Chapter 8 of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir, Arthur
Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter 8, first report of dr.
Watson From this point onward. I will follow the course of
events by transcribing. My own letters to mr.
Sherlock Holmes, which lie before me on the table, One page
is missing but otherwise they are exactly as written.
And show my feelings and suspicions of the moment more
accurately than my memory clear, as it is upon these tragic
events. Can possibly do Baskerville
Hall, October 13th, my dear Holmes, my previous letters and
telegrams have kept you pretty well, up to date as to all that
has occurred in this most godforsaken corner of the world.
The longer one stays here, the more does this Spirit of the
more sink into one's Soul, its vastness.
And also its Grim charm. When you're once out upon its
bosom you have left all traces of modern England behind you,
but on the other hand, you are conscious everywhere of the
homes and the work of the prehistoric people.
On all sides of you as you walk, are the houses of these
forgotten folk with their graves and the huge monoliths, which
are supposed to have mark, their temples as you look at their
gray, stone. Hut's against the scarred
hillsides. You leave your own age behind
you. And if you were to see a skin
plaid hairy man, crawl out from the load or fitting, a flint tit
Arrow, onto the string of his bow.
You would feel that his presence there was more natural than your
own. The strange thing is that they
should have lived so thickly on what must have always have been
most unfruitful soil. I am no antiquarian but I could
imagine that they were some unwarlike and harried race who
were forced to accept that which none other would occupy All this
however, is foreign to the mission on which you sent me and
will probably be very uninteresting to your severely.
Practical mind, I can still remember your complete
indifference as to whether the Sun moved around the Earth or
the Earth around the Sun. Let me therefore return to the
facts, concerning Sir, Henry Baskerville.
If you have not had any report within the last few days it is
because up to today, there was nothing of importance to relate.
Then a very surprising circumstance occurred which I
shall tell you in due course. But first of all, I must keep
you in touch with some of the other factors in the situation.
One of these concerning which I have said little is the escaped
convict upon the Moor. There is strong reason now to
believe that he's got right away which is a considerable relief
to the lonely. House holders of this District,
a fortnight has passed since his flight during which he he has
not been seen and nothing has been heard of him.
It is surely inconceivable that he could have held out upon the
Moor during all that time. Of course, so far as his
concealment goes, there is no difficulty at all.
Any one of these Stone, Hut's would give him a hiding place
but there's nothing to eat. Unless he were to catch and
Slaughter. One of the more sheep we think
therefore that he's gone and the outlying farmers sleep, the
better in consequence. We For able-bodied men in this
household so that we could take good care of ourselves.
But I confess that I have had uneasy moments when I have
thought of the stapleton's. They live miles from any help.
There are one made an old manservant the sister and the
brother the latter not a very strong man they would be
helpless in the hands of a desperate fellow like this
Notting Hill criminal. If he could once effect an
entrance both Sir, Henry and I were concerned that their
situation Relation and it was suggested that Perkins, the
groom should go over to sleep there.
But Stapleton would not hear of it.
The fact is that how friend the baronet begins to display a
considerable interest? In our Fair neighbor, it is not
to be wondered at for time, hangs heavily in this.
Lonely spot to an active man like him.
And she is a very fascinating and beautiful woman.
There is something tropical and exotic about her, which forms.
singular contrast to her cool and unemotional brother yet, he
also gives the idea of hidden fires He has certainly a very
marked influence over her for I've seen her continually
glanced at him as she talked as if seeking a probation for what
she said, I trust that he is kind to her.
There is a dry glitter in his eyes and the firm set of his
thin lips which goes with a positive and possibly a harsh
nature. You would find him an
interesting study. He came over to call upon
Baskerville on that first day and the very next morning.
He took us both to show us the spot where the legend of the
wicked Hugo is supposed to have had its origin.
It was an Excursion of some miles across the Moor to a
place, which is so dismal that it might have suggested the
story. We found a short valley between
rugged tours which led to an open grassy space, flecked over
with the white cotton grass in the middle of it Rose to great.
Stones worn and sharpened at the upper end until they looked like
the huge corroding fangs of some monstrous beast in every way it
corresponded with the scene of the old tragedy.
So Henry was much interested and our Stapleton more than once
whether he did really believe in the possibility of the
interference of the supernatural in the Affairs of men.
He spoke lightly, but it was evident that he was very much in
Earnest. Stapleton was guarded in his
replies, but it was easy to see that he said, less than he
might. And that he would not express
his whole opinion out of consideration for the feelings
of the baronet. He told us of similar cases
where families had suffered from some evil influence and he left
us with the impression that he shared the popular view upon the
matter. On our way back, we stayed for
lunch at merripit house and it was there that Sir Henry made
the acquaintance of Miss Stapleton.
From the first moment that he saw her, he appeared to be
strongly attracted by her, and I am much mistaken.
If the feeling was not mutual, he referred to her again and
again on our walk home and since then hardly a day has passed
that we have not seen something of the brother and sister they
dine here tonight when there is some talk of Are going to them
next week. One would.
Imagine that such a match will be very welcome to Stapleton.
And yet I have more than once caught a look of the strongest
disapprobation in his face. When Sir Henry has been paying
some attention to his sister, he has much attached her, no doubt
and would lead a lonely life without her.
But it would seem the height of selfishness if he were to stand
in the way of her making. So, brilliant a marriage Yes,
I'm certain that he does not wish their intimacy to ripen
into love and I have several times observed that he has taken
pains to prevent them from being tete-a-tete.
By the way your instructions to me never to allow Sir.
Henry to go out alone will become very much more onerous.
If a love affair were to be added to our other difficulties,
my popularity would soon suffer. If I were to carry out your
orders to the letter, The other day, Thursday, to be more exact.
Dr. Mortimer. Lunched, with us, he has been
Excavating a barrow at long down and has got a prehistoric skull,
which fills him with great joy. Never was there, such a
single-minded enthusiasts as he, the stapleton's came in
afterwards and the good doctor took us all to the yew alley.
I'd say Henry's request to show us exactly how everything
occurred upon that fatal night. It is a long, Dismal walk the
yew Alley between two high walls of clipped hedge with a narrow
band of grass upon EI. Either side at the far end is an
old tumbledown summerhouse. Halfway down is the Moor gate
where the old gentleman left his cigar Ash, it is a white wooden
gate with a latch Beyond it lies, the wide more.
I remembered your theory of the affair and try to picture all
that it occurred as the old man stood there he saw something
coming across the Moor something which terrified him so that he
lost his wits and ran and ran until he died of sheer horror
and exhaustion. There was a long gloomy tunnel
down which he fled and from what a sheepdog of the more Or a
spectral hound black silent and monstrous was there a human
agency in the matter did the pale watchful Barrymore.
No more than he cared to say. It was all dim and vague, but
always, there is a dark shadow of crime behind it.
One other neighbor I've met since I wrote last.
This is mr. Frankland of lafter Hall who
lived some four miles to the south of us.
He is an elderly man. Red-faced white-haired and
choleric his passion is for the British law and he spent a large
fortune in litigation, he fights for the mere pleasure of
fighting and is equally ready to take up either side of a
question so that it is no wonder that he has founded to cost.
Amusement, sometimes he will shut up a right of way, and if I
the parish to make him open it, At others.
He will with his own hands tear down some other man's gate and
declare that a path existed there from time.
Immemorial defying the owner to prosecute him for trespass.
He is learned in old manorial and communal rights and he
applies his knowledge, sometimes in favor of the villagers of
fern worthy and sometimes against them.
So that he is periodically, either carried in Triumph, Down
The Village Street or else burned in effigy.
According to his latest exploit, he is said to have about seven
lawsuits upon his hands at present, which will probably
swallow up the remainder of his fortune.
And so draw his sting, and leave him harmless for the future.
Apart from the law, he seems a kindly good-natured person and I
only mention him because you were particular that I should
send some description of the people who surround us, he is
curiously. Employed at present for being an
amateur astronomer. He has an excellent telescope
with which he lies upon the roof of his own house.
And sweeps them wore all day in the hope of catching, a glimpse
of the escaped convict if he would confine his energies to
this all. Be well, but there are rumors
that he intends to prosecute dr. Mortimer for opening a grave
without the consent of the next of kin because he dug up the
Neolithic skull in the barrel on Long down.
He helps to keep our lives from being monotonous and gives a
little comic relief where it is badly needed.
And now having brought you up to date in the escaped convict the
stapleton's. Dr. Mortimer, and Frankland of
lafter Hall. Let me end on that which is most
important and tell you more about the Barrymore's and
especially about the surprising development of last night.
First of all, about the test telegram, which you sent from
London in order to make sure that Barrymore was really here.
I have already explained that the testimony of the postmaster
shows that the test was worthless and that we have no
proof one way or the other, I told Sir Henry how the matter
stood. And he at once, in his
downright, fashion had Barrymore up and asked him whether he had
received a telegram himself. Barrymore said that he had did,
the boy deliver it into your own hands asked Sir Henry Barrymore,
looked surprised and considered for a little time now, said he,
or he was in the Box room with the time and my wife brought it
up to me. Did you answer it yourself?
No, I told my wife what to answer and she went down to
write it in the evening here. Occurred to the subject of his
own accord. I could not quite understand the
object of your questions. This morning, Sir.
Henry said he I trust that they do not mean that I've done
anything to forfeit your confidence so Henry had to
assure him that it was not so and pacify him by giving him a
considerable part of his old wardrobe.
The London outfit having now, now all arrived mrs.
Barrymore is of interest to me. She's a heavy solid person, very
limited intensely respectable and inclined to be puritanical,
you could hardly conceive, a less emotional subject.
It, I've told you how on the first night here, I heard a
sobbing bitterly, and since then, I have more than once
observed traces of Tears upon her face.
Some deep sorrow nor is ever at her heart.
Sometimes I wonder if she has a guilty memory which haunts her
and sometimes I suspect Barrymore of being a domestic
Tyrant. I've always felt that there was
something singular and questionable in this man's
character. When the adventure of last
night, brings all my suspicions to ahead.
And yet it may seem a small matter itself.
You are aware that I'm not very sound sleeper and since I've
been on guard in this Was my Slumbers have been lighter than
ever last night about 2:00 in the morning.
I was aroused by a stealthy step passing my room.
I Rose opened my door and peeped out a long black shadow was
trailing down the corridor. It was thrown by a man who
walked softly down the passage with a candle held in his hand.
He was in shirt and trousers with no covering to his feet.
I could merely See the outline. But his height told me that it
was Barrymore. He walked very slowly and
circumspectly, there was something indescribably guilty
and furtive in his whole appearance, I have told you that
the corridor is broken by the balcony, which runs around the
hall, but that it is resumed upon the farther side.
I waited until he had passed out of sight and then I followed him
when I came around the balcony, he had reached the end of the
Father Corridor and I could see from the glimmer of light
through an open door that he had entered one of the rooms.
Now, all these rooms are unfurnished and unoccupied so
that his expedition became more mysterious than ever.
The light Shone steadily as if he was standing motionless.
I crept down the passage as noiselessly as I could and
peeped round the corner of the door.
Barrymore was crouching at the window with the candle held
against the glass. His profile was half turned
towards me and his face seemed to be rigid with expectation as
he stared out into the Blackness of the more for some minutes.
He stood watching intently and he gave a deep groan and with an
impatient gesture, he put out the light instantly.
I made my way back to my room and very shortly.
Came the stealthy steps passing once.
More upon their return Journey. Long afterwards.
When I had fallen into a light sleep, I heard a key turn
somewhere in a lock, but I could not tell whence the sound came
what it all means. I cannot guess, but there is
some secret business going on in this house of Gloom.
Which sooner or later we shall get to the bottom of.
I do not trouble you with my theories.
For you asked me to furnish, you only with facts.
I've had a long talk with Sir, Henry this morning and we have
made a plan of campaign found it.
On my observations of last night, I will not speak about it
just now, but it should make my next report.
Interesting reading. End of chapter 8.