Chapter 3 of The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir, Arthur
Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in
the public domain. Chapter 3, the problem.
I confess that these words are shudder pass through me.
There was a thrill in the doctors voice which showed that
he was himself. Deeply moved by that which he
told us Holmes, leaned forward in his excitement and his eyes
had the hard dry glitter which shock from them when he was
keenly interested. You saw this as clearly as I see
you. And you said nothing what was
the use? How was it?
That no one else saw it? The marks were some 20 yards
from the body and no one gave them a thought.
I don't suppose, I should have done so had I not known this
Legend. There are many sheep dogs on the
more no doubt, but this was no sheepdog.
You say it was large enormous but it had not approached.
The body know what sort of night was it damp and raw but not
actually raining know what is the alley?
Like there are two lines of old yew hedge, 12 feet, high and
impenetrable. Walk in the center is about 8
feet across. Is there anything between the
hedges and the walk? Yes, there is a strip of grass
about 6 feet. Broad on either side, I
understand that the you hedge is penetrated at one point by a
gate. Yes, the wicket-gate which leads
onto the Moor. Is there any other opening?
None? So that to reach the yew alley
one either has to come down it from the house or else to enter
it by the Moor gate. There is an exit through a
summer house at the far end had Sir.
Charles reach this. No, he lay about 50 yards from
it. Now tell me dr.
Mortimer and this is important, the marks which you saw were on
the path and not on the grass. There's no marks, could show on
the grass, were they on the same side of the path?
As the Moor gate? Yes, they were on the edge of
the path. On the same side as the Moor
gate. You interest me exceedingly.
Another point, was the Wicket gate closed closed.
And padlocked, how high was it about four feet high?
Then anyone could have got over it.
Yes. And what Marx did you see by the
wicket-gate not in particular, good heaven did no one examine.
Yes, I examined myself and found nothing.
It was all very confused. Sir Charles had evidently stood
there for 5 or 10 minutes. How do you know that?
Because the ash had twice dropped from his cigar
Excellent. This is a colleague Watson after
our own heart but the marks he had left his own marks all over
that small. Patch of gravel, I could
discern. No others.
Sherlock Holmes, struck his hand against his knee with an
impatient gesture. If I'd only been there, he
cried. It is evidently a case of
extraordinary interest and one which presented immense
opportunities to these scientific expert.
That gravel page upon, which I might have read.
So much has been long ear. This smudged by the rain and
defaced by the clogs of curious peasants.
Oh dr. Mortimer, dr.
Mortimer to think that you should not have called me in.
You have indeed much to answer for.
I could not call you in mr. Holmes, without disclosing these
facts to the world and I have already given my reasons for not
wishing to do so. Sides.
Besides why do you hesitate there is a realm in which the
most acute and most experienced of detectives is helpless.
You mean that the thing is Supernatural.
I did not positively say so no, but you evidently think it since
the tragedy mr. Holmes, they have come to my
ears. Several incidents, which are
hard to reconcile with the settled order of nature.
Nature. For example, I find that before
the terrible event occurred, several people had seen a
creature upon the Moor which corresponds with this
Baskerville demon and which could not possibly be any animal
known to science. They all agreed that it was a
huge creature luminous ghastly and spectral.
I have cross-examined these men, one of them are hard-headed
Countryman, one, a farrier and one a Moreland farmer.
Ah, who all tell the same story of this Dreadful Apparition,
exactly. Corresponding to the hellhound
of the legend. I assure you.
That there is a reign of terror in the district, and that it is
a Hardy man who will cross the Moor at night.
And you a trained man of science.
Believe it to be Supernatural. I do not know what to believe.
Holmes, Shrugged his shoulders. I have hitherto confined.
My investigations to this world, said he in a modest way, I have
combated evil, but to take on the father of evil himself would
perhaps be too ambitious a task yet.
You must admit that the foot. Mark is material the original
Hound. And was material enough to tug a
man's throat out and yet he was diabolical as well.
I see that you have quite gone over to the supernaturalists,
but now, dr. Mortimer, tell me this.
If you hold these views, why have you come to consult me at
all? You tell me in the same breath
that, it is useless to investigate such Charles's death
and that you desire me to do it. I did not say that I desired you
to do it. Then how can I assist you by
advising me as to what I should do with Sir?
Henry Baskerville who arrives at Waterloo Station?
Dr. Mortimer looked at his watch in exactly one hour and a
quarter. He being the air.
Yes, on the death of Sir. Charles we inquired for this
young gentleman and found that he had been farming in Canada
from the accounts which have reached us.
He is an excellent fellow in every way, I speak.
Now not as a medical man, but as a trustee and executor of Sir,
Charles's will There is no other claimant, I presume none.
The only other Kinsman. Whom we've been able to trace
was Rodger Baskerville, the youngest of three brothers of
whom poor Sir. Charles was the Elder.
The second brother who died young is the father of this lad
Henry. The third Roger was the black
sheep of the family. He came as the old masterful
Baskerville strain and was a very image.
They tell me of the family picture of old Hugo.
He made England too hot to hold him fled to Central America and
died. There in 1876 of yellow fever.
Henry is the last of the Baskervilles in one hour and
five minutes. I meet him at Waterloo Station.
I have had a wire that he arrived at Southampton this
morning now, mr. Holmes, what would you advise me
to do with him? Why should he not go to the home
of his father's? It seems natural, does it not
and yet consider that every Baskerville who goes there meets
with an evil fate. I feel sure that if Sir Charles
could have spoken with me before his death, he would have warned
me against bringing this the last of the old race and the
heir to great wealth to that deadly place.
And yet, it cannot be denied that the prosperity of the whole
poor Bleak Countryside. Depends upon his presence.
All the good work which has been done by Sir, Charles will crash
to the ground, if there is no tenant of the hall, I fear lest
I should be swayed too much by my own obvious interest in the
matter. And that is why I bring the case
before you and ask for your advice.
Homes considered for a little time.
Put into plain words. The matter is, this said, he in
your opinion, there is a diabolical agency which makes
Dartmoor and unsafe Abode for a Baskerville that is your
opinion. At least, I might go the length
of saying that there is some evidence that this may be so
Exactly. But surely if your Supernatural
Theory be correct. It could work.
The young man evil in London as easily as in Devonshire.
A devil. With merely local powers like a
parish Vestry would be to inconceivable thing.
You put the matter more flippantly, mr.
Holmes then you would probably do if you were brought into
personal contact with these things, your advice, then, as I
understand it is that the young man will be as safe in
Devonshire. As in London, he comes in 50
minutes. What would you recommend?
I recommend sir that, you take a cab call off, your spaniel who
is scratching at my front door and proceeded to Waterloo to
meet Sir Henry Baskerville. And then and then you will say
nothing to him at all. Until I've made up my mind about
the matter. How long will it take you to
make up your mind? 24 hours at 10:00 tomorrow, dr.
Mortimer, I'll be much obliged to you if you will call upon me
here and it will be of help to me in my plans for the future.
If you will bring Sir Henry Baskerville with you.
I will do so mr. Holmes, he scribbled the
appointment on his shirt cuff and hurried off in his strange
peering absent-minded fashion Holmes, stopped him at the head
of the stair. Only one more question, dr.
Mortimer, you say that before Sir, Charles Baskervilles,
death, several people saw this Apparition upon the Moor three
people did did any see it after I have not heard of any.
Thank you. Good morning, Holmes returned to
his seat with that quiet, look of inward satisfaction which
meant that he had a congenial task before him going out,
Watson unless I can help you. No, my dear fellow.
It is at the hour of action that I Turn to You for aid but this
is Splendid really unique from some points of view when you
pass Bradley's, would you ask him to send up a pound?
A strongest shag tobacco. Thank you.
It would be as well if you could make it convenient, not to
return before evening. Then I shall be very glad to
compare impressions as to this most interesting problem which
has been submitted to us this morning.
I knew that seclusion and Solitude were very necessary for
my friend in those hours of intense mental concentration,
during which he weighed every particle of evidence constructed
alternative theories, balanced one.
Against the other and made up his mind as to, which points
were essential and which immaterial, I therefore spent
the day at my club and did not return to Baker Street until
evening. It was nearly 9:00 when I found
myself in the sitting room once more, My first impression, as I
opened the door was that a fire had broken out for the room, was
so filled with smoke that the light of the lamp upon the
table, was blurred by it, as I entered.
However, my fears were set at rest for it was the acrid fumes
of strong course tobacco, which took me by the throat and set
me. Coughing through the haze, I had
a vague vision of homes in his dressing-gown coiled up, in an
armchair with his black clay pipe between his lips.
Several Rolls of paper lay around him, caught cold Watson
said he know it's this poisonous atmosphere I suppose.
It is pretty thick now that you mention it.
Thick it's intolerable. Open the window.
Then you've been at your Club all day.
I perceive my dear Holmes. Am I right?
Certainly, but how he laughed at my bewildered expression, there
is a delightful freshness. It's about you Watson which
makes it a pleasure to exercise any small Powers, which I
possess at your expense. A gentleman Goes Forth on a
showery and Miry day, he returns Immaculate in the evening with a
gloss. Still on his hat and his boots.
He has been a fixture therefore all day.
He is not a man with intimate friends, where then could he
have been? Is it not obvious?
Well, it is rather obvious the world is full of Things which
Nobody by any chance ever observes?
Where do you think that? I have been a fixture?
Also, on the contrary I have been to Devonshire in spirit,
exactly. My body has remained in his
armchair and has I regret to observe consumed in my absence
two large pots of coffee and an incredible amount of tobacco.
After you left, I sent down to Stanford's for the Ordnance map
of this portion of the Moor. And my spirit has hovered over
it all day. I flatter myself that I could
find my way about Large-scale map.
I presume very large. He unrolled one section and held
it over his knee. Here you have the particular
District which concerns us that is Baskerville Hall in the
Middle with a wood around it. Exactly.
I fancy. The yew alley, though, not
marked under that name must stretch along this line with the
Moor as you perceive upon the right of it.
This small clump of buildings. Here is the Hamlet of grimpen
where our friend dr. Mortimer has his headquarters
within a radius of 5 miles there are.
As you see, only a very few scattered dwellings.
Here is laughter Hall which was mentioned in the narrative.
There is a house indicated here which may be the residents of
the naturalist Stapleton. If I remember, right?
Was his name? Here are two Moorland farm
houses. Hi, I tore and foul Meyer, then
14 miles away, the great convict prison of Princetown between and
around these scattered points. Extends the desolate lifeless
more. This then is the stage upon
which tragedy has been played, and upon which we may help to
play it. Again, it must be a wild place.
Yes, the setting is a worthy one.
If the devil did desire to have a hand in the Affairs of men,
Then you owe yourself inclining to the supernatural explanation.
The devil's agents may be of Flesh and Blood may they not.
There are two questions waiting for us at the outset.
The one is whether any crime has been committed at all.
The second is, what is the crime?
And how was it committed? Of course, if dr.
Mortimer's surmise should be correct.
And we are dealing with forces outside.
The ordinary laws of nature. There is an end of our
investigation. Ian, but we are bound to exhaust
all other hypotheses before falling back upon this one.
I think will shut that window again, if you don't mind.
It is a singular thing that I find that a concentrated
atmosphere, helps a concentration of thought, I have
not pushed it to the length of getting into a box to think, but
that is The Logical outcome of my convictions.
Have you turned the case over in your mind?
Yes, I've thought a good deal of it in the course of the day.
What do you make of it? It is very bewildering.
It has certainly a character of its own.
There are points of Distinction about it that change in the
footprints. For example, what do you make of
that Mortimer? Said that the man had walked on
tiptoe down that portion of the alley.
He only repeated what some fool had said at the inquest.
Why should a man walk on tiptoe down the alley, what then he was
running Watson, running desperately running for his life
running, until he burst his heart, and fell dead upon his
face running from what? There lies our problem.
There are indications that the man was crazed with fear before
he ever began to run. How can you say that?
I am presuming that, the cause of his fears came to him across
the Moor. If that was so and it seems most
probable, only a man who had lost his wits would have run
from the house instead of towards it.
If the gypsies evidence may be taken as true, he ran with cries
for help in the direction, where help was least likely to be.
Then again, whom was he waiting for that night and why was he
waiting for him in the you Ally, rather than in his own house?
You think that he was waiting for someone?
The man was elderly and infirm, we can understand his taking an
evening stroll, but the ground was damp and the night in
Clement is it natural that he should stand for 5 or 10 minutes
as dr. Mortimer with more practical
sense than I should have given him credit for.
Did you strum the cigar Ash But he went out every evening.
I think it unlikely that he waited at the Moor gate, every
evening on the contrary, the evidence is that he avoided the
more that night, he waited there, it was the night before
he made his departure for London.
The thing takes shape Watson it becomes coherent.
Might, I ask you to hand me my violin and we will postpone all
further thought upon this business, until we've had the
advantage of meeting dr. Ultima and Sir, Henry
Baskerville in the morning end of chapter 3.