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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…by； 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 bed time 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 Armor； and Architecture； and Attica； and hoped
with diligence that I might get on to the Bs 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 onto 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。
Oct。 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 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
thirty 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 prankif it was a prank
upon me。 It was a pretty expensive joke for them； for it cost them
two…and…thirty pounds。〃
〃We shall endeavor 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 advertisementhow long had he
been with you？〃
〃About a month then。〃
〃How did he come？〃
〃In answer t