巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第3部分

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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　running　towards　him，he　shouted　something　to　the　driver，and　the　taxi　drove　off　quickly　down　the　road．Holmes　looked　round　for　another　taxi，but　could　not　see　one．He　began　to　run　after　the　first　taxi，but　it　was　soon　out　of　sight．

‘Well，I　got　the　number　of　the　taxi，’said　Holmes．‘So　I　can　find　the　driver．He　may　be　able　to　tell　us　something　about　his　passenger．Would　you　recognize　the　man　if　you　saw　him　again？’

‘Only　his　beard，’I　said．

‘He　wanted　us　to　recognize　the　beard，’said　Holmes．‘I　think　it　was　a　false　one．’

　　



　
6　　More　Mystery　

　　

Later，we　went　on　to　Sir　Henry's　hotel．He　was　pleased　to　see　us，but　rather　angry　because　another　of　his　shoes　had　disappeared．This　time　it　was　one　shose　of　an　old　pair．I　could　see　that　holmes　found　this　both　interesting　and　strange．He　thought　about　it　for　a　few　moments，but　said　nothing　ex　cept　that　he　did　not　understand　why　a　second　shoe　had　been　stolen．

At　lunch，Sir　henry　told　Holmes　that　he　had　decided　to　go　to　Baskerville　Hall．

‘I　think　you　have　decided　to　do　the　right　thing，’said　Holmes．‘I　know　somebody　is　following　you．If　someone　tries　to　harm　you　in　London，it　will　be　hard　to　stop　him　or　catch　him　afterwards．In　the　country　we　have　a　better　chance．’

Holmes　went　on　to　tell　them　about　what　we　had　seen　that　morning．Then　he　asked　Dr　Mortimer　if　anyone　with　a　large　black　beard　lived　in　or　near　Baskerville　Hall．

‘Yes，said　Dr　Mortimer，‘Barrymore，Sir　Charles’butler，has　a　black　heard．’

‘We　must　check　whether　Barrymore　is　in　London　or　at　Baskerville　Hall，’said　Holmes．‘I　shall　send　a　telegram　to　Bar－　rymore　at　the　Hall，which　will　say：“Is　everything　ready　for　Sir　Henry？”Then　I'll　send　another　telegram　to　the　local　post　of－　fice．This　one　will　say：“please　put　telegram　to　Mr　Barrymore　into　his　own　hand．If　he　is　away，please　return　telegram　to　Sir　Henry　Baskerville．”I'll　give　your　address　at　this　hotel．We　shall　know　before　evening　whether　Barrymore　is　in　Devonshire　or　not．’

‘Barrymore　and　his　wife　have　a　very　fine　home　and　nothing　to　do　while　the　family　is　not　living　in　the　Hall，’said　Sir　Henry．

‘That's　true，’said　Holmes．‘Did　the　Barrymores　receive　anything　from　Sir　Chades’will？And　did　they　know　that　they　would　get　some　money　when　he　died？’

‘Yes，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘They　each　received￡500，and　Sir　Charles　told　everyone　what　he　had　written　in　his　will．’

‘That's　very　interesting，’said　Holmes．

‘I　hope　you　don't　suspect　everyone　who　got　something　from　the　will，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘I　received￡1000．’

‘Indeed！’said　Holmes．‘And　who　else　received　money？’

‘A　lot　of　people　received　a　little　money．He　gave　a　lot　of　money　to　a　number　of　hospitals．The　rest　all　went　to　Sir　Henry，who　received￡740000．’

‘I　had　no　idea　it　was　so　much，’said　Holmes　in　surprise．

‘The　Baskerville　lands　are　worth　about　one　million　pounds，’　Dr　Mortimer　said．

‘Dear　me，’said　Holmes．‘A　man　could　kill　for　that　much．One　more　question．If　something　happened　to　our　young　friend　here，who　would　get　Baskerville　Hall　and　all　its　lands？’

‘Well，as　you　know，Sir　Charles　had　two　brothers．Sir　Henry　is　the　only　son　of　Sir　Charles’younger　brother．The　youngest　brother　of　the　three，Roger，was　a　criminal．The　police　wanted　him，so　he　had　to　leave　England．They　say　he　looked　exactly　like　the　family　picture　of　old　Sir　Hugo，who　first　saw　the　Hound．He　was　the　same　kind　of　man，too．He　went　to　South　America，where　he　died　of　a　fever．So　if　Sir　Henry　died，Baskerville　Hall　would　go　to　James　Desmond，who　is　a　cousin　of　the　Baskervilles．James　Desmond　is　an　old　man，who　lives　in　the　north　of　England．His　life　is　very　simple　and　he　would　not　want　to　be　rich．’

‘Thank　you，Dr　Mortimer，’said　Holmes．‘Now，Sir　Henry，I　agree　that　you　should　go　to　Baskerville　Hall　as　quickly　as　pos－　sible．But　you　must　not　go　alone．I　myself　cannot　leave　London　at　the　present　time．I　am　working　on　another　case．I　am　trying　to　save　one　of　the　most　important　men　in　England　from　a　diffi－　cult　situation．I　hope　my　friend　Watson　will　go　with　you．If　there　is　danger，you　could　not　have　a　better　man　by　your　side．’

Sir　Henry　and　I　were　both　very　happy　with　this　idea．So　we　arranged　to　travel　to　Devonshire　on　the　following　Saturday．

Just　as　we　were　leaving　Sir　Henry's　room，he　gave　a　cry　and　got　down　on　his　knees　by　the　table．

‘Here's　my　brown　shoe　that　was　lost，’he　said，reaching　un－　der　the　table．

‘That's　very　strange，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘We　both　

searched　the　room　before　lunch，and　it　wasn't　under　the　table　then．’

None　of　the　people　who　worked　at　the　hotel　could　explain　how　the　shoe　had　got　back　into　the　room．

So　we　had　another　mystery．On　the　way　back　to　Baker　Street　in　the　taxi，Holmes　sat　thinking　deeply．All　through　the　afternoon　and　the　evening　he　went　on　thinking　silently，and　smoking　pipe　after　pipe．

Just　before　dinner，a　telegram　arrived．It　was　from　Sir　Henry　and　said：‘Have　just　heard　that　Barrymore　is　at　the　Hall．’

‘So　we　don't　have　the　answer　to　the　mystery　of　the　man　with　the　beard，’said　Holmes．‘But　perhaps　we　shall　soon　have　an　answer　to　another　question．’

At　that　moment　the　door　bell　rang．It　was　the　driver　of　the　bearded　man's　taxi．

‘I　got　a　message　that　you　wanted　to　see　me，’said　the　driver．‘I　hope　there's　nothing　wrong．’

‘No，no，my　good　man，’said　Holmes．‘In　fact　I'll　give　you　some　money　if　you　can　answer　my　questions　clearly．Tell　me　all　about　the　man　in　your　taxi　this　morning．He　was　watching　this　house　at　ten　o’clock　and　then　told　you　to　follow　the　two　gentlemen　who　came　out　of　it．’

The　taxi　driver　was　surprised　at　how　much　Holmes　seemed　to　know．He　answered：‘The　man　told　me　that　he　was　a　detec－　tive，and　that　I　should　say　nothing　about　him　to　anyone．’

‘This　is　a　serious　business，’said　Holmes，‘and　you　will　be　in　trouble　if　you　try　to　hide　anything．What　can　you　tell　me？’

‘The　man　told　me　his　name，’said　the　driver．

Holmes　looked　like　a　man　who　has　just　won　an　important　game．‘That　was　not　very　clever　of　him，’he　said．‘What　was　his　name？’

‘His　name，’said　the　taxi　driver，‘was　Sherlock　Holmes．’

I　have　never　seen　my　friend　look　more　surprised　Then　he　laughed　loudly．‘Tell　me　where　be　got　into　your　taxi　and　everything　that　happened．’

We　already　knew　most　of　what　the　taxi　driver　told　us．But　we　learned　that　after　we　had　lost　sight　of　the　taxi，it　had　gone　to　Waterloo　Station，where　the　man　had　caught　his　train．The　taxi　driver　said　that　the　man　was　welldressed　and　had　a　black　beard　and　pale　face．He　was　about　forty　and　not　very　tall．The　driver　did　not　know　the　colour　of　the　man's　eyes．

Holmes　gave　the　man　a　pound，and　sent　him　away．Then　he　said：

‘We　have　a　very　clever　enemy，Watson．He　is　winning　the　game　at　the　moment．We　have　no　answers　at　all　to　the　strange　things　that　have　happened　in　London．I　hope　you　are　more　suc　cessful　at　Baskerville　Hall，but　I　am　not　happy　about　sending　you　there．There　is　too　much　danger　in　this　case．’　

　　



　
7　　Baskerville　Hall

　　

Holmes　came　to　Waterloo　Station　to　say　goodbye　to　us．Our　friends　told　him　that　they　were　sure　nobody　had　followed　them　since　our　last　meeting．Sir　Henry's　other　shoe　had　not　reappeared．Holmes　repeated　his　warning　that　Sir　Hen－　ry　should　not　go　on　the　moor　at　night，and　should　not　go　any　where　alone．Then　Holmes　checked　with　me　that　I　had　my　gun，an　army　revolver．

The　journey　was　fast　and　enjoyable．We　were　met　at　New－　town　Station　and　driven　to　Baskerville　Hall．The　countryside　we　drove　through　was　beautiful，but　behind　it　we　could　see　the　long，dark，frightening　hills　of　the　moor．

As　we　turned　a　corner，we　were　surprised　to　see　a　soldier　on　horseback．He　was　carrying　a　gun．

Dr　Mortimer　asked　our　driver　why　the　soldier　was　there．

‘A　dangerous　criminal　has　escaped　from　the　prison，sir，’he　told　us．‘He's　been　free　for　three　days　now，and　people　are　frightened．His　name　is　Selden．He's　the　man　who　did　that　murder　in　London．’

I　remembered　the　case　well．It　had　been　a　very　cruel　murder．I　thought　of　this　killer　out　on　the　empty，wild　moor，and　I　felt　more　and　more　unfortable　about　my　surroundings．The　beautiful　green　fields　with　their　thick　hedges　were　behind　us，and　we　were　now　on　the　cold，open　moor．Everything　was　grey，hard　and　wild　Huge　rough　stones　stood　on　the　hard　ground．The　tops　of　the　hills　stood　sharply　like　cruel　teeth　against　the　sky．A　cold　wind　was　blowing，and　night　was　falling．I　saw　Sir　Henry　pull　his　coat　closer　round　him．

At　last　we　reached　the　gates　of　Baskerville　Hall．From　the　gates　a　long，dark　road　led　up　to　the　house，with　the　black　shapes　of　old　trees　on　each　side　of　it．At　the　end　of　this　road　we　could　see　the　great　house　standing　with　a　pale　light　round　it　like　a　ghost．

‘I　can　understand　why　my　uncle　felt　that　trouble　was　－　ing　to　him　here．It's　not　a　weling　place，’said　Sir　Henry，and　his　voice　shook　as　he　spoke．

As　we　got　closer，we　could　see　that　the　Hall　was　a　heavy，dark　building　with　a　large　main　entrance．Most　of　the　building　was　old　and　was　covered　in　dark　gr