Собака Баскервіллів
The Problem
"Forexample?"
"IfindthatbeforetheterribleeventoccurredseveralpeoplehadseenacreatureuponthemoorwhichcorrespondswiththisBaskervilledemon,andwhichcouldnotpossiblybeanyanimalknowntoscience. Theyallagreedthatitwasahugecreature,luminous,ghastly,andspectral. Ihavecross-examinedthesemen,oneofthemahard-headedcountryman,oneafarrier,andoneamoorlandfarmer, whoalltellthesamestoryofthisdreadfulapparition,exactlycorrespondingtothehell-houndofthelegend. Iassureyouthatthereisareignofterrorinthedistrict,andthatitisahardymanwhowillcrossthemooratnight."
"Andyou,atrainedmanofscience,believeittobesupernatural?"
"Idonotknowwhattobelieve."
Holmesshruggedhisshoulders.
"Ihavehithertoconfinedmyinvestigationstothisworld,"saidhe. "InamodestwayIhavecombatedevil,buttotakeontheFatherofEvilhimselfwould,perhaps,betooambitiousatask. Yetyoumustadmitthatthefootmarkismaterial."
"Theoriginalhoundwasmaterialenoughtotugaman’sthroatout,andyethewasdiabolicalaswell."
"Iseethatyouhavequitegoneovertothesupernaturalists. Butnow,Dr.Mortimer,tellmethis. Ifyouholdtheseviews,whyhaveyoucometoconsultmeatall? YoutellmeinthesamebreaththatitisuselesstoinvestigateSirCharles’sdeath,andthatyoudesiremetodoit."
