No. 4 The Adventure of the Stockbroker's Clerk by Arthur Conan Doyle
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one_or_two small things--mere formalities-- which I_must arrange with_you . you_have a bit of paper beside you there . kindly write upon it ' I_am perfectly willing to act as business manager to_the Franco- midland hardware company, limited, at a minimum salary of L500 ."

I_did as he asked, and he put the paper in_his pocket .

" there_is one other detail," said he ." what do_you intend to_do about Mawson's ? "

I had forgotten all about Mawson's in my joy ."I'll write and resign," said I .

" precisely what I don't want you to_do .I had a row over you with Mawson's manager .I had gone up_to ask him about you, and he_was very offensive; accused me of coaxing you away from_the service of_the firm, and_that sort of thing . at last I fairly lost my temper .' if_you_want good men you_should pay them a good price,' said I .

"' he_would rather have our small price than your big one,' said he .

"'I'll lay you afiver,' said I, ' that when he has my offer you'll never so_much as hear_from_him again .'

"' done ! ' said he .' we picked him out_of_the gutter, and he won't leave us so easily .' those were his very words ."

" the impudent scoundrel ! " I cried ."I've never so_much as seen him in my life . why should I consider him in any_way ? I_shall certainly not write if_you_would rather I didn't ."

" good ! that's a promise," said he, rising from_his chair ." well, I'm delighted to_have got so good a man for_my brother . here's your advance of a hundred pounds, and here_is_the letter . make a not of_the address, 126b corporation street, and remember that one o'clock to- morrow is your appointment . good- night; and may you_have all the fortune that you deserve ! "

that's just about all that passed between_us, as near as I_can remember . you_can imagine, Dr .Watson, how pleased i_was at such an extraordinary bit of good fortune .I sat up half the night hugging myself over it, and next_day i_was off to Birmingham in a train that_would take me in plenty time for_my appointment . i_took my things to a hotel in new street, and then I_made my way to_the address which had_been given me .

it_was a quarter of an hour before my_time, but i_thought that_would make no difference .126b was a passage between two large shops, which led to awinding stone stair, from_which there were many flats, let as offices to companies or professional men . the names of_the occupants were painted at_the bottom on_the wall, but there_was no such name as_the Franco- midland hardware company, limited .I stood for_a_few_minutes with my heart in my boots, wondering whether the whole thing was an elaborate hoax or not, when up came a man and addressed me . he_was very like the chap I had seen the night before, the same figure and voice, but he_was clean shaven and_his hair was lighter .

" are_you Mr hall Pycroft ? " he asked .

" yes," said I .

"Oh ! i_was expecting you, but you_are a trifle before_your time .I had a note from my brother this_morning in_which he sang your praises very loudly ."

" i_was just looking for_the offices when_you came ."

" we_have_not got our name up yet, for we only secured these temporary premises last week . come up with me, and we_will talk the matter over ."

I followed him to_the top of a very lofty stair, and there, right under the slates, were a couple of empty, dusty little rooms, uncarpeted and uncurtained, into which he led me .I had thought of a great office with shining tables and rows of clerks, such as i_was used to, and I dare say I stared rather straight at_the two deal chairs and one little table, which, with a ledger and a waste paper basket, made up the whole furniture .

"Don't be disheartened, Mr Pycroft," said my new acquaintance, seeing the length of_my face ."Rome was not built in a day, and we_have lots of money at our backs, though we don't cut much dash yet in offices . pray sit down, and let me have your letter ."

I_gave it to him, and her read it over very carefully .

" you seem to have_made a vast impression upon my brother Arthur," said he; " and I_know that he_is a pretty shrewd judge . hew swears by London, you_know; and I by Birmingham; but this_time I_shall follow his advice . pray consider yourself definitely engaged ."

" what_are my duties ? " I asked .

" you_will eventually manage the great depot in Paris, which will pour a flood of English crockery into_the shops of a hundred and thirty-four agents in France . the purchase will_be completed in a week, and meanwhile you_will remain in Birmingham and make yourself useful ."

" how ? "

for answer, he_took a big red book out of a drawer .

" this_is a directory of Paris," said he, " with_the trades after_the names of_the people . i_want you to_take it home with_you, and to mark off al the hardware sellers, with their addresses . it would_be of_the greatest use to_me to_have them ."

" surely there_are classified lists ? " I suggested .

" not reliable ones . their system is different from ours . stick at it, and let me have the lists by Monday, at twelve . good- day, Mr Pycroft . if_you continue to show zeal and intelligence you_will_find the company a good master ."

I went back to_the hotel with_the big book under my arm, and with very conflicting feelings in my breast . on_the one hand, i_was definitely engaged and had a hundred pounds in my pocket; on_the other, the look of_the offices, the absence of name on_the wall, and other of_the points which would strike a business man had left a bad impression as_to_the position of_my employers . however, come what might, I had my money, so I settled down to my task . all Sunday i_was kept hard at work, and yet by Monday I had only got as far as H .I went round to my employer, found him in_the same dismantled kind of room, and was told to_keep at it until Wednesday, and then come again . on Wednesday it_was still unfinished, so I hammered away until Friday-- that_is, yesterday . then I brought it round to Mr Harry Pinner .

" thank_you very_much," said he; " I_fear that I underrated the difficulty of_the task . this list will_be of very material assistance to_me ."

" it took some_time," said I .

" and now," said he, " i_want you to_make a list of_the furniture shops, for they all sell crockery ."

" very_good ."

" and you_can come up_to- morrow evening, at seven, and let me know how you_are getting on .Don't overwork yourself .a couple of hours at day's music hall in_the evening would do_you no harm after your labours ." he laughed as he spoke, and I_saw with a thrill that his second tooth upon_the left- hand side had_been very badly stuffed with gold .

Sherlock Holmes rubbed his hands with delight, and I stared with astonishment at our client .

" you_may well look surprised, Dr .Watson; but it_is this_way," said he: " when i_was speaking to_the other chap in London, at_the_time that he laughed at my not going to Mawson's, I happened to notice that his tooth was stuffed in_this very identical fashion . the glint of_the gold in each_case caught my eye, you_see . when I put that with_the voice and figure being the same, and only those things altered which might_be changed by a razor or a wig, I_could_not doubt that_it_was the same man . of_course you expect two brothers to_be alike, but not that_they should_have the same tooth stuffed in_the same way . he bowed me out, and I_found myself in_the street, hardly knowing whether i_was on my head or my heels . back I went to my hotel, put my head in a basin of cold water, and tried to_think it out . why had he sent me from London to Birmingham ? why had he got there before me ? and why had he written a letter from himself to himself ? it_was altogether too_much for_me, and I_could make no sense of it . and then suddenly it struck me that what_was dark to_me might_be very light to Mr Sherlock Holmes .I had just time to_get up_to town by_the night train to_see him this_morning, and to bring you both back with me to Birmingham ."

there_was a pause after_the stock- broker's clerk had concluded his surprising experience . then Sherlock Holmes cocked his eye at me, leaning back on_the cushions with a pleased and yet critical face, like a connoisseur who has just taken his first sip of a comet vintage .

" rather fine, Watson, is_it not ? " said he ." there_are points in_it which please me . i_think that you_will agree with me that an interview with Mr Arthur Harry Pinner in_the temporary offices of_the Franco- midland hardware company, limited, would_be a rather interesting experience for both of us ."

" but how can we_do it ? " I asked .

"Oh, easily enough," said hall Pycroft, cheerily ." you_are two friends of_mine who_are in want of a billet, and what could_be more natural than that i_should bring you both round to_the managing director ? "

" quite so, of_course," said Holmes ." i_should like to_have a look at_the gentleman, and_see if I_can make anything of_his little game . what qualities have_you, my friend, which would make your services so valuable ? or is_it possible that--" he began biting his nails and staring blankly out_of_the window, and we hardly drew another word from_him until we were in new street .

at seven o'clock that evening we were walking, the three of us, down corporation street to_the company's offices .

" it_is no use our being at all before our time," said our client ." he only comes there to_see me, apparently, for_the place is deserted up_to_the very hour he names ."

" that_is suggestive," remarked Holmes .

" by Jove, i_told you so ! " cried the clerk ." that's he walking ahead of us there ."

he pointed to asmallish, dark, well- dressed man who was bustling along the other side of_the road . as_we watched him he looked across at a boy who was bawling out the latest edition of_the evening paper, and running over among_the cabs and busses, he bought one from_him . then, clutching it in_his hand, he vanished through a door- way .

" there he goes ! " cried hall Pycroft ." these are the company's offices into which he has gone . come with me, and I'll fix it up as easily as possible ."

Following his lead, we ascended five stories, until we_found ourselves outside a half- opened door, at which our client tapped .a voice within bade us enter, and we entered a bare, unfurnished room such as hall Pycroft had described . at_the single table sat the man whom we had seen in_the street, with_his evening paper spread out in front of him, and as he looked up at us it seemed to_me that I had never looked upon a face which bore such marks of grief, and of something beyond grief-- of a horror such as comes to few men in a lifetime . his brow glistened wit perspiration, his cheeks were of_the dull, dead white of a fish's belly, and_his eyes were wild and staring . he looked at his clerk as_though he failed to recognise him, and I could_see by_the astonishment depicted upon our conductor's face that_this was by no means the usual appearance of_his employer .

" you look ill, Mr Pinner ! " he exclaimed .

" yes, I_am not very_well," answered the other, making obvious efforts to pull himself together, and licking his dry lips before he spoke ." who_are these gentlemen whom you_have brought with_you ? "

" one is Mr Harris, of Bermondsey, and_the other is Mr price, of_this town," said our clerk, glibly ." they_are friends of_mine and gentlemen of experience, but they_have been out of a place for some little time, and_they hoped that perhaps you_might find an opening for_them in_the company's employment ."

" very possibly ! very possibly ! " cried Mr Pinner with a ghastly smile ." yes, I_have no_doubt that we_shall_be_able to_do something for_you . what_is your particular line, Mr Harris ? "

" I_am an accountant," said Holmes .

"Ah yes, we_shall want something of_the sort . and you, Mr price ? "

"A clerk," said I .

" I_have every hope_that the company may accommodate you . i_will let you_know about_it as_soon_as we come to any conclusion . and now I beg that you_will go . for god's sake leave me to myself ! "

these last words were shot out of him, as_though the constraint which he_was evidently setting upon himself had suddenly and utterly burst asunder .Holmes and I glanced at each_other, and hall Pycroft took a step towards the table .

" you forget, Mr Pinner, that I_am here by appointment to receive some directions from_you," said he .

" certainly, Mr Pycroft, certainly," the other resumed in a calmer tone ." you_may wait here a moment; and there_is no reason why your friends should_not wait with_you . i_will_be entirely at your service in three minutes, if I_might trespass upon your patience so_far ." he rose with a very courteous air, and, bowing to_us, he passed out through a door at_the farther end of_the room, which he closed behind him .

" what

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