書(shū)蟲(chóng)1級(jí)《福爾摩斯與紅發(fā)會(huì)》紅發(fā)會(huì)

SCENE 1

An interesting advertisement

The inside of Wilson's shop. It's a little shop, with a lot of clocks, pictures, watches, etc. Wilson is writing at a table. Vincent Spaulding is looking at The Morning Chronicle newspaper.

SPAULDING

This is interesting.

WILSON

What is?

SPAULDING

This advertisement. It is interesting for you, Mr Wilson, because you have red hair.

WILSON

(Look at Spaulding) Go on.

SPAULDING

The Red-Headed League want to find someone new. Do you know about them? Listen. (Reading from newspaper) 'To all red-headed men, twenty-one years old or more – the Red-Headed League can now take a new man. We pay four pounds a week to do easy work. Come to the League offices at 7, Pope's Court, Fleet Street, London on Monday at 11 o'clock.' (To Wilson) You can get two hundred pounds a year!

Do you know about them?'

WILSON

Really? Tell me more about it.

SPAULDING

A rich American with red hair began the League. When he died, he gave a lot of his money to the Red-Headed League, to give easy work to men with red hair. It's very good wages for only a little work. Why don't you go along to Pope's Court?

WILSON

But millions of red-headed men will go, and—

SPAULDING

Not millions. You need to live in London.

WILSON

I don't know...

SPAULDING

And you must have very red hair. You have very red hair, Mr Wilson.

WILSON

Monday... eleven o'clock...?

SPAULDING

It's Monday today. And it's nearly eleven o'clock! Come on!

SCENE 2

Some easy work for Wilson

The office at Pope's Court – a room with only a table and two chairs. Duncan Ross, a man with very red hair, is sitting behind the table. We can hear the noise of a lot of people out in the street.

ROSS

Next!

The door opens and Spaulding and Wilson come in. Ross looks at Wilson and gets excited.

SPAULDING

This is Mr Jabez Wilson, and he wants to be in the League. (Ross gets up and walks past the table to meet them.)

ROSS

And he has a good head of hair. I can't remember when I saw a better head! (He suddenly puts out a hand and pulls Wilson's hair.)

WILSON

Aaghh! Stop it!

ROSS

I'm sorry, but we must be careful. Of course it is your hair. I can see that now. Please sit down.

Ross sits in the chair behind the table again.

Wilson sits in the other chair. Spaulding stands behind him.

ROSS

My name is Duncan Ross. Have you got a wife, Mr Wilson? And children?

WILSON

No, I have no wife and no family.

ROSS

Oh dear! Some of the men in our League have lots of red-headed children. We like that.

WILSON

I'm sorry, but I—

ROSS

It's all right. You have that wonderful head of hair. When can you begin work here?

WILSON

It's not easy. I have a shop, and—

SPAULDING

I can stay in the shop, Mr Wilson.

WILSON

What hours must I work?

ROSS

Ten o'clock to two o'clock.

WILSON

And the wage?

ROSS

Four pounds a week.

WILSON

What must I do?

ROSS

You must work here, in the office, all the time. That is very important. You cannot go out between the hours of ten o'clock and two o'clock.

WILSON

And the work?

Ross suddenly pulls Wilson's hair.

ROSS

You must copy from this large book, and you must bring paper and a pen. Can you begin tomorrow?

WILSON

Yes, I can.

ROSS

(Smiling) Then goodbye, Mr Jabez Wilson.

Wilson and Spaulding leave the office.

SCENE 3

Wilson tells his story

Sherlock Holmes's room. Holmes and Wilson are sitting in chairs. Holmes is smoking his pipe. Wilson has The Morning Chronicle in his hands.

HOLMES

Most interesting, Mr Wilson. Most interesting.

The door opens and Watson comes in.

WATSON

Holmes, I'm sorry! I didn't know—

HOLMES

Come in, my dear Watson! This is Mr Jabez Wilson. He is telling me a very strange story. (To Wilson) This is Doctor Watson. He's a good friend. Give him the advertisement to read.

Wilson gives the newspaper to Watson.

HOLMES

He does a lot of writing, Watson. Do you see?

WILSON

Oh! How did you know that, Mr Holmes?

HOLMES

The right arm of your coat is different from the left. Your arm is on the table when you write.

WILSON

(Laughing) Yes, that's right!

WATSON

(Finishes reading and looks at Holmes.) It's very strange, Holmes.

HOLMES

(Looking excited) It is strange, isn't it? Do you see the day and month of the newspaper?

WATSON

It's the Morning Chronicle of 27th April, 1890. Two months ago.

HOLMES

Now, Mr Wilson, tell us about your shop.

WILSON

It's in Saxe-Coburg Square, Mr Homes. It's a little shop, and it doesn't make much money.

HOLMES

Does somebody help you in the shop?

WILSON

Yes, a young man. Well, he's not very young, but he works for half-wages.

HOLMES

Does he! What's his name?

WILSON

Vincent Spaulding. He's very good at his work. He likes to take photographs when he's not working. And he makes the pictures in my dark cellar. But he works well when he's in the shop.

HOLMES

How did you first see the newspaper advertisement? Tell us that.

WILSON

Spaulding saw it, eight weeks ago, and we went to Pope's Court and saw Mr Duncan Ross. I told you about the visit a few minutes ago...

Most interesting, Mr Wilson.'

He makes the pictures in my dark cellar.'

HOLMES

Yes, yes. And I can tell Watson about it later. What happened next?

WILSON

Well, I was very pleased, Mr Holmes. I went home feeling very happy. But that evening I began to think again. 'Copying from a book is strange work for a man to do,' I thought.

WATSON

Very strange, yes.

WILSON

But the next morning I went to Pope's Court with my pen and some paper. Mr Ross was there, but he soon went away, and I began my work.

HOLMES

Well?

WILSON

I went in every morning at ten o'clock, and went home at two. And on Saturday, Ross was in the office again, and gave me my four pounds.

HOLMES

How long did you work there?

WILSON

Eight weeks. But today I went to the office at ten o'clock, and the door was locked. (He takes a paper from his coat and gives it to Holmes.) This was on the door.

HOLMES

(Reading) 'The Red-Headed League is finished. June 23rd, 1890.' Then what did you do?

WILSON

I went to the office in the next building, and I asked the man, 'What happened to the Red-Headed League?' 'Who are they?' he asked. 'Who is the man at number 7?' I asked. 'The man with the red hair?' he said. 'His name is William Morris. He moved out yesterday. He has new offices at 17 King Edward Street.' Well, I went to King Edward Street, Mr Holmes.

HOLMES

You did not find a Mr William Morris or a Mr Duncan Ross. Am I right?

WILSON

You are!

HOLMES

What did you do then?

WILSON

I went home to Saxe-Coburg Square.

HOLMES

What does Spaulding say about all this?

WILSON

He says, 'Wait for a letter. You're going to hear something.'

HOLMES

What do you think?

WILSON

I need your help, I think.

HOLMES

You are right, Mr Wilson. I am happy to help you. But first I want to ask you one or two questions. Mr Spaulding was the first to see the advertisement. Yes?

WILSON

Yes.

HOLMES

When did he begin to work for you?

WILSON

About three months ago.

HOLMES

How did he come?

WILSON

He answered an advertisement in the newspaper.

HOLMES

Was he the only man to answer it?

WILSON

No, twelve people answered it.

HOLMES

Why did you take him?

WILSON

Because he was cheap.

HOLMES

He is happy to work for half the usual wages.

WILSON

Yes.

HOLMES

Tell me about him, this Vincent Spaulding.

WILSON

He's small, and a good, quick worker. He's about thirty years old, I think.

HOLMES

Where is he now?

WILSON

He's at the shop.

HOLMES

That is all, Mr Wilson. Today is Saturday. I am going to have an answer for you before Monday.

WILSON

Thank you, Mr Holmes.

Watson goes out with Wilson. Holmes walks up and down, thinking. A minute later, Watson comes back.

HOLMES

We must work quickly, Watson. Put on your hat. We're going to Saxe-Coburg Square.

SCENE 4

Holmes meets Spaulding

Outside the shop in Saxe-Coburg Square. Holmes is walking up and down. Now and then he hits the ground outside the shop with his walking stick. Then he hits the door of the shop. Spaulding opens the shop door and looks out. The legs of his trousers are dirty.

SPAULDING

Can I help you?

HOLMES

Yes. How can I get to the Strand?

SPAULDING

Third on the right, and fourth on the left.

He gets back into the shop and closes the door.

HOLMES

He's a clever young man, Watson.

WATSON

He is? Why did you ask about the Strand? You know London very well! You wanted to see him.

Holmes hits the ground outside the shop with his walking stick.

HOLMES

Not him. His trousers.

WATSON

His trousers? I don't understand. And why did you hit the ground with your stick?

HOLMES

My dear Doctor, this is not the time for talking. I must go and look at the roads behind Saxe-Coburg Square. Are you going to your work?

WATSON

Yes, I must go to the hospital.

HOLMES

I have things to do too. But I want your help tonight. Come at 10 o'clock. And Watson—

WATSON

Yes, Holmes?

HOLMES

Bring your gun.

SCENE 5

To catch a thief

Sherlock Holmes's room. Holmes, Jones and Merryweather are talking quietly. Watson comes in.

HOLMES

Watson, you know Mr Jones of Scotland Yard. And this is Mr Merryweather. They're coming with us tonight.

JONES

Hello, Doctor. We meet again. I'm here because I want to catch John Clay. He's a killer and a thief, one of the worst men in London. It isn't going to be easy to catch him, because he's very clever.

He's a killer and a thief.'

HOLMES

It's after ten o'clock. We must go.

They all leave the room.

SCENE 6

Watching and waiting

Inside the bank strong-room. There are boxes on the floor. It is dark. The door opens and Holmes comes in, carrying a light. Watson, Jones and Merryweather come after him. Holmes looks carefully at the floor. Merryweather sits on a box and hits the floor with his foot.

MERRYWEATHER

How do you know—?

HOLMES

Please, no noise! Perhaps they can hear us!

JONES

How long before—?

HOLMES

An hour. They are going to wait for Mr Wilson to go to bed, then work quickly, I think. (To Watson) We're in the strong-room of the First Bank. Did you know that? Mr Merryweather works for the bank. Tell Watson, Mr Merryweather. What do the thieves want?

MERRYWEATHER

Our gold. It's in all these boxes. Lots and lots of it!

WATSON

Gold!

HOLMES

We must wait in the dark. Get behind the boxes, everyone. Things are going to happen in the next hour, I think. When I hear or see anything strange, I'm going to come out quickly with a light, and then you must help me. Be ready with your gun, Watson. Is everything ready upstairs, Mr Jones?

JONES

My men are waiting at the front door of the bank, Holmes. They can't get out there.

HOLMES

Good. Now we must be quiet and wait.

He puts out the light. The strong-room is dark, but we can see the men waiting behind the boxes. Nothing happens. Watson looks at his watch.

WATSON

(Quietly) It's 11.15, Holmes. When—?

HOLMES

Sahh!

They are all quiet for nearly a minute. Then we see a light coming through the floor. Suddenly the ground opens. First a hand with a gun comes out, and then Spaulding puts his other hand out. We watch him and Ross come out.

SPAULDING

(To Ross) Now, have you got—?

With his light, Holmes comes out from behind his box, and catches Spaulding.

SPAULDING

What—!

Ross quickly gets back into the tunnel. Jones wants to stop him, but he cannot. Holmes hits Spaulding's arm. Now the gun is on the ground.

HOLMES

You can't get away, John Clay!

SPAULDING

No. But my friend—

HOLMES

There are three men waiting for him at the front door of the bank.

SPAULDING

You think of everything, Mr Holmes. You're very clever.

Holmes comes out from behind his box...

HOLMES

Your Red-Headed League was clever, too. But I am pleased to catch the famous John Clay!

SCENE 7

Holmes and Watson

Sherlock Holmes's room. Holmes and Watson are sitting in chairs. Holmes is smoking his pipe.

HOLMES

They needed the Red-Headed League to get Mr Wilson out of his shop. Do you understand that?

WATSON

Yes. I think – er – yes.

HOLMES

They wanted Wilson away from the shop for some hours every day. But how could they do it? Then Clay saw the colour of Ross's hair – and thought of a 'Red-Headed League'! When Wilson answered their newspaper advertisement, he went to work in their office every day. Then they had time to make their tunnel. Very clever!

WATSON

So Spaulding is John Clay, the famous thief. When did you first know that?

HOLMES

Spaulding was happy to work for half-wages. 'Why?' I thought. Spaulding often went down to the cellar. 'What's he doing down there?' I thought. Suddenly, I thought about tunnels! 'Is Spaulding making a tunnel?' I thought. 'To another building?' Watson, you saw me hitting the ground with my stick, outside the shop.

... and catches Spaulding.

WATSON

Yes... now I understand. Was the cellar in front of the shop? You wanted to know that.

HOLMES

Yes, I did. And it wasn't. The cellar was behind the shop. Then I saw the man 'Spaulding'. Did you see his trousers?

WATSON

Er – yes, I saw them.

HOLMES

They were dirty, Watson! Why? Because making a tunnel is dirty work!

WATSON

Very clever, Holmes!

HOLMES

Then I went into the next street, at the back of the shop. And what did I see? The First Bank!

WATSON

The bank, yes! Of course.

HOLMES

Why is that young man making a tunnel?' I thought. 'To get into the bank strong-room!'

WATSON

But why tonight? How did you know—?

HOLMES

Because they closed the offices of the Red-Headed League. 'The tunnel must be ready,' I thought. And Saturday is a good day. The bank does not open on Sunday. Two days for the thieves to get away.

WATSON

(Laughing) But they didn't get away, Holmes. You're very clever.

HOLMES

(Not laughing) That's very true, Watson.