Собака Баскервиллей
First Report of Dr. Watson
Hereferredtoheragainandagainonourwalkhome,andsincethenhardlyadayhaspassedthatwehavenotseensomethingofthebrotherandsister. Theydinehereto-night,andthereissometalkofourgoingtothemnextweek. OnewouldimaginethatsuchamatchwouldbeverywelcometoStapleton,andyetIhavemorethanoncecaughtalookofthestrongestdisapprobationinhisfacewhenSirHenryhasbeenpayingsomeattentiontohissister. Heismuchattachedtoher,nodoubt,andwouldleadalonelylifewithouther,butitwouldseemtheheightofselfishnessifheweretostandinthewayofhermakingsobrilliantamarriage. YetIamcertainthathedoesnotwishtheirintimacytoripenintolove,andIhaveseveraltimesobservedthathehastakenpainstopreventthemfrombeingtete-a-tete. Bytheway,yourinstructionstomenevertoallowSirHenrytogooutalonewillbecomeverymuchmoreonerousifaloveaffairweretobeaddedtoourotherdifficulties. MypopularitywouldsoonsufferifIweretocarryoutyourorderstotheletter.
Theotherday—Thursday,tobemoreexact—Dr.Mortimerlunchedwithus. HehasbeenexcavatingabarrowatLongDown,andhasgotaprehistoricskullwhichfillshimwithgreatjoy. Neverwastheresuchasingle-mindedenthusiastashe! TheStapletonscameinafterwards,andthegooddoctortookusalltotheYewAlley,atSirHenry’srequest,toshowusexactlyhoweverythingoccurreduponthatfatalnight. Itisalong,dismalwalk,theYewAlley,betweentwohighwallsofclippedhedge,withanarrowbandofgrassuponeitherside. Atthefarendisanoldtumble-downsummer-house. Half-waydownisthemoor-gate,wheretheoldgentlemanlefthiscigar-ash. Itisawhitewoodengatewithalatch. Beyonditliesthewidemoor. Irememberedyourtheoryoftheaffairandtriedtopictureallthathadoccurred. Astheoldmanstoodtherehesawsomethingcomingacrossthemoor,somethingwhichterrifiedhimsothathelosthiswits,andranandranuntilhediedofsheerhorrorandexhaustion.
