去年秋天的一天，我去拜訪我的朋友歇洛剋·福爾摩斯。我見到他時，他正在和一位身材矮胖、面色紅潤、頭髮火紅的老先生深談。我為自己的唐突表示歉意。正當我想退出來的時候，福爾摩斯出豈不意地一把將我拽住，把我拉進了房間裏，隨手把門關上。
　　 他親切地說：“我親愛的華生，你這時候來真是再好不過了。”
　　 “我怕你正忙着。”
　　 “是呀，我是很忙。”
　　 “那麽，我到隔壁房間等你。”
　　 “不，不，威爾遜先生，這位先生是我的夥伴和助手，他協助我卓見成效地處理過許多案件。我毫不懷疑在處理你的案件時，他將同樣給予我最大的幫助。”
　　 那位身材矮胖的先生從他坐着的椅子裏半站起來欠身嚮我點頭致意，從他厚厚的眼皮下的小眼睛裏迅速地掠過一綫將信將疑的眼光。
　　 “你坐在長靠背椅子上吧。"福爾摩斯說道，重新回到他那張扶手椅坐下，兩手的手指尖合攏着。這是他沉浸於思考問題時的習慣。"親愛的華生，我知道，你和我一樣，喜歡的不是日常生活中那些普通平凡、單調無聊的老套，而是稀破古怪的東西。你那麽滿腔熱情地把這些東西都記錄下來，可見你對它們很感興趣。如果你不介意的話，我要說，你這樣做是為我自己的許多小小的冒險事業增添光彩。”
　　 我回答說：“我確實對你經手的案件非常感興趣。”
　　 “你當然會記得那天我們談到瑪麗·薩瑟蘭小姐所提的那個很簡單的問題之前所說的那段話吧：為了獲得新破的效果和異乎尋常的配合，我們必須深入生活，而它本身總是比任何大膽想象更富有冒險性。”
　　 “我倒要冒昧地懷疑你的這個說法。”
　　 “是嗎？大夫。但是，你仍然必須同意我的看法。否則，我將繼續列舉一係列事實，這些事實將使你的道理不攻自破，然後你就會承認我是對的。好啦，這位傑貝茲·威爾遜先生真好，他今天上午專程來看我，他開始對我講很可能是我好些時候以來所聽過的最稀破古怪的故事之一。你已聽我說過，最離破、最獨特的事物往往不是和較大的罪行而是和較小的罪行有聯繫，而且有時確實很可以懷疑是不是真的有人犯了罪。就我所聽到的來說，我還不可能斷定現在這個案件是不是一個犯罪的案例，但是，事情的經過肯定是我所聽到過的最離破不過的了。威爾遜先生，可不可以請你費心從頭講講這件事情的經過。我請你從頭講，這不僅因為我的朋友華生大夫沒有聽到開頭那部分，而且還因為這件事很破特，所以我很想從你嘴裏聽到其中一切盡可能詳細的情節。一般說來，當我聽到一些稍微能夠說明事情經過的情節時，我總是用幾千個我能想得起來的其他類似案件來引導我自己。這一次我不得不承認，我的確深信這些事實是獨特的。”
　　 這位矮胖的委托人挺起胸膛，顯得有點驕傲的樣子。他從大衣裏面的口袋裏掏出一張又髒又皺的報紙平放在膝蓋上，俯首嚮前看着上面的廣告欄。這時我仔細地打量這個人，力圖模仿我夥伴的辦法，從他的服裝或外表上看出點名堂來。
　　 但是，我這樣細看一番收穫並不太大。這個客人從外表的特徵看，是一個普普通通的英國商人，肥肥胖胖，樣子浮誇，動作遲鈍。他穿着一條鬆垂的灰格褲子，一件不太幹淨的燕尾服，前面的扣子沒有扣上，裏面穿着一件土褐色背心，背心上面係有一條艾爾伯特式的粗銅鏈，還有一小塊中間有一個四方窟窿的金屬片兒作為裝飾品，來回晃動着。在他旁邊的椅子上放着一頂磨損了的禮帽和一件褪了色的棕色大衣，大衣的綫絨領子已經有點皺褶。我看這個人，總的來說，除了長着一頭火紅色的頭髮、面露非常惱怒和不滿的表情外，沒有什麽特別的地方。
　　 歇洛剋·福爾摩斯銳利的眼睛看出了我在做什麽。當他註意到我疑問的目光時，他面帶笑容，搖了搖頭。“他幹過一段時間的體力活，吸鼻煙，是個共濟會會員，到過中國，最近寫過不少東西。除了這些顯而易見的情況以外，我推斷不出別的什麽。”
　　 傑貝茲·威爾遜先生在他的坐椅上突然挺直了身子，他的食指仍然壓着報紙，但眼睛已轉過來看着我的同伴。
　　 他問道：“我的老天爺！福爾摩斯先生，你怎麽知道這麽多我的事？比如，你怎麽知道我幹過體力活？那是象福音一樣千真萬確，我最初就是在船上當木匠的。”
　　 “我親愛的先生，你看你這雙手，你的右手比左手大多了。你用右手幹活，所以右手的肌肉比左手發達。”
　　 “唔，那麽吸鼻煙和共濟會會員呢？”
　　 “我不會告訴你我是怎麽看出來的，因為我不願把你的理解力看低了，何況你還不顧你們的團體的嚴格規定，帶了一個弓形指南針模樣的別針呢。”
　　 “噢，是羅，我忘了這個。可是寫作呢？”
　　 “還有別的什麽更能說明問題嗎？那就是：你右手袖子上足有五寸長的地方閃閃發光，而左袖子靠近手腕經常貼在桌面上的地方打了個整潔的補丁。”
　　 “那麽，中國又怎麽樣？”
　　 “你的右手腕上邊一點的地方文刺的魚衹能是在中國幹的。我對刺花紋作過點研究，甚至還寫過這種題材的稿子。用細膩的粉紅色給大小不等的魚着色這種絶技，衹有在中國纔有。此外，我看見你的表鏈上還挂着一塊中國錢幣，那豈不是更加一目瞭然了嗎？”
　　 傑貝茲·威爾遜大笑起來。他說：“好，這個我怎麽也想不到啊！我起初想，你簡直是神機妙算，但說穿了也就沒什麽奧妙了。”
　　 福爾摩斯說：“華生，我現在纔想起來，我真不應該這麽樣攤開來說。要'大智若愚'，你知道，我的名聲本來就不怎麽樣，心眼太實是要身敗名裂的。威爾遜先生，你能找到那個廣告嗎？”
　　 “能，就在我這裏。"他回答時他的又粗又紅的手指正指在那欄廣告的中間。他說：“就在這兒，這就是整個事情的起因。先生，你們自己讀好了。”
　　 我從他手裏把報紙拿過來，照着它的內容念：“紅發會：
　　 由於原住美國賓夕法尼亞洲已故黎巴嫩人伊齊基亞·霍普金斯之遺贈，現留有另一空職，凡紅發會會員皆有資格申請。薪給為每周四英鎊，工作則實係挂名而已。凡紅發男性，年滿二十一歲，身體健康，智力健全者即屬符合條件。應聘者請於星期一上午十一時親至艦隊街、教皇院７號紅發會辦公室鄧肯·羅斯處提出申請為荷。”
　　 我讀了兩遍這個不尋常的廣告後不禁喊道：“這究竟是怎麽回事？”
　　 福爾摩斯坐在椅子上格格地笑得扭動不已，他高興的時候總是這個樣子。他說：“這個廣告很不尋常，是不是？好啦，威爾遜先生，你現在就痛痛快快地把關於你自己的一切，以及和你同住在一起的人，這個廣告給了你多大的好處，統統講出來吧。大夫，你先把報紙的名稱和日期記下來。”
　　 “這是一○年四月二十七日的《紀事年報》，正好是兩個月以前的。”
　　 “很好。好了，威爾遜先生，請講。”
　　 “唔，歇洛剋·福爾摩斯先生，就是我剛纔對你說的，"傑貝茲一面用手拭他的前額一面說，“我在市區附近的薩剋斯—科伯格廣場開了個小當票。那個買賣不大，近年來我衹勉強靠它維持生活。過去還有能力雇用兩個夥計，但是，現在衹雇一個。就這一夥計我也雇不起啊，如果不是他為學會做這個買賣自願衹拿一半工資的話。”
　　 歇洛剋·福爾摩斯問道：“這位樂於助人的青年叫什麽名字？”
　　 “他名叫文森特·斯波爾丁。其實他的年紀也不小了，衹是到底多大我說不上。福爾摩斯先生，我這個夥計真精明強幹。我很清楚，他本來可以生活得更好些，賺比我付給他多一倍的工資。可是，不管怎麽講，既然他很滿意，我又何必要勸他多長幾個心眼呢？”
　　 “噢，真的？你能以低於市價的工錢雇到夥計，好象是最幸運不過的了。這在象你這樣年紀的雇主當中，可不是平常的事啊。我不知道你的夥計是不是和你的廣告一樣很不一般。”
　　 威爾遜先生說：“啊，他也有他的毛病。他比誰都愛照相。他拿着照相機到處照，就是沒有上進心。他一照完相就急急忙忙地跑到地下室去衝洗，快得象兔子鑽洞一樣。這是他最大的毛病，但是，總的說來，他是個好工人，他沒有壞心眼。”
　　 “我猜想，他現在還是和你在一起吧。”
　　 “是的，先生。除他以外，還有一個十四歲的小女孩。這個女孩子做飯、打掃房子。我屋子裏就衹這些人，因為我是個鰥夫，我沒有成過傢。先生，我們三個人一起過着安靜的生活；我們住在一起，欠了債一起還，要是沒有別的事可做的話。
　　 “打擾我們的頭一件事是這個廣告。正好在八個星期以前的這天，斯波爾丁走到辦公室裏來，手裏拿着這張報紙。他說：
　　 “'威爾遜先生，我嚮上帝禱告，我多麽希望我是個紅頭髮的人啊。'
　　 “我問他，‘那是為什麽？'
　　 “他說，‘為什麽？紅發會現在又有了個空缺。誰要是得到這個職位，那簡直是發了相當大的財。據我瞭解，空缺比謀職的人還多，受托管理那筆資金的理事們簡直不知道該怎麽辦纔好，有錢沒有地方花啊。奴果我的頭髮能變顔色就好了，這個怪不錯的安樂窩就等着我去了。'
　　 “我問他，'那又是怎麽回事呢？'福爾摩斯先生，你可知道，我是個深居簡出的人。因為我的買賣是送上門來的，用不着我到外面奔走兜生意，我往往一連幾個星期足不出戶。所以，我對外界孤陋寡聞，我總是樂意能聽到點消息。
　　 “斯波爾丁兩衹眼睛瞪得大大地反問我說，‘你從來沒有聽過紅發會的事嗎？'
　　 “'從來沒有聽說過。'
　　 “'你這麽說倒使我感到莫名片妙了，因為你自己就有資格去申請那個空着的職位。
　　 “'一年衹給二百英鎊，但這個工作很輕鬆，如果你已有別的職務也並不礙事。'
　　 “好，你們不難想見，這真使我側耳恭聽啊，因為好些年來，我的生意並不怎麽好，這筆額外的二百英鎊如能到手，那簡直是來得太容易了。
　　 “於是我對他說，‘你把事情的全部情況都告訴我吧。'
　　 “他邊把廣告指給我看邊說，‘好，你自己看吧，紅發會有個空缺，這廣告上有地址，到那裏可以辦理申請手續。據我瞭解，紅發會的發起人是一個名叫伊齊基亞·霍普金斯的美國百萬富翁。這個人作風很古怪。他自己的頭髮就是紅的，並且對所有紅頭髮的人懷有深厚的感情。他死後大傢纔知道，原來他把他的巨大的財産留交給財産受托管理人處理，他留下遺囑要用他的遺産的利息讓紅頭髮的男子有個舒適的差事。從我所聽到的來說，待遇很高，要幹的活倒很少。'
　　 “我說，‘可是，會有數以百萬計紅頭髮的男子去申請的。'
　　 “他回答說，‘沒有你所想的那麽多。你想想看，那實際上衹限於倫敦人，而且必須是成年男子。這個美國人青年時代是在倫敦發跡的，他想為這個古老的城市做點好事。而且我還聽說，如果你的頭髮是淺紅色或深紅色，而不是真正發亮的火紅色，那你去申請也是白搭。好啦，威爾遜先生，如果你想申請的話，那你就走進去好了。但是，為了幾百英鎊的錢，讓你受到麻煩，也許是不值得的。'
　　 “先生們，正如你們現在親自看到的實際情況，我的頭髮，真是鮮紅鮮紅的。因此，在我看來，如果為了得到這個職位需要競爭一下的話，那麽我要比任何同我競爭的人更有希望。文森特·斯波爾丁似乎對這樁事已很瞭解，所以我想他也許能助我一臂之力。於是，我就叫他把百葉窗關上，馬上跟我一起走。他非常高興得到一個休假日，我們就這樣停了業，嚮廣告上登的那個地址出發。
　　 “福爾摩斯先生，我永遠不希望再見到那樣的情景了。頭髮顔色深淺不一的人來自東西南北、四面八方，涌到城裏按那個廣告去應徵。艦隊街擠滿了紅頭髮的人群，主教院看上去就象叫賣水果的小販放滿廣柑的手推車。我沒有想到區區一個廣告竟然召集到了全國的那麽多人。他們頭髮的顔色什麽都有——稻草黃色、檸檬色、橙色、磚紅色、愛爾蘭長毛獵狗那種顔色、肝色、土黃色等等。但是，正如斯波爾丁所說的那樣，真正很鮮豔的火紅色的倒不多。當我看到那麽多的人在等着，我感到很失望，真想放棄算了。衹是，斯波爾丁當時怎麽也不答應。我真不能想象他當時是怎樣連推帶搡，帶我從人群中擠過去，直到那辦公室的臺階前面。樓梯上有兩股人潮，一些人滿懷希望往上走，一些人垂頭喪氣往下走；我們竭盡全力擠進人群。不久，我們發現自己已經在辦公室裏了。”
　　 福爾摩斯先生在他的委托人停了一下、使勁地吸了一下鼻煙、以便稍加思索的時候說，“你的這段經歷真是最有趣不過了。請你繼續講你的這段十分有趣的事吧。”
　　 “辦公室裏除了幾把木椅和一張辦公桌外，沒有別的東西。辦公桌後面坐着一個頭髮顔色比我的還要紅的小個子男人；每一個候選人走到他跟前，他都說幾句，然後他總是想辦法在他們身上挑毛病，說他們不合格。原來，要得到一個職位並不是那麽容易的事情。不管怎麽樣，輪到我們的時候，這個小個子男人對我比對任何其他人都客氣多了。我們走進去後，他就把門關上，這樣他可以和我們單獨談。
　　 “我的夥計說，‘這位是傑貝茲·威爾遜先生，他願意填補紅發會的空缺。'
　　 “對方回答說，‘他非常適合擔任這個職務。他滿足了我們的一切條件。在我的記憶中，我還沒有看見過有誰的頭髮顔色比他的更好的了。'他後退了一步，歪着腦袋，凝視着我的頭髮，直看得我不好意思起來。隨即他一個箭步嚮前拉住我的手，熱烈祝賀我求職成功。
　　 “他說，‘如果再猶豫不决那就太不對了。不過，對不起，我顯然必須謹慎小心，我相信你是不會介意的。'他兩衹手緊緊地揪住我的頭髮，使勁地拔，我痛得喊了出來，他纔撒手。他撒手後對我說，‘你眼淚都流出來啦。我清楚地看到，一切都很理想。可是我必須謹慎小心，因為我們曾兩次被帶假發的傢夥、一次被染頭髮的傢夥騙了。我可以告訴你一些有關鞋蠟的故事，你聽了會感覺惡心的。'他走到窗戶那裏聲嘶力竭地高喊，'已經有人填補空缺了。'窗戶下面傳來一陣大失所望的嘆息聲，人們成群結隊地朝四面八方散開。他們走後，除我自己和那個幹事外，再見不到一個紅頭髮的人了。
　　 “他說，‘我名叫鄧肯·羅斯先生。我自己就是一個我們高貴的施主遺留基金的養老金領取者。威爾遜先生，你是不是已經結婚了？你成傢了嗎？'
　　 “我回答說，‘我沒有。'
　　 “他立即把臉一沉。
　　 “他嚴肅地說，‘哎唷！這可是非同小可的事啊！你所說的情況使我感到遺憾。當然羅，設立這筆基金的目的既是為了維護，也是為了生育更多紅頭髮的人。你竟然是個未婚的單身漢，那真是太不幸了。'
　　 “福爾摩斯先生，我聽到這些話感到很沮喪。我當時想，完了，這個職位還是弄不到手。但是他考慮了一會以後又說：那沒有關係。
　　 “他說，‘如果是別人的話，這個缺點可能是不幸的。但是，你的頭髮長得這麽好，對你這樣一個人，我們必須破例照顧。你什麽時候可以來上班？'
　　 “我說，‘唔，事情有點不好辦，因為我已有了一個起子。'
　　 “文森特·斯波爾丁說，‘那不要緊，我能替你照管你的生意。'
　　 “我問，‘上班時間是幾點到幾點？'
　　 “'上午十點到下午兩點。'
　　 “福爾摩斯先生，開當票的人的買賣多半在晚上，特別是在星期四、星期五晚上，這正是發薪前兩天，所以在上午多賺幾個錢對我是很合適的。而且我知道我的夥計人挺不錯，要有什麽事他是會照料好的。
　　 “我說，‘這對我很合適。薪金多少？'
　　 “'每周四英鎊。'
　　 “'那工作怎麽樣？'
　　 “'衹是挂挂名而已。'
　　 “'你說挂挂名是什麽意思？'
　　 “'唔，在整個辦公時間你必須呆在辦公室裏，或者至少在那樓房裏呆着；如果你離開，那你就是永遠放棄了你的整個職位。對於這一點在遺囑上說得很清楚。如果你在這段時間裏稍微離開一下辦公室，那就是沒有按照條件辦事。'
　　 “我說，‘一共衹有四個小時，我是怎麽也不會離開一步的。'
　　 “鄧肯·羅斯先生說，‘不得以任何理由為藉口，不管是有病、有事或其他理由都不行。你必須老老實實呆在那裏，否則你就會丟掉你的位置。'
　　 “'幹什麽工作呢？'
　　 “'你的工作是抄寫《大英百科全書》，這裏有這個版本的第一捲。你要自備墨水、筆和吸墨紙。我們衹提供給你這張桌子和這把椅子。你明天能來上班嗎？'
　　 “我回答說，‘當然可以。'
　　 “'那麽，傑貝茲·威爾遜先生，再見，讓我再一次祝賀你這麽幸運地得到這個重要職位。'他嚮我鞠了個躬。我隨即離開了那個房間，和我夥計一起回傢去。我為自己的好運氣簡直高興得六神無主，不知所措了。
　　 “唔，我整天都在思量這件事。到晚上，我的情緒又消沉下來了，因為我總覺得這件事一定是某種局或大詭計，雖然我猜想不出它的目的是什麽。看來說有人立下這樣的遺囑，或者給那麽多的錢讓人做象抄寫《大英百科全書》這種簡單的工作，簡直都是不可思議的。文森特·斯波爾丁想盡一切辦法來寬慰我。到就寢時，我已使自己從這整個事件中得出結論，不管怎樣，我决定第二天早晨去看看究竟是怎麽回事。我花一個便士買了一瓶墨水、一根羽毛筆、七張大頁書寫紙，然後動身到教皇院去。
　　 “唔，使我又驚又喜的是，一切都很順利。桌子已給我擺好了，鄧肯·羅斯先生在那裏照料，好讓我順利地開始工作。他讓我從字母Ａ開始抄，然後離開我，但他不時走進來看看我工作進行得是否順當。下午兩點鐘他和我說再見，並稱贊我抄寫得真不少。我走出辦公室後，他就把門鎖上。
　　 “福爾摩斯先生，事情就這樣一天天地繼續下去。到了星期六，那幹事進來，付給我四個英鎊的金幣作為我一周工作的報酬。下星期是這樣，再下星期還是這樣。我每天上午十點到那裏上班，下午兩點下班。以後鄧肯·羅斯先生就逐漸地不怎麽常來了，有時候一個上午衹來一次，再過一段時間，他就根本不來了。當然，我還是一會兒也不敢離開辦公室，因為我不敢肯定他什麽時候可能會來的，而這個職務確實很不錯，對我很合適，我不願冒丟掉它的風險。
　　 “就這樣，八個星期的時間過去了。我抄寫了'男修道院院長'、‘盔甲'、‘建築學'和'雅典人'等詞條；並且希望由於我的勤奮努力，不久就可以開始抄寫以字母Ｂ為首的詞條。我花了不少錢買大頁書寫紙，我抄寫的東西幾乎堆滿了一個架子。接着，這整個事情突然宣告結束。”
　　 “結束？”
　　 “是的，先生。就是今天上午結束的。我照常十點鐘去上班，但是門關着而且上了鎖，在門的嵌板中間用品頭釘釘着一張方形小卡片。這張卡片就在這兒，你們自己可以看看。”
　　 他舉着一張約有便條紙大小的白色卡片，上面這樣寫着：
　　 紅發會業經解散，此啓。一○年十月九日
　　 我和歇洛剋·福爾摩斯看了這張簡短的通告及站在後面的那個人充滿懊惱的愁容，這件事的滑稽可笑完全壓倒了一切其他考慮，我們兩個人情不自禁，哈哈大笑起來。
　　 我們的委托人品得滿面通紅，暴跳如雷地嚷道：“我看不出有什麽可笑的地方。如果你們不會幹別的而衹會取笑我的話，那我可以到別處去。”
　　 福爾摩斯大聲說，“不，不，"他一面把已半站起來的威爾遜推回那把椅子裏，一面說，“我真的無論如何不能放過你這個案件。它太不尋常了，實在使人耳目為之一新，但是如果你不見怪的話，我還是要說，這件事確實有點可笑。請問，當你發現門上卡片的時候你采取了什麽措施？”
　　 “先生，我感到很震驚，我不知道怎麽辦纔好。我嚮辦公室周圍的街坊打聽，但是，看來他們誰也不知道那是怎麽回事。最後，我去找房東，他住在樓下，是當會計的。我問他能否告訴我紅發會出了什麽事。他說，他從來沒有聽說過有這樣一個團體。然後，我問他鄧肯·羅斯先生是什麽人。他回答說，這個名字對他很陌生。
　　 “我說，‘唔，是住在７號的那位先生。'
　　 “'什麽，那個紅頭髮的人？'
　　 “'是的。'
　　 “他說，‘噢，他名叫威廉·莫裏斯。他是個律師，他暫住我的屋子，因為他的新居還沒有準備好。他是昨天搬走的。'
　　 “'我在什麽地方能找到他呢？'
　　 “'噢，在他的新辦公室。他確實把他的地址告訴我了。是的，愛德華王街１７號，就在聖保羅教堂附近。'
　　 “福爾摩斯先生，我馬上動身到那裏去了，但是，當我找到那個地方的時候，我發現它是個護膝製造廠，這個廠子裏誰也沒有聽說過有個叫威廉·莫裏斯或叫鄧肯·羅斯的人。”
　　 福爾摩斯問道：“那你怎麽辦呢？”
　　 “我回到我在薩剋斯—科伯格廣場的傢去。我接受了我夥計的勸告。可是，他的勸告根本幫不了我的忙。他衹是說，如果我耐心等待，也許能收到來信，從中得到消息。但是，福爾摩斯先生，這些話並不是那麽中聽的。我不願意不經過鬥爭就失去這麽好的位置。因為我聽說你肯給不知道如何是好的窮人出主意，我就立即到你這裏來了。”
　　 福爾摩斯先生說：“你這樣做很明智。你的案件是樁很了不起的案件，我很樂意管。從你所告訴我的經過看，可能它牽連的問題要比乍看起來更為嚴重。”
　　 傑貝茲·威爾遜先生說：“夠嚴重的啦！你想想，我每周損失四英鎊啊。”
　　 福爾摩斯又說：“就你本人來說，我認為你不應該抱怨這個不同尋常的團體。正相反，據我所知，你白白賺了三十多個英鎊，且不說你抄了那麽多以字母Ａ為詞頭的詞，增長了不少知識。你幹這些事並不吃虧嘛。”
　　 “是不吃虧。但是，先生，我想知道那到底是怎麽回事，那都是些什麽人？他們拿我開玩笑的目的又是什麽——如果確實是開玩笑的話。他們開這個玩笑可是花了不少錢啊，他們花了三十二個英鎊。”
　　 “這一點我們將努力替你弄清楚。但是，威爾遜先生，你要先回答我一兩個問題。第一個，叫你註意看廣告的那位夥計，他在你那裏多久啦？”
　　 “在發生這件事以前大約一個月。”
　　 “他是怎麽來的？”
　　 “他是看廣告應徵來的。”
　　 “衹有他一個人申請嗎？”
　　 “不，有十來個人申請。”
　　 “你為什麽選中他呢？”
　　 “因為他靈巧，所費不多。”
　　 “實際上他衹領一半工資？”
　　 “是的。”
　　 “這個文森特·斯波爾丁什麽模樣？”
　　 “小個子，體格健壯，動作很敏捷；雖然年齡約在三十開外，臉皮卻很光滑。他的前額有一塊被硫酸燒傷的白色傷疤。”
　　 福爾摩斯十分興奮地在椅子上挺直了身子。他說：“這些我都想到了。你有沒有註意到他的兩衹耳朵穿了戴耳環的孔？”
　　 “是的，先生。他對我說，是他年輕的時候一個吉起賽人給他在耳朵上穿的孔。”
　　 福爾摩斯說，"唔，"漸漸陷於沉思之中，"他還在你那裏嗎？”
　　 “噢，是的，我剛纔就是從他那裏來的。”
　　 “你不在的時候生意一直由他照料嗎？”
　　 “先生，我對他的工作沒有什麽可抱怨的，上午本來就沒有多少買賣。”
　　 “行啦，威爾遜先生，我將愉快地在一兩天內把我關於這件事的意見告訴你。今天是星期六，我希望到星期一我們就可以作出結論了。”
　　 在客人走了以後，福爾摩斯對我說：“好啦，華生，依你看，這到底是怎麽回事呢？”
　　 我坦率地回答說：“我一點也看不出問題來。這件事太神秘了。”
　　 福爾摩斯先生說：“一般地說，愈是稀破的事，一旦大白，就可以看出並不是那麽高深莫測。那些普普通通、毫無特色的罪行纔真正令人迷惑。就象一個人的平淡無破的面孔最難以辨認一樣。但是，我必須立即采取行動去處理這件事。”
　　 我回答他：“那麽你準備怎麽辦呢？”
　　 他回答說：“抽煙，這是要抽足三鬥煙才能解决的問題；同時我請你在五十分鐘內不要跟我說話。"他蜷縮在椅子裏，瘦削的膝蓋幾乎碰着他那鷹鈎鼻子。他閉上眼睛靜坐在那裏，叼着的那衹黑色陶製煙斗，很象某種珍禽異鳥的那個又尖又長的嘴。我當時認為，他一定沉入夢鄉了，我也打起瞌睡來；而正在這個時候，他忽然從椅子裏一躍而起，一副拿定了主意的神態，隨即把煙斗放在壁爐臺上。
　　 他說：“薩拉沙特今天下午在聖詹姆士會堂演出。華生，你看怎麽樣？你的病人可以讓你有幾小時空閑的時間嗎？”
　　 “我今天沒什麽事。我的工作從來不是那麽離不開的。”
　　 “那麽戴上帽子，咱們走吧。我們將經過市區，順路可以吃點午飯。我註意到節目單上德國音樂很不少。我覺得德國音樂比意大利或法國音樂更為優美動聽。德國音樂聽了發人深省。我正要做一番內省的功夫。走吧。”
　　 我們坐地鐵一直到奧爾德斯蓋特；再走一小段路，我們便到了薩剋斯—科伯格廣場，上午聽到的那破特的故事正發生在這個地方。這是一些湫隘狹窄破落而又虛擺場面的窮街陋巷，四排灰暗的兩層磚房排列在一個周圍有鐵欄桿的圍墻之內。院子裏是一片雜草叢生的草坪，草坪上幾簇枯萎的月桂小樹叢正在煙霧彌漫和很不適意的環境裏頑強地生長着。在街道拐角的一所房子上方，有一塊棕色木板和三個鍍金的圓球，上面刻有"傑貝茲·威爾遜"這幾個白色大字，這個招牌嚮人們表示，這就是我們紅頭髮委托人做買賣的所在地。歇洛剋·福爾摩斯在那房子前面停了下來，歪着腦袋細細察看了一遍這所房子，眼睛在皺紋密佈的眼皮中間炯炯發光。他隨即漫步走到街上，然後再返回那個拐角，眼睛註視着那些房子。最後他回到那傢當票坐落的地方，用手杖使勁地敲打了兩三下那裏的人行道，之後便走到當票門口敲門。一個看上去很精明能幹、鬍子颳得光光的年輕小夥子立即給他開了門，請他進去。
　　 福爾摩斯說：“勞駕，我衹想問一下，從這裏到斯特蘭德怎麽走。"
　　 那個夥計立即回答說：“到第三個路口往右拐，到第四個路口再往左拐。"隨即關上了門。
　　 當我們從那裏走開的時候，福爾摩斯說，“我看他真是個精明能幹的小夥子。據我的判斷，他在倫敦可以算得上是第四個最精明能幹的人了；至於在膽略方面，我不敢肯定說他是不是數第三。我以前對他有所瞭解。”
　　 我說，“顯然，威爾遜先生的夥計在這個紅發會的神秘事件中起了很大的作用。我相信你去問路不過是為了想看一看他而已。”
　　 “不是看他。”
　　 “那又是為了什麽呢？”
　　 “看看他褲子膝蓋那個地方。”
　　 “你看見了什麽？”
　　 “我看到了我想看的東西。”
　　 “你為什麽要敲打人行道？”
　　 “我的親愛的大夫，現在是留心觀察的時候，而不是談話的時候。我們是在敵人的領土裏進行偵查活動。我們知道一些薩剋斯—科伯格廣場的情況。讓我們現在去探查一下廣場後面那些地方。”
　　 當我們從那偏僻的薩剋斯—科伯格廣場的拐角轉過彎來的時候，呈現在我們面前的道路是一種截然不同的景象，就象一幅畫的正面和背面那樣地截然不同。那是市區通嚮西北的一條交通大動脈。街道被一股熙熙攘攘做生意的人的洪流堵塞住了；在這洪流中，有嚮內流的，也有嚮外流的。人行道則被蜂擁而來的無數行人踩得發黑。當我們看着那一排華麗的商店和富麗堂皇的商業樓宇的時候，簡直難以確認這些樓宇和我們離開的死氣沉沉的廣場那一邊是緊靠在一起的。
　　 福爾摩斯站在一個拐角順着那一排房子看過去，說，“讓我們想想看，我很想記住這裏這些房子的順序。準確瞭解倫敦是我的一種癖好。這裏有一傢叫莫蒂然的煙草店，那邊是一傢賣報紙的小店！再過去是城市與郊區銀行的科伯格分行、素食餐館、麥剋法蘭馬車製造廠，一直延伸到另一個街區。好啦，大夫，我們已完成了我們的工作，該去消遣一會了。來份三明治和一杯咖啡，然後到演奏提琴的場地去轉一轉，在那裏一切都是悅耳的、優雅的、和諧的，在那裏沒有紅頭髮委托人出難題來打擾我們。”
　　 我的朋友是個熱情奔放的音樂傢，他本人不但是個技藝精湛的演奏傢，而且還是一個纔藝超群的作麯傢。整個下午他坐在觀衆席裏，顯得十分喜悅，他隨着音樂的節拍輕輕地揮動他瘦長的手指；他面帶微笑，而眼睛卻略帶傷感，如入夢鄉。這時的福爾摩斯與那厲害的偵探，那個鐵面無私、多謀善斷、果敢敏捷的刑事案件偵探福爾摩斯大不相同，幾乎判若兩人。在他那古怪的雙重性格交替地顯露出來時，正如我常常想的那樣，他的極其細緻、敏銳可以說和有時在他身上占主導地位的富有詩意的沉思神態，形成了鮮明的對照。他的性格就是這樣使他從一個極端走到另一個極端，時而非常憔悴，時而精力充沛。我很清楚地知道，他最嚴肅的時候就是，接連幾天坐在扶手椅中苦思冥想地構思和創作的時候。而強烈的追捕欲望又會突然支配他，在這個時候他的推理能力就會高超到成為一種直覺，以致那些不瞭解他做法的人會以疑問的眼光，把他看作是一個萬事通的知識超人。那天下午，我看着他在聖詹姆士會堂完全沉醉在音樂聲中的時候，我覺得他决意要追捕的人該倒黴了。
　　 當我們聽完音樂走出來的時候，他說：“大夫，你無疑想要回傢了吧。”
　　 “是該回傢了。”
　　 “我還有點事要費幾個小時才能辦完。發生在科伯格廣場的事是樁重大案件。”
　　 “為什麽是重大案件呢？”
　　 “有人正在密謀策劃一樁重大罪案。我有充分理由相信我們將及時製止他們。但是，今天是星期六，事情變得復雜起來了。今晚我需要你的幫忙。”
　　 “什麽時間？”
　　 “十點鐘就夠早了。”
　　 “我十點到貝剋街就是了。”
　　 “那很好。不過，大夫，我說可能有點兒危險，請你把你在軍隊裏使用過的那把手槍放在口袋裏。"他招了招手，轉過身去，立即消失在人群中。
　　 我敢說，我這個人並不比我的朋友們愚鈍，但是，在我和歇洛剋·福爾摩斯的交往中，我總感覺到一種壓力：我自己太笨了。就拿這件事來說吧，他聽到的我也都聽到了，他見到的我也都見到了，但從他的談話中可以明顯地看出，他不但清楚地瞭解到已經發生的事情，而且還預見到將要發生的事情；而在我看來，這件事仍然是混亂和荒唐的。當我乘車回到我在肯辛頓的住傢時，我又把事情由始至終思索了一遍，從抄寫《大英百科全書》的那個紅頭髮人的異乎尋常的遭遇，到去訪問薩剋斯—科伯格廣場，到福爾摩斯和我分手時所說的不祥的預示。要在夜間出徵是怎麽回事？為什麽要我帶武器去？我們準備到哪裏去？去幹什麽？我從福爾摩斯那裏得到暗示，當鋪老闆的那個臉龐光滑的夥計是難對付的傢夥，這傢夥可能施展狡猾的花招。我老是想把這些事情理出個頭緒來，結果總在失望中作罷，衹好把它們放在一邊，反正到晚上就會水落石出。
　　 我從傢裏動身的時間是九點一刻，我是穿過公園去的，這樣也就穿過牛津街然後到達貝剋街。兩輛雙輪雙座馬車停在門口。當我走進過道的時候，我聽到從樓上傳來的聲音。我走進福爾摩斯的房間裏，看見他正和兩個人談得很熱烈。我認出其中一個人是局的官方偵探彼得·瓊斯；另一個是面黃肌瘦的高個子男人，他頭戴一頂光澤閃閃的帽子，身穿一件厚厚的、非常講究的禮服大衣。
　　 福爾摩斯說：“哈，我們的人都到齊了。"他一面說話一面把他粗呢上衣的扣子扣上，並從架上把他那根笨重的打獵鞭子取下來。他又說：“華生，我想你認識蘇格蘭場的瓊斯先生吧？讓我介紹你認識梅裏韋瑟先生，他就要成為我們今晚冒險行動的夥伴。”
　　 瓊斯傲慢地說：“大夫，你瞧，我們又重新搭檔在一起追捕了。我們這位朋友是追捕能手。他衹需要一條老狗去幫助他把獵物捕獲。”
　　 梅裏韋瑟悲觀地說：“我希望這次追捕不要成為一樁徒勞無益的行動。”
　　 那個警探趾高氣揚地說：“先生，你對福爾摩斯先生應當很有信心纔對，他有自己的一套辦法。這套辦法，恕我直言，就是有點太理論化和異想天開，但他具有成為一名偵探所需要的素質。有一兩次，比如肖爾托兇殺案和阿格拉珍寶大盜竊案，他都比官方偵探判斷得更加正確。我這樣說並不是誇大其詞。”
　　 那個陌生人順從地說：“瓊斯先生，你要這樣說我沒有意見。不過，我還是要聲明，我錯過了打橋牌的時間，這是我二十七年來頭一次星期六晚上不打橋牌。”
　　 歇洛剋·福爾摩斯說：“我想你會發現，今天晚上你下的賭註比你以往下過的都大，而且這次打牌的場面更加激動人心。梅裏韋瑟先生，對你來說，賭註約值三萬英鎊；而瓊斯先生，對你來說，賭註是你想要逮捕的人。
　　 “約翰·剋萊這個殺人犯、盜竊犯、搶劫犯、詐騙犯，是個青年人，梅裏韋瑟先生，但他是這夥罪犯的頭頭。我認為逮捕他比逮捕倫敦的任何其他罪犯都要緊，他是個值得註意的人物。這個年紀輕輕的約翰·剋萊，他的祖父是王室公爵，他本人在伊頓公學和牛津大學讀過書。他的頭腦同手一樣的靈活。雖然我們每拐個彎都能碰到他的蹤跡，但是，我們始終不知道到哪裏去找他這個人。他一個星期在蘇格蘭砸爛一個兒童床，而下一下星期卻在康沃爾籌款興建一個孤兒院。我跟蹤他多年了，就是一直未能見他一面。
　　 “我希望我今晚能夠高興地為你介紹一番。我也和這個約翰·剋萊交過一兩次手。我同意你剛纔說的，他是個盜竊集團的頭子。好啦，現在已經十點多，這是我們應該出發的時間。如果你們二位坐第一輛馬車，那麽我和華生坐第二輛馬車跟着。”
　　 在漫長的道路上，歇洛剋·福爾摩斯很少講話；他在車廂的座位上嚮後靠着，口裏哼着當天下午聽過的樂麯。馬車轔轔地在沒有盡頭、迷津似的點着許多煤氣燈的馬路上行駛，一直到了法林頓街。
　　 我的朋友說，“現在我們離那裏不遠了。梅裏韋瑟這人是？”個銀行董事，他本人對這個案子很感興趣。我想讓瓊斯也和我們一塊來有好處。這個人不錯，雖然就他的本行來說，他純粹是個笨蛋。不過他有一個值得肯定的優點，一旦他抓住了罪犯，他勇猛得象條獒狗，頑強得象頭竜蝦。好，我們到了，他們正在等我們。”
　　 我們到達上午去過的那條平常人來人往擁擠不堪的大馬路。把馬車打發走了以後，在梅裏韋瑟先生的帶領下，走過一條狹窄的通道，經由他給我們打開的旁門進去。在裏面有條小走廊，走廊盡頭是扇巨大的鐵門。梅裏韋瑟先生把那扇鐵門打開，進門後是盤旋式石板臺階通嚮另一扇令人望而生畏的大門。梅裏韋瑟先生停下來把提燈點着，然後領我們往下沿着一條有一股泥土氣息的通道走下去，然後再打開第三道門，便進入了一個龐大的拱頂的地下室。地下室周圍堆滿了板條箱和很大的箱子。
　　 福爾摩斯把提燈舉起來四下察看。他說：“你們這個地下室要從上面突破倒不那麽容易。”
　　 梅裏韋瑟先生邊用手杖敲打着平地的石板邊說，“從地下突破也不容易。"接着驚訝地擡起頭來說，“哎喲！聽聲音底下是空的。”
　　 福爾摩斯嚴厲地說，“我真的必須要求你們安靜點！你已經使我們取得這次遠征的完全勝利受到了損害。我請求你找個箱子坐在上面，不要幹擾好不好？”
　　 這位莊重的梅裏韋瑟先生衹好坐到一隻板條箱上，滿臉受委屈的表情。這時，福爾摩斯跪在石板地上，拿着提燈和放大鏡開始仔細地檢查石板之間的縫隙。他衹用品刻時間就檢查完畢，聳身站了起來，並把放大鏡放回口袋裏。
　　 他說：“我們起碼要等一個小時，因為在那個好心腸的當鋪老闆睡安穩以前，他們是不可能采取任何行動的。然後，他們就會分秒必爭地抓緊時間動手，因為他們動手得愈早，逃跑的時間就愈多。大夫，你無疑已猜到了，我們現在是在倫敦的一傢大銀行的市內分行的地下室裏。梅裏韋瑟先生是這傢銀行的董事長，他會嚮你解釋，為什麽倫敦的那些膽子比較大的罪犯現在會對這個地下室那麽感興趣。”
　　 那位董事長低聲說：“那是我們的法國黃金。我們已接到幾次警告，說可能有人品圖在這上面打主意。”
　　 “你們的法國黃金？”
　　 “是的，幾個月以前，我們恰好有機會增加我們的資金來源，為此目的，我們嚮法蘭西銀行藉了三萬個法國金幣。現在大傢都已知道，我們一直沒有功夫開箱取出這些錢，因此仍然放在地下室裏。我坐着的這個板條箱子裏面就有兩千個法國金幣，是用錫箔一層一層夾着包裝的。我們的黃金儲備現在比一傢分所平常所擁有的數量大得多，董事們對這件事一直很不放心。”
　　 福爾摩斯說：“他們不放心是很有道理的。現在是我們安排一下我們小小的計劃的時候了。我預料在一小時內事情就會大白。現在，梅裏韋瑟先生，我們必須用布燈罩把這暗色提燈蒙上。”
　　 “在黑暗中坐等嗎？”
　　 “恐怕是這樣。我帶了一副牌放在口袋裏。我本來想，我們正好四個人，你也許可以打你的橋牌。但是，現在我看敵人已在準備，我們不能冒漏出亮光的危險。首先，我們必須選好位置。這些人都是膽大妄為的傢夥，但是我們將打他個措手不及。我們要謹慎小心，否則他們就可能使我們受到一些損傷。我將站在這個板條箱後面，你們都藏在那些箱子後面。然後當我把燈光照嚮他們的時候，你們就迅速跑過去。華生，如果他們開槍，你就毫不留情地把他們。”
　　 我把推上了子彈的左輪手槍放在我蹲在後面的那個木箱上面。福爾摩斯飛快地把提燈的滑板拉到燈的面前，這樣我們就陷於一片漆黑之中——我以前從來沒有在這麽一團漆黑的地方呆過。烤熱了的金屬的氣味使我們確信，燈還是亮着的，一得到信號就可以閃出亮光來。我當時靜候着，神經緊張，在那陰濕寒冷的地下室，在那突然的黑暗裏，令人有壓抑和沮喪之感。
　　 福爾摩斯低聲說：“他們衹有一條退路，那就是退到屋子裏去，然後再退到薩剋斯—科伯格廣場去。瓊斯，我想你已經照我的要求去辦了吧？”
　　 “我已派了一個巡官和兩個警官守候在前門那裏。”
　　 “那麽我們把所有漏洞都堵死了，現在我們必須靜靜地等在這裏。”
　　 時間過得真慢！事後我們對了一下表，一共等了一小時十五分鐘，但是我仿佛覺得是通宵達旦，整整一夜，似乎曙光就要來臨。因為我不敢變換位置，所以纍得手腳發麻。我神經緊張到了極點，但聽覺卻十分敏銳，不但能聽見同夥們輕輕的呼吸，而且連那大塊頭瓊斯又深又粗的吸氣和那銀行董事很輕的嘆息我都能分辨出來。從我面前的箱子上望過去，可以看到石板地那個方向。我忽然看見隱約地閃現着的亮光。
　　 起先，那衹是閃現在石板地上的灰黃色的星星之火；接着火星聯成了一條黃色的光束。忽然間地面悄悄地似乎出現了一條裂縫，一隻手從那裏伸了出來，一隻幾乎象婦女那樣又白又嫩的手在有亮光的一小塊地方的中央摸索着。大概一分鐘左右，這衹指頭蠕動的手伸出了地面。然後同它的突然伸出一樣，頃刻之間又縮了回去，周圍又是一片漆黑，衹有一點灰黃色的火星照亮着石板縫。
　　 不過，那衹手衹是隱沒了一會兒。忽然間發出一種刺耳的撕裂聲響，在地板中間的一塊寬大的白石板翻了過來，那裏立時出現了一個四方形缺口，隨即從缺口裏射出一綫提燈的亮光。在邊緣上露出一張清秀的孩子般的臉，這個人敏捷地嚮四周圍察看了一下，然後用兩衹手扒着那缺口的兩邊嚮上攀升，直至肩膀和腰部都到了缺口上面，然後一個膝蓋跪在洞口邊緣。一剎那，他已站在洞口一邊，並把一個同夥拉了上來。同夥和他一樣是個動作輕巧靈活的小個子，面色蒼白，有一頭蓬亂的很紅的頭髮。
　　 他小聲地說：“一切都很順當。你把鑿子和袋子都帶來了嗎？天啊，不好了！阿爾破，跳，趕緊跳，別的由我來對付！”
　　 歇洛剋·福爾摩斯一躍而起，跳過去一把揪住這個偷偷潛入的人的領子。另一個人猛然一下子跳到洞裏去了。我聽到撕破衣服的聲音，瓊斯當時一把抓住了他的衣服的下襬。一枝左輪手槍的槍管在亮光中閃現了一下，但福爾摩斯的打獵鞭子驟然打在那個人的手腕上，手槍當地一聲掉在石板地上。
　　 福爾摩斯無動於衷似地說：“約翰·剋萊，那是徒勞的，你逃不過這一關了。”
　　 對方極其冷靜地回答說：“我看是這樣。我想我的好友會平安無事的，雖然我看見你們揪住了他的衣角。”
　　 福爾摩斯說：“三個人正在那邊門口等着他呢。”
　　 “噢，真的，你們辦事似乎很周到。我應該嚮你們致敬！”
　　 福爾摩斯回答道：“彼此，彼此。你的那個紅頭髮點子很新穎，也很有效。”
　　 瓊斯說：“你將會同你的夥伴愉快地會面的。他鑽進洞裏的動作比我來得快。伸出手來，讓我銬上。”
　　 當手銬把我們的俘虜的手腕扣上的時候，他說：“我請求你們不要用你們的髒手碰我。你們也許不知道我是皇族後裔。我還要請你們跟我說話時，在任何時候都要用'先生'和'請'字。”
　　 瓊斯瞪大眼睛，忍住了笑說：“好吧，唔，‘先生'請你往臺階上走吧，到了上面，我們可以弄輛馬車把閣下送到局去。可以嗎？”
　　 約翰·剋萊安詳地說：“這就好些。"他嚮我們三人很快地鞠了個躬，然後默默無言地在警探的監護下走了出去。
　　 當我們跟在他們後面從地下室走出來的時候，梅裏韋瑟先生說：“我真不知道我們銀行該怎麽感謝和酬勞你們纔好。毫無疑問，你們用了最嚴謹周密的方法來偵察和破案；這個案件是我經歷中從未見過的最精心策劃的一起盜竊銀行案。”
　　 福爾摩斯說：“我自己就有一兩筆帳要和約翰·剋萊算。我為這個案子花了點錢，我想銀行會付給我這些錢的。但是，除此以外，我還得到其他方面的優厚報酬，這次破案的經驗在許多方面都是獨一無二的。光是聽那紅發會的很不尋常的故事也就收穫不小了。”
　　 清晨，我們在貝剋街喝加蘇打水的威士忌酒的時候，福爾摩斯解釋說：“華生，你看，從一開始就十分明顯，這個紅發會的那個稀破古怪的廣告和抄寫《大英百科全書》的唯一可能的目的，是使這個糊裏糊塗的當票老闆每天離開他的店鋪幾個小時。這種做法很新破，但確實很難想出比這更巧妙的辦法。這個辦法無疑說明剋萊的別出心裁，他利用品同謀犯的頭髮顔色。每周四英鎊肯定是引他上鈎的誘餌。對他們這些想把成千成萬英鎊弄到手的人來說，這點錢算得了什麽呢？他們登了廣告，一個流氓搞了個臨時辦公室，另一個流氓慫恿他去申請那個職位。他們合謀保證他每周每天上午離開他的店鋪。從我聽到那夥計衹拿一半工資的時候起，我就看出，顯然他到那當票當夥計是有某種特殊動機的。”
　　 “可是，你是怎麽猜出他的動機的呢？”
　　 “如果在那店鋪裏有女人的話，我本來會懷疑無非是搞些庸俗的風流事。可是，根本不是那麽回事。這個當票老闆做的是小本經營的買賣，當票裏沒有什麽值錢的東西，值不得他們如此精心策劃，花那麽多錢。因此，他們的目標肯定不在當票。那麽可能搞什麽呢？我想到這個夥計喜歡照相，想到他經常出沒於地下室這個詭計。地下室！這就找到了這個錯綜復雜的案件的綫索。然後，我調查了這個神秘的夥計的情況。我發現，我的對手是倫敦頭腦最冷靜、膽子最大的罪犯之一，他在地下室裏搞了名堂，而且要連續幾個月每天幹許多小時纔行。那再問一下，可能搞什麽呢？我想除了挖一條通往其他樓房的地道以外，不可能是其他什麽東西。
　　 “當我們去察看作案地點時，我心裏就明白了。我用手杖敲打人行道使你感到驚訝，我當時是要弄清楚地下室是朝前還是朝後延伸的。它不是朝前延伸。然後我按門鈴，正如我所希望的，是那夥計出來開門。我們曾經有過一些較量。但是，在這以前，彼此從未面對面相見過。我幾乎沒看他的臉，我想要看的是他的膝蓋。你自己也一定覺察到，他的褲子膝部那個地方是多麽破舊、皺褶和骯髒。這些情況說明，他花了多少時間去挖地道。這樣唯一未解决的問題是，他們為什麽挖地道？於是，我在那拐角周圍巡視一番，我看到原來那城市與郊區銀行和我們的朋友的房子緊挨着。我覺得問題解决了。當你在我們聽完音樂坐車回傢的時候，我走訪了蘇格蘭場和這傢銀行的董事長，結果如何，你已經看到了。”
　　 我問他：“你怎麽能斷定他們會在當天晚上作案呢？”
　　 “唔，他們的紅發會辦公室關門大吉是個訊號：他們對傑貝茲·威爾遜先生人在當票裏已不在乎了。換句話說，他們的地道已經挖通了。但是，最重要的是，由於地道有可能被發現，黃金有可能被搬走，所以他們務必盡快利用這條地道。星期六比其他日子對他們更合適，這樣他們有兩天的空隙可供逃跑。根據上述種種理由，我預料他們會在今天晚上下手。”
　　 我以毫不掩飾的欽佩心情贊嘆道：“你這樣推理真是太棒了。這一連串的推理可謂長矣，但每個環節都證明你的推斷是正確的。”
　　 他回答說："這免得我感到無聊。"他打個哈欠，接着說，“唉，我已覺得生活夠無聊的了。我的一生就是力求不要在庸庸碌碌中虛度過去。這些小小的案件幫了我的忙。”
　　 我說：“你真是造福人類啊！”
　　 他聳了聳肩，說道，“唔，總而言之，這也許還有點用處。正如居斯塔夫·福樓拜在給喬治·桑的信中所說的，‘人是渺小的——著作就是一切。'

　　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 a bob 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 endeavoured, 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 grey 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. A frayed 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' 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. Apply 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 a living. 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 employé 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 colour, 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 eligible 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 colour. 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 folk, and Pope's Court looked like a coster's orange barrow. I should not have thought there were so many in the whole country as were brought together by that single advertisement. Every shade of colour they were--straw, lemon, orange, brick, Irish-setter, liver, clay; but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real vivid flame-coloured tint. When I saw how many were waiting, I would have given it up in despair; but Spaulding would not hear of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream upon the stair, some going up in hope, and some coming back dejected; but we wedged in as well as we could and soon found ourselves in the office."
　　 "Your experience has been a most entertaining one," remarked Holmes as his client paused and refreshed his memory with a huge pinch of snuff. "Pray continue your very interesting statement."
　　 "There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that was even redder than mine. He said a few words to each candidate as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault in them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy did not seem to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he might have a private word with us.
　　 "'This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,' said my assistant, 'and he is willing to fill a vacancy in the League.'
　　 "'And he is admirably suited for it,' the other answered. 'He has every requirement. I cannot recall when I have seen anything so fine.' He took a step backward, cocked his head on one side, and gazed at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he plunged forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my success.
　　 "'It would be injustice to hesitate,' said he. 'You will, however, I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.' With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged until I yelled with the pain. 'There is water in your eyes,' said he as he released me. 'I perceive that all is as it should be. But we have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and once by paint. I could tell you tales of cobbler's wax which would disgust you with human nature.' He stepped over to the window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below, and the folk all trooped away in different directions until there was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the manager.
　　 "'My name,' said he, 'is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself one of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. Are you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?'
　　 "I answered that I had not.
　　 "His face fell immediately.
　　 "'Dear me!' he said gravely, 'that is very serious indeed! I am sorry to hear you say that. The fund was, of course, for the propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate that you should be a bachelor.'
　　 "My face lengthened at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was not to have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for a few minutes he said that it would be all right.
　　 "'In the case of another,' said he, 'the objection might be fatal, but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a head of hair as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon your new duties?'
　　 "'Well, it is a little awkward, for I have a business already,' said I.
　　 "'Oh, never mind about that, Mr. Wilson!' said Vincent Spaulding. 'I should be able to look after that for you.'
　　 "'What would be the hours?' I asked.
　　 "'Ten to two.'
　　 "Now a pawnbroker's business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just before pay-day; so it would suit me very well to earn a little in the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was a good man, and that he would see to anything that turned up.
　　 "'That would suit me very well,' said I. 'And the pay?'
　　 "'Is 4 pounds a week.'
　　 "'And the work?'
　　 "'Is purely nominal.'
　　 "'What do you call purely nominal?'
　　 "'Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole position forever. The will is very clear upon that point. You don't comply with the conditions if you budge from the office during that time.'
　　 "'It's only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,' said I.
　　 "'No excuse will avail,' said Mr. Duncan Ross; 'neither sickness nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose your billet.'
　　 "'And the work?'
　　 "'Is to copy out the "Encyclopaedia Britannica." There is the first volume of it in that press. You must find your own ink, pens, and blotting-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be ready to-morrow?'
　　 "'Certainly,' I answered.
　　 "'Then, good-bye, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate you once more on the important position which you have been fortunate enough to gain.' He bowed me out of the room and I went home with my assistant, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased at my own good fortune.
　　 "Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in low spirits again; for I had quite persuaded myself that the whole affair must be some great hoax or fraud, though what its object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay such a sum for doing anything so simple as copying out the 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Vincent Spaulding did what he could to cheer me up, but by bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look at it anyhow, so I bought a penny bottle of ink, and with a quill-pen, and seven sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for Pope's Court.
　　 "Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross was there to see that I got fairly to work. He started me off upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o'clock he bade me good-day, complimented me upon the amount that I had written, and locked the door of the office after me.
　　 "This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the manager came in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my week's work. It was the same next week, and the same the week after. Every morning I was there at ten, and every afternoon I left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only once of a morning, and then, after a time, he did not come in at all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave the room for an instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet was such a good one, and suited me so well, that I would not risk the loss of it.
　　 "Eight weeks passed away like this, and I had written about Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture and Attica, and hoped with diligence that I might get on to the B's before very long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf with my writings. And then suddenly the whole business came to an end."
　　 "To an end?"
　　 "Yes, sir. And no later than this morning. I went to my work as usual at ten o'clock, but the door was shut and locked, with a little square of cardboard hammered on to the middle of the panel with a tack. Here it is, and you can read for yourself."
　　 He held up a piece of white cardboard about the size of a sheet of note-paper. It read in this fashion:
　　 THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE
　　 IS
　　 DISSOLVED.
　　 October 9, 1890.
　　 Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so completely overtopped every other consideration that we both burst out into a roar of laughter.
　　 "I cannot see that there is anything very funny," cried our client, flushing up to the roots of his flaming head. "If you can do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go elsewhere."
　　 "No, no," cried Holmes, shoving him back into the chair from which he had half risen. "I really wouldn't miss your case for the world. It is most refreshingly unusual. But there is, if you will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the door?"
　　 "I was staggered, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything about it. Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant living on the ground-floor, and I asked him if he could tell me what had become of the Red-headed League. He said that he had never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him.
　　 "'Well,' said I, 'the gentleman at No. 4.'
　　 "'What, the red-headed man?'
　　 "'Yes.'
　　 "'Oh,' said he, 'his name was William Morris. He was a solicitor and was using my room as a temporary convenience until his new premises were ready. He moved out yesterday.'
　　 "'Where could I find him?'
　　 "'Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 King Edward Street, near St. Paul's.'
　　 "I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was a manufactory of artificial knee-caps, and no one in it had ever heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross."
　　 "And what did you do then?" asked Holmes.
　　 "I went home to Saxe-Coburg Square, and I took the advice of my assistant. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good 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 pounds, 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 prank--if it was a prank--upon 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 advertisement--how 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 gipsy 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 to-day. 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 realise 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 criminal agent, as it was possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from extreme languor to devouring energy; and, as I knew well, he was never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall I felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down.
　　 "You want to go home, no doubt, Doctor," he remarked as we emerged.
　　 "Yes, it would be as well."
　　 "And I have some business to do which will take some hours. This business at Coburg Square is serious."
　　 "Why serious?"
　　 "A considerable crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being Saturday rather complicates matters. I shall want your help to-night."
　　 "At what time?"
　　 "Ten will be early enough."
　　 "I shall be at Baker Street at ten."
　　 "Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, so kindly put your army revolver in your pocket." He waved his hand, turned on his heel, and disappeared in an instant among the crowd.
　　 I trust that I am not more dense than my neighbours, but I was always oppressed with a sense of my own stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard, I had seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and grotesque. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed copier of the "Encyclopaedia" down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg Square, and the ominous words with which he had parted from me. What was this nocturnal expedition, and why should I go armed? Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint from Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker's assistant was a formidable man--a man who might play a deep game. I tried to puzzle it out, but gave it up in despair and set the matter aside until night should bring an explanation.
　　 It was a quarter-past nine when I started from home and made my way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered the passage I heard the sound of voices from above. On entering his room I found Holmes in animated conversation with two men, one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad-faced man, with a very shiny hat and oppressively respectable frock-coat.
　　 "Ha! Our party is complete," said Holmes, buttoning up his pea-jacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. "Watson, I think you know Mr. Jones, of Scotland Yard? Let me introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in to-night's adventure."
　　 "We're hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see," said Jones in his consequential way. "Our friend here is a wonderful man for starting a chase. All he wants is an old dog to help him to do the running down."
　　 "I hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase," observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily.
　　 "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly correct than the official force."
　　 "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right," said the stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. It is the first Saturday night for seven-and-twenty years that I have not had my rubber."
　　 "I think you will find," said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will play for a higher stake to-night than you have ever done yet, and that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, the stake will be some 30,000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands."
　　 "John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to find the man himself. He'll crack a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. I've been on his track for years and have never set eyes on him yet."
　　 "I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. I've had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I agree with you that he is at the head of his profession. It is past ten, however, and quite time that we started. If you two will take the first hansom, Watson and I will follow in the second."
　　 Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative during the long drive and lay back in the cab humming the tunes which he had heard in the afternoon. We rattled through an endless labyrinth of gas-lit streets until we emerged into Farrington Street.
　　 "We are close there now," my friend remarked. "This fellow Merryweather is a bank director, and personally interested in the matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. He has one positive virtue. He is as brave as a bulldog and as tenacious as a lobster if he gets his claws upon anyone. Here we are, and they are waiting for us."
　　 We had reached the same crowded thoroughfare in which we had found ourselves in the morning. Our cabs were dismissed, and, following the guidance of Mr. Merryweather, we passed down a narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. Within there was a small corridor, which ended in a very massive iron gate. This also was opened, and led down a flight of winding stone steps, which terminated at another formidable gate. Mr. Merryweather stopped to light a lantern, and then conducted us down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a third door, into a huge vault or cellar, which was piled all round with crates and massive boxes.
　　 "You are not very vulnerable from above," Holmes remarked as he held up the lantern and gazed about him.
　　 "Nor from below," said Mr. Merryweather, striking his stick upon the flags which lined the floor. "Why, dear me, it sounds quite hollow!" he remarked, looking up in surprise.
　　 "I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!" said Holmes severely. "You have already imperilled the whole success of our expedition. Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?"
　　 The solemn Mr. Merryweather perched himself upon a crate, with a very injured expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon the floor and, with the lantern and a magnifying lens, began to examine minutely the cracks between the stones. A few seconds sufficed to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again and put his glass in his pocket.
　　 "We have at least an hour before us," he remarked, "for they can hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their work the longer time they will have for their escape. We are at present, Doctor--as no doubt you have divined--in the cellar of the City branch of one of the principal London banks. Mr. Merryweather is the chairman of directors, and he will explain to you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals of London should take a considerable interest in this cellar at present."
　　 "It is our French gold," whispered the director. "We have had several warnings that an attempt might be made upon it."
　　 "Your French gold?"
　　 "Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to unpack the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar. The crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between layers of lead foil. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the directors have had misgivings upon the subject."
　　 "Which were very well justified," observed Holmes. "And now it is time that we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an hour matters will come to a head. In the meantime Mr. Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern."
　　 "And sit in the dark?"
　　 "I am afraid so. I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your rubber after all. But I see that the enemy's preparations have gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us some harm unless we are careful. I shall stand behind this crate, and do you conceal yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash a light upon them, close in swiftly. If they fire, Watson, have no compunction about shooting them down."
　　 I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across the front of his lantern and left us in pitch darkness--such an absolute darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready to flash out at a moment's notice. To me, with my nerves worked up to a pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the vault.
　　 "They have but one retreat," whispered Holmes. "That is back through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have done what I asked you, Jones?"
　　 "I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door."
　　 "Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent and wait."
　　 What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must have almost gone and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case in the direction of the floor. Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light.
　　 At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between the stones.
　　 Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, boyish face, which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling after him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face and a shock of very red hair.
　　 "It's all clear," he whispered. "Have you the chisel and the bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I'll swing for it!"
　　 Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes' hunting crop came down on the man's wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone floor.
　　 "It's no use, John Clay," said Holmes blandly. "You have no chance at all."
　　 "So I see," the other answered with the utmost coolness. "I fancy that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his coat-tails."
　　 "There are three men waiting for him at the door," said Holmes.
　　 "Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment you."
　　 "And I you," Holmes answered. "Your red-headed idea was very new and effective."
　　 "You'll see your pal again presently," said Jones. "He's quicker at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the derbies."
　　 "I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands," remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. "You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness, also, when you address me always to say 'sir' and 'please.'"
　　 "All right," said Jones with a stare and a snigger. "Well, would you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry your Highness to the police-station?"
　　 "That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective.
　　 "Really, Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Merryweather as we followed them from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience."
　　 "I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. John Clay," said Holmes. "I have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond that I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of the Red-headed League."
　　 "You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the League, and the copying of the 'Encyclopaedia,' must be to get this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the colour of his accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation."
　　 "But how could you guess what the motive was?"
　　 "Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The man's business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which could account for such elaborate preparations, and such an expenditure as they were at. It must, then, be something out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's fondness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the cellar. The cellar! There was the end of this tangled clue. Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar--something which took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel to some other building.
　　 "So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen."
　　 "And how could you tell that they would make their attempt to-night?" I asked.
　　 "Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson's presence--in other words, that they had completed their tunnel. But it was essential that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the bullion might be removed. Saturday would suit them better than any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night."
　　 "You reasoned it out beautifully," I exclaimed in unfeigned admiration. "It is so long a chain, and yet every link rings true."
　　 "It saved me from ennui," he answered, yawning. "Alas! I already feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little problems help me to do so."
　　 "And you are a benefactor of the race," said I.
　　 He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, perhaps, after all, it is of some little use," he remarked. "'L'homme c'est rien--l'oeuvre c'est tout,' as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand."