”Thankyouverymuch，”saidhe；”IfearthatIunderratedthedifficultyofthetask。Thislistwillbeofverymaterialassistancetome。””Ittooksometime，”saidI。”Andnow，”saidhe，”Iwantyoutomakealistofthefurnitureshops，fortheyallsellcrockery。””Verygood。””Andyoucancomeupto-morrowevening，atseven，andletmeknowhowyouaregettingon。Don’toverworkyourself。AcoupleofhoursatDay’sMusicHallintheeveningwoulddoyounoharmafteryourlabors。”
Helaughedashespoke，andIsawwithathrillthathissecondtoothupontheleft-handsidehadbeenverybadlystuffedwithgold。
SherlockHolmesrubbedhishandswithdelight，andI
staredwithastonishmentatourclient。”Youmaywelllooksurprised，Dr。Watson；butitisthisway，”saidhe：”WhenIwasspeakingtotheotherchapinLondon，atthetimethathelaughedatmynotgoingtoMawson’s，Ihappenedtonoticethathistoothwasstuffedinthisveryidenticalfashion。Theglintofthegoldineachcasecaughtmyeye，yousee。WhenIputthatwiththevoiceandfigurebeingthesame，andonlythosethingsalteredwhichmightbechangedbyarazororawig，Icouldnotdoubtthatitwasthesameman。Ofcourseyouexpecttwobrotherstobealike，butnotthattheyshouldhavethesametoothstuffedinthesameway。Hebowedmeout，andIfoundmyselfinthestreet，hardlyknowingwhetherIwasonmyheadormyheels。BackIwenttomyhotel，putmyheadinabasinofcoldwater，andtriedtothinkitout。WhyhadhesentmefromLondontoBirmingham?
Whyhadhegottherebeforeme?Andwhyhadhewrittenaletterfromhimselftohimself?Itwasaltogethertoomuchforme，andIcouldmakenosenseofit。AndthensuddenlyitstruckmethatwhatwasdarktomemightbeverylighttoMr。SherlockHolmes。
Ihadjusttimetogetuptotownbythenighttraintoseehimthismorning，andtobringyoubothbackwithmetoBirmingham。”
Therewasapauseafterthestock-broker’sclerkhadconcludedhissurprisingexperience。ThenSherlockHolmescockedhiseyeatme，leaningbackonthecushionswithapleasedandyetcriticalface，likeaconnoisseurwhohasjusttakenhisfirstsipofacometvintage。”Ratherfine，Watson，isitnot?”saidhe。”Therearepointsinitwhichpleaseme。IthinkthatyouwillagreewithmethataninterviewwithMr。ArthurHarryPinnerinthetemporaryofficesoftheFranco-MidlandHardwareCompany，Limited，wouldbearatherinterestingexperienceforbothofus。””Buthowcanwedoit?”Iasked。”Oh，easilyenough，”saidHallPycroft，cheerily。”Youaretwofriendsofminewhoareinwantofabillet，andwhatcouldbemorenaturalthanthatI
shouldbringyoubothroundtothemanagingdirector?””Quiteso，ofcourse，”saidHolmes。”Ishouldliketohavealookatthegentleman，andseeifIcanmakeanythingofhislittlegame。Whatqualitieshaveyou，myfriend，whichwouldmakeyourservicessovaluable?
orisitpossiblethat——”Hebeganbitinghisnailsandstaringblanklyoutofthewindow，andwehardlydrewanotherwordfromhimuntilwewereinNewStreet。
Atseveno’clockthateveningwewerewalking，thethreeofus，downCorporationStreettothecompany’soffices。”Itisnouseourbeingatallbeforeourtime，”saidourclient。”Heonlycomestheretoseeme，apparently，fortheplaceisdeserteduptotheveryhourhenames。””Thatissuggestive，”remarkedHolmes。”ByJove，Itoldyouso！”criedtheclerk。”That’shewalkingaheadofusthere。”
Hepointedtoasmallish，dark，well-dressedmanwhowasbustlingalongtheothersideoftheroad。Aswewatchedhimhelookedacrossataboywhowasbawlingoutthelatesteditionoftheeveningpaper，andrunningoveramongthecabsandbusses，heboughtonefromhim。Then，clutchingitinhishand，hevanishedthroughadoor-way。”Therehegoes！”criedHallPycroft。”Thesearethecompany’sofficesintowhichhehasgone。Comewithme，andI’llfixitupaseasilyaspossible。”
Followinghislead，weascendedfivestories，untilwefoundourselvesoutsideahalf-openeddoor，atwhichourclienttapped。Avoicewithinbadeusenter，andweenteredabare，unfurnishedroomsuchasHallPycrofthaddescribed。Atthesingletablesatthemanwhomwehadseeninthestreet，withhiseveningpaperspreadoutinfrontofhim，andashelookedupatusitseemedtomethatIhadneverlookeduponafacewhichboresuchmarksofgrief，andofsomethingbeyondgrief——ofahorrorsuchascomestofewmeninalifetime。Hisbrowglistenedwitperspiration，hischeekswereofthedull，deadwhiteofafish’sbelly，andhiseyeswerewildandstaring。Helookedathisclerkasthoughhefailedtorecognizehim，andI
couldseebytheastonishmentdepicteduponourconductor’sfacethatthiswasbynomeanstheusualappearanceofhisemployer。”Youlookill，Mr。Pinner！”heexclaimed。”Yes，Iamnotverywell，”answeredtheother，makingobviouseffortstopullhimselftogether，andlickinghisdrylipsbeforehespoke。”Whoarethesegentlemenwhomyouhavebroughtwithyou?””OneisMr。Harris，ofBermondsey，andtheotherisMr。Price，ofthistown，”saidourclerk，glibly。”Theyarefriendsofmineandgentlemenofexperience，buttheyhavebeenoutofaplaceforsomelittletime，andtheyhopedthatperhapsyoumightfindanopeningfortheminthecompany’semployment。””Verypossibly！Verypossibly！”criedMr。Pinnerwithaghastlysmile。”Yes，Ihavenodoubtthatweshallbeabletodosomethingforyou。Whatisyourparticularline，Mr。Harris?””Iamanaccountant，”saidHolmes。”Ahyes，weshallwantsomethingofthesort。Andyou，Mr。Price?””Aclerk，”saidI。”Ihaveeveryhopethatthecompanymayaccommodateyou。Iwillletyouknowaboutitassoonaswecometoanyconclusion。AndnowIbegthatyouwillgo。
ForGod’ssakeleavemetomyself！”
Theselastwordswereshotoutofhim，asthoughtheconstraintwhichhewasevidentlysettinguponhimselfhadsuddenlyandutterlyburstasunder。HolmesandI
glancedateachother，andHallPycrofttookasteptowardsthetable。”Youforget，Mr。Pinner，thatIamherebyappointmenttoreceivesomedirectionsfromyou，”saidhe。”Certainly，Mr。Pycroft，certainly，”theotherresumedinacalmertone。”Youmaywaithereamoment；andthereisnoreasonwhyyourfriendsshouldnotwaitwithyou。Iwillbeentirelyatyourserviceinthreeminutes，ifImighttrespassuponyourpatiencesofar。”Herosewithaverycourteousair，and，bowingtous，hepassedoutthroughadooratthefartherendoftheroom，whichheclosedbehindhim。”Whatnow?”whisperedHolmes。”Ishegivingustheslip?””Impossible，”answeredPycroft。”Whyso?””Thatdoorleadsintoaninnerroom。””Thereisnoexit?””None。””Isitfurnished?””Itwasemptyyesterday。””Thenwhatonearthcanhebedoing?ThereissomethingwhichIdon’tunderstandinhismanner。Ifeveramanwasthreepartsmadwithterror，thatman’snameisPinner。Whatcanhaveputtheshiversonhim?””Hesuspectsthatwearedetectives，”Isuggested。”That’sit，”criedPycroft。
Holmesshookhishead。”Hedidnotturnpale。Hewaspalewhenweenteredtheroom，”saidhe。”Itisjustpossiblethat——”
Hiswordswereinterruptedbyasharprat-tatfromthedirectionoftheinnerdoor。”Whatthedeuceisheknockingathisowndoorfor?”
criedtheclerk。
Againandmuchloudercamtherat-tat-tat。Weallgazedexpectantlyatthecloseddoor。GlancingatHolmes，Isawhisfaceturnrigid，andheleanedforwardinintenseexcitement。Thensuddenlycamealowguggling，garglingsound，andabriskdrumminguponwoodwork。Holmessprangfranticallyacrosstheroomandpushedatthedoor。Itwasfastenedontheinnerside。Followinghisexample，wethrewourselvesuponitwithallourweight。Onehingesnapped，thentheother，anddowncamethedoorwithacrash。
Rushingoverit，wefoundourselvesintheinnerroom。