend Jabez Wilson?
• 33:41
  Speaker 4: At our rooms, Holmes. I promised we would get back
• 33:44
  Speaker 4: at the conclusion of this affair and fill him in.
• 33:47
  Speaker 3: Well done, Watson.
• 33:48
  Speaker 4: Come along.
• 33:49
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 33:49
  Speaker 3: Merriweather, you must lead the way.
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: We shan't need light till we reach the gate at
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: the bottom of the steps. Mind your feet here. The
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: stairs are narrow. Inspector, I think it's time for you
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: to light your lantern. We can use it down here
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: to open the gate. We shall certainly need it in
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: the cellar. Mr.
• 34:16
  Speaker 4: Merriweather conducted us down a dark, earth-smelling passage into a huge,
• 34:21
  Speaker 4: paved vault or cellar, which was piled all around with
• 34:24
  Speaker 4: crates and massive boxes.
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: Would you mind holding the lantern up for a moment
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: so that I can get a better.
• 34:30
  Speaker 3: View of the ceiling, Mr.
• 34:31
  Speaker 2: Merriweather?
• 34:32
  Speaker 3: Well, if you wish, Mr.
• 34:33
  Speaker 4: Holmes. Hmm.
• 34:35
  Speaker 2: Hmm.
• 34:36
  Speaker 3: You're not very vulnerable from above, at any rate.
• 34:38
  Speaker 4: No, from below. Ah, dearie. This sounds quite horrible.
• 34:45
  Speaker 1: I really must ask you to be more quiet. Now,
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: you've already imperiled the success of our whole expedition. Have
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: and do not interfere.
• 34:56
  Speaker 4: Ah! Holmes fell to his knees on the floor and
• 35:06
  Speaker 4: with the lantern and magnifying glass began to examine minutely
• 35:11
  Speaker 4: the cracks between the stones.
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: I suspect we have at least an hour's wait. When
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: they start, they won't lose a minute, however. But the
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: sooner they complete their work, the more time they'll have
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: for their escape. They need a great deal of time,
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: if your theories are correct, Mr.
• 35:28
  Speaker 4: Holmes. The crate on which I sit... It contains.
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: 2,000 Napoleons packed between layers of lead foil. There are
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: 15 of these crates altogether. How do you imagine these
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: so clever thieves are going to transport them beyond me?
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: That problem concerns me too, but I'm afraid that we
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: shan't have the answer until we've bagged the men themselves.
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: In order to make sure that there'll be no slip-up,
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: I must ask you, Mr.
• 35:55
  Speaker 3: Merriweather, to put the screen over that lantern.
• 35:59
  Speaker 4: And sit in the dark?
• 36:00
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid so. Our thieves' plans have gone so far,
• 36:04
  Speaker 3: we dare.
• 36:04
  Speaker 2: Not risk a light.
• 36:06
  Speaker 3: I suggest you conceal yourself behind that packing case, Mr. Merriweather.
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: Watson and Jones and I will also find places of concealment. And, Doctor,
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: if the men fire, have no compunction about shooting them down.
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: If there's anyone to shoot at, this whole fantastic scheme
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: isn't the product of your fevered imagination.
• 36:27
  Speaker 3: Fortunately, I do my work for pleasure alone, Mr. Merriweather.
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: Let me use this part of our wait by asking
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: you some questions.
• 36:36
  Speaker 4: As you wish.
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: Why would anyone pay a man four pounds a week
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: to copy the Encyclopedia Britannia?
• 36:42
  Speaker 4: Unless he were demented, I cannot imagine.
• 36:46
  Speaker 1: Or unless he wanted to be sure that man wouldn't
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: interfere with the work.
• 36:50
  Speaker 2: He had in mind.
• 36:52
  Speaker 4: What work?
• 36:53
  Speaker 3: In a moment. Why would professional thieves bind a watchman,
• 36:57
  Speaker 3: open a safe, and take nothing?
• 36:59
  Speaker 4: Now, ask Inspector Jones. I'm no good at riddles.
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: Well, then I shall ask you a question I believe
• 37:04
  Speaker 1: you can answer. Who were the architects for this building?
• 37:09
  Speaker 4: Well, of course I know that. The McFarlane brothers.
• 37:12
  Speaker 2: Exactly.
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: The McFarlane brothers' premises were the ones invaded by the robbers.
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: I'm sure they either took or made copies of the
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: plans for this building.
• 37:21
  Speaker 2: No, Mr.
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: Merriweather. The facts will bear only one interpretation. Some very
• 37:27
  Speaker 1: astute thieves have been tunneling under the street for the
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: past two months.
• 37:31
  Speaker 3: And tonight, there will be an attempt made on the bullion.
• 37:36
  Speaker 3: You've convinced me, Mr. Holmes.
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: Have you done what I asked about Wilson's shop in
• 37:40
  Speaker 1: Coburg Square, Inspector?
• 37:41
  Speaker 4: Aye.
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: There's a constable and two officers waiting at the front door.
• 37:45
  Speaker 3: Well, then they've stopped all the holes. Now, we must
• 37:50
  Speaker 3: be silent.
• 37:56
  Speaker 4: I placed my revolver, cocked, on the top of the
• 38:00
  Speaker 4: wooden case behind which I crouched. We waited there in
• 38:04
  Speaker 4: the cold, dank air of the vault, over the smell
• 38:07
  Speaker 4: of hot metal to assure us that the lamp was
• 38:10
  Speaker 4: still there ready to flash on at a moment's notice. Suddenly,
• 38:15
  Speaker 4: my eyes caught the glint of light. At first it
• 38:19
  Speaker 4: was but a spark, and then it became a yellow line, Until,
• 38:24
  Speaker 4: with a bending, tearing sound, one of the paving stones
• 38:30
  Speaker 4: turned over on its side, and a wooden projectile of
• 38:34
  Speaker 4: some sort appeared. And then, a man. All right.
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: Give me a hand with the sled and the wheels, Archie.
• 38:43
  Speaker 4: Everything clear up there? All clear.
• 38:46
  Speaker 1: Swing up the ropes and the chisel. You're under arrest!
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: They caught me, but you ran away!
• 38:52
  Speaker 3: I very much doubt it. There are three men waiting
• 38:55
  Speaker 3: for him at the.
• 38:55
  Speaker 1: Door of the shop, Spalding, alias John Clay.
• 38:58
  Speaker 3: And who are you?
• 39:00
  Speaker 4: It has me by name.
• 39:02
  Speaker 3: Sherlock Holmes.
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: At your service, a detective who's been following your career
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: with interest and whose pleasure it is to end.
• 39:10
  Speaker 2: It here tonight. The adventure of the Red-Headed League was
• 39:20
  Speaker 2: written back in 1890.
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: And yet, last year, we read of two daring robberies
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: in France where exactly the same thing happened.
• 39:30
  Speaker 2: Same methods were employed.
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: Tunnels were dug under streets, connecting with sewers, and then
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: on up into the vaults of two banks. The only
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: thing missing was the red-headed league.
• 39:44
  Speaker 2: I'll be back shortly. A.
• 39:52
  Speaker 1: Conan Doyle was never noted as a man with a
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: great sense of humor, but that's only because he rarely
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: employed it in his writing.
• 40:00
  Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, he had a keen wit.
• 40:03
  Speaker 4: The proof?
• 40:04
  Speaker 2: In his first year.
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: Of independent medical practice, before he started writing, his earnings
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: were exactly 154 pounds. When he filed his tax return,
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: he showed that he owed no tax.
• 40:19
  Speaker 2: At all because of his earnings.
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: The authorities returned his form with the words, most unsatisfactory,
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: scrawled across it. He sent it back with his own comment,
• 40:30
  Speaker 1: which was, I entirely agree. Our cast included Kevin McCarthy,
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: Court Benson, Robert Dryden, and Ian Martin. The entire production
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now, a
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: preview of our next tale. Oh, I can control myself,
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: Uncle John.
• 40:50
  Speaker 3: If I could keep.
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: Myself in hand, swallow my bile all those years I
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: had to scratch for handouts, how easy do you think
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: it's going to be for.
• 40:58
  Speaker 4: Me now that I'm... King of the hill! Carl, boy,
• 41:03
  Speaker 4: save some pity and sorrow for the poor old man.
• 41:06
  Speaker 4: He was your great uncle.
• 41:07
  Speaker 3: He was a family nemesis.
• 41:09
  Speaker 1: He sat on the estate and the money, pontificating on
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: the virtues of frugality and self-denial, refusing my father his share,
• 41:16
  Speaker 1: hounding him into mediocrity, turning him into a fawning dog,
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: killing him in the end.
• 41:20
  Speaker 3: And my mother with him. May he rot in hell.
• 41:24
  Speaker 4: The bishop... Well, then, in heaven.
• 41:28
  Speaker 1: Wherever he chooses, or wherever he was led, all I
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: care for.
• 41:32
  Speaker 3: Is that at last he is.
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: Dead and I am alive and free.
• 41:41
  Speaker 2: This is E.G.
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for
• 41:46
  Speaker 1: another adventure in the macabre.
• 41:48
  Speaker 2: Until next