2010年12月7日星期二

When we reached the Hall

When we reached the Hall,Sir Henry was very pleased to see Holmes.But he was surprised that Holmes had no luggage and that he appeared so unexpectedly.
I had the unhappy job of telling Barrymore and his wife about her brother's death.Mrs Barrymore cried and was very sad indeed.
During dinner Sir Henry told us that he had spent a dull day and evening on his own.He had kept his promise to Holmes,and so he had not accepted the Stapletons' invitation to their house that evening.We did not tell him how glad we were that he had stayed away from the moor!
Holmes started to say something,and then he stopped suddenly.His eyes were fixed on one of the pictures of the past Baskervilles on the wall.
'Sir Henry,could you tell me which Baskerville that is?'he asked.Sir Henry and I both looked at the picture.
'That is Sir Hugo,the one who started all the trouble,'said Sir Henry.'He was the first to see the Hound.
Holmes looked hard at the picture,but said nothing more.Then after Sir Henry had gone to his room,Holmes made me stand in front of the picture.' Is it like anyone you know?'he asked.He stood on a chair,and with his hands he covered the hat and hair of the man in the picture.
'Good heavens!' I cried in surprise.I was looking at a picture of Stapleton' s face.
'Yes,'said Holmes before I could say anything more.'There's not much doubt about it.Stapleton is a Baskerville.He looks like Sir Hugo,and he has the same evil character.Now I understand why he wants to kill Sir Henry.I am sure we shall find that he will inherit the Baskerville lands.And so we have one more answer.By tomorrow night Stapleton will be canght like one of his butterflies,and we shall add him to the Baker Street collection.'
We soon went to bed.I was up early in the morning,but Holmes was up earlier.He had already sent one message to the police about Selden,and another to his boy to stop him taking food to the hut.
When Sir Henry joined us,Holmes told him that we had to leave for London immediately after breakfast.Sir Henry was very unhappy about this,but Holmes asked him to help us by doing everything Holmes ordered him to do.Sir Henry agreed to help in this way,and to go by himself to the Stapletons that evening.He also agreed to tell the Stapletons that Holmes and I had gone to London,but that we would return to Devonshire soon.
'One more order,'said Holmes.'I want you to drive to the Stapletons'house and then send the driver away.Let the Stapletons know that you' re going to walk home across the moor.'
Across the moor?' said Sir Henry,very surprised.' But you have told me again and again not to do that.'
'This time it will be completely safe.I know that you are brave enough to do it,and it must be done.'
'Then I will do it.'
'But you must keep to the path between the Stapletons'house and the Grimpen road,which is your natural way home.Do not leave the path.'
I was very surprised by all this.Holmes had told Stapleton that he would return to London,but he had not said that I was going too.And I was very worried that neither of us would be with Sir Henry when he walked across the moor that night.But we had to obey Holmes' orders.
Holmes and I left Baskerville Hall immediately after break fast and went to the station at Newtown.A small boy was waiting on the platform.
'Any orders,sir?'he asked Holmes.
'You will take the train to London,my boy.When you get there,you will send a telegram to Sir Henry in my name.It will ask him to send to me at Baker Street the pocket book I left at the Hall.'
I began to understand some of Holmes' plan.When Sir Hen ry received the telegram sent by Holmes' boy,he would think that we had arrived in London.He would tell Stapleton,who would then also believe that we were far away from Baskerville Hall.In fact,we would be very close in case Sir Henry needed us.
We left the station and went to see Mrs Laura Lyons.I in troduced Holmes to her.After they had shaken hands,he said:'Dr Watson has told me everything,Mrs Lyons.We see Sir Charles'death as a case of murder.Both Stapleton and his wife are suspects.

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