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1I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation
2with a very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to
3withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me. "You could not possibly have come
4at a better time, my dear Watson," he said cordially. "I was afraid that you were engaged." "So I am. Very much so."
5"Then I can wait in the next room." "Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and helper in many of
6my most successful cases, and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." The stout
7gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his small
8fat-encircled eyes. "Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and putting his fingertips together, as
9was his custom when in judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and
10outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which
11has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own little
12adventures." "Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I observed. "You will remember that I
13remarked the other day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary Sutherland, that for
14strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more daring than any
15effort of the imagination." "A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting." "You did, Doctor, but none the less
16you must come round to my view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down
17under them and acknowledges me to be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call upon me this
18morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some time.
19You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique things are very often connected not with the larger but with
20the smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been
21committed. As far as I have heard, it is impossible for me to say whether the present case is an instance of crime or
22not, but the course of events is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. Perhaps, Mr. Wilson,
23you would have the great kindness to recommence your narrative. I ask you not merely because my friend Dr. Watson has
24not heard the opening part but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every possible
25detail from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard some slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide
26myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit
27that the facts are, to the best of my belief, unique." The portly client puffed out his chest with an appearance of some
28little pride and pulled a dirty and wrinkled newspaper from the inside pocket of his greatcoat. As he glanced down the
29advertisement column, with his head thrust forward and the paper flattened out upon his knee, I took a good look at the
30man and endeavoured, after the fashion of my companion, to read the indications which might be presented by his dress or
31appearance. I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection. Our visitor bore every mark of being an average
32commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy grey shepherd's check trousers, a not
33over-clean black frock-coat, unbuttoned in the front, and a drab waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert chain, and a
34square pierced bit of metal dangling down as an ornament. A frayed top-hat and a faded brown overcoat with a wrinkled
35velvet collar lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether, look as I would, there was nothing remarkable about the man save
36his blazing red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent upon his features. Sherlock Holmes' quick eye
37took in my occupation, and he shook his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances. "Beyond the obvious
38facts that he has at some time done manual labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has been in
39China, and that he has done a considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else." Mr. Jabez Wilson
40started up in his chair, with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. "How, in the name of
41good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?" he asked. "How did you know, for example, that I did manual labour.
42It's as true as gospel, for I began as a ship's carpenter." "Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size
43larger than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles are more developed." "Well, the snuff, then, and the
44Freemasonry?" "I won't insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, especially as, rather against the strict
45rules of your order, you use an arc-and-compass breastpin." "Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?" "What else
46can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the elbow
47where you rest it upon the desk?" "Well, but China?" "The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right wrist
48could only have been done in China. I have made a small study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the
49literature of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes' scales of a delicate pink is quite peculiar to China.
50When, in addition, I see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch-chain, the matter becomes even more simple." Mr. Jabez
51Wilson laughed heavily. "Well, I never!" said he. "I thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see that
52there was nothing in it after all." "I begin to think, Watson," said Holmes, "that I make a mistake in explaining. 'Omne
53ignotum pro magnifico,' you know, and my poor little reputation, such as it is, will suffer shipwreck if I am so candid.
54Can you not find the advertisement, Mr. Wilson?" "Yes, I have got it now," he answered with his thick red finger planted
55halfway down the column. "Here it is. This is what began it all. You just read it for yourself, sir." I took the paper
56from him and read as follows: "TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins, of
57Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., there is now another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a salary of £
584 a week for purely nominal services. All red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age of twenty-one
59years, are eligible. Apply in person on Monday, at eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7
60Pope's Court, Fleet Street." "What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice read over the extraordinary
61announcement. Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair, as was his habit when in high spirits. "It is a little off the
62beaten track, isn't it?" said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself, your
63household, and the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make a note, Doctor, of the
64paper and the date." "It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months ago." "Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?"
65"Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a
66small pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a very large affair, and of late years it has not
67done more than just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and I would
68have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the business." "What is the name of
69this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes.
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