Собака Баскервіллів
A Retrospection
Hemustactatonce,orhisvictimmightgetbeyondhispower. HethereforeputpressureuponMrs.Lyonstowritethisletter,imploringtheoldmantogiveheraninterviewontheeveningbeforehisdepartureforLondon. Hethen,byaspeciousargument,preventedherfromgoing,andsohadthechanceforwhichhehadwaited.
"DrivingbackintheeveningfromCoombeTraceyhewasintimetogethishound,totreatitwithhisinfernalpaint,andtobringthebeastroundtothegateatwhichhehadreasontoexpectthathewouldfindtheoldgentlemanwaiting. Thedog,incitedbyitsmaster,sprangoverthewicket-gateandpursuedtheunfortunatebaronet,whofledscreamingdowntheYewAlley. Inthatgloomytunnelitmustindeedhavebeenadreadfulsighttoseethathugeblackcreature,withitsflamingjawsandblazingeyes,boundingafteritsvictim. Hefelldeadattheendofthealleyfromheartdiseaseandterror. Thehoundhadkeptuponthegrassyborderwhilethebaronethadrundownthepath,sothatnotrackbuttheman’swasvisible. Onseeinghimlyingstillthecreaturehadprobablyapproachedtosniffathim,butfindinghimdeadhadturnedawayagain. ItwasthenthatitlefttheprintwhichwasactuallyobservedbyDr.Mortimer. ThehoundwascalledoffandhurriedawaytoitslairintheGrimpenMire, andamysterywasleftwhichpuzzledtheauthorities,alarmedthecountry-side,andfinallybroughtthecasewithinthescopeofourobservation.
"SomuchforthedeathofSirCharlesBaskerville. Youperceivethedevilishcunningofit,forreallyitwouldbealmostimpossibletomakeacaseagainsttherealmurderer. Hisonlyaccomplicewasonewhocouldnevergivehimaway,andthegrotesque,inconceivablenatureofthedeviceonlyservedtomakeitmoreeffective. Bothofthewomenconcernedinthecase,Mrs.StapletonandMrs.LauraLyons,wereleftwithastrongsuspicionagainstStapleton.
