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The Red-Headed League - Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · Adventure Books Library

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The red headed league. I had called upon my friend mister Sherlock Holmes one
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day in the autumn of last year, and found him in deep conversation with
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a very stout, florid faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair, with
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an apology for my intrusion. I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me
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abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me. You could not possibly
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have come at a better time, my dear Watson, he said cordially.
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I was afraid that you were engaged, so I am very much so then
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I can wait in the next room. Not at all this gentleman, mister
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Wilson has been my partner and helper in many of my most successful cases,
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and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me
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in yours. Also. The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave
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a bob of greeting with a quick, little questioning glance from his small,
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fat encircled eyes. Try the settee, said Holmes, relapsing into his arm
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chair and putting his finger tips together, as was his custom when in judicial
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moods. I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of
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all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of every day life.
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You have shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which has prompted you
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to chronicle. And if you will excuse my saying so somewhat to embellish so
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many of my own little adventures, your cases have indeed been of the greatest
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interest to me. I observed. You will remember that I remarked the other
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day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary
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Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary combinations, we must go to life
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itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination,
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A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting you did, doctor, But
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none the less, you must come round to my view, for otherwise I
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shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under
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them and acknowledges me to be right. Now, mister JOBEZ Wilson here has
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been good enough to call upon me this morning and to begin a narrative which
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promises to be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some
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time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique things are
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very often connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes, and occasionally,
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indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been
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committed. As far as I have heard, it is impossible for me to
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say whether the present case is an instance of crime or not. But the
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course of events is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to.
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Perhaps, mister Wilson, you would have the great kindness to recommence your
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narrative. I ask you not merely because my friend doctor Watson has not heard
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the opening part, but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me
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anxious to have every possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when
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I have heard some slight indication in the course of events, I am able
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to guide myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my memory.
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In the present instance, I am forced to admit that the facts are,
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to the best of my belief unique. The portly client puffed out his
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chest with an appearance of some little pride, and pulled a dirty and wrinkled
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newspaper from the inside pocket of his greatcoat as he glanced down the advertisement column
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with his head thrust forward and the paper flattened out upon his knee. I
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took a good look at the man and endeavored, after the fashion of my
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companion, to read the indications which might be presented by his dress or appearance.
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I did not gain very much. However, by my inspection, our
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visitor bore every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous,
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and slow. He wore rather baggy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not
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over clean black frock coat unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with
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a heavy brassy Albert chain and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as
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an ornament. A frayed top hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled
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velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would,
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there was nothing remarkable about the man, save his blazing red head and
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the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features. Sherlock Holmes's quick eye
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took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he
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noticed my questioning glances. Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time
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done manual labor, that he takes snuff, that he is a freemason,
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that he has been in China, and that he has done a considerable amount
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of writing lately. I can deduce nothing else, mister job As Wilson started
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up in his chair with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon
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my companion. How in the name of good fortune did you know all that,
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mister Holmes, he asked, how did you know, for example,
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that I did manual labor. It's as true as gospel, for I began
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as a ship's carpenter. Your hands, my dear sir, your right hand
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is quite a size larger than your left. You have worked with it,
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and the muscles are more developed. Well. The snuff, then, and
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the freemasonry. I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that,
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especially as rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an
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arc and compass breastpin. Ah. Of course I forgot that. But the
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writing, what else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for
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five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the elbow where
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you rested upon the desk. Well, but China, the fish that you
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have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been done in China.
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I have made a small study of tattoo marks, and have even contributed to
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the literature of the subject. That trick of staining the fish's scales of a
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delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I see
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a Chinese coin hanging from your watch chain, the matter becomes even more simple.
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Mister job as Wilson laughed heavily. Well, I never said he.
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I thought at first that you had done something clever, But I see that
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there was nothing in it. After all, I begin to think, Watson,
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said Holmes, that I make a mistake in explaining omnae ignotum pro magnifico.
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You know, and my poor little reputation, such as it is,
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will suffer shipwreck if I am so candid. Can you not find the advertisement,
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mister Wilson, Yes, I have got it now, he answered,
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with his thick red finger planted half way down the column. Here it is,
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this is what began it all. You just read it for yourself,
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sir. I took the paper from him and read as follows to the Red
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Headed League. On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins of Lebanon,
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Pennsylvania, USSA. There is now another vacancy open which entitles a member
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of the League to a salary of four pounds a week for purely nominal services.
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All Red Headed men, men who are sound in body and mind and
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above the age of twenty one years are eligible. Apply in person on Monday
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at eleven o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League, seven Popes
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Court, Fleet Street. What on earth does this mean? I ejaculated after
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I had twice read over the extraordinary announcement. Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his
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chair, as was his habit when in high spirits. It is a little
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off the beaten track, isn't it? Said he? And now, mister
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Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself, your
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household, and the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will
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first make a note doctor of the paper and the date. It is the
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Morning Chronicle of April twenty seventh, eighteen ninety, just two months ago.
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Very good, now, mister Wilson, well, it is just as I
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have been telling you, mister Sherlock Holmes said, job as Wilson mopping his
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forehead. I have a small pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square near the city.
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It's not a very large affair, and of late years it has not done
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more than just give me a living. I used to be able to keep
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two assistants, but now I only keep one, and I would have a
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job to pay him, but that he is willing to come for half wages
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so as to learn the business. What is the name of this obliging youth,
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asked Sherlock Holmes. His name is Vincent Spalding, and he's not such
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a youth either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish
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a smarter assistant, mister Holmes, and I know very well that he could
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better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But after
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all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?
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Why? Indeed, you seem most fortunate in having an employee who ca
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under the full market price. It is not a common experience among employers in
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this age. I don't know that your assistant is not as remarkable as your
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advertisement. Oh he has his faults too, said mister Wilson. Never was
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such a fellow for photography, snapping away with a camera when he ought to
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be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit
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into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault. But
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on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice in him. He
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is still with you, I presume, yes, sir. He and a
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girl of fourteen who does a bit of simple cooking and keeps the place clean.
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That's all I have in the house, for I am a widower and
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never had any family. We live very quietly, sir, the three of
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us, and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts if
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we do nothing more. The first thing that put us out was that advertisement.
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Spalding. He came down into the office just this day, eight weeks
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with this very paper in his hand, and he says, I wish to
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the Lord mister Wilson, that I was a red headed man. Why is
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that, I asks, Why? Says he, here's another vacancy on the
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league of the red headed men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any
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man who gets it. And I understand that there are more vacancies than there
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are men, so that the trustees are at their wits end what to do
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with the money. If my hair would only change color, here's a nice
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little crib all ready for me to step into. Why what is it?
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Then? I asked? You. See, mister Holmes, I am a
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very stay at home man, and as my business came to me instead of
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my having to go to it, I was often three weeks on end without
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putting my foot over the door mat. In that way, I didn't know
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much of what was going on outside, and I was always glad of a
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bit of news. Have you never heard of the league the Red Headed Men?
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He asked, with his eyes open. Never. Why I wonder at
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that? For you are eligible yourself for one of the vacancies, and what
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are they worth? I asked, Oh, merely a couple of hundred a
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year. But the work is slight and it need not interfere very much with
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one's other occupations. Well, you can easily think that that made me prick
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up my ears, for the business has not been over good for some years,
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and an extra couple of hundred would have been very handy, tell me
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all about it, said I. Well, said he, showing me the
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advertisement. You can see for yourself that the league has a vacancy, and
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there is the address where you should apply for particulars. As far as I
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can make out, the league was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins,
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who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself red headed,
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and he had a great sympathy for all red headed men. So when he
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died, it was found that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands
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of trustees, with instructions to apply the interest to the providing of easy berths
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to men whose hair is of that color. From all I hear, it
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is splendid pay and very little to do. But said I, there would
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be millions of red headed men who would apply, Not so many as you
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might think, he answered, you see, it is really confined to Londoners
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and to grown men. This American had started from London when he was young,
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and he wanted to do the old town a good turn. Then again
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I have heard it is no use your applying if your hair is light red
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or dark red, or anything but real, bright, blazing, fiery red.
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Now if you cared to apply. Mister Wilson, you would just walk
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in, but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put yourself out
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of the way for the sake of a few hundred pounds. Now it is
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a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, that my hair
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is of a very full and rich tint. So that it seemed to me
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that if there was to be any competition in the matter, I stood as
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good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent Spalding seemed
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to know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful. So
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I just ordered him to put up the shutters for the day and to come
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right away with me. He was very willing to have a holiday, so
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we shut the business up and started off for the address that was given us
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in the advertisement. I never hoped to see such a sight as that again,
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mister Holmes, from north, south, east and west, every man
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who had a shade of red in his hair had tramped into the city to
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answer the advertisement. Fleet Street was choked with red headed folk, and Pope's
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Court looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought there were
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so many in the whole country as were brought together by that single advertisement.
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Every shade of color. They were straw, lemon, orange, brick,
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Irish setter, liver clay. But as Spalding said, there were not many
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who had the real vivid, flame colored tint. When I saw how many
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were waiting, I would have given it up in despair. But Spalding would
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not hear of it. How he did it I could not imagine. But
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he pushed and pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd and right
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up to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream
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upon the stair, some going up in hope and some coming back dejected.
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But we wedged in as well as we could, and soon found ourselves in
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the office. Your experience has been a most entertaining one, remarked Holmes,
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as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge pinch of snuff.
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Pray, continue your very interesting statement. There was nothing in the office but
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a couple of wooden chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a small
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man with a head that was even redder than mine. He said a few
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words to each candidate as he came up, and then he always managed to
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find some fault in them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not
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seem to be such a very easy matter after all. However, when our
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turn came, the little man was much more favorable to me than to any
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of the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that
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he might have a private word with us. This is mister job as Wilson,
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said, my assistant, and he is willing to fill a vacancy in
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the league, and he is admirably suited for it. The other answered,
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he has every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so fine.
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He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and
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gazed at my hair until I felt quite bash Then suddenly he plunged forward,
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wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my success. It would be
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injustice to hesitate, said he. You will, however, I am sure,
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excuse me for taking an obvious precaution. With that, he seized my
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hair in both his hands and tugged until I yelled with the pane. There
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is water in your eyes, said he as he released me. I perceive
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that all is as it should be, but we have to be careful,
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for we have twice been deceived by wigs, and once by paint. I
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could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which would disgust you with human nature.
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He stepped over to the window and shouted through it at the top of his
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voice that the vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below,
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and the folk all trooped away in different directions, until there was not
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a red head to be seen except my own and that of the manager.
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My name said, He is mister Duncan Ross, and I am myself one
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of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are you a
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married man, mister Wilson, have you a family? I answered that I
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had not. His face fell immediately. Dear me, he said, gravely,
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that is very serious. Indeed, I am sorry to hear you say
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that the fund was, of course for the propagation and spread of the Redheads,
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as well as for their maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should
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be a bachelor. My face lengthened at this, mister Holmes, for I
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thought that I was not to have the vacancy after all. But after thinking
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it over for a few minutes. He said that it would be all right
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in the case of another, said he. The objection might be fatal,
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but we must stretch a point in favor of a man with such a head
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of hair as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon your new
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duties? Well, it is a little awkward, for I have a business
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already, said I. Oh, never mind about that, mister Wilson,
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said Vincent Spalding. I should be able to look after that for you.
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What would be the hours, I asked, ten to two. Now,
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a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, mister Holmes, especially Thursday
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and Friday evening, which is just before pay day. So it would suit
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me very well to earn a little in the mornings. Besides, I knew
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that my assistant was a good man and that he would see to anything that
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turned up. That would suit me very well, said I. And the
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pay is four pounds a week, and the work is purely nominal. What
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do you call purely nominal? Well, you have to be in the office,
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or at least in the building the whole time. If you leave,
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you forfeit your your whole position forever the will is very clear upon that point.
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You don't comply with the conditions if you budge from the office during that
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time. It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of
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leaving, said I. No excuse will avail, said mister duncan Ross,
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neither sickness, nor business nor anything else. There you must stay or you
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lose your billet. And the work is to copy out the Encyclopedia Britannica.
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There is the first volume of it in that press. You must find your
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own ink, pens and blotting paper, but we provide this table and chair.
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Will you be ready to morrow? Certainly? I answered, then,
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good bye, mister Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you once more on
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the important position which you have been fortunate enough to gain. He bowed me
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out of the room, and I went home with my assistant, hardly knowing
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what to say or do. I was so pleased at my own good fortune.
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Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I
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was in low spirits again, for I had quite persuaded myself that the whole
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affair must be some great hoax or fraud. Though what its object might be
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I could not imagine, it seemed altogether past belief that anyone could make such
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a will, or that they would pay such a sum for doing anything so
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simple as copying out the Encyclopedia Britannica. Vincent Spaulding did what he could to
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cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the whole
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thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look at it
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anyhow so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a quill pen
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and seven sheets of fool's cap paper, I started off for Pope's court.
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Well. To my surprise and delight, everything was as right as possible.
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The table was set out ready for me, and mister Duncan Ross was there
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to see that I got fairly to work. He started me off upon the
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letter A, and then he left me, but he would drop in from
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time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock
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he bade me good day, complimented me upon the amount that I had written,
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and locked the door of the office after me. This went on day
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after day, mister Holmes, and on Saturday the manager came in and planked
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down four golden sovereigns for my week's work. It was the same next week,
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and the same the week after. Every morning I was there at ten,
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and every afternoon I left at two. By degrees, mister Duncan Ross
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took to coming in only once of a morning, and then after a time
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he did not come in at all. Still, of course, I never
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dared to leave the room for an instant, for I was not sure when
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he might come. And the billet was such a good one and suited me
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so well that I would not risk the loss of it. Eight weeks passed
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away like this, and I had written about abbots and archery, and armor,
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and architecture and attica, and hoped with diligence that I might get on
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to the bees before very long. It cost me something in fool's cap,
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and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly
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the whole business came to an end. To an end, yes, sir,
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and no later than this morning. I went to my work as usual
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at ten o'clock, But the door was shut and locked with a little square
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of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the panel with attack. Here it
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is, and you can read for yourself. He held up a piece of
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white cardboard about the size of a sheet of note paper. It read,
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in this fashion, the Red Headed League is dissolved. October ninth, eighteen
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ninety Sirlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the rueful face behind it,
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until the comical side of the affair so completely overtopped every other consideration that
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we both burst out into a roar of laughter. I cannot see that there
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is anything very funny, cried our client, flushing up to the roots of
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his flaming head. If you can do nothing better than laugh at me,
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I can go elsewhere. No no, cried Holmes, shoving him back into
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the chair from which he had half risen. I really wouldn't miss your case
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for the world. It is most refreshingly unusual. But there is, if
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you will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it.
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Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the door?
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I was staggered, Sir. I did not know what to do. Then
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I called at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything
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about it. Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant
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living on the ground, and I asked him if he could tell me what
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had become of the red headed league. He said that he had never heard
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of any such body. Then I asked him who mister Duncan Ross was.
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He answered that the name was new to him. Well, said I,
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the gentleman at number four, what the red headed man? Yes, oh,
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said he. His name was William Morris. He was a solicitor and
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was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new premises were ready.
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He moved out yesterday. Where could I find him? Oh? At his
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new offices. He did tell me the address, yes, seventeen King Edward
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Street, near Saint Paul's. I started off, mister Holmes, But when
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I got to that address, it was a manufactory of artificial knee caps,
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and no one in it had ever heard of either mister William Morris or mister
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Duncan Ross. And what did you do, then, asked Holmes. I
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went home to Saxe Coburg Square and I took the advice of my assistant,
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but he could not help me in any way. He could only say that
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if I waited, I should hear by post. But that was not quite
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good enough, mister Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place
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without a struggle. So as I had heard that you were good enough to
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give advice to poor folk who were in need of it, I came right
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away to you, and you did very wisely, said Holmes. Your case
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is an exceedingly remarkable one, and I shall be happy to look into it.
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From what you have told me, I think that it is possible that
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graver issues hang from it than might, at first sight appear grave enough,
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said mister job As Wilson. Why I have lost four pounds a week?
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As far as you are personally concerned, remarked Holmes, I do not see
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that you have any grievance against this extraordinary league. On the contrary, you
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are, as I understand, richer by some thirty pounds, to say nothing
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of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every subject which comes under the
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letter A. You have lost nothing by them, no, sir, But
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I want to find out about them, and who they are, and what
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their object was in playing this prank. If it was a prank upon me,
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it was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it cost them two
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and thirty pounds we shall endeavor to clear up these points for you. And
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first, one or two questions, mister Wilson, this assistant of yours who
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first called your attention to the advertisement? How long had he been with you?
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About a month? Then? How did he come in answer to an
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advertisement? Was he the only applicant? No? I had a dozen?
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Why did you pick him? Because he was handed and would come cheap at
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half wages? In fact? Yes? What is he like? This?
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Vincent Spalding? Small stout, built, very quick in his ways, no
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hair on his face, though he's not short of thirty, has a white
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splash of acid upon his forehead. Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable
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excitement. I thought as much, said he. Have you ever observed that
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his ears are pierced for ear rings? Yes, sir, he told me
28:37
that a gipsy had done it for him when he was a lad. Hum,
28:42
said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought. He is still with you?
28:48
Oh? Yes, sir? I have only just left him. And
28:52
has your business been attended to in your absence? Nothing to complain of,
28:57
sir. There's never very much to do of a morning. That will do,
29:03
mister Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an opinion upon the
29:07
subject in the course of a day or two. To day is Saturday,
29:10
and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion. Well,
29:15
Watson, said Holmes, when our visitor had left us, What do you
29:19
make of it all? I make nothing of it, I answered, frankly.
29:26
It is a most mysterious business. As a rule, said Holmes,
29:32
the more bizarre a thing is, the less mysterious it proves to be.
29:37
It is your commonplace featureless crimes, which are really puzzling, just as a
29:42
commonplace face is the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over
29:48
this matter. What are you going to do? Then? I asked to
29:53
smoke? He answered, it is quite a three pipe problem. And I
29:59
beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes. He curled himself up
30:03
in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk like nose,
30:08
and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting
30:14
out like the bill of some strange bird. I had come to the conclusion
30:19
that he had dropped asleep, and indeed was nodding myself when he suddenly sprang
30:23
out of his chair with the gesture of a man who has made up his
30:26
mind, and put his pipe down upon the mantelpiece. Sarasate plays at Saint
30:33
James Hall this afternoon. He remarked, what do you think, Watson,
30:37
could your patience spare you for a few hours. I have nothing to do
30:42
to day. My practice is never very absorbing. Then put on your hat
30:48
and come. I am going through the city first, and we can have
30:52
some lunch on the way. I observe that there is a good deal of
30:55
German music on the program, which is rather more to my taste than Italian
30:59
or friend Bench. It is introspective, and I want to introspect. Come
31:03
along. We traveled by the underground as far as Aldersgate, and a short
31:10
walk took us to Saxe Coburg Square, the scene of the singular story which
31:15
we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, little shabby,
31:19
genteel place where four lines of dingy two storied brick houses looked out into
31:26
a small, railed in enclosure, where a lawn of weedy grass and a
31:30
few clumps of faded laurel bushes made a hard fight against a smoke laden and
31:36
uncongenial atmosphere, three gilt balls, and a brown board with job as Wilson
31:44
in white letters. Upon a corner house announced the place where our red headed
31:48
client carried on his business. Sherlock Holmes stepped in front of it with his
31:53
head on one side, and looked it all over, with his eyes shining
31:57
brightly between pred lids. Then he walked slowly up the street and then down
32:05
again to the corner, still looking keenly at the houses. Finally he returned
32:10
to the pawnbrokers, and, having thumped vigorously upon the pavement with his stick
32:15
two or three times, he went up to the door and knocked. It
32:21
was instantly opened by a bright looking, clean shaven young fellow, who asked
32:25
him to step in. Thank you, said Holmes. I only wished to
32:30
ask you how you would go from here to the strand third right, fourth
32:36
left, answered the assistant, promptly closing the door. Smart fellow that observed
32:44
Holmes as we walked away. He is, in my judgment, the fourth
32:47
smartest man in London, and for daring, I am not sure that he
32:52
has not a claim to be third. I have known something of him before,
32:59
evidently, said I mister Wilson's assistant counts for a good deal in this
33:02
mystery of the red Headed League. I am sure that you inquired your way
33:07
merely in order that you might see him, not him? What then,
33:15
the knees of his trousers? And what did you see what I expected to
33:22
see? Why did you beat the pavement? My dear doctor, This is
33:29
a time for observation, not for talk. We are spies in an enemy's
33:34
country. We know something of saxe Coburg Square. Let us now explore the
33:38
parts which lie behind it. The road in which we found ourselves as we
33:45
turned round the corner from the retired saxe Coburg Square presented as great a contrast
33:51
to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was
33:54
one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the city to the north
33:59
and west. The roadway was blocked with the immense stream of commerce flowing in
34:05
a double tide inward and outward, while the footpaths were black with the hurrying
34:09
swarm of pedestrians. It was difficult to realize, as we looked at the
34:15
line of fine shops and stately business premises, that they really abutted on the
34:21
other side, upon the faded and stagnant square which we had just quitted.
34:27
Let me see, said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing along the
34:30
line. I should like just to remember the order of the houses here.
34:36
It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London. There
34:39
is Mortimer's, the Tobacconist, the little newspaper shop, the Cobourg branch of
34:45
the City and Suburban Bank, the vegetarian restaurant, and mc farlane's carriage building
34:51
depot that carries us right on to the other block. And now, doctor,
34:55
we've done our work, so it's time we had some play, a
35:00
sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then off to vile in Land,
35:05
where all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony, and there are no red headed
35:09
clients to vex us with their conundrums. My friend was an enthusiastic musician,
35:16
being himself not only a very capable performer, but a composer of no ordinary
35:22
merit. All the afternoon he sat in the stalls, wrapped in the most
35:28
perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the music,
35:34
while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike
35:38
those of Holmes the sleuth hound, Holmes the relentless, keen witted, ready
35:44
handed, criminal agent, as it was possible to conceive in his singular character,
35:51
the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and astuteness represented,
35:58
as I have often thought, the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood
36:02
which occasionally predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from extreme
36:09
languor to devouring energy, And as I knew well, he was never so
36:15
truly formidable as when for days on end he had been lounging in his arm
36:20
chair amid his improvisations and his black letter editions. Then it was that the
36:25
lust of the chase would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning
36:30
power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were unacquainted with
36:35
his methods would look askance at him as on a man whose knowledge was not
36:38
that of other mortals. When I saw him that afternoon, so enwrapped in
36:45
the music at Saint James's Hall, I felt that an evil time might be
36:50
coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down. You want to
36:55
go home, no doubt, doctor, he remarked, as we emerged.
37:00
Yes, it would be as well, and I have some business to do
37:05
which will take some hours. This business at Coburg Square is serious? Why
37:12
serious? A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to believe
37:19
that we shall be in time to stop it. But to day being Saturday,
37:22
rather complicates matters. I shall want your help to night. At what
37:29
time ten will be early enough. I shall be at Baker Street at ten
37:37
very well, And I say, doctor, there may be some little danger,
37:40
so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket. He waved his hand,
37:46
turned on his heel, and disappeared in an instant among the crowd.
37:52
I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbors. But I was
37:57
always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes.
38:04
Here I had heard what he had heard. I had seen what he
38:07
had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that he saw clearly
38:13
not only what had happened, but what was about to happen, While to
38:17
me the whole business was still confused and grotesque. As I drove home to
38:23
my house in Kensington, I thought over it all, from the extraordinary story
38:29
of the red headed copier of the Encyclopedia, down to the visit at Saxe
38:34
Coburg Square and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. What
38:39
was this nocturnal expedition and why should I go armed? Where were we going
38:45
and what were we to do? I had the hint from Holmes that this
38:51
smooth faced pawnbroker's assistant was a formidable man, a man who might play a
38:55
deep game. I tried to puzzle it out, but gave up in despair
39:00
and set the matter aside until night should bring an explanation. It was a
39:07
quarter past nine when I started from home and made my way across the park
39:10
and so through Oxford Street to Baker Street. Two Hansoms were standing at the
39:16
door, and as I entered the passage I heard the sound of voices from
39:20
above. On entering his room, I found Holmes in animated conversation with two
39:27
men, one of whom I recognized as Peter Jones, the official police agent,
39:31
while the other was a long, thin, sad faced man with a
39:36
very shiny hat and an oppressively respectable frock coat. Ha. Our party is
39:43
complete, said Holmes, buttoning up his pea jacket and taking his heavy hunting
39:47
crop from the rack. Watson, I think you know, mister Jones of
39:52
Scotland Yard. Let me introduce you to mister Merriwether, who is to be
39:57
our companion into night's adventure. We're hunting in couples again, doctor. You
40:02
see, said Jones in his consequential way. Our friend here is a wonderful
40:08
man for starting a chase. All he wants is an old dog to help
40:13
him do the running down. I hope a wild goose may not prove to
40:17
be the end of our chase, observed mister Meriweather gloomily. You may place
40:24
considerable confidence in mister Holmes, Sir, said the police agent loftily. He
40:30
has his own little methods, which are, if he won't mind my saying
40:34
so, just a little too theoretical and fantastic. But he has the makings
40:38
of a detective in him. It is not too much to say that once
40:43
or twice, as in that business of the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure,
40:47
he has been more nearly correct than the official force. Oh if you
40:53
say so, mister Jones, it is all right, said the stranger,
40:58
with deference. Still I confess that I miss my rubber. It is the
41:04
first Saturday night for seven and twenty years that I have not had my rubber.
41:09
I think you will find, said Sherlock Holmes, that you will play
41:15
for a higher stake to night than you have ever done yet, and that
41:19
the play will be more exciting. For you, mister Merriwether, the steak
41:22
will be some thirty thousand pounds, and for you, Jones, it will
41:28
be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands, John Clay,
41:31
the murderer, thief, smasher and forger. He's a young man, mister
41:36
Merriwether, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would
41:39
rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London. He is
41:45
a remarkable man, is young John Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke,
41:50
and he himself has been to Eden and Oxford. His brain is as
41:53
cunning as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn,
41:58
we never know where to find. And the man himself, he'll crack
42:02
a crib in Scotland, one week and be raising money to build an orphanage
42:07
in Cornwall the next. I've been on his track for years and have never
42:12
set eyes on him yet. I hope that I may have the pleasure of
42:16
introducing you tonight. I've had one or two little turns also with mister John
42:22
Clay, and I agree with you that he is at the head of his
42:24
profession. It is past ten, however, and quite time that we started.
42:30
If you two will take the first hansom, Watson and I will follow
42:34
in the second. Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive,
42:39
and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in the
42:44
afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas lit streets until we emerged
42:51
into Farrington Street. We are close there now, my friend remarked. This
42:57
fellow Merriweather is a bank director and per personally interested in the matter. I
43:01
thought it as well to have Jones with us. Also, he is not
43:05
a bad fellow. Though an absolute imbecile in his profession, he has one
43:10
positive virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a
43:15
lobster. If he gets his claws upon any one. Here we are,
43:20
and they are waiting for us. We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in
43:27
which we had found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and
43:31
following the guidance of mister Merriwether, we passed down a narrow passage and through
43:37
a side door which he opened for us. Within there was a small corridor
43:43
which ended in a very massive iron grate. This also was opened and led
43:49
down a flight of winding stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gait.
43:54
Mister Merriweather stopped to light a lantern and then conducted us down a dark,
44:00
earth smelling passage, and so after opening a third door into a huge vault
44:06
or cellar, which was piled all round with crates and massive boxes. You
44:13
are not very vulnerable from above, Holmes remarked, as he held up the
44:16
lantern and gazed about him, nor from below, said mister Merriweather, striking
44:22
his stick upon the flags which lined the floor. Why dear me, it
44:27
sounds quite hollow, he remarked, looking up in surprise. I must really
44:34
ask you to be a little more quiet, said Holmes severely. You have
44:37
already imperiled the whole success of our expedition. Might I beg that you would
44:43
have the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to
44:46
interfere. The solemn mister Merriweather perched himself upon a crate, with a very
44:53
injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon the floor,
44:59
and with the lantern and magnifying lens, began to examine minutely the cracks
45:06
between the stones. A few seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang
45:12
to his feet again and put his glass in his pocket. We have at
45:16
least an hour before us, he remarked, for they can hardly take any
45:21
steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. Then they will not lose
45:25
a minute, for the sooner they do their work, the longer time they
45:29
will have for their escape. We are at present, doctor, as no
45:34
doubt you have divined in the cellar of the City branch of one of the
45:37
principal London banks. Mister Meriwether is the chairman of directors, and he will
45:45
explain to you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of London should
45:49
take a considerable interest in this cellar at present it is our French gold,
45:55
whispered the director. We have had several warnings that an attempt might be made
46:00
upon it, your French gold. Yes, we had occasion some months ago
46:07
to strengthen our resources, and borrowed for that purpose thirty thousand napoleons from the
46:13
Bank of France. It has become known that we have never had an occasion
46:17
to unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar.
46:22
The crate upon which I sit contains two thousand napoleons packed between layers of lead
46:28
foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at present than is usually kept
46:35
in a single branch office. And the directors have had misgivings upon the subject,
46:40
which were very well justified, observed Holmes. And now it is time
46:45
that we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an hour matters will
46:51
come to a head. In the meantime, mister Meriwether, we must put
46:54
the screen over that dark lantern. And in the dark I am afraid.
47:01
So I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and I thought
47:06
that as we were a PARTI carey you might have your rubber after all.
47:10
But I see that the enemy's preparations have gone so far that we cannot risk
47:15
the presence of a light. And first of all we must choose our positions.
47:21
These are daring men, and though we shall take them at a disadvantage,
47:23
they may do us some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand
47:28
behind this crate, and do you conceal yourselves behind those then, when I
47:34
flash a light upon them, close in swiftly. If they fire, Watson
47:37
have no compunction about shooting them down. I placed my revolver cocked upon the
47:45
top of the wooden case behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across
47:50
the front of his lantern and left us in pitch darkness, such an absolute
47:54
darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot metal remained to
48:00
assure us that the light was still there, ready to flash out at a
48:05
moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked up to a pitch of
48:10
expectancy, there was something depressing and subduing in the sudden gloom and in the
48:15
cold, dank air of the vault. They have but one retreat, whispered
48:22
Holmes. That is back through the house into Saxe Coburg square. I hope
48:27
that you have done what I asked you, Jones. I have an inspector
48:31
and two officers waiting at the front door. Then we have stopped all the
48:36
holes, and now we must be silent and wait. What a time it
48:43
seemed from comparing notes afterwards, it was but an hour and a quarter.
48:47
Yet it appeared to me that the night must have almost gone, and the
48:52
dawn be breaking above us. My limbs were weary and stiff, for I
48:57
feared to change my position. Yet my nerves were worked up to the highest
49:00
pitch of tension, and my hearing was so acute that I could not only
49:05
hear the gentle breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper,
49:09
heavier in breath of the bulky Jones from the thin sighing note of the bank
49:15
director. From my position, I could look over the case in the direction
49:20
of the floor. Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light. At
49:27
first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then it lengthened
49:31
out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or
49:36
sound, a gash seemed to open, and a hand appeared a white,
49:42
almost womanly hand, which felt about in the center of the little area of
49:46
light. For a minute or more, the hand, with its writhing fingers,
49:52
protruded out of the floor. Then it was withdrawn as suddenly as it
49:57
appeared, and all was dark again, save the single lurid spark which marked
50:02
a chink between the stones. Its disappearance, however, was but momentary,
50:07
with a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad white stones turned over
50:13
upon its side and left a square, gaping hole through which streamed the light
50:19
of a lantern. Over the edge, there peeped a clean cut, boyish
50:24
face which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand on either
50:29
side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder high and waist high, until one
50:34
knee rested upon the edge. In another instant he stood at the side of
50:38
the hole and was hauling after him a companion, lithe and small like himself,
50:44
with a pale face and a shock of very red hair. It's all
50:49
clear, he whispered, have you the chisel and the bags, Great Scott,
50:53
jump, Archie jump, and I'll swing for it. Sherlock Holmes had
50:59
sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar. The other dived down the
51:02
hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his
51:07
skirts. The light flashed upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes's hunting
51:12
crop came down on the man's wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone
51:15
floor. It's no use, John Clay, said Holmes, blandly, you
51:22
have no chance at all, so I see the other answered with the utmost
51:29
coolness. I fancy that my pal is all right, though I see you
51:34
have got his coat tails. There are three men waiting for him at the
51:39
door, said Holmes. Oh, indeed, you seem to have done the
51:44
thing very completely. I must compliment you, and I you, Holmes answered,
51:51
Your red headed idea was very new and effective. You'll see your pal
51:55
again presently, said Jones. He is quicker at climbing the holes than I
52:00
am. Just hold out while I fix the derbies. I beg that you
52:06
will not touch me with your filthy hands, remarked our prisoner, as the
52:09
handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. You may not be aware that I have royal
52:15
blood in my veins. Have the goodness also when you address me always to
52:19
say, sir, and please all right, said Jones, with a stare
52:24
and a stinger. Well will you please, sir march upstairs where we can
52:30
get a cab to carry your highness to the police station. That is better,
52:37
said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of
52:42
us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective. Really, mister
52:49
Holmes, said mister Merriweather, as we followed them from the cellar. I
52:52
do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you. There is
52:57
no doubt that you have detected and defeated in the most complete manner one of
53:01
the most determined attempts at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience.
53:09
I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with,
53:14
mister John Clay, said Holmes. I have been at some small expense over
53:19
this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund. But beyond that
53:22
I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in many ways unique,
53:29
and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of the red headed league. You
53:34
see Watson, he explained. In the early hours of the morning as we
53:37
sat over a glass of whiskey and soda in Baker Street, it was perfectly
53:44
obvious from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business for
53:49
the advertisement of the league and the copying of the encyclopedia, must be to
53:53
get this not over bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours
53:58
every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but really it
54:02
would be difficult to suggest a better The method was no doubt suggested to Clay's
54:08
ingenious mind by the color of his accomplice's hair. The four pounds a week
54:14
was a lure which must draw him, And what was it to them who
54:17
were playing for thousands? They put in the advertisement. One rogue has the
54:22
temporary office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and
54:28
together they managed to secure his absence every morning in the week. From the
54:35
time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages, it was
54:38
obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation. But
54:45
how could you guess what the motive was? Had there been a woman in
54:50
the house, I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue. That, however,
54:54
was out of the question. The man's business was a small one,
54:59
and there was no in his house which could account for such elaborate preparations and
55:04
such an expenditure as they were at. It must then be something out of
55:08
the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's fondness for
55:15
photography and his trick of vanishing into the cellar. The cellar, there was
55:21
the end of this tangled clue. Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious
55:25
assistant and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most
55:30
daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar, something which
55:36
took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be?
55:39
Once more, I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel
55:44
to some other building. So far I had got. When we went to
55:50
visit the scene of action, I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with
55:54
my stick. I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind.
56:00
It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and as
56:04
I hoped, the assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but
56:08
we had never set eyes upon each other before I hardly looked at his face.
56:15
His knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have remarked,
56:20
how worn, wrinkled and stained they were. They spoke of those hours
56:24
of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they were burrowing. For I
56:30
walked round the corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's
56:35
premises, and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home
56:40
after the concert, I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the
56:45
bank directors, with the result that you have seen. And how could you
56:50
tell that they would make their attempt to night? I asked, Well,
56:54
when they closed their league offices, that was a sign that they cared no
56:59
longer about mister job As Wilson's presence. In other words, that they had
57:04
completed their tunnel, but it was essential that they should use it soon,
57:09
as it might be discovered or the bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit
57:15
them better than any other day, as it would give them two days for
57:19
their escape. For all these reasons, I expected them to come to night.
57:25
You reasoned it out beautifully, I exclaimed, in unfeigned admiration. It
57:31
is so long a chain, and yet every link rings true. It saved
57:37
me from anui, he answered, yawning. Alas I already feel it closing
57:43
in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort to escape from
57:47
the commonplaces of existence. These little problems help me to do so, and
57:54
you are a benefactor of the race, said I. He shrugged his shoulders.
58:01
Well, perhaps, after all, it is of some little use,
58:06
he remarked. Lome Syrien louve set too, as Gustave Flaubert wrote, to your sand