Chapter 12 of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir, Arthur
Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter 12, death on the more
for a moment or two. I sat breathless hardly able to
believe my ears. They're my senses.
And my voice came back to me while a crushing weight of
responsibility seemed in an instant to be lifted from my
soul that cold incisive, ironical voice could belong to.
But one man in all the world Holmes, I cried, Holmes come
out. Said he and please be careful
with the revolver. I stooped under the rude lintel.
And there he sat upon a stone outside.
His gray eyes dancing with Amusement, as they fell upon my
astonished features, he was thin and worn but clear and alert his
Keen face bronzed by the Sun and roughened by the wind in his
Tweed suit and cloth cap. He looked like any other tourist
upon the Moor and he had contrived with that cat like
love of. personal cleanliness, which was one of his
characteristics that his chin should be, as smooth and is
linen as perfect as if he were in Baker Street, I never was
more glad to see anyone in my life said I as I run him by the
hand or more astonished a well I must confess to it, the surprise
was not all on one side. I assure you.
I had no idea that you had found my occasional Retreat, still
less that you were inside it, until I was within Twenty Paces
of the door. My footprint, I presume No
Watson, I fear that I could not undertake to recognize your
footprint and with all the footprints of the world.
If you seriously desire to deceive me, you must change your
tobacconist for when I see the stub of a cigarette marked
Bradley Oxford Street. I know that my friend Watson is
in the neighborhood, you will see it there beside the path.
You threw it down, no doubt at that Supreme moment when you
charged into the empty Hut. Exactly.
I thought as much and knowing your admirable tenacity, I was
convinced that you are sitting in Ambush a weapon Within Reach,
waiting for the tenant to return.
So you actually thought that I was the criminal.
I did not know who you were, but I was determined to find out
excellent Watson and how did you localize me?
You saw me, perhaps, on the night of the convict hunt when I
was so imprudent as to allow the moon to rise, Is behind me?
Yes, I saw you then and have no doubt.
Searched all the Huts until you came to this one.
No, your boy has been observed and that gave me a guide where
to look the old gentleman with the telescope.
No doubt, I could not make it out.
When first I saw the light flashing upon the lens Heroes
and peeked into the Hut, huh? I see that Cartwright has
brought up some supplies. What's this paper?
So you've been to coombe Tracey, have you?
Yes. To see mrs.
Laura Lyons. Exactly!
Well done. Our research has of evidently
been running on parallel lines and when we unite our results I
expect we shall have a fairly full knowledge of the case.
Well, I'm glad from my heart that you are here for.
Indeed, the responsibility in the mystery were both becoming
too much for my nerves. But how in the name of Wonder?
Did you come here? And what have you been doing?
I thought that you were in Baker Street.
Working out that case of blackmailing.
That was what I wished you to think.
Then you use me and yet, do not. Trust me.
I cried with some bitterness. I think that I deserve better at
your hands homes. My dear fellow.
You have been invaluable to me in this as in many other cases.
And I beg that you will forgive me if I've seemed to play a
trick upon you in truth, it was partly for your own sake that I
did it. And it was my appreciation of
the danger, which you ran, which led me to come down and examine
the matter for myself. Had I been with Sir, Henry and
you it is confident that my point of view would have been
the same as yours. And my presence would have
warned our very formidable opponents to be on their guard,
as it is. I have been able to get about as
I could not possibly have done. Had I been living in the hall
and I remain an unknown factor in the business ready to throw
in all my weight at a critical moment.
But why keep me in the dark for you to know could not have
helped us and might possibly have led to my Discovery, you
would have wished to tell me something or in your kindness.
You would have brought me out some comfort or other and so, an
unnecessary risk would be run. I brought cart ride down with
me. You remember the little chap at
the Express office, and he is seen after my simple once a loaf
of bread and a clean collar. What does man want more?
Has given me an extra pair of Eyes Upon a very active pair of
feet and both have been invaluable.
Then my reports of all been wasted, my voice trembled as I
recalled the pains and the pride with which I had composed them,
Holmes, took a bundle of papers from his pocket.
Here are your reports, my dear fellow and very well thumbed.
I assure you, I made excellent arrangements and they were only
delayed one day upon their way. I must compliment you
exceedingly upon the Zeal and the intelligence, which you have
shown over an extraordinarily difficult case.
So, I was still rather raw over the deception, which have been
practiced upon me, but the warmth of homes is praise drove
my anger from my mind. I felt also in my heart but he
was right in what he had said and that it was really best for
our purpose, that I should not have known that, he was upon the
Moor. That's better said he seeing the
shadow rise from my face. And now tell me the result of
your visit to mrs. Laura Lyons it was not difficult
for me to guess that it was to see her that you had gone for.
I'm already aware that. She is the one person in coombe
Tracey who might be of service to us in the matter.
In fact, if you had not gone today, it is exceedingly
probable that I should have gone tomorrow.
The sun had set and dusk was settling over, the more the air
had turned chill and we withdrew Drew into the hut for warmth.
They're sitting together in the Twilight.
I told homes of my conversation with the lady, so interested was
he? But I had to repeat some of it
twice before he was satisfied. This is most important said he
when I had concluded it fills up a gap which I had been unable to
bridge. In this most complex Affair, you
are aware perhaps that are close, intimacy exists between
this lady. And the man Stapleton, I did not
know of a close intimacy. There can be no doubt about the
matter. They meet they write.
There is a complete understanding between them.
Now this puts a very powerful weapon into our hands.
If I could only use it to detach his wife, his wife, I am giving
you some information. Now in return for all that you
have given me the lady who has passed here as Miss Stapleton is
in reality his wife. Good Heavens Holmes.
Are you sure of what you say, how could he have permitted to
Henry to fall in love with her? Sir Henry's falling in love,
Could Do no harm to anyone except Sir Henry he took
particular care that Sir Henry did not make love to her as you
have yourself observed. I repeat that the lady is his
wife and not his sister but why this elaborate deception?
Because he foresaw that she would be very much more useful
to him in the character of a free woman.
All my unspoken instincts, my vague suspicions suddenly took
shape and centered upon the naturalist in that impassive
colorless, man with his straw hat, and his butterfly.
Net. I seemed to see something
terrible, a creature of infinite, patience and crafts
with a smiling face and a murderous heart.
It is he, then who's our enemy? It, is He Who doctors in London?
So I read the riddle. And the warning.
It must have come from her. Exactly the shape of some
monstrous villainy half. Seen half guessed loomed through
the darkness, which had guts me so long.
But are you sure of this homes? How do you know that the woman
is his wife because he so far for God himself has to tell you
a true piece of autobiography upon the occasion when he first
met you. And I dare say he has many a
Time regretted it since he was once a Schoolmaster in the north
of England. Now there is no one more easy to
trace than a Schoolmaster. There Are Scholastic agencies by
which one may identify any man who has been in the profession.
A little investigation showed me that a school had come to grief
under attrocious circumstances and that the man who had owned
it. That name was different had
disappeared with his wife. The descriptions agreed.
When I learned that the missing man was devoted to entomology
the identification was complete, the darkness was Rising, but
much was still hidden by the Shadows.
Is this woman is in truth, his wife.
Where does mrs. Laura Lyons, come in.
I asked that is one of the points upon which your own.
Researchers have shed a light your interview with a lady has
cleared the situation very much. I did not know about a projected
divorce between herself and her. Husband in that case regarding
Stapleton. As an unmarried man, she
counted, no doubt upon becoming his wife, And when she is
undeceived, why then we may find the lady of service.
It must be. Our first duty to see her, both
of us, tomorrow. Don't you think Watson that you
are away from your charge rather long?
Your place should be at Baskerville Hall.
The last red streaks had faded away in the west and night had
settled upon the Moor. A few faint Stars Were Gleaming
in a violet sky. One last question homes, I said
as I Rose surely, there's no need of secrecy between you and
me. What is the meaning of it all?
What is he after? Holmes voice sank, because he
answered it is murder. Watson refined cold-blooded,
deliberate murder, do not ask me for particulars.
My Nets are closing upon him even as his are upon Sir Henry.
And with your help, he is already almost at my Mercy.
There is, but one danger, which can threaten us, it is that he
should strike before, we are ready to do.
So, another day, two at the most, And I have my case
complete, but until then guard, your charge, as closely as ever
a fond mother watched her ailing child.
Your mission today has Justified itself and yet I could almost
wish that you had not left his side hark.
A terrible scream, a prolonged yell of horror and anguish burst
out of the Silence of the more. That frightful cry.
Turned the blood to ice in my veins.
Oh my God, I gasped. What is it?
What does it mean? Holmes had sprung to his feet
and I saw his dark athletic outline the door of the Hut, his
shoulders stooping. His head thrust forward his face
peering into the darkness hush. He whispered Josh The cry had
been loud on account of its vehemence, but it had peeled out
from somewhere. Far off on the shadowy plane.
Now it's burst upon our ears nearer.
Louder, more urgent than before. Where is it?
Holmes whispered, and I knew from the thrill of his voice
that he, the man of iron was shaken to the soul.
Where is it? Watson, There.
I think I pointed into the darkness.
No there again, the agonized cries swept through the Silent
Night louder and much nearer than ever and a new sound
mingled with it. A deep muttered Rumble Musical
and yet menacing rising and falling like the low constant,
murmur of the sea, The Hound, cried, Holmes, come Watson,
come, great Heavens. If we are too late, he had
started running swiftly over the Moor and I had followed at his
heels. But now from somewhere among the
Broken Ground immediately in front of us, there came one last
despairing yell and then a dull heavy thud we halted and
listened. Not another sound broke the
heavy Silence of the windless night.
I saw Holmes, put his hand to his forehead, like a man
distracted. He stamped his feet upon the
ground. He has beaten us.
Watson. We are too late.
No, no, surely not fool that. I was to hold my hand and you
Watson see what comes of abandoning, your charge.
But by Heaven, if the worst has happened, will avenge him.
Blindly we ran through the Gloom blundering against Boulders,
forcing our way through gorse bushes panting up, hills and
rushing down slopes heading. Always in a direction, whence
those Dreadful sounds had come at every rise.
Holmes looked eagerly around him but the Shadows were thick upon
the Moor and nothing moved upon its dreary face.
Can you see anything? Nothing but hark.
What is that? A low moan had fallen upon.
Our ears there, it was again Upon Our left on that side, a
ridge of rocks, ended in a sheer Cliff, which overlooked the
stone strewn slope on its Jagged face, was spread-eagled some
dark irregular object. As we ran towards it, the vague
outline. Hardened into a definite shape.
It was a prostrate man face downward upon the ground.
The head doubled under him at a horrible angle, the shoulders
rounded and the body, huh? Together as if in the act of
throwing a somersault. So grotesque was the attitude
that I could not for the instant realize that that Mona had been
the passing of his soul. Not a whisper not a Russell
Rose. Now from the dark figure over
which we stooped Holmes, laid his hand upon him and held it up
again with an exclamation of horror The Gleam of the match,
which he struck Sean, upon his clotted, fingers and upon the
ghastly pool, which widens Slowly from the crushed skull of
the victim and it Shone upon something else, which turned our
heart sick and faint within us, the body of Sir, Henry
Baskerville. There was no chance of either of
us, forgetting that peculiar ready, Tweed suit the very one,
which he had worn on the first morning that we had seen him in
Baker Street. We caught the one clear glimpse
of it, and then the match flickered and went out even as
the Hope had gone out of our souls.
Holmes groaned and his face glimmered white through the
darkness. The Brute, The Brute I cried
with clenched hands. Oh homs, I shall never forgive
myself for having left him to his fate.
I am more to blame than you Watson in order to have my case.
Well, rounded and complete. I have thrown away the life of
my client. It is the greatest blow which
has befallen me in my career. But how could I know how could I
know that he would risk his life alone upon the Moor in the face
of all my warnings that we should have heard the screams,
my God, those screams and yet have been unable to save him.
Where is this brute of a hound which drove him to his death?
It may be lurking among those rocks at this, instant and
Stapleton. Where is he?
He shall answer for this deed. He shall, I will see to that
Uncle and nephew have been murdered the one frightened to
death by the very sight of a beast, which he thought to be
Supernatural the other driven to his end in this wild flight to
escape from it. But now we have to prove the
connection between the man and the Beast safe from what we
heard, we cannot even swear to the existence of the latter.
Since Sir, Henry has evidently died from the fall, but by
Heavens cunning, as he is a fellow, shall be in my power
before. Another day has passed.
We stood with bitter hearts on either side of the mangled body
overwhelmed by this sudden and irrevocable disaster, which had
brought all our long and weary laborers to so piteous and end.
Then as the moon Rose, we climbed to the top of the Rocks
over which our poor friend had fallen.
And from the summit, we gazed out over the shadowy more half,
silver, and half Gloom far away miles off in the direction of
grimpen. A single steady, yellow light
was shining. It can only come from the lonely
Abode of the stapleton's with a bitter curse.
I shook my fist at it as I gazed.
Why should we not seize him at once?
Our case is not complete, the fellow is weary and cunning to
the last degree. It is not what we know but what
we can prove if we make one false move, the villain May
Escape us yet. What can we do?
There will be plenty for us to do tomorrow tonight.
We can only perform the last offices to our poor friend.
Together, we made our way down the precipitous slope and
approached the body black and clear against the silvered
stones. The agony of those contorted.
Limbs, struck me with a spasm of pain and blurred my eyes with
tears. We must send for help homes.
We cannot carry him all the way to the hall.
Good Heavens. Are you mad?
He had uttered a cry and bent over the body.
Now he was dancing and laughing and ringing.
My hand, could this be my Stern, self-contained friend, these
were hidden fires, indeed, a beard a beer.
Beard. The man has a beard.
A beard. It is not the baronet.
It is why it is my neighbor, the convict.
With feverish haste, we had turned the body over and that
dripping beard was pointing up to the cold.
Clear Moon, there could be no doubt about the beating
forehead. The sunken animal eyes.
It was indeed the same face which had glared upon me in the
light of the candle from Over The Rock, the face of Selden the
criminal. Then in an instant, it was all
clear. To me, I remembered how the
baronet had told me that he'd handed his old wardrobe to
Barrymore. Barrymore had passed it on in
order to help Selden in his Escape boots shirt cap.
It was also Henry's, the tragedy was still black enough but this
man had at least deserve death by the laws of his country.
I told homes how the matter stood my heart bubbling over
with thankfulness and joy. Then the clothes have been the
poor Devils death said he It is clear enough that the Hound has
been laid on from some article of say, Henry's the boot, which
was abstracted in the hotel in all probability.
And so ran, this man down there is one very singular thing.
However, how came Selden in the darkness to know that the Hound
was on his Trail, he heard him to hear a Hound upon the Moor
would not work a hard man, like this convict into such a
paroxysm of Terror. He would risk recapture by
Beaming wildly for Help by his cries.
He must have run a long way after he knew the animal was on
his track. How did he know greater mystery
to me is why this Hound presuming that?
All our conjectures are correct. I presume nothing.
Well then why this Hound should be loose tonight.
I suppose that it does not always run loose upon the Moor
Stapleton would not let it go unless he had reason to think
that Sir Henry would be there. My difficulty is the more
formidable of the 24. I think that we shall very
shortly get an explanation of yours while.
Mine may remain forever. A mystery.
The question now, is, what shall we do with this poor wretches
body? We cannot leave it here to the
foxes and the Ravens. I suggest we put it in one of
the Huts until we can communicate with the police.
Exactly. I have no doubt that you and I
could carry it so far. Hello.
Watson, what's this? It's the man himself by all
that's wonderful. And audacious not a word, to
show your suspicions. Not a word on my plans crumble
to the ground. A figure was approaching us over
the more and I saw the dull red glow of a cigar.
The moon Shone upon him and I could distinguish the Dapper
shape and jaunty walk of the naturalist he stopped when he
saw us and then came on again, why dr.
Watson that's not you is it. You are the last man that I
should have expected to see out on the Moor at this time of
night but dear me. What's this?
Somebody hurt. Not don't tell me that it is our
friend Sir Henry. He hurried past me and stooped
over the dead, man. I heard a sharp intake of his
breath and the cigar fell from his fingers.
Who-who's this he stammered It is seldom the man who escaped
from Princetown. Stapleton turned, the ghastly
face upon us but by a supreme effort, he had overcome his
amazement and his disappointment he looked sharply from homes to
me, dear me, what a very shocking Affair?
How did he die? He appears to have broken his
neck by falling over these rocks.
My friend and I were strolling on the more when we heard a cry.
I heard a cry. Also, that was what brought me
out. I was uneasy about Sir, Henry.
Why about Sir Henry, in particular?
I could not help asking because I had suggested that he should
come over when he did not come. I was surprised and I naturally
became alarmed for his safety. When I heard cries upon the
Moor, by the way, his eyes darted again from my face to
Holmes's. Did you hear anything else
besides a cry? No said Holmes, did you know
what do you mean then? Oh, you know the stories that
the peasants tell about a phantom hound and so on it is
said to be heard at night upon the more.
I was wondering if there were any evidence of such a sound
tonight, we heard nothing of the kind, so die.
And what is your theory of this? Poor fellow's, death?
I have no doubt that anxiety and exposure have driven him off his
head, he has rushed about the more in a crazy State and
eventually fallen over here and broken his neck.
That seems the most reasonable Theory said Stapleton and he
gave a sigh, which I took to indicate his relief.
What do you think about it, mr. Sherlock Holmes.
My friend bowed, his compliments.
You are quick at identification said he we've been expecting you
in these parts since dr. Watson came down your in time to
see a tragedy. Yes, indeed.
I have no doubt that my friends explanation will cover the
facts. I will take an unpleasant
remembrance back to London with me tomorrow.
Oh, you return tomorrow, that is my intention.
I hope your visit is cast some light upon these occurrences,
which have puzzled us Holmes Shrugged, his shoulders.
One cannot always have the success for which one hopes and
investigator needs facts. And not Legends or rumors, it
has not been a satisfactory case.
My friend spoke in his frankest and most unconcerned manner.
Stapleton still looked hard at him then he turned to me.
I would suggest carrying this poor fellow to my house but it
would give my sister such a fright that I do not feel
justified in doing it. I think that if we put something
over his face, he will be safe until morning.
And so it was arranged resisting stapleton's offer of hospitality
homes and I set off to Baskerville Hall.
Leaving the naturalist to return alone, looking back.
We saw the figure moving slowly away over the Broadmoor. and
behind him, that one black smudge on the silvered slope,
which showed where the man was lying who had come so horribly
to his end end of chapter 12,