Собака Баскервиллей
Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson
Todosowouldbetodescendtothelevelofthesepoorpeasants,whoarenotcontentwithamerefienddogbutmustneedsdescribehimwithhell-fireshootingfromhismouthandeyes. Holmeswouldnotlistentosuchfancies,andIamhisagent. Butfactsarefacts,andIhavetwiceheardthiscryinguponthemoor. Supposethattherewerereallysomehugehoundlooseuponit; thatwouldgofartoexplaineverything. Butwherecouldsuchahoundlieconcealed,wherediditgetitsfood,wherediditcomefrom,howwasitthatnoonesawitbyday? Itmustbeconfessedthatthenaturalexplanationoffersalmostasmanydifficultiesastheother. Andalways,apartfromthehound,thereisthefactofthehumanagencyinLondon,themaninthecab,andtheletterwhichwarnedSirHenryagainstthemoor. Thisatleastwasreal,butitmighthavebeentheworkofaprotectingfriendaseasilyasofanenemy. Whereisthatfriendorenemynow? HasheremainedinLondon,orhashefollowedusdownhere? Couldhe—couldhebethestrangerwhomIsawuponthetor?
ItistruethatIhavehadonlytheoneglanceathim,andyettherearesomethingstowhichIamreadytoswear. HeisnoonewhomIhaveseendownhere,andIhavenowmetalltheneighbours. ThefigurewasfartallerthanthatofStapleton,farthinnerthanthatofFrankland. Barrymoreitmightpossiblyhavebeen,butwehadlefthimbehindus,andIamcertainthathecouldnothavefollowedus. Astrangerthenisstilldoggingus,justasastrangerdoggedusinLondon. Wehavenevershakenhimoff. IfIcouldlaymyhandsuponthatman,thenatlastwemightfindourselvesattheendofallourdifficulties. TothisonepurposeImustnowdevoteallmyenergies.
MyfirstimpulsewastotellSirHenryallmyplans. Mysecondandwisestoneistoplaymyowngameandspeakaslittleaspossibletoanyone. Heissilentanddistrait. Hisnerveshavebeenstrangelyshakenbythatsounduponthemoor. Iwillsaynothingtoaddtohisanxieties,butIwilltakemyownstepstoattainmyownend.
