Chapter 2 of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir, Arthur
Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter 2.
The curse of the Baskervilles I have in my pocket.
A manuscript said dr. James Mortimer.
I observed it. As you entered the room said
Holmes, it is an old manuscript. Early 18th century unless it is
a forgery. How can you say that sir you
have presented an inch or two of it to my examination, all the
time that you have been talking, it would be a poor expert who
could not give the date of a document within a decade or so
you may possibly have read my little monograph upon the
subject. I put that at 17:30, the exact
date is 1742 dr. Mortimer drew it from his
breast-pocket. This family paper was committed
to my Care by Sir Charles Baskerville whose sudden and
tragic death, some three months ago created so much excitement
in Devonshire. I may say that I was his
personal friend as well, has his medical attendant He was a
strong-minded man sir trude practical.
And as unimaginative as I am myself yet, he took this
document. Very seriously and his mind was
prepared for just such an end as did eventually overtake him.
Holmes stretched out his hand for the manuscript and flatten
it upon his knee. You will observe Watson the
alternative use of the long s and the short, it is one of
several indications which enabled me to fix the date.
I looked over his shoulder at the yellow paper.
And The Faded script at the head was written Baskerville Hall and
below in large scrawling figures 1742 it appears to be a
statement of some sort. Yes, it is a statement of a
certain Legend, which runs in the Baskerville family.
But I understand that it is something more modern and
practical upon which you wish to consult me.
Most modern a most practical, pressing matter, which must be
decided within 24 hours. But the manuscript is short and
is intimately connected with the affair with your permission.
I will read it to you, Holmes, leaned back in his chair, placed
his fingertips together and closed his eyes with an air of
resignation, dr. Mortimer, turn the manuscript to
the light and read in a high cracking voice.
The following curious old, Old world narrative.
Off the origin of the Hound of the Baskervilles.
There have been many statements yet as I come in a direct line
from Hugo Baskerville and as I had the story from my father who
also had it from his, I have set it down with all belief that it
occurred even as is here set forth.
And I would have you believe my son's that the same Justice,
which punishes sin may also, most graciously, forgive it and
that no ban is so heavy. But that by prayer and
repentance, it may be removed, learn, then from this story, not
to fear the fruits of the past, but rather to be circumspect in
the future that those foul passions whereby our family has
suffered. So grievously may not gain, be
loosed to our undoing. Know.
Then that in the time of the Great Rebellion, the history of
which by the Learned Lord Clarendon, I most earnestly
commend to your attention. This manner of Baskerville was
held by Hugo of that name, nor can it be gainsaid that he was a
most wild profane and Godless man.
This in truth, his neighbors might have pardoned seeing that
Saints have never flourished in those parts, but there was in
him a certain wanton and cruel humor Her which made his name a
byword through the West. It chance that this Hugo came to
love if indeed so darker passion may be known under so bright a
name the daughter of a yeoman who held lands near the
Baskerville estate but the young Maiden being discreet and of
good repute would ever avoid him for she feared his evil name so
it came to pass that one michaelmas, this Hugo with five
or six of his Idol and And wicked companions stole down
upon the farm and carried off the maiden her father and
brothers being from home as he. Well knew when they had brought
her to the hall, the maiden was placed in an upper chamber while
Hugo and his friends sat down to a long carouse.
As was their nightly custom. Now, the poor lass upstairs was
like to have her wits turned the singing and shouting and
terrible owes, which came up to her from below for, they say
that the words used by Hugo Baskerville when he was in wine
was such as might blast the man who said them at last in the
stress of her fear. She did that which might have
daunted the bravest or most active man for by the aid of the
growth of IV which covered and still covers the South Wall She
came down from under the eaves. And so Homewood across the Moor,
there being three leagues, betwixt the hall and her
father's Farm. It chanced that some little time
later, Hugo left, his guests to carry food and drink with other
worst things for chance to his captive.
And so found the cage empty and the bird escaped.
Then as it would seem, he became as one that hath a devil for
rushing, down the stairs, into the dining hall.
He sprang upon the great table flagons and trenches flying
before him, and he cried aloud before, all the company that he
would that very night, Under his body and soul to the powers of
evil, if he might not overtake the winch, and while the
revelers stood aghast at the fury of the man, one more
wicked, or it may be more drunken than the rest cried out
that they should put the hounds upon her.
We're at Hugo ran from the house crying to his Grooms that they
should saddle his Mare and unkennel the pack and giving the
hounds a kerchief of the maids, he swung them to the line.
Nine and so Off full cry in the moonlight, over the Moor.
Now for some space, the revelers stood a gape, unable to
understand all that had been done in such haste button on
their bemused. Wits awoke to the nature of the
deed, which was like to be done upon the moreland's everything
was now in an uproar, some calling for their pistols, some
for their horses, and some for another flask of wine.
But at length, some sense, came back to their crazed minds and
the whole of them 13. In number took horse and started
in Pursuit. The moon Shone clear above them
and they rode swiftly, abreast taking that course, which the
maid must needs have taken. If she were to reach her own
home They had gone a mile or two when they passed one of the
night Shepherds upon the moorlands and they cry to him to
know if he had seen the hunt and the man as The Story Goes, was
so crazed with fear that he could scare speak.
But at last, he said that he had indeed seen the unhappy Maiden
with the hounds upon her track. But I have seen more than that
said. He for Hugo Baskerville pass me
upon his black mayor and their ran mute behind him.
Such a Hound of hell is God forbid should ever be my eels.
So the drunken Squires curse, the shepherd and rode onward but
soon their skins turned cold for there.
Came a galloping across the Moor and the black mayor dabbled with
white Frost went past with trailing Bridal and empty
saddle. Then the revellers road close
together for a great fear was on them, but they still followed
over the more though. Each had he been alone?
Would have been, right? Glad to have turned his horse's
head riding slowly. In this fashion, they came at
last upon the hounds. These do known for their Valor
and their breed were whimpering in a cluster at the head of a
deep deep or goyal as we call it upon the Moor.
Some slinking away and some with starting hackles and staring
eyes gazing down the narrow Valley before them.
The company had come to a halt more sober men as you may guess
than when they started the, most of them would by no means
Advanced but three of them, the boldest or it may be the most
drunken Road forward down the coil.
Now it opened into a broad space in which to two of those great
stones still to be seen there which were set by certain
forgotten peoples in the days of old.
The moon was shining bright upon the clearing and there in the
center, lay the unhappy maid, where she had fallen dead of
fear and a fatigue, but it was not the sight of her body, nor
yet that of the body of Hugo Baskerville lying near her,
which raise the hair upon the heads of these three Daredevil
Roy stirrers. But it was that standing over
Hugo and plucking at his throat. There stood a foul thing.
A great black beast shaped like a hound yet larger than any
Hound that ever mortal eye has rested upon.
And even as they looked the thing tour, the throat out of
Hugo Baskerville on which has it turned its blazing eyes and
dripping. Jaws upon them, the three
shrieked with fear and road, for dear life, still screaming
across the Moor. One it is said died that very
night of what he had seen and the other Twain were but broken
men for the rest of their days. Such is the tail, my sons of the
coming of the Hound, which is said, to have plagued the family
so sorely ever. Since if I have set it down, it
is because that which is clearly known has less Terror than that
which is but hinted at and guest nor can it be denied that many
of the family have been unhappy in their deaths, which have been
sudden bloody and mysterious yet met.
We shelter ourselves in the infinite goodness of Providence,
which would not forever. Punish the innocent beyond that
third or fourth generation, which is threatened in holy writ
to that Providence. My son's I hereby commend you
and I counsel You by way of caution to forbear from
crossing, the more in those dark hours when the powers of evil
are exalted this from Hugo Baskerville to his sons Roger
and John with instructions that they say nothing they're off to
their sister Elizabeth When dr. Mortimer had finished reading
this singular narrative. He pushed his spectacles up on
his forehead and stared across at mr.
Sherlock Holmes, the latter yawned and toss the end of his
cigarette Into the Fire. Well said, he do you not find it
interesting to a collector of fairy tales dr.
Mortimer drew a folded newspaper out of his pocket now mr.
Holmes we will give you something a little more recent.
This is the Devon County Chronicle of May 14th of this
year. It is a short account of the
fact solicited at the death of Sir Charles Baskerville which
occurred a few days before that date.
My friend leaned a little forward and his expression
became intent. Our visitor readjusted, his
glasses and began the recent sudden.
Death of Sir Charles Baskerville whose name has been mentioned as
the probable liberal candidate for Mid Devon.
At the next election has cast. A Gloom over the county though.
Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville hall for a
comparatively short period, his Amy ability of character and
extreme generosity had won the affection and respect Fact of
all who had been brought into contact with him in these days
of Nouveau. Riche, it is refreshing to find
a case where the Scion of an old County family which had fallen
upon evil days, is able to make his own fortune and to bring it
back with him to restore the Fallen Grandeur of his line.
Sir. Charles as is well-known made
large sums of money in South African speculation, more wise,
and those who go on until the wheel turns against them, he
Raised his gains and returned to England with them.
It is only two years since he took up his residence at
Baskerville Hall and it is common talk.
How large were those schemes of reconstruction and Improvement
which have been interrupted by his death, being himself
childless. It was his openly expressed
desire that the whole Countryside should within his
own lifetime profit by his good fortune.
And many will have personal reasons for be wailing, his
untimely end. His generous donations to local
and He Charities have been frequently chronicled in these
columns the circumstances connected with the death of Sir
Charles cannot be said to have been entirely cleared up by the
inquest but at least enough has been done to dispose of those
rumors to which local Superstition has given rise.
There is no reason, whatever to suspect Foul Play or to imagine
that death could be from any but natural causes.
So Charles was a widower and a man who may be said to have been
in some ways of an eccentric habit of Mind, in spite of his
considerable wealth, he was simple in his personal tastes,
and is indoor servants. At Baskerville Hall consisted of
a married, couple named Barrymore, the husband acting as
Butler and the wife as housekeeper.
They're evidence corroborated by that of several friends tends to
show that Sir Charles Health has for some time been impaired and
points especially to some affection of the heart
manifesting itself in changes of color.
Breathlessness and acute attacks of nervous depression.
Dr. James Mortimer. The friend and medical attendant
of the deceased has given evidence to the same effect.
The facts of the case are simple Sir.
Charles Baskerville was in the habit every night before going
to bed of walking down the famous yew alley of Baskerville
Hall. The evidence of Barrymore's
shows that this had been his custom on the 4th of May, Sir
Charles had declared his intention of starting next day
for London and at ordered Barrymore to prepare his luggage
that night. He went out as usual for his
nocturnal walk in the course of which he was in the habit.
Of smoking a cigar, he never returned at 12:00 Barrymore,
finding the hall door. Still open became alarmed and
lighting a lantern went in. Search of his master, the day
had been wet and Sir, Charles is footmarks, were easily traced
down the alley, halfway down this walk.
There is a gate which leads out onto the Moor there were
indications that Sir Charles had stood for some little time here.
He then proceeded down the alley and it was at the far end of it,
that his body was discovered. One fact, which has not been
explained is the statement of Barrymore that his master's
Footprints, altered, their character, from the time that he
passed a moorgate, that he appeared from thence onward, to
have been walking upon his toes. One Murphy a gypsy horse dealer
was on the Moor at no great distance at the time but he
appears by his own confession to have been the worse for drink.
He declares that he heard cries but is unable to state from what
direction they came. No signs of violence were to be
discovered upon sir, Charles's person.
And though the doctors evidence pointed to an almost incredible
facial Distortion, so great that dr.
Mortimer refused at first to believe that it was indeed his
friend and patient who lay before him, it was explained.
That is a symptom which is not unusual in cases of dyspnea and
death from cardiac exhaustion. This explanation was borne out
by the post-mortem examination, which showed long-standing
organic disease and the coroner's jury returned, a
verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.
It is, well, that this is so for it is obviously of the utmost
importance that Sir Charles is are should settle at the hall
and continue the good work which has been so sadly interrupted
had the prosaic finding of the coroner, not finally put an end
to the Romantic stories. Which have been whispered in
connection with the affair. It might have been difficult to
find a tenant for Baskerville Hall.
It is understood that, the next of kin is mr.
Henry Baskerville. If he is still alive, the son of
Sir, Charles Baskervilles younger, brother, the young man
when last heard of was in America and inquiries are being
instituted with a view to informing him of his good
fortune. Dr. Mortimer e folded, his paper
and replaced it in his pocket. Those are the public facts, mr.
Holmes, in connection with the death of Sir Charles
Baskerville. I must thank you said Sherlock
Holmes for calling my attention to a case which certainly
presents some features of Interest.
I had observed some newspaper comment at the time but I was
exceedingly preoccupied by that little Affair of the Vatican
cameos, and in my Xiety to oblige the Pope.
I lost touch with several interesting.
English cases. This article, you say, contains
all the public facts. It does.
Then let me have the private ones, he leaned back, put his
fingertips together and assumed his most impassive and judicial
expression in doing so said, dr. Mortimer, who had begun to show
signs of some strong emotion? I am telling that which I have
not confided to anyone. My motive for was holding it
from the coroner's inquiry. Is it a man of science shrinks
from placing himself in the public position of seeming to
endorse a popular Superstition? I had the further motive that
Baskerville Hall as the paper says would certainly remain
untenanted. If anything were done to
increase its already, rather Grim reputation.
For both these reasons, I thought that I was justified.
In telling rather less than I knew since no practical good
could result from it. But with you, there is no reason
why I should not be perfectly Frank.
The more is very sparsely inhabited and those who live
near each other are thrown very much together.
For this reason I saw a good deal of Sir, Charles Baskerville
with the exception of mr. Frankland of lafter Hall and mr.
Stapleton. The naturalist there are no
other men of Education within many.
Mi Sir Charles was a retiring man but the chance of his
illness brought us together and a community of interest in
science, kept us. So he had brought back, much
scientific information from South Africa and many a Charming
evening. We had spent together discussing
the comparative, anatomy of the Bushmen and the Hottentot within
the last few months, it became increasingly plain to me, that
Sir Charles has nervous system was strained to the breaking
point. He had taken this Legend, which
I have read, you exceedingly to heart so much so that although
he would walk in his own grounds, nothing would induce
him to go out upon the Moor at night, incredible as it may
appear to you mr. Holmes, he was honestly
convinced that a dreadful fate / hung his family and certainly
the records which he was able to give of his ancestors, were not
encouraging. The idea of some ghostly
presence constantly, haunted him.
And on more than one occasion, he has asked me whether I had on
my medical Journeys at night. Ever seen any strange creature
or heard the baying of a hound. The latter question.
He put to me several times and always with a voice, which
vibrated with excitement. I can well, remember driving up
to his house in the evening, some three weeks before the
Fatal event. He chanced to be at his whole
door. I had descended from my gig and
was standing in front of him. When I saw his eyes fixed
themselves over my shoulder and stare past me with an expression
of the most Dreadful horror I whisked round and had just time
to catch a glimpse of something, which I took to be a large black
calf passing at the head of the drive.
So excited and alarmed. Was he that I was compelled to
go down to the spot where the animal had been and look around
for it, it was gone. However, and the incident
appeared to make the worst impression upon his mind, I
stayed with him all the evening and it was on that occasion to
explain the emotion, which had shown that he confided to my,
keeping that narrative, which I read to you.
When I first came in I mentioned the small episode because it
assumes some importance in view of the tragedy which followed
but I was convinced at the time that the matter was entirely
trivial and that is excitement had no justification.
I was at my advice that Sir Charles was about to go to
London. His heart was, I knew affected
and the constant anxiety in which he lived.
However, chimerical. The cause of it might be was
evidently having a serious effect upon his health.
I thought that a few months among the distractions of town
would send him back. A new man, mr.
Stapleton. A mutual friend, who was much
concern that his state of health was of the same opinion at the
last instant came. This terrible catastrophe on the
night of Sir. Charles's death Barrymore, the
butler who made the discovery sent Perkins, the groom on
Horseback to me. And as I was sitting up late, I
was able to reach Baskerville Hall.
Within an hour of the event, I checked and corroborated all the
facts which were mentioned at the inquest.
I followed the footsteps down the yew alley.
I saw the spot at the Moor gate where he seemed to have waited.
I remarked the change in the shape of the prince.
After that point, I noted that there were no other footsteps
save those of Barrymore on the soft gravel.
And finally, I carefully examined the body which had not
been touched until my arrival. So Charles lay on his face, his
arms out, his fingers, dug into the ground and his features
convulsed with some strong emotion to such an extent that I
could hardly have sworn to his identity.
It was certainly no physical injury of any kind, but one
false statement was made by Barrymore at the inquest.
He said that there were no traces upon the ground around
the body. He did not observe any but I did
some little distance off but fresh and clear.
Footprints Footprints, a man's, or a woman's dr.
Mortimer looked strangely at us for an instant and his voice
sank almost to a whisper as he answered mr.
Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic Hound.
End of chapter 2. End of chapter 2.