Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 57 The Legendary Hound (6)
On the butler, there is a shadow that has not been revealed.He was the first to discover the body, and it is only from him that we have an account of the circumstances that led the old man to his death.Could it be that the man we saw in Regent Street was Barrymore?But the coachman said he saw a man who was not too tall.Could it be that the coachman made a mistake?What should I do?Shall I ask the Postmaster at Greenpen if he delivered the letter to Barrymore himself?In any case, I must report to Holmes.

Sir Henry happened to want to see some papers after breakfast, so I came out myself.I followed the swamp for about four or five miles, and at last came to a village.There were two decent buildings in the village, an inn and Dr. Mortimer's house.I found the postmaster, who was more impressed with the letter.

"I can assure you," he said, "that I sent the telegram to Barrymore exactly as directed."

"Did you send it yourself?"

"No, it was from my youngest son. James, did you send the telegram to Barrymore at the estate last week?"

"Yes, Dad, I gave it to you."

I asked him: "Did you give the letter to Barrymore himself?"

"Ah! When I went, his wife said he was upstairs, so I gave it to his wife."

"Then did you see Barrymore?"

"No, he's upstairs, how can I see him?"

"How can you know he's upstairs if you haven't seen him yourself?"

The postmaster said angrily: "It must have been from his wife. I really don't know what kind of telegram it is. Even if there is a mistake, Barrymore should ask it?"

It seemed that there was no hope of continuing the conversation.But it is perfectly clear to me that we have not yet been able to prove whether Barrymore was at the estate all that day.If he had killed Sir Childs, he was the one who had followed Sir Henry.What on earth is he going to do?Is he being used by others, or does he have his own plans?I couldn't help but think of the letter that was cobbled together from the words of The Times.Why should they threaten Sir Henry in this way?I thought again of what Sir Henry said, were they trying to scare Sir Henry away?Did they want such a magnificent home?

I also thought that if there was an invisible net in front of Sir Henry, then the person who cast the net must be a man of foresight, which seems unlikely for the housekeeper.Holmes once said: This case is the most complicated case he has ever experienced.

On the way home, I prayed to God: Let Holmes come and analyze these things with me!Suddenly, someone called my name from behind.I thought it must be Dr. Mortimer.But when I turned around, I found that I didn't recognize this person.He was unusually thin, but neatly dressed, his emaciation accentuated by his fair hair and long, pointed chin.He looks about 40 or [-] years old, wearing a big straw hat, carrying a herbarium folder on his back, and holding a bug net in his hand.

"Doctor Watson, you don't mind if I take the liberty of calling you?" He ran up to me and said out of breath while resting his hands on his stomach, "Here, we don't need to introduce each other. .Perhaps Dr. Mortimer has told you about me. I am Staplet of Melipie."

I said: "Your tools have identified you. I have heard Mr. Staplet's name for a long time, but I don't understand how you know my name?"

"I was at Dr. Mortimer's when you passed his window, and he told me. As we were traveling together, I came to make an introduction. Sir Henry has had a pleasant trip, hasn't he? "

"Thank you, he's fine."

"After Sir Childs' sudden death, we all thought he would not come, and a rich man lived in this desolate place. You may know how much his coming or not will affect our town. I suppose Sir Henry doesn't believe in these superstitions?"

"I don't think he would believe it."

"But the people here can't believe it. They all say they have seen the big hound."

He had a hippie smile when he spoke, but I could tell from his demeanor that he was serious when he said this: "This legend has had a great influence on Sir Childs. He has a bad heart because of this. In the end he led to this tragedy."

"How did that happen?"

"His nerves are so tense that even the sight of a dog will cause a heart attack. I guess he must have seen something on the road between the water pines that day. I knew his heart was not good in the past, and I was worried about this old man. There will be surprises."

"How do you know all this?"

"I got it from Dr. Mortimer."

"You think, then, that a great hound was chasing Sir Childs that day, and that he died of a heart attack?"

"I suppose so. What's your opinion on the matter?"

"I don't know anything about it."

"What about Mr. Holmes?"

Hearing this sentence, I felt very strange, and then looking at his calm eyes, I realized that he didn't mean to surprise me.

He continued: "Watson, we have known you for a long time. We have all read the detective records you wrote, and you have always praised Holmes. Besides, Mortimer often talks about you, and he admires you very much. Now you come here." At this point, Holmes must be interested in this, right? I really want to hear Holmes' opinion."

"I'm afraid I cannot grant your wish."

"Then let me venture to ask again, is he going to spy on the matter himself?"

"At the moment he can't come because he's working on other cases."

"It's a pity. Perhaps only he can clarify this matter. If you have any use for me in the investigation process, just ask, maybe I can help you."

"Please don't misunderstand me. I am not here to investigate any case. I am only here to visit Sir Henry."

Staplet said, "Well, you're right. Even if I'm meddling, we won't talk about it anymore."

We were walking on a weedy path through mysterious swampland, with steep, rocky mountains on the right, now a quarry, and a cliff facing us, The gaps are full of plants, and on the hillside in the distance, there is a hazy look.

He said: "Go along this road and you will come to my house. If you have time, I would like to have you come to my house."

I first thought that I should go back to accompany Sir Henry, but then I thought, Sir Henry is at home dealing with papers.And Holmes called my attention to his neighbors, so I accepted Staplet's invitation.

He said: "This swamp is a magical place. People will never get bored with it. The charm of the swamp is that it cannot be seen through. It is so endless and so mysterious."

I said, "It seems that you are more familiar with this place."

"No, I have only been here for two years, and Sir Charles has not been here for a long time. He moved a few days earlier than me. But I like to observe by nature, and this may have something to do with my profession, so it seems I know a little bit more than anyone else."

"Is it difficult to understand here?"

"Yes. To the north, for example, is a great plain with some strangely shaped hills rising in the middle. Can you see anything special about it?"

"It must be better to ride there."

"Yes, most people would think so, but how many childish lives were lost there. Look at the place with green grass."

"Oh, it seems to be more fertile there than other places."

Staplet chuckled: "This is the Great Green Basin Mire, there, no matter whether human or animal, if you are not careful, you will get stuck in it and never get up. A pony fell into this quagmire yesterday. It's dangerous to go through here even when it's dry. It's even more dangerous after a few autumn rains. But I can pass through here no matter what time. My God! Another The horse got stuck."

At this time, I hurriedly looked into the distance, and saw a brown horse struggling in the green grass, followed by a cry of pain, and the miserable sound echoed in the valley.I was in a cold sweat, but Staplet looked like he was used to it.

He said: "Another horse has been buried here, and there will be many more in the future. They always run here and there in the dry season, but they don't know where there is in the sunny and dry season until they are swallowed by the mud. It's completely different after the rain."

"You mean you can go through it, don't you?"

"Yes, there is only one path to go through here, and only those with agility can walk it. I have found this path."

"Then why did you venture into such a dangerous place again?"

"Because, those rare animals will only be caught if you get there."

"I'll try it someday."

He suddenly stared at me and said: "You must not do this, because I dare say that it will be difficult for you to come back safely. And I rely on some special road signs to recognize the way so I can be safe. If an accident occurs, it does not mean that I am killed. Did you?"

"Wow, what sound?" I yelled.

A low, long and miserable sound lingered in the swamp, but it was impossible to tell where it came from.At first it was an indistinct snort, then it turned into a heavy roar, and then it turned into a mournful cry.

Staplet looked at me blankly."It's nothing, the swamp is what it is," he said.

I said, "What the hell is that sound?"

"Everyone says it's the bark of a hound. I've heard it before, but it's not like this."

I was a little scared in my heart, and I looked around a little, and the green field was still the same.In the vast expanse of the wilderness, there is nothing but a pair of crows screaming.

I said, "You're a biologist, you don't believe that nonsense, what do you think it sounds like?"

"There are often sounds in the mud puddles, maybe sludge sinking or groundwater bubbling up, or something."

"No, the sound just now obviously didn't come from the ground, it seemed to be from an animal."

"Ah, maybe it's an animal calling. Have you ever heard a heron call?"

"No, I don't even know what a heron is."

"There's a bird in England, but it's almost extinct now, maybe in the marshes. Yes, it wouldn't be surprising if what we'd just heard was the unique call of a heron."

"It's the scariest and most miserable sound I've ever heard."

"It's true, it's scary here. Look at those hills, can you see anything?"

There are dozens of piles of circles surrounded by gray stones on the steep hillside.

"What is that, is it a sheepfold?"

"No, that's where our ancestors lived. In prehistoric times there were many people living in the swamp, because no one has lived there since, so the little things we see are still the same. They were exactly the same before they left the house. Those were their roofless huts. If you ventured a little closer, you could still see the stove and the bed and a few other things."

In terms of scale, this village is relatively large, so I asked casually, "When did people live there?"

"I can't tell exactly when it was, but it was probably in the Neolithic Age!"

"What are they doing here?"

"They probably graze here. When the bronze tools replaced the stone tools, they started digging tin mines. Look at the trenches, they are all the remains of the digging. Oh, just wait a moment. I saw a Cyclo Big Pad Butterfly."

A butterfly flew past us, and flew onwards.Stapler swooped on it like he saw gold.I was very surprised, because the butterfly flew into the mire, and Staplet followed it all the way.The way he hops around, the way he is dressed and the butterfly net he holds in his hand makes him more like a big butterfly.

I looked at him with trepidation.Suddenly, I heard footsteps nearby, and as soon as I turned around, I saw a woman walking towards me.

I thought about it for a while, and it occurred to me that this lady must be Miss Staplet, because there are not many women in the swamp.I remember someone saying she was a beauty.The girl who came was extraordinary and refined, and she was completely different from his brother.Staplet was fair-skinned and had gray eyes.On the contrary, she was dark, slender, and well-mannered.She gives people a sense of arrogance, with a beautiful face, sexy lips and big eyes, she looks like a fairy.

When I turned, she glanced at her brother, then walked quickly towards me, and I took off my hat and bowed low to her.But what she said was beyond my expectation.

She said: "Go back! Go back at once, go back to London!"

I just looked at her and she stomped her feet anxiously.

I asked, "Why do you want me to go back?"

She whispered, "I don't have time to explain to you, but for God's sake, please listen to me and go back. Don't stay here any longer."

"But I just came!"

She yelled impatiently: "Why are you doing this? Why don't you know what to do? Go back, go back right away, no matter what, you have to get out of here! Shh, don't say anything, my brother is back. Please Can you pick that orchid for me? In early summer, there are orchids all over the place. It's a pity that you came late and didn't see the beauty here."

Stapler returned disappointed.He gasped for breath, his face flushed.

Staplet said, "Ah! Bailey, it's you."

They don't look close.

"Oh, Jack, you must be hot?"

"Yes, I was just catching a big Cyclopedia butterfly, which is usually rare. However, I didn't catch it."

He spoke awkwardly, and looked at Belle and me from time to time.

"I think you must have introduced each other."

"Yes, I just told Sir Henry that he was too late to see the orchids in the swamp."

"Ah, you thought he..."

"Is he not Sir Henry Baskerville?"

I said, "No, no, no, I am not Sir Henry Baskerville. I am his friend, Watson."

A blush suddenly appeared on her face.

"I just thought you were..."

"It's all right. Didn't you just start talking?"

Staplet was still watching us.

She said: "But Watson and I just met. It doesn't matter if you don't see orchids, let's come to our house for a while."

After walking a short distance, I saw a lonely house standing in the swamp.On the whole, it looked like a shepherd's dwelling.But now it has been refurbished into a new house.Surrounded by trees, but these trees are not very tall, they can only be regarded as shrubs or the like.

A gloom hung over the house.An old manservant in plain clothes came out of the house, and he enthusiastically led us into the house.Unlike the outside of the house, the inside of the house gives people a sense of elegance and comfort.I looked out the window, and the swamp stretched as far as I could see.

I wondered: what is this highly educated specialist and this beautiful lady doing here?

He seemed to see my confusion.

He said to himself, "How did we get here? But, Belle, we're happy here, aren't we?"

She said: "It is very happy." But the tone of the speech was very reluctant.

He said to me: "I used to run my own school. If I didn't like to stay with the children and teach them everything I know, I would find that kind of life very boring for me. At that time I am also very happy, because I feel that this is a kind of dedication to others. But our bad luck is catching up with a serious epidemic in the school, and three boys died in a few days. My money I also lost it. I really can't bear such a big blow. If it weren't for those lovely children, I would have forgotten about it. My sister and I love nature more, and this place is indeed a piece of land for us. A wonderful place. You may have seen it too."

"I think this place is really suitable for you, but it doesn't seem to be suitable for your sister?"

She said anxiously, "No, it's not like that. I'm having a lot of fun here, too."

"We can enjoy nature here, and what a friend here: Mortimer was very learned, and Sir Childs used to get along very well with us. I still mourn his death. Do you think we Would it be presumptuous of me to call on Sir Henry this afternoon?"

"I promise, sir will be very happy to see you."

"Then please tell him that I am going to call on him. If there is anything he can do for us, I will do my best. Do you want to go upstairs and see my collection, Dr. Watson? It should be the most complete set ever collected in England. Our lunch will be ready in a moment."

What I've been through today, the little brown pony struggling and whining in the mud, makes me shudder, so I'm going back to see Sir Henry.

I thought again of Miss Staplet's warning, which had been spoken so religiously that I could not tell whether it was true or not.

I declined their invitation to eat together, and went back along the path I had come from.

Before I reached the road, I saw Miss Staplet standing there.She had a beautiful blush on her face due to the strenuous exercise, and put her hands on her hips: "Dr. Watson, in order to stop you, I ran here in one go, and I even forgot to put on my hat. I can't be here." Stay for a long time, or my brother will suspect me. I made a serious mistake just now, I hope you will forget everything I said to you, it's none of your business."

"Miss Staplet, can you please explain? I am his friend and I care about him very much. Why do you want him to leave here?"

"This is just my momentary thought. Sometimes I don't understand what I say to myself. Maybe you will understand me after spending a long time with me."

(End of this chapter)