Last fall, I went to visit Sherlock Holmes at his residence. When I arrived, Sherlock Holmes was talking to a short, rosy-faced, red-haired, somewhat fat old man. I felt that my arrival was a bit abrupt, and just as I was about to turn around and leave

At that moment, Holmes suddenly grabbed me, dragged me into the room, and closed the door behind him.

He said happily: "Dear Watson, you have come so well!"

"I see you are busy, so I'm afraid to disturb you."

"Yeah, I'm very busy."

"Then I'll wait for you in the next room!"

"No, no, Mr. Wilson, this is my partner and assistant Watson. He has helped me handle many cases. I'm sure he can help me a lot with your case."

The short and fat gentleman stood up from his chair and nodded to me while standing, with a suspicious look in his eyes under his thick eyelids.

"You sit down in the long-backed chair!" he said to me, then returned to his armchair and sat down, clasping the fingertips of his hands together, which was his habit when thinking about problems. "Watson, I know.

You are more like me, you don’t like ordinary, mundane, and monotonous things, but like things that are more abnormal and weird. Then if you are passionate, record these things. It can be seen that you are very interested. In fact,

If you don't mind, I'd like to say that what you do adds luster to all my adventures."

"I am indeed interested in the cases you handle."

"You must remember what I said that day before we talked about the question raised by Miss Mary Sutherland: 'In order to obtain better results and extraordinary cooperation, we must go deep into life, and it is always

More adventurous than wild imaginations.'"

"I don't quite agree with your statement."

"Really? Doctor. But you have to agree with me. Otherwise, I will list some facts in front of which your reasoning will be self-defeating, and then you have to admit my opinion. This Jebel

Mr. Z. Wilson is good. He came to me early in the morning and told me one of the weirdest things I have heard in a long time. You should have heard me say it, the weirdest and most unique thing.

Things are often not connected with larger crimes, but sometimes with small crimes. Sometimes I doubt whether someone has committed a crime. From what Mr. Wilson said, I can't conclude that this case is.

No one committed a crime, but what happened is the most bizarre thing I have ever heard. Mr. Wilson, could you please tell me the story from beginning to end? The reason why I asked you to tell it from the beginning is not only because

Watson didn't hear the beginning of what happened, and that's because it's a weird thing, and I want to hear as much detail as possible from you. Usually, when I hear something that explains what happened, I can always

I think of thousands of other similar cases to guide me. But I must admit that this one is very special."

The short and fat client straightened up, looking a little proud. He took out a piece of dirty and wrinkled paper from the inside pocket of his coat and spread it on his knees. He looked down at the advertising column above.

I began to look at the person, trying to discern something about his clothes or appearance, following my friend's method.

However, despite looking at it carefully, I didn't get much information. Judging from the appearance of this customer, he is just an ordinary British businessman. He is chubby, looks a bit impetuous, and is slow to respond.

That kind of person. He was wearing a slightly untidy tuxedo with no buttons, revealing a drab vest underneath. There was also an Albert-style thick copper chain on the vest, and a dangling

A small piece of metal decoration with a square hole in the middle was dangling. He was wearing a pair of loose gray plaid trousers with saggy fabric. On the chair next to him, there was a slightly damaged top hat and a faded brown jacket.

The coat was placed there, and it was obvious that the velvet collar of the coat was a little wrinkled. In my eyes, the overall impression was that this man, except for the fiery red hair and the resentment and dissatisfaction on his face,

Except for his expression, he is no different from ordinary people.

Sherlock Holmes had already seen my thoughts with his sharp eyes. Facing my doubtful gaze, he smiled and shook his head. "He has a period of manual labor experience and likes to take snuff. He is a

I am a Freemason who has been to China and wrote a lot during that time. I can only see this obvious information, but other than that, I can't infer anything."

Mr. Jabez Wilson suddenly straightened up in his chair, and although his forefinger was still pressing the newspaper, his eyes were turned towards my companion.

He asked: "Oh my God! Mr. Holmes, you actually know so many things about me. How do you know it? For example, I have done manual labor. This is even more accurate than what the Gospels say. I did.

Worked as a carpenter on the ship."

"Dear friend, you only need to look at your hands to know that your left hand is not as big as your right hand. This means that you work with your right hand, so the muscles in your right hand are more developed than in your left hand."

"Oh, how did you figure out that I take snuff and am a Freemason?"

"I can't tell you this, because I believe you should be able to know it based on your understanding. Besides, you violated the strict rules of your society and brought a bow-shaped compass-shaped pin."

"Well, yes, I forgot about that. But how do you explain my writing?"

"Need not to say more? It's already obvious, that is: the entire five-inch length of your right sleeve is polished and shiny, while there is a neat spot on the wrist of your left sleeve where it is usually attached to the table.

patch."

"Then how can you tell if you've been to China?"

"There is a tattooed fish on your right wrist, which is a Chinese characteristic. I have done some research on tattoo patterns, and even wrote an article specifically on this subject. It can only be done in China.

You can use this delicate pink to color fish of different sizes, and the Chinese coin hanging on your watch chain makes it even more obvious!"

Jabez Wilson couldn't help laughing. He said: "Oh, I really didn't expect that! At first I thought you were very mysterious, but once you explained it clearly, there was nothing mysterious about it."

Holmes said: "Watson, it's too bad, I forgot that I shouldn't tell everything. You have to be as wise as a fool. You know, I'm not very popular with others. I'm too honest."

I'm going to get screwed. Mr. Wilson, can you help me find that ad?"

"No problem, it's right here!" When he answered, his finger was pointing to the middle of the advertisement! He said: "This is right here, the cause of everything is here. Sir, you can see for yourselves.

!”

I took the newspaper he handed me and started reading:

Redhead Club:

Due to the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins, a Lebanese native of Pennsylvania, USA, there is now another vacant position. All members of the Red-haired Society are eligible to apply. The salary is 4 pounds per week, and there is no

Substantive work, nominal work only. All red-haired males, aged 21 or over, in good health and of sound mind are welcome. Applicants should come in person to the Office of the Red-haired Society, Duncan···, 7 Pope's House, Fleet Street, at 11 am on Monday.

Ross Office fills out the application and is hereby notified.

After reading this unusual advertisement twice, I couldn't help but exclaimed: "What on earth is going on?"

Holmes couldn't help giggling and squirming as he sat in his chair. This was what he did when he was particularly happy. He said: "This advertisement is extraordinary, isn't it? All right, Mr. Wilson.

, please tell us everything about yourself, the people who live with you, and the benefits this advertisement has brought to you! Doctor, please write down the name and date of the newspaper."

"Annual Chronicle, April 27, 1890, a newspaper from two months ago."

"Well, okay. Okay, Mr. Wilson, please start talking!" "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, as I just said." Jabez said while wiping his forehead with his hand, "I'm here

Not far from the city, I opened a small pawn shop on the Saxe-Koberg Square. The business of the pawn shop is very small, and it has only been enough for me to barely support my life in the past few years. I used to employ two clerks, but now I can only hire one.

In fact, if this guy hadn't volunteered to take only half the salary, I might not even be able to afford this guy. And the reason why this guy is willing to do this is to learn some tips on how to do this business from me."

Sherlock Holmes asked: "What is the name of this helpful young man?"

"His name is Vincent Spaulding. In fact, he is not too young, but I really don't know how old he is. Mr. Holmes, this guy of mine is a very smart and capable man. I also understand that he was originally

He can live a better life and earn more than I do here. But since he is willing, I don’t need to persuade him to think too much."

"Oh, is it true? You are indeed lucky to be able to hire such a good guy with such a low salary. I guess there are very few employers in your situation! But I don't know your guy

Aren’t your ads very unusual?”

Mr. Wilson said: "Oh, he must have some small problems of his own. He especially likes to take pictures. He is relatively unmotivated at work, so he likes to take random pictures with a camera. Every time he takes a picture, he gets in eagerly.

I went to the basement to develop film, and he likes to dig holes like a rabbit. Apart from this biggest problem, in general, he is a very good employee, at least he doesn't have any bad intentions."

"I guess he is still with you now!"

Yes, sir. There is another 14-year-old girl in my shop. This girl is responsible for cooking and cleaning the house. There are only a few people in my shop. Because I am single and have never been married.

Sir, the three of us have been living a very peaceful life together. We all live together. If the management is not good, we will repay the debts together.

"The first thing that interfered with our lives was this ad. Just eight weeks ago today, Spaulding came into my office with this newspaper in his hand. He said, 'Mr. Wilson, I really

I wish God would give me red hair.'"

I asked him: 'Why do you think so?'

He said: 'How come? There is another vacancy in the current position of the Red-haired Society. If anyone can get this position, it will be equivalent to making a fortune. As far as I know, there are more vacancies there than people looking for jobs.

The directors who were entrusted with the management of the funds are now at a loss as they have money and they can't spend it! If only my hair could change color, then I could go there and enjoy happiness.'

I asked him again: "What's going on with the red hair?" Mr. Holmes, you may not imagine that I usually stay at home and don't go out. Because my business is all done by others.

I don't have to run around to find business on my own. So I often don't leave the house for weeks, so I know very little about things outside, and I also like to inquire about things outside.

Spaulding's eyes widened and he asked me: 'You don't know anything about the Red-Haired Society, do you?'

'Don't know at all.'

'When you say this, it makes me feel incredible. You must know that you are now qualified to apply for that vacancy! Although the salary is only two hundred pounds a year, this job is very relaxing, even if you have other jobs at the same time.

It doesn't matter if you have another job, there won't be any conflict.'

As you can easily imagine, this is really an eye-opener for me! Because my business has been sluggish for so many years, if I can get this extra two hundred pounds, it will be really easy to make money.

So I told him: 'Tell me everything about this!'

He pointed at the advertisement and said: 'Okay, look here, it says it! There is a vacancy in the Red-haired Club now. Just follow the address on the advertisement and go there to apply for the job. For this Red-haired Club, I

I know a little bit, its founder is an American millionaire named Ezekiah Hopkins. This man has always behaved strangely. He himself also has red hair, and therefore has feelings for all red-haired people.

Very deep feelings. After his death, everyone learned that he had handed over his huge property to the estate trustee for management. In his will, he proposed to take out the interest on his estate as a way to provide benefits to those

A red-haired man is paid for doing a comfortable job. According to the information I already know, this job pays well, but does very little work.'

I said: 'But there are so many red-haired men in the world, and they will all apply for jobs.'

He replied: 'Actually, there are not as many as you think. You can do the math, because what he asked for is only for Londoners, and they must be adult men. Because this American made his fortune in London, so he

I really want to do something to give back to this ancient city. I also heard people say that the red hair they require must be a real fiery red. Light red or dark red are not qualified, and it is useless to apply. Okay

, Mr. Wilson, if you really want to apply for the job, go ahead! However, for a mere few hundred pounds, it may not be worth it to you if there is any trouble.'

Gentlemen, as you can see now, my hair is a real fiery red color. So, I thought at that time, if I need to compete with others for this position, then I will definitely have an easier time than others.

The winner. It seemed that Vincent Spaulding knew more about this matter, so I thought he might be able to help me a little bit. So, I asked him to close the doors and windows and accompany me to apply for the job immediately.

That position. Of course he was happy to have a day off for no reason, so we temporarily stopped business and went to the address advertised.

Mr. Holmes, I really don't want to see that scene again. A group of people from different directions, with hair of different shades of hair, flocked to the city to apply for jobs according to the addresses provided in the advertisements. Fleet Street was full of people.

They were all red-haired people. From a distance, the heads looked like there were as many oranges on the carts of fruit vendors. A small advertisement actually attracted so many people from all over the country. It really impressed me.

Surprisingly, the hair of these people is even more colorful, including straw yellow, lemon color, orange, brick red, liver purple, khaki, and the colors of Irish long-haired dogs. However, unlike Spurs,

Erdin said the same thing, there are not many truly pure fiery red hair here. When I saw so many people waiting, I was a little disappointed and wanted to give up at that time. But Spohr

But Ding tried his best to stop me. He pushed and pulled me from the crowd to the front of the office building, and walked all the way to the steps of the office. There were two groups of people on the stairs, one group was going in full of hope.

, the other group came out dejectedly. We tried our best to squeeze into the crowd, and then we were squeezed into the office by the crowd without even realizing it.

The client paused, took a deep puff of snuff on his hand, thought for a moment, and was about to continue speaking when Mr. Holmes spoke: "Your story is really interesting. Please continue."

There were only a few wooden chairs and a desk in the office. Behind that desk, a little man with hair redder than mine sat there. He would follow everyone who came to him.

The applicants would chat for a few words, and then they would try their best to find out what was wrong with them and end up being unqualified. It seemed that it was very difficult to get a position. But despite this, when it was our turn, this little man did not look like

Being so picky about others was much nicer than before. As soon as we walked in, he closed the door and started talking to us alone.

My buddy introduced the man: 'This is my boss, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and he wants to apply for the vacant position at the Red-headed Society.'

The other party immediately replied: 'It looks like he is very suitable for our position! He basically meets all our requirements. So far, I don't remember anyone with better hair color than him.' He stepped back.

He took a step forward, tilted his head, and stared at my hair for a long time, until I was at a loss. Then he stepped forward, took my hand, congratulated me, and told me that I had been successful.

Admitted.

He said: 'It seems that we have found the person we need. But, I'm sorry, just to be cautious, and I also believe that you can understand my mood.' As he said this, he grabbed it with both hands.

He pulled my hair up hard, and it hurt so much that I screamed before letting him go. Then he told me: 'I saw you crying. Obviously, I think your conditions are too in line with our requirements.

But I have to be careful, because we have been deceived twice before. Two bastards with wigs and a hair dyer almost deceived us. He even used shoe wax to dye his hair red, don't you think it's disgusting?

?' Then he walked to the window and shouted outside: 'The candidate we want is already there.' Then there was a sigh of disappointment under the window, and the crowd began to slowly disperse, heading in the direction they came from.

After they left, only me and the two red-haired people were left.

He said: 'My name is Duncan Ross. I am currently a beneficiary of the Red-headed Society Fund. Mr. Wilson, are you married and starting a family?'

I replied: "Never."

His face suddenly darkened.

Then he said with a serious face: 'Oh! This matter is a bit serious! This can only make me feel sorry for you. After all, the purpose of our founder's original establishment of this fund was, on the one hand, to better

To protect the lives of red-haired people, on the other hand, it is also to increase the number of red-haired people. But it is such a pity that you have remained single.'

Mr. Holmes, when I heard these words, I couldn't help but feel very discouraged. At that time, I thought to myself, this is over, and the fat that is about to reach my mouth will not be eaten anymore. But he thought for a while, and then said to me

:'It's nothing.' He said: 'If it were another person, it might be a big misfortune. However, your hair grows so well, so I think we should make an exception for a person like you.

.So, when can you come to work?'

I said, 'Oh, this might not be easy to deal with because I have a store of my own to look after.'

Vincent Spaulding said from the side: 'It doesn't matter, I will still be there then!'

I asked: 'How do you arrange your commuting time?'

'Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.'

Mr. Holmes, you know that pawnshop owners do most of their business at night, especially on Thursday and Friday nights. These are also the two days before wages are paid, so making more money in the morning is what I want most.

I do it, and I know my clerk relatively well. If I leave the store to him, I should be able to rest assured.

I said, 'This job is perfect for me, so what's the salary?'

'Four pounds a week.'

'What about job responsibilities?'

'It's just a name.'

'Fake name? What do you mean?'

'Oh, that's right. In other words, you must stay at your job during the entire working time, or at least cannot leave the building. Once you leave there, it means that you have voluntarily given up.

This is clearly stated in the founder's will. Even leaving the office for one minute during working hours is a violation of the regulations.'

I said, 'It's only 4 hours in total, and I will definitely stick with you.'

Mr. Duncan Ross said: 'Sickness, business or any other reason is not an excuse for you to leave. You must stay in the office, otherwise you will lose your job.'

'What exactly is your job?'

'Your job is to copy the Encyclopedia Britannica, and here is the first volume of that edition. You will have to bring your own ink, pen and blotting paper. All we can provide is this table and this chair. You will start tomorrow

Can you come to work?'

I replied: 'No problem.'

'Well, Mr. Jabez Wilson, see you tomorrow and congratulate you again on this important position!' He bowed to me and said goodbye. I left there immediately and went home with my buddy.

Good luck came to me all of a sudden. I was so happy that I didn't even know what to do.

Oh, I have been thinking about it all day, and at night, my mood suddenly became depressed, because I always felt that this was a scam, although I didn’t understand what their purpose was. Someone like this

It was too unrealistic to make a will or give so much money to someone to do such a simple job as copying the Encyclopedia Britannica. Vincent Spaulding tried every means to comfort me. Towards the end of the day

When I went to bed, I had already made a decision on this matter. No matter what happened, I would go and take a look the next day to find out what was going on. So, I spent a penny the next day,

I bought a bottle of ink, a quill, and seven large sheets of writing paper, and set out for my work place.

Oh, to my surprise, things went very smoothly. Someone had already set the table for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross arrived there early to guide me in my work. He told me to start copying from the letter A and arrange my work.

After that, he left, but he would come in from time to time and ask about the progress of my work. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, he said goodbye to me and praised me for copying a lot! I just left the office,

He locked the door.

Mr. Holmes, things went on like this, and on Saturday the man came to my office and paid me four pounds in gold coins as my wages for a week's work. The same thing happened the next week, and so on.

It was still the same after a week. I kept the regular schedule of going to work there at 10 am every day and getting off work at 2 pm. Gradually, Mr. Duncan Ross came less and less, and sometimes he might only come once in the morning. Again

After a while, he stopped coming. Of course, I still stayed in the office very carefully, because I felt that he might come at any time. Besides, this job is indeed very comfortable, especially for me. I

I don't want to lose such a good job.

"In this way, eight weeks passed in the blink of an eye. During this period, I copied the terms 'abbot', 'armor', 'architecture' and 'Athenians'. And I hope to work harder, so that I can

I could quickly start copying the entries starting with the letter B. For this purpose, I spent a lot of money to buy large-page writing paper, and the things I copied almost filled a shelf. However, immediately after, the whole thing suddenly changed.

The child stopped suddenly."

"Stop suddenly?"

"That's right, sir. It's stopped. Just this morning, I went to work on time at 10 o'clock as usual, but I found that the door was locked, and there was a small square card pinned with a thumbtack in the crack of the door.

Well, this is it, you can take a look."

He held a white card about the size of a note paper in his hand, which read:

The Red Hair Society has announced its dissolution and is hereby notified.

October 9, 1890

We didn't understand what was going on with such a short announcement, and then we saw the annoyance and worry on the face of the person standing behind. This thing seemed so funny to us, so let's temporarily

Forgetting other things, Sherlock Holmes and I burst into laughter.

Our client became anxious all of a sudden, his face turned red and his neck thickened, and he shouted angrily: "Do you think it's funny? If you can't do anything meaningful other than making fun of people, I'll find someone else immediately.

"

Holmes said loudly: "No, don't do this." He pushed Wilson, who had stood up with excitement, back into his chair, and said at the same time: "I promise to take over your case no matter what. It is really extraordinary.

It feels very strange. But if you don't mind, I want to say that this thing is indeed a bit ridiculous. May I ask, what did you do after you saw the card on the door? "

Sir, I was so surprised that I felt at a loss for a while. I asked the neighbors near the office, but none of them seemed to know about it. Finally, I went to find the landlord. He lived downstairs and worked in finance.

.I asked him to tell me if something happened to the Red Hair Club. He said that he had never heard of this group at all. I then asked him about the identity of Mr. Duncan Ross, and he said that he did not know him either.

I said, 'Well, that's the gentleman who lives in No. 7.' 'Oh, you mean the red-haired guy?'

'right.'

He said: 'Oh, his name is William Morris, he is a lawyer, he is renting temporarily because his new house has not been decorated yet, and he just moved out yesterday.'

'Where can I find him?'

'Oh, you can go and see his new office. I know his new address. Yes, it's 17 King Edward Street, not far from St. Paul's Church.'

Mr. Holmes, I did not dare to delay at all, and went to him immediately. However, when I found the place, I found that it was a knee brace manufacturer, and no one there knew that this was called William Morris or Duncan Ross.

people.

Holmes asked: "Then what did you do next?" "I went home. I had to reluctantly accept the man's advice, but his advice could not fundamentally solve my problem. He just

He said that as long as I could wait patiently, there should be a letter explaining what was going on. But, Mr. Holmes, how could I listen to these words? I didn't want to lose such a good job so easily. Later I

I heard that you are willing to help the helpless poor people with advice, so I came to you right away."

Mr. Holmes said: "What you did was very sensible. Your case is very unusual, and I would be happy to take it on. Judging from what you have said, there may be more problems here than there actually are."

It’s much more complicated and serious.”

Mr. Jabez Wilson said: "This is serious! You know, I mean losing £4 a week!"

Holmes added: "From your point of view, I don't think you have any complaints about this extraordinary group. On the contrary, according to what you told me, you have made more than 30 yuan in this period."

Where’s the British pound! What’s more, you’ve gained a lot of knowledge by copying so many words starting with the letter A! You haven’t suffered at all in this matter!”

"I'm not at a disadvantage. But, sir, I have to know what is going on. What do those people do? Why are they making this joke to you and me? Of course, if it is indeed a joke. You must know that this joke makes

They spent 32 pounds, which is a lot of money."

"Don't worry about this, we will try our best to help you find out. However, Mr. Wilson, please answer me a few questions first. First, how long has the guy who showed you the advertisement been working at your place?"

"About a month or so before this incident!"

"How did he come to you?"

"I applied based on the advertisement I placed."

"Was he the only one who applied for the job?"

"No, there are a dozen people applying!"

"How did you choose him?"

"Because he seems to be more flexible and doesn't cost much."

"He's actually getting half a salary?"

"That's right."

"What does this guy look like?"

"He is very short, but relatively strong and can do things neatly. Although he is in his 30s, the skin on his face is relatively smooth. There is a white scar on his forehead, which must have been burned by sulfuric acid."

Holmes couldn't help but sit up straight in his chair, showing an unusual excitement. He said: "I have thought of all this, and have you noticed that both of his ears are pierced for earrings?"

"Saw it, sir. He told me it was a piercing he had made by a gypsy when he was little."

"Oh, is he still working at your place?" said Holmes, and then he began to think again.

"Oh, yes, he was still there when I just came from home!"

"When you are not in the store, is he the one who takes care of you?"

"Sir, I am very satisfied with his work, not to mention there is not much business in the morning."

"Well, Mr. Wilson, I will tell you the outcome of this matter in a day or two. Today is Saturday, and I think the matter should be concluded by Monday."

After the guests left, Holmes said to me: "Okay, Watson, from your point of view, how do you analyze this matter?"

I told the truth: "I think this thing is a little too strange, and I don't see the problem."

Mr. Holmes said: "According to my experience, the more bizarre things seem, once you find out the truth, you will find that everything is actually very ordinary and not so mysterious. In fact, it is those seemingly ordinary,

Cases with no special features are more elusive! It's just like a person. The more ordinary a person's face is, the harder it is to identify a person's quality. However, I need to hurry up and solve this case.

It’s only when things are done.”

I asked him: "Then what are you going to do next?"

He replied: "Smoking. This problem requires smoking three pipes of cigarettes to find a solution. At the same time, I hope that a person can think for 50 minutes. During this period, you don't have to talk to me." He curled up in his chair.

, began to close his eyes and enter a state of meditation, with his thin knees almost touching his aquiline nose. He held his black ceramic pipe in his mouth, which looked particularly like the sharp and long mouth of some rare bird.

.Looking at his look, I thought he was asleep, so I couldn't help but doze off. Suddenly, he jumped up from his chair, with a confident expression on his face, and put the pipe away.

Placed it on the mantelpiece.

He said: "There is a Sarasat performance at St. James's Hall this afternoon. What do you think, Watson? Could you spare a few hours from attending to the sick this afternoon and go and see it?"

"I'm not very busy today. I can always leave my job at any time."

"Well, put on your hat and let's go there! Let's have some lunch when we pass through the city later! I found that there is a lot of German music on the show list. Compare Italian music and French music

Personally speaking, I think German music is much more beautiful and more thought-provoking. I just need some self-reflection. Let’s go!”

We first took a short tube ride to Aldersgate, and then walked a short distance until we arrived at Saxe-Coburg Square, which is where the strange story we heard in the morning took place. This is

A very narrow alley, with a dilapidated and messy scene in front of you. Four rows of two-story gray brick houses are surrounded by a wall with iron railings. There is a lawn in the yard, but because no one has repaired it, it is overgrown with weeds.

There are still a few withered laurel bushes on the lawn, surviving strongly in the smoky environment. Above a house on the corner of the street, there is a brown plaque with "Jabez Wilson" written in large white letters.

Wooden boards and three gilded balls, this sign told us that the shop where our red-haired client did business was here. Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of the house, tilted his head and took a closer look at it.

, a pair of eyes sparkling under his wrinkled eyelids. Then he walked slowly back to the street, and then back to the corner, but his eyes kept staring at the house. Finally, he returned to the house.

The pawn shop was located, and I struck the pavement two or three times with my cane, then walked to the door of the pawn shop and knocked on the door. The door soon opened, and a man who looked very capable and clean-shaven walked out.

young man.

Holmes said: "Excuse me, I would like to ask you for directions. How do you get to the Strand from here?"

The guy immediately replied: "Go forward from here, turn right at the third intersection, and then turn left at the fourth intersection." After that, he immediately closed the door.

As we left there, Holmes said: "I think this young man is very capable indeed. In my opinion, he is the fourth most capable man in London. But as for courage, I wonder whether he can be ranked third.

I’m not sure, but I know a little bit about him.”

I said: "Obviously, Mr. Wilson's guy played a key role in the whole mysterious incident of the Red-headed Society. I think you asked him for directions just to see his reaction!"

"Not to see him in person."

"What are you looking at?"

"Want to see what his pants knees look like?"

"Then what did you see?"

"I saw it."

"What are you banging on the pavement for?"

"My dear doctor, this is not the time for you to ask questions, but the time for us to observe carefully. You must know that we are in my opponent's territory now! We have already dealt with the situation at Sachs-Koberg Square.

Now that we understand something, let’s go to the back of the square and check again!”

Turning around the corner of the remote Sachs-Koberg Square, a completely different scene appeared on the road in front of us. It was just like the front and back of a painting, completely different things. This is a

A broad avenue leading from the city to the northwest. The whole street is full of people doing business, and the flow of people coming and going has blocked the entire street. In the flow of people, everyone is going in different directions, and the flow is endless. Because of the crowds

As pedestrians arrived, the entire street was blackened by people's trampling. Looking at the rows of gorgeous shops and row upon row of commercial buildings, it was hard for us to imagine that these buildings were actually the dead silence we just saw.

The square is one.

Holmes stopped at a corner and looked towards the row of houses. He said: "I would like to keep the order of these houses in my mind. One of my hobbies is to understand London very accurately. Here are

A tobacconist's shop called Motiran, and over there was a newspaper shop! Beyond that was the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, a vegetarian restaurant, the McFarland Carriage Factory, and then on to another block.

Okay, doctor, our work is over and we can go relax. We'll have a sandwich and a cup of coffee, and then we'll go to the concert hall, which is a place full of beautiful music, and it won't

There is a red-haired client who is bothering us with difficult questions."

Holmes is a passionate musician who has reached the first-class level in both playing and composing. For half the afternoon, he sat in the auditorium with joy, dancing his lanky body gently to the beat of the music.

fingers, a smiling face, but a pair of eyes filled with sadness, as if in a dreamland. At this time, Sherlock Holmes was very different from usual. The resourceful, selfless detective was able to solve so many cases quickly and flexibly.

The great detective I was dealing with was completely different from the past. Because of his weird dual personality, he often behaved differently from ordinary people. Just like what I always thought he was, he was sharp and careful.

The contrast with the poetic state that occasionally appears in him is very obvious. His character determines his state, that is, it is easy to go from one extreme to another. Sometimes he looks very lethargic, but sometimes he is so...

He is full of passion. As far as I know, when he sits in an armchair and is lost in thought for several days in a row, it is his most serious time, and once a strong desire to hunt arises, his thoughts will be completely absorbed.

It is dominated by it. This is when his reasoning ability is at its strongest. Many people do not understand this and regard him as an omniscient and omnipotent person. That afternoon, I learned from his intoxication with music in St. James's Hall.

He realized that the person he was tracking was going to be in bad luck.

After we finished listening to the music, when we walked out, he asked me: "Doctor, it seems you need to go home?"

"Yes."

"I may be delayed for a few hours. I need to deal with some things. This case that happened in Coburg Square is a big one!"

"how you said that?"

"I'm sure someone is plotting a major criminal activity, and I believe we can stop them in time. However, today is Saturday, so things will be more troublesome. So, you must help me tonight."

"When exactly?"

"It'll be around 10 o'clock."

"Okay, I'll go to Baker Street at ten o'clock!"

"That's great. But, doctor, I guess it might be a bit dangerous then, so you'd better bring the pistol you used in the army with you." He waved to me and turned around to leave.

, and quickly disappeared from the crowd.

It can be said that I don’t think I am too stupid among my friends, but once I come into contact with Sherlock Holmes, I always feel pressured and feel that I am too stupid. For example, this is the case now.

What he saw and heard was no different from mine! But when you listen to him speak, you will clearly see that not only does he have a clear understanding of what has happened, but he can also predict what is about to happen in advance.

Judgment. But I was still confused at this time! I couldn't judge the true face of things at all. On the way home in the car, I sorted out today's events in my mind, starting with our red-haired client.

Inexplicable help in copying the "Encyclopedia Britannica", then our investigation in Sachs-Coburg Square, and finally to the great conspiracy that Holmes told me when he parted with me. What are we going to do at night? Why carry a gun?

Where is our destination? What are we going to do? According to Holmes's hints, the young man in the pawn shop seems to be a dangerous person. This guy may be up to tricks. The more I try to straighten this matter out, the less likely I am.

In the end, all that was left was disappointment, so I simply put it aside and waited until the evening to see the results naturally.

I set out from home at 9:15, walked through the park, then crossed Oxford Street, and then arrived at Baker Street. As soon as I got there, I saw two two-wheeled two-seater carriages parked at the door. I just

As I walked into the corridor, I heard voices coming from upstairs. When I walked into Holmes' room, I saw him talking happily to two people! One of them I knew was Peter, the official detective of the police station.

Jones. Another tall man who looked very thin and had a yellow face. He wore a shiny hat and a thick, very elegant dress coat.

"Well," said Holmes, "we are all here." As he spoke, he buttoned his duffle coat and took down his heavy hunting whip from the stand. He added: "

Watson, I think you already know Mr. Jones from Scotland Yard, right? Let me introduce you to Mr. Meriwether. We cannot do without him tonight!"

Jones said arrogantly: "Doctor, you see, we are partners again. Our friend is a good hunter! As long as an old dog helps him, he can catch his prey."

Meriwether was obviously a little depressed: "I just hope that this pursuit can be successful and not return without success."

Mr. Jones still said arrogantly: "Sir, you should have confidence in Mr. Holmes. He always has his own way of doing things. But please don't be offended. From my point of view, this method is a bit too theoretical.

And it's weird. But overall, he still has the qualities of an excellent detective. For example, in the Sholto murder case and the Agra treasure theft case, his judgment was more correct than the official detective, I said

These are said from a practical point of view.”

Meriwether said with approval: "Mr. Jones, I agree with what you said. However, I need to make a point. This cost me the opportunity to play bridge. This is the first time in 27 years that I have not played bridge on a Saturday night.

Bridge.”

Sherlock Holmes said: I guarantee you that tonight will be the biggest bet you have ever made, and the scene will definitely be more thrilling. For you, Mr. Meriwether, the bet is worth about 30,000 pounds, and for Mr. Jones

In other words, the bet is the person you want to arrest.

"Mr. Merriweather, this guy John Clay is not only a murderer, thief, robber, but also a fraudster. Although he is young, he is the leader of that group of criminals. This is a figure worthy of attention.

I think arresting him should be the most important thing at the moment, even more important than arresting all the criminals in London. This young man's grandfather is a royal duke, and he himself studied at Eton College and Oxford University. He is a particularly flexible mind.

A man who is as nimble as his hands. Although we can find traces of him everywhere, we have never found him. He may smash a children's bed in Scotland this week, and another

Next week there will probably be plans to build an orphanage in Cornwall. I have been following him for so many years and I have never bumped into him once."

"I hope I can be lucky enough to see him tonight. I have dealt with this John Clay twice. I agree with what you just said that he is the leader of a theft group. Okay, it's already past 10 o'clock

It's time for us to set off. If you two choose to take the first carriage, Watson and I will take the second carriage behind."

Along the way, Sherlock Holmes didn't speak much. He leaned back on the seat of the carriage and hummed the tune he had just listened to in the afternoon. The carriage drove on the road that seemed to never end, because of the gas lights.

Because of this, the road seemed foggy, so we arrived at Farrington Street.

Holmes told me: "We are almost there. Let me introduce to you the situation of the two of them. Although Meriwether is a bank chairman, he is very interested in this case, so he came. As for Jones, after

So it was a good idea to let him come with us. Although he is a fool in terms of the industry he is engaged in, he is still a good person. He has one advantage worth using, that is, in arresting criminals

At this time, if the criminals slip away, he can help us catch up with them like a brave mastiff. Well, we are already here, and they are still waiting for us!"

In front of us was the street we had visited this morning. At that time, the street was crowded with people and was extremely crowded. After the carriage was sent, we passed through a narrow passage under the leadership of Mr. Merriweather. He gave

We opened the small door next to it and walked in. We found a small corridor inside and a large iron door at the end of the corridor. Mr. Merriweather opened the iron door and saw another one after entering.

The spiral stone steps lead to another door that is scary to look at. Mr. Merriweather stopped, lit his portable lamp first, and then took us to another passage. There was a smell in the passage.

With the smell of earth, I walked down the passage and saw the third door. Then I opened the third door and entered a basement with a huge vault, which was filled with boxes.

Holmes took the lantern from Mr. Merriweather's hand, raised it and looked around. He said: "It seems that it will be difficult to break through from this basement!"

Mr. Merriweather tapped the stone slab on the ground with his cane and said: "It is very difficult to break through from the underground!" Then he immediately raised his head and said to us in surprise: "Hey! It seems to be empty!"

Holmes snapped at them unhappily: "Can you please keep quiet? Your actions have already affected our victory this time. I hope you'd better find a box to sit down and don't make any more trouble."

Is there any movement?"

The well-dressed Mr. Merriweather had no choice but to sit on a crate with an aggrieved face. Holmes was seen kneeling on the stone floor, holding a lantern in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other, and began to look between the stone slabs.

He carefully inspected the gaps. After a while, he finished the inspection, then stood up and put the magnifying glass back into his pocket.

He said: "It seems that we have to wait for at least an hour, because they will only dare to take action after the kind-hearted pawnshop owner is asleep. Once the owner is asleep, they will take action immediately, so that they can

Give them enough time to escape. Doctor, I think you must have guessed what is going on! The basement we are currently in is the basement of the city branch of a large bank in London. Mr. Meriwether is here

Chairman of a bank, if you want to know why those bold criminals in London are so interested in this basement, you can ask him."

The chairman told me in a low voice: "There is French gold stored here. According to the information we have received, we know that someone may be interested in it."

"French gold?"

"Yes, just a few months ago, there was a good opportunity for us to increase our gold reserves, so we borrowed 30,000 French gold coins from the Bank of France. Because we never had time to open the box and take out the money, we kept it.

In the basement, right under my butt in this crate, are two thousand French gold coins wrapped in layers of tinfoil. Our gold reserves currently hold far more than a branch office would normally hold.

So the directors have been worried about this."

Holmes said: "They are right to be worried. Now it is time for us to carefully plan our plan. I estimate that we will see the truth of the matter in less than an hour. Well, Mr. Merriweather, let's do it

Let’s cover this dark lantern with a cloth lampshade!”

"Are we just waiting in the dark?"

"That's probably it. Originally, I brought a deck of cards with me, because there were exactly four of us, and it still gave you the opportunity to play bridge. But I didn't expect that the other party was already ready, so I'd better be careful now.

For the best, we must avoid the risk of light leakage. What we need to do now is to choose the location first. Although we will make them unpredictable, it is better to be careful. You must know that they are all a bunch of people who don’t want their lives.

Those guys may hurt us. So, I will stand behind this crate, and you all will hide behind those crates. When the time comes, I will shine my light on them, and then you will run over quickly.

Watson, if they dare to shoot, don't be merciful and knock them down directly."

The bullets were already loaded in the gun. I took out the pistol and placed it on the wooden box behind me where I was squatting. Holmes quickly covered the lantern, and everything in front of him was pitch black. This was the first time I had been in such a situation.

Staying in a dark place. Only the smell from the heated metal made us realize that the light was still on and would light up as soon as a signal was received. My nerves were tense and I was silently

The basement was waiting. And the dank and cold basement that suddenly fell into darkness made people suddenly feel very depressed and a little depressed.

Holmes whispered: "Their only way of retreat is to retreat to the house, and then run to Saxe-Coburg Square. Jones, I think you should do everything I told you before, right?"

"Yes, there is an inspector and two police officers waiting at the front door."

"That is to say, we have blocked all the enemy's escape routes. The only thing we have to do now is to wait quietly."

Time moved forward minute by minute! Later we looked at the clock and found that we had waited for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes. But at that time, I felt like I had been waiting all night, and it seemed that the sky was about to break.

.Because I kept in one position and dared not move, I was so tired that my hands and feet were numb. My nerves were already extremely tense at this time, but my hearing was very keen, whether it was the gentle breathing of my friends or the

I could basically hear the heavy breathing of the big man Jones and the slight sigh of the bank chairman. Looking along the box in front of me, I suddenly saw a little light emerging from the cracks in the stone slabs.

.

At first, it was just dots of light that flickered and extinguished, and then those bright spots turned into a beam of light. In a blink of an eye, a crack appeared on the floor, and suddenly a hand emerged from it.

The hand was white and smooth, almost like a woman's hand. It fumbled around the bright spot. For about a minute, the hand gradually stretched out from the ground. Then it suddenly retracted. The surrounding area sank back into the ground.

In the darkness, only a few grayish-yellow bright spots illuminated the cracks in the stone slabs.

However, just after the hand disappeared for a while, a harsh tearing sound suddenly came from under the floor. A white stone slab was overturned from the center of the floor, and a square gap immediately appeared in the place.

Immediately afterwards, a line of lantern light suddenly shot out from the gap. Slowly, a very delicate baby face was revealed. He glanced around vigilantly, then held both sides of the gap with his hands, and slowly

He rose from the ground and finally appeared in front of everyone. Then he stretched out his hand and pulled up an accomplice. This person was also like him, a relatively agile little man with a white face, messy hair, and a

red.

He whispered to his companion: "Everything goes well. Have you brought the chisel and the bag? Oh, no! Jump down, jump down, Edge, and let me deal with them!"

Before he finished speaking, Sherlock Holmes jumped up and ran over to grab the intruder by the collar. At the same time, another person jumped down the gap, and then heard a tearing sound.

There was a squeaking sound from the tattered clothes. Although Jones grabbed his collar, he still let him escape. At this time, a bright light flashed, and the remaining man took out a revolver in his hand, but still

Before he could pull the trigger, Holmes swung his whip and hit the man's wrist. There was a "cang" sound and the pistol fell to the stone floor.

Holmes said calmly: "John Clay, don't waste your efforts, you can't escape my grasp."

The other party actually replied calmly: "That may be the case, but I think my companion will be fine, even though you caught him by the lapel."

Holmes said: "Don't worry, there are three people waiting for him at the door!"

"Oh, really, it seems that you have thought very carefully. Please allow me to pay tribute to you!"

Holmes replied: "You're welcome. You're welcome. But I think your idea about the red head is quite good."

Jones said: "You will be with your companion soon. He jumped out of the hole faster than I did. Stretch out your hands and let me cuff them."

As the handcuffs closed around our prisoner's wrists, he said: "Don't you know that I am a descendant of the royal family? I want to get your dirty hands off. Also, I want you to remember when you talk to me.

Instead of using the words 'sir' and 'please'."

Jones' eyes widened, he suppressed a smile and said: "Okay, sir, please go up the steps. After you go up, we will hire a carriage to take you to the police station. You

Do you think this is okay?”

John Clay said calmly: "That's pretty much it." He bowed slightly to the three of us, and silently walked out under the escort of the police detectives.

Everyone followed and walked out of the basement one after another. At this time, Mr. Merriweather said: "I can't thank you enough for your efforts. Obviously, this was a well-planned bank theft, and fortunately you came up with it."

With such a thorough plan, this case was solved so quickly."

Holmes said: "I myself have a few accounts to settle with John Clay, but I think the bank will pay me the money I spent on this case. In addition, what's more important is that I have gained from this case.

There is much more reward than this in the case, which is the experience of solving this case. This is incomparable to anything. In fact, just listening to the extraordinary story of the Red-haired Society has benefited me greatly.

Already."

In the morning, when Holmes and I were drinking whiskey and soda in Baker Street, Holmes explained: "Watson, you see, it is actually obvious. This so-called red-headed society and their messy advertisements, what else is there to copy?"

"Encyclopedia Britannica" and these things have only one purpose in the end, which is to spend a few hours a day on that confused boss, and then commit crimes when he is not in the store. It can be said that there is nothing more novel than this method.

It is difficult for ordinary people to come up with such a brilliant method, but this shows that Clay is still very smart. He used the color of the shop owner's hair and used the price of 4 pounds a week as bait to lure him into the bait, and this little money

Obviously, for people like them who do big business, tens of thousands of pounds is their goal, so this little money is nothing. So, they published the advertisement, and then one of them

One person temporarily rented an office, and another person was responsible for encouraging the boss to apply for the job. They joined forces and finally ensured that the boss could leave his shop every morning. In fact, when I knew that the clerk voluntarily received half of the salary.

, I saw that he had an ulterior motive in going there to do things."

"But how did you deduce his motives?" If there were women in that shop, I might have guessed from the perspective of those romantic affairs. However, the reality is definitely not what I imagined. Because this pawnshop owner did

It was just a small business, and there were no valuable items in the pawn shop, so they would not go to all the trouble and waste so much money on it. Therefore, judging from this, their target was somewhere else, not the pawn shop.

What is that? Then, I thought about the problem that this guy likes to take pictures. The boss said that this guy often haunts the basement. Once I thought about the basement, I found the clues to solve this bizarre case. Later, through the investigation of this guy

After investigation, I found out that my opponent turned out to be one of the calmest and boldest criminals in London. He likes to operate in the basement so much and has been doing it for so long. People can't help but wonder whether he can do it.

What kind of activities? In the end, I determined that there was only one possibility, and that was to dig a tunnel leading to other buildings.

As soon as we visited the site, I had an idea. You were surprised when I hit the sidewalk with my cane, right? In fact, I did it to find out whether the basement extended forward or backward.

.As a result, I found out by knocking that it extended toward the back. Then I rang the doorbell, and as I expected, the guy opened the door for us. Although we had interacted before, we had never met each other.

We met. I didn’t even look at his face at that time, but just wanted to see the condition of his knees. You must have also seen that the knees of his pants looked dirty and torn. These conditions tell us that he must be

A lot of time was spent digging tunnels. In this way, there was only one last question left, that is, what was their purpose of digging tunnels? So, I stood at the corner and observed the surrounding situation, and found that my friend was

My house was actually connected to a suburban bank. Now I knew that I had completely solved the problem. After we listened to the music and parted ways, you went home, and I went to visit Scotland Yard and this
Chapter completed!