巴斯克维尔猎犬(英文版)-第12章

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he　terrible　creature　got　closer　to　him．We　were　so　frozen　bythe　ghostly　and　unnatural　sight　that　we　let　the　hound　go　past　us，and　we　could　not　move．Our　friend　was　near　to　death，and　we　were　helpless　with　fear．

　　



　

17　　The　Search　for　the　Murderer

　　

Then　our　fear　for　Sir　Henry　became　greater　than　our　ter　ror．Holmes　and　I　fired　our　revolvers　together．The　creature　gave　a　loud　cry　of　pain，and　we　knew　we　had　hit　it．But　it　did　not　stop，and　ran　on，after　Sir　Henry．

When　we　heard　the　cry　of　pain，our　fears　disappeared．This　was　no　supernatural　hound．Our　bullets　could　hurt　it，and　we　could　kill　it．We　ran　after　it　as　fast　as　we　could．I　have　never　seen　anyone　run　as　quickly　as　Holmes　ran　that　night，and　I　could　not　keep　up　with　him．In　front　of　us　on　the　path　we　heard　scream　after　scream　from　Sir　Henry，and　the　deep　voice　of　the　hound．I　saw　the　creature　jump　at　Sir　Henry　and　throw　him　to　the　ground．Its　teeth　went　for　his　throat．But　the　next　moment　Holmes　had　emptied　his　revolver　into　the　hound's　body．It　gave　a　last　deep　cry，its　teeth　closed　on　the　empty　air，and　it　fell　to　the　ground．I　put　my　revolver　to　its　head，but　I　did　not　need　to　fire．The　hound　was　dead．

Sir　Henry　lay　unconscious　where　he　had　fallen．Quickly　we　opened　the　neck　of　his　shirt．Holmes　had　fired　just　in　time，and　the　hound's　teeth　had　not　reached　our　friend's　throat．Already　his　eyes　were　beginning　to　open　and　he　looked　up　at　us．

‘My　God，’he　whispered．‘What　was　it？What　in　heaven's　name　was　it？’

‘It's　dead，whatever　it　was，’said　Holmes．‘We've　killed　the　family　ghost　for　ever．’

The　creature　that　lay　before　us　was　as　large　as　a　small　lion．Its　mouth　and　teeth　were　huge．They　shone　with　blue　flames．There　were　rings　of　blue　fire　round　its　cruel　eyes，too．I　touched　the　hound's　burning　coat．When　I　held　up　my　hand，it，too，seemed　to　be　on　fire．

‘Phosphorus，’I　said，‘That　is　why　the　hound　appears　to　burn　in　the　dark．Stapleton　put　phosphorous　paint　on　the　hound　in　the　hut　beside　the　house．’

But　Holmes　was　thinking　more　about　Sir　Henry　than　about　Stapleton's　cleverness．

‘I　must　apologize　to　you，Sir　Henry，’he　said．‘I　put　your　life　in　danger．I　expected　to　see　a　huge　hound，but　not　a　crea　ture　like　this．The　fog　gave　us　a　very　short　time　to　control　our　fear，and　for　moments　we　could　not　move．’

‘Never　mind，’said　Sir　Henry．‘You　saved　my　life，and　I　thank　you．Please　help　me　stand　up．What　are　you　going　to　do　now？’

Sir　Henry's　legs　were　shaking　so　much　from　his　terrible　ex　perience　that　he　could　not　stand．We　helped　him　to　a　rock．He　sat　there　and　held　his　head　in　his　hands．

‘We　must　leave　you　here，Sir　Henry，and　try　to　catch　Staple　ton．We　shall　e　back　as　quickly　as　possible　and　take　you　to　the　Hall．Our　case　is　plete，but　we　must　now　catch　our　man．’

I　followed　Holmes　along　the　path　back　to　the　house．

‘We　must　search　the　house，’said　Holmes，‘but　almost　cer　tainly　he　won't　be　there．He　probably　heard　the　noise　of　our　guns，so　he　knows　his　evil　game　is　finished．’

The　front　door　of　the　house　was　open．We　went　in　and　looked　from　room　to　room．All　the　rooms　downstairs　were　empty，so　we　went　upstairs　and　looked　in　all　the　rooms　except　one，which　was　locked．

‘There's　someone　in　there，’I　said．‘I　heard　someone　move．Help　me　break　open　this　door．’

We　threw　ourselves　against　the　door，and　as　the　lock　broke　we　went　in．We　held　our　revolvers　ready　to　fire．

In　the　middle　of　the　room　was　a　figure　tied　to　a　post．We　could　not　see　whether　it　was　a　man　or　a　woman，as　it　was　　pletely　covered　with　sheets．Only　the　eyes　and　nose　were　free．

We　pulled　off　the　sheets　and　untied　the　prisoner　from　the　post．It　was　Miss　Stapleton．As　we　untied　her，we　could　see　long　red　bruises　across　her　neck．

‘That　cruel　devil　Stapleton　has　beaten　her，’Holmes　said．‘Put　her　into　a　chair．’Miss　Stapleton　had　fainted　from　the　beating　and　exhaustion．As　we　put　her　into　the　chair，she　opened　her　eyes．

‘Is　he　safe？’she　asked．‘Has　he　escaped？’

‘He　cannot　escape　us，Miss　Stapleton，’Holmes　said．

‘No，no，I　don't　mean　my　husband．I　mean　Sir　Henry．Is　he　safe？’

‘Yes，’I　said，‘and　the　hound　is　dead．’　

‘Thank　God，’she　said．‘Thank　God．Oh，the　cruel　devil．Look　what　he　has　done　to　me．’She　showed　us　her　arms，and　we　saw　with　horror　that　her　skin　was　black　and　blue　where　she　had　been　beaten．‘But　he　has　hurt　me　more　in　other　ways．While　I　thought　he　loved　me，I　accepted　many　things．But　he　doesn't　love　me．He　has　used　me．’

‘Then　help　us　now，’said　Holmes．‘Tell　us　where　he　has　gone．’

‘There　is　an　old　house　on　an　island　in　the　middle　of　the　marsh，’she　said．‘He　kept　his　hound　there．He　also　had　the　house　ready　in　case　he　needed　to　escape．He　will　be　there，I'm　sure．’

‘Nobody　could　find　his　way　into　the　Grimpen　Marsh　in　this　fog　tonight，’said　Holmes，looking　out　of　the　window．

The　fog　lay　like　white　wool　against　the　glass，and　we　knew　we　could　not　try　to　follow　him　until　it　cleared．We　decided　to　take　Sir　Henry　back　to　Baskerville　Hall．We　had　to　tell　him　everything　about　the　Stapletons，and　he　was　deeply　hurt　when　he　heard　the　truth　about　the　woman　he　loved．The　news　that　she　was　married，and　the　awful　fear　he　had　experienced，brought　on　a　fever．We　sent　for　Dr　Mortimer，who　came　and　sat　with　Sir　Henry　throughout　the　night．

On　the　following　morning　Miss　Stapleton　took　us　to　the　path　through　the　marsh．The　fog　had　lifted，and　she　showed　us　the　sticks　which　she　and　her　husband　had　put　in　to　mark　the　way．We　followed　them　through　the　marsh，which　smelled　of　dying　plants．The　wet　ground　pulled　at　our　feet　as　we　walked．From　time　to　time　one　of　us　stepped　from　the　path　and　sank　up　to　his　waist　in　the　marsh．One　man　on　his　own　could　not　hope　to　escape　the　pull　of　the　marsh；without　help　he　would　sink　to　his　death．

But　we　did　not　find　any　sign　of　Stapleton．We　searched　andsearched　without　success．There　is　no　doubt　that　he　lost　hisway　in　the　fog，and　sank　in　the　marsh　Somewhere，deep　down，his　body　lies　to　this　day．

We　reached　the　island　Miss　Stapleton　had　described，and　searched　the　old　house．

‘This　place　tells　us　nothing　that　we　do　not　already　know，’said　Holmes．‘These　bones　show　that　he　hid　the　hound　here，but　he　could　not　keep　it　quiet，so　people　heard　its　cries．Here　is　the　bottle　of　phosphorous　paint．Stapleton　used　it　very　cleverly　on　the　hound．After　what　we　saw　and　felt　last　night，we　cannot　be　surprised　that　Sir　Charles　died　of　fright．And　now　I　under　stand　how　Selden　knew　that　the　hound　was　following　him　in　the　dark．It's　not　surprising　the　poor　man　screamed　and　ran　as　he　did．The　old　story　of　the　supernatural　hound　probably　gave　Stapleton　the　idea　of　using　phosphorus．Very　clever．I　said　it　in　London　and　I　say　it　again，Watson．We　have　never　had　a　more　dangerous　enemy　than　the　one　who　is　lying　out　there’—and　he　pointed　to　the　great　marsh　that　was　all　round　us．

　　



　
18　　Looking　Back

　　

It　was　the　end　of　November，more　than　a　month　after　ourreturn　from　Baskerville　Hall．Holmes　and　I　were　sitting　on　either　side　of　a　bright　fire　in　our　sitting　room　in　Baker　Street．Since　our　return，Holmes　had　been　working　hard　on　two　other　cases，and　he　had　been　too　busy　to　discuss　the　Baskerville　case．But　now　the　other　cases　were　finished，and　he　had　been　successful　in　both　of　them．I　decided　it　was　a　good　time　to　ask　him　the　final　questions　about　Stapleton　and　the　hound．

‘The　picture　showed　us　that　Stapleton　was　indeed　a　Baskerville，’Holmes　began．‘He　was　the　son　of　Roger　Baskerville，who　was　Sir　Charles’younger　brotner．Roger　was　a　criminal　who　escaped　from　prison　and　ran　away　to　South　America．Everyone　thought　he　had　died　unmarried，but　that　was　not　true．He　had　one　son，also　called　Roger，whom　we　knew　as　Stapleton．Stapleton　married　a　beautiful　South　Ameri　can，and　came　to　England，where　he　started　a　school　in　the　north．He　discovered　that　he　would　inherit　the　Baskerville　lands　and　fortune　if　Sir　Charles　and　Sir　Henry　both　died．That　is　why　he　moved　to　Devonshire　when　the　school　closed．

‘When　he　met　Sir　Charles，he　heard　the　story　of　the　hell　hound．He　also　learned　th