Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 2

Chapter 64 The Hound of the Baskervilles 3
When I heard the doctor say that, I trembled with fright, and his voice trembled too.Holmes watched him intently.

"Did you really see it?"

"Yes."

"Did you say nothing?"

"no"

"Why didn't anyone see it?"

"The paw prints were about twenty yards from the body and no one noticed them."

"Are there many sheepdogs in the moor?"

"Of course, but it's just not."

"Is it big?"

"great!"

"Didn't it get close to the body?"

"No."

"How was the weather that night?"

"Damp and cold."

"It's not raining, is it?"

"No."

"What's the lane like?"

"There are two rows of old hedges of yews, planted very closely, with a path between them."

"Did you find anything else between the hedge and the path?"

"Yes, there is a strip of grass six feet wide on either side of the road."

"I suppose the hedge was cut off at one point by the gate?"

"Yes, the door facing the moor."

"Is there anything else to say?"

"No."

"Then one must enter Sir Charles's house, or the door that opens onto the moor, to get into the Pine Lane?"

"There's another exit through the gazebo at the other end."

"Has he gone there?"

"No, because he lay fifty yards from there."

"The footprints you see are on the path, not in the grass?"

"Not on the grass."

"Is it beyond the gate?"

"Yes, on the side of the road beyond the gate."

"Is the gate closed?"

"It's closed, it's still locked."

"How high is the door?"

"Four feet."

"So, anyone can climb over?"

"Yes."

"Did you see anything on the gate?"

"No."

"Has no one checked?"

"I checked it myself."

"Did you find anything?"

"Jazz was there for five to 10 minutes."

"why?"

"Twice dropped ashes from his cigar."

"And how do you explain footprints?"

"There were Sir Childs' footprints here and there on that little patch of gravel, and I couldn't see anyone else's."

"If only I had been there!" cried Holmes. "I could have found many clues in that gravel, but they are gone now. What did you do, Dr. Mortimer?" Why don't you call me too?"

"I've already stated my reasons for not wanting to do this. At the same time, at the same time—"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"There are some problems that even the most seasoned detective can't solve."

"You mean, is that weird?"

"I'm not sure."

"But apparently you think so."

"Since this incident, I have heard things that do not agree with the general laws of nature."

"Please give me an example."

"Before this happened, people had seen animals in the swamp with the same shape as the said monster, and they all said it was a big guy, glowing like a devil. I asked those Men, one was a horseshoe smith, and another was a farmer in the swamp. They all told stories about this demon, and what they said was exactly in line with the legendary hound."

"Don't you, a person with scientific knowledge, also believe that this is a supernatural thing?"

"I do not know either."

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

"Until now, my investigation work is limited to the human world," he said. "If I encounter the devil, I can't do anything. But I have to admit that the footprints exist."

"This big hound is big enough to bite a man's throat, but he's like a devil."

"You've leaned toward the supernaturalists. But if you think so, why do you come to me? You tell me it's useless to investigate Sir's death, and you want me to."

"I never told you to investigate."

"So, what can I do for you?"

"Please tell me what will happen to Sir Henry Baskerville, who is about to arrive at Waterloo Station?" said the doctor, looking at his watch. "He will be there in an hour and a quarter."

"Is he the heir?"

"Yes, after Childs' death we investigated the gentleman and found out that he had been farming in Canada. He was, it is said, a good man."

"Is there no other heir?"

"No. Roger Baskerville was the only one. He was the youngest of the brothers, and Childs was the oldest. The second brother who died young was the father of the boy Henry. Roger was the bad boy of the family. Unable to establish himself in England, he fled to the middle of America, where he died of yellow fever in 1876, leaving Henry the only heir in the family. I have received a telegram that he has arrived in Southampton this morning. Mr. Holmes, do you think I What should we do now?"

"Why not let him go to the manor?"

"It should have been done. Considering the legend... But the prosperity of the district rests with him, and without this owner at the estate, Sir Childs' good deeds will cease. I fear personal opinion will have too much weight on the matter." , so I came to ask you."

Holmes thought for a moment.

"It is so," said he, "that there is a diabolical power which has made the Dart Moor a restless place for the Baskervilles—is that your opinion?"

"There are indications that this is the case."

"If your statement is true, then Henry will be as unlucky in London as he is in Devon. A devil who only works locally is hard to justify."

"Mr. Holmes, you would not say so if you had gone to see for yourself. He will be here in five or ten minutes. What do you think we should do?"

"I suggest you take the dog and hire a carriage to fetch him."

"and then?"

"Then, tell him nothing until I have made a decision on the matter."

"How long will it take you to make a decision?"

"Twenty-four hours. It would be more helpful to me if you could bring Sir Henry here at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

"I will do that," Holmes called to him when he reached the landing.

"One more question. Do you say that the devil was ever seen in the moor before Sir Childs died?"

"Three people have seen it."

"Did anyone see you later?"

"I haven't heard of it."

"Thank you and good morning."

"Will you go out, Watson?" asked Holmes.

"Yes, but if you need it, I won't go out."

"No, I'll only turn to you for action. If you pass by Bradley's, please, ask them to send you a pound of strong cedar. If it's convenient, please don't come back before evening, I think. Just think about it quietly."

I stayed in the club until evening, and was not back in the lounge in Baker Street until nine o'clock.

I opened the door, the room was full of smoke, the lights were dim, and the rough smoke made me cough.Through the smoke, I vaguely saw Holmes reclining in an easy chair, with a pipe in his mouth, and a roll of papers around him.

"Have you caught a cold, Watson?" he asked.

"No, it's all caused by the air."

"Yes, I think it's strong enough."

"Intolerable."

"Open the window! I can tell you've been in the club all day."

"Dear Holmes!"

"Am I right?"

"Of course, but why do you—"

"Because you look so relaxed, it makes me want to play a little trick on you. A gentleman who goes out in the mud and rain and comes back in the evening clean must have been sitting all day. Besides, he didn't A close friend. Thinking about it this way, isn't it very clear where he has gone?"

"Yes."

"Do you think I've been here all this time?"

"Is not it?"

"On the contrary, I have been to Devonshire."

"'Soul'?"

"Yes, my physical body has been sitting here. After you left, I sent someone to the Stamford Police Department to get a map of the area of ​​the swamp. My 'spirit' walked on this map for a day. .I'm sure that's pretty clear about that place."

"Is the map detailed?"

"Very detailed. This is the district in question, and in the middle is Baskerville Hall."

"Are there trees all around?"

"Well. The yew road goes down that line, and the moor is on the right, and here's the village of Greenpen, where Mortimer lives. There's only a few houses within five miles, and here's Ryford. The estate. Here is a marked house, probably the home of the biologist Staple Valley. These are two moor farmhouses, the Cottagers and the Vermeers. Fourteen miles away is the prison in Princestown. The moor between and around these houses was the scene of this tragedy."

"This must be a wasteland."

"If the devil really wants to enter the world, the surrounding environment couldn't be more suitable."

"You also believe in the theory of ghosts?"

"The agent of the devil may be a flesh and blood. Now there are two questions: first, is this case a crime? Second, what is the nature of the crime and what is the process of the crime? Have you thought about this case?" ?"

"Well, I thought a lot during the day."

"What do you think?"

"It's so bizarre."

"This case is indeed different. For example, the change of the footprints, what do you think?"

"Mortimer said the man walked on his toes in that part of the driveway."

"Why would a man walk on tiptoe?"

"How to explain it?"

"He was running for his life, running as hard as he could, until his heart burst and he fell dead on the ground."

"What was he running from?"

"That's the problem. All indications are that the man was frightened out of his mind before he ran away."

"why?"

"I think the reason came from the moor. Only one man would run away from the house when he was frightened. And, who was he waiting for that night? What about waiting in your room?"

"Do you think he's waiting for someone?"

"Sir is old and weak and we can understand that he would go for a walk in the evening, but it was wet and cold. The doctor concluded from the cigar ash that he stood for five to 10 minutes. Is that normal?"

"But he goes out every night!"

"I don't think he stood and waited at the door to the moor every night. On the contrary, he avoided the moor on purpose. He waited there that night, and it was the night before he was going to London. The thing There are clues."

(End of this chapter)