巴斯克维尔猎犬 4.The Problem

巴斯克维尔猎犬

The hound of the baskervilles

美国作家改编

原著 Conan Doyle

【英】柯南.道尔

改编 Robert Ellis

故事梗概

九月一个美丽的早晨，神探歌洛克.福尔摩斯收到一封来自一位名叫詹姆斯.摩梯末的医生的拜访信。上午十点半摩梯末医生如约而至，他随身带来了一扎神秘的手稿，这扎手稿来自已故的查尔斯.巴斯克雄尔爵士。信中讲述了一百多年前巴斯克维尔家庭的祖先雨果.巴斯克维尔是如何为非作歹，最终招致自己丧命在传说中凶悍无比的巴斯克维尔猎犬的利齿之下的故事。自此之后，巴斯克维尔家族就笼罩在祖先所犯下罪行的阴影之中，家族族长的继承人们都相继以蹊跷而恐怖的方式死去。

起初福尔摩斯并不为摩梯末医生的故事所吸引，认为这只是个有趣的传说。但随着摩梯末医生逐步向福尔摩斯讲述了查尔斯.巴斯克维尔爵士死因的疑点时，福尔摩斯决定插手此案，因为他意识到这不仅关系到已故伯爵查尔斯的真正死因，还关系到巴斯克维尔庄园的下一个继承人亨利.巴斯克维尔的生命安全。在福尔摩斯的巧妙安排之下。他的忠实搭档华生医生陪伴亨利爵士回到巴斯克维尔庄园。

在巴斯克维尔庄园期间，华生医生接二连三地遇到了种种怪异之事，如半夜时分女人凄惨的哭声，管家白瑞摩夜间可疑的举动，还有他后来发现的一封查尔斯爵士死前未被完全烧毁的信件的碎片，等等。这诸多的疑团使他坠入云雾之中。正当他决定开始深入虎穴探听虚实之时，他却出乎意料地遇到了从天而降的福尔摩斯。原来福尔摩斯为了弄清传说中那只可怕猎犬的秘密及发生在巴斯克维尔庄园的惨案，故意避人耳目，独自躲在人迹罕至的沼泽地，忍受暴风雨以及孤独和寒冷的袭击。而此时狡猾的罪犯也开始按捺不住，逐渐浮出水面，他迫不及待地误杀了穿着亨利爵士衣服的逃犯塞尔多。这使福尔摩斯更加确信自己的推断无误。于是，福尔摩斯果断地用亨利引出了真正的凶手——斯台普顿。原来两年前刚刚搬到德文郡的斯台普顿就是罗杰.巴斯克维尔，即查尔斯爵士最小弟弟的儿子。多年前人们误以为身为逃犯的罗杰死于南美洲，但实际上，他并没有死，而且还有了一个儿子也叫罗杰，他就是斯台普顿。斯台普顿知道如果查尔斯和亨利都死了，那么他将能得到巴斯克维尔家族的巨额财产，因此他便利用巴斯克维尔猎犬的传说不择手段地杀害了自己的亲人。他先是用怒犬吓死了年老体衰的查尔斯爵士，随后又妄图让恶犬咬死亨利爵士，但福尔摩斯最终识破了他的诡计，在华生和警探的配合下杀死了那只可怕的猎犬，而斯台普顿也在深夜仓皇出逃时生死不明……

感谢大耳朵网友“Alice-nemo”提供听力原文

CHAPTER FOUR The Problem

When Mortimer spoke these words, I knew the case was ours.

Holmes sat up in his chair, and his eyes showed he was very interested in the mystery.

"Why did nobody else see this hound's footprints?" he asked.

"The footprints were about twenty meters from the body. Nobody thought to look so far away," Mortimer replied.

"are there many sheep dogs on the moor?" asked Holmcs.

"Yes, there are. But this was no sheep dog. I know what a sheep dog's feet look like. These footprints were very large indeed——enormous, " Mortimer answered.

"But, whatever the animal was, it had not gone near Sir Charles," Holmes said.

"That's right.”

"What was the weather like on that night?"Holms asked.

"It was wet and cold, although it wasn't raining."

"Describe the path of trees that Sir Charles walked along to me."

"It is the famous 'Yew Alley' of Baskerville Hall. It is quite peaceful and beautiful. There is a path between two long lines of yew trees. These trees were planted very close together. Down the middle is a path of small stones. The path has grass on each side of it," said the doctor.

"I understand that in one place there is a gate that leaves the path," said Hoomes.

"Yes, there is a small gate, which leads to the moor."

"Is there any other opening through the line of you can enter or leave the Yew Alley only from the Hall, or through the moor gate?" asked Holmes.

"There is a way out through a summer house at the end of the path"

"Had Sir Charles reached the summer house?"

"No. He lay about fifty meters from it," said Morttmer.

"Now, Dr. Mortimer, this is important. You say that the footprints you saw were on the path, and not on the grass?"

"No footprints could show on the grass," said Mortimer.

"Were they on the same side of the path as the moor gate?"

"Yes, they were."

"I think that is very interesting. Another question:was the gate to the moor closed?"

"Yes. It was closed and locked. "

"How high is the gate?" asked Holmes.

"It is very small. "

"So a person could climb over it?"

"Tell me about the footprints you saw by the moor gate."

"Sir Charles seem to have stood there for five or ten minutes," said Mortimer. "I know that because the footprints were very deep. Also, his cigar had burned down, and the ash had dropped off the end of it."

"Excellent!" said Hohnes. "This man is a very good detective, Watson. "

"Sir Charles had left his footprints all over that little bit of the path where he was standing. I could notsee any other prints.” Sherlock Hoknes smiled.

"I like to look closely at these things myself," he said. " Dr. Mortimer, you should have corne to me immediately! "

"Mr. Holmes, the best detective in the world cannot help with some things," the doctor said.

“You mean, things that do not follow the laws of science——supernatural things?" asked Holmes.

"I do not know," replied the doctor. "I only know what I have been told. Before Sir Charles died, people have told me some very serious things. Several people have seen animal running on the moor at night. It looks like an enormous hound. Everyone agrees that it was a huge creature, larger than any dog could be. And, Mr. Holmes, the animal shone with a strange light, like a ghost. I have questioned these people carefully. None of them are crazy or drink too much. They all tell exactly the same story. Although these people have not seen the thing up close, it is exactly like the hellhotmd of the Baskerville story. The people are very frightened, and only the bravest man will cross the moor at night."

"And you, a man of science, believe that the creature is supernatural——a ghost, or something from another world?" asked Holmes.

"I don't know what I believe," said Dr. Mortimcr.

"But surely, Doctor, you must think that the footprints were made by a living animal, not a ghost?"

"When the hound first appeared two hundred and fifty years ago, it was real enough to tear out Sir Hugo's throat and kill him. But, the animal was a strange and frightening hellhound!" said Dr. Mortimer.

"Dr. Mortimer, if you and the people of Devonshire really believe that Sir Charles' death was caused by a ghost, my detective work cannot help you," Holmes said seriously.

"Maybe this is true," said Mortimer. "But you can help by advising me what to do for Sir Henry Baskerville, even if you cannot help more." Dr. Mrtimer looked at his watch. "He arrives in London on the train in a little over an hour."

"Sir Henry is now the head of the Baskerville family?" asked Holmes.

"Yes," said Dr.Mrtimer. " He is the last of the Baskervilles. The family lawyers have found him in America, and told him everything. He has come to England immediately by ship. He landed this morning. Now, Mr. Holmes, what do you think I should tell him to do?"

"Why doesn't he just go to the family home?" asked Holmes.

"Because, Mr. Holmes, too many Baskervilles have died horrible deaths there. No matter what the reason is, this is a plain fact. Perhaps we would be putting Sir Henry in too much danger. But Sir Charles' good work must go on. If it does not, then all the people on the Baskerville lands will he much poorer. If the Baskerville family leaves the Hall, the whole area will be ruined! I don't know what to do. That is why I came to you for advice."

Holmes thought for a few moments. Then he said: "You think it is too dangerous for any Baskerville to live at the Hall, because of this terrible Hound. I think you should go and meet Sir Henry Baskerville at the train station. Do not tell him anything about our discussion. In twenty-four hours, I will tell you what I think you should do. At ten o'clock tomorrow morning, I would like you to bring Sir Henry Baskerville here. "

Dr. Mortimer. got up from his chair and shook hands with both of us. As he was leaving the room, Holmes said: "One more question, Dr. Mortimer. You said that before Sir Charles' death, there were other people who saw this strange animal on the moor?"

"Yes, " said Mortimer.

"Since Sir Charles' death, has anyone seen the animal?"

"I do not know of anyone who has seen it."

"Thank you, Dr. Mortimer. Good morning."

After Mottimer had left us, Holmes sat down in his chair. He looked pleased and immediately asked for his pipe. He always acted this way when a case interested him.

I knew that he wanted to think about everything he had heard. So I left the house and went out for the day. When I came back, the room was full of thick, sweet smelling smoke from Hoknes' pipe.

"Well,Hrimes, what do you think of the story? Have you solved the mystery?" I asked him,smiling.

"It is hard to say. Take, for example, the change in the footprints. Did Sir Charles walk on his toes down the path of trees? Why would he do that? That would be ridiculous. The truth is, he was running——running for his life. He ran until his heart stopped一from fear, Watson. He was frightened to death."

"What was he running from?" I asked.

"That is the difficult question" said Holmes. "I think he was frightened by something, and began to run. He was so scared that he didn't know what he was doing. That explains why he ran away from the house, instead of towards it, where he would be safe. Then there is another question. Who was he waiting for that night? And why would he meet this person in the path of trees, the 'Yew Alley', and not in the house, like a normal person?"

"You think he was waiting for someone?"

"Sir Charles was old and rather sick. We know why he took a walk each evening; it was for his health. But why did he stand in the cold, on wet ground, for five or ten minutes? Dr. Mortimer cleverly saw the cigar ash on the ground, so we know how long Sir Charles stood there, And, Watson, we know that he was deathly afraid of being outside at night, because of his belief in the Bound of the Baskavilles. So it is extremly likely that he was wait at the moor gate every evening. He must have been there for a special reason. I am beginning to understand some things, Watson. But I will say nothing until we meet Sir Henry Baskerville in the moring. Now, Please give me my violin."

I found Holmes' violin and he began to play. He had done all the thinking he could. Now he needed more details of the case to help him.