巴斯克维尔猎犬-第6部分

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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　we　went　back　to　Baskerville　Hall．

Who　was　the　tall　man　I　had　seen　standing　against　the　moon？　Was　he　an　enemy，or　a　friend　who　was　watching　over　us？　

I　wished　more　and　more　that　Holmes　could　leave　London　and　come　to　Baskerville　Hall．I　wrote　to　him　every　few　days　and　gave　him　the　details　of　everything　that　happened　and　everyone　I　met．

　　



　
10　　The　Letter　

　　

The　following　day　was　dull　and　foggy．The　Hall　was　sur－　rounded　by　heavy，low　clouds，which　opened　now　and　then　to　show　the　grim，cold　moor　and　its　wet，grey　rocks．The　weather　made　us　miserable．It　was　difficult　to　be　cheerful　when　we　felt　danger　all　around　us．I　thougth　of　Sir　Charles’death，and　the　awful　sound　of　the　hound，which　I　had　now　heard　twice．Holmes　did　not　believe　that　there　was　a　supernatural　hound．But　facts　are　facts，and　I　had　heard　a　hound．Was　there　a　huge　hound　living　on　the　moor？If　so，where　could　it　hide？Where　did　it　get　its　food？Why　was　it　never　seen　by　day？　It　was　almost　as　difficult　to　accept　a　natural　explanation　as　a　su－　pernatural　explanation．

That　morning　Sir　Henry　and　Barrymore　argued　about　Selden，the　escaped　prisoner．Barrymore　said　that　it　was　wrong　to　try　to　catch　Selden．

‘But　the　man　is　dangerous，’said　Sir　Henry．‘He'll　do　any…　thing．Nobody　is　safe　until　he　is　in　prison　again．We　must　tell　the　police．’

‘I　promise　he　won't　break　into　any　house，’said　Barrymore，‘and　he　won't　cause　any　trouble．In　a　few　days　he　will　catch　a　boat　for　South　America．Please　don't　tell　the　police　about　him．If　you　tell　the　police，my　wife　and　I　will　be　in　serious　trouble．’

‘What　do　you　say，Watson？’　asked　Sir　Henry，turning　to　me．

‘I　don't　think　he　will　break　into　houses，or　cause　trouble．If　he　did，the　police　would　know　where　to　look　for　him　and　would　catch　him．He's　not　a　stupid　man．’

‘I　hope　you're　right，’said　Sir　Henry．‘I'm　sure　we're　breaking　the　law．But　I　don't　want　to　get　Barrymore　and　his　wife　into　trouble，so　I　shall　not　tell　the　police．I　shall　leave　Selden　in　peace．’

Barrymore　could　not　find　the　words　to　thank　Sir　Henry　enough．Then　he　said：‘You　have　been　so　kind　to　us　that　I　want　to　do　something　for　you　in　return．I　have　never　told　any…　one　else．I　know　something　more　about　poor　Sir　Charles’death．’

Sir　Henry　and　I　jumped　up　at　once．

‘Do　you　know　how　he　died？’Sir　Henry　asked．

‘No，sir，I　don't　know　that，but　I　know　why　he　was　waiting　at　the　gate　He　was　going　to　meet　a　woman．’

‘Sir　Charles　was　meeting　a　woman？Who　was　the　woman？’

‘I　don't　know　her　name，’Barrymore　said，‘but　it　begins　with　L．L．’

‘How　do　you　know　this，Barrymore？’I　asked．

‘Well，Sir　Charles　got　a　letter　on　the　morning　of　the　day　he　died．It　was　from　Newtown，and　the　address　was　in　a　woman's　writing．I　forgot　all　about　it，but　some　time　after　Sir　Charles　died　my　wife　was　cleaning　the　fireplace　in　his　study．She　found　a　letter．Most　of　it　was　burned，but　the　bottom　of　one　page　was　not　burned．On　it　was　written：“Please，please，burn　this　letter，and　be　at　the　gate　by　ten　o’clock．L．L．”The　paper　fell　into　pieces　as　my　wife　went　to　move　it．We　don't　know　who　L．L．is，but　if　you　could　find　out，you　might　learn　more　about　Sir　Charles’death．We　haven't　told　anyone　else．We　felt　it　would　not　be　good　for　poor，kind　Sir　Charles．But　we　thought　we　ought　to　tell　you，Sir　Henry．’

The　Barrymores　left　us　and　Sir　Henry　turned　to　me．‘If　we　can　find　L．L．，the　mystery　may　be　at　an　end，’he　said．‘What　do　you　think　we　should　do，Watson？’

‘I　must　write　to　Holmes　at　once，’I　said，and　I　went　straight　to　my　room　and　wrote　a　letter　to　Holmes，which　gave　him　all　the　details　of　Barrymore's　story．

On　the　following　day　heavy　rain　fell　without　stopping．I　put　on　my　coat　and　went　for　a　long　walk　on　the　moor．I　thought　of　Selden　out　on　the　cold　moor　in　this　weather．And　I　thought　of　the　other　man，the　mysterious　watcher．

As　I　walked，Dr　Mortimer　drove　past　me．He　stopped　and　said　he　would　take　me　back　to　the　Hall．

‘I　expect　you　know　almost　everybody　living　near　here，’I　said．‘Do　you　know　a　woman　whose　names　begin　with　the　let－　ters　L．L．？’

Dr　Mortimer　thought　for　a　minute，and　then　he　said：‘Yes，Mrs　Laura　Lyons．She　lives　in　Newtown．’

‘Who　is　she？’I　asked．

‘She's　Mr　Frankland's　daughter．’

‘What，old　Frankland　who　has　the　large　telescope？’

‘Yes，’said　Dr　Mortimer．‘Laura　married　a　painter　called　Lyons　who　came　to　paint　pictures　of　the　moor．But　he　was　cruel　to　her，and　after　a　while　he　left　her．Her　father　will　not　speak　to　her，because　she　married　against　his　wishes．So　her　husband　and　her　father　have　made　her　life　very　unhappy．’

‘How　does　she　live？’I　asked．

‘Several　people　who　knew　her　sad　story　have　helped　her．Stapleton　and　Sir　Charles　gave　her　some　money．I　gave　a　little　myself．She　used　the　money　to　start　a　typewriting　business．’

Dr　Mortimer　wanted　to　know　why　I　was　asking　about　Mrs　Lyons．However，I　preferred　to　keep　the　reason　secret，and　we　talked　about　other　things　for　the　rest　of　the　journey．

Only　one　other　thing　of　interest　happened　that　day．In　the　evening　after　dinner　I　had　a　few　words　with　Barrymore　alone．I　asked　him　whether　Selden　had　left　the　country．

‘I　don't　know，sir，’Barrymore　replied．‘I　hope　he　has　gone．But　I've　not　heard　anything　of　him　since　I　last　left　food　and　some　clothes　for　him，and　that　was　three　days　ago．’

‘Did　you　see　him　then？’

‘No，sir，but　the　food　and　clothes　were　gone　when　I　next　went　that　way，’Barrymore　told　me．

‘Then　Selden　was　certainly　there？’I　asked．

‘I　think　so，sir，unless　the　other　man　took　everything．’

I　sat　very　still　and　looked　hard　at　Barrymore．‘You　know　there　is　another　man，then？Have　you　seen　him？’

‘No，sir，but　Selden　told　me　about　him　a　week　or　more　ago．He　is　hiding　from　someone，too，but　he　is　not　an　escaped　prisoner．I　don't　like　it，sir．Something　evil　is　going　to　happen，I'm　sure．Sir　Henry　would　be　much　safer　in　London．’

‘Did　Selden　tell　you　anything　more　about　the　other　man？’I　asked．

‘He　looked　like　a　gentleman．He　was　living　in　one　of　the　old　stone　huts　on　the　moor．A　boy　works　for　him　and　brings　him　all　the　food　and　things　he　needs．That's　all　Selden　told　me．’

I　thanked　him，and　he　left　me．I　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　rain　and　the　clouds。It　was　a　wild　night．I　knew　the　huts　Barrymore　had　spoken　about．There　were　many　of　them　on　the　moor．They　had　been　built　many　hundreds　of　years　ago　by　the　people　who　lived　on　the　moor．They　would　not　keep　a　man　warm　and　dry　in　bad　weather．Selden　could　not　choose　to　live　anywhere　else，but　why　did　the　other　man　live　in　such　conditions？　

I　sat　and　thought　what　I　should　do　next．I　decided　I　must　try　to　find　the　man　who　had　been　watching　us．Was　he　the　en…　emy　who　had　been　following　us　since　the　very　beginning　in　London？　If　he　was，and　I　could　catch　him，perhaps　our　diffi…　culties　would　be　at　an　end．

I　also　decided　to　hunt　the　man　on　my　own．Sir　Henry　was　still　shaken　by　the　terrible　cry　we　had　heard　on　the　moor．I　did　not　want　to　add　to　his　troubles　or　to　lead　him　into　more　danger．

　　



　
11　　Laura　Lyons　

　　

Ιtold　Sir　Henry　about　Laura　Lyons，and　that　I　wanted　to　speak　to　her　as　soon　as　possible．Then　I　went　to　her　house　in　Newtown．

A　maid　took　me　into　the　sitting　room，where　a　very　pretty　lady　with　dark　hair　was　working　at　a　typewriter．I　told　her　who　I　was，and　that　I　had　met　her　father．

‘I　have　no　contact　with　my　father，’she　said．‘　He　gave　me　no　help　when　I　was　in　trouble．Sir　Charles　Baskerville　and　some　other　kind　people　helped　me　when　I　was　poor　and　hungry．’

‘It　is　about　Sir　Charles　that　I　have　come　to　see　you，’I　said．‘I　want　to　know　if　you　ever　wrote　to　him　and　asked　him　to　meet　you．’

She　looked　very，angry，and　her　face　went　white．

‘What　a　question！’she　said．‘What　right　have　you　to　ask　me　about　my　private　life？But　the　answer　is　“no”．’

‘Surely　you　are　not　remembering　clearly，’I　said．‘I　think　you　wrote　to　him　on　the　day　that　he　died．And　your　letter　said：　“Please，please，burn　this　letter，and　be　at　the　gate　by　ten　o'clock．”’

For　a　moment　I　thought　she　was　going　to　faint．Then　she　said　in　a　low　oice：‘I　asked　Sir　Charles　to　tell　nobdy．’

‘You　must　not　think　that　Sir　Charles　spoke　to　anyone　about　you，’I　said．‘　He　put　the　letter　on　the　fire，but　not　all　of　it　was　burnt．Now，did　you　write　that　letter　to　him？’

‘Yes，’she　said．‘Why　should　I　be　ashamed　of　writing　to　him？I　wanted　him　to　help　me．I　learned　that　he　was　going　to　London　early　on　the　following　day，so　I　asked　him　to　meet　me　before　he　went．I　could　not　go　to　the　Hall　earlier　that　day．’

‘But　why　did　you　ask　him　to　meet　you　in　the　garden　instead　of　in　the　house？’I　asked．

‘Do　you　think　it　would　be　sensible　for　a　woman　to　go　at　that　time　of　night　into　the　house　of　an　unmarried　man？’she　asked．

‘Well，what　happened　when　you　got　there？’I　asked．

‘I　didn't　go，’she　replied．

‘Mrs　Lyons！’

‘I　tell　you　I　did　not　go．Something　happened　that　stopped　me　from　going．I　can't　tell　you　what　it　was．’

‘Mrs　Lyons，’　I　said．‘　If　you　did　not　see　Sir　Charles，you　must　tell　me　why．If　you　do　not，it　will　look　very　bad　for　you　if　I　have　to　go　to　the　police　with　this　new　piece　of　information　about　the　letter．’

Mrs　Lyons　thought　for　a　moment，and　then　she　said：‘　I　see　that　I　must　tell　you．Perhaps　you　know　that　I　married　a　man　who　was　very　cruel　to　me．I　hate　him　and　I　wanted　to　get　a　di…vorce．But　a　divorce　is　expensive，and　I　had　no　money．I　thought　that　if　Sir　Charles　heard　my　sad　story，he　would　help　me　to　get　a　divorce．’

‘Then　why　didn't　you　go　to　see　Sir　Charles？’I　asked　her．

‘Because　I　got　help　from　someone　else，’she　said．

‘Why　didn't　you　write　to　Sir　Charles　and　tell　him？’

‘　I　was　going　to，but　I　saw　in　the　newspaper　the　next　morn…　ing　that　he　had　died．’

I　asked　Mrs　Lyons　a　number　of　other　questions，but　she　did　not　change　her　story，whatever　I　asked　her．I　was　sure　that　she