巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第7部分

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‘But　how　did　you　get　here？’I　asked　him．‘And　what　have　you　been　doing？　I　thought　you　had　to　finish　your　case　in　Lon　don．’

‘That　is　what　I　wanted　you　to　think，’he　said．

‘Then　you　have　tricked　me，and　have　no　confidence　in　me，’　I　said．I　was　upset　and　angry　because　he　had　not　told　me　his　plans．

‘I　am　sorry　if　it　seems　I　have　tricked　you，my　dear　Watson．I　did　not　want　our　enemy　to　know　I　was　here，but　I　wanted　to　be　near　enough　to　make　sure　that　you　and　Sir　Henry　were　safe．You　are　a　kind　person—too　kind　to　leave　me　alone　out　here　in　bad　weather．Our　enemy　would　guess　I　was　here　if　he　saw　you　ing　out　with　food，or　with　important　news．You　have　been　a　very　real　help　to　me．Your　letters　with　all　their　valuable　information　have　been　brought　to　me．You　have　done　excellent　work，and　without　you　I　would　not　have　all　the　im　portant　details　I　needed．’

Holmes’　warm　words　of　thanks　made　me　feel　much　happier，and　I　saw　that　he　was　right．

‘That's　better，’he　said，as　he　saw　the　shadow　lift　from　my　face．‘Now　tell　me　about　your　visit　to　Mrs　Laura　Lyons．’

I　told　Holmes　everything　Mrs　Lyons　had　said．

This　is　all　very　important，’Holmes　said．‘It　answers　ques　tions　I　have　been　unable　to　answer、Did　you　know　that　Mrs　Lyons　and　Stapleton　are　very　close　friends？　They　often　meet，and　they　write　to　each　other．Perhaps　I　can　use　this　informa　tion　to　turn　Stapleton's　wife　against　him…’

‘His　wife？’I　asked．‘Who　and　where　is　she？’

‘The　lady　called　Miss　Stapleton，who　pretends　to　be　his　sister，is　really　his　wife，’said　Holmes．

‘Good　heavens，Holmes！Are　you　sure？If　she　is　his　wife，why　did　Stapleton　allow　Sir　Henry　to　fall　in　love　with　her？’　‘Sir　Henry　hurt　nobody　except　himself　when　he　fell　in　love　with　her．Stapleton　took　care　that　Sir　Henry　did　not　make　love　to　her．I　repeat　that　the　lady　is　his　wife，and　not　his　sister．They　came　here　only　two　years　ago，and　before　that　he　had　owned　a　school　in　the　north　of　England．He　told　you　that，and　you　told　me　in　your　letter．I　checked　on　the　school，and　found　that　the　man　who　had　owned　it　went　away　with　his　wife　when　the　school　closed．They　changed　their　name，but　the　couple　who　were　described　to　me　were　without　doubt　the　Stapletons．’‘But　why　do　they　pretend　to　be　brother　and　sister？’　I　asked．‘Because　Stapleton　thought　that　she　would　be　very　much　more　useful　to　him　if　she　appeared　to　be　a　free　woman．’

Suddenly　I　saw　behind　Stapleton's　smiling　face　a　heart　with　murder　in　it．‘So　he　is　our　enemy！He　is　the　man　who　followed　us　in　London！　And　the　warning　note　to　Sir　Henry　came　form　Miss　Stapleton．’

‘Exactly，’said　Holmes．

‘But　if　Miss　Stapleton　is　really　his　wife，why　is　he　a　close　friend　of　Mrs　Laura　Lyons？’

‘Your　excellent　work　has　given　us　the　answer　to　that　ques－　tion，Watson　When　you　told　me　that　Mrs　Lyons　was　getting　a　divorce，I　realized　that　she　hoped　to　marry　Stapleton．He　told　her　that　he　was　unmarried，and　that　he　wanted　to　make　her　his　wife．When　she　learns　the　truth，she　may　decide　to　help　us．We　must　go　and　see　her　tomorrow．’

‘One　last　question，Holmes，’I　said。‘What　is　Stapleton　try　ing　to　do？’

Holmes　dropped　his　voice　as　he　answered：‘Murder，cold　blooded　murder．That　is　what　Stapleton　is　trying　to　do．Do　not　ask　me　for　details．I　am　about　to　catch　him　in　a　trap．There　is　only　one　danger——that　he　will　act　before　I　am　ready．Another　day，or　perhaps　two，and　I　shall　plete　my　case．Until　then　you　must　guard　Sir　Henry　very　closely．You　should　be　with　him　today．However，what　you　have　discovered　is　very　valuable．’

As　he　finished　speaking，an　awful　scream——a　long　cry　of　pain　and　horror——broke　the　silence　of　the　moor．The　sound　turned　my　blood　to　ice．

‘Oh，my　God，’I　whispered．‘What　is　that？’

Holmes　had　jumped　to　his　feet．‘Where　is　it，Watson？’　he　whispered，and　I　could　see　that　he　was　shaken　by　the　scream．

The　hopeless　cry　came　again，louder，nearer，and　more　terrible　than　before．With　it　came　a　new　sound——deep　and　frightening．‘The　hound！’cried　Holmes．‘e，Watson，e！Great　heavens！If　we　are　too　late…’

　　



　
14　　Death　on　the　Moor　

　　

Holmes　started　running　over　the　moor，and　I　followed　him．From　somewhere　in　front　of　us　came　one　more　hopeless　scream．It　was　followed　by　the　sound　of　something　falling　heavily．We　stopped　and　listened．

I　saw　Holmes　put　his　hand　to　his　head。‘　He　has　won，Watson．We’　re　too　late。I　was　mad　not　to　act　sooner．And　you，Watson，look　what　happens　when　you　leave　the　man　I　asked　you　to　guard．But　if　the　worst　has　happened，we　shall　see　that　Stapleton　doesn't　go　free．’

We　ran　through　the　dark　towards　the　place　where　the　cries　had　e　from．We　reached　a　rocky　edge　from　which　a　steep　side　fell　away。Below　us　we　saw　the　body　of　a　man．He　was　lying　with　his　face　down　on　the　ground．He　had　fallen　on　his　head，which　was　bent　under　him，and　his　neck　was　broken．Holmes　lit　a　match．We　saw　with　horror　the　blood　running　out　onto　the　ground　from　his　head．

We　both　remembered　clearly　the　suit　the　man　was　wearing．It　was　a　thick，redbrown　country　suit．It　was　the　suit　Sir　Henry　had　been　wearing　on　the　morning　when　we　first　met　him　in　Baker　Street．We　saw　it　for　a　moment　and　then　the　match　went　out。Our　hearts　turned　sick　and　cold　inside　us．

‘The　devil！The　murderer！I　shall　never　five　myself　for　leaving　Sir　Henry　alone，’I　whispered　angrily．

‘It's　more　my　fault　than　yours，’said　Holmes．‘I　have　let　this　good　man　die　because　I　was　busy　with　the　last　details　of　my　case．It　is　the　greatest　mistake　I　have　ever　made．But　why　did　he　e　out　onto　the　moor？I　told　him　it　would　lead　to　his　death．Now　both　Sir　Henry　and　his　uncle　have　been　murdered．By　heavens，clever　as　he　is，I　shall　trap　Stapleton　before　another　day　is　past．’

With　heavy　hearts　we　stood　on　either　side　of　the　broken　body．Then　Holmes　bent　over　the　body　and　began　to　move　it．All　of　a　sudden　he　began　to　laugh　and　jump　up　and　down．

‘Look　at　the　face！’he　shouted，hitting　me　on　the　back．‘It　is　not　Sir　Henry．It's　Selden，the　escaped　prisoner．’

We　turned　the　body　over．There　was　no　doubt　about　it．I　had　seen　the　face　before，on　the　night　Sir　Henry　and　I　had　chased　Selden　over　the　moor．Then　I　suddenly　remembered，and　everything　became　clear．Sir　Henry　had　told　me　how　he　gave　his　old　clothes　to　Barrymore．I　realized　that　this　suit　had　been　among　the　clothes　Barrymore　had　left　for　Selden，and　I　told　Holmes．

‘Then　the　clothes　have　caused　the　death　of　the　poor　man．The　hound　had　been　given　something　of　Sir　Henry's　to　smell　so　that　it　would　pick　up　his　scent　and　follow　him．I　think　that　is　why　the　shoe　was　taken　from　the　hotel　in　London．So　the　hound　followed　the　scent　and　bunted　this　man．But　there　is　one　thing　I　don't　understand．How　did　Selden　know　that　the　hound　was　following　him？　We　know　he　ran　a　long　way．He　was　screaming　for　a　long　time　before　he　fell，and　we　could　hear　that　he　was　running　as　he　screamed．So　the　hound　was　a　long　way　behind　him　when　he　began　to　run．How　could　he　see　it　in　the　dark？　How　did　he　know　it　was　there，until　it　was　close　be　hind　him？’

‘I　cannot　answer　that，’I　said，‘　but　there　is　something　else　I　don’　t　understand．Why　was　the　hound　out　on　the　moor　tonight？Stapleton　would　not　let　it　go　out　unless　he　thought　Sir　Henry　was　there．’

‘We　may　know　the　answer　to　that　question　very　soon，’said　Holmes．‘Here　es　Stapleton．’

His　sharp　eyes　had　seen　a　figure　moving　in　the　darkness　in　front　of　us，and　

s　the　man　came　closer，I　could　see　that　it　was　indeed　Stapleton．

‘We　must　be　very　careful　not　to　show　that　we　suspect　him，’Holmes　warned　me．

Stapleton　stopped　when　he　saw　us，and　then　walked　forward　again．‘Dr　Watson，is　that　you？I　didn't　expect　to　see　you　on　the　moor　at　this　time　of　night　But，dear　me，what's　this？　Somebody　hurt？　Not—don't　tell　me　that　it's　our　friend　Sir　Henry！’

He　went　past　me　and　bent　over　the　dead　man．I　heard　him　breathe　in　quickly．

‘Who…who　is　this？’　he　asked，his　voice　shaking．

‘It's　Selden，the　escaped　prisoner．’

Stapleton　quickly　managed　to　hide　the　look　of　surprise　and　disappointment　on　his　face　as　he　turned　towards　us．He　looked　sharply　from　Holmes　to　me．‘Dear　me！　How　terrible！　How　did　he　die？’

‘We　think　he　broke　his　neck　by　falling　over　the　edge　of　these　rocks，’I　said．

‘I　heard　a　cry，and　that　is　why　I　came　out．I　was　worried　about　Sir　Henry，’Stapleton　said．

‘Why　were　you　worried　about　Sir　Henry？’I　asked．

‘Because　I　had　invited　him　to　my　house．When　he　did　not　e　I　was　surprised．Then，when　I　heard　cries　on　the　moor，I　began　to　worry　about　him．I　wonder’—his　eyes　y　face　to　Holmes’—‘　did　you　hear　anything　else　at　all？’

‘No，’said　Holmes．‘Did　you？’

‘No，’said　Stapleton．

‘What　do　you　mean，then？’

‘Oh，you　know　the　stories　about　the　supernatural　hound．I　wondered　if　it　had　been　here　tonight．’

‘We　heard　nothing　of　that　kind，’I　said．

‘How　do　you　think　this　poor　man　fell　to　his　death？’Staple　ton　asked．

‘I　think　cold　and　hunger，and　his　fear　that　the　police　would　catch　him，drove　him　mad．He　ran　round　the　moor　in　his　mad　ness，and　fell　over　this　edge，’I　said．

‘Do　you　agree，Mr　Sherlock　Holmes？’asked　Stapleton．

‘You're　quick　to　guess　who　I　am，’said　Holmes．

‘We're　been　expecting　you　ever　since　Dr　Watson　arrived．’

‘I　have　no　doubt　my　friend　is　right　about　the　way　Selden　died，’said　Holmes．‘It’　s　a　sad　death，but　it　will　not　prevent　me　from　returning　to　London　tomorrow．’

‘Before　you　return，will　you　be　able　to　explain　the　mysteries　that　we've　experienced　here？’

‘I　am　not　always　as　successful　as　I　hope．I　need　facts，not　stories　of　the　supernatural．This　hasn’　t　been　a　good　case　for　me．

Stapleton　looked　hard　at　him，but　Holmes　had　spoken　very　seriously　and　his　words　sounded　true．

We　covered　the　body．Then　Stapleton　turned　to　go　home，and　Holmes　and　I　walked　towards　Baskerville　Hall．

‘He's　a　very　clever　man，and　a　dangerous　enemy，who　will　be　difficult　to　trap，’　said　Holmes．‘　Look　how　he　controlled　his　disappointment　when　he　found　that　the　dead　man　was　not　Sir　Henry．’

‘I'm　sorry　that　he　has　seen　you，’I　said．

‘So　am　I，but　there　was　nothing　we　could　do　about　it．Now　he　knows　I　am　here　he　may　be　more　careful，or　he　may　act　more　quickly　than　he　planned．’

‘Why　can't　we　give　him　to　the　police　at　once？’

‘Because　we　can't　prove　anything　against　him．Sir　Charles　was　found　dead　because　his　heart　failed．Again，tonight　we　could　not　prove　that　there　was　a　hound．Selden　died　from　a　fall．We　have　no　case　at　present．We　shall　see　Mrs　Lyons　to　morrow，and　she　may　help　us．But　whatever　happens，I　have　my　own　plan．There　will　be　some　danger，but　by　the　end　of　tomorrow　I　hope　to　have　won　this　battle．’

He　would　say　nothing　else．

‘Are　you　ing　to　the　Hall？’I　asked．

‘Yes，’he　replied．‘There　is　no　reason　for　me　to　hide　any　longer．But　one　last　word，Watson　Say　nothing　of　the　hound　to　Sir　Henry．Let　him　think　that　Selden　died　from　a　fall．If　he　knows　about　the　hound，he　will　find　it　harder　to　face　the　dan　gers　of　tomorrow．I　think　you　told　me　in　your　last　letter　that　he　is　having　dinne