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<v Speaker 1>Chapter three of the Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir

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<v Speaker 1>Arthur Conan Doyle. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter three, The problem I confess. At these words, a

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<v Speaker 1>shudder passed through me. There was a thrill in the

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<v Speaker 1>doctor's voice which showed that he was himself deeply moved

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<v Speaker 1>by that which he told us. Holmes leaned forward in

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<v Speaker 1>his excitement, and his eyes had the hard, dry glitter

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<v Speaker 1>which shot from them when he was keenly interested. You

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<v Speaker 1>saw this as clearly as I see you, and you

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<v Speaker 1>said nothing. What was the use? How was it that

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<v Speaker 1>no one else saw it? The marks were some twenty

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<v Speaker 1>yards from the body, and no one gave them a thought.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't suppose I should have done so had I

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<v Speaker 1>not known this legend. There are many sheep dogs on

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<v Speaker 1>the moor, no doubt, But this was no sheep dog.

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<v Speaker 1>You say it was large, enormous, but it had not

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<v Speaker 1>approached the body. No. What sort of night was it?

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<v Speaker 1>Damp and raw but not actually raining? No? What is

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<v Speaker 1>the alley like? There are two lines of old yu hedge,

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<v Speaker 1>twelve feet high and impenetrable. The walk in the center

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<v Speaker 1>is about eight feet across Is there anything between the

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<v Speaker 1>hedges and the walk? Yes, there is a strip of

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<v Speaker 1>grass about six feet broad on either side. I understand

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<v Speaker 1>that the U hedge is penetrated at one point by

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<v Speaker 1>a gate, Yes, the wicket gate which leads on to

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<v Speaker 1>the moor. Is there any other opening? None, So that

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<v Speaker 1>to reach the U alley one either has to come

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<v Speaker 1>down it from the house or else to enter it

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<v Speaker 1>by the moor gate. There is an exit through a

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<v Speaker 1>summer house at the far end. Had Sir Charles reached

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<v Speaker 1>this no, he lay about fifty yards from it. Now

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<v Speaker 1>tell me, doctor Mortimer, and this is important. The marks

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<v Speaker 1>which you saw were on the path and not on

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<v Speaker 1>the grass. No marks could show on the grass. Were

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<v Speaker 1>they on the same side of the path as the moorgate? Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>they were on the edge of the path, on the

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<v Speaker 1>same side as the moorgate. You interest me exceedingly. Another point,

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<v Speaker 1>was the wicket gate closed? Closed and padlocked? How high

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<v Speaker 1>was it about four feet high? Then any one could

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<v Speaker 1>have got over it? Yes? And what marks did you

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<v Speaker 1>see by the wicket gate? None? In particular, good heaven

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<v Speaker 1>did no one examine? Yes? I examined myself and found nothing.

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<v Speaker 1>It was all very confused. If Sir Charles had evidently

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<v Speaker 1>stood there for five or ten minutes, how do you

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<v Speaker 1>know that? Because the ash had twice dropped from his cigar? Excellent,

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<v Speaker 1>This is a colleague Watson after our own heart. But

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<v Speaker 1>the marks he had left his own marks all over

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<v Speaker 1>that small patch of gravel I could discern no others.

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<v Speaker 1>Sherlock Holmes struck his hand against his knee with an

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<v Speaker 1>impatient gesture. If I had only been there, he cried,

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<v Speaker 1>It is evidently a case of extraordinary interest, and one

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<v Speaker 1>which presented immense opportunities to the scientific expert. That gravel

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<v Speaker 1>page upon which I might have read so much has

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<v Speaker 1>been long ere, this smudged by the rain and defaced

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<v Speaker 1>by the clogs of curious peasants. Oh, Dctor Mortimer, Dr Mortimer.

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<v Speaker 1>To think that you should not have called me in,

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<v Speaker 1>you have indeed much to answer for. I could not

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<v Speaker 1>call you in, mister Holmes, without disclosing these facts to

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<v Speaker 1>the world, and I have already given my reasons for

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<v Speaker 1>not wishing to do so. Besides, besides, why do you hesitate?

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<v Speaker 1>There is a realm in which the most acute and

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<v Speaker 1>most experienced of detectives is helpless. You mean that the

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<v Speaker 1>thing is supernatural. I did not positively say so, no,

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<v Speaker 1>but you evidently think it. Since the tragedy, mister Holmes,

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<v Speaker 1>there have come to my ears several incidents which are

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<v Speaker 1>hard to reconcile with the settled order of nature. For example,

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<v Speaker 1>I find that before the terrible event occurred, several people

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<v Speaker 1>had seen a creature upon the moor which corresponds with

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<v Speaker 1>this Baskerville damon, and which could not possibly be any

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<v Speaker 1>animal known to science. They all agreed that it was

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<v Speaker 1>a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross

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<v Speaker 1>examined these men, one of them a hard headed countryman,

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<v Speaker 1>one a farrier, and one a Moorland farmer, who all

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<v Speaker 1>tell the same story of this dreadful apparition, exactly corresponding

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<v Speaker 1>to the hell hound of the legend. I assure you

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<v Speaker 1>that there is a reign of terror in the district,

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<v Speaker 1>and that it is a hardy man who will cross

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<v Speaker 1>the moor at night, and you, a trained man of science,

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<v Speaker 1>believe it to be supernatural. I do not know what

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<v Speaker 1>to believe. Holmes shrugged his shoulders. I have hitherto confined

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<v Speaker 1>my investigations to this world, said he in a modest way.

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<v Speaker 1>I have combated evil, but to take on the father

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<v Speaker 1>of evil himself would perhaps be too ambitious a task.

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<v Speaker 1>Yet you must admit that the footmark is material. The

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<v Speaker 1>original hound was material enough to tug a man's throat out,

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<v Speaker 1>and yet he was diabolical as well. I see that

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<v Speaker 1>you have quite gone over to the supernaturalists. But now,

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<v Speaker 1>Doctor Mortimer, tell me this. If you hold these views,

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<v Speaker 1>why have you come to consult me at all? You

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<v Speaker 1>tell me in the same breath that it is useless

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<v Speaker 1>to investigate Sir Charles's death, and that you desire me

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<v Speaker 1>to do it. I did not say that I desired

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<v Speaker 1>you to do it. Then how can I assist you

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<v Speaker 1>by advising me as to what I should do with

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<v Speaker 1>Sir Henry Baskerville, who arrives at Waterloo Station. Doctor Mortimer

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<v Speaker 1>looked at his watch in exactly one hour and a quarter.

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<v Speaker 1>He being the heir Yes on the death of Sir Charles.

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<v Speaker 1>We inquired for this young gentleman and found that he

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<v Speaker 1>had been farming in Canada. From the accounts which have

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<v Speaker 1>reached us, he is an excellent fellow in every way.

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<v Speaker 1>I speak now not as a medical man, but as

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<v Speaker 1>a trustee and executor of Sir Charles's will. There is

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<v Speaker 1>no other claimant, I presume none. The only other Kinsman

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<v Speaker 1>whom we have been able to trace was Roger Baskerville,

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<v Speaker 1>the youngest of three brothers, of whom poor Sir Charles

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<v Speaker 1>was the elder. The second brother, who died young, is

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<v Speaker 1>the father of this lad Henry. The third Roger was

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<v Speaker 1>the black sheep of the family. He came of the old,

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<v Speaker 1>masterful Baskerville strain, and was the very image they tell

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<v Speaker 1>me of the family picture of old Hugo. He made

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<v Speaker 1>England too hot to hold him, fled to Central America,

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<v Speaker 1>and died there in eighteen seventy six of yellow fever.

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<v Speaker 1>Henry is the last of the Baskervilles. In one hour

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<v Speaker 1>and five minutes I meet him at Waterloo Station. I

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<v Speaker 1>have had a wire that he arrived at Southampton this morning. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>mister Holmes, what would you advise me to do with him?

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<v Speaker 1>Why should he not go to the home of his

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<v Speaker 1>father's It seems natural, does it not? And yet consider

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<v Speaker 1>that every Baskerville who goes there meets with an evil fate.

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<v Speaker 1>I feel sure that if Sir Charles could have spoken

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<v Speaker 1>with me before his death, he would have warned me

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<v Speaker 1>against bringing this, the last of the old race, and

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<v Speaker 1>the heir to great wealth, to that deadly place. And

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<v Speaker 1>yet it cannot be denied that the prosperity of the

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<v Speaker 1>whole poor, bleak countryside depends upon his presence. All the

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<v Speaker 1>good work which has been done by Sir Charles will

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<v Speaker 1>crash to the ground if there is no tenant of

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<v Speaker 1>the hall. I fear lest I should be swayed too

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<v Speaker 1>much by my own obvious interest in the matter, And

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<v Speaker 1>that is why I bring the case before you and

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<v Speaker 1>ask for your advice. Holmes considered for a little time,

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<v Speaker 1>put into plain words the matter is this, said he

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<v Speaker 1>in your opinion, there is a diabolical agency which makes

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<v Speaker 1>Dartmore an unsafe abode for a Baskerville. That is your opinion.

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<v Speaker 1>At least I might go the length of saying that

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<v Speaker 1>there is some evidence that this may be so exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>But surely if your supernatural theory be correct, it could

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<v Speaker 1>work the young man evil in London as easily as

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<v Speaker 1>in Devonshire. A devil with merely local powers like a

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<v Speaker 1>parish vestry would be too inconceivable a thing. You put

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<v Speaker 1>the matter more flippantly mister Holmes, than you would probably

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<v Speaker 1>do if you were brought into personal contact with these things.

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<v Speaker 1>Your advice, then, as I understand it is that the

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<v Speaker 1>young man will be as safe in Devonshire as in London.

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<v Speaker 1>He comes in fifty minutes, what would you recommend? I recommend, sir,

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<v Speaker 1>that you take a cab, call off your spaniel who

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<v Speaker 1>is scratching at my front door, and proceed to Waterloo

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<v Speaker 1>to meet Sir Henry b Baskerville. And then and then

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<v Speaker 1>you will say nothing to him at all until I

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<v Speaker 1>have made up my mind about the matter. How long

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<v Speaker 1>will it take you to make up your mind? Twenty

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<v Speaker 1>four hours at ten o'clock to morrow, doctor Mortimer. I

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<v Speaker 1>will be much obliged to you if you will call

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<v Speaker 1>upon me here, and it will be of help to

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<v Speaker 1>me in my plans for the future. If you will

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<v Speaker 1>bring Sir Henry Baskerville with you, I will do so,

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<v Speaker 1>mister Holmes. He scribbled the appointment on his shirt cuff

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<v Speaker 1>and hurried off in his strange, peering, absent minded fashion.

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<v Speaker 1>Holmes stopped him at the head of the stair. Only

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<v Speaker 1>one more question, doctor Mortimer. You say that before Sir

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<v Speaker 1>Charles Baskerville's death. Several people saw this apparition upon the moor?

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<v Speaker 1>Three people did? Did any see it? After? I have

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<v Speaker 1>not heard of any? Thank you, good morning. Holmes returned

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<v Speaker 1>to his seat with that quiet look of inward satisfaction,

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<v Speaker 1>which meant that he had a congenial task before him

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<v Speaker 1>going out. Watson, unless I can help you, no, my

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<v Speaker 1>dear fellow. It is at the hour of action that

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<v Speaker 1>I turn to you for aid. But this is splendid,

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<v Speaker 1>really unique from some points of view. When you pass Bradley's,

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<v Speaker 1>would you ask him to send up a pound of

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<v Speaker 1>the strongest shag tobacco? Thank you. It would be as

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<v Speaker 1>well if you could make it convenient not to return

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<v Speaker 1>before evening. Then I should be very glad to compare

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<v Speaker 1>impressions as to this most interesting problem which has been

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<v Speaker 1>submitted to us this morning. I knew that seclusion and

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<v Speaker 1>solitude were very necessary for my friend in those hours

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<v Speaker 1>of intense mental concentration, during which he weighed every particle

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<v Speaker 1>of evidence, constructed alternative theories, balanced one against the other,

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<v Speaker 1>and made up his mind as to which which points

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<v Speaker 1>were essential and which immaterial. I therefore spent the day

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<v Speaker 1>at my club and did not return to Baker Street

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<v Speaker 1>until evening. It was nearly nine o'clock when I found

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<v Speaker 1>myself in the sitting room once more. My first impression

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<v Speaker 1>as I opened the door was that a fire had

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<v Speaker 1>broken out, for the room was so filled with smoke

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<v Speaker 1>that the light of the lamp upon the table was

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<v Speaker 1>blurred by it. As I entered. However, my fears were

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<v Speaker 1>set at rest, for it was the acrid fumes of strong,

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<v Speaker 1>coarse tobacco which took me by the throat and set

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<v Speaker 1>me coughing through the haze. I had a vague vision

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<v Speaker 1>of homes in his dressing gown, coiled up in an

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<v Speaker 1>arm chair with his black clay pipe between his lips.

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<v Speaker 1>Several rolls of paper lay around him. Caught cold, Watson

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<v Speaker 1>said he, no, it's this poisonous atmosphere. I suppose it

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<v Speaker 1>is pretty thick, now that you mention it thick, it's intolerable.

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<v Speaker 1>Open the window. Then you've been at your club all day,

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<v Speaker 1>I perceive, my dear Holmes, am I right, certainly, But

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<v Speaker 1>how he laughed at my bewildered expression. There is a

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<v Speaker 1>delightful freshness about you, Watson, which makes it a pleasure

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<v Speaker 1>to exercise any small powers which I possess at your expense.

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<v Speaker 1>A gentleman goes forth on a showery and miry day.

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<v Speaker 1>He returns immaculate in the evening, with a gloss still

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<v Speaker 1>on his hat and his boots. He has been a

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<v Speaker 1>fixture there for all day. He is not a man

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<v Speaker 1>with intimate friends. Where then could he have been? Is

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<v Speaker 1>it not obvious? Well, it is rather obvious. The world

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<v Speaker 1>is full of obvious things which nobody, by any chance

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<v Speaker 1>ever observes. Where do you think that I have been

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<v Speaker 1>a fixture? Also? On the contrary, I have been to

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<v Speaker 1>Devonshire in spirit exactly. My body has remained in this

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<v Speaker 1>arm chair, and has I regret to observe consumed in

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<v Speaker 1>my absence two large pots of coffee and an incredible

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<v Speaker 1>amount of tobacco. After you left, I sent down to

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<v Speaker 1>Stamford's for the Ordnance map of this portion of the moor,

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<v Speaker 1>and my spirit has hovered over it all day. I

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<v Speaker 1>flatter myself that I could find my way about a

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<v Speaker 1>large scale map, I presume very large. He unrolled one

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<v Speaker 1>section and held it over his knee. Here you have

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<v Speaker 1>the particular district which concerns us. That is Baskerville Hall

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<v Speaker 1>in the middle, with a wood around it exactly I

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<v Speaker 1>fancy the eew Alley, though not marked under that name,

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<v Speaker 1>must stretch along this line with the moor, as you

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<v Speaker 1>perceive upon the right of it. This small clump of

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<v Speaker 1>buildings here is the hamlet of Grimpen, where our friend

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<v Speaker 1>doctor Mortimer has his headquarters. Within a radius of five miles,

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<v Speaker 1>there are, as you see, only a very few scattered dwellings.

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<v Speaker 1>Here is Lafter Hall, which was mentioned in the narrative.

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<v Speaker 1>There is a house indicated here which may be the

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<v Speaker 1>residence of the naturalist Stapleton, if I remember right was

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<v Speaker 1>his name. Here are two moorland farm houses, High Tour

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<v Speaker 1>and Fowlmyre. Then, fourteen miles away the great convict prison

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<v Speaker 1>of Princetown. Between and around these scattered points extends the desolate,

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<v Speaker 1>lifeless moor. This, then, is the stage upon which tragedy

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<v Speaker 1>has been played, and upon which we may help to

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<v Speaker 1>play it again. It must be a wild place, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>the setting is a worthy one. If the devil did

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<v Speaker 1>desire to have a hand in the affairs of men,

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<v Speaker 1>then you are yourself inclining to the supernatural explanation. The

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<v Speaker 1>devil's agents may be of flesh and blood. They not.

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<v Speaker 1>There are two questions waiting for us at the outset.

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<v Speaker 1>The one is whether any crime has been committed at all.

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<v Speaker 1>The second is what is the crime and how was

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<v Speaker 1>it committed? Of course, if Dr Mortimer's surmise should be correct,

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<v Speaker 1>and we are dealing with forces outside the ordinary laws

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<v Speaker 1>of nature, there is an end of our investigation, but

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<v Speaker 1>we are bound to exhaust all other hypotheses before falling

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<v Speaker 1>back upon this one. I think we'll shut that window

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<v Speaker 1>again if you don't mind. It is a singular thing

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<v Speaker 1>that I find that a concentrated atmosphere helps a concentration

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<v Speaker 1>of thought. I have not pushed it to the length

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<v Speaker 1>of getting into a box to think, but that is

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<v Speaker 1>the logical outcome of my convictions. Have you turned the

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<v Speaker 1>case over in your mind? Yes, I've thought a good

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<v Speaker 1>deal of it in the course of the day. What

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<v Speaker 1>do you make of it? It is very bewildering. It

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<v Speaker 1>has certainly a character of its own. There are points

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<v Speaker 1>of distinction about it that change in the footprints. For example,

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<v Speaker 1>what do you make of that Mortimer said that the

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<v Speaker 1>man had walked on tiptoe down that portion of the alley.

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<v Speaker 1>He only repeated what some fool had said at the inquest,

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<v Speaker 1>why should a man walk on tiptoe down the alley? What? Then?

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<v Speaker 1>He was running, Watson, running, desperately, running for his life,

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<v Speaker 1>running until he burst his heart and fell dead upon

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<v Speaker 1>his face, running from what? There lies our problem? There

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<v Speaker 1>are indications that the man was crazed with fear before

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<v Speaker 1>he ever began to run. How can you say that?

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<v Speaker 1>I am presuming that the cause of his fears came

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<v Speaker 1>to him across the moor. If that were so, and

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<v Speaker 1>it seems most probable, only a man who had lost

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<v Speaker 1>his wits would have run from the house instead of

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<v Speaker 1>towards it. If the gypsy's evidence meant be taken as true,

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<v Speaker 1>he ran with cries for help in the direction where

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<v Speaker 1>help was least likely to be. Then again, whom was

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<v Speaker 1>he waiting for that night? And why was he waiting

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<v Speaker 1>for him in the yw alley rather than in his

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<v Speaker 1>own house? You think that he was waiting for someone.

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<v Speaker 1>The man was elderly and infirm. We can understand his

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<v Speaker 1>taking an evening stroll, but the ground was damp and

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<v Speaker 1>the night inclement. Is it natural that he should stand

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<v Speaker 1>for five or ten minutes? As doctor Mortimer with more

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<v Speaker 1>practical sense than I should have given him credit for

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<v Speaker 1>deduced from the cigar ash. But he went out every evening.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it unlikely that he waited at the moor

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<v Speaker 1>Gate every evening. On the contrary, the evidence is that

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<v Speaker 1>he avoided the more. That night he waited there. It

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<v Speaker 1>was the night before he made his departure for London.

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<v Speaker 1>The thing takes shake, Watson, it becomes coherent. Might I

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<v Speaker 1>ask you to hand me my violin, and we will

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<v Speaker 1>postpone all further thought upon this business until we have

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<v Speaker 1>had the advantage of meeting doctor Mortimer and Sir Henry

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<v Speaker 1>Baskerville in the morning. End of Chapter three