Собака Баскервиллей
A Retrospection
"Onemoment! "saidI. "Youhave,nodoubt,describedthesequenceofeventscorrectly,butthereisonepointwhichyouhaveleftunexplained. WhatbecameofthehoundwhenitsmasterwasinLondon?"
"Ihavegivensomeattentiontothismatteranditisundoubtedlyofimportance. TherecanbenoquestionthatStapletonhadaconfidant,thoughitisunlikelythatheeverplacedhimselfinhispowerbysharingallhisplanswithhim. TherewasanoldmanservantatMerripitHouse,whosenamewasAnthony. HisconnectionwiththeStapletonscanbetracedforseveralyears,asfarbackastheschoolmasteringdays,sothathemusthavebeenawarethathismasterandmistresswerereallyhusbandandwife. Thismanhasdisappearedandhasescapedfromthecountry. ItissuggestivethatAnthonyisnotacommonnameinEngland,whileAntonioissoinallSpanishorSpanish-Americancountries. Theman,likeMrs.Stapletonherself,spokegoodEnglish,butwithacuriouslispingaccent. IhavemyselfseenthisoldmancrosstheGrimpenMirebythepathwhichStapletonhadmarkedout. Itisveryprobable,therefore,thatintheabsenceofhismasteritwashewhocaredforthehound, thoughhemayneverhaveknownthepurposeforwhichthebeastwasused.
"TheStapletonsthenwentdowntoDevonshire,whithertheyweresoonfollowedbySirHenryandyou. OnewordnowastohowIstoodmyselfatthattime. ItmaypossiblyrecurtoyourmemorythatwhenIexaminedthepaperuponwhichtheprintedwordswerefastenedImadeacloseinspectionforthewater-mark. IndoingsoIhelditwithinafewinchesofmyeyes,andwasconsciousofafaintsmellofthescentknownaswhitejessamine. Thereareseventy-fiveperfumes,whichitisverynecessarythatacriminalexpertshouldbeabletodistinguishfromeachother, andcaseshavemorethanoncewithinmyownexperiencedependedupontheirpromptrecognition.
