Собака Баскервіллів

           "Ionlymeant,sir,thatSirCharlesledaveryretiredlife,andwewereabletolookafterhiswants. Youwould,naturally,wishtohavemorecompany,andsoyouwillneedchangesinyourhousehold." 

           "Doyoumeanthatyourwifeandyouwishtoleave?" 

           "Onlywhenitisquiteconvenienttoyou,sir." 

           "Butyourfamilyhavebeenwithusforseveralgenerations,havetheynot? Ishouldbesorrytobeginmylifeherebybreakinganoldfamilyconnection." 

           Iseemedtodiscernsomesignsofemotionuponthebutler’swhiteface. 

           "Ifeelthatalso,sir,andsodoesmywife. Buttotellthetruth,sir,wewerebothverymuchattachedtoSirCharles,andhisdeathgaveusashockandmadethesesurroundingsverypainfultous. IfearthatweshallneveragainbeeasyinourmindsatBaskervilleHall." 

           "Butwhatdoyouintendtodo?" 

           "Ihavenodoubt,sir,thatweshallsucceedinestablishingourselvesinsomebusiness. SirCharles’sgenerosityhasgivenusthemeanstodoso. Andnow,sir,perhapsIhadbestshowyoutoyourrooms." 

           Asquarebalustradedgalleryranroundthetopoftheoldhall,approachedbyadoublestair. Fromthiscentralpointtwolongcorridorsextendedthewholelengthofthebuilding,fromwhichallthebedroomsopened. MyownwasinthesamewingasBaskerville’sandalmostnextdoortoit. Theseroomsappearedtobemuchmoremodernthanthecentralpartofthehouse, andthebrightpaperandnumerouscandlesdidsomethingtoremovethesombreimpressionwhichourarrivalhadleftuponmymind.