Sherlock Holmes: Hounds of the Baskervilles (in English and Chinese) – 15A Retrospection Review

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right">A Retrospection</h1>

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It was the end of November, and Holmes and I sat, upon a raw and foggy night, on either side of a blazing fire in our sitting-room in Baker Street. Since the tragic upshot of our visit to Devonshire he had been engaged in two affairs of the utmost importance, in the first of which he had exposed the atrocious conduct of Colonel Upwood in connection with the famous card scandal of the Nonpareil Club, while in the second he had defended the unfortunate Mme. Montpensier from the charge of murder which hung over her in connection with the death of her step-daughter, Mlle. Carere, the young lady who, as it will be remembered, was found six months later alive and married in New York. My friend was in excellent spirits over the success which had attended a succession of difficult and important cases, so that I was able to induce him to discuss the details of the Baskerville mystery. I had waited patiently for the opportunity for I was aware that he would never permit cases to overlap, and that his clear and logical mind would not be drawn from its present work to dwell upon memories of the past. Sir Henry and Dr. Mortimer were, however, in London, on their way to that long voyage which had been recommended for the restoration of his shattered nerves. They had called upon us that very afternoon, so that it was natural that the subject should come up for discussion.

It was late November, a cold, foggy night, and in our Baker Street apartment, Holmes and I were sitting in the living room on either side of the roaring fire. After we went to Devon to experience the tragic case, he had already solved two of the most important cases. In the first case, he exposed Colonel Apou's mischief because of his connection to the famous "Matchless Club" card fraud case; in the second, he protected the unfortunate Mrs. Montbonche from the crime of murdering Miss Calais, the daughter of her husband's ex-wife, a young lady whom everyone remembers, who was still alive six months after the incident and was married in New York. My friend was in good spirits because of his success in a series of difficult and important cases, so I was able to induce him to talk about the details of the mysterious Baskerville case. I have been patiently waiting for this good opportunity, because as far as I know, he does not allow the cases to disturb each other, lest his clear mind distract him from his current work by recalling the past. Both Sir Henry and Dr. Mortimer were in London, preparing to make a long journey to restore Jazz's stimulated nerves. It was only that afternoon that they came to visit us, so it was natural to talk about the subject.

"The whole course of events," said Holmes, "from the point of view of the man who called himself Stapleton was simple and direct, although to us, who had no means in the beginning of knowing the motives of his actions and could only learn part of the facts, it all appeared exceedingly complex. I have had the advantage of two conversations with Mrs. Stapleton, and the case has now been so entirely cleared up that I am not aware that there is anything which has remained a secret to us. You will find a few notes upon the matter under the heading B in my indexed list of cases."

"The whole course of things," said Holmes, "is simple and clear from the point of view of the man who called himself Stapleton. Although, for us, the motives for his actions could not be known at the beginning, and even the facts could only be known in part, thus making the whole process seem extremely complicated. Mrs. Stapleton and I have spoken twice, and the case is now fully clear, and I don't know what mystery there will be. In the B-bar of my indexed case statistics table, you can find a few excerpts about this matter. ”

"Perhaps you would kindly give me a sketch of the course of events from memory."

"Maybe you'd like to talk about the whole case based on your memory."

"Certainly, though I cannot guarantee that I carry all the facts in my mind. Intense mental concentration has a curious way of blotting out what has passed. The barrister who has his case at his fingers' ends and is able to argue with an expert upon his own subject finds that a week or two of the courts will drive it all out of his head once more. So each of my cases displaces the last, and Mlle. Carere has blurred my recollection of Baskerville Hall. To-morrow some other little problem may be submitted to my notice which will in turn dispossess the fair French lady and the infamous Upwood. So far as the case of the hound goes, however, I will give you the course of events as nearly as I can, and you will suggest anything which I may have forgotten.

"Of course I am willing to talk about it, although I cannot guarantee that all the facts will be remembered, and the high concentration of thought will drown the memory of the past. A lawyer working on a case was able to argue with an expert on the issue of the case, but after a week or two of court proceedings, he forgot all about it. Thus, in my mind, later cases have constantly taken over the place of previous cases, and the matter of Miss Carly has obscured my recollection of the Baskerville Manor case. Tomorrow may be another little problem, and it will also replace the beautiful French girl and the infamous Apou case. But with regard to the case of the hound, I would like to tell you as correctly as possible, and if I have forgotten something, you will add to it.

"My inquiries show beyond all question that the family portrait did not lie, and that this fellow was indeed a Baskerville. He was a son of that Rodger Baskerville, the younger brother of Sir Charles, who fled with a sinister reputation to South America, where he was said to have died unmarried. He did, as a matter of fact, marry, and had one child, this fellow, whose real name is the same as his father's. He married Beryl Garcia, one of the beauties of Costa Rica, and, having purloined a considerable sum of public money, he changed his name to Vandeleur and fled to England, where he established a school in the east of Yorkshire. His reason for attempting this special line of business was that he had struck up an acquaintance with a consumptive tutor upon the voyage home, and that he had used this man's ability to make the undertaking a success. Fraser, the tutor, died however, and the school which had begun well sank from disrepute into infamy. The Vandeleurs found it convenient to change their name to Stapleton, and he brought the remains of his fortune, his schemes for the future, and his taste for entomology to the south of England. I learned at the British Museum that he was a recognized authority upon the subject, and that the name of Vandeleur has been permanently attached to a certain moth which he had, in his Yorkshire days, been the first to describe.

"My investigation confirmed without a doubt that the portrait of the Baskervilles was not deceitful, that the fellow was indeed a member of the Baskervilles, that he was the son of The Brother roger Baskerville of Sir Charles. Roger fled to South America with a terrible reputation, where legend has it that he died without marrying. In fact, he got married and had a child. The little fellow, who had the same name as his father, married a Costa Rican beauty, Belleil Garrothea, and after stealing a large amount of public funds, he changed his name to Van Dale and fled to England. Here he opened a primary school in the east of Yorkshire. The reason why he wanted to do this kind of business was because on his way home he occasionally met a teacher with lung disease, and he wanted to use this person's ability to make a successful career. But the Fritzer teacher died, and the school went from being discredited until it became infamous. The Van Dylers felt that it would be best to change their surname to Stapleton, so he moved to the south of England with the rest of his possessions, with future plans and a penchant for entomology. I learned from the British Museum that he was still a recognized authority on this subject, and that there was a moth that was first discovered during his residence in Yorkshire, so it was permanently named Van Dyler.

"We now come to that portion of his life which has proved to be of such intense interest to us. The fellow had evidently made inquiry and found that only two lives intervened between him and a valuable estate. When he went to Devonshire his plans were, I believe, exceedingly hazy, but that he meant mischief from the first is evident from the way in which he took his wife with him in the character of his sister. The idea of using her as a decoy was clearly already in his mind, though he may not have been certain how the details of his plot were to be arranged. He meant in the end to have the estate, and he was ready to use any tool or run any risk for that end. His first act was to establish himself as near to his ancestral home as he could, and his second was to cultivate a friendship with Sir Charles Baskerville and with the neighbours.

"We're talking about that part of his life now, and it does get us a lot of interest. The guy apparently discovered after an investigation that only two people were preventing him from acquiring a huge fortune. I believe that his plans were still vague when he went to Devon, but from the fact that he took his wife with him and brought her as a sister, it was clear that he had bad intentions from the beginning. Although he may not have yet determined the details of the whole conspiracy, it was clear that he had thought of using her as bait. He was determined to get his property in his hands, and to that end he would do whatever it took or risked. His first step was to first place his home in a place near his ancestral home, and the closer he got, the better. The second step was to develop friendship with Sir Charles Baskerville and his neighbours.

"The baronet himself told him about the family hound, and so prepared the way for his own death. Stapleton, as I will continue to call him, knew that the old man's heart was weak and that a shock would kill him. So much he had learned from Dr. Mortimer. He had heard also that Sir Charles was superstitious and had taken this grim legend very seriously. His ingenious mind instantly suggested a way by which the baronet could be done to death, and yet it would be hardly possible to bring home the guilt to the real murderer.

The baronet himself told him the legend of the family's hounds, and thus paved the way for himself to die. Stapleton—as I shall call him—knew that the old man's heart was weak, and that he could die in a single fright, all that he knew from Dr. Mortimer—and that sir Charles was superstitious and believed in the terrible legend. His quick mind immediately came up with a way to put the Baron to death and with little possibility of pursuing the real murderer.

"Having conceived the idea he proceeded to carry it out with considerable finesse. An ordinary schemer would have been content to work with a savage hound. The use of artificial means to make the creature diabolical was a flash of genius upon his part. The dog he bought in London from Ross and Mangles, the dealers in Fulham Road. It was the strongest and most savage in their possession. He brought it down by the North Devon line and walked a great distance over the moor so as to get it home without exciting any remarks. He had already on his insect hunts learned to penetrate the Grimpen Mire, and so had found a safe hiding-place for the creature. Here he kennelled it and waited his chance.

After having this idea in his mind, he took considerable pains to try to make it come true. An ordinary conspirator, using a vicious hound, is satisfied. But he also used artificial methods to make this animal as terrible as the devil, which is his wit and genius. The dog, which he had bought from Rose and Mangus, a dog trader on Flåme Street in London, was the strongest and fiercest of all their goods. He took it home in a North Devon Railroad car, and for fear of attracting attention he led his dog through the moor. He had learned how to walk into the Grimm basin while catching insects, so he could find a safe hiding place for the hound. He just shut it up there and used it on standby.

"But it was some time coming. The old gentleman could not be decoyed outside of his grounds at night. Several times Stapleton lurked about with his hound, but without avail. It was during these fruitless quests that he, or rather his ally, was seen by peasants, and that the legend of the demon dog received a new confirmation. He had hoped that his wife might lure Sir Charles to his ruin, but here she proved unexpectedly independent. She would not endeavour to entangle the old gentleman in a sentimental attachment which might deliver him over to his enemy. Threats and even, I am sorry to say, blows refused to move her. She would have nothing to do with it, and for a time Stapleton was at a deadlock.

"But the good opportunity did not come soon, and it was impossible to lure the old gentleman out of the house at night, and several times Stapleton ambushed outside with his hounds, but to no avail. In the midst of this fruitless pursuit, he, or rather his accomplice, was seen by the peasants, so the legend of the magic dog was newly confirmed. He had hoped that his wife might lead Charles to destruction, but on this issue she showed unexpected disobedience. She refused to drag the old gentleman into the network of lovers, for it would then be possible to hand him over to his mortal enemy, and the intimidation, the beatings which I did not even want to mention, did not shake her resolve, she did not want to participate in the matter in the slightest, and for a time Stapleton even reached the point of no return.

"He found a way out of his difficulties through the chance that Sir Charles, who had conceived a friendship for him, made him the minister of his charity in the case of this unfortunate woman, Mrs. Laura Lyons. By representing himself as a single man he acquired complete influence over her, and he gave her to understand.that in the event of her obtaining a divorce from her husband he would marry her. His plans were suddenly brought to a head by his knowledge that Sir Charles was about to leave the Hall on the advice of Dr. Mortimer, with whose opinion he himself pretended to coincide. He must act at once, or his victim might get beyond his power. He therefore put pressure upon Mrs. Lyons to write this letter, imploring the old man to give her an interview on the evening before his departure for London. He then, by a specious argument, prevented her from going, and so had the chance for which he had waited.

But he finally got an opportunity in the midst of difficulties. Since Sir Charles had developed a friendship with him, he put him in charge of the charitable funds in the matter of helping the poor woman, Mrs. Laura Lyons. Since he appeared as a bachelor, he was able to have a decisive influence on her. He told her that if her divorce from her husband was successful, he would marry her. But his plan suddenly came at a critical juncture, and sir Chalds, on the advice of Dr. Mortimer, was preparing to move out of the manor, and he himself pretended to agree with this opinion, but he must act at once, or he would be whipped away as soon as the person he was going to do was far away. So he forced Mrs. Lyons to write the letter, pleading with the old man to meet her once the night before he went to London, and then to keep her from going to the appointment for a set of reasons that sounded plausible, so that he was given a good opportunity that had not been available for a long time.

"Driving back in the evening from Coombe Tracey he was in time to get his hound, to treat it with his infernal paint, and to bring the beast round to the gate at which he had reason to expect that he would find the old gentleman waiting. The dog, incited by its master, sprang over the wicket-gate and pursued the unfortunate baronet, who fled screaming down the yew alley. In that gloomy tunnel it must indeed have been a dreadful sight to see that huge black creature, with its flaming jaws and blazing eyes, bounding after its victim. He fell dead at the end of the alley from heart disease and terror. The hound had kept upon the grassy border while the baronet had run down the path, so that no track but the man's was visible. On seeing him lying still the creature had probably approached to sniff at him, but finding him dead had turned away again. It was then that it left the print which was actually observed by Dr. Mortimer. The hound was called off and hurried away to its lair in the Grimpen Mire, and a mystery was left which puzzled the authorities, alarmed the countryside, and finally brought the case within the scope of our observation.

In the evening he had returned in the car from Qom Tracy, and had enough time to get his hounds back, to paint them with glowing paint, and to take the beast near the gate, where he knew he must see the old gentleman waiting there. The dog, instigated by his master, jumped over the gate and chased after the unfortunate baronet, who was chased and ran down the water pine lane while shouting. It was terrifying to see the big, dark guy with his mouth and eyes jumping forward behind him in such a dark passage, so he fell to the ground at the end of the passage due to heart disease and excessive fear. The hound ran along the grassy road, while the baronet ran on the path, so that there was no trace of anything but the footprints of men. When the dog saw him lying motionless, he perhaps approached and sniffed, but when he saw that he was dead, he turned his head and left, and it was then that it left the paw prints that Dr. Mortimer had seen. The hounds were called back and hurried back to the kennel set up in the Grimm Basin mud. This mysterious incident puzzled the authorities and surprised the people in the countryside, and finally we took over the investigation of the case.

"So much for the death of Sir Charles Baskerville. You perceive the devilish cunning of it, for really it would be almost impossible to make a case against the real murderer. His only accomplice was one who could never give him away, and the grotesque, inconceivable nature of the device only served to make it more effective. Both of the women concerned in the case, Mrs. Stapleton and Mrs. Laura Lyons, were left with a strong suspicion against Stapleton. Mrs. Stapleton knew that he had designs upon the old man, and also of the existence of the hound. Mrs. Lyons knew neither of these things, but had been impressed by the death occurring at the time of an uncancelled appointment which was only known to him. However, both of them were under his influence, and he had nothing to fear from them. The first half of his task was successfully accomplished but the more difficult still remained.

"That's all there is to it about the death of Sir Charles Baskerville. As you can see, the means used here are so cunning that, indeed, it is almost impossible to prosecute the real murderer. His only accomplice would never divulge his secrets, and the odd and unimaginable maneuvers made his plot go even more smoothly. The two women involved in the case, Mrs. Stapleton and Mrs. Laura Lyons, were extremely suspicious of Stapleton. Mrs. Stapleton knew that he was plotting against the old man, and that there was the hound; Mrs. Lyons did not know either of these things, but she remembered that the time of the violent death was the time of the appointment that had not been canceled, and that the date was known only to him, so she was not without doubt. However, they were both under his control, and he had nothing to fear of them. The first half of the whole conspiracy was successfully realized, but the rest was more difficult.

"It is possible that Stapleton did not know of the existence of an heir in Canada. In any case he would very soon learn it from his friend Dr. Mortimer, and he was told by the latter all details about the arrival of Henry Baskerville. Stapleton's first idea was that this young stranger from Canada might possibly be done to death in London without coming down to Devonshire at all. He distrusted his wife ever since she had refused to help him in laying a trap for the old man, and he dared not leave her long out of his sight for fear he should lose his influence over her. It was for this reason that he took her to London with him. They lodged, I find, at the Mexborough Private Hotel, in Craven Street, which was actually one of those called upon by my agent in search of evidence. Here he kept his wife imprisoned in her room while he, disguised in a beard, followed Dr. Mortimer to Baker Street and afterwards to the station and to the Northumberland Hotel. His wife had some inkling of his plans; but she had such a fear of her husband -- a fear founded upon brutal ill-treatment -- that she dare not write to warn the man whom she knew to be in danger. If the letter should fall into Stapleton's hands her own life would not be safe. Eventually, as we know, she adopted the expedient of cutting out the words which would form the message, and addressing the letter in a disguised hand. It reached the baronet, and gave him the first warning of his danger.

"Maybe Stapleton didn't know there was an heir in Canada. But in any case, he soon learned from his friend Dr. Mortimer. Dr. Mortimer later told him in detail about henry baskerville's arrival. Stapleton's first thought was that perhaps there would be no need to wait for this strange young man from Canada to come to Devon and kill him in London. Ever since his wife had refused to help him trap the old man, he had ceased to trust his wife, and he did not even dare to leave her for a long time, for fear that he would lose control of her, and that was why he took her with him to London. I found them living in the Mexboro Private Hotel on Craven Street, where I had sent someone to gather evidence. There he locked his wife in his room, and he put on a false beard and followed Dr. Mortimer, first to Baker Street, then to the station, and to the Northonbrand Hotel. His wife knew somewhat of his plot, but she was so frightened of her husband—a fear of brutal abuse—that she did not dare to write to warn the man she knew was in danger, for if the letter fell into Stapleton's hands, her life would be in danger. Finally, as we all know, she took the expedient measure of compiling the letter with the words cut from the newspaper and writing the addressee on the envelope in disguised handwriting. The letter reached the baronet and gave him the first warning of danger.

"It was very essential for Stapleton to get some article of Sir Henry's attire so that, in case he was driven to use the dog, he might always have the means of setting him upon his track. With characteristic promptness and audacity he set about this at once, and we cannot doubt that the boots or chamber-maid of the hotel was well bribed to help him in his design. By chance, however, the first boot which was procured for him was a new one and, therefore, useless for his purpose. He then had it returned and obtained another -- a most instructive incident, since it proved conclusively to my mind that we were dealing with a real hound, as no other supposition could explain this anxiety to obtain an old boot and this indifference to a new one. The more outre and grotesque an incident is the more carefully it deserves to be examined, and the very point which appears to complicate a case is, when duly considered and scientifically handled, the one which is most likely to elucidate it.

"It is very important for Stapleton to get a piece of Sir Henry's clothing, for once it is time to use a dog, he will have something to keep the dog smelling, and he will at once move with his characteristic agility and boldness, and we can be sure that the male and female servants of the hotel must have accepted many bribes to help him achieve his ends. But it so happened that the first shoe he got was new and of no use to him, and then he returned it and stole another—and this was the most helpful to us, for he confirmed in my heart that it was a real hound who was dealing with us, for there was no other hypothesis as to why he was in such a hurry to get an old shoe and so uninterested in a new shoe. The more bizarre things are, the more they deserve to be scrutinized, and the point that seems to complicate the whole case is often the most telling point if given proper consideration and scientific treatment.

"Then we had the visit from our friends next morning, shadowed always by Stapleton in the cab. From his knowledge of our rooms and of my appearance, as well as from his general conduct, I am inclined to think that Stapleton's career of crime has been by no means limited to this single Baskerville affair. It is suggestive that during the last three years there have been four considerable burglaries in the west country, for none of which was any criminal ever arrested. The last of these, at Folkestone Court, in May, was remarkable for the cold-blooded pistolling of the page, who surprised the masked and solitary burglar. I cannot doubt that Stapleton recruited his waning resources in this fashion, and that for years he has been a desperate and dangerous man.

"Later, the next morning, our friends came to visit us again, and they had been followed by Stapleton, who was sitting in the carriage. Judging from how well he knew about our house and my appearance and his general behavior, I felt that Stapleton's criminal history was by no means limited to the Baskerville Manor case. It is said that in the past three years, there have been four major thefts in the west, but none of them have caught the criminals. The last one, which took place in The Forks In may, was special in that a servant was brutally shot to death for trying to capture the masked single thief. I believe that this is how Stapleton replenished his dwindling possessions, and that he had been a dangerous outlaw all these years.

"We had an example of his readiness of resource that morning when he got away from us so successfully, and also of his audacity in sending back my own name to me through the cabman. From that moment he understood that I had taken over the case in London, and that therefore there was no chance for him there. He returned to Dartmoor and awaited the arrival of the baronet."

"That morning, when he managed to escape from our hands and conveyed my name to me through the coachman, we had already appreciated his wit and boldness. From then on, he knew that I had taken over the case in London, and he knew that he would never get a chance to do it there again, so he returned to the Dart Moor and waited for the arrival of the Baronet. ”

"One moment!" said I. "You have, no doubt, described the sequence of events correctly, but there is one point which you have left unexplained. What became of the hound when its master was in London?"

"Wait a minute!" I said, "No doubt you have truthfully described what happened, but there is one thing you have not yet explained. What about the hound when the owner was in London? ”

"I have given some attention to this matter and it is undoubtedly of importance. There can be no question that Stapleton had a confidant, though it is unlikely that he ever placed himself in his power by sharing all his plans with him. There was an old manservant at Merripit House, whose name was Anthony. His connection with the Stapletons can be traced for several years, as far back as the schoolmastering days, so that he must have been aware that his master and mistress were really husband and wife. This man has disappeared and has escaped from the country. It is suggestive that Anthony is not a common name in England, while Antonio is so in all Spanish or Spanish-American countries. The man, like Mrs. Stapleton herself, spoke good English, but with a curious lisping accent. I have myself seen this old man cross the Grimpen Mire by the path which Stapleton had marked out. It is very probable, therefore, that in the absence of his master it was he who cared for the hound, though he may never have known the purpose for which the beast was used.

"I have noticed this, and it is undoubtedly important. There was no problem with It, Stapleton had a crony, though it didn't seem like Stapleton had told him all of his plans and was under his control. There was an old servant named Anthony in the Mellippi Mansion, whose relationship with the Stapleton family dates back to the time when Stapleton was the principal of the elementary school a few years ago, so he must have known that his master and mistress were indeed husband and wife, and that this man had escaped from the country and disappeared. The surname 'Antony' seems to be unusual in England, and the surname 'Antonio' is also unusual in all Spanish-speaking countries and in the Americas. This man, like Mrs. Stapleton, spoke very good English, but with a strange smell of a large tongue. I had seen this old man walk through the Grimm Basin mud swamp along the path marked by Stapleton. Therefore, it is likely that he took care of the hounds when his owner was away. Although he may never have known what he was doing to raise this beast.

"The Stapletons then went down to Devonshire, whither they were soon followed by Sir Henry and you. One word now as to how I stood myself at that time. It may possibly recur to your memory that when I examined the paper upon which the printed words were fastened I made a close inspection for the watermark. In doing so I held it within a few inches of my eyes, and was conscious of a faint smell of the scent known as white jessamine. There are seventy-five perfumes, which it is very necessary that a criminal expert should be able to distinguish from each other, and cases have more than once within my own experience depended upon their prompt recognition. The scent suggested the presence of a lady, and already my thoughts began to turn towards the Stapletons. Thus I had made certain of the hound, and had guessed at the criminal before ever we went to the west country.

The Steptons then returned to Devon. Soon Sir Henry and you were there to keep up with them. To mention my personal opinion at that time, perhaps you can recall that when I examined the letter with the lead print of the newspaper on it, I carefully examined the watermark on the paper. During the examination, I held it just a few inches from my eyes and felt a scent that resembled a white spring flower. There are seventy-five perfumes, and a criminologist should be able to distinguish each of them. According to my personal experience, in more than one case, it is only possible to quickly identify the type of perfume to solve the case. The scent suggested that there was a lady involved in the case, and that the Stapletons had already begun to think of me. That's how I identified the hound before I went to the western countryside and guessed the culprit.

"It was my game to watch Stapleton. It was evident, however, that I could not do this if I were with you, since he would be keenly on his guard. I deceived everybody, therefore, yourself included, and I came down secretly when I was supposed to be in London. My hardships were not so great as you imagined, though such trifling details must never interfere with the investigation of a case. I stayed for the most part at Coombe Tracey, and only used the hut upon the moor when it was necessary to be near the scene of action. Cartwright had come down with me, and in his disguise as a country boy he was of great assistance to me. I was dependent upon him for food and clean linen. When I was watching Stapleton, Cartwright was frequently watching you, so that I was able to keep my hand upon all the strings.

"The trick I played was to spy on Stapleton. But, obviously, if I were with you, I wouldn't be able to do it, because then he would be more careful. So I deceived everyone— including you— and when they thought I was still in London, I had secretly gone to the countryside. I have not suffered as much as you might think, and I must not allow these subtle details to disrupt the investigation of the case. I spent most of my time in Qom Tracy, and only when I had to get close to the crime scene did I go to live in a hut on the moor. Catale came with me, pretending to be a country kid and helping me too much. I was able to get food and clean clothes by him, and Carterley was constantly watching you while I was spying on Stapleton, so my hands could catch all the clues.

"I have already told you that your reports reached me rapidly, being forwarded instantly from Baker Street to Coombe Tracey. They were of great service to me, and especially that one incidentally truthful piece of biography of Stapleton's. I was able to establish the identity of the man and the woman and knew at last exactly how I stood. The case had been considerably complicated through the incident of the escaped convict and the relations between him and the Barrymores. This also you cleared up in a very effective way, though I had already come to the same conclusions from my own observations.

"I've already told you that your reports will be delivered to me quickly, because they'll be sent to Qom Tracy as soon as they get to Baker Street." Those reports were of great help to me, especially the one about Stapleton's life that happened to be true. I was able to prove that it was the man and the woman, and finally I knew exactly how I should know. The fact that the fugitive and his relationship with Barry Mo did complicate the case quite a bit has been clarified by you in a very effective way, although I have come to the same conclusion through my own observations.

"By the time that you discovered me upon the moor I had a complete knowledge of the whole business, but I had not a case which could go to a jury. Even Stapleton's attempt upon Sir Henry that night which ended in the death of the unfortunate convict did not help us much in proving murder against our man. There seemed to be no alternative but to catch him red-handed, and to do so we had to use Sir Henry, alone and apparently unprotected, as a bait. We did so, and at the cost of a severe shock to our client we succeeded in completing our case and driving Stapleton to his destruction. That Sir Henry should have been exposed to this is, I must confess, a reproach to my management of the case, but we had no means of foreseeing the terrible and paralyzing spectacle which the beast presented, nor could we predict the fog which enabled him to burst upon us at such short notice. We succeeded in our object at a cost which both the specialist and Dr. Mortimer assure me will be a temporary one. A long journey may enable our friend to recover not only from his shattered nerves but also from his wounded feelings. His love for the lady was deep and sincere, and to him the saddest part of all this black business was that he should have been deceived by her.

"When you found me in the moor, I had all the facts, but I did not yet have enough evidence to go before the jurors, and even the fact that Stapleton attempted to murder Sir Henry that night, but ended up killing the unfortunate fugitive, is difficult to prove that he was guilty of homicide. It seemed that there was no other way but to catch him on the spot, and to do so we would have to use Sir Henry as bait to leave him in a situation of solitude and apparent lack of protection. We did so, and though we were severely frightened by our clients, we finally gathered the evidence of the crime and drove Stapleton to destruction. Sir Henry was plunged into danger, and I confess that this can only be said to be a major shortcoming in my dealing with this case, but we cannot foresee that the beast would appear so terrible and frightening, nor can we predict the appearance of the fog that made it so sudden. The completion of our task came at a price, but the specialist Dr. Mortimer assured me that the effects of this cost were only temporary. A long journey not only restores our friend's battered nerves, but heals his wounds, and his love for the lady is deep. To him, the saddest thing about this unfortunate thing was that he had been deceived by her.

"It only remains to indicate the part which she had played throughout. There can be no doubt that Stapleton exercised an influence over her which may have been love or may have been fear, or very possibly both, since they are by no means incompatible emotions. It was, at least, absolutely effective. At his command she consented to pass as his sister, though he found the limits of his power over her when he endeavoured to make her the direct accessory to murder. She was ready to warn Sir Henry so far as she could without implicating her husband, and again and again she tried to do so. Stapleton himself seems to have been capable of jealousy, and when he saw the baronet paying court to the lady, even though it was part of his own plan, still he could not help interrupting with a passionate outburst which revealed the fiery soul which his self-contained manner so cleverly concealed. By encouraging the intimacy he made it certain that Sir Henry would frequently come to Merripit House and that he would sooner or later get the opportunity which he desired. On the day of the crisis, however, his wife turned suddenly against him. She had learned something of the death of the convict, and she knew that the hound was being kept in the outhouse on the evening that Sir Henry was coming to dinner. She taxed her husband with his intended crime, and a furious scene followed in which he showed her for the first time that she had a rival in his love. Her fidelity turned in an instant to bitter hatred, and he saw that she would betray him. He tied her up, therefore, that she might have no chance of warning Sir Henry, and he hoped, no doubt, that when the whole countryside put down the baronet's death to the curse of his family, as they certainly would do, he could win his wife back to accept an accomplished fact and to keep silent upon what she knew. In this I fancy that in any case he made a miscalculation, and that, if we had not been there, his doom would none the less have been sealed. A woman of Spanish blood does not condone such an irjury so lightly. And now, my dear Watson, without referring to my notes, I cannot give you a more detailed account of this curious case. I do not know that anything essential has been left unexplained."

"All that needs to be said now is her role in this. Undoubtedly, she was under stapleton's control. The reason for this may be love, perhaps fear, or perhaps both, for this is by no means two emotions that cannot exist at the same time. The power of this control, at least absolutely effective, was at his behest, and she agreed to pretend to be his sister, though at the time when he wanted to make her participate directly in the murder, she also discovered that his control over her was still limited. As long as her husband was not implicated, she was ready to warn Sir Henry, and she had repeatedly wanted to do so. It seemed that Stapleton still seemed to be jealous, and when he saw the baronet proposing to the lady, although this was also within his own plans, he could not help but intervene in a furious manner, thus exposing his firestorm personality, which he had cleverly concealed by strong self-restraint. He used the method of drawing affection to make Sir Henry come to the Mellippi Mansion frequently, so that sooner or later he could get the good opportunity he had hoped for, but on the day of the crisis his wife suddenly turned against him. She knew a little about the fugitive's death, and she knew that the hound was locked up in the hut outside the evening sir Henry came for dinner. She condemned her husband's premeditated crime; he was furious, and for the first time he revealed to her that he had another love. Her former meekness had suddenly turned into a deep hatred, and he could see that she would betray him, so he tied her up, lest she warn Sir Henry whenever she had the opportunity, and no doubt he hoped that the whole country would blame the death of the baronet on his family—they would, of course, think so—that he would be able to win his wife's acceptance of the fait accompli and ask her to keep it a secret. On this question, I think, in any case he miscalculated, and even if we don't go there, his fate is also doomed. A woman of Spanish descent would not forgive such an insult so easily. My dear Watson, without referring to the excerpt, I cannot give you a more detailed account of this strange case. I don't know if there's anything important left that hasn't been explained. ”

"He could not hope to frighten Sir Henry to death as he had done the old uncle with his bogie hound."

"He cannot expect to frighten Sir Henry to death with his terrible hound as he did to kill his old uncle."

"The beast was savage and half-starved. If its appearance did not frighten its victim to death, at least it would paralyze the resistance which might be offered."

"The beast was fierce, and it was only half fed. Its appearance, if not scaring the people it was following, at least made him lose his resistance. ”

"No doubt. There only remains one difficulty. If Stapleton came into the succession, how could he explain the fact that he, the heir, had been living unannounced under another name so close to the property? How could he claim it without causing suspicion and inquiry?"

"Of course. There is one more puzzle left. If Stapleton inherited property, how could he explain the fact that he, the heir, had been living in seclusion so close to the property by changing his name and surname? How could he claim the right to inherit without arousing suspicion and demands for an investigation? ”

"It is a fomlidable difficulty, and I fear that you ask too much when you expect me to solve it. The past and the present are within the field of my inquiry, but what a man may do in the future is a hard question to answer. Mrs. Stapleton has heard her husband discuss the problem on several occasions. There were three possible courses. He might claim the property from South America, establish his identity before the British authorities there and so obtain the fortune without ever coming to England at all, or he might adopt an elaborate disguise during the short time that he need be in London; or, again, he might furnish an accomplice with the proofs and papers, putting him in as heir, and retaining a claim upon some proportion of his income. We cannot doubt from what we know of him that he would have found some way out of the difficulty. And now, my dear Watson, we have had some weeks of severe work, and for one evening, I think, we may turn our thoughts into more pleasant channels. I have a box for 'Les Huguenots.' Have you heard the De Reszkes? Might I trouble you then to be ready in half an hour, and we can stop at Marcini's for a little dinner on the way?"

"This is a huge difficulty, and if you want me to solve this problem, I'm afraid you are asking too much." I've investigated both the past and the present. But what will happen to a person in the future is a difficult question to answer. Mrs. Stapleton had heard her husband talk about the matter on several occasions, and there were three ways to go: he might have to claim the inheritance of the property from South America, and let the local British authorities prove his identity, so that he could get his hands on it without coming to England at all; or he could take the method of concealing his identity for a short period of time living in London; or he could find an accomplice, with documentary evidence, to prove the identity of his heir, but retain title to one of his earnings. According to what we know about him, he can always find a way to solve these difficulties. Ah, my dear Watson, we have been doing serious work for a few weeks, and I think we shall change our tastes and think of something pleasant tonight. I booked a private room at the Yoganow Theater. Have you heard the operas performed by de Rezcay? Please dress up within half an hour, and on the way we can go to the Mazzini Hotel for dinner. ”