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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 gypsy 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
hawklike 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 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 traveled 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 inclosure； 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 convey 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 realize； 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