Собака Баскервиллей
The Hound of the Baskervilles
AndnowIcomerapidlytotheconclusionofthissingularnarrative, inwhichIhavetriedtomakethereadersharethosedarkfearsandvaguesurmiseswhichcloudedourlivessolongandendedinsotragicamanner. OnthemorningafterthedeathofthehoundthefoghadliftedandwewereguidedbyMrs.Stapletontothepointwheretheyhadfoundapathwaythroughthebog. Ithelpedustorealizethehorrorofthiswoman’slifewhenwesawtheeagernessandjoywithwhichshelaidusonherhusband’strack. Weleftherstandinguponthethinpeninsulaoffirm,peatysoilwhichtaperedoutintothewidespreadbog. Fromtheendofitasmallwandplantedhereandthereshowedwherethepathzigzaggedfromtufttotuftofrushesamongthosegreen-scummedpitsandfoulquagmireswhichbarredthewaytothestranger. Rankreedsandlush,slimywater-plantssentanodourofdecayandaheavymiasmaticvapourontoourfaces, whileafalsestepplungedusmorethanoncethigh-deepintothedark,quiveringmire,whichshookforyardsinsoftundulationsaroundourfeet. Itstenaciousgrippluckedatourheelsaswewalked,andwhenwesankintoititwasasifsomemalignanthandwastuggingusdownintothoseobscenedepths,sogrimandpurposefulwastheclutchinwhichitheldus. Onceonlywesawatracethatsomeonehadpassedthatperilouswaybeforeus. Fromamidatuftofcottongrasswhichboreitupoutoftheslimesomedarkthingwasprojecting. Holmessanktohiswaistashesteppedfromthepathtoseizeit,andhadwenotbeentheretodraghimouthecouldneverhavesethisfootuponfirmlandagain. Heheldanoldblackbootintheair. "Meyers,Toronto,"wasprintedontheleatherinside.
"Itisworthamudbath,"saidhe. "ItisourfriendSirHenry’smissingboot."
"ThrowntherebyStapletoninhisflight."
"Exactly. Heretaineditinhishandafterusingittosetthehounduponthetrack.
