<s> THIS ALSO WAS OPENED AND LED DOWN A FLIGHT OF WINDING STONE STEPS WHICH TERMINATED AT ANOTHER FORMIDABLE GATE </s><s> MR. MERRYWEATHER 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 ROUND WITH CRATES AND MASSIVE BOXES </s><s> YOU ARE NOT VERY VULNERABLE FROM ABOVE HOLMES REMARKED AS HE HELD UP THE LANTERN AND GAZED ABOUT HIM </s><s> NOR FROM BELOW SAID MR. MERRYWEATHER STRIKING HIS STICK UPON THE FLAGS WHICH LINED THE FLOOR </s><s> WHY DEAR ME IT SOUNDS QUITE HOLLOW HE REMARKED LOOKING UP IN SURPRISE </s><s> I MUST REALLY ASK YOU TO BE A LITTLE MORE QUIET SAID HOLMES SEVERELY </s><s> QUOTE YOU HAVE ALREADY IMPERILLED THE WHOLE SUCCESS OF OUR EXPEDITION </s><s> MIGHT I BEG THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE GOODNESS TO SIT DOWN UPON ONE OF THOSE BOXES AND NOT TO INTERFERE </s><s> THE SOLEMN MR. MERRYWEATHER PERCHED HIMSELF UPON A CRATE WITH A VERY INJURED EXPRESSION UPON HIS FACE WHILE HOLMES FELL UPON HIS KNEES UPON THE FLOOR AND WITH THE LANTERN AND A MAGNIFYING LENS BEGAN TO EXARNINE MINUTELY THE CRACKS BETWEEN THE STONES </s><s> A FEW SECONDS SUFFICED TO SATISFY HIM FOR HE SPRANG TO HIS FEET AGAIN AND PUT HIS GLASS IN HIS POCKET </s><s> WE HAVE AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE US HE REMARKED FOR THEY CAN HARDLY TAKE ANY STEPS UNTIL THE GOOD PAWNBROKER IS SAFELY IN BED </s><s> THEN THEY WILL NOT LOSE A MINUTE FOR THE SOONER THEY DO THEIR WORK THE LONGER TIME THEY WILL HAVE FOR THEIR ESCAPE </s><s> 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 </s><s> 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 A CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THIS CELLAR AT PRESENT </s><s> IT IS OUR FRENCH GOLD WHISPERED THE DIRECTOR </s><s> WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL WARNINGS THAT AN ATTEMPT MIGHT BE MADE UPON IT </s><s> QUOTE YOUR FRENCH GOLD QUOTE </s><s> YES </s><s> WE HAD OCCASION SOME MONTHS AGO TO STRENGTHEN OUR RESOURCES AND BORROWED FOR THAT PURPOSE THIRTY THOUSAND NAPOLEONS FROM THE BANK OF FRANCE </s><s> IT HAS BECOME KNOWN THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD OCCASION TO UNPACK THE MONEY AND THAT IT IS STILL LYING IN OUR CELLAR </s><s> THE CRATE UPON WHICH I SIT CONTAINS TWO THOUSAND NAPOLEONS PACKED BETWEEN LAYERS OF LEAD FOIL </s><s> 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 </s><s> WHICH WERE VERY WELL JUSTIFIED OBSERVED HOLMES </s><s> AND NOW IT IS TIME THAT WE ARRANGED OUR LITTLE PLANS </s><s> I EXPECT THAT WITHIN AN HOUR MATTERS WILL COME TO A HEAD </s><s> IN THE MEANTIME MR. MERRYWEATHER WE MUST PUT THE SCREEN OVER THAT DARK LANTERN </s><s> QUOTE AND SIT IN THE DARK QUOTE </s><s> I AM AFRAID SO </s><s> I HAD BROUGHT A PACK OF CARDS IN MY POCKET AND I THOUGHT THAT AS WE WERE A PARTIE CARREE YOU MIGHT HAVE YOUR RUBBER AFTER ALL </s><s> BUT I SEE THAT THE ENEMY'S PREPARATIONS HAVE GONE SO FAR THAT WE CANNOT RISK THE PRESENCE OF A LIGHT </s><s> AND FIRST OF ALL WE MUST CHOOSE OUR POSITIONS </s><s> THESE ARE DARING MEN AND THOUGH WE SHALL TAKE THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE THEY MAY DO US SOME HARM UNLESS WE ARE CAREFUL </s><s> I SHALL STAND BEHIND THIS CRATE AND DO YOU CONCEAL YOURSELVES BEHIND THOSE </s><s> THEN WHEN I FLASH A LIGHT UPON THEM CLOSE IN SWIFTLY </s><s> IF THEY FIRE WATSON HAVE NO COMPUNCTION ABOUT SHOOTING THEM DOWN </s><s> I PLACED MY REVOLVER COCKED UPON THE TOP OF THE WOODEN CASE BEHIND WHICH I CROUCHED </s><s> 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 </s><s> THE SMELL OF HOT METAL REMAINED TO ASSURE US THAT THE LIGHT WAS STILL THERE READY TO FLASH OUT AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE </s><s> 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 </s><s> THEY HAVE BUT ONE RETREAT WHISPERED HOLMES </s><s> THAT IS BACK THROUGH THE HOUSE INTO SAXE COBURG SQUARE </s><s> I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE DONE WHAT I ASKED YOU JONES </s><s> QUOTE L. HAVE AN INSPECTOR AND TWO OFFICERS WAITING AT THE FRONT DOOR QUOTE </s><s> THEN WE HAVE STOPPED ALL THE HOLES </s><s> AND NOW WE MUST BE SILENT AND WAIT </s><s> WHAT A TIME IT SEEMED </s><s> FROM COMPARING NOTES AFTERWARDS IT WAS BUT AN HOUR AND A QUARTER YET IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE NIGHT MUST HAVE ALMOST GONE. AND THE DAWN BE BREAKING ABOVE US </s><s> 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 </s><s> FROM MY POSITION I COULD LOOK OVER THE CASE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FLOOR </s><s> SUDDENLY MY EYES CAUGHT THE GLINT OF A LIGHT </s><s> AT FIRST IT WAS BUT A LURID SPARK UPON THE STONE PAVEMENT </s><s> 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 CENTRE OF THE LITTLE AREA OF LIGHT </s><s> FOR A MINUTE OR MORE THE HAND WITH ITS WRITHING FINGERS PROTRUDED OUT OF THE FLOOR </s><s> THEN IT WAS WITHDRAWN AS SUDDENLY AS IT APPEARED AND ALL WAS DARK AGAIN SAVE THE SINGLE LURID SPARK WHICH MARKED A CHINK BETWEEN THE STONES </s><s> ITS DISAPPEARANCE HOWEVER WAS BUT MOMENTARY </s><s> 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 </s><s> 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 SHOULDERHIGH AND WAIST HIGH UNTIL ONE KNEE RESTED UPON THE EDGE </s><s> IN ANOTHER INSTANT HE STOOD AT THE SIDE OF THE HOLE AND WAS HAULING AFTER HIM A COMPANION LITHE AND SMALL LIKE HIMSELF WITH A PALE FACE AND A SHOCK OF VERY RED HAIR </s><s> IT'S ALL CLEAR HE WHISPERED </s><s> HAVE YOU THE CHISEL AND THE BAGS </s><s> GREAT SCOTT </s><s> JUMP ARCHIE JUMP AND I'LL SWING FOR IT </s><s> SHERLOCK HOLMES HAD SPRUNG OUT AND SEIZED THE INTRUDER BY THE COLLAR </s><s> THE OTHER DIVED DOWN THE HOLE AND I HEARD THE SOUND OF RENDING CLOTH AS JONES CLUTCHED AT HIS SKIRTS </s><s> 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 </s><s> QUOTE IT'S NO USE JOHN CLAY QUOTE SAID HOLMES BLANDLY </s><s> YOU HAVE NO CHANCE AT ALL </s><s> SO I SEE THE OTHER ANSWERED WITH THE UTMOST COOLNESS </s><s> I FANCY THAT MY PAL IS ALL RIGHT THOUGH I SEE YOU HAVE GOT HIS COAT TAILS </s><s> THERE ARE THREE MEN WAITING FOR HIM AT THE DOOR SAID HOLMES </s><s> OH INDEED </s><s> YOU SEEM TO HAVE DONE THE THING VERY COMPLETELY </s><s> I MUST COMPLIMENT YOU QUOTE </s><s> AND I YOU HOLMES ANSWERED </s><s> YOUR RED HEADED IDEA WAS VERY NEW AND EFFECTIVE </s><s> YOU'LL SEE YOUR PAL AGAIN PRESENTLY SAID JONES </s><s> HE'S QUICKER AT CLIMBING DOWN HOLES THAN I AM </s><s> JUST HOLD OUT WHILE I FIX THE DERBIES </s><s> QUOTE I BEG THAT YOU WILL NOT TOUCH ME WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS QUOTE REMARKED OUR PRISONER AS THE HANDCUFFS CLATTERED UPON HIS WRISTS </s><s> YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT I HAVE ROYAL BLOOD IN MY VEINS </s><s> HAVE THE GOODNESS ALSO WHEN YOU ADDRESS ME ALWAYS TO SAY SIR AND PLEASE </s><s> ALL RIGHT SAID JONES WITH A STARE AND A SNIGGER </s><s> WELL WOULD YOU PLEASE SIR MARCH UPSTAIRS WHERE WE CAN GET A CAB TO CARRY YOUR HIGHNESS TO THE POLICE STATION </s><s> THAT IS BETTER SAID JOHN CLAY SERENELY </s><s> HE MADE A SWEEPING BOW TO THE THREE OF US AND WALKED QUIETLY OFF IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DETECTIVE </s><s> QUOTE REALLY MR. HOLMES QUOTE SAID MR. MERRYWEATHER AS WE FOLLOWED THEM FROM THE CELLAR QUOTE I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE BANK CAN THANK YOU OR REPAY YOU </s><s> 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 </s><s> I HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO LITTLE SCORES OF MY OWN TO SETTLE WITH MR. JOHN CLAY SAID HOLMES </s><s> I HAVE BEEN AT SOME SMALL EXPENSE OVER THIS MATTER WHICH 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 </s><s> YOU SEE WATSON HE EXPLAINED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING AS WE SAT OVER A GLASS OF WHISKY 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 PAWNBROKER OUT OF THE WAY FOR A NUMBER OF HOURS EVERY DAY </s><s> IT WAS A CURIOUS WAY OF MANAGING IT BUT REALLY IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SUGGEST A BETTER </s><s> THE METHOD WAS NO DOUBT SUGGESTED TO CLAY'S INGENIOUS MIND BY THE COLOUR OF HIS ACCOMPLICE'S HAIR </s><s> THE FOUR POUNDS A WEEK WAS A LURE WHICH MUST DRAW HIM AND WHAT WAS IT TO THEM WHO WERE PLAYING FOR THOUSANDS </s><s> THEY PUT IN THE ADVERTISEMENT ONE ROGUE HAS THE TEMPORARY OFFICE THE OTHER ROGUE INCITES THE MAN TO APPLY FOR IT. AND TOGETHER THEY MANAGE TO SECURE HIS ABSENCE EVERY MORNING IN THE WEEK </s><s> 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 </s><s> QUOTE BUT HOW COULD YOU GUESS WHAT THE MOTIVE WAS QUOTE </s><s> HAD THERE BEEN WOMEN IN THE HOUSE I SHOULD HAVE SUSPECTED A MERE VULGAR INTRIGUE </s><s> THAT HOWEVER WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION </s><s> THE MAN'S BUSINESS WAS A SMALL ONE AND THERE WAS NOTHING IN HIS HOUSE WHICH COULD ACCOUNT FOR SUCH ELABORATE PREPARATIONS AND SUCH AN EXPENDITURE AS THEY WERE AT </s><s> IT MUST THEN BE SOMETHING OUT OF THE HOUSE </s><s> WHAT COULD IT BE </s><s> I THOUGHT OF THE ASSISTANT'S FONDNESS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND HIS TRICK OF VANISHING INTO THE CELLAR </s><s> THE CELLAR </s><s> THERE WAS THE END OF THIS TANGLED CLUE </s><s> 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 </s><s> HE WAS DOING SOMETHING IN THE CELLAR SOMETHING WHICH TOOK MANY HOURS A DAY FOR MONTHS ON END </s><s> WHAT COULD IT BE ONCE MORE </s><s> I COULD THINK OF NOTHING SAVE THAT HE WAS RUNNING A TUNNEL TO SOME OTHER BUILDING </s><s> SO FAR I HAD GOT WHEN WE WENT TO VISIT THE SCENE OF ACTION </s><s> I SURPRISED YOU BY BEATING UPON THE PAVEMENT WITH MY STICK </s><s> I WAS ASCERTAINING WHETHER THE CELLAR STRETCHED OUT IN FRONT OR BEHIND </s><s> IT WAS NOT IN FRONT </s><s> THEN I RANG THE BELL AND AS I HOPED THE ASSISTANT ANSWERED IT </s><s> WE HAVE HAD SOME SKIRMISHES BUT WE HAD NEVER SET EYES UPON EACH OTHER BEFORE </s><s> I HARDLY LOOKED AT HIS FACE </s><s> HIS KNEES WERE WHAT I WISHED TO SEE </s><s> YOU MUST YOURSELF HAVE REMARKED HOW WORN WRINKLED AND STAINED THEY WERE </s><s> THEY SPOKE OF THOSE HOURS OF BURROWING </s><s> THE ONLY REMAINING POINT WAS WHAT THEY WERE BURROWING FOR </s><s> 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 </s><s> 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 </s><s> AND HOW COULD YOU TELL THAT THEY WOULD MAKE THEIR ATTEMPT TO NIGHT </s><s> I ASKED </s><s> 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 </s><s> BUT IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THEY SHOULD USE IT SOON AS IT MIGHT BE DISCOVERED OR THE BULLION MIGHT BE REMOVED </s><s> SATURDAY WOULD SUIT THEM BETTER THAN ANY OTHER DAY AS IT WOULD GIVE THEM TWO DAYS FOR THEIR ESCAPE </s><s> FOR ALL THESE REASONS I EXPECTED THEM TO COME TO NIGHT QUOTE </s><s> YOU REASONED IT OUT BEAUTIFULLY I EXCLAIMED IN UNFEIGNED ADMIRATION IT IS SO LONG A CHAIN AND YET EVERY LINK RINGS TRUE </s><s> IT SAVED ME FROM ENNUI HE ANSWERED YAWNING </s><s> ALAS </s><s> I ALREADY FEEL IT CLOSING IN UPON ME </s><s> MY LIFE IS SPENT IN ONE LONG EFFORT TO ESCAPE FROM THE COMMONPLACES OF EXISTENCE </s><s> THESE LITTLE PROBLEMS HELP ME TO DO SO </s><s> AND YOU ARE A BENEFACTOR OF THE RACE SAID I </s><s> HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS </s><s> QUOTE WELL PERHAPS AFTER ALL IT IS OF SOME LITTLE USE QUOTE HE REMARKED QUOTE L'HOMME C'EST RIEN L. OEUVRE C'EST TOUT AS GUSTAVE FLAUBERT WROTE TO GEORGE SAND QUOTE </s>