Собака Баскервіллів
A Retrospection
Withcharacteristicpromptnessandaudacityhesetaboutthisatonce,andwecannotdoubtthatthebootsorchamber-maidofthehotelwaswellbribedtohelphiminhisdesign. Bychance,however,thefirstbootwhichwasprocuredforhimwasanewoneand,therefore,uselessforhispurpose. Hethenhaditreturnedandobtainedanother—amostinstructiveincident, sinceitprovedconclusivelytomymindthatweweredealingwitharealhound,asnoothersuppositioncouldexplainthisanxietytoobtainanoldbootandthisindifferencetoanewone. Themoreoutreandgrotesqueanincidentisthemorecarefullyitdeservestobeexamined, andtheverypointwhichappearstocomplicateacaseis,whendulyconsideredandscientificallyhandled,theonewhichismostlikelytoelucidateit.
"Thenwehadthevisitfromourfriendsnextmorning,shadowedalwaysbyStapletoninthecab. Fromhisknowledgeofourroomsandofmyappearance,aswellasfromhisgeneralconduct,IaminclinedtothinkthatStapleton’scareerofcrimehasbeenbynomeanslimitedtothissingleBaskervilleaffair. ItissuggestivethatduringthelastthreeyearstherehavebeenfourconsiderableburglariesintheWestCountry,fornoneofwhichwasanycriminaleverarrested. Thelastofthese,atFolkestoneCourt,inMay,wasremarkableforthecold-bloodedpistolingofthepage,whosurprisedthemaskedandsolitaryburglar. IcannotdoubtthatStapletonrecruitedhiswaningresourcesinthisfashion,andthatforyearshehasbeenadesperateanddangerousman.
"Wehadanexampleofhisreadinessofresourcethatmorningwhenhegotawayfromussosuccessfully,andalsoofhisaudacityinsendingbackmyownnametomethroughthecabman. FromthatmomentheunderstoodthatIhadtakenoverthecaseinLondon,andthatthereforetherewasnochanceforhimthere. HereturnedtoDartmoorandawaitedthearrivalofthebaronet."
