No. 2 The Red Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the red- headed league

by Arthur Conan Doyle

the red- headed league

I had called upon my friend, Mr Sherlock Holmes, one day in_the autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid- faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair . with an apology for_my intrusion, i_was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly into_the room and closed the door behind me .

" you_could_not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson," he_said cordially .

" i_was afraid that you were engaged ."

" so I_am . very_much so ."

" then I_can wait in_the next room ."

" not at all . this gentleman, Mr Wilson, has_been my partner and helper in many of_my most successful cases, and I_have no_doubt that he_will_be of_the utmost use to_me in yours also ."

the stout gentleman half rose from_his chair and gave abob of greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from_his small fat- encircled eyes .

" try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in judicial moods ." I_know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that_is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life . you_have shown your relish for_it by_the enthusiasm which_has prompted you to chronicle, and, if_you_will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so_many of_my own little adventures ."

" your cases have indeed been of_the greatest interest to_me," I observed .

" you_will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we went into_the very simple problem presented by miss Mary Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we_must go to life itself, which_is always far more daring than any effort of_the imagination ."

"A proposition which i_took the liberty of doubting ."

" you_did, doctor, but none the less you_must come round to my view, for otherwise I_shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to_be right . now, Mr Jabez Wilson here has_been good enough to_call upon me this_morning, and to_begin a narrative which promises to_be one_of_the_most singular which I_have listened to for some_time . you_have heard me remark that_the strangest and most unique things are very often connected not with_the larger but with_the smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there_is room for doubt whether any positive crime has_been committed . as far as I_have heard it_is impossible for_me to_say whether the present case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is certainly among_the most singular that I_have ever listened to . perhaps, Mr Wilson, you_would_have the great kindness to recommence your narrative .I ask_you not merely because my friend Dr .Watson has_not heard the opening part but also because the peculiar nature of_the story makes me anxious to_have every possible detail from your lips . as a rule, when I_have heard some slight indication of_the course of events, I_am able to guide myself by_the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my memory . in_the present instance I_am forced to admit that_the facts are, to_the best of_my belief, unique ."

the portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from_the inside pocket of_his greatcoat . as he glanced down the advertisement column, with_his head thrust forward and_the paper flattened out upon his knee, i_took a good look at_the man and endeavored, after_the fashion of_my companion, to read the indications which might_be presented by his dress or appearance .

I_did_not gain very_much, however, by my inspection . our visitor bore every mark of being an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow . he wore rather baggy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not over- clean black frock- coat, unbuttoned in_the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain, and a square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament .afrayed top- hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him . altogether, look as i_would, there_was nothing remarkable about_the man save his blazing red head, and_the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features .

Sherlock Holmes's quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances ." beyond the obvious facts that he has at some_time done manual labour, that he takes snuff, that he_is a freemason, that he has_been in china, and_that he has_done a considerable amount of writing lately, I_can deduce nothing else ."

Mr Jabez Wilson started up in_his chair, with_his forefinger upon_the paper, but his eyes upon my companion .

" how, in_the name of good- fortune, did you_know all that, Mr Holmes ? " he asked ." how did you_know, for example, that I_did manual labour . it's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter ."

" your hands, my dear_Sir . your right hand is quite a size larger than your left . you_have worked with it, and_the muscles are more developed ."

" well, the snuff, then, and_the freemasonry ? "

"I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I_read that, especially as, rather against the strict rules of your_order, you use an ARC- and- compass breastpin ."

"Ah, of_course, I forgot that . but the writing ? "

" what else can_be indicated by_that right cuff so very shiny for five inches, and_the left one with_the smooth patch near the elbow where you rest it upon_the desk ? "

" well, but china ? "

" the fish that you_have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have_been done in china . I_have_made a small study of tattoo marks and_have even contributed to_the literature of_the subject . that trick of staining the fishes' scales of a delicate pink is quite peculiar to china . when, in_addition, I_see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch- chain, the matter becomes even more simple ."

Mr Jabez Wilson laughed heavily ." well, I never ! " said he ." i_thought at first that you had done something clever, but I_see that there_was nothing in_it, after all ."

"I begin to_think, Watson," said Holmes, " that I make a mistake in explaining .'Omne ignotum pro magnifico,' you_know, and my poor little reputation, such as_it_is, will suffer shipwreck if I_am so candid . can_you not find the advertisement, Mr Wilson ? "

" yes, I_have got it now," he answered with_his thick red finger planted halfway down the column ." here it_is . this_is what began it all . you just read it for_yourself, sir ."

i_took the paper from_him and read as follows .

to_the red- headed league: on account of_the bequest of_the late Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U .S .a. , there_is now another vacancy open which entitles a member of_the league to a salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services . all red- headed men who_are sound in body and mind and above the age of twenty- one years, are eligible .Appiy in person on Monday, at eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at_the offices of_the league, 7 Pope's court, fleet street .

" what on earth does this mean ? " I ejaculated after I had twice read over the extraordinary announcement .

Holmes chuckled and wriggled in_his chair, as was his habit when in high spirits ." it_is a little off the beaten track, isn't it ? " said he ." and now, Mr Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself, your household, and_the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes . you_will first make a note, doctor, of_the paper and_the date ."

" it_is_the morning chronicle of April 27, 1890 . just two_months_ago ."

" very_good . now, Mr Wilson ? "

" well, it_is just as I_have_been telling you, Mr Sherlock Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; " I_have a small pawnbroker's business at Coburg square, near the city . it's not a very large affair, and of late years it has_not done more than just give_me aliving .I used to_be_able to_keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and i_would_have a job to_pay him but that he_is willing to_come for half wages so as_to learn the business ."

" what_is the name of_this obliging youth ? " asked Sherlock Holmes .

" his name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, either . it's hard to_say his age .I should_not wish a smarter assistant, Mr Holmes; and I_know very_well that he_could better himself and earn twice what I_am able to_give him . but, after all, if he_is satisfied, why should I put ideas in_his head ? "

" why, indeed ? you seem most fortunate in having an employee who comes under the full market price . it_is_not a common experience among employers in_this age .I don't know that your assistant is_not as remarkable as_your advertisement ."

"Oh, he has his faults, too," said Mr Wilson ." never was such a fellow for photography .Snapping away with a camera when he ought_to_be improving his mind, and then diving down into_the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures . that_is his main fault, but on_the whole he's a good worker . there's no vice in him ."

" he_is still with_you, I presume ? "

" yes, sir . he and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple cooking and keeps the place clean-- that's all I_have in_the house, for I_am a widower and never had any family . we live very quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts, if_we_do nothing more .

" the first thing that put us out was_that advertisement .Spaulding, he_came down into_the office just this day eight weeks, with_this very paper in_his hand, and he_says:

"' i_wish to_the lord, Mr Wilson, that i_was a red- headed man .'

"' why that ? ' I asks .

"' why,' says he, ' here's another vacancy on_the league of_the red- headed men . it's worth quite a little fortune to any man who gets it, and I understand that_there_are more vacancies than there_are men, so that_the trustees are at their wits' end what to_do with_the money . if_my hair would only change color, here's a nice little crib all ready for_me to step into .'

"' why, what_is it, then ? ' I asked . you_see .Mr Holmes, I_am a very stay- at- home man, and as my business came to_me instead of_my having to_go to_it, i_was often weeks on end without putting my foot over the door- mat . in_that way I didn't know much of what_was going on outside, and i_was always glad of a bit of news .

"' have_you never heard of_the league of_the red- headed men ? ' he asked with_his eyes open .

"' never .'

"' why, I wonder at_that, for you_are eligibile yourself for one_of_the vacancies .'

"' and what_are they worth ? ' I asked .

"'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, and it need not interfere very_much with one's other occupations .'

" well, you_can easily think that that made me prick up my ears, for_the business has_not_been over- good for_some_years, and an extra couple of hundred would_have_been very handy .

"' tell me all about_it,' said I .

"' well ' said he, showing me the advertisement, ' you_can see for_yourself that_the league has a vacancy, and there_is the address where you_should apply for particulars . as far as I_can make out, the league was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar in_his ways . he_was himself red- headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red- headed men; so when he died it_was found that he had left his enormous fortune in_the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the interest to_the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of_that color . from all I hear it_is splendid pay and very little to_do .'

"' but,' said I, ' there would_be millions of red- headed men who_would apply .'

"' not so_many as_you_might think,' he answered .' you_see it_is really confined to Londoners, and to grown men . this American had started from London when he_was young, and he_wanted to_do_the old town a good turn . then, again, I_have heard it_is no use your applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but real bright, blazing, fiery red . now, if_you cared to apply, Mr Wilson, you_would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to_put yourself out_of_the way for_the sake of a few hundred pounds .'

" now, it_is a fact, gentlemen, as_you_may see for yourselves, that my hair is of a very full and rich tint, so_that it seemed to_me that if there_was to_be any competition in_the matter I stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met . Vincent Spaulding seemed to_know so_much about_it that i_thought he might prove useful, so I just ordered him to_put up the shutters for_the day and to_come right away with me . he_was very willing to_have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for_the address that was given us in_the advertisement .

"I never hope to_see such a sight as_that again, Mr Holmes . from north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade of red in_his hair had tramped into_the city to answer the advertisement . fleet street was choked with red- headed

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