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enough to give advice to poor folk who were in need of it； I came
right away to you。〃
〃And you did very wisely；〃 said Holmes。 〃Your case is an
exceedingly remarkable one； and I shall be happy to look into it。
From what you have told me I think that it is possible that graver
issues hang from it than might at first sight appear。〃
〃Grave enough！〃 said Mr。 Jabez Wilson。 〃Why； I have lost four
pound a week。〃
〃As far as you are personally concerned；〃 remarked Holmes； 〃I
do not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary
league。 On the contrary； you are； as I understand； richer by some
30 pound； to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained
on every subject which comes under the letter A。 You have lost
nothing by them。〃
〃No； sir。 But I want to find out about them； and who they
are； and what their object was in playing this prankif it was a
prankupon me。 It was a pretty expensive joke for them； for it
cost them two and thirty pounds。〃
〃We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you。 And；
first； one or two questions； Mr。 Wilson。 This assistant of yours
who first called your attention to the advertisementhow long had
he been with you？〃
〃About a month then。〃
〃How did he come？〃
〃In answer to an advertisement。〃
〃Was he the only applicant？〃
〃No； I had a dozen。〃
〃Why did you pick him？〃
〃Because he was handy and would come cheap。〃
〃At half…wages； in fact。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What is he like； this Vincent Spaulding？〃
〃Small； stout…built； very quick in his ways； no hair on his
face； though he's not short of thirty。 Has a white splash of acid
upon his forehead。〃
Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement。 〃I
thought as much；〃 said he。 〃Have you ever observed that his ears
are pierced for earrings？〃
〃Yes； sir。 He told me that a gypsy had done it for him when
he was a lad。〃
〃Hum！〃 said Holmes； sinking back in deep thought。 〃He is
still with you？〃
〃Oh； yes； sir； I have only just left him。〃
〃And has your business been attended to in your absence？〃
〃Nothing to complain of； sir。 There's never very much to do
of a morning。〃
〃That will do； Mr。 Wilson。 I shall be happy to give you an
opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two。 To…day is
Saturday； and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion。〃
〃Well； Watson；〃 said Holmes when our visitor had left us；
〃what do you make of it all？〃
〃I make nothing of it；〃 I answered frankly。 〃It is a most
mysterious business。〃
〃As a rule；〃 said Holmes； 〃the more bizarre a thing is the
less mysterious it proves to be。 It is your commonplace；
featureless crimes which are really puzzling； just as a
commonplace face is the most difficult to identify。 But I must be
prompt over this matter。〃
〃What are you going to do； then？〃 I asked。
〃To smoke；〃 he answered。 〃It is quite a three pipe problem；
and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes。〃 He
curled himself up in his chair； with his thin knees drawn up to
his hawk…like nose； and there he sat with his eyes closed and his
black clay pipe thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird。
I had come to the conclusion that he had dropped asleep； and
indeed was nodding myself； when he suddenly sprang out of his
chair with the gesture of a man who has made up his mind and put
his pipe down upon the mantelpiece。
〃Sarasate plays at the St。 James's Hall this afternoon；〃 he
remarked。 〃What do you think； Watson？ Could your patients spare
you for a few hours？〃
〃I have nothing to do today。 My practice is never very
absorbing。〃
〃Then put on your hat and come。 I am going through the City
first； and we can have some lunch on the way。 I observe that
there is a good deal of German music on the programme； which is
rather more to my taste than Italian or French。 It is
introspective； and I want to introspect。 Come along！〃
We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate； and a
short walk took us to Saxe…Coburg Square； the scene of the
singular story which we had listened to in the morning。 It was a
poky； little； shabby…genteel place； where four lines of dingy
two…storied brick houses looked out into a small railed…in
enclosure； where a lawn of weedy grass and a few clumps of faded
laurel…bushes made a hard fight against a smoke…laden and
uncongenial atmosphere。 Three gilt balls and a brown board with
〃JABEZ WILSON〃 in white letters； upon a corner house； announced
the place where our red…headed client carried on his business。
Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side
and looked it all over； with his eyes shining brightly between
puckered lids。 Then he walked slowly up the street； and then down
again to the corner； still looking keenly at the houses。 Finally
he returned to the pawnbroker's； and； having thumped vigorously
upon the pavement with his stick two or three times； he went up to
the door and knocked。 It was instantly opened by a
bright…looking； clean…shaven young fellow； who asked him to step
in。
〃Thank you；〃 said Holmes； 〃I only wished to ask you how you
would go from here to the Strand。〃
〃Third right； fourth left；〃 answered the assistant promptly；
closing the door。
〃Smart fellow； that；〃 observed Holmes as we walked away。 〃He
is； in my judgment； the fourth smartest man in London； and for
daring I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third。 I have
known something of him before。〃
〃Evidently；〃 said I； 〃Mr。 Wilson's assistant counts for a good
deal in this mystery of the Red…headed League。 I am sure that you
inquired your way merely in order that you might see him。〃
〃Not him。〃
〃What then？〃
〃The knees of his trousers。〃
〃And what did you see？〃
〃What I expected to see。〃
〃Why did you beat the pavement？〃
〃My dear doctor； this is a time for observation； not for talk。
We are spies in an enemy's country。 We know something of
Saxe…Coburg Square。 Let us now explore the parts which lie behind
it。〃
The road in which we found ourselves as we turned round the
corner from the retired Saxe…Coburg Square presented as great a
contrast to it as the front of a picture does to the back。 It was
one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the City to
the north and west。 The roadway was blocked with the immense
stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inward and outward；
while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of
pedestrians。 It was difficult to realize as we looked at the line
of fine shops and stately business premises that they really
abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant square which
we had just quitted。
〃Let me see；〃 said Holmes； standing at the corner and glancing
along the line； 〃I should like just to remember the order of the
houses here。 It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of
London。 There is Mortimer's； the tobacconist； the little
newspaper shop； the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank；
the Vegetarian Restaurant； and McFarlane's carriage…building
depot。 That carries us right on to the other block。 And now；
Doctor； we've done our work； so it's time we had some play。 A
sandwich and a cup of coffee； and then off to violin…land； where
all is sweetness and delicacy and harmony； and there are no
red…headed clients to vex us with their conundrums。〃
My friend was an enthusiastic musician； being himself not only
a very capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit。 All
the afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect
happiness； gently waving his long； thin fingers in time to the
music； while his gently smiling face and his languid； dreamy eyes
were as unlike those of Holmes； the sleuth…hound； Holmes the
relentless； keen…witted； ready…handed crimin