Собака Баскервиллей
The Curse of the Baskervilles
Theideaofsomeghastlypresenceconstantlyhauntedhim,andonmorethanoneoccasionhehasaskedmewhetherIhadonmymedicaljourneysatnighteverseenanystrangecreatureorheardthebayingofahound. Thelatterquestionheputtomeseveraltimes,andalwayswithavoicewhichvibratedwithexcitement.
"Icanwellrememberdrivinguptohishouseintheeveningsomethreeweeksbeforethefatalevent. Hechancedtobeathishalldoor. Ihaddescendedfrommygigandwasstandinginfrontofhim,whenIsawhiseyesfixthemselvesovermyshoulder,andstarepastmewithanexpressionofthemostdreadfulhorror. IwhiskedroundandhadjusttimetocatchaglimpseofsomethingwhichItooktobealargeblackcalfpassingattheheadofthedrive. SoexcitedandalarmedwashethatIwascompelledtogodowntothespotwheretheanimalhadbeenandlookaroundforit. Itwasgone,however, andtheincidentappearedtomaketheworstimpressionuponhismind. Istayedwithhimalltheevening,anditwasonthatoccasion,toexplaintheemotionwhichhehadshown,thatheconfidedtomykeepingthatnarrativewhichIreadtoyouwhenfirstIcame. Imentionthissmallepisodebecauseitassumessomeimportanceinviewofthetragedywhichfollowed,butIwasconvincedatthetimethatthematterwasentirelytrivialandthathisexcitementhadnojustification.
"ItwasatmyadvicethatSirCharleswasabouttogotoLondon. Hisheartwas,Iknew,affected,andtheconstantanxietyinwhichhelived,howeverchimericalthecauseofitmightbe,wasevidentlyhavingaseriouseffectuponhishealth. Ithoughtthatafewmonthsamongthedistractionsoftownwouldsendhimbackanewman.
