巴斯克维尔猎犬-第5部分

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ith　a　lovely　face．Before　I　could　say　anything，she　said：

‘Go　back！Go　straight　back　to　London，immediately．I　can－　not　tell　you　why，but　please　do　what　I　ask　you，and　never　come　near　the　moor　again．But　my　brother　is　coming．Not　a　word　to　him．’

Stapleton　had　caught　the　butterfly，and　was　walking　bath　to　us．

‘Hello，my　dear，’he　said　to　his　sister，but　it　seemed　to　me　that　his　voice　was　not　completely　friendly．‘I　see　that　you　two　have　already　introduced　yourselves．’

‘Yes，’she　said．‘I　was　telling　Sir　Henry　that　it　was　rather　late　in　the　year　for　him　to　see　the　true　beauty　of　the　moor．’

‘I　am　sorry，’I　said．‘You　have　made　a　mistake．I'm　not　Sir　Henry．I　am　a　friend　who　is　visiting　him，and　my　name　is　Dr　Watson．’

Miss　Stapleton　was　clearly　angry　with　herself．‘I'm　sorry，’　she　said．‘Please　forget　what　I　said．But　do　come　with　us　to　our　house．’

The　house　was　lonely　and　rather　grim．I　wondered　why　the　two　of　them　had　come　to　live　so　far　away　from　anyone　else．Stapleton　seemed　to　know　what　I　was　thinking，and　said：‘You　may　think　this　a　lonely，strange　place　to　live，but　the　moors　are　very　interesting，and　we　enjoy　it　here．I　owned　a　school　in　the　north　of　England，but　I　had　to　close　it．I　miss　the　boys　and　girls　but　thefe　is　plenty　to　do　here，and　we　have　good　neighbours．I　hope　Sir　Henry　will　become　one　of　tnem．May　I　visit　the　Hall　this　afternoon　to　meet　him，do　you　think？’

‘I'm　sure　he　will　be　very　pleased　to　meet　you，’I　said．‘I　must　go　back　to　the　Hall　now，and　I　shall　tell　him　immediately．’

I　said　goodbye　to　the　Stapletons，and　continued　on　the　path　back　to　the　Hall．I　had　been　walking　for　only　a　few　minutes　when　I　was　surprised　to　see　Miss　Stapleton　sitting　on　a　rock　ahead　of　me．She　was　breathing　quickly，and　I　realized　she　had　run　by　a　quicker　way　to　get　ahead　of　me．

‘Dr　Watson，’she　said．‘I　want　to　say　sorry　for　the　mistake　I　made．I　thought　you　were　Sir　Henry．Please　forget　what　I　said．I　did　not　mean　you　were　in　danger．Now　I　must　go，or　my　brother　will　miss　me．’

‘I　cannot　forget　your　words，Miss　Stapleton，’I　said．‘If　Sir　Henry　is　in　danger，I　must　tell　him．’

‘You　know　the　story　of　the　Hound？’she　asked　me．

‘Yes，but　I　do　not　believe　it，’I　replied．

‘But　I　think　it's　true，’she　said．‘Please　persuade　Sir　Henry　to　leave　this　place．So　many　of　his　family　have　died　here　mys…　teriously．He　must　not　put　his　life　in　danger　by　staying　here．’

‘Sir　Henry　won't　leave　this　place　without　a　real　reason，’I　said．

‘I　can't　give　you　a　real　reason．I　don't　know　anything　for　certain．’

‘One　more　question，Miss　Stapleton，’I　said．‘The　story　of　the　Hound　is　well　known．Why　didn't　you　want　your　brother　to　hear　what　you　said？’

‘My　brother　wants　the　head　of　the　Baskerville　family　to　live　in　the　Hall，’she　said．‘He　wants　Sir　Henry　to　continue　the　good　work　that　Sir　Charles　began．He　doesn't　want　Sir　Henry　to　go　and　live　in　another　place．So　he　doesn't　want　me　to　talk　about　the　Hound．I　must　go　now，or　my　brother　will　guess　I　have　been　speaking　to　you．Goodbye！’

She　turned　and　went　back　towards　her　house，and　I　walked　on　to　Baskerville　Hall．

　　



　

9　　The　Escaped　Prisoner　

　　

Mr　Stapleton　came　to　the　Hall　and　met　Sir　Henry　that　same　afternoon．The　next　morning　he　took　us　to　the　place　where　the　evil　Sir　Hugo　died．Then　we　had　lunch　at　the　House．Sir　Henry　clearly　thought　Miss　Stapleton　was　very　beautiful．His　eyes　followed　her　everywhere．He　liked　her　very　much，and　I　was　sure　that　she　felt　the　same　about　him．He　spoke　about　her　again　and　again　as　we　walked　home．After　the　first　meeting，we　met　the　Stapletons　almost　every　day．

After　a　short　time　it　was　clear　that　Sir　Henry　had　fallen　deeply　in　love　with　the　beautiful　Miss　Stapleton．At　first　I　thought　that　Stapleton　would　be　very　pleased　if　his　sister　mar－　ried　Sir　Henry．However，I　soon　realized　that　he　did　not　want　their　friendship　to　grow　into　love．He　did　everything　he　could　to　make　sure　that　they　were　never　alone．On　one　or　two　occa－　sions　they　did　manage　to　meet　alone，but　Stapleton　followed　them　and　was　not　pleased　to　see　them　together．

I　soon　met　another　neighbour　of　Sir　Henry’s．His　name　was　Mr　Frankland，and　he　lived　about　four　miles　to　the　south　of　the　Hall．He　was　an　old　man　with　a　red　face　and　white　hair．He　had　two　hobbies．The　first　was　arguing．He　argued　with　everybody．The　second　hobby　was　studying　the　stars．For　this　he　had　a　very　big　telescope．For　several　days　he　had　been　watching　the　moor　through　the　telescope．He　wanted　to　find　Selden，the　escaped　murderer．Nobody　had　seen　the　prisoner　for　a　fortnight，and　we　all　thought　that　he　had　probably　left　the　moor．

A　few　nights　later　I　was　woken　by　a　noise　at　about　two　in　the　morning．I　heard　someone　walking　softly　outside　my　door．I　got　up，opened　the　door　and　looked　out．I　saw　Barrymore　moving　carefully　and　quietly　away　from　me．I　followed　him，as　quietly　as　I　could．He　went　into　one　of　the　empty　bedrooms　and　left　the　door　open．I　went　quietly　up　to　the　door　and　looked　in－　side．

Barrymore　was　standing　at　the　window．He　was　holding　a　light　in　his　hand　and　looking　out　onto　the　moor．He　stood　without　moving　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　he　put　out　the　light．

I　went　quickly　back　to　my　room．A　few　minutes　later　I　heard　Barrymore　go　softly　by．

The　next　morning　I　told　Sir　Henry　what　I　had　seen．

‘We　must　follow　him　and　find　out　what　he　is　doing，’said　Sir　Henry．‘He　won't　hear　us　if　we　move　carefully．’

That　night　we　sat　in　Sir　Henry's　room　and　waited．At　about　three　o’clock　in　the　morning　we　heard　the　sound　of　footsteps　outside　the　bedroom．We　looked　out　and　saw　Barrymore．We　followed　him　as　quietly　as　we　could．He　went　into　the　same　room　as　before．We　reached　the　door　and　looked　in．There　was　Barrymore，with　the　light　in　his　hand，looking　out　across　the　moor，exactly　as　I　had　seen　him　on　the　night　before．

Sir　Henry　walked　into　the　room　and　said：‘What　are　you　do…　ing　here，Barrymore？’

Barrymore　turned　round　quickly，surprise　and　horror　on　his　face．

‘Nothing，Sir，’he　said．The　shadows　on　the　wall　from　his　light　were　jumping　up　and　down　as　his　hand　shook．‘It　was　the　window，sir．I　go　round　at　night　to　see　that　they　are　closed，and　this　one　wasn't　shut．’

‘Come　now，Barrymore，’said　Sir　Henry．‘No　lies．What　were　you　doing　with　that　light？You　were　holding　it　up　to　the　window．’

I　suddenly　had　an　idea．‘I　think　he　was　sending　a　message，’　I　said．‘Let's　see　if　there's　an　answer　from　someone　on　the　moor．’

I　held　the　light　up　to　the　window，and　looked　out　into　the　darkness．Suddenly　a　light　answered　from　the　moor．

‘There　it　is，’I　cried．I　waved　my　light　backwards　and　for－　wards　across　the　window．The　light　on　the　moor　answered　by　moving　in　the　same　way．

‘Now，Barrymore，who　is　your　friend　on　the　moor？What's　going　on？’

‘That's　my　business，’said　Barrymore，‘I　won't　tell　you．’

‘Are　you　making　some　criminal　plan　against　me？’Sir　Henry　said．

‘No，it's　nothing　against　you，sir，’said　a　voice　behind　us．It　was　Mrs　Barrymore．She　had　followed　us　and　was　standing　at　the　door．‘He's　doing　it　for　me．My　unhappy　brother　is　cold　and　hungry　on　the　moor．We　cannot　let　him　die．Our　light　is　to　tell　him　that　food　is　ready　for　him．His　light　shows　us　where　to　take　it．’

‘Then　your　brother　is…’began　Sir　Henry．

‘The　escaped　prisoner，sir．Selden，the　murderer．He　is　my　younger　brother．He　has　done　evil　things，but　to　me　he　is　still　the　little　boy　I　loved　and　cared　for．I　had　to　help　him．Every－　thing　my　husband　has　done　has　been　for　me．Please　don't　take　his　job　from　him．It's　not　his　fault．’

Sir　Henry　turned　to　Barrymore　and　said：　

‘I　cannot　blame　you　for　helping　your　wife．Go　to　bed，and　we'll　talk　about　this　in　the　morning．’

The　Barrymores　left　us．

‘The　murderer　is　waiting　out　there　by　that　light，’　said　Sir　Henry．‘He's　a　danger　to　everyone．I'm　going　to　catch　him．If　you　want　to　come　with　me，Watson，fetch　your　revolver　and　let’s　go．’

We　left　the　Hall　immediately．

‘We　must　surprise　him　and　catch　him．’said　Sir　Henry．‘He's　a　dangerous　man．Now，Watson，what　would　Holmes　say　about　this？Do　you　remember　what　the　old　papers　said？　They　said　the　Devil　does　his　work　when　the　world　is　dark．’

Just　as　he　spoke　there　came　a　strange　cry　from　across　the　moor．It　was　the　same　cry　I　had　heard　when　I　was　with　Staple－　ton　on　the　edge　of　the　Great　Grimpen　Marsh．

‘What　is　that　noise？’asked　Sir　Henry．He　stopped　and　put　his　hand　on　my　arm　to　hold　me　back．

‘I've　heard　it　before，’I　said．‘Stapleton　says　it's　the　cry　of　a　bird．’

‘Watson，’said　Sir　Henry，his　voice　shaking，‘it　is　the　cry　of　a　hound．What　do　the　local　people　say　it　is？’

‘They　say　it　is　the　cry　of　the　Hound　of　the　Baskervilles，’I　replied．

‘Can　there　possibly　be　some　truth　in　the　story？’said　Sir　Henry．‘Am　I　really　in　danger　from　such　an　evil　thing？I　think　I　am　as　brave　as　most　men，but　that　sound　froze　my　blood．But　we　have　come　out　to　catch　that　prisoner，and　the　Devil　himself　will　not　make　me　turn　back．’

It　was　difficult　to　cross　the　moor　in　the　dark，but　at　last　we　reached　the　light．It　was　standing　on　a　rock．Suddenly　an　evil　face，more　like　an　animal　than　a　man，looked　at　us　from　behind　the　rock．The　escaped　prisoner　saw　us　and　screamed　as　he　turned　to　run．

Sir　Henry　and　I　were　both　good　runners　and　very　healthy　men，but　we　soon　realized　that　we　had　no　chance　of　catching　Selden．He　knew　the　way，and　was　running　for　his　life．Soon　we　had　lost　him　in　the　dark，so　we　stopped　and　sat　down，breathing　heavily，to　rest．

At　that　moment　a　very　strange　thing　happened．The　moon　was　low　upon　our　right，and　in　its　light　we　could　see　the　top　of　a　hill．On　that　hill，with　the　moon　behind　him，stood　a　tall，thin　man．He　was　standing　perfectly　still．He　was　watching　us．

It　was　not　Selden，who　had　been　running　away　from　that　hill．This　man　was　much　taller．With　a　cry　of　surprise　I　turned　to　Sir　Henry．As　I　turned，the　man　disappeared．

I　wanted　to　go　across　to　the　hill　and　search　for　him，but　we　were　tired　and　I　remembered　that　Sir　Henry　might　be　in　dan－　ger．So　w