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。