巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第2章

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ere．He　came　back　to　spend　his　fortune　on　repairing　Baskerville　Hall　and　its　farms　and　villages，as　the　buildings　and　lands　were　in　very　poor　condition．He　was　a　friendly　and　generous　man，who　gave　freely　to　the　poor．

The　official　report　of　his　death　does　not　explain　every－　thing　that　happened．However，it　does　shourder．Sir　Charles　died　from　natural　causes，and　the　strange　stories　people　are　telling　about　his　death　are　not　true．His　friend　and　doctor，Dr　James　Mor－　timer，said　that　Sir　Charles’heart　had　been　weak　for　some　time．

The　facts　are　simple．Every　night　before　going　to　bed，Sir　Charles　went　for　a　walk　in　the　gardens　of　Baskerville　Hall．His　favourite　walk　was　down　a　path　between　two　hedges　of　yew　trees，the　famous　Yew　Alley　of　Baskerville　Hall．On　the　night　of　4th　June　he　went　out　for　his　walk　to　think　and　to　smoke　his　usual　cigar．

Sir　Charles　was　going　to　London　on　the　next　day，and　Barrymore，his　butler，was　packing　his　suitcases．By　mid　night　Barrymore　was　worried　that　Sir　Charles　had　not　re－　turned，so　he　went　to　look　for　him．He　found　the　door　of　the　Hall　open．The　day　had　been　rainy　and　wet　so　Barry－　more　saw　the　prints　left　by　Sir　Charles’shoes　as　he　had　walked　down　the　Alley．Half　way　down　the　Alley　is　a　gate，which　leads　to　the　moor．There　were　signs　that　Sir　Charles　had　stood　there　for　some　time．Barrymore　fol－　lowed　the　footprints　to　the　far　end　of　the　Alley．And　there　he　found　Sir　Charles’body．

Barrymore　reported　something　interesting　about　the　footprints．He　said　that　they　changed　between　the　moor　gate　and　the　end　of　the　Alley．As　far　as　the　moor　gate　there　was　a　whole　footprint　for　each　of　Sir　Charles’steps．After　he　passed　the　gate，only　toe　prints　could　be　seen．Barrymore　thought　that　Sir　Charles　had　walked　on　his　toes．

A　man　called　Murphy，who　buys　and　sells　horses，was　not　far　away　at　the　time　of　Sir　Charles’death．He　had　been　drinking　a　lot　of　beer，but　he　says　he　heard　cries．He　is　not　sure　where　they　came　from．

Dr　Mortimer　was　called　to　look　at　Sir　Charles’body．There　were　no　signs　that　Sir　Charles　had　been　murdered，but　Dr　Mortimer　did　not　recognize　his　friend's　face．The　whole　shape　of　it　was　changed．However，this　often　hap－　pens　with　deaths　which　are　caused　by　weak　hearts．When　Dr　Mortimer　looked　at　the　body，he　found　that　this　was，in　fact，what　had　happened．Sir　Charles’weak　heart　had　failed，and　this　had　caused　his　death．

Everyone　hopes　that　the　new　head　of　the　Baskerville　family　will　move　quickly　into　the　Hall．Sir　Charles　good　work　must　go　on．

The　new　head　of　the　Baskerville　family　will　be　Sir　Hen　ry　Baskerville，if　he　is　still　alive　and　if　the　lawyers　can　find　him．He　is　the　son　of　Sir　Charles　Baskerville's　younger　brother，who　died　some　years　ago．The　young　man　has　been　living　in　the　USA．The　Baskerville　lawyers　are　trying　to　contact　him　to　tell　him　about　his　good　fortune．

Dr　Mortimer　put　the　newspaper　back　into　his　pocket．

‘Those　are　the　official　facts　about　the　death　of　Sir　Charles．They　are　the　facts　that　everyone　knows，Mr　Holmes，’he　said．

‘Thank　you　for　informing　me　about　this　interesting　case，’Holmes　said．‘I　read　about　it　at　the　time，but　I　heard　none　of　the　details．The　newspaper　gives　the　facts　that　everybody　knows．Now　I　want　you　to　tell　me　all　the　other　facts　that　you　know．What　do　you　know　about　the　strange　stories？’

‘I　haven't　told　anyone　these　other　facts，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘I　am　a　man　of　science，as　you　know．I　have　always　believed　that　there　are　sensible　explanations　for　everything．I　didn't　want　to　say　anything　that　could　stop　Sir　Henry　from　ing　to　live　at　the　Hall．But　I　will　tell　you　tile　details　that　were　not　in　the　report．’

‘In　the　months　before　his　death，’Dr　Mortimer　went　on，‘Sir　Charles　was　a　very　worried　man．He　was　near　to　breaking　down．He　believed　the　story　of　the　Hound　of　the　Baskervilles．He　refused　to　go　out　at　night．He　often　asked　me　whether　I　had　seen　any　strange　animal　or　heard　the　cry　of　a　hound　on　the　moor　at　night．He　always　got　very　excited　when　he　asked　this　question．

‘I　remember　driving　up　to　the　Hall　one　evening　about　three　weeks　before　he　died．He　was　standing　at　the　door．I　went　up　to　him，and　saw　him　staring　at　something　behind　me．There　was　a　look　of　horror　on　his　face．I　turned　quickly　and　saw　something　moving　between　the　trees．It　looked　like　a　small　black　cow．He　was　so　frightened　that　I　went　to　look　for　the　animal．It　had　disappeared　but　Sir　Charles　was　very　worried．I　stayed　with　him　all　the　evening．It　was　then　he　gave　me　the　old　papers　I　have　read　to　you．What　I　saw　that　evening　may　be　im　portant　when　you　consider　what　happened　on　the　night　of　his　death．

‘When　Barrymore，the　butler，found　Sir　Charles’body，he　sent　someone　to　fetch　me．I　checked　all　the　facts．I　have　just　read　them　to　you，and　they　are　all　true．

‘But　Barrymore　said　one　thing　that　was　not　true．He　said　that　there　were　no　other　prints　on　the　ground　around　the　body．He　did　not　notice　any．But　I　did．They　were　not　close　to　the　body，but　they　were　fresh　and　clear．’

‘Footprints？’asked　Holmes．

‘Yes．Footprints，’said　Mortimer．

‘A　man's　or　a　woman's？’asked　Holmes．

Dr　Mortimer　looked　at　us　strangely　for　a　moment．His　voice　became　a　whisper　as　he　answered：　

‘Mr　Holmes，they　were　the　footprints　of　a　huge　hound！’

　　



　
4　　The　Problem　

　　

Ifelt　a　moment　of　fear　as　Mortimer　spoke　these　words．Holmes　sat　forward　in　his　excitement，and　his　eyes　showed　he　was　very　interested　indeed．

‘Why　did　nobody　else　see　these　footprints？’he　asked．

‘The　footprints　were　about　twenty　metres　from　the　body，and　nobody　thought　of　looking　so　far　away，’Mortimer　replied．

‘Are　there　many　sheep　dogs　on　the　moor？’asked　Holmes．

‘Yes，but　this　was　no　sheep　dog．The　footprints　were　very　large　indeed—enormous，’Mortimer　answered．

‘But　it　had　not　gone　near　the　body？’

‘No．’

‘What　kind　of　night　was　it？’Holmes　asked．

‘It　was　wet　and　cold，though　it　wasn't　actually　raining．’

‘Describe　the　Alley　to　me．’

‘The　Alley　is　a　path　between　two　long　yew　hedges．The　hedges　are　small　trees　that　were　planted　very　close　together．They　are　about　four　metres　high．The　distance　between　the　two　yew　hedges　is　about　seven　metres．Down　the　middle　is　a　path　of　small　stones．The　path　is　about　three　metres　wide，with　grass　on　each　side　of　it．’

‘I　understand　there　is　a　gate　through　the　hedge　in　one　place，’said　Holmes．

‘Yes，there　is　a　small　gate，which　leads　to　the　moor．’

‘Is　there　any　other　opening　through　the　hedge？’

‘No．’

‘So　you　can　enter　or　leave　the　Yew　Alley　only　from　the　Hall，or　through　the　moor　gate？’asked　Holmes．

‘There　is　a　way　out　through　a　summer　house　at　the　far　end．’

‘Had　Sir　Charles　reached　the　summer　house？’

‘No．He　lay　about　fifty　metres　from　it，’said　Mortimer．

‘Now，Dr　Mortimer，this　is　important．You　say　that　the　footprints　you　saw　were　on　the　path　and　not　on　the　grass？’

‘No　footprints　could　show　on　the　grass，’said　Mortimer．

‘Were　they　on　the　same　side　of　the　path　as　the　moor　gate？’

‘Yes．They　were．’

‘I　find　that　very　interesting　indeed．Another　question：was　the　moor　gate　closed？’

‘Yes．It　was　closed　and　locked．’

‘How　high　is　it？’asked　Holmes．

‘It　is　just　over　a　metre　high．’

‘Then　anyone　could　climb　over　it？’

‘Yes．’

‘What　prints　did　you　see　by　the　moor　gate？’

‘Sir　Charles　seems　to　have　stood　there　for　five　or　ten　min－　utes，’said　Mortimer．‘I　know　that　because　his　cigar　had　burned　down　and　the　ash　had　dropped　twice　off　the　end　of　it．’

‘Excellent，’said　Holmes．‘This　man　is　a　very　good　detective，Watson．’

‘Sir　Charles　had　left　his　footprints　all　over　that　little　bit　of　the　path　where　he　was　standing．I　couldn't　see　any　other　prints．’

Sherlock　Holmes　hit　his　knee　with　his　hand　angrily．

‘I　like　to　look　closely　at　these　things　myself，’he　said．‘Oh，Dr　Mortimer，why　didn't　you　call　me　immediately？’

‘Mr　Holmes，the　best　detective　in　the　world　can't　help　with　some　things，’said　Mortimer．

‘You　mean　things　that　are　outside　the　laws　of　nature—su　pernatural　things？’as