hello listeners how are you today
I hope you're doing fine wherever you
are in the world here's a new episode of
my podcast for Learners of English
this podcast is here to help you improve
your English in various ways I want to
help you to get more English into your
life basically one of the things I like
to do in my episodes is to tell you
stories and in this episode it's time
for another one and this time I would
simply like to read you a Sherlock
Holmes story
I love Sherlock Holmes Mysteries and it
is my distinct pleasure to share one
with you today
normally when I read stories to you on
this podcast I explain the vocabulary in
some detail but this story is quite long
it's over nine thousand words and will
probably take about an hour to read in
total
so there isn't really time for me to
explain every single difficult word
I will summarize the story at intervals
to make sure you're following it okay
but the main aim here is just to let you
enjoy a wonderful Sherlock Holmes
detective story and so I'm just going to
read it to you
just in case you don't know
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private
detective created by British author Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle the Sherlock Holmes
stories were written and published at
the end of the 19th century and the
beginning of the 20th century so they
are about a hundred years old maybe a
bit more
Sherlock Holmes is famous for his
exceptional powers of observation and
deduction deduction basically means
working things out from evidence one of
the things that Sherlock Holmes can do
is he'll look at something a situation
or a person and quickly make
observations and then from those
observations he will deduce
things that are not obvious or clear to
everyone else for example he might take
a look at me
and work out my job where I live and
what I've been doing over the past few
weeks just from my appearance it's kind
of a superpower that he has
although it's not magic or anything it's
purely scientific deduction he's an
interesting character for for many
reasons but one of the most interesting
things is his method his method of
observation and deduction working things
out from evidence and he uses this to
solve complex cases criminal cases that
baffle the police and other
investigators
Holmes's sidekick His companion is Dr
John Watson who documents Holmes's
adventures and provides insight into his
enigmatic personality
almost all the Sherlock Holmes stories
are written by Watson or written from
the point of view of Watson and he is
the narrator of the stories including
this one
so as you listen to this just try to
follow along and enjoy the story okay
that's your task it might be a bit
complex and it's difficult to solve the
mystery but you can try if you like
but the main thing is just to follow
along and enjoy listening
now old-fashioned language bear in mind
that this was written over a hundred
years ago and so the language is quite
old-fashioned quite formal and complex
this will make it difficult to
understand this story
but if you're willing to tolerate some
confusion you should ultimately find it
to be an enjoyable experience
you'll find the entire script of this
story on the page for this episode on my
website
you can read along with me while you
listen or just check it later and of
course if there are words and phrases
that come up and you're kind of thinking
huh what's that you can go to the script
you can find those words and phrases and
then you know Google them or use an
online dictionary to find out more so
you can you know do your own research
um but expect to be confused okay that
is normal it's normal with Sherlock
Holmes stories to be a bit confused at
the beginning as the mysterious events
of the case are described
okay normally the way it works is that
the Story begins with um with Sherlock
Holmes and Watson meeting a client
the client tells his story or her story
and explains the situation Holmes then
investigates in a slightly sort of
mysterious way he does things that we
don't really understand or that Watson
doesn't really understand
and then uh Holmes solves the mystery
and explains everything to you so it's
normal in the beginning to be a bit
confused but that's totally fine
personally when I read Sherlock Holmes
stories I often feel a bit confused and
I don't quite know what's going on but I
enjoy the descriptive language and the
whole world of Holmes and Watson so much
that I feel like it doesn't really
matter if I'm a bit confused sometimes
and anyway Holmes always explains
everything at the end so it's okay also
I will clarify and summarize at regular
intervals during the story which should
help you too
this story is called the red-headed
League
and it's about a strange organization
which only red-headed men can join
someone who is red-headed is someone
with red hair or Ginger hair okay
so the story involves a man with ginger
hair who is invited to become a member
of the red-headed League
this mysterious organization in order to
do a specific job for them
things then turned strange as you will
hear and the man doesn't understand what
has happened to him so he turns to
Sherlock Holmes for help Holmes
investigates with the help of Watson and
uncovers a Sinister plan
so without any further Ado let's begin
the story and I hope you enjoy it this
is the red-headed League by Sir Arthur
and Conan Doyle it's available in The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes book okay
along with lots of other really good
stories
right so here we go
I had called upon my friend Mr Sherlock
Holmes one day in the Autumn of last
year
and found him in deep conversation with
a very Stout florid faced elderly
gentleman with fiery red hair
with an apology for my intrusion I was
about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me
abruptly into the room and closed the
door behind me
you could not possibly have come at a
better time my dear Watson he said
cordially
I was afraid that you were engaged so I
am very much so
then I can wait in the Next Room not at
all
this gentleman Mr Wilson has been my
partner and helper in many of my most
successful cases and I have no doubt
that he will be of the utmost used to me
in yours also
the Stout gentleman half Rose from his
chair
and gave a bob of greeting with a little
quick questioning glance from his small
fat encircled eyes
said Holmes relapsing into his armchair
and putting his fingertips together as
was his custom when in judicial moods
I know my dear Watson that you share my
love of all that is bizarre and outside
the conventions and humdrum routine of
everyday life you have shown your relish
for it by the enthusiasm which has
prompted you to Chronicle and if you
will excuse my saying so somewhat to
embellish so many of my own little
adventures
your cases have indeed been of the
greatest interest to me I observed
you will remember that I remarked the
other day just before we went into the
very simple problem presented by Miss
Mary Sutherland
that for strange effects and
extraordinary combinations we must go to
life itself which is always far more
daring than any effort of the
imagination
a proposition which I took the liberty
of doubting you did Doctor but
nonetheless you must come round to my
view for otherwise I shall keep piling
fact upon fact on you until your reason
breaks down under them and acknowledges
me to be right
now Mr Jabez Wilson here has been good
enough to call upon me this morning and
to begin a narrative which promises to
be one of the most singular which I have
listened to for some time
perhaps Mr Wilson you would have the
great kindness to recommence your
narrative
I ask you not merely because my friend
Dr Watson has not heard the opening part
but also because the peculiar nature of
the story makes me anxious to have every
possible detail from your lips
as a rule when I have heard some slight
indication of the course of events I am
able to guide Myself by the thousands of
other similar cases which occur to my
memory
in the present instance I am forced to
admit that the facts are to the best of
my belief unique
okay let's have a little pause there
I'm going to pause as I said briefly
sometimes just to clarify so what's
going on so Watson visits Sherlock
Holmes and he discovers that he is with
a client so Watson sort of says oh sorry
I didn't mean to disturb you but Holmes
pulls Watson into the room and says no
no I'm gonna need your help and you're
going to find this one really
interesting and then uh Watson talks
about then Holmes talks about how
um basically the truth is Stranger Than
Fiction and he mentions that uh recently
while working on another case
Holmes said this to Watson you know he
said basically the the truth is always
stranger than fiction
and Watson disagreed
but Holmes believes that this case might
help to change Watson's mind
um and Holmes also mentions the fact
that when he's working on a case
he finds out information about it and
then he uses
information that he's gained from the
thousands of other cases he's worked on
to help him solve the current mystery
but he said that this particular mystery
he's working on today is unique and so
he's never really encountered a
situation like this before
okay all right
so the the client is this man called Mr
Jabez Wilson who is portly he's kind of
a bit fat florid faced he's got a red
face and he's got fiery red hair okay
so let's continue
the portly client puffed out his chest
with an appearance of some little pride
and pulled a dirty and wrinkled
newspaper from the inside pocket of his
great coat as he glanced down the
advertisement column with his head
thrust forward
and the paper flattened out upon his
knee I took a good look at the man and
endeavored after the fashion of my
companion to read the indications which
might be presented by his dress or
appearance
I did not gain very much however by my
inspection our visitor bore every Mark
of being an average commonplace British
Tradesman obese pompous and slow he wore
rather baggy gray Shepherd's Czech
trousers a Not Over clean black frock
coat unbuttoned in the front and a drab
waistcoat with a heavy brassy Albert
chain and a square pierced bit of metal
dangling down as an ornament
a frayed top hat and a faded brown
Overcoat with a wrinkled velvet collar
lay upon a chair beside him
altogether look as I would there was
nothing remarkable about the man save
his Blazing Red Head and the expression
of extreme Chagrin and discontent upon
his features hmm
Sherlock Holmes's quick eye took in my
occupation and he shook his head with a
smile
as he noticed my questioning glances
beyond the obvious facts that he has at
some time done manual labor that he
takes snuff that he is a Freemason that
he's been in China
and that he's done a considerable amount
of writing lately I can deduce nothing
else said Holmes
Mr Jabez Wilson started up in his chair
with his forefinger upon the paper but
his eyes on my companion
name of good Fortune did you know all
that Mr Holmes he asked how did you know
for example that I did Manual Labor it'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 larger than your left
you have worked with it and the muscles
are more developed
well then
well the snuff then and the Freemasonry
I won't insult your intelligence by
telling you how I read that especially
as rather against these strict rules of
your order you use an arc and Compass
breast pin
ah of course yeah I forgot that but the
writing
what else can be indicated by that right
cuff so very shiny for five inches and
the left one with the smooth patch near
the elbow where you rest it upon the
desk
well but China
the fish that you have tattooed
immediately above your right wrist could
only have been done in China
I have made a small study of tattoo
marks and have even contributed to the
literature of the subject that trick of
staining the fish's scales of a delicate
pink is quite peculiar to China
when in addition I see a Chinese coin
hanging from your Watch chain the matter
becomes even more simple
Mr Jabez Wilson laughed heavily well I
never said he I thought at first that
you'd done something clever but I see
there was nothing in it after all
I begin to think Watson said Holmes that
I make a mistake in explaining
Omni ignotum pro-magnifico you know and
my poor little reputation such as his
ears will suffer shipwreck if I am so
candid
right
so what's going on here let me explain
what's happened so far so we we get um
Jabez Wilson he's got a newspaper
article which he pulls out of his pocket
and at that point Watson
starts to try to do some of Sherlock
Holmes's
uh deductive reasoning
so what's an attempt to use Sherlock
Holmes's method to try to draw
conclusions about the man
but he can't he as far as he can tell
this guy is just a very average British
Tradesman and
what uh Holmes notices that Watson is
trying to work things out
and he finds it amusing
and then Holmes explains the things that
he's observed and he he's observed that
um what is it
he's done some manual labor he takes
snuff
snuff is basically a powdered form of
tobacco that people used to take I don't
think people take it anymore but snuff
is a powdered tobacco that
people sort of snort they sniff it up
their nose
I guess it was fairly common in those
days
um so he he done manual labor like
physical work he takes snuff he's a
Freemason
Freemasons are it's a it's a kind of
secret society
um still going today and Freemasons are
it's a bit weird really but they meet in
they have meetings and I'm not really
sure what they do and they have a secret
handshake and also they're not supposed
to reveal that they're members of the
the Freemasons
so the guys are Freemason
he's been in China and that he's done a
considerable amount of writing lately
this is what Holmes has worked out and
Wilson is surprised because all of the
things are correct and he's like how on
Earth did you do that
Holmes explains
um that he's he's worked out that Wilson
did Manual Labor because his right hand
is much larger and the muscles are more
developed in his right hand
um
what else
uh
the Freemasonry
basically Holmes identifies that he says
I'm not going to give away all your
secrets but I noticed that you're
wearing a certain uh breast pin a kind
of badge on his lapel of his jacket I
suppose an arc Encompass which is I
suppose a symbol of the Freemasons
and um I don't know about the snuff
except maybe he's got some snuff on his
nose or something
um and what about the writing so how did
he know that Wilson has been writing a
lot well Holmes says Holmes notices that
the right cuff so the sort of um the end
of the the sleeve on his shirt or his
jacket is shiny which means that as the
guy's been writing the cuff of has been
rubbing against the table and so it's
made the the the the the the car fall
shiny and there's a a smooth patch on
his elbow which is where he's been
resting the elbow on the desk while
writing
and then China he works out that Wilson
has spent time in China because he's got
a tattoo of a fish on his right wrist
and it's been
um a certain pink uh stain a certain pin
pink ink has been used and um Holmes
knows that that kind of pink ink is only
available in China and also Wilson is it
has got a a Chinese coin hanging from
his watch chain obviously in those days
people didn't have um wrist watches they
had pocket watches which would go in a
pocket and then would be attached to the
waistcoat or jacket by a chain and the
chain would hang down and in this case
Wilson has a Chinese coin attached to
his chain so all these things allow
um homes to understand what's going on
and when when um
Holmes explains that he just you know
observed these things Wilson seems to be
unimpressed he's like oh well I I oh oh
it's quite simple then isn't it really
and
I think Omni ignotum Pro magnifico this
is Latin
what does that mean though
everything everything is unknown is
taken as Grand Everything is Everything
which is unknown is taken as Grand and
magnificent so this is an interesting
point because basically it's saying that
when we don't know how something is done
we're incredibly impressed like when we
see a magic trick it's an it's stunning
and amazing but when we learn how it's
done
we're less impressed
okay and uh so Holmes says um
uh
it he says if I'm so candid if I explain
my methods so openly then my reputation
will suffer shipwreck my reputation will
be will be wrecked if I explain my
methods like this every time
um
let's continue the story can you not
find the advertisement Mr Wilson yes I
I've got it now he answered with his
thick red finger planted halfway down
the column
here it is this is this is what began it
all
you just read it for yourself sir
I took the paper from him and read as
follows
to the red-headed league on the account
of the bequest of the late azika Hopkins
of Lebanon Pennsylvania USA there is now
another vacancy open which entitles a
member of the league to a salary of four
pounds a week for purely nominal
services
all red-headed men who are who are sound
in body and mind and above the age of 21
years are eligible apply in person on
Monday at 11 o'clock to Duncan Ross at
the offices of the league seven popes
Court Fleet Street
what on Earth did
ejaculated
um wait a minute what on Earth does this
mean I ejaculated after I had twice read
over the extraordinary announcement
um all right hold on a minute so these
days this is an example of like you know
how language changes
these days uh the verb ejaculate
only has really one use one meaning and
it's sexual
well I'm gonna have to explain that now
aren't I so uh to ejaculate
[Laughter]
um
okay so when I when uh when a man
reaches sexual climax
right during the act of sexual
intercourse or other sexual uh uh
activities when the man reaches Climax
and uh how can I put this
[Laughter]
right you know what happens right when a
man reaches sexual climax you know what
happens you know like something comes
out right this the verb for that is to
ejaculate so actually it means just to
come out with something and these days
it's only the sexual thing but back in
the time when Conan Doyle wrote this
ejaculate could also mean to quickly say
something
but it certainly gives a different
um meaning to this part of the story
what on Earth does this mean I
ejaculated
and Watson and Holmes was like Watson
if you are to ejaculate at least have
the decency to do it in the privacy of
your own quarters
anyway
what on Earth does this mean I
ejaculated I said after I had twice read
over the extraordinary announcement
okay
chuckled and wriggled in his chair as
was his habit when in High Spirits it is
a little off the Beaten Track isn't it
said he and now Mr Wilson off you go at
scratch and tell us all about yourself
your household and the effect which this
advertisement had upon your fortunes you
will first make note doctor of the paper
and the date
it is uh the morning Chronicle of April
the 27th 1890 just two months ago very
good now Mr Wilson
okay so what's going on here is that
Wilson has uh on the newspaper there's
an advertisement
the advertisement is
um a job offer
for a job at the red-headed League
okay
um at the bequest of the late as a zika
Hopkins so Ezekiel Hopkins is this
american guy the late Ezekiel Hopkins so
he's dead now
but it seemed that Ezekiel Hopkins made
certain bequests like requests that he
wanted to be carried out after his death
so it's a bit mysterious what is who is
this Ezekiel Hopkins and what are these
requests the request is that um
basically a job is available
um it's four pounds a week which at the
time would have been a good wage for
purely nominal Services nominal Services
is just sort of like um not very taxing
work just basic sort of administrative
work basically
but the job is open only for
red-headed men who are sound in body and
mind meaning physically and mentally
healthy above the age of 21 only those
people can apply for the job and in
order to apply you have to go to the
red-headed league on Monday at 11
o'clock seven popes caught in Fleet
Street in London and after uh Watson had
ejaculated
um he read it I read it again and again
um and then Holmes asks uh Jabez Wilson
to explain uh what's going on so this is
now Jabez Wilson explaining okay
well it is just as I've been telling you
Mr Sherlock Holmes said Jabez Wilson
mopping his forehead I have a small Pawn
Brokers business at Coburg Square near
the city
it's not a very large Affair and of late
years it's not done 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 have
a job to pay him but he's willing to
come for half wages so as to learn the
business
what is the name of this obliging youth
asked Sherlock Holmes his name is
Vincent Spalding and he's not such a
youth either
it's hard to say his age
I should not wish a smarter assistant Mr
Holmes and I know very well that he
could better himself and earn twice what
I'm able to give him but after all if he
is satisfied why should I put ideas in
his head
why indeed you seem most fortunate in
having an employee who comes under the
full market price it is not a common
experience among Employers in this age
I don't know that your assistant is not
as remarkable as your advertisement
all he has is faults to said Mr Wilson
never was such a fellow for photography
snapping away with a camera when he
ought to be improving his mind and then
diving down into the cellar like a
rabbit into its hole to develop his
pictures
that is his main fault but on the whole
he's a good worker there's no Vice in
him
he is still with you I presume
yes sir he and a girl of 14 who does a
bit of simple cooking and keeps the
place clean that's all I have in the
house
for I am a widower and never had any
family we live very quietly sir the
three of us and we keep a roof over our
heads and pay our debts if we do nothing
more
okay so uh to summarize here Wilson
explains
uh that he has a pawn brokers business
so a pawn yeah of course a pawn shop
p-a-w-n
um
so a pawn broker you know it's kind of a
simple kind of business uh if you need
cash you might go and let's say I need
some cash I might take my guitar to the
pawn shop and hand it over and the pawn
broker would kind of give me money in
return for it
and if I want my guitar back I need to
come back with some more money and
exchange it back for the guitar so it's
a way of you know getting cash it's kind
of a way of lending money to people
kind of a simple business
okay that's what he does and he employs
an assistant called um Vincent Spalding
and the interesting things about this
assistant is that he um we don't know
his age
um he he um Wilson pays him half the
normal market price
so the wage that he pays Wilson is 50 of
what he could be earning ever elsewhere
but Spalding continues to work for him
mm-hmm
he seems to be a fairly good worker
except the fact that he uh is very very
keen on photography he's always taking
pictures of things
and regularly he goes down into the
cellar into the basement to um
to develop his pictures so he's
constantly taking photos and going down
into the basement a lot
and that seems to be the main problem
but otherwise he's fine
and also there's a 14 year old girl who
kind of does some cooking and cleaning
14 year old girl working for them
that's what it used to be like in those
days okay
let's continue
the first thing that put us out was that
advertisement Spalding he came down into
the office just this day eight weeks ago
with this very paper in his hand and he
says
I wish to the Lord Mr Wilson that I was
a red-headed man
why is that I asked him why says he
here's another vacancy on the league of
the red-headed men it's worth quite a
little Fortune to any man who gets it
and I understand that there are more
vacancies than there are men so that the
trustees are at their wit's end what to
do with the money if my hair would only
change color here's a nice little crib
all ready for me to step into
why what is it then I asked you see Mr
Holmes I'm a very stay-at-home man and
as my business came to me instead of my
having to go to it I was often weeks on
end without putting my foot over the
doormat
in that way I didn't know much of what
was going on outside and I was always
glad of a bit of news
have you heard of the league of the
red-headed men he asked with his eyes
open
never why wonder that for you are
eligible yourself for one of the
vacancies
and and what are they worth I asked oh
merely a couple of hundred a year but
the work is slight and it need not
interfere very much with one's other
occupations
well you can easily think that that made
me prick up my ears for the business has
not been over good for some years and an
extra couple of hundred would have been
very handy
tell me about it I said to Spalding well
said he showing me the advertisement you
can see for yourself that the league has
a vacancy and there is the address where
you should apply for the particulars
as far as I can make out The League was
founded by an American millionaire as
zika Hopkins who was very peculiar in
his ways
he was himself red-headed and he had
great sympathy for all red-headed men so
when he died it was found that he had
left his enormous fortune in the hands
of trustees with instructions to apply
the interest to the providing of easy
births to men whose hair is of that
color
from all I hear it is Splendid pay and
very little to do
but said I
there would be millions of red-headed
men who would apply
not so many as you might think he
answered
you see it's really confined to
londoners and to grown men
this American had started from London
when he was young and he wanted to do
the Old Town a good turn
then again I have heard it is no use
you're applying if your head is light
red or dark red or anything but the real
bright blazing fiery red
now if you cared to apply Mr Wilson you
would just walk in but perhaps it would
hardly be worth your while to put
yourself out of the way for the sake of
a few hundred pounds
now it is a fact gentleman as you may
see for yourselves that my hair is of a
very full and Rich tint so that it
seemed to me that if there was to be any
competition in the matter I stood as
good a chance as any man that I had ever
met
Vincent Spalding seemed to know so much
about it that I thought he might prove
useful so I just ordered him to put up
the shutters for the day and to come
right away with me he was very willing
to have a holiday so we shut the
business up and started off for the
address that was given in the
advertisement
okay time to stop and summarize again
here we go so it's Vincent Spalding the
assistant who likes photography who
showed Wilson the advertisement and
explained everything he seemed to know
so much about it
and he basically says look there's
another vacancy of the the league of the
red-headed men he kind of explained what
the league is it's set up by this
American man with red hair
a millionaire who loves London and so he
decided that uh when he died he gave his
money all his millions to trustees these
are people who are given the
responsibility to look after some money
and uh with the instructions to
basically help any red-headed men in
London by giving them things like
employment or giving them places to live
okay
a bit weird isn't it and uh Vincent
Spalding suggests that um Jabez Wilson
might be able to get the job and Wilson
thinks actually Wilson is not the sort
of person who likes to go out very much
but this work seems to be pretty
straightforward not very challenging and
might earn him quite a lot of money
and his business isn't doing very well
so this could be a really you know a
really good idea so he asks Spalding to
close up the shop put the shutters down
and accompany him to the address in
order to apply for the for the job
basically okay
so let's continue
I never hope to see such a sight as that
again so this is when they've gone to uh
the offices of the red-headed league in
Fleet Street okay they've gone there
Wilson is now explaining what he saw
I never hope to see such a sight as that
again Mr Holmes from north south east
and west every man who had a shade of
red in his hair had tramped into the
city to answer the advertisement Fleet
Street was choked with red-headed folk
and Pope's Court looked like a Costas
orange Barrow
I should not have thought that there
were so many in the whole country as
were brought together by that single
advertisement every shade of color they
were straw lemon orange brick Irish
Setter liver clay but as Spalding said
there were not many who had the real
Vivid flame colored tint
when I saw how many were waiting I would
have given it up in despair but Spalding
would not hear of it how he did it I
could not imagine but he pushed and
pulled and butted until he got me
through the crowd and right up to the
steps which led to the office there was
a double stream upon the stair some
going up in Hope and some coming back
dejected but we wedged in as well as we
could and soon found ourselves in the
office
your experience has been a most
entertaining one remarked homes as his
client paused and refreshed his memory
with a huge pinch of snuff
pray continue your very interesting
statement
there was nothing in the office but a
couple of wooden chairs and a deal table
behind which sat a small man with a head
that was even redder than mine
he said a few words to each candidate as
he came up and then he always managed to
find some fault in them which would
disqualify them
getting a vacancy did not seem to be
such a very easy matter after all
however when our turn came the little
man was very much more favorable to me
than to any of the others and he closed
the door as we entered so that he might
have a private word with us
this is Mr Jabez Wilson said my
assistant and he's willing to fill a
vacancy in the league
and he is admirably suited for it the
other answered he has every requirement
I cannot recall when I've seen anything
so fine
he took a step backward cocked his head
on one side
and gazed at my hair until I felt quite
bashful
then suddenly he plunged forward rung my
hand
shook my hand and congratulated me
warmly on my success
congratulations
it would be Injustice to hesitate said
he you will however I am sure excuse me
for taking an obvious precaution
with that he seized my hair in both
hands and tugged until I yelled with
pain ow
there is water in your eyes said he as
he released me I perceive that all is as
it should be but we have to be careful
for we have twice been deceived by wigs
and wants by paint
I could tell you Tales of cobbler's wax
which would disgust you with human
nature
he stepped over to the window and
shouted through it at the top of his
voice that the vacancy was filled the
vacancy has been filled
a groan of disappointment came up from
Below
and the folk all trooped away in
different directions until there was not
a red head to be seen except my own and
that of the manager
okay what on Earth is going on so they
turn up at the street at Fleet Street at
the office of the red-headed league and
there are thousands or hundreds of
red-headed men there to apply for the
job and they've there's all the
different shades of red head
um as was described but not hardly any
of them have got this the the bright
flame colored hair that um Jabez Wilson
has Spalding the assistant manages to
get them through the crowd into the
building and eventually up the stairs
where they see the manager who is a
small man who also has bright red hair
the manager is very interested to meet
Jabez Wilson he closes the door and
um almost instantly gives him the job
and at one point he has to check that
the hair is real he grabs his hair and
pulls it just to make sure the hair is
not a wig or that it's not painted or
something and when he's satisfied that
it's genuine he basically I think he
offers uh the man the job he calls down
to the street to tell them that the job
the vacancy has been filled
and so there you go all right
um
let me continue so now we're going to
hear a little bit more about the the the
the man who is offering the job okay
my name said he is Mr Duncan Ross and I
am myself one of the pensioners upon the
fund left by our Noble benefactor
you a married man Mr Wilson have you a
family I answered that I had not his
face fell immediately ah dear me
he said Gravely that is very serious
indeed I am sorry to hear you say that
the fund the money the fund was of
course for the propagation and spread of
the redheads as well as for their
maintenance
it is exceedingly unfortunate that you
should be a bachelor
my face lengthened at this Mr Holmes for
I thought that I was not to have the
vacancy after all but after thinking it
over for a few minutes he said that it
would be all right
in the case of another said he the
objection might be fatal but we must
stretch a point in favor of a man with
such a head of hair as yours
When shall you be able to enter upon
your new duties
well it is a little awkward for I have a
business already said I oh never mind
about that Mr Wilson said Vincent
Spalding I should be able to look after
that for you
uh what would be the hours I asked ten
to two
now a pawn brokers business is mostly
done of an evening Mr Holmes especially
Thursday and Friday evening which is
just before payday so it would suit me
very well to earn a little in the
mornings besides I knew that my
assistant was a good man and that he
would see to anything that turned up
that would suit me very well said I and
the pay is four pounds a week
and the work is purely nominal
what do you call Purely nominal
well you have to be in the office or at
least in the building the whole time
if you leave you forfeit your whole
position forever the will is very clear
upon that point you don't comply with
the conditions if you budge from the
office during that time
it's only four hours a day and I should
not think of leaving said I no excuse
will Avail said Mr Duncan Ross neither
sickness nor business nor anything else
there you must stay or you lose your
Billet
and the work
is to copy out the Encyclopedia
Britannica
there is the first volume of it in that
press you must find your own ink pens
and blotting paper but we provide this
table and share will you be ready
tomorrow
certainly I answered then Goodbye Mr
Jabez Wilson and let me congratulate you
once more on the important position
which you have been fortunate enough to
gain
he bowed me out of the room and I went
home with my assistant hardly knowing
what to say or do I was so pleased at my
own good fortune
right let's pause and explain
how are you doing listeners are you
managing to follow this
it's a good little story
so Duncan Ross explains
um that basically you know again this
money has been left
um by this American millionaire
not only to maintain or to help
red-headed people but to
um
to try to
um to propagate the spread of red-headed
men
so he he's Keen to know if Wilson has a
family or if he could have children
um
and Wilson doesn't
so Wilson confirms that he doesn't have
any family
and Ross is a bit disappointed but he
says you know what because you've got
such wonderfully red hair and we're
going to give you the job anyway
um and uh you know Wilson decides he's
going to take the job because the hours
are good it's just 10 in the morning
till two in the afternoon so basically
the morning and uh Wilson's work
basically requires him to be there uh
usually in the evenings especially on
Thursdays and Fridays
um when customers tend to come so it's
sort of quite convenient it works out
quite well plus he said well Spalding my
assistant he can help out in the shop
when I'm not there so he takes the the
job
um
four pounds a week and in terms of the
the conditions of the job the conditions
are
the main thing that's emphasized is that
he has to be in the room he has to be in
the building during those working hours
ten till two and if he leaves it for any
reason at all then he forfeits the
contract
okay
and in terms of the work
strangely he's basically has to copy out
the Encyclopedia Britannica which means
he's got to take the encyclopedia open
it to Page One take a piece of fresh
paper with a pen and ink and just write
out just copy what's in the encyclopedia
very strange
so but Wilson is very Delight he's
delighted to have got the job
let's continue the story well I thought
over the matter all day and by evening I
was in Low Spirits again for I had quite
persuaded myself that the whole Affair
must be some great hoax or fraud though
what its object might be I could not
imagine
it seemed altogether past belief that
anyone could make such a will or that
they would pay such a sum for doing
anything so simple as copying out the
Encyclopedia Britannica
Vincent Spalding did what he could to
cheer me up but by bedtime I had
reasoned myself out of the whole thing
however in the morning I determined to
have a look at it anyhow so I bought a
penny bottle of ink with a quill pen and
seven sheets of fool's cap paper I
started off for Pope's Court
well to my surprise and Delight
everything was right as possible
the table was set out ready for me and
Mr Duncan Ross was there to see that I
got fairly to work he started me off
upon the letter A
and then he left me but he would drop in
from time to time to see that all was
right with me at two o'clock he paid me
good day complimented me upon the amount
that I had written and locked the door
of the office after me
this went on day after day Mr Holmes and
on Saturday the manager came in and
planked down four golden sovereigns for
my week's work
it was the same the next week and the
same the week after every morning I was
there at 10 and every afternoon I left
at two by degrees Mr Duncan Ross took to
coming in only once of a morning and
then after a time he did not come in at
all still of course I never dared to
leave the room for an instant for I was
not sure when he might come and the
Billet was such a good one and suited me
so well that I would not risk the loss
of it
eight weeks passed away like this and I
had written about abbots and archery and
armor and architecture and Attica and
hoped with diligence that I might get
onto the bees before very long it cost
me something in fool's cap paper and I
had pretty nearly filled a Shelf with my
writings
and then suddenly the whole business
came to an end to an end
yes sir and no later than this morning
I went to my work as usual at 10 o'clock
but the door was shut and locked with a
little square of cardboard hammered onto
the middle of the panel with attack here
it is and you can read for yourself he
held up a piece of white cardboard about
the size of a sheet of Note Paper it
read in this fashion the red-headed
league is dissolved October the 9th
1890.
Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed this Curt
announcement and the rueful face behind
it until the comical side of the affair
so completely over topped every other
consideration that we both burst out
into a roar of laughter
I cannot see that there is anything very
funny Cried Out client
flushing up to the roots of his flaming
head
if you can do nothing better than laugh
at me I can go elsewhere
no no cried Holmes shoving him back into
the chair from which he had half risen I
really wouldn't miss your case for the
world it is most refreshingly unusual
but there is if you will excuse my
saying so something just a little funny
about it pray what steps did you take
when you found the card upon the door
I was staggered sir I did not know what
to do then I called at the offices but
none of them seemed to know anything
about it finally I went to the landlord
who is an accountant living on the
ground floor and I asked him if he could
tell me what had become of the
red-headed League
he said that he'd never heard of any
such body
then I asked him who Mr Duncan Ross was
he answered that the name was new to him
well said I the gentleman at number four
what the the red-headed man yes oh said
he
his name was William Morris he was a
solicitor and was using my room as a
temporary convenience until his new
premises were ready he moved out
yesterday
where could I find him oh at his new
offices he did tell me the address yes
17 King Edward Street near Saint Paul's
I started off Mr Holmes but when I got
to that address it was a manufacturing
of artificial kneecaps and no one in it
had ever heard of either Mr William
Morris or Mr Duncan Ross
and what did you do then asked Holmes I
went home to sax Coburg square and I
took the advice of my assistant
but he could not help me in any way he
could only say that if I waited I should
hear by post
but that was not quite good enough Mr
Holmes I did not wish to lose such a
place without a struggle so as I had
heard that you were good enough to give
advice to poor folk who were in need of
it I came right away to you
and you did very wisely said Holmes your
case is an exceedingly remarkable one
and I shall be happy to look into it
from what you have told me I think that
it is possible that Graver issues hang
from it than might at First Sight appear
grave enough said Mr javez Wilson why
I've lost four pounds a week
as far as you are personally concerned
remarked homes I do not see that you
have any grievance against this
extraordinary league on the contrary you
are as I understand richer by some 30
pounds to say nothing of the minute
knowledge which you have gained on every
subject which comes under the letter A
you have lost Nothing by them
no sir but I want to find out about them
and who they are and what their object
was in playing this prank if it was a
prank upon me
it was a pretty expensive joke for them
it cost them 2 and 30 pounds we shall
Endeavor to clear up these points for
you okay let's stop and explain what's
going on
so
Jabez Wilson went to work in the morning
and yeah everything was as it was
supposed to be the table was there the
encyclopedia was there so he started
um he started copying it out starting
with the letter a and
um this guy Vincent what's his name Ross
um no Vincent Spalding and Duncan Ross
Duncan Ross kept coming in he kept
popping in to check up on him
and over the period of eight weeks this
kept happening Duncan Ross would pop in
to check that he was doing the copying
and less and less he would come in less
and less So eventually after a few weeks
he wasn't really coming in at all but
since
um
since Jabez Wilson didn't know if he
would turn up or not he carried on doing
the work and he did it very diligently
and every week four gold sovereigns were
given to him as payment and then
suddenly after eight weeks he turned up
at the office and it was locked
with a sign on the door saying that the
red-headed league is dissolved meaning
it's been stopped
Wilson was confused he went downstairs
to see the owner of the building the
owner of the building said he'd never
heard of Duncan Rossi um and um he'd
never heard of the red-headed League
he said that the man's name was
what was the man's name again
um let me just check
William Murray said that the man's name
was William Morris that he was actually
a solicitor using the room as a
temporary office until his new office is
ready
he gave Jabez Wilson the address of the
new office Wilson went to investigate it
turned out to be a a a place that
manufactured artificial kneecaps
a kneecap your kneecap is the is a part
of your body it's the cap that go that
uh is on the front of your knee the
round smooth part on the front of your
knee
so very strange huh
this place just makes artificial
kneecaps what's going on
um and so at that point he was so
confused and he really wanted to work
out what was going on so that's when he
went to see Sherlock Holmes to get some
answers
Holmes points out that Wilson hasn't
really lost anything uh he in fact he's
made money you know he got paid for
eight weeks and as well as that he
learned a lot of stuff from the
encyclopedia
uh but nevertheless Wilson is very
curious and he wants to know what's
going on okay and what's uh home says
okay we'll we'll let you know so let's
carry on then
and first one or two questions Mr Wilson
this is Holmes speaking this assistant
of yours who first called your attention
to the advertisement how long had he
been with you
about a month at that point
how did he come in answer to an
advertisement was he the only applicant
no I had a dozen why did you pick him
because he was handy and would come
cheap
at half wages in fact yes what is he
like this Vincent Spalding
small Stout built very quick in his ways
no hair on his face though he's not
short of 30 has a white splash of acid
upon his forehead Holmes sat up in his
chair in considerable excitement I
thought as much said he
have you observed that his ears are
pierced for earrings
yes sir he told me that a gypsy had done
it for him when he was a lad
hmm said Holmes sinking back in deep
thought hmm
is he still with you
oh yes sir I've only just left him
and has your business been attended to
in your absence
nothing to complain of Sir there's never
very much to do of a morning
that will do Mr Wilson I shall be happy
to give you an opinion upon the subject
in the course of a day or two today is
Saturday and I hope that by Monday we
may come to a conclusion
okay so home sort of questions him about
the assistant he seems to think that the
assistant is a bit suspicious and
uh somehow he already had worked certain
things out about him and when uh Wilson
explained to Holmes and described the
assistant Holmes was very excited to
learn certain things the fact that he
had a white mark on his head that his
ears may have been pierced when he was
young so it seems that Holmes maybe
knows this person
and then he tells them tells Wilson that
in a couple of days he should be able to
give him some answers okay so let's
carry on the story what do you think is
happening listeners
any idea
why why was Wilson given this odd job to
copy out the encyclopedia every day in
the morning
why is um
wise Holmes curious about the assistant
what is going on well let's find out
as we continue the story
well Watson said Holmes when our visitor
had left us what do you make of it all
I make nothing of it I answered frankly
it is a most mysterious business
as a rule said Holmes the more bizara
thing is the less mysterious it proves
to be
it is your commonplace featureless
crimes which are really puzzling just as
a commonplace face is the most difficult
to identify but I must be prompt over
this matter
what are you going to do then I asked to
smoke he answered
it is quite a three pipe problem and I
beg that you won't speak to me for 50
minutes
he curled himself up in his chair with
his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like
nose and there he sat with his eyes
closed
and his black clay pipe thrusting out
like the bill of some strange bird
I had come to the conclusion that he had
dropped to sleep and indeed was nodding
myself when he suddenly sprang out of
his chair with a gesture of a man who
has made up his mind and put his pipe
down upon the mantelpiece
plays at the Saint James's Hall this
afternoon he remarked what do you think
Watson could your patience spare you for
a few hours
I have nothing to do today my practice
is never very absorbing then put on your
hat and come I'm going through the city
first
and we can have some lunch on the way I
observe that there is a good deal of
German music on the program which is
rather more to my taste than Italian or
French it is introspective and I want to
introspect come along
okay so Holmes does his typical thing of
sort of going into a kind of Trance
where he sits and smokes his pipe in
order to think about the situation
Watson starts nodding off to sleep
suddenly homes uh gets up
and suggests that they go into the city
to see a music concert Sarah Sate I
don't know if I'm pronouncing it
properly yeah I just checked and I got
that wrong it should be pronounced
sarasate
or sarasate
okay anyway so sorry Spanish speakers I
got that one wrong and everyone else as
well
most of you were like that's fine anyway
not Sarah said
okay
he is uh he was a Spanish violinist a
virtuoso Spanish violinist and so
Holmes suggests they they go and see the
concert because Holmes likes to use
music as a form of introspection to help
him think about cases so they're going
to go and see a concert so that
um
homes can get inspiration and also to
visit the city so off they go
we traveled by the underground as far as
old asgate and a short walk took us to
sax Coburg Square the scene of the
singular story which we had listened to
in the morning so this is where Wilson
has his uh his shop
it was a pokey
little
shabby genteel place where four lines of
dingy two-storied brick houses looked
out into a rail looked out into a small
railed in enclosure where a lawn of
weedy grass and a few clumps of faded
Laurel bushes made a hard fight against
a smoke Laden and uncongenial atmosphere
three guilt balls and a brown board with
Jabez Wilson in white letters Upon A
Corner House announced the place where
our red-headed client carried on his
business
Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it
with his head on one side
and looked it all over with his eyes
shining brightly between puckered lid
Lids hmm
then he walked slowly up the street
and then down again to the corner
still looking keenly at the houses
finally he returned to the pawn brokers
and having thumped vigorously upon the
pavement with his stick two or three
times
he went up to the door and knocked
it was instantly opened by a bright
looking clean-shaven young fellow who
asked him to step in thank you said
Holmes I only wish to ask you how you
would go from here to the Strand
uh third right fourth left answered the
assistant promptly closing the door
smart fellow that observed homes as we
walked away he is in my judgment the
fourth smartest man in London and for
daring I am not sure that he has not a
claimed to be third I have known
something of him before
evidently said I
Mr Wilson Mr Wilson's assistant counts
for a good deal in this mystery of the
red-headed League I'm sure that you
inquired your way merely in order that
you might see him
not him
well what then
the knees of his trousers
and and what did you see what I expected
to see
why did you beat the pavement my dear
doctor this is a time for observation
not for talk we are spies in an enemy's
country we know something of sax Coburg
Square let us now explore the parts
which lie behind it
the road in which we found ourselves as
we turned around the corner from the
retired sax Coburg Square presented as
great a contrast to it as the front of a
picture does to the back
it was one of the main arteries which
conveyed the traffic of the city to the
north and west the roadway was blocked
with the immense stream of Commerce
flowing in a double tide Inward and
outward while the footpaths were black
with the hurrying swarm of pedestrians
it was difficult to realize as we looked
at the line of fine shops and stately
business premises that they really are
butted on the other side upon the faded
and stagnant Square which we had just
quitted
let me see said Holmes standing at the
corner glancing along the line
I should just like to remember the order
of the houses here
it is a hobby of mine to have an exact
knowledge of London there is mortimers
the tobacconist the little newspaper
shop the Coburg branch of the city and
Suburban Bank the vegetarian restaurant
and McFarlane's Carriage building Depot
that carries us right onto the other
block and now doctor we've done our work
so it's time we had some play a sandwich
and a cup of coffee and then off to
violin land where all is sweetness and
delicacy and Harmony and there are no
red-headed clients to Vex us with their
conundrums
okay let's stop and explain this bit so
holmesan and Wilson homes and Watson uh
go into London to investigate the first
place they go to is sax Coburg Square
which is where Jabez Wilson has his his
Pawn Brokers shop and so they look at
the square it's a kind of you know
um not particularly pretty or special
but fairly quiet uh Little Square
where the the pawn brokers shop can be
found
and uh
Holmes looks around one of the things he
does is he he he sort of hammers on the
floor with a stick
for some reason and then he knocks on
the door of the pawn brokers shop the
door opens and it's Vincent Spalding the
assistant
but Holmes pretends that he's just
asking for directions
he says what's the quickest way to get
to the Strand from here and Spalding
quickly gives him his directions and
closes the door
and Watson says oh I'm I'm I I know what
you were doing mate you just wanted to
have a look at him didn't you and Holmes
says well actually I wanted to look at
his knees
and uh
and Watson said and what did you see and
Holmes says exactly what I expected to
see
okay mysterious
and then uh they go around the other
side of the building and it's totally
different not quite very busy lots of
lots of uh traffic basically and Holmes
identifies the different shops or
different buildings including
um of restaurants a bank
um and a couple of other things okay
at that point
home says okay I think I've got the
information I need let's go and have
lunch and then go to the violin concert
okay let's continue
my friend was an enthusiastic musician
being himself not only a very capable
performer but a composer of No Ordinary
Merit all the afternoon he sat in the
Stalls wrapped in the most perfect
happiness gently waving his long thin
fingers in time to the music while his
gently smiling face and his languid
dreamy eyes were as unlike those of
homes the sleuth Hound Holmes the
Relentless keen-witted ready-handed
criminal agent as it was possible to
conceive
in his singular character the Dual
nature alternately asserted itself and
its extreme exactness and astuteness
represented as I have often thought the
reaction against the poetic and
contemplative mood which occasionally
predominated in him
the swing of his nature took him from
extreme Langer to devouring energy and
as I knew well he was never so truly
formidable as when for days on end he
had been lounging in his armchair amid
his improvisations and his black letter
additions
then it was that the lust of the chase
would suddenly come upon him
and that His Brilliant reasoning power
would rise to the level of intuition
until those who were unacquainted with
his methods would look a scans at him as
on a man whose knowledge was not that of
mere mortals
when I saw him that afternoon so
enrapped in the music at Saint James's
Hall I felt that an evil time might be
coming upon those whom he had set
himself to hunt down
this is a really good little Passage
because this this is uh Watson
describing Homes at the um music concert
first of all Holmes is lost in the music
and he's sort of Carried Away by the
music
and Watson notes that this is a very
different homes to the ones that he to
the one that he observes uh in
investigations the sort of very focused
serious version of homes and then
um Watson goes on to describe how there
are kind of that Sherlock Holmes's
nature his personality swings between
two
um sort of polls as it were right in
fact this is a very curious thing about
Sherlock Holmes and maybe with a modern
analysis uh we might say that he has
sort of bipolar disorder or something
like that because
for some periods he's very he seems to
be very very lazy he spends his time
sitting down reading or even doing
nothing maybe feeling depressed
and this has been written about a lot in
Sherlock Holmes stories this kind of
double character that Holmes has that
sometimes he's very depressed and sort
of immobile and nothing really happens
he's bored and also we've read in other
stories that he in these moments he
takes drugs he uses cocaine to relieve
the boredom and everyone worries about
him and then when he's inspired by a
case he snaps into action and that's
when all his
amazing skills of observation really
become fine-tuned to the level of
intuition so that he's able to work
things out so fast that other people
think that he is
um superhuman or something like that
um so that that's a little descriptive
passage there
um okay let's carry on
we're getting close to the conclusion of
the story here
we go
you want to go home no doubt doctor he
remarked as we emerged from the concert
yes it it would be as well and I have
some business to do which will take some
hours this business at Coburg square is
serious
why serious a considerable crime is in
contemplation
I have every reason to believe that we
shall be in time to stop it but today
being Saturday rather complicates
matters I shall want your help tonight
at what time
10 will be early enough I shall be at
Baker Street at 10. very well and I say
doctor there may be some little danger
so kindly put your Army revolver in your
pocket he waved his hand turned on his
heel and disappeared in an instant among
the crowd
okay so basically here
um Holmes is saying this is serious uh
we need to act quite quickly you can go
home now I'm going to go and do a bit
more investigating uh but I'll see you
at 10 right come and meet me at 10
o'clock tonight uh at Baker Street and
make sure you bring your gun
and it's I love these moments in
Sherlock Holmes stories there's always a
moment where
um
Holmes or Watson opens a drawer and
takes out a revolver and slips it into
their pocket and it shows that you know
things are about to get serious so home
says to will to to Watson come to uh
Baker Street at 10 o'clock and bring
your gun and so Holmes goes off to do
some more uh investigating and Watson
goes home
let's continue I trust that I'm not more
dense than my neighbors but I was always
oppressed with a sense of my own
stupidity in my dealings with Sherlock
Holmes here I had heard what he had
heard I had seen what he had seen and
yet from his words it was evident that
he saw clearly not only what had
happened but what was about to happen
while to me the whole business was still
confused and grotesque
as I drove to my house in Kensington I
thought over it all from the
extraordinary story of the red-headed
copier of the encyclopedia down to the
visit to sax Coburg square and the
ominous words with which he had parted
from me
what was this nocturnal Expedition and
why should I go armed
where were we going and what were we to
do
I had the hint from homes that this
smooth-faced Pawn Brokers assistant was
a formidable man a man
who might play a deep game
I tried to puzzle it out but I gave up
in Despair and set the matter aside
until night should bring an explanation
it was a quarter past nine when I
started from home and made my way across
the park and so through Oxford Street to
Baker Street two handsoms that's taxis
were standing at the door and as I
entered the passage I heard the sound of
voices from above on entering his room I
found homes in animated conversation
with two men one of whom I recognized as
Peter Jones The Official Police agent
while the other was a long thin
sad-faced man with a very shiny hat and
oppressively respectable frock coat
ha our party is complete said Holmes
buttoning up his P jacket and taking his
heavy hunting crop from the rack a
hunting crop is a kind of a A
leather-bound Rod or stick that would be
used to hit uh to hit beat a horse to
make it run faster it's used during
hunting uh it's it's used for hunting
when riding a horse during a hunt when
you have to you know make the horse ride
fast so it's like a long thick leather
solid stick
okay so our party is complete said
Holmes buttoning up his P jacket and
taking his heavy hunting crop from the
rack Watson I think you know Mr Jones of
Scotland Yard let me introduce you to Mr
Meriwether who is to be our companion in
tonight's Adventure
we're hunting in couples again doctor
you see said Jones in his consequential
way our friend here is a wonderful man
for starting a Chase
all he wants is an old dog to help him
to do the running down
all right I hope a wild goose may not
prove to be the end of our Chase
observed Mr Meriwether gloomily
you may Place considerable confidence in
Mr Holmes sir said the police agent
loftily he has his own little methods
which are if he won't mind my saying so
just a little too theoretical and
fantastic but he has the makings of a
detective in him
it is not too much to say that once or
twice as in that business of the schulto
murder and the Agra treasure that he has
been more nearly correct than the
official Force
oh if you say so Mr Jones it is all
right said the stranger with deference
still
I confess that I miss my rubber it is
the first Saturday night for 7 and 20
years that I have not had my rubber
I think you will find
said Sherlock Holmes that you will play
for a higher stake tonight than you have
ever done yet and that the play will be
more exciting for you Mr Merriweather
the stake will be some thirty thousand
pounds and for you Jones it will be the
man upon whom you wish to lay your hands
John clay the murderer Thief Smasher and
forger is a young man Mr Meriwether but
he's at the head of his profession and I
would rather have my bracelets on him
than on any criminal in London
he's a remarkable man this young John
clay his grandfather was a royal Duke
and he himself has been to Eaton and
Oxford his brain is as cunning as his
fingers and though we meet signs of him
at every turn we'd never know where to
find the man himself he'll crack a crib
in Scotland one week and be raising
money to build an orphanage in Cornwall
the next I've been on his track for
years and have never set eyes on him yet
said Peter Jones the police officer
I hope that I may have the pleasure of
introducing you tonight this is Holmes I
hope that I may have the pleasure of
introducing you tonight I've had one or
two little turns also with Mr John clay
and I agree with you that he is at the
head of his profession it is past 10
however and quite time that we started
if you two will take the first handsome
Watson and I will follow in the second
okay so Watson has gone to Baker Street
to meet Holmes he goes into
um Holmes's uh apartment and notices
that um
he is joined by two other men so there's
Peter Jones the police officer and it
seems that Peter Jones has been
searching for Vincent Spalding who in
fact is called John clay he's been
searching for him for a long time and he
is a very clever
um criminal who's wanted a murderer a
thief and other things
we don't know who the other man is
at this moment but he's been brought
along as well and the man seems to be a
little bit skeptical about the whole
thing he says I hope this isn't going to
be a wild goose chase a wild goose chase
is a sort of complicated case where you
go from one thing to the other and then
ultimately you get nothing at the end of
it a wild goose Chaser complicated
um complicated investigation which
results in nothing
so he's saying I hope this isn't going
to be a wild goose chase because I want
to have my rubber tonight I'm not sure
what that means to have your rubber but
I kind of worked out that it means that
he he's a gambler he likes to play card
games I think he likes to gamble uh with
money in in card games and so he's a bit
annoyed because he's gonna miss his card
game but Holmes says well
you stand to to
um uh win or you know your tonight
what's going to happen tonight is going
to be a lot more exciting and
um serious than your card game and you
could lose 30 000 pounds tonight
so maybe this tall man
is somehow involved in in in the crime
if he loses 30 000 pounds maybe this
John clay this Vincent Spalding maybe
he's trying to steal money from this man
we'll see
okay so off they go into a horse-drawn
taxis
to go to sax Coburg Square
uh the police officer and the the other
man are in the first one Holmes and
Watson are in the second Taxi
and this is what Watson says this is
what he writes about
Sherlock Holmes was not very
communicative during the long drive and
lay back in the cab humming the tunes
which he had heard in the afternoon we
rattled through the endless Labyrinth of
gas-lit streets until we emerged into
Farrington Street
we're close there now my friend remarked
this fellow Merryweather is a bank
director and personally interested in
the matter
I thought it was as well to have Jones
with us also he's not a bad fellow
though an absolute imbecile in his
profession he has one positive virtue he
is as Brave as a bulldog and as
tenacious as a lobster if he gets his
claws upon anyone here we are and
they're waiting for us
we had reached the same crowded
thoroughfare in which we had found
ourselves in the morning our cabs were
dismissed and following the guidance of
Mr Merriweather we passed down a narrow
passage and threw a side door which he
opened for us
within there was a small Corridor which
ended in a very massive Iron Gate
this also was opened and led down a
flight of Winding Stone steps which
terminated at another formidable gate Mr
Meriwether stopped to light a lantern
and then conducted us down a dark
earth-smelling passage and so after
opening a third door into a huge Vault
or Cellar which was piled all around
with crates and massive boxes
you are not very vulnerable from above
Holmes remarked as he held up the
Lantern and gazed about him
nor From Below said Mr Merryweather
sticking his stick upon the flags the
flagstones which lined the floor
why dear me it sounds quite Hollow he
remarked looking up in Surprise
I must really ask you to be a little
more quiet said Holmes severely you have
already imperiled the whole success of
our Expedition might I beg that you
would have the goodness to sit down on
one of those boxes and not to interfere
the solemn Mr Merryweather perched
himself on a crate with a very injured
expression on his face
while Holmes fell upon his knees upon
the floor and with the Lantern and a
magnifying glass
began to examine minutely the cracks
between the stones
a few seconds sufficed to satisfy him
for he sprang to his feet again and put
his glass in his pocket
we have at least an hour before us he
remarked
for they can hardly take any steps until
the good pawn broker is safely in bed
then they will not lose a minute for the
sooner they do their work the longer
time they will have for their escape
we are at present doctor as no doubt you
have divined in the cellar of the City
branch of one of the principal London
Banks
Mr Merryweather is the chairman of
directors and he will explain to you
that there are reasons why the more
daring criminals of London should take
considerable interest in this seller at
present
it is our French gold whispered the
director we've had several warnings that
an attempt might be made upon it
your French gold
yes
we had occasions some months ago to
strengthen our resources and borrowed
for that purpose thirty thousand
napoleons from the bank of France
it has become known that we have never
had occasion to unpack the money and
that it is still lying in our cellar
the crate upon which I sit contains two
thousand napoleons packed between layers
of lead foil
our reserve of bullion is much larger at
present than is usually kept in a single
branch office and the directors have had
misgivings upon the subject
which were very well Justified observed
homes
and now it is time that we arranged our
little plans I expect that within an
hour matters will come to a head in the
meantime Mr Merriweather we must put the
screen over that dark Lantern
and sit in the dark I am afraid so
okay so let me back up what's happened
so they've arrived at sax Coburg Square
which is where the pawn broker has his
shop
and you you'll remember from earlier on
when Holmes and Watson investigated on
the other side of the shop in the street
there were a few other shops and
buildings including a bank
so it turns out that Mr Merryweather The
Tall Man
is one of the directors of the bank and
so he leads Watson Holmes and Jones the
police officer
through some passages down lots of
stairs through lots of gates and finally
into a dark underground Cellar which is
where they are
and Merryweather
Holmes says oh you know you're very well
protected from above and Meriweather
says and from below and he hits the
stone floor of the cellar with his stick
and then he remarks it sounds Hollow so
Dune it sounds like it's Hollow under
the stones what's Holmes then gets very
annoyed and says sit down
don't make so much noise
and then Holmes explains
that they're in the cellar of the bank
and Merryweather explains that the
reason this is all happening is because
in the cellar at that moment they have
30 000 pounds worth of French gold
French gold bullions bars of gold
and they're temporarily being kept in
the cellar
and um
and because all this money is in there
uh this is there's a danger there's a
threat that someone might try to steal
it and that's probably what's going on
right
looks like Vincent Spalding who's
actually called John Clay is has been
planning to steal the money it's a bank
robbery
and so there they are in the seller
surrounded by the gold which is going to
be stolen
and Holmes says okay it's time to to
cover the lantern so they've got like a
a Gas Lantern probably which is lighting
up the room and it's time to cover it up
um and then they they're going to wait
in the dark
let me continue
I had brought a pack of cards in my
pocket and I thought that as we were a
party Cafe you might have your rubber
after all
but I see that the enemy's preparations
have gone so far that we cannot risk the
presence of a light and first of all we
must choose our positions these are
daring men and though we shall take them
at a disadvantage they may do us some
harm unless we are careful
I shall stand behind this crate and you
conceal yourselves behind those then
when I flash a light upon them close in
swiftly if they fire Watson have no
compunction about shooting them down
I placed my revolver cocked upon the top
of the wooden case behind which I
crouched Holmes shot the slide across
the front of his Lantern and left us in
Pitch Darkness
such an absolute Darkness as I have
never before experienced
the smell of hot metal remained to
assure us that the light was still there
ready to flash out at a moment's notice
to me with my nerves worked up to a
pitch of expectancy there was something
depressing and subduing in the sudden
Gloom and in the cold dank air of the
Vault
they have but one Retreat whispered
homes
that is back through the house into sax
Coburg Square I hope that you have done
what I asked you Jones
I have I have an inspector and two
officers waiting at the front door
then we have stopped all the holes and
now we must be silent and wait
so yeah basically there they are waiting
in the Darkness
um Jones the policeman has uh put two
officers on the door at the other end so
if they try if the criminals try to
escape on the other side they'll be
stopped by the police there so they've
they've stopped all the holes the Trap
has been set
and now they just have to be quiet and
wait
let's continue
what a time it seemed from comparing
notes afterwards it was about an hour
and a quarter yet it appeared to me that
the Knight must have almost gone and the
dawn be breaking above us
my limbs were weary and stiff for I
feared to change my position yet my
nerves were worked up to the highest
pitch of tension and my hearing was so
acute that I could not only hear the
gentle breathing of my companions
but I could distinguish the deeper
heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones
from the thin sighing note of the bank
director
from my position I could look over the
case in the direction of the floor
suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a
light
at first it was but a lurid spark upon
the stone pavement then it lengthened
out until it became a yellow line and
then without any warning or sound a gash
seemed to open and a hand appeared a
white almost womanly hand which felt
about in the center of the little area
of light
for a minute or more the hand with its
writhing fingers protruded out of the
floor then it was withdrawn as suddenly
as it appeared and all was dark again
save the single lurid spark which marked
a between the stones
its disappearance however was but
momentary with a rending tearing sound
one of the broad white stones turned
over upon its side and left a square
gaping hole through which streamed the
light of a lantern
over the edge there peeped a clean-cut
boyish face which looked keenly about it
and then with a hand on either side of
the aperture Drew itself shoulder high
and waist high until one knee rested
upon the edge
in another instant he stood at the side
of the hole and was hauling after him a
companion
live and small like himself with a pale
face and a shock of very red hair
it's all clear he whispered have you got
the Chisel in the bags Great Scott jump
Archie jump and I'll swing for it
Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and
seized the Intruder by the collar the
other dived down the hole and I heard
the sound of rending cloth as Jones
clutched at his skirts
the light flashed upon the barrel of a
revolver
but Holmes's hunting crop came down on
the man's wrist and the pistol clinked
upon the stone floor
it's no use John clay said Holmes
blandly you have no chance at all
so I see the other answered with the
utmost coolness
I fancy that my pal is all right though
I see you've got his coattails
there are three men waiting for him at
the door said Holmes Oh indeed you seem
to have done the thing very completely I
must compliment you
and I you Holmes answered your
red-headed idea was very new and
effective
you'll see your pal again presently said
Jones he's quicker at climbing down
holes than I am just hold out while I
fix the derbies
I beg that you will not touch Me with
Your Filthy Hands remarked our prisoner
as the handcuffs clattered upon his
wrists you may not be aware that I have
royal blood in my veins have the
goodness also when you address me always
to say sir and please
all right said Jones with a stare and a
sneaker
well would you please sir March upstairs
where we can get a cab to carry your
highness to the police station
that is better
said John clay serenely
he made a sweeping bow to the three of
us and walked quietly off in the custody
of the detective
right let me just back up and explain
that bit again
so basically they've been waiting and
waiting and waiting in the dark in the
cellar
um getting tired uh Watson noticed that
he was suddenly able to hear very
clearly in the darkness then he noticed
um a light coming from the floor it
started as a little spark of light it
became a line as a as one of the stone
um
as one of the paving stones opened and
light came out
right first it was a hand that felt
around and then the stone fell onto its
side and uh John clay Vincent Spalding
pulled himself out of the hole and then
pulled up
the the guy who must have been the
director uh what was his name again
I can't remember his name now but the
the other ginger head man who offered
the job to Jabez Wilson so they're
working together the assistant and the
red-headed League uh director they're
working together so
um he arrived in the room as well
and then suddenly
um the policeman and Holmes and Watson
jumped in
um
I can't remember the other guy's name
what's his name anyway let's say the the
red-headed man jumped down the hole uh
Jones managed to grab his coat Tails
that's the sort of back end of his coat
which ripped off
um what uh Holmes grabbed uh John clay
by the collar
uh John clay pulled up his pistol but
Holmes whacked his hand his wrist with
uh his hunting crop and the gun fell on
the floor
um
and they exchanged a few words so uh
John clay sort of arrogantly said oh
you're my friend's going to escape and
uh but of course you know the police
officers were going to catch him and so
they caught him
but his response was to be was to be
Don't Touch Me with Your Filthy Hands
and you I'm I'm Royal don't you know you
have to call me CERN be respectful to me
but they got him
they got him
so let's continue really Mr Holmes said
Mr Meriwether as we followed them from
the cellar I do not know how the bank
can thank you or repay you there is no
doubt that you have detected and
defeated in the most complete manner one
of the most determined attempts at bank
robbery that have ever come within my
experience
I have had one or two little scores of
my own to settle with Mr John clay said
Holmes
I have been at some small expense over
this matter which Alex I shall expect
the bank to refund but beyond that I am
amply repaid by having had an experience
which is in many ways unique and by
hearing the very remarkable Narrative of
the red-headed league so Holmes Mr
Merryweather the bank director is like
amazed and delighted and say how can we
repay you and Holmes says you can just
pay me back my expenses uh other than
that I'm just happy to have been part of
the experience and to have heard the
story
and then the final part of the story
goes like this
you see Watson he explained in the early
hours of the morning as we sat over a
glass of whiskey and soda in Baker
Street it was perfectly obvious from the
first that the only possible object of
this rather fantastic business of the
advertisement of the league and the
copying of the encyclopedia
must be to get this not over bright pawn
broker out of the way for a number of
hours every day
it was a curious way of managing it but
really it would be difficult to suggest
a better
the method was no doubt suggested to
Clay's ingenious Mind by the color of
his accomplices hair
the four pounds a week was a law which
must draw him and what was it to them
who were playing for thousands they put
in the advertisement one Rogue has the
temporary office the other Rogue incites
the man to apply for it and together
they managed to secure his absence every
morning in the week
from the time that I heard of the
assistant having come for half wages it
was obvious to me that he had some
strong motive for securing the situation
but how could you guess what the motive
was
had there been a woman in the house I
should have suspected a mere vulgar
Intrigue that however was out of the
question the man's business was a small
one and there was nothing in this house
which could account for such elaborate
preparations and such an expenditure as
they were at
it must then be something out of the
house
what could it be I thought of the
assistance fondness for photography and
his trick of Vanishing into the cellar
the seller
there was the end of this Tangled clue
then I made inquiries as to this
mysterious assistant and found that I
had to deal with one of the coolest and
most daring criminals in London
he was doing something in the cellar
something which took many hours a day
for months on end what could it be once
more
I could think of nothing save that he
was running a tunnel to some other
building
so far I had got when we went to visit
the scene of action I surprised you by
beating upon the pavement with my stick
I was ascertaining whether the seller
stretched out in front or behind
it was not in front
then I rang the bell and as I hoped the
assistant answered it
we have had some skirmishes but we had
never set Eyes Upon each other before I
hardly looked at his face his knees were
what I wish to see
you must yourself as you must yourself
have remarked how worn wrinkled and
stained they were they spoke of those
hours of burrowing
the only remaining point was what they
were borrowing for I walked Round the
Corner saw the city and Suburban Bank
abutted on our friend's premises and
felt that I had solved my problem when
you drove home after the concert I
called upon Scotland Yard and upon the
chairman of the bank directors with the
result that you have seen
and how could you tell that they would
make their attempt tonight I asked well
when they closed their league offices
that was a sign that they cared no
longer about Mr Jabez Wilson's presence
in other words that they had completed
their tunnel but it was essential that
they should use it soon as it might be
discovered or the bullion might be
removed
Saturday would suit them better than any
other day as it would give them two days
for their escape for all these reasons I
expected them to come tonight
he reasoned it out beautifully I
exclaimed in unfeigned admiration
it is so long a chain and yet every link
Rings true
it saved me from on we he answered
yawning uh alas I already feel it
closing in upon me my life is spent in
one long effort to escape the common
places of existence these little
problems help me to do so and you are
the benefactor of the race said I
he Shrugged his holders well perhaps
after all it is of some little use
he remarked
as Gustav flauber wrote to George sand
and that's the end of the story let me
just recap that last part so this is the
bit at the end where Holmes and Watson
are sitting in Baker Street having a
whiskey and soda in the early hours of
the morning sort of talking through what
had happened
um
so the business of the red-headed league
so this was obviously just a a setup
um and it was a way to get Jabez Wilson
out of his offices and out of his home
into that office from 10 to and 10 until
2 every day
and why the red-headed thing well it's
because
um John Clay's accomplice the short man
with the red hair who interviewed Wilson
for the job I can't remember his name
the accomplice the red-headed accomplice
he had red hair and so John clay
probably thought ah he's got red hair
and the guy who lives next to the bank
has got red hair maybe we can come up
with some story that connects the two of
them that could be convincing and so he
came up with the idea of the red-headed
League which was complete fiction
the whole thing the whole thing the the
the the American guy with the millions
of pounds that he was gonna spend
helping redheaded people in London who
all complete fiction All designed just
to get Wilson out of the house every day
so that
um
so that he and his accomplice could dig
in the basement dig a tunnel that would
lead them to the seller of the bank
because they knew that the money would
be there that's it
um all right that's basically it
quite good quite a good uh a bank
robbery kind of story and that last bit
um
Holmes is saying it saved me from enwi
it saved me from sort of depression
so uh Watson is amazed this is
incredible amazing what you did and
Holmes basically said yeah it's you know
it's just something I did to stop me
getting bored and depressed
um
and then he says
unfortunately like an already feeling it
I can already feel it coming back so
when he's not working on a Case Holmes
is just depressed
he says he said my life is spent in one
long effort to escape the common places
of existence these little problems help
me to do so so all Holmes wants to do is
avoid boredom and depression and he does
that by working on these cases His
Brilliant mind needs to have something
to work on otherwise he gets depressed
and uh
Watson said you are a benefactor of the
race a benefactor is someone who helps
and supports so he's basically a benefit
to the human race
and
um Holmes is interesting because he's he
doesn't really have a big ego he doesn't
do it
for the likes he doesn't do it for his
ego he just does it because
he desperately needs something to to
occupy His Brilliant mind
and he says well you know if I could be
useful then that's good and then he said
so apologies from my French
pronunciation but Lon serial the man is
nothing
the work is all the man is nothing the
work is everything
so basically Holmes
um
you know for him he he lives to work
let's say
yeah
okay there you go what did you think of
the story it ended up being pretty long
didn't it it's nearly two hours ah it's
all right
but what did you think of the story did
you like it did you manage to follow it
I wonder how many of you are still
listening to this I expect that I've got
a few uh a few skeletons but maybe not
um let me know what you thought of this
did you understand the story what did
you notice the old-fashioned language it
was very complex isn't it it's very
complex florid kind of language quite
different to the language we use today
and certainly not plain English so this
will definitely have been a challenge
for you but I don't know maybe it
depends on your level of English of
course
but I hope you enjoyed the language even
if it wasn't all clear to you and I hope
that my little summaries helped you but
hopefully you've found it to be an
enjoyable experience to be able to
follow a Sherlock Holmes story written
in this kind of wonderful old-fashioned
English
I hope you enjoyed it leave your
comments in the comments section thank
you for listening uh thank you for
watching if you have been watching the
video version
I will speak to you again on the podcast
soon but for now it's time to say
goodbye bye bye bye bye