巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第3章

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‘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？’asked　Holmes．

‘I　didn't　say　so　exactly，’replied　Mortimer．‘But　since　Sir　Charles　died，I　have　heard　about　a　number　of　things　that　seem　to　be　supernatural．Several　people　have　seen　an　animal　on　the　moor　that　looks　like　an　enormous　hound．They　all　agree　that　it　was　a　huge　creature，which　shone　with　a　strange　light　like　a　ghost．I　have　questioned　these　people　carefully．They　are　all　sensible　people．They　all　tell　the　same　story．Although　they　have　only　seen　the　creature　far　away，it　is　exactly　like　the　hell　hound　of　the　Baskerville　story．The　people　are　very　frightened，and　only　the　bravest　man　will　cross　the　moor　at　night．’

‘And　you，a　man　of　science，believe　that　the　creature　is　supernatural—something　from　another　world？’asked　Holmes．

‘I　don't　know　what　to　believe，’said　Dr　Mortimer．

‘But　you　must　agree　that　the　footprints　were　made　by　a　liv　ing　creature，not　a　ghost？’

‘When　the　hound　first　appeared　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago，it　was　real　enough　to　tear　out　Sir　Hugo's　throat…but　it　was　a　supernatural　hellhound，’said　Dr　Mortimer．

‘If　you　think　that　Sir　Charles'　death　was　caused　by　some－　thing　supernatural，my　detective　work　can't　help　you，’said　Holmes，rather　coldly．

‘Perhaps，’said　Mortimer．‘But　you　can　help　me　by　advis　ing　me　what　to　do　for　Sir　Henry　Baskerville．He　arrives　in　Lon－　don　by　train　in　exactly，’Dr　Mortimer　looked　at　his　watch，‘one　hour　and　a　quarter．’

‘Sir　Henry　is　now　head　of　the　Baskerville　family？’asked　Holmes．

‘Yes，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘He　is　the　last　of　the　Baskervilles．The　family　lawyers　contacted　him　in　the　USA．He　has　e　to　England　immediately　by　ship．He　landed　this　morning．Now，Mr　Holmes，what　do　you　advise　me　to　do　with　him？’

‘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　exactly　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　danger．’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！e　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　runnin