Reading Help The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ch.I-IV
"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." `
` `
`
` `
` "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." `
` `
`