Собака Баскервиллей
Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson
Hethoughtforafewminutes.
"No,"saidhe. "ThereareafewgipsiesandlabouringfolkforwhomIcan’tanswer,butamongthefarmersorgentrythereisnoonewhoseinitialsarethose. Waitabitthough,"headdedafterapause. "ThereisLauraLyons—herinitialsareL.L.—butshelivesinCoombeTracey."
"Whoisshe? "Iasked.
"SheisFrankland’sdaughter."
"What! OldFranklandthecrank?"
"Exactly. ShemarriedanartistnamedLyons,whocamesketchingonthemoor. Heprovedtobeablackguardanddesertedher. ThefaultfromwhatIhearmaynothavebeenentirelyononeside. Herfatherrefusedtohaveanythingtodowithherbecauseshehadmarriedwithouthisconsent,andperhapsforoneortwootherreasonsaswell. So,betweentheoldsinnerandtheyoungonethegirlhashadaprettybadtime."
"Howdoesshelive?"
"IfancyoldFranklandallowsherapittance,butitcannotbemore,forhisownaffairsareconsiderablyinvolved. Whatevershemayhavedeservedonecouldnotallowhertogohopelesslytothebad. Herstorygotabout,andseveralofthepeopleheredidsomethingtoenablehertoearnanhonestliving.Stapletondidforone,andSirCharlesforanother. Igaveatriflemyself. Itwastosetherupinatypewritingbusiness."
Hewantedtoknowtheobjectofmyinquiries,butImanagedtosatisfyhiscuriositywithouttellinghimtoomuch,forthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldtakeanyoneintoourconfidence.
