Собака Баскервиллей
The Curse of the Baskervilles
Itiswellthatthisisso,foritisobviouslyoftheutmostimportancethatSirCharles’sheirshouldsettleattheHallandcontinuethegoodworkwhichhasbeensosadlyinterrupted. Hadtheprosaicfindingofthecoronernotfinallyputanendtotheromanticstorieswhichhavebeenwhisperedinconnectionwiththeaffair,itmighthavebeendifficulttofindatenantforBaskervilleHall. ItisunderstoodthatthenextofkinisMr.HenryBaskerville,ifhebestillalive,thesonofSirCharlesBaskerville’syoungerbrother. TheyoungmanwhenlastheardofwasinAmerica,andinquiriesarebeinginstitutedwithaviewtoinforminghimofhisgoodfortune."
Dr.Mortimerrefoldedhispaperandreplaceditinhispocket.
"Thosearethepublicfacts,Mr.Holmes,inconnectionwiththedeathofSirCharlesBaskerville."
"Imustthankyou,"saidSherlockHolmes,"forcallingmyattentiontoacasewhichcertainlypresentssomefeaturesofinterest. Ihadobservedsomenewspapercommentatthetime,butIwasexceedinglypreoccupiedbythatlittleaffairoftheVaticancameos,andinmyanxietytoobligethePopeIlosttouchwithseveralinterestingEnglishcases. Thisarticle,yousay,containsallthepublicfacts?"
"Itdoes."
"Thenletmehavetheprivateones. "Heleanedback,puthisfinger-tipstogether,andassumedhismostimpassiveandjudicialexpression.
"Indoingso,"saidDr.Mortimer,whohadbeguntoshowsignsofsomestrongemotion,"IamtellingthatwhichIhavenotconfidedtoanyone.
