巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Just　as　he　spoke　there　came　a　strange　cry　from　across　the　moor．It　was　the　same　cry　I　had　heard　when　I　was　with　Staple－　ton　on　the　edge　of　the　Great　Grimpen　Marsh．

‘What　is　that　noise？’asked　Sir　Henry．He　stopped　and　put　his　hand　on　my　arm　to　hold　me　back．

‘I've　heard　it　before，’I　said．‘Stapleton　says　it's　the　cry　of　a　bird．’

‘Watson，’said　Sir　Henry，his　voice　shaking，‘it　is　the　cry　of　a　hound．What　do　the　local　people　say　it　is？’

‘They　say　it　is　the　cry　of　the　Hound　of　the　Baskervilles，’I　replied．

‘Can　there　possibly　be　some　truth　in　the　story？’said　Sir　Henry．‘Am　I　really　in　danger　from　such　an　evil　thing？I　think　I　am　as　brave　as　most　men，but　that　sound　froze　my　blood．But　we　have　e　out　to　catch　that　prisoner，and　the　Devil　himself　will　not　make　me　turn　back．’

It　was　difficult　to　cross　the　moor　in　the　dark，but　at　last　we　reached　the　light．It　was　standing　on　a　rock．Suddenly　an　evil　face，more　like　an　animal　than　a　man，looked　at　us　from　behind　the　rock．The　escaped　prisoner　saw　us　and　screamed　as　he　turned　to　run．

Sir　Henry　and　I　were　both　good　runners　and　very　healthy　men，but　we　soon　realized　that　we　had　no　chance　of　catching　Selden．He　knew　the　way，and　was　running　for　his　life．Soon　we　had　lost　him　in　the　dark，so　we　stopped　and　sat　down，breathing　heavily，to　rest．

At　that　moment　a　very　strange　thing　happened．The　moon　was　low　upon　our　right，and　in　its　light　we　could　see　the　top　of　a　hill．On　that　hill，with　the　moon　behind　him，stood　a　tall，thin　man．He　was　standing　perfectly　still．He　was　watching　us．

It　was　not　Selden，who　had　been　running　away　from　that　hill．This　man　was　much　taller．With　a　cry　of　surprise　I　turned　to　Sir　Henry．As　I　turned，the　man　disappeared．

I　wanted　to　go　across　to　the　hill　and　search　for　him，but　we　were　tired　and　I　remembered　that　Sir　Henry　might　be　in　dan－　ger．So　we　went　back　to　Baskerville　Hall．

Who　was　the　tall　man　I　had　seen　standing　against　the　moon？　Was　he　an　enemy，or　a　friend　who　was　watching　over　us？　

I　wished　more　and　more　that　Holmes　could　leave　London　and　e　to　Baskerville　Hall．I　wrote　to　him　every　few　days　and　gave　him　the　details　of　everything　that　happened　and　everyone　I　met．

　　



　
10　　The　Letter　

　　

The　following　day　was　dull　and　foggy．The　Hall　was　sur－　rounded　by　heavy，low　clouds，which　opened　now　and　then　to　show　the　grim，cold　moor　and　its　wet，grey　rocks．The　weather　made　us　miserable．It　was　difficult　to　be　cheerful　when　we　felt　danger　all　around　us．I　thougth　of　Sir　Charles’death，and　the　awful　sound　of　the　hound，which　I　had　now　heard　twice．Holmes　did　not　believe　that　there　was　a　supernatural　hound．But　facts　are　facts，and　I　had　heard　a　hound．Was　there　a　huge　hound　living　on　the　moor？If　so，where　could　it　hide？Where　did　it　get　its　food？Why　was　it　never　seen　by　day？　It　was　almost　as　difficult　to　accept　a　natural　explanation　as　a　su－　pernatural　explanation．

That　morning　Sir　Henry　and　Barrymore　argued　about　Selden，the　escaped　prisoner．Barrymore　said　that　it　was　wrong　to　try　to　catch　Selden．

‘But　the　man　is　dangerous，’said　Sir　Henry．‘He'll　do　any　thing．Nobody　is　safe　until　he　is　in　prison　again．We　must　tell　the　police．’

‘I　promise　he　won't　break　into　any　house，’said　Barrymore，‘and　he　won't　cause　any　trouble．In　a　few　days　he　will　catch　a　boat　for　South　America．Please　don't　tell　the　police　about　him．If　you　tell　the　police，my　wife　and　I　will　be　in　serious　trouble．’

‘What　do　you　say，Watson？’　asked　Sir　Henry，turning　to　me．

‘I　don't　think　he　will　break　into　houses，or　cause　trouble．If　he　did，the　police　would　know　where　to　look　for　him　and　would　catch　him．He's　not　a　stupid　man．’

‘I　hope　you're　right，’said　Sir　Henry．‘I'm　sure　we're　breaking　the　law．But　I　don't　want　to　get　Barrymore　and　his　wife　into　trouble，so　I　shall　not　tell　the　police．I　shall　leave　Selden　in　peace．’

Barrymore　could　not　find　the　words　to　thank　Sir　Henry　enough．Then　he　said：‘You　have　been　so　kind　to　us　that　I　want　to　do　something　for　you　in　return．I　have　never　told　any　one　else．I　know　something　more　about　poor　Sir　Charles’death．’

Sir　Henry　and　I　jumped　up　at　once．

‘Do　you　know　how　he　died？’Sir　Henry　asked．

‘No，sir，I　don't　know　that，but　I　know　why　he　was　waiting　at　the　gate　He　was　going　to　meet　a　woman．’

‘Sir　Charles　was　meeting　a　woman？Who　was　the　woman？’

‘I　don't　know　her　name，’Barrymore　said，‘but　it　begins　with　L．L．’

‘How　do　you　know　this，Barrymore？’I　asked．

‘Well，Sir　Charles　got　a　letter　on　the　morning　of　the　day　he　died．It　was　from　Newtown，and　the　address　was　in　a　woman's　writing．I　fot　all　about　it，but　some　time　after　Sir　Charles　died　my　wife　was　cleaning　the　fireplace　in　his　study．She　found　a　letter．Most　of　it　was　burned，but　the　bottom　of　one　page　was　not　burned．On　it　was　written：“Please，please，burn　this　letter，and　be　at　the　gate　by　ten　o’clock．L．L．”The　paper　fell　into　pieces　as　my　wife　went　to　move　it．We　don't　know　who　L．L．is，but　if　you　could　find　out，you　might　learn　more　about　Sir　Charles’death．We　haven't　told　anyone　else．We　felt　it　would　not　be　good　for　poor，kind　Sir　Charles．But　we　thought　we　ought　to　tell　you，Sir　Henry．’

The　Barrymores　left　us　and　Sir　Henry　turned　to　me．‘If　we　can　find　L．L．，the　mystery　may　be　at　an　end，’he　said．‘What　do　you　think　we　should　do，Watson？’

‘I　must　write　to　Holmes　at　once，’I　said，and　I　went　straight　to　my　room　and　wrote　a　letter　to　Holmes，which　gave　him　all　the　details　of　Barrymore's　story．

On　the　following　day　heavy　rain　fell　without　stopping．I　put　on　my　coat　and　went　for　a　long　walk　on　the　moor．I　thought　of　Selden　out　on　the　cold　moor　in　this　weather．And　I　thought　of　the　other　man，the　mysterious　watcher．

As　I　walked，Dr　Mortimer　drove　past　me．He　stopped　and　said　he　would　take　me　back　to　the　Hall．

‘I　expect　you　know　almost　everybody　living　near　here，’I　said．‘Do　you　know　a　woman　whose　names　begin　with　the　let－　ters　L．L．？’

Dr　Mortimer　thought　for　a　minute，and　then　he　said：‘Yes，Mrs　Laura　Lyons．She　lives　in　Newtown．’

‘Who　is　she？’I　asked．

‘She's　Mr　Frankland's　daughter．’

‘What，old　Frankland　who　has　the　large　telescope？’

‘Yes，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘Laura　married　a　painter　called　Lyons　who　came　to　paint　pictures　of　the　moor．But　he　was　cruel　to　her，and　after　a　while　he　left　her．Her　father　will　not　speak　to　her，because　she　married　against　his　wishes．So　her　husband　and　her　father　have　made　her　life　very　unhappy．’

‘How　does　she　live？’I　asked．

‘Several　people　who　knew　her　sad　story　have　helped　her．Stapleton　and　Sir　Charles　gave　her　some　money．I　gave　a　little　myself．She　used　the　money　to　start　a　typewriting　business．’

Dr　Mortimer　wanted　to　know　why　I　was　asking　about　Mrs　Lyons．However，I　preferred　to　keep　the　reason　secret，and　we　talked　about　other　things　for　the　rest　of　the　journey．

Only　one　other　thing　of　interest　happened　that　day．In　the　evening　after　dinner　I　had　a　few　words　with　Barrymore　alone．I　asked　him　whether　Selden　had　left　the　country．

‘I　don't　know，sir，’Barrymore　replied．‘I　hope　he　has　gone．But　I've　not　heard　anything　of　him　since　I　last　left　food　and　some　clothes　for　him，and　that　was　three　days　ago．’

‘Did　you　see　him　then？’

‘No，sir，but　the　food　and　clothes　were　gone　when　I　next　went　that　way，’Barrymore　told　me．

‘Then　Selden　was　certainly　there？’I　asked．

‘I　think　so，sir，unless　the　other　man　took　everything．’

I　sat　very　still　and　looked　hard　at　Barrymore．‘You　know　there　is　another　man，then？Have　you　seen　him？’

‘No，sir，but　Selden　told　me　about　him　a　week　or　more　ago．He　is　hiding　from　someone，too，but　he　is　not　an　escaped　prisoner．I　don't　like　it，sir．Something　evil　is　going　to　happen，I'm　sure．Sir　Henry　would　be　much　safer　in　London．’

‘Did　Selden　tell　you　anything　more　about　the　other　man？’I　asked．

‘He　looked　like　a　gentleman．He　was　living　in　one　of　the　old　stone　huts　on　the　moor．A　boy　works　for　him　and　brings　him　all　the　food　and　things　he　needs．That's　all　Selden　told　me．’

I　thanked　him，and　he　left　me．I　went　to　the　wind