Собака Баскервіллів
A Retrospection
"Perhapsyouwouldkindlygivemeasketchofthecourseofeventsfrommemory."
"Certainly,thoughIcannotguaranteethatIcarryallthefactsinmymind. Intensementalconcentrationhasacuriouswayofblottingoutwhathaspassed. Thebarristerwhohashiscaseathisfingers’ends,andisabletoarguewithanexpertuponhisownsubjectfindsthataweekortwoofthecourtswilldriveitalloutofhisheadoncemore. Soeachofmycasesdisplacesthelast,andMlle.CarerehasblurredmyrecollectionofBaskervilleHall. To-morrowsomeotherlittleproblemmaybesubmittedtomynoticewhichwillinturndispossessthefairFrenchladyandtheinfamousUpwood. SofarasthecaseoftheHoundgoes,however,IwillgiveyouthecourseofeventsasnearlyasIcan,andyouwillsuggestanythingwhichImayhaveforgotten.
"Myinquiriesshowbeyondallquestionthatthefamilyportraitdidnotlie,andthatthisfellowwasindeedaBaskerville. HewasasonofthatRodgerBaskerville,theyoungerbrotherofSirCharles,whofledwithasinisterreputationtoSouthAmerica,wherehewassaidtohavediedunmarried. Hedid,asamatteroffact,marry,andhadonechild,thisfellow,whoserealnameisthesameashisfather’s. HemarriedBerylGarcia,oneofthebeautiesofCostaRica,and,havingpurloinedaconsiderablesumofpublicmoney, hechangedhisnametoVandeleurandfledtoEngland,whereheestablishedaschoolintheeastofYorkshire. Hisreasonforattemptingthisspeciallineofbusinesswasthathehadstruckupanacquaintancewithaconsumptivetutoruponthevoyagehome,andthathehadusedthisman’sabilitytomaketheundertakingasuccess. Fraser,thetutor,diedhowever,andtheschoolwhichhadbegunwellsankfromdisreputeintoinfamy.
