“Well，Ifollowedyoutothedoor，andsomadesurethatIwasreallyanobjectofinteresttothecelebratedMr。SherlockHolmes。
　　ThenI，ratherimprudently，wishedyougoodnight，andstartedfortheTempletoseemyhusband。
　　“Weboththoughtthebestresourcewasflightwhenpursuedbysoformidableanantagonist；soyouwillfindthenestemptywhenyoucallto-morrow。Astothephotograph，yourclientmayrestinpeace。Iloveandamlovedbyabettermanthanhe。Thekingmaydowhathewillwithouthindrancefromonewhomhehascruellywronged。Ikeepitonlytosafeguardmyself，andpreserveaweaponwhichwillalwayssecuremefromanystepswhichhemighttakeinthefuture。Ileaveaphotographwhichhemightcaretopossess；
　　andIremain，dearMr。SherlockHolmes，verytrulyyours，“IRENENORTON，neeADLER。“
　　“Whatawoman——oh，whatawoman！“criedtheKingofBohemia，whenwehadallthreereadthisepistle。“DidInottellyouhowquickandresoluteshewas？Wouldshenothavemadeanadmirablequeen？
　　Isitnotapitythatshewasnotonmylevel？“
　　“FromwhatIhaveseenofthelady，sheseemsindeedtobeonaverydifferentleveltoyourmajesty，“saidHolmescoldly。“IamsorrythatIhavenotbeenabletobringyourmajesty’sbusinesstoamoresuccessfulconclusion。“
　　“Onthecontrary，mydearsir，“criedtheking，“nothingcouldbemoresuccessful。Iknowthatherwordisinviolate。Thephotographisnowassafeasifitwereinthefire。“
　　“Iamgladtohearyourmajestysayso。“
　　“Iamimmenselyindebtedtoyou。PraytellmeinwhatwayIcanrewardyou。Thisring——“Heslippedanemeraldsnakeringfromhisfinger，andhelditoutuponthepalmofhishand。
　　“YourmajestyhassomethingwhichIshouldvalueevenmorehighly，“
　　saidHolmes。
　　“Youhavebuttonameit。“
　　“Thisphotograph！“
　　Thekingstaredathiminamazement。
　　“Irene’sphotograph！“hecried。“Certainly，ifyouwishit。“
　　“Ithankyourmajesty。Thenthereisnomoretobedoneinthematter。Ihavethehonortowishyouaverygoodmorning。“Hebowed，andturningawaywithoutobservingthehandwhichthekinghadstretchedouttohim，hesetoffinmycompanyforhischambers。
　　AndthatwashowagreatscandalthreatenedtoaffectthekingdomofBohemia，andhowthebestplansofMr。SherlockHolmeswerebeatenbyawoman’swit。Heusedtomakemerryovertheclevernessofwomen，butIhavenotheardhimdoitoflate。AndwhenhespeaksofIreneAdler，orwhenhereferstoherphotograph，itisalwaysunderthehonorabletitleofTHEwoman。
　　TheRed-HeadedLeagueIhadcalleduponmyfriend，Mr。SherlockHolmes，onedayintheautumnoflastyear，andfoundhimindeepconversationwithaverystout，florid-facedelderlygentleman，withfieryredhair。Withanapologyformyintrusion，Iwasabouttowithdraw，whenHolmespulledmeabruptlyintotheroomandclosedthedoorbehindme。
　　“Youcouldnotpossiblyhavecomeatabettertime，mydearWatson，“hesaid，cordially。
　　“Iwasafraidthatyouwereengaged。“
　　“SoIam。Verymuchso。“
　　“ThenIcanwaitinthenextroom。“
　　“Notatall。Thisgentleman，Mr。Wilson，hasbeenmypartnerandhelperinmanyofmymostsuccessfulcases，andIhavenodoubtthathewillbeoftheutmostusetomeinyoursalso。“
　　Thestoutgentlemanhalfrosefromhischairandgaveabobofgreeting，withaquicklittlequestioningglancefromhissmall，fat-encircledeyes。
　　“Trythesettee，“saidHolmes，relapsingintohisarmchair，andputtinghisfingertipstogether，aswashiscustomwheninjudicialmoods。“Iknow，mydearWatson，thatyousharemyloveofallthatisbizarreandoutsidetheconventionsandhumdrumroutineofeverydaylife。Youhaveshownyourrelishforitbytheenthusiasmwhichhaspromptedyoutochronicle，and，ifyouwillexcusemysayingso，somewhattoembellishsomanyofmyownlittleadventures。“
　　“Yourcaseshaveindeedbeenofthegreatestinteresttome，“I
　　observed。
　　“YouwillrememberthatIremarkedtheotherday，justbeforewewentintotheverysimpleproblempresentedbyMissMarySutherland，thatforstrangeeffectsandextraordinarycombinationswemustgotolifeitself，whichisalwaysfarmoredaringthananyeffortoftheimagination。“
　　“ApropositionwhichItookthelibertyofdoubting。“
　　“Youdid，doctor，butnonethelessyoumustcomeroundtomyview，forotherwiseIshallkeeponpilingfactuponfactonyou，untilyourreasonbreaksdownunderthemandacknowledgemetoberight。
　　Now，Mr。JabezWilsonherehasbeengoodenoughtocalluponmethismorning，andtobeginanarrativewhichpromisestobeoneofthemostsingularwhichIhavelistenedtoforsometime。Youhaveheardmeremarkthatthestrangestandmostuniquethingsareveryoftenconnectednotwiththelargerbutwiththesmallercrimes，andoccasionally，indeed，wherethereisroomfordoubtwhetheranypositivecrimehasbeencommitted。AsfarasIhaveheard，itisimpossibleformetosaywhetherthepresentcaseisaninstanceofcrimeornot，butthecourseofeventsiscertainlyamongthemostsingularthatIhaveeverlistenedto。Perhaps，Mr。Wilson，youwouldhavethegreatkindnesstorecommenceyournarrative。Iaskyou，notmerelybecausemyfriend，Dr。Watson，hasnotheardtheopeningpart，butalsobecausethepeculiarnatureofthestorymakesmeanxioustohaveeverypossibledetailfromyourlips。Asarule，whenIhaveheardsomeslightindicationofthecourseofeventsIamabletoguidemyselfbythethousandsofothersimilarcaseswhichoccurtomymemory。InthepresentinstanceIamforcedtoadmitthatthefactsare，tothebestofmybelief，unique。“
　　Theportlyclientpuffedouthischestwithanappearanceofsomelittlepride，andpulledadirtyandwrinklednewspaperfromtheinsidepocketofhisgreatcoat。Asheglanceddowntheadvertisementcolumn，withhisheadthrustforward，andthepaperflattenedoutuponhisknee，Itookagoodlookattheman，andendeavored，afterthefashionofmycompanion，toreadtheindicationswhichmightbepresentedbyhisdressorappearance。
　　Ididnotgainverymuch，however，bymyinspection。OurvisitorboreeverymarkofbeinganaveragecommonplaceBritishtradesman，obese，pompous，andslow。Heworeratherbaggygrayshepherd’schecktrousers，anotover-cleanblackfrockcoat，unbuttonedinthefront，andadrabwaistcoatwithaheavybrassyAlbertchain，andasquarepiercedbitofmetaldanglingdownasanornament。A
　　frayedtophatandafadedbrownovercoatwithawrinkledvelvetcollarlayuponachairbesidehim。Altogether，lookasIwould，therewasnothingremarkableaboutthemansavehisblazingredheadandtheexpressionofextremechagrinanddiscontentuponhisfeatures。
　　SherlockHolmes’squickeyetookinmyoccupation，andheshookhisheadwithasmileashenoticedmyquestioningglances。“Beyondtheobviousfactsthathehasatsometimedonemanuallabor，thathetakessnuff，thatheisaFreemason，thathehasbeeninChina，andthathehasdoneaconsiderableamountofwritinglately，Icandeducenothingelse。“
　　Mr。JabezWilsonstartedupinhischair，withhisforefingeruponthepaper，buthiseyesuponmycompanion。
　　How，inthenameofgoodfortune，didyouknowallthat，Mr。
　　Holmes？“heasked。“Howdidyouknow，forexample，thatIdidmanuallabor？It’sastrueasgospel，forIbeganasaship’scarpenter。“
　　“Yourhands，mydearsir。Yourrighthandisquiteasizelargerthanyourleft。Youhaveworkedwithitandthemusclesaremoredeveloped。“
　　“Well，thesnuff，then，andtheFreemasonry？“
　　“Iwon’tinsultyourintelligencebytellingyouhowIreadthat，especiallyas，ratheragainstthestrictrulesofyourorder，youuseanarcandcompassbreastpin。“
　　“Ah，ofcourse，Iforgotthat。Butthewriting？“
　　“Whatelsecanbeindicatedbythatrightcuffsoveryshinyforfiveinches，andtheleftonewiththesmoothpatchneartheelbowwhereyourestituponthedesk。“
　　“Well，butChina？“
　　“ThefishwhichyouhavetattooedimmediatelyaboveyourwristcouldonlyhavebeendoneinChina。Ihavemadeasmallstudyoftattoomarks，andhaveevencontributedtotheliteratureofthesubject。Thattrickofstainingthefishes’scalesofadelicatepinkisquitepeculiartoChina。When，inaddition，IseeaChinesecoinhangingfromyourwatchchain，thematterbecomesevenmoresimple。“
　　Mr。JabezWilsonlaughedheavily。“Well，Inever！“saidhe。“I
　　thoughtatfirstthatyouhaddonesomethingclever，butIseethattherewasnothinginitafterall。“
　　“Ibegintothink，Watson，“saidHolmes，“thatImakeamistakeinexplaining。’Omneignotompromagnifico，’youknow，andmypoorlittlereputation，suchasitis，willsuffershipwreckifIamsocandid。Canyounotfindtheadvertisement，Mr。Wilson？“
　　“Yes，Ihavegotitnow，“heanswered，withhisthick，redfingerplantedhalfwaydownthecolumn。“Hereitis。Thisiswhatbeganitall。Youjustreaditforyourself，sir。“
　　Itookthepaperfromhimandreadasfollows:
　　“TOTHERED-HEADEDLEAGUE:OnaccountofthebequestofthelateEzekiahHopkins，ofLebanon，Pa。，U。S。A。，thereisnowanothervacancyopenwhichentitlesamemberoftheLeaguetoasalaryoffourpoundsaweekforpurelynominalservices。Allred-headedmenwhoaresoundinbodyandmindandabovetheageoftwenty-oneyearsareeligible。ApplyinpersononMonday，ateleveno’clock，toDuncanRoss，attheofficesoftheLeague，7Pope’sCourt，FleetStreet。“
　　“Whatonearthdoesthismean？“Iejaculated，afterIhadtwicereadovertheextraordinaryannouncement。
　　Holmeschuckledandwriggledinhischair，aswashishabitwheninhighspirits。“Itisalittleoffthebeatentrack，isn’tit？“
　　saidhe。“Andnow，Mr。Wilson，offyougoatscratch，andtellusallaboutyourself，yourhousehold，andtheeffectwhichthisadvertisementhaduponyourfortunes。Youwillfirstmakeanote，doctor，ofthepaperandthedate。“
　　“ItisTheMorningChronicleofApril27，1890。Justtwomonthsago。“
　　“Verygood。Now，Mr。Wilson。“
　　“Well，itisjustasIhavebeentellingyou，Mr。SherlockHolmes，“
　　saidJabezWilson，moppinghisforehead，“Ihaveasmallpawnbroker’sbusinessatSaxe-CoburgSquare，neartheCity。It’snotaverylargeaffair，andoflateyearsithasnotdonemorethanjustgivemealiving。Iusedtobeabletokeeptwoassistants，butnowIonlykeepone；andIwouldhaveajobtopayhimbutthatheiswillingtocomeforhalfwages，soastolearnthebusiness。“
　　“Whatisthenameofthisobligingyouth？“askedSherlockHolmes。
　　“HisnameisVincentSpaulding，andhe’snotsuchayoutheither。
　　It’shardtosayhisage。Ishouldnotwishasmarterassistant，Mr。Holmes；andIknowverywellthathecouldbetterhimself，andearntwicewhatIamabletogivehim。But，afterall，ifheissatisfied，whyshouldIputideasinhishead？“
　　“Why，indeed？Youseemmostfortunateinhavinganemployeewhocomesunderthefullmarketprice。Itisnotacommonexperienceamongemployersinthisage。Idon’tknowthatyourassistantisnotasremarkableasyouradvertisement。“
　　“Oh，hehashisfaults，too，“saidMr。Wilson。“Neverwassuchafellowforphotography。Snappingawaywithacamerawhenheoughttobeimprovinghismind，andthendivingdownintothecellarlikearabbitintoitsholetodevelophispictures。Thatishismainfault；but，onthewhole，he’sagoodworker。There’snoviceinhim。“
　　“Heisstillwithyou，Ipresume？“
　　“Yes，sir。Heandagirloffourteen，whodoesabitofsimplecooking，andkeepstheplaceclean——that’sallIhaveinthehouse，forIamawidower，andneverhadanyfamily。Weliveveryquietly，sir，thethreeofus；andwekeeparoofoverourheads，andpayourdebts，ifwedonothingmore。
　　“Thefirstthingthatputusoutwasthatadvertisement。
　　Spaulding，hecamedownintotheofficejustthisdayeightweeks，withthisverypaperinhishand，andhesays:
　　“’IwishtotheLord，Mr。Wilson，thatIwasaredheadedman。’
　　“’Whythat？’Iasks。
　　“’Why，’sayshe，’here’sanothervacancyontheLeagueoftheRed-
　　headedMen。It’sworthquitealittlefortunetoanymanwhogetsit，andIunderstandthattherearemorevacanciesthantherearemen，sothatthetrusteesareattheirwits’endwhattodowiththemoney。Ifmyhairwouldonlychangecolorhere’sanicelittlecriballreadyformetostepinto。’
　　“’Why，whatisit，then？’Iasked。Yousee，Mr。Holmes，Iamaverystay-at-homeman，and，asmybusinesscametomeinsteadofmyhavingtogotoit，Iwasoftenweeksonendwithoutputtingmyfootoverthedoormat。InthatwayIdidn’tknowmuchofwhatwasgoingonoutside，andIwasalwaysgladofabitofnews。