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II . THE RED - HEADED LEAGUE 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 use to me in yours also . ” The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of greeting , with a quick little questioning glance from his small fat - encircled eyes . “ Try the settee , ” 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 none the less you must come round to my view , for otherwise I shall keep on 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 . You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique things are very often connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes , and occasionally , indeed , where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been committed . As far as I have heard , it is impossible for me to say whether the present case is an instance of crime or not , but the course of events is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to .
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