第15章
“Well，Ifollowedyoutothedoor，andsomadesurethatIwasreallyanobjectofinteresttothecelebratedMr。SherlockHolmes。
ThenI，ratherimprudently，wishedyougoodnight，andstartedfortheTempletoseemyhusband。
“Weboththoughtthebestresourcewasflightwhenpursuedbysoformidableanantagonist；soyouwillfindthenestemptywhenyoucallto-morrow。Astothephotograph，yourclientmayrestinpeace。Iloveandamlovedbyabettermanthanhe。Thekingmaydowhathewillwithouthindrancefromonewhomhehascruellywronged。Ikeepitonlytosafeguardmyself，andpreserveaweaponwhichwillalwayssecuremefromanystepswhichhemighttakeinthefuture。Ileaveaphotographwhichhemightcaretopossess；
andIremain，dearMr。SherlockHolmes，verytrulyyours，“IRENENORTON，neeADLER。“
“Whatawoman——oh，whatawoman！“criedtheKingofBohemia，whenwehadallthreereadthisepistle。“DidInottellyouhowquickandresoluteshewas？Wouldshenothavemadeanadmirablequeen？
Isitnotapitythatshewasnotonmylevel？“
“FromwhatIhaveseenofthelady，sheseemsindeedtobeonaverydifferentleveltoyourmajesty，“saidHolmescoldly。“IamsorrythatIhavenotbeenabletobringyourmajesty’sbusinesstoamoresuccessfulconclusion。“
“Onthecontrary，mydearsir，“criedtheking，“nothingcouldbemoresuccessful。Iknowthatherwordisinviolate。Thephotographisnowassafeasifitwereinthefire。“
“Iamgladtohearyourmajestysayso。“
“Iamimmenselyindebtedtoyou。PraytellmeinwhatwayIcanrewardyou。Thisring——“Heslippedanemeraldsnakeringfromhisfinger，andhelditoutuponthepalmofhishand。
“YourmajestyhassomethingwhichIshouldvalueevenmorehighly，“
saidHolmes。
“Youhavebuttonameit。“
“Thisphotograph！“
Thekingstaredathiminamazement。
“Irene’sphotograph！“hecried。“Certainly，ifyouwishit。“
“Ithankyourmajesty。Thenthereisnomoretobedoneinthematter。Ihavethehonortowishyouaverygoodmorning。“Hebowed，andturningawaywithoutobservingthehandwhichthekinghadstretchedouttohim，hesetoffinmycompanyforhischambers。
AndthatwashowagreatscandalthreatenedtoaffectthekingdomofBohemia，andhowthebestplansofMr。SherlockHolmeswerebeatenbyawoman’swit。Heusedtomakemerryovertheclevernessofwomen，butIhavenotheardhimdoitoflate。AndwhenhespeaksofIreneAdler，orwhenhereferstoherphotograph，itisalwaysunderthehonorabletitleofTHEwoman。
TheRed-HeadedLeagueIhadcalleduponmyfriend，Mr。SherlockHolmes，onedayintheautumnoflastyear，andfoundhimindeepconversationwithaverystout，florid-facedelderlygentleman，withfieryredhair。Withanapologyformyintrusion，Iwasabouttowithdraw，whenHolmespulledmeabruptlyintotheroomandclosedthedoorbehindme。
“Youcouldnotpossiblyhavecomeatabettertime，mydearWatson，“hesaid，cordially。
“Iwasafraidthatyouwereengaged。“
“SoIam。Verymuchso。“
“ThenIcanwaitinthenextroom。“
“Notatall。Thisgentleman，Mr。Wilson，hasbeenmypartnerandhelperinmanyofmymostsuccessfulcases，andIhavenodoubtthathewillbeoftheutmostusetomeinyoursalso。“
Thestoutgentlemanhalfrosefromhischairandgaveabobofgreeting，withaquicklittlequestioningglancefromhissmall，fat-encircledeyes。
“Trythesettee，“saidHolmes，relapsingintohisarmchair，andputtinghisfingertipstogether，aswashiscustomwheninjudicialmoods。“Iknow，mydearWatson，thatyousharemyloveofallthatisbizarreandoutsidetheconventionsandhumdrumroutineofeverydaylife。Youhaveshownyourrelishforitbytheenthusiasmwhichhaspromptedyoutochronicle，and，ifyouwillexcusemysayingso，somewhattoembellishsomanyofmyownlittleadventures。“
“Yourcaseshaveindeedbeenofthegreatestinteresttome，“I
observed。
“YouwillrememberthatIremarkedtheotherday，justbeforewewentintotheverysimpleproblempresentedbyMissMarySutherland，thatforstrangeeffectsandextraordinarycombinationswemustgotolifeitself，whichisalwaysfarmoredaringthananyeffortoftheimagination。“
“ApropositionwhichItookthelibertyofdoubting。“
“Youdid，doctor，butnonethelessyoumustcomeroundtomyview，forotherwiseIshallkeeponpilingfactuponfactonyou，untilyourreasonbreaksdownunderthemandacknowledgemetoberight。
Now，Mr。JabezWilsonherehasbeengoodenoughtocalluponmethismorning，andtobeginanarrativewhichpromisestobeoneofthemostsingularwhichIhavelistenedtoforsometime。Youhaveheardmeremarkthatthestrangestandmostuniquethingsareveryoftenconnectednotwiththelargerbutwiththesmallercrimes，andoccasionally，indeed，wherethereisroomfordoubtwhetheranypositivecrimehasbeencommitted。AsfarasIhaveheard，itisimpossibleformetosaywhetherthepresentcaseisaninstanceofcrimeornot，butthecourseofeventsiscertainlyamongthemostsingularthatIhaveeverlistenedto。Perhaps，Mr。Wilson，youwouldhavethegreatkindnesstorecommenceyournarrative。Iaskyou，notmerelybecausemyfriend，Dr。Watson，hasnotheardtheopeningpart，butalsobecausethepeculiarnatureofthestorymakesmeanxioustohaveeverypossibledetailfromyourlips。Asarule，whenIhaveheardsomeslightindicationofthecourseofeventsIamabletoguidemyselfbythethousandsofothersimilarcaseswhichoccurtomymemory。InthepresentinstanceIamforcedtoadmitthatthefactsare，tothebestofmybelief，unique。“
Theportlyclientpuffedouthischestwithanappearanceofsomelittlepride，andpulledadirtyandwrinklednewspaperfromtheinsidepocketofhisgreatcoat。Asheglanceddowntheadvertisementcolumn，withhisheadthrustforward，andthepaperflattenedoutuponhisknee，Itookagoodlookattheman，andendeavored，afterthefashionofmycompanion，toreadtheindicationswhichmightbepresentedbyhisdressorappearance。
Ididnotgainverymuch，however，bymyinspection。OurvisitorboreeverymarkofbeinganaveragecommonplaceBritishtradesman，obese，pompous，andslow。Heworeratherbaggygrayshepherd’schecktrousers，anotover-cleanblackfrockcoat，unbuttonedinthefront，andadrabwaistcoatwithaheavybrassyAlbertchain，andasquarepiercedbitofmetaldanglingdownasanornament。A
frayedtophatandafadedbrownovercoatwithawrinkledvelvetcollarlayuponachairbesidehim。Altogether，lookasIwould，therewasnothingremarkableaboutthemansavehisblazingredheadandtheexpressionofextremechagrinanddiscontentuponhisfeatures。
SherlockHolmes’squickeyetookinmyoccupation，andheshookhisheadwithasmileashenoticedmyquestioningglances。“Beyondtheobviousfactsthathehasatsometimedonemanuallabor，thathetakessnuff，thatheisaFreemason，thathehasbeeninChina，andthathehasdoneaconsiderableamountofwritinglately，Icandeducenothingelse。“
Mr。JabezWilsonstartedupinhischair，withhisforefingeruponthepaper，buthiseyesuponmycompanion。
How，inthenameofgoodfortune，didyouknowallthat，Mr。
Holmes？“heasked。“Howdidyouknow，forexample，thatIdidmanuallabor？It’sastrueasgospel，forIbeganasaship’scarpenter。“
“Yourhands，mydearsir。Yourrighthandisquiteasizelargerthanyourleft。Youhaveworkedwithitandthemusclesaremoredeveloped。“
“Well，thesnuff，then，andtheFreemasonry？“
“Iwon’tinsultyourintelligencebytellingyouhowIreadthat，especiallyas，ratheragainstthestrictrulesofyourorder，youuseanarcandcompassbreastpin。“
“Ah，ofcourse，Iforgotthat。Butthewriting？“
“Whatelsecanbeindicatedbythatrightcuffsoveryshinyforfiveinches，andtheleftonewiththesmoothpatchneartheelbowwhereyourestituponthedesk。“
“Well，butChina？“
“ThefishwhichyouhavetattooedimmediatelyaboveyourwristcouldonlyhavebeendoneinChina。Ihavemadeasmallstudyoftattoomarks，andhaveevencontributedtotheliteratureofthesubject。Thattrickofstainingthefishes’scalesofadelicatepinkisquitepeculiartoChina。When，inaddition，IseeaChinesecoinhangingfromyourwatchchain，thematterbecomesevenmoresimple。“
Mr。JabezWilsonlaughedheavily。“Well，Inever！“saidhe。“I
thoughtatfirstthatyouhaddonesomethingclever，butIseethattherewasnothinginitafterall。“
“Ibegintothink，Watson，“saidHolmes，“thatImakeamistakeinexplaining。’Omneignotompromagnifico，’youknow，andmypoorlittlereputation，suchasitis，willsuffershipwreckifIamsocandid。Canyounotfindtheadvertisement，Mr。Wilson？“
“Yes，Ihavegotitnow，“heanswered，withhisthick，redfingerplantedhalfwaydownthecolumn。“Hereitis。Thisiswhatbeganitall。Youjustreaditforyourself，sir。“
Itookthepaperfromhimandreadasfollows:
“TOTHERED-HEADEDLEAGUE:OnaccountofthebequestofthelateEzekiahHopkins，ofLebanon，Pa。，U。S。A。，thereisnowanothervacancyopenwhichentitlesamemberoftheLeaguetoasalaryoffourpoundsaweekforpurelynominalservices。Allred-headedmenwhoaresoundinbodyandmindandabovetheageoftwenty-oneyearsareeligible。ApplyinpersononMonday，ateleveno’clock，toDuncanRoss，attheofficesoftheLeague，7Pope’sCourt，FleetStreet。“
“Whatonearthdoesthismean？“Iejaculated，afterIhadtwicereadovertheextraordinaryannouncement。
Holmeschuckledandwriggledinhischair，aswashishabitwheninhighspirits。“Itisalittleoffthebeatentrack，isn’tit？“
saidhe。“Andnow，Mr。Wilson，offyougoatscratch，andtellusallaboutyourself，yourhousehold，andtheeffectwhichthisadvertisementhaduponyourfortunes。Youwillfirstmakeanote，doctor，ofthepaperandthedate。“
“ItisTheMorningChronicleofApril27，1890。Justtwomonthsago。“
“Verygood。Now，Mr。Wilson。“
“Well，itisjustasIhavebeentellingyou，Mr。SherlockHolmes，“
saidJabezWilson，moppinghisforehead，“Ihaveasmallpawnbroker’sbusinessatSaxe-CoburgSquare，neartheCity。It’snotaverylargeaffair，andoflateyearsithasnotdonemorethanjustgivemealiving。Iusedtobeabletokeeptwoassistants，butnowIonlykeepone；andIwouldhaveajobtopayhimbutthatheiswillingtocomeforhalfwages，soastolearnthebusiness。“
“Whatisthenameofthisobligingyouth？“askedSherlockHolmes。
“HisnameisVincentSpaulding，andhe’snotsuchayoutheither。
It’shardtosayhisage。Ishouldnotwishasmarterassistant，Mr。Holmes；andIknowverywellthathecouldbetterhimself，andearntwicewhatIamabletogivehim。But，afterall，ifheissatisfied，whyshouldIputideasinhishead？“
“Why，indeed？Youseemmostfortunateinhavinganemployeewhocomesunderthefullmarketprice。Itisnotacommonexperienceamongemployersinthisage。Idon’tknowthatyourassistantisnotasremarkableasyouradvertisement。“
“Oh，hehashisfaults，too，“saidMr。Wilson。“Neverwassuchafellowforphotography。Snappingawaywithacamerawhenheoughttobeimprovinghismind，andthendivingdownintothecellarlikearabbitintoitsholetodevelophispictures。Thatishismainfault；but，onthewhole，he’sagoodworker。There’snoviceinhim。“
“Heisstillwithyou，Ipresume？“
“Yes，sir。Heandagirloffourteen，whodoesabitofsimplecooking，andkeepstheplaceclean——that’sallIhaveinthehouse，forIamawidower，andneverhadanyfamily。Weliveveryquietly，sir，thethreeofus；andwekeeparoofoverourheads，andpayourdebts，ifwedonothingmore。
“Thefirstthingthatputusoutwasthatadvertisement。
Spaulding，hecamedownintotheofficejustthisdayeightweeks，withthisverypaperinhishand，andhesays:
“’IwishtotheLord，Mr。Wilson，thatIwasaredheadedman。’
“’Whythat？’Iasks。
“’Why，’sayshe，’here’sanothervacancyontheLeagueoftheRed-
headedMen。It’sworthquitealittlefortunetoanymanwhogetsit，andIunderstandthattherearemorevacanciesthantherearemen，sothatthetrusteesareattheirwits’endwhattodowiththemoney。Ifmyhairwouldonlychangecolorhere’sanicelittlecriballreadyformetostepinto。’
“’Why，whatisit，then？’Iasked。Yousee，Mr。Holmes，Iamaverystay-at-homeman，and，asmybusinesscametomeinsteadofmyhavingtogotoit，Iwasoftenweeksonendwithoutputtingmyfootoverthedoormat。InthatwayIdidn’tknowmuchofwhatwasgoingonoutside，andIwasalwaysgladofabitofnews。