“’Well，’saidI，’thegentlemanatNo。4。’
　　“’What，thered-headedman？’
　　“’Yes。’
　　“’Oh，’saidhe，’hisnamewasWilliamMorris。Hewasasolicitor，andwasusingmyroomasatemporaryconvenienceuntilhisnewpremiseswereready。Hemovedoutyesterday。’
　　“’WherecouldIfindhim？’
　　“’Oh，athisnewoffices。Hedidtellmetheaddress。Yes，17
　　KingEdwardStreet，nearSt。Paul’s。’
　　“Istartedoff，Mr。Holmes，butwhenIgottothataddressitwasamanufactoryofartificialknee-caps，andnooneinithadeverheardofeitherMr。WilliamMorrisorMr。DuncanRoss。“
　　“Andwhatdidyoudothen？“askedHolmes。
　　“IwenthometoSaxe-CoburgSquare，andItooktheadviceofmyassistant。Buthecouldnothelpmeinanyway。HecouldonlysaythatifIwaitedIshouldhearbypost。Butthatwasnotquitegoodenough，Mr。Holmes。Ididnotwishtolosesuchaplacewithoutastruggle，so，asIhadheardthatyouweregoodenoughtogiveadvicetopoorfolkwhowereinneedofit，Icamerightawaytoyou。“
　　“Andyoudidverywisely，“saidHolmes。“Yourcaseisanexceedinglyremarkableone，andIshallbehappytolookintoit。
　　FromwhatyouhavetoldmeIthinkthatitispossiblethatgraverissueshangfromitthanmightatfirstsightappear。“
　　“Graveenough！“saidMr。JabezWilson。“Why，Ihavelostfourpoundaweek。“
　　“Asfarasyouarepersonallyconcerned，“remarkedHolmes，“Idonotseethatyouhaveanygrievanceagainstthisextraordinaryleague。Onthecontrary，youare，asIunderstand，richerbysomethirtypounds，tosaynothingoftheminuteknowledgewhichyouhavegainedoneverysubjectwhichcomesundertheletterA。Youhavelostnothingbythem。“
　　“No，sir。ButIwanttofindoutaboutthem，andwhotheyare，andwhattheirobjectwasinplayingthisprank——ifitwasaprank——
　　uponme。Itwasaprettyexpensivejokeforthem，foritcostthemtwo-and-thirtypounds。“
　　“Weshallendeavortoclearupthesepointsforyou。And，first，oneortwoquestions，Mr。Wilson。Thisassistantofyourswhofirstcalledyourattentiontotheadvertisement——howlonghadhebeenwithyou？“
　　“Aboutamonththen。“
　　“Howdidhecome？“
　　“Inanswertoanadvertisement。“
　　“Washetheonlyapplicant？“
　　“No，Ihadadozen。“
　　“Whydidyoupickhim？“
　　“Becausehewashandyandwouldcomecheap。“
　　“Athalfwages，infact。“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Whatishelike，thisVincentSpaulding？“
　　“Small，stout-built，veryquickinhisways，nohaironhisface，thoughhe’snotshortofthirty。Hasawhitesplashofaciduponhisforehead。“
　　Holmessatupinhischairinconsiderableexcitement。Ithoughtasmuch，“saidhe。“Haveyoueverobservedthathisearsarepiercedforearrings？“
　　“Yes，sir。Hetoldmethatagypsyhaddoneitforhimwhenhewasalad。“
　　“Hum！“saidHolmes，sinkingbackindeepthought。“Heisstillwithyou？“
　　“Oh，yes，sir；Ihaveonlyjustlefthim。“
　　“Andhasyourbusinessbeenattendedtoinyourabsence？“
　　“Nothingtocomplainof，sir。There’sneververymuchtodoofamorning。“
　　“Thatwilldo，Mr。Wilson。Ishallbehappytogiveyouanopinionuponthesubjectinthecourseofadayortwo。To-dayisSaturday，andIhopethatbyMondaywemaycometoaconclusion。“
　　“Well，Watson，“saidHolmes，whenourvisitorhadleftus，“whatdoyoumakeofitall？“
　　“Imakenothingofit，“Iansweredfrankly。“Itisamostmysteriousbusiness。“
　　“Asarule，“saidHolmes，“themorebizarreathingisthelessmysteriousitprovestobe。Itisyourcommonplace，featurelesscrimeswhicharereallypuzzling，justasacommonplacefaceisthemostdifficulttoidentify。ButImustbepromptoverthismatter。“
　　“Whatareyougoingtodo，then？“Iasked。
　　“Tosmoke，“heanswered。“Itisquiteathree-pipeproblem，andI
　　begthatyouwon’tspeaktomeforfiftyminutes。“Hecurledhimselfupinhischair，withhisthinkneesdrawnuptohishawklikenose，andtherehesatwithhiseyesclosedandhisblackclaypipethrustingoutlikethebillofsomestrangebird。Ihadcometotheconclusionthathehaddroppedasleep，andindeedwasnoddingmyself，whenhesuddenlysprangoutofhischairwiththegestureofamanwhohasmadeuphismind，andputhispipedownuponthemantelpiece。
　　“SarasateplaysatSt。James’sHallthisafternoon，“heremarked。
　　“Whatdoyouthink，Watson？Couldyourpatientsspareyouforafewhours？“
　　“Ihavenothingtodoto-day。Mypracticeisneververyabsorbing。“
　　“Thenputonyourhatandcome。IamgoingthroughtheCityfirst，andwecanhavesomelunchontheway。IobservethatthereisagooddealofGermanmusicontheprogramme，whichisrathermoretomytastethanItalianorFrench。Itisintrospective，andIwanttointrospect。Comealong！“
　　WetraveledbytheUndergroundasfarasAldersgate；andashortwalktookustoSaxe-CoburgSquare，thesceneofthesingularstorywhichwehadlistenedtointhemorning。Itwasapoky，little，shabby-genteelplace，wherefourlinesofdingy，two-storiedbrickhouseslookedoutintoasmallrailed-ininclosure，wherealawnofweedygrass，andafewclumpsoffadedlaurelbushesmadeahardfightagainstasmoke-ladenanduncongenialatmosphere。ThreegiltballsandabrownboardwithJABEZWILSONinwhiteletters，uponacornerhouse，announcedtheplacewhereourred-headedclientcarriedonhisbusiness。SherlockHolmesstoppedinfrontofitwithhisheadononeside，andlookeditallover，withhiseyesshiningbrightlybetweenpuckeredlids。Thenhewalkedslowlyupthestreet，andthendownagaintothecorner，stilllookingkeenlyatthehouses。Finallyhereturnedtothepawnbroker’sand，havingthumpedvigorouslyuponthepavementwithhissticktwoorthreetimes，hewentuptothedoorandknocked。Itwasinstantlyopenedbyabright-looking，clean-shavenyoungfellow，whoaskedhimtostepin。
　　“Thankyou，“saidHolmes，“IonlywishedtoaskyouhowyouwouldgofromheretotheStrand。“
　　“Thirdright，fourthleft，“answeredtheassistant，promptly，closingthedoor。
　　“Smartfellow，that，“observedHolmesaswewalkedaway。“Heis，inmyjudgment，thefourthsmartestmaninLondon，andfordaringI
　　amnotsurethathehasnotaclaimtobethird。Ihaveknownsomethingofhimbefore。“
　　“Evidently，“saidI，“Mr。Wilson’sassistantcountsforagooddealinthismysteryoftheRed-headedLeague。Iamsurethatyouinquiredyourwaymerelyinorderthatyoumightseehim。“
　　“Nothim。“
　　“Whatthen？“
　　“Thekneesofhistrousers。“
　　“Andwhatdidyousee？“
　　“WhatIexpectedtosee。“
　　“Whydidyoubeatthepavement？“
　　“Mydeardoctor，thisisatimeforobservation，notfortalk。Wearespiesinanenemy’scountry。WeknowsomethingofSaxe-CoburgSquare。Letusnowexplorethepartswhichliebehindit。“
　　TheroadinwhichwefoundourselvesasweturnedroundthecornerfromtheretiredSaxe-CoburgSquarepresentedasgreatacontrasttoitasthefrontofapicturedoestotheback。ItwasoneofthemainarterieswhichconveythetrafficoftheCitytothenorthandwest。Theroadwaywasblockedwiththeimmensestreamofcommerceflowinginadoubletideinwardandoutward，whilethefootpathswereblackwiththehurryingswarmofpedestrians。Itwasdifficulttorealize，aswelookedatthelineoffineshopsandstatelybusinesspremises，thattheyreallyabuttedontheothersideuponthefadedandstagnantsquarewhichwehadjustquitted。
　　“Letmesee，“saidHolmes，standingatthecorner，andglancingalongtheline，“Ishouldlikejusttoremembertheorderofthehouseshere。ItisahobbyofminetohaveanexactknowledgeofLondon。ThereisMortimer’s，thetobacconist；thelittlenewspapershop，theCoburgbranchoftheCityandSuburbanBank，theVegetarianRestaurant，andMcFarlane’scarriage-buildingdepot。
　　Thatcarriesusrightontotheotherblock。Andnow，doctor，we’vedoneourwork，soit’stimewehadsomeplay。Asandwichandacupofcoffee，andthenofftoviolin-land，whereallissweetness，anddelicacy，andharmony，andtherearenored-headedclientstovexuswiththeirconundrums。“
　　Myfriendwasanenthusiasticmusician，beinghimselfnotonlyaverycapableperformer，butacomposerofnoordinarymerit。Alltheafternoonhesatinthestallswrappedinthemostperfecthappiness，gentlywavinghislongthinfingersintimetothemusic，whilehisgentlysmilingfaceandhislanguid，dreamyeyeswereasunlikethoseofHolmesthesleuth-hound，Holmestherelentless，keen-witted，ready-handedcriminalagent，asitwaspossibletoconceive。Inhissingularcharacterthedualnaturealternatelyasserteditself，andhisextremeexactnessandastutenessrepresented，asIhaveoftenthought，thereactionagainstthepoeticandcontemplativemoodwhichoccasionallypredominatedinhim。Theswingofhisnaturetookhimfromextremelanguortodevouringenergy；and，asIknewwell，hewasneversotrulyformidableaswhen，fordaysonend，hehadbeenlounginginhisarmchairamidhisimprovisationsandhisblack-lettereditions。
　　Thenitwasthatthelustofthechasewouldsuddenlycomeuponhim，andthathisbrilliantreasoningpowerwouldrisetothelevelofintuition，untilthosewhowereunacquaintedwithhismethodswouldlookaskanceathimasonamanwhoseknowledgewasnotthatofothermortals。WhenIsawhimthatafternoonsoenwrappedinthemusicatSt。James’sHall，Ifeltthataneviltimemightbecominguponthosewhomhehadsethimselftohuntdown。
　　“Youwanttogohome，nodoubt，doctor，“heremarked，asweemerged。
　　“Yes，itwouldbeaswell。“
　　“AndIhavesomebusinesstodowhichwilltakesomehours。ThisbusinessatSaxe-CoburgSquareisserious。“
　　“Whyserious？“
　　“Aconsiderablecrimeisincontemplation。Ihaveeveryreasontobelievethatweshallbeintimetostopit。Butto-daybeingSaturdayrathercomplicatesmatters。Ishallwantyourhelpto-
　　night。“
　　“Atwhattime？“
　　“Tenwillbeearlyenough。“
　　IshallbeatBakerStreetatten。“
　　“Verywell。And，Isay，doctor！theremaybesomelittledanger，sokindlyputyourarmyrevolverinyourpocket。“Hewavedhishand，turnedonhisheel，anddisappearedinaninstantamongthecrowd。
　　ItrustthatIamnotmoredensethanmyneighbors，butIwasalwaysoppressedwithasenseofmyownstupidityinmydealingswithSherlockHolmes。HereIhadheardwhathehadheard，Ihadseenwhathehadseen，andyetfromhiswordsitwasevidentthathesawclearlynotonlywhathadhappened，butwhatwasabouttohappen，whiletomethewholebusinesswasstillconfusedandgrotesque。AsIdrovehometomyhouseinKensingtonIthoughtoveritall，fromtheextraordinarystoryofthered-headedcopierofthe“Encyclopaedia“downtothevisittoSaxe-CoburgSquare，andtheominouswordswithwhichhehadpartedfromme。Whatwasthisnocturnalexpedition，andwhyshouldIgoarmed？Wherewerewegoing，andwhatwerewetodo？IhadthehintfromHolmesthatthissmooth-facedpawnbroker’sassistantwasaformidableman——amanwhomightplayadeepgame。Itriedtopuzzleitout，butgaveitupindespair，andsetthematterasideuntilnightshouldbringanexplanation。
　　Itwasaquarter-pastninewhenIstartedfromhomeandmademywayacrossthePark，andsothroughOxfordStreettoBakerStreet。Twohansomswerestandingatthedoor，and，asIenteredthepassage，I