巴斯克维尔猎犬-第3节

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‘Why　should　he　not　go　to　the　family　home？’asked　Holmes．

‘Because　so　many　Baskervilles　who　go　there　die　horrible　deaths．But　Sir　Charles’good　work　must　go　on．If　it　doesn’t，all　the　people　on　the　Baskerville　lands　will　be　much　poorer．If　the　Baskerville　family　leaves　the　Hall，that　is　what　will　happen．I　don't　know　what　to　do．That　is　why　I　came　to　you　for　advice．’

Holmes　though　for　a　little　while．Then　he　said：‘You　think　it　is　too　dangerous　for　any　Baskerville　to　live　at　the　Hall　because　of　this　supernatural　hell－hound．Well，I　think　you　should　go　and　meet　Sir　Henry　Baskerville．Say　nothing　to　him　about　this．I　shall　give　you　my　advice　in　twenty－four　hours．At　ten　o’clock　tomorrow　morning，Dr　Mortimer，I　would　like　you　to　bring　Sir　Henry　Baskerville　here．’

Dr　Mortimer　got　up　from　his　chair．As　he　was　leaving　the　room，Holmes　said：‘One　more　question，Dr　Mortimer．You　said　that　before　Sir　Charles’death　several　people　saw　this　strange　creature　on　the　moor？’

‘Three　people　did，’said　Mortimer．

‘Did　anyone　see　it　after　the　death？’

‘I　haven't　heard　of　anyone．’

‘Thank　you，Dr　Mortimer．Good　morning．’

After　Mortimer　had　left　us，Holmes　sat　down　in　his　chair．He　looked　pleased．He　always　looked　pleased　when　a　case　interest－　ed　him．

I　knew　that　he　needed　to　be　alone　to　think　about　all　that　he　had　heard．I　went　out　for　the　day，and　came　back　to　find　the　room　full　of　thick　smoke　from　Holmes’pipe．

‘What　do　you　think　of　this　case？’I　asked　him．

‘It　is　hard　to　say．Take，for　example，the　change　in　the　foot－　prints．Did　Sir　Charles　walk　on　his　toes　down　the　Alley？Only　a　stupid　person　is　likely　to　believe　that．The　truth　is　he　was　run－　ning—running　for　his　life．He　ran　until　his　heart　stopped　and　he　fell　dead．’

‘What　was　he　running　from？’I　asked．

‘That　is　the　difficult　question，’said　Holmes．‘I　think　he　was　mad　with　fear　before　he　began　to　run．He　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing．That　explains　why　he　ran　away　from　the　house　instead　of　towards　it．He　was　running　away　from　help．The　next　question：who　was　he　waiting　for　that　night？And　why　was　he　waiting　in　the　Yew　Alley　and　not　in　the　house？’

‘You　think　he　was　waiting　for　someone？’

‘Sir　Charles　was　old　and　unwell．We　can　understand　why　he　took　a　walk　each　evening．But　why　did　he　stand　in　the　cold，on　wet　ground，for　five　or　ten　minutes？Dr　Mortimer　cleverly　noted　the　cigar　ash，so　we　know　how　long　Sir　Charles　stood　there．We　know　that　he　kept　away　from　the　moor，so　it's　un－　likely　that　he　waited　at　the　moor　gate　every　evening．I　am　be－　ginning　to　understand　some　things，Watson．But　I'll　think　no　more　about　it　until　we　meet　Dr　Mortimer　and　Sir　Henry　Baskerville　in　the　morning．Please　give　me　my　violin．’

And　Holmes　began　to　play　his　violin．He　had　done　all　the　thinking　he　could．Now　he　needed　more　details　of　the　case　to　help　him．

　　



　
5　　Sir　Henry　Baskerville　

　　

Dr　Mortimer　and　Sir　Henry　Baskerville　arrived　at　exact…ly　ten　o’clock　the　following　morning．Sir　Henry　was　a　small，healthy，well－built　man．His　face　showed　that　he　had　a　strong　character．He　wore　a　country　suit　of　thick，red－brown　material，and　his　skin　showed　that　he　spent　most　of　his　time　in　the　open　air．

‘I　am　glad　this　meeting　was　already　arranged，’Sir　Henry　said，after　we　had　shaken　hands　with　our　visitors．‘I　need　your　help，Mr　Holmes．A　strange　thing　happened　to　me　this　morning．Look　at　this　letter．’

He　put　a　piece　of　paper　on　the　table．On　it　were　the　words：　‘Do　not　go　on　to　the　moor．If　you　do，your　life　will　be　in　dan…ger．’The　words　had　been　cut　out　of　a　newspaper．

‘Can　you　tell　me，Mr　Holmes，what　this　means，and　who　is　so　interested　in　me？’Sir　Henry　asked．

‘This　is　very　interesting，’said　Holmes．‘Look　how　badly　it　has　been　done．I　think　the　writer　was　in　a　hurry．Why？Per－haps　because　he　did　not　want　somebody　to　see　him．I　think　the　address　was　written　in　a　hotel．The　pen　and　the　ink　have　both　given　the　writer　trouble．The　pen　has　run　dry　three　times　in　writing　a　short　address．There　was　probably　very　little　ink　in　the　bottle．A　private　pen　and　bottle　of　ink　are　never　allowed　to　get　into　that　condition．Hullo，what's　this？’

He　was　holding　the　letter　only　a　few　centimetres　from　his　eyes．

‘Well？’I　ashed．

‘Nothing，’he　said，and　threw　the　letter　down．‘Now，Sir　Henry，have　you　anything　else　to　tell　us？’

‘No，’said　Sir　Henry．‘Except　that　I　have　lost　one　of　my　shoes．I　put　a　pair　outside　my　door　last　night．I　wanted　the　ho…　tel　to　clean　them，but　when　I　went　to　get　them　this　morning，one　had　gone．I　only　bought　them　yesterday，and　I　have　never　worn　them．But　I　wanted　a　good　shine　on　them．’

‘One　shoe　seems　a　useless　thing　to　steal，’said　Holmes．‘I　am　sure　the　shoe　will　be　found　in　the　hotel　and　returned　to　you．But　now　we　must　tell　you　some　things　about　the　Baskerville　family．’

Dr　Mortimer　took　out　the　old　Baskerville　papers　and　read　them　to　Sir　Henry．Holmes　then　told　him　about　the　death　of　Sir　Charles．

‘So　this　letter　is　from　someone　who　is　trying　to　warn　me，or　frighten　me　away，’said　Sir　Henry．

‘Yes，’said　Holmes．‘And　we　have　to　decide　if　it　is　sensible　for　you　to　go　to　Baskerville　Hall．There　seems　to　be　danger　there　for　you．’

‘There　is　no　man　or　devil　who　will　stop　me　from　going　to　the　home　of　my　family，’said　Sir　Henry　angrily．‘I　want　some　time　to　think　about　what　you　have　told　me．Will　you　and　Dr　Watson　join　me　for　lunch　at　my　hotel　in　two　hours’time？By　then，I'll　be　able　to　tell　you　what　I　think．’

Dr　Mortimer　and　Sir　Henry　said　goodbye，and　decided　to　walk　back　to　their　hotel．

As　soon　as　our　visitors　had　gone，Holmes　changed　from　the　talker　to　the　man　of　action．

‘Quick，Watson．Your　coat　and　hat．We　must　follow　them．’We　got　ready　quickly　and　went　into　the　street．Our　friends　were　not　far　ahead　of　us　and　we　followed．We　stayed　about　a　hundred　metres　behind　them．

Suddenly　Holmes　gave　a　cry．I　saw　a　taxi　driving　along　very　slowly　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　from　our　friends．

‘That's　our　man，Watson！Come　along！We'll　have　a　good　look　at　him．’

I　saw　a　man　with　a　large　black　beard　looking　out　of　the　taxi　window．He　had　been　following　and　watching　our　friends．But　when　he　saw　us　running　towards　him，he　shouted　something　to　the　driver，and　the　taxi　drove　off　quickly　down　the　road．Holmes　looked　round　for　another　taxi，but　could　not　see　one．He　began　to　run　after　the　first　taxi，but　it　was　soon　out　of　sight．

‘Well，I　got　the　number　of　the　taxi，’said　Holmes．‘So　I　can　find　the　driver．He　may　be　able　to　tell　us　something　about　his　passenger．Would　you　recognize　the　man　if　you　saw　him　again？’

‘Only　his　beard，’I　said．

‘He　wanted　us　to　recognize　the　beard，’said　Holmes．‘I　think　it　was　a　false　one．’

　　



　
6　　More　Mystery　

　　

Later，we　went　on　to　Sir　Henry's　hotel．He　was　pleased　to　see　us，but　rather　angry　because　another　of　his　shoes　had　disappeared．This　time　it　was　one　shose　of　an　old　pair．I　could　see　that　holmes　found　this　both　interesting　and　strange．He　thought　about　it　for　a　few　moments，but　said　nothing　ex…　cept　that　he　did　not　understand　why　a　second　shoe　had　been　stolen．

At　lunch，Sir　henry　told　Holmes　that　he　had　decided　to　go　to　Baskerville　Hall．

‘I　think　you　have　decided　to　do　the　right　thing，’said　Holmes．‘I　know　somebody　is　following　you．If　someone　tries　to　harm　you　in　London，it　will　be　hard　to　stop　him　or　catch　him　afterwards．In　the　country　we　have　a　better　chance．’

Holmes　went　on　to　tell　them　about　what　we　had　seen　that　morning．Then　he　asked　Dr　Mortimer　if　anyone　with　a　large　black　beard　lived　in　or　near　Baskerville　Hall．

‘Yes，said　Dr　Mortimer，‘Barrymore，Sir　Charles’butler，has　a　black　heard．’

‘We　must　check　whether　Barrymore　is　in　London　or　at　Baskerville　Hall，’said　Holmes．‘I　shall　send　a　telegram　to　Bar－　rymore　at　the　Hall，which　will　say：“Is　everything　ready　for　Sir　Henry？”Then　I'll　send　another　telegram　to　the　local　post　of－　fice．This　one　will　say：“please　put　telegram　to　Mr　Barrymore　into　his　own　hand．If　he　is　away，please　return　telegram　to　Sir　Henry　Baskerville．”I'll　give　your　address　at　this　hotel．We　shall　know　before　evening　whether　Barrymore　is　in　Devonshire　or　not．’

‘Barrymore　and　his　wife　have　a　very　fine　home　and　nothing　to　do　while　the　family　is　not　living　in　the　Hall，’said　Sir　Henry．

‘That's　true，’said　Holmes．‘Did　the　Barrymores　receive　anything　from　Sir　Chades’will？And　did　they　know　that　they　would　get　some　money　when　he　died？’

‘Yes，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘They　each　received￡500，and　Sir　Charles　told　everyone　what　he　had　written　in　his　will．’

‘That's　very　interesting，’said　Holmes．

‘I　hope　you　don't　suspect　everyone　who　got　something　from　the　will，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘I　received￡1000．’

‘Indeed！’said　Holmes．‘And　who　else　received　money？’

‘A　lot　of　people　received　a　little　money．He　gave　a　lot　of　money　to　a　number　of　hospitals．The　rest　all　went　to　Sir　Henry，who　received￡740000．’

‘I　had　no　idea　it　was　so　much，’said　Holmes　in　surprise．

‘The　Baskerville　lands　are　worth　about　one　million　pounds，