WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:05.440 The Red Headed League by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Part one. 2 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:10.320 I had called upon my friend mister Sherlock Holmes one 3 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:13.800 day in the autumn of last year, and found him 4 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:18.199 in deep conversation with a very stout, florid faced, elderly 5 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:23.120 gentleman with fiery red hair, with an apology for my intrusion. 6 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:26.839 I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly 7 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.640 into the room and closed the door behind me. You 8 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:33.320 could not possibly have come at a better time, my 9 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:37.280 dear Watson, he said cordially. I was afraid that you 10 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:41.520 were engaged, so I am very much so then I 11 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:46.200 can wait in the next room. Not at all, this gentleman, 12 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:50.000 mister Wilson has been my partner and helper in many 13 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.640 of my most successful cases, and I have no doubt 14 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:56.159 that he will be of the utmost use to me 15 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:01.039 in yours. Also. The stout gentlemen half rose from his 16 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:04.319 chair and gave a bob of greeting with a quick, 17 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.640 little questioning glance from his small, fat encircled eyes. Try 18 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:15.000 the settee, said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and putting 19 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.640 his fingertips together, as was his custom when in judicial moods. 20 00:01:20.519 --> 00:01:23.159 I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love 21 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:27.200 of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and 22 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:31.439 humdrum routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish 23 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:35.400 for it by the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle. 24 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:38.840 And if you will excuse my saying so somewhat to 25 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:44.040 embellish so many of my own little adventures, your cases 26 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.120 have indeed been of greatest interest to me, I observed. 27 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:52.439 You will remember that I remarked the other day, just 28 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:56.280 before we went into the very simple problem presented by 29 00:01:56.280 --> 00:02:02.439 Miss Mary Sutherland, that for strange effects extraordinary combinations, we 30 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:07.400 must go to life itself, which is always far more 31 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:12.000 daring than any effort of the imagination, A proposition which 32 00:02:12.039 --> 00:02:16.240 I took the liberty of doubting you did, doctor, But 33 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.400 none the less, you must come round to my view, 34 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:23.680 for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact 35 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:27.680 on you until your reason breaks down under them and 36 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:33.319 acknowledges me to be right. Now, mister JOBEZ Wilson here 37 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.520 has been good enough to call upon me this morning 38 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:40.479 and to bring a narrative which promises to be one 39 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:43.599 of the most singular which I have listened to for 40 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:48.199 some time. You have heard me remark that the strangest 41 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:52.479 and most unique things are very often connected not with 42 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:57.680 the larger but with these smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, 43 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.199 where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime 44 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:05.680 has been committed. As far as I have heard, it 45 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:08.759 is impossible for me to say whether the present case 46 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:12.319 is an instance of crime or not. But the course 47 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:16.120 of events is certainly among the most singular that I 48 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:20.719 have ever listened to. Perhaps, mister Wilson, you would have 49 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:24.560 the great kindness to recommence your narrative. I ask you 50 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:28.080 not merely because my friend doctor Watson has not heard 51 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:32.400 the opening part, but also because the peculiar nature of 52 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:37.280 the story makes me anxious to have every possible detail 53 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.400 from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard 54 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.039 some slight indication of the course of events, I am 55 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:47.520 able to guide myself by the thousands of other similar 56 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.719 cases which occur to my memory. In the present instance, 57 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:55.000 I am forced to admit that the facts are, to 58 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:59.719 the best of my belief unique. The portly client puffed 59 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:02.800 out his chest with an appearance of some little pride, 60 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:07.000 and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the inside 61 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:12.240 pocket of his greatcoat as he glanced down the advertisement 62 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:16.279 column with his head thrust forward and the paper flattened 63 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:18.759 out upon his knee. I took a good look at 64 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.720 the man, and endeavored, after the fashion of my companion, 65 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.839 to read the indications which might be presented by his 66 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:31.839 dress or appearance. I did not gain very much. However, 67 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:35.879 by my inspection, our visitor bore every mark of being 68 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:42.800 an average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He 69 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:47.519 wore rather backy gray shepherd's check trousers, a not over 70 00:04:47.639 --> 00:04:51.800 clean black frock coat unbuttoned in the front, and a 71 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.120 drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain and a 72 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:59.959 square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament. 73 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:04.240 A frayed top hat, and a faded brown overcoat with 74 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:08.959 a wrinkled velvet color lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, 75 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:13.120 look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man, 76 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:18.160 save his blazing red head and the expression of extreme 77 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:24.199 chagrin and discontent upon his features. Sherlock Holmes's quick eye 78 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.720 took in my occupation, and he shook his head with 79 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:32.279 a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. Beyond the 80 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:36.680 obvious facts that he has at some time done manual labor, 81 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.759 that he takes snuff, that he is a freemason, that 82 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:44.000 he has been to China, and that he has done 83 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.399 a considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else, 84 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:53.079 mister job. As Wilson started up in his chair with 85 00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:57.079 his forefinger upon the paper, put his eyes upon my companion. 86 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:00.079 All when the name of good fortune, did you do 87 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:03.680 you know all that? Mister Holmes? He asked, how did 88 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:07.199 you know, for example, that I did manual labor? It's 89 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:10.199 true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter. 90 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:15.240 Your hands, my dear sir, your right hand is quite 91 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:19.120 a size larger than your left. You have worked with it, 92 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:23.079 and the muscles are more developed. Well. The snuff, then, 93 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:27.319 and the freemasonry. I won't insult your intelligence by telling 94 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:31.279 you how I read that, especially as rather against the 95 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:35.240 strict rules of your order, you use an arc and 96 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:40.600 compass breastpin. Oh, of course I forgot that. But the writting. 97 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:45.160 What else can be indicated by that right cuff so 98 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:49.439 very shiny for five inches, and the left one with 99 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:53.040 the smooth patch near the elbow where you rested upon 100 00:06:53.079 --> 00:06:59.279 the desk. Well, but China, the fish that you have 101 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:03.639 tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been 102 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:07.439 done in China. I have made a small study of 103 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:11.639 tattoo marks, and have even contributed to the literature of 104 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.800 the subject. The trick of staining the fish's scales of 105 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:20.720 a delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When in addition, 106 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:24.439 I see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch chain, 107 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:30.480 the matter becomes even more simple. Mister Jabez Wilson laughed heavily. 108 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:36.120 I never said he. I thought at first that you 109 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:39.519 had done something clever, But I see that there was 110 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:43.439 nothing in it. After all, I begin to think, Watson, 111 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:48.319 said Holmes, that I make a mistake in explaining omne 112 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:53.399 ignotum pro magnifico, you know, and my poor little reputation, 113 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:56.959 such as it is, will suffer shipwrecked if I am 114 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:01.639 so candid. Can you not find the advertisement, Miss Wilson, Yes, 115 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.680 I have got it now, he answered, with his thick 116 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:08.160 red finger planted half way down the column. Here it is, 117 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:12.079 this is what we get at all. You just read 118 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.439 it for yourself. Sir. I took the paper from him 119 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:20.399 and read as follows to the Red Headed League. On 120 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:26.680 account of the bequest of the late Essekiah Hopkins of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA, 121 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:31.199 there is now another vacancy open which entitles a member 122 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:34.399 of the League to a salary of four pounds a 123 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:39.440 week for purely nominal services. All Red Headed men who 124 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:42.480 are sound in body and mind and above the age 125 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:46.600 of twenty one years are eligible. Apply in person on 126 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:50.879 Monday at eleven o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices 127 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:55.600 of the League, seven Pope's Court, Fleet Street. What on 128 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:59.039 earth does this mean? I ejaculated after I had twice 129 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:04.600 read over the extra extraordinary announcement. Holmes chuckled and wriggled 130 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:08.440 in his chair, as was his habit when in high spirits. 131 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.960 It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it? 132 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:16.000 Said he? And now, mister Wilson, off you go with 133 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:20.200 scratch and tell us all about yourself, your household, and 134 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:24.519 the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes. You 135 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:26.840 will first make a note doctor of the paper and 136 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:30.519 the date m It is the Morning Chronicle of April 137 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:36.360 twenty seven, eighteen ninety Just two months ago. Very good now, 138 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:40.480 mister Wilson. Well, it is just as I've been telling you, 139 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:44.559 mister Sherlock Holmes said, job as Wilson mopping his forehead. 140 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:50.000 I have a small pawnbroker's business at Cobourg Square near 141 00:09:50.039 --> 00:09:53.399 the city. It is not a very large affair, and 142 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.519 of late years it has not done more than just 143 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.120 give me a living. I used to be able to 144 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:03.120 keep two assistants, but now I only keep one, and 145 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.840 I would have a job to pay him, but that 146 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:08.000 he is willing to come for half wages so as 147 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:11.200 to learn the business. What is the name of this 148 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:16.759 obliging youth, asked Sherlock Holmes. His name is Vincent Espalding. 149 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:20.840 And he's not such a youth either. It's hard to 150 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:25.399 say his age. I should not wish a smart assistant, 151 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.440 mister Holmes, and I know very well that he could 152 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.159 better himself and earn twice what I am able to 153 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:34.720 give him. But after all, if he is satisfied, why 154 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:38.879 should I put ideas in his head? Why? Indeed, you 155 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:43.399 seem most fortunate in having an employee who comes under 156 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:47.000 the full market price. It is not a common experience 157 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:50.519 among employers in this age. I don't know that your 158 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:55.879 assistant is not as remarkable as your advertisement. Oh he 159 00:10:55.960 --> 00:11:00.320 has his faults too, said mister Wilson. Never was such 160 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:04.080 a fellow for photography, snapping away with a camera when 161 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:07.759 he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving 162 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:10.440 down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole 163 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:13.919 to develop his pictures. That is his main fault. But 164 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:17.000 on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice 165 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:21.080 in him. He is still with you, I presume, yes, sir. 166 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:24.200 He and a girl of fourteen who does a bit 167 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.600 of simple cooking and keeps the place clean. That's all 168 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:30.440 I have in the house where I am a widower 169 00:11:30.440 --> 00:11:33.679 and never had any family. We live very quietly, sir, 170 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.799 the three of us, and we keep a roof over 171 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:40.000 our heads and pay our debts if we do nothing more. 172 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:46.759 The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. Spalding. 173 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:49.720 He came down into the office just this day, eight 174 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:53.440 weeks with this very paper in his hand, and he says, 175 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.879 I wish to the Lord, mister Wilson, that I was 176 00:11:56.919 --> 00:12:01.320 a red headed man. Why is that, I asked, Why, 177 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:05.200 says he, here's another vacancy on the League of the 178 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:09.039 red headed men. It's worth quite a little fortune to 179 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:12.240 any man who gets it. And I understand that there 180 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:15.679 are more vacancies than there are men, so that the 181 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.480 trustees are at their wits end what to do with 182 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.759 the money. If my hair would only change color, here's 183 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.159 a nice little crib all ready for me to step into. 184 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:31.240 Why what is it? Then? I asked? You. See, mister Holmes, 185 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:33.720 I'm a very stay at home man, and as my 186 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:36.480 business came to me instead of my having to go 187 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.799 to it, I was often weeks on end without putting 188 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:42.919 my foot over the door. Met in that way, I 189 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.120 don't know much of what was going on outside, and 190 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:49.879 I was always glad of a bit of news. Have 191 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:53.080 you never heard of the League of the red headed Men? 192 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:58.279 He asked, with his eyes open. Never. Why I wonder 193 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:02.039 at that? For you are eligible yourself for one of 194 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:07.360 the vacancies. And what are they worth? I asked, Oh, 195 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:10.759 merely a couple of hundred a year. But the work 196 00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:14.159 is slight and it need not interfere very much with 197 00:13:14.279 --> 00:13:18.519 one's other occupations. Well, you can easily think that that 198 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.200 made me pick up my ears, for the business has 199 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.559 not been over good for some years, and an extra 200 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:29.879 couple of hundred would have been very handy. Tell me 201 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.600 all about it, said I, well, said he, showing me 202 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:37.759 the advertisement. You can see for yourself that the league 203 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:41.240 has a vacancy, and there is the address where you 204 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:44.840 should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, 205 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:49.279 the league was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins, 206 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:53.480 who was very peculiar in his ways. He himself was 207 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:56.799 red headed, and he had a great sympathy for all 208 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:00.519 red headed men. So when he died, it was found 209 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.519 that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands 210 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:07.399 of trustees, with instructions to apply the interest to the 211 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:10.480 providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of 212 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:13.759 that color. From all I hear, it is splendid pay 213 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:18.600 and very little to do. But said I, there would 214 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.840 be millions of red headed men who would apply, not 215 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:25.639 so many as you might think, He answered, you see, 216 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:29.000 it is really confined to Londoners and to grown men. 217 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:33.399 This American had started from London when he was young, 218 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:36.960 and he wanted to do the old town a good turn. 219 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:40.320 Then again, I have heard it is of no use 220 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:44.000 your replying if your hair is light red or dark red, 221 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:50.000 or anything but real, bright, blazing, fiery red. Now, if 222 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:53.519 you cared to apply, mister Wilson, you would just walk in. 223 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:56.600 But perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to 224 00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:58.679 put yourself out of the way for the sake of 225 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.080 a few hundred pounds. Now it is a fact, gentleman, 226 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.399 as you may see for yourselves, that my hair is 227 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:08.759 of a very full and rich tint. So that it 228 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.840 seemed to me that if there was to be any 229 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:15.000 competition in the matter, I stood as good a chance 230 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:18.600 as any man that I had ever met. Vincent Spalding 231 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.679 seemed to know so much about it that I thought 232 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:25.200 he might prove useful. So I ordered him to put 233 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.039 up the shutters for the day and to come right 234 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.399 away with me. He was very willing to have a holiday, 235 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:34.200 So we shut the business up and started off for 236 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:38.039 the address that was given us in the advertisement. I 237 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:40.519 never hoped to see such a sight as that, again, 238 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:46.080 mister Holmes, from north, southeast and west, every man who 239 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.879 had a shade of red in his hair had tramped 240 00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:52.960 into the city to answer the advertisement. Fleet Street was 241 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.399 choked with red headed folk, and Pope's Court looked like 242 00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:59.879 a coaster's orange barrow. I should not have thought that 243 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.639 there was so many in the whole country as were 244 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:07.519 brought together by that single advertisement. Every shade of color. 245 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:13.039 They were straw, lemon, orange, brick, irish setter, liver clay. 246 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:17.679 But as Spalding said, there were not many who had 247 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:21.960 the real vivid, flame colored tint. When I saw how 248 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.080 many were waiting, I would have given it up in despair. 249 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:29.639 But Spalding would not hear of it. How he did 250 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:32.840 it I could not imagine. But he pushed and pulled 251 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.440 and butted until he got me through the crowd and 252 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:39.480 right up to the steps which led to the office. 253 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:43.440 There was a double stream upon the stair, some going 254 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.360 up in hope and some coming back dejected. But we 255 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.960 wedged in as well as we could and found ourselves 256 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:56.279 in the office. Your experience has been a most entertaining one, 257 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:00.000 remarked Holmes, as his client paused and refreshed his memory 258 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:04.680 with a huge, pincious snuff. Pray, continue your very interesting statement. 259 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:07.240 There was nothing in the office but a couple of 260 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:11.119 wooden chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a 261 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.319 small man with a head that was even redder than mine. 262 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:18.680 He said a few words to each candidate as he 263 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:22.359 came up, and then he always managed to find some 264 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:27.400 fault in them which would disqualify them. Getting a vacancy 265 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:30.079 did not seem to be such a very easy matter 266 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.680 after all. However, when our turn came, the little man 267 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:38.000 was much more favorable to me than to any of 268 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:41.279 the others, and he closed the door as we entered, 269 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:44.000 so that he might have a private word with us. 270 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:48.839 This is mister Jopas Wilson, said my assistant, and he 271 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:52.559 is willing to fill a vacancy in the league, and 272 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:56.119 he is admirably suited for it. The other answered, he 273 00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.240 has every requirement. I cannot recall when I I have 274 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:05.400 seen anything so fine. He took a step backward, cocked 275 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:08.640 his head on one side, and gazed at my hair 276 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:13.839 until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he plunged forward, 277 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.759 wrung my hand, and congratulated me warmly on my success. 278 00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:23.640 It would be injustice to hesitate, said he you will, however, 279 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:27.359 I am sure, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution. 280 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:31.400 With that, he seized my hair in both his hands 281 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:35.480 and tugged until I yelled with the pain. There is 282 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:38.319 water in your eyes, said he as he released me. 283 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:42.559 I perceive that all is as it should be, but 284 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:45.279 we have to be careful, for we have twice been 285 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:49.599 deceived by wigs and once by paint. I could tell 286 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:53.279 you tales of cobbler's wax which would discust you with 287 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:57.079 human nature. He stepped over to the window and shouted 288 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.079 through it at the top of his voice that the 289 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.759 vacancy was filled. A groan of disappointment came up from below, 290 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:08.720 and the folk all trooped away in different directions, until 291 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:11.880 there was not a red head to be seen except 292 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:16.039 my own and that of the manager. My name said, 293 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:19.440 He is mister Duncan Ross, and I am myself one 294 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.839 of the pensioners upon the fund left by our noble benefactor. 295 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:26.480 Are you a married man, mister Wilson, have you a family? 296 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:31.359 I answered that I had not. His face fell immediately. 297 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:36.920 Dear me, he said, gravely, that is very serious. Indeed, 298 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:41.319 I am sorry to hear you say that the fund was, 299 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.519 of course for the propagation and spread of the Redheads, 300 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:49.480 as well as for their maintenance. It is exceedingly unfortunate 301 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:53.119 that you should be a bachelor. My face lengthened at this, 302 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:56.039 mister Holmes, for I thought that I was not to 303 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:59.720 have the vacancy after all. But after thinking it over 304 00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:02.640 for few minutes, he said that it would be all 305 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:07.200 right in the case of another, said he. The objection 306 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:11.400 might be fatal, but we must stretch a point in 307 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.960 favor of a man with such a head of hair 308 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:18.160 as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon 309 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:21.720 your new duties. Well, it is a little awkward, for 310 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.359 I have a business already, said I. Oh, never mind 311 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:28.720 about that, mister Wilson, said Vincent Spalding. I should be 312 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:31.680 able to look after that for you. What would be 313 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:36.920 the ours, I asked, ten to two. Now upon broker's 314 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:40.599 business is mostly done of an evening, mister Holmes, especially 315 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:44.880 Thursday and Friday evenings, which is just before payday, So 316 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.559 it would suit me very well to earn a little 317 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:51.839 in the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant was 318 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:55.039 a good man and that he would see to anything 319 00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:59.400 that turned up. That would suit me very well, said I. 320 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:04.279 And the pay is four pounds a week, and the 321 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:10.680 work is purely nominal. What do you call purely nominal? Well, 322 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.200 you have to be in the office, or at least 323 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:17.319 in the building the whole time. If you leave, you 324 00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:21.799 forfeit your whole position forever. The will is very clear 325 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:25.359 upon that point. You don't comply with the conditions if 326 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:29.480 you budge from the office during that time. It's only 327 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:31.960 four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving, 328 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:36.400 said I. No excuse will avail, said mister duncan Ross, 329 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:41.440 neither sickness, nor business nor anything else. There you must 330 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:46.559 stay or you lose your billet. And the work is 331 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:50.960 to copy out the Encyclopedia Britannica. There is the first 332 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:54.519 volume of it in that press. You must find your 333 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:58.400 own inche pins and blotting paper. But we provide this 334 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:02.599 table and chair. Will you be ready to morrow? Certainly? 335 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:07.720 I answered, then, good bye, mister Javes Wilson, and let 336 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:12.519 me congratulate you once more on the important position which 337 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:16.279 you have been fortunate enough to gain. He bowed me 338 00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:19.400 out of the room, and I went home with my assistant, 339 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.039 hardly knowing what to say or do. I was so 340 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:28.720 pleased at my own good fortune. End of Part one, 341 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:33.839 Part two. Well, I thought over the matter all day, 342 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:37.240 and by evening I was in low spirits again, for 343 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:41.359 I had quite persuaded myself that the whole affair must 344 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:45.279 be some great hoax or fraud. Though what its object 345 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:49.279 might be, I could not imagine. It seemed altogether past 346 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:52.680 belief that any one could make such a will, or 347 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:55.559 that they would pay such a sum for doing anything 348 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:01.839 so simple as copying out the Encyclopedia Britannica. Vincent Spaulding 349 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.720 did what he could to cheer me up, but by 350 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:09.839 bedtime I had reasoned myself out of the whole thing. However, 351 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:13.079 in the morning I determined to have a look at 352 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:16.599 it anyhow so I bought a penny bottle of ink, 353 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:20.319 and with a quill pen and seven sheets of foolscap paper, 354 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:25.640 I started off for Pope's court. Well, to my surprise 355 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:31.160 and delight, everything was as right as possible. The table 356 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.960 was set out ready for me, and mister Duncan Ross 357 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:36.640 was there to see that I got fairly to work. 358 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:40.759 He started me off upon the letter A, and then 359 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:43.839 he left me, but he would drop in from time 360 00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:46.400 to time to see that all was right with me. 361 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:51.000 At two o'clock he bade me good day, complimented me 362 00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:54.119 upon the amount that I had written, and locked the 363 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:57.759 door of the office after me. This went on day 364 00:23:57.960 --> 00:24:02.440 after day, mister Holmes, and on Saturday, the manager came 365 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:07.160 in and planked down four golden sovereigns for my week's work. 366 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:10.400 It was the same next week, and the same the 367 00:24:10.400 --> 00:24:14.880 week after. Every morning I was there at ten, and 368 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:19.279 every afternoon I left it two by degrees. Mister Duncan 369 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:22.319 Ross took to coming in only once of a morning, 370 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:25.359 and then after a time he did not come in 371 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:29.119 at all. Still, of course, I never dared to leave 372 00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:32.160 the room for an instant, for I was not sure 373 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:35.160 when he might come. And the billet was such a 374 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:38.279 good one and suited me so well that I would 375 00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:42.240 not risk the loss of it. Eight weeks passed away 376 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:45.960 like this, and I had written about abbots and archery, 377 00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:51.160 and armor, and architecture and attica, and hoped with diligence 378 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:54.160 that I might get on to the bees before very long. 379 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:58.799 It cost me something in foolscap and I had pretty 380 00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:02.720 nearly filled a shop with my writings, And then suddenly 381 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:07.000 the whole business came to an end. To an end, yes, sir, 382 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:10.799 and no later than this morning. I went to my 383 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:13.920 work as usual at ten o'clock, but the door was 384 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:17.640 shut and locked with a little square of cardboard hammered 385 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:19.799 on to the middle of the panel with a tack. 386 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:23.359 Here it is, and you can read for yourself. He 387 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:26.480 held up a piece of white cardboard about the size 388 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:29.400 of a sheet of notepaper. It read, in this fashion, 389 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:37.359 the Red Headed League is dissolved. October ninth, eighteen nineteen. 390 00:25:38.519 --> 00:25:42.119 Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this curt announcement and the 391 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:45.640 rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the 392 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:51.119 affair so completely overtopped every other consideration that we both 393 00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:55.839 burst out into a roar of laughter. I cannot see 394 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:59.960 that there is anything very funny, cried our client, flushing 395 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:03.240 up to the roots of his flaming head. If you 396 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:05.640 can do nothing better than laugh at me, I can 397 00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:10.519 go elsewhere. No, no, cried Holmes, shoving him back into 398 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:13.720 the chair from which he had half risen. I really 399 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:18.039 wouldn't miss your case for the world. It is most 400 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:22.480 refreshingly unusual. But there is, if you will excuse my 401 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:27.079