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