Собака Баскервіллів
Baskerville Hall
Ourdriverhalfturnedinhisseat.
"There’saconvictescapedfromPrincetown,sir. He’sbeenoutthreedaysnow,andthewarderswatcheveryroadandeverystation,butthey’vehadnosightofhimyet. Thefarmersaboutheredon’tlikeit,sir,andthat’safact."
"Well,Iunderstandthattheygetfivepoundsiftheycangiveinformation."
"Yes,sir,butthechanceoffivepoundsisbutapoorthingcomparedtothechanceofhavingyourthroatcut. Yousee,itisn’tlikeanyordinaryconvict.Thisisamanthatwouldstickatnothing."
"Whoishe,then?"
"ItisSelden,theNottingHillmurderer."
Irememberedthecasewell,foritwasoneinwhichHolmeshadtakenaninterestonaccountofthepeculiarferocityofthecrimeandthewantonbrutalitywhichhadmarkedalltheactionsoftheassassin. Thecommutationofhisdeathsentencehadbeenduetosomedoubtsastohiscompletesanity,soatrociouswashisconduct. Ourwagonettehadtoppedariseandinfrontofusrosethehugeexpanseofthemoor,mottledwithgnarledandcraggycairnsandtors. Acoldwindsweptdownfromitandsetusshivering. Somewherethere,onthatdesolateplain,waslurkingthisfiendishman,hidinginaburrowlikeawildbeast,hisheartfullofmalignancyagainstthewholeracewhichhadcasthimout. Itneededbutthistocompletethegrimsuggestivenessofthebarrenwaste,thechillingwind,andthedarklingsky. EvenBaskervillefellsilentandpulledhisovercoatmorecloselyaroundhim.
