第17章
“’Well，’saidI，’thegentlemanatNo。4。’
“’What，thered-headedman？’
“’Yes。’
“’Oh，’saidhe，’hisnamewasWilliamMorris。Hewasasolicitor，andwasusingmyroomasatemporaryconvenienceuntilhisnewpremiseswereready。Hemovedoutyesterday。’
“’WherecouldIfindhim？’
“’Oh，athisnewoffices。Hedidtellmetheaddress。Yes，17
KingEdwardStreet，nearSt。Paul’s。’
“Istartedoff，Mr。Holmes，butwhenIgottothataddressitwasamanufactoryofartificialknee-caps，andnooneinithadeverheardofeitherMr。WilliamMorrisorMr。DuncanRoss。“
“Andwhatdidyoudothen？“askedHolmes。
“IwenthometoSaxe-CoburgSquare，andItooktheadviceofmyassistant。Buthecouldnothelpmeinanyway。HecouldonlysaythatifIwaitedIshouldhearbypost。Butthatwasnotquitegoodenough，Mr。Holmes。Ididnotwishtolosesuchaplacewithoutastruggle，so，asIhadheardthatyouweregoodenoughtogiveadvicetopoorfolkwhowereinneedofit，Icamerightawaytoyou。“
“Andyoudidverywisely，“saidHolmes。“Yourcaseisanexceedinglyremarkableone，andIshallbehappytolookintoit。
FromwhatyouhavetoldmeIthinkthatitispossiblethatgraverissueshangfromitthanmightatfirstsightappear。“
“Graveenough！“saidMr。JabezWilson。“Why，Ihavelostfourpoundaweek。“
“Asfarasyouarepersonallyconcerned，“remarkedHolmes，“Idonotseethatyouhaveanygrievanceagainstthisextraordinaryleague。Onthecontrary，youare，asIunderstand，richerbysomethirtypounds，tosaynothingoftheminuteknowledgewhichyouhavegainedoneverysubjectwhichcomesundertheletterA。Youhavelostnothingbythem。“
“No，sir。ButIwanttofindoutaboutthem，andwhotheyare，andwhattheirobjectwasinplayingthisprank——ifitwasaprank——
uponme。Itwasaprettyexpensivejokeforthem，foritcostthemtwo-and-thirtypounds。“
“Weshallendeavortoclearupthesepointsforyou。And，first，oneortwoquestions，Mr。Wilson。Thisassistantofyourswhofirstcalledyourattentiontotheadvertisement——howlonghadhebeenwithyou？“
“Aboutamonththen。“
“Howdidhecome？“
“Inanswertoanadvertisement。“
“Washetheonlyapplicant？“
“No，Ihadadozen。“
“Whydidyoupickhim？“
“Becausehewashandyandwouldcomecheap。“
“Athalfwages，infact。“
“Yes。“
“Whatishelike，thisVincentSpaulding？“
“Small，stout-built，veryquickinhisways，nohaironhisface，thoughhe’snotshortofthirty。Hasawhitesplashofaciduponhisforehead。“
Holmessatupinhischairinconsiderableexcitement。Ithoughtasmuch，“saidhe。“Haveyoueverobservedthathisearsarepiercedforearrings？“
“Yes，sir。Hetoldmethatagypsyhaddoneitforhimwhenhewasalad。“
“Hum！“saidHolmes，sinkingbackindeepthought。“Heisstillwithyou？“
“Oh，yes，sir；Ihaveonlyjustlefthim。“
“Andhasyourbusinessbeenattendedtoinyourabsence？“
“Nothingtocomplainof，sir。There’sneververymuchtodoofamorning。“
“Thatwilldo，Mr。Wilson。Ishallbehappytogiveyouanopinionuponthesubjectinthecourseofadayortwo。To-dayisSaturday，andIhopethatbyMondaywemaycometoaconclusion。“
“Well，Watson，“saidHolmes，whenourvisitorhadleftus，“whatdoyoumakeofitall？“
“Imakenothingofit，“Iansweredfrankly。“Itisamostmysteriousbusiness。“
“Asarule，“saidHolmes，“themorebizarreathingisthelessmysteriousitprovestobe。Itisyourcommonplace，featurelesscrimeswhicharereallypuzzling，justasacommonplacefaceisthemostdifficulttoidentify。ButImustbepromptoverthismatter。“
“Whatareyougoingtodo，then？“Iasked。
“Tosmoke，“heanswered。“Itisquiteathree-pipeproblem，andI
begthatyouwon’tspeaktomeforfiftyminutes。“Hecurledhimselfupinhischair，withhisthinkneesdrawnuptohishawklikenose，andtherehesatwithhiseyesclosedandhisblackclaypipethrustingoutlikethebillofsomestrangebird。Ihadcometotheconclusionthathehaddroppedasleep，andindeedwasnoddingmyself，whenhesuddenlysprangoutofhischairwiththegestureofamanwhohasmadeuphismind，andputhispipedownuponthemantelpiece。
“SarasateplaysatSt。James’sHallthisafternoon，“heremarked。
“Whatdoyouthink，Watson？Couldyourpatientsspareyouforafewhours？“
“Ihavenothingtodoto-day。Mypracticeisneververyabsorbing。“
“Thenputonyourhatandcome。IamgoingthroughtheCityfirst，andwecanhavesomelunchontheway。IobservethatthereisagooddealofGermanmusicontheprogramme，whichisrathermoretomytastethanItalianorFrench。Itisintrospective，andIwanttointrospect。Comealong！“
WetraveledbytheUndergroundasfarasAldersgate；andashortwalktookustoSaxe-CoburgSquare，thesceneofthesingularstorywhichwehadlistenedtointhemorning。Itwasapoky，little，shabby-genteelplace，wherefourlinesofdingy，two-storiedbrickhouseslookedoutintoasmallrailed-ininclosure，wherealawnofweedygrass，andafewclumpsoffadedlaurelbushesmadeahardfightagainstasmoke-ladenanduncongenialatmosphere。ThreegiltballsandabrownboardwithJABEZWILSONinwhiteletters，uponacornerhouse，announcedtheplacewhereourred-headedclientcarriedonhisbusiness。SherlockHolmesstoppedinfrontofitwithhisheadononeside，andlookeditallover，withhiseyesshiningbrightlybetweenpuckeredlids。Thenhewalkedslowlyupthestreet，andthendownagaintothecorner，stilllookingkeenlyatthehouses。Finallyhereturnedtothepawnbroker’sand，havingthumpedvigorouslyuponthepavementwithhissticktwoorthreetimes，hewentuptothedoorandknocked。Itwasinstantlyopenedbyabright-looking，clean-shavenyoungfellow，whoaskedhimtostepin。
“Thankyou，“saidHolmes，“IonlywishedtoaskyouhowyouwouldgofromheretotheStrand。“
“Thirdright，fourthleft，“answeredtheassistant，promptly，closingthedoor。
“Smartfellow，that，“observedHolmesaswewalkedaway。“Heis，inmyjudgment，thefourthsmartestmaninLondon，andfordaringI
amnotsurethathehasnotaclaimtobethird。Ihaveknownsomethingofhimbefore。“
“Evidently，“saidI，“Mr。Wilson’sassistantcountsforagooddealinthismysteryoftheRed-headedLeague。Iamsurethatyouinquiredyourwaymerelyinorderthatyoumightseehim。“
“Nothim。“
“Whatthen？“
“Thekneesofhistrousers。“
“Andwhatdidyousee？“
“WhatIexpectedtosee。“
“Whydidyoubeatthepavement？“
“Mydeardoctor，thisisatimeforobservation，notfortalk。Wearespiesinanenemy’scountry。WeknowsomethingofSaxe-CoburgSquare。Letusnowexplorethepartswhichliebehindit。“
TheroadinwhichwefoundourselvesasweturnedroundthecornerfromtheretiredSaxe-CoburgSquarepresentedasgreatacontrasttoitasthefrontofapicturedoestotheback。ItwasoneofthemainarterieswhichconveythetrafficoftheCitytothenorthandwest。Theroadwaywasblockedwiththeimmensestreamofcommerceflowinginadoubletideinwardandoutward，whilethefootpathswereblackwiththehurryingswarmofpedestrians。Itwasdifficulttorealize，aswelookedatthelineoffineshopsandstatelybusinesspremises，thattheyreallyabuttedontheothersideuponthefadedandstagnantsquarewhichwehadjustquitted。
“Letmesee，“saidHolmes，standingatthecorner，andglancingalongtheline，“Ishouldlikejusttoremembertheorderofthehouseshere。ItisahobbyofminetohaveanexactknowledgeofLondon。ThereisMortimer’s，thetobacconist；thelittlenewspapershop，theCoburgbranchoftheCityandSuburbanBank，theVegetarianRestaurant，andMcFarlane’scarriage-buildingdepot。
Thatcarriesusrightontotheotherblock。Andnow，doctor，we’vedoneourwork，soit’stimewehadsomeplay。Asandwichandacupofcoffee，andthenofftoviolin-land，whereallissweetness，anddelicacy，andharmony，andtherearenored-headedclientstovexuswiththeirconundrums。“
Myfriendwasanenthusiasticmusician，beinghimselfnotonlyaverycapableperformer，butacomposerofnoordinarymerit。Alltheafternoonhesatinthestallswrappedinthemostperfecthappiness，gentlywavinghislongthinfingersintimetothemusic，whilehisgentlysmilingfaceandhislanguid，dreamyeyeswereasunlikethoseofHolmesthesleuth-hound，Holmestherelentless，keen-witted，ready-handedcriminalagent，asitwaspossibletoconceive。Inhissingularcharacterthedualnaturealternatelyasserteditself，andhisextremeexactnessandastutenessrepresented，asIhaveoftenthought，thereactionagainstthepoeticandcontemplativemoodwhichoccasionallypredominatedinhim。Theswingofhisnaturetookhimfromextremelanguortodevouringenergy；and，asIknewwell，hewasneversotrulyformidableaswhen，fordaysonend，hehadbeenlounginginhisarmchairamidhisimprovisationsandhisblack-lettereditions。
Thenitwasthatthelustofthechasewouldsuddenlycomeuponhim，andthathisbrilliantreasoningpowerwouldrisetothelevelofintuition，untilthosewhowereunacquaintedwithhismethodswouldlookaskanceathimasonamanwhoseknowledgewasnotthatofothermortals。WhenIsawhimthatafternoonsoenwrappedinthemusicatSt。James’sHall，Ifeltthataneviltimemightbecominguponthosewhomhehadsethimselftohuntdown。
“Youwanttogohome，nodoubt，doctor，“heremarked，asweemerged。
“Yes，itwouldbeaswell。“
“AndIhavesomebusinesstodowhichwilltakesomehours。ThisbusinessatSaxe-CoburgSquareisserious。“
“Whyserious？“
“Aconsiderablecrimeisincontemplation。Ihaveeveryreasontobelievethatweshallbeintimetostopit。Butto-daybeingSaturdayrathercomplicatesmatters。Ishallwantyourhelpto-
night。“
“Atwhattime？“
“Tenwillbeearlyenough。“
IshallbeatBakerStreetatten。“
“Verywell。And，Isay，doctor！theremaybesomelittledanger，sokindlyputyourarmyrevolverinyourpocket。“Hewavedhishand，turnedonhisheel，anddisappearedinaninstantamongthecrowd。
ItrustthatIamnotmoredensethanmyneighbors，butIwasalwaysoppressedwithasenseofmyownstupidityinmydealingswithSherlockHolmes。HereIhadheardwhathehadheard，Ihadseenwhathehadseen，andyetfromhiswordsitwasevidentthathesawclearlynotonlywhathadhappened，butwhatwasabouttohappen，whiletomethewholebusinesswasstillconfusedandgrotesque。AsIdrovehometomyhouseinKensingtonIthoughtoveritall，fromtheextraordinarystoryofthered-headedcopierofthe“Encyclopaedia“downtothevisittoSaxe-CoburgSquare，andtheominouswordswithwhichhehadpartedfromme。Whatwasthisnocturnalexpedition，andwhyshouldIgoarmed？Wherewerewegoing，andwhatwerewetodo？IhadthehintfromHolmesthatthissmooth-facedpawnbroker’sassistantwasaformidableman——amanwhomightplayadeepgame。Itriedtopuzzleitout，butgaveitupindespair，andsetthematterasideuntilnightshouldbringanexplanation。
Itwasaquarter-pastninewhenIstartedfromhomeandmademywayacrossthePark，andsothroughOxfordStreettoBakerStreet。Twohansomswerestandingatthedoor，and，asIenteredthepassage，I