The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 5 (2/2)
ADVENTURE II THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE
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 gentley for my intrusion, I was about to withdrahen 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 rooentleman, 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 utentle, with a quick little questioning glance from his small fat-encircled eyes
”Try the settee,” said Holertips 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 pro 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 ent into the very simple problee effects and extraordinary coo to life itself, which is always far ination”
”A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting”
”You did, Doctor, but none the less you must co fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under theht Now, Mr Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call upon in a narrative which proular which I have listened to for soest and er 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 cri the ular that I have ever listened to
Perhaps, Mr Wilson, you would have the great kindness to recommence your narrative I ask you notpart but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every possible detail froht indication of the course of events, I auide 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 frolanced 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 fashi+on of ht be presented by his dress or appearance
I did not gain very much, however, by e commonplace British tradesrey 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 ofdown as an ornament A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar lay upon a chair beside hi re red head, and the expression of extrerin and discontent upon his features
Sherlock Holmes' quick eye took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a slances
”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 a else”
Mr Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon ood-fortune, did you know all that, Mr
Holmes?” he asked ”How did you know, for exaospel, for I began as a shi+p's carpenter”
”Your hands, er than your left You have worked with it, and the muscles are more developed”
”Well, the snuff, then, and the Free you how I read that, especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an arc-and-compass breastpin”