When we reached the Hall,Sir Henry was very pleased to see Holmes.But he was surprised that Holmes had no luggage and that he appeared so unexpectedly.
I had the unhappy job of telling Barrymore and his wife about her brother's death.Mrs Barrymore cried and was very sad indeed.
During dinner Sir Henry told us that he had spent a dull day and evening on his own.He had kept his promise to Holmes,and so he had not accepted the Stapletons' invitation to their house that evening.We did not tell him how glad we were that he had stayed away from the moor!
Holmes started to say something,and then he stopped suddenly.His eyes were fixed on one of the pictures of the past Baskervilles on the wall.
'Sir Henry,could you tell me which Baskerville that is?'he asked.Sir Henry and I both looked at the picture.
'That is Sir Hugo,the one who started all the trouble,'said Sir Henry.'He was the first to see the Hound.
Holmes looked hard at the picture,but said nothing more.Then after Sir Henry had gone to his room,Holmes made me stand in front of the picture.' Is it like anyone you know?'he asked.He stood on a chair,and with his hands he covered the hat and hair of the man in the picture.
'Good heavens!' I cried in surprise.I was looking at a picture of Stapleton' s face.
'Yes,'said Holmes before I could say anything more.'There's not much doubt about it.Stapleton is a Baskerville.He looks like Sir Hugo,and he has the same evil character.Now I understand why he wants to kill Sir Henry.I am sure we shall find that he will inherit the Baskerville lands.And so we have one more answer.By tomorrow night Stapleton will be canght like one of his butterflies,and we shall add him to the Baker Street collection.'
We soon went to bed.I was up early in the morning,but Holmes was up earlier.He had already sent one message to the police about Selden,and another to his boy to stop him taking food to the hut.
When Sir Henry joined us,Holmes told him that we had to leave for London immediately after breakfast.Sir Henry was very unhappy about this,but Holmes asked him to help us by doing everything Holmes ordered him to do.Sir Henry agreed to help in this way,and to go by himself to the Stapletons that evening.He also agreed to tell the Stapletons that Holmes and I had gone to London,but that we would return to Devonshire soon.
'One more order,'said Holmes.'I want you to drive to the Stapletons'house and then send the driver away.Let the Stapletons know that you' re going to walk home across the moor.'
Across the moor?' said Sir Henry,very surprised.' But you have told me again and again not to do that.'
'This time it will be completely safe.I know that you are brave enough to do it,and it must be done.'
'Then I will do it.'
'But you must keep to the path between the Stapletons'house and the Grimpen road,which is your natural way home.Do not leave the path.'
I was very surprised by all this.Holmes had told Stapleton that he would return to London,but he had not said that I was going too.And I was very worried that neither of us would be with Sir Henry when he walked across the moor that night.But we had to obey Holmes' orders.
Holmes and I left Baskerville Hall immediately after break fast and went to the station at Newtown.A small boy was waiting on the platform.
'Any orders,sir?'he asked Holmes.
'You will take the train to London,my boy.When you get there,you will send a telegram to Sir Henry in my name.It will ask him to send to me at Baker Street the pocket book I left at the Hall.'
I began to understand some of Holmes' plan.When Sir Hen ry received the telegram sent by Holmes' boy,he would think that we had arrived in London.He would tell Stapleton,who would then also believe that we were far away from Baskerville Hall.In fact,we would be very close in case Sir Henry needed us.
We left the station and went to see Mrs Laura Lyons.I in troduced Holmes to her.After they had shaken hands,he said:'Dr Watson has told me everything,Mrs Lyons.We see Sir Charles'death as a case of murder.Both Stapleton and his wife are suspects.
Mrs Lyons jumped from her chair.'His wife!'she cried.' He has no wife.He is not a married man.'
'I have come here ready to prove that he is married,and the woman calls herself his sister is really his wife,'said Holmes.He took some photographs and papers from his pocket,and showed them to Mrs Lyons.She looked at the photographs and read the papers.When she put them down,I could see that she had accepted the truth.
'I thought this man loved me,' she said,'but he has lied to me.Ask me what you like,Mr Holmes,and I will tell you the truth.I never thought any harm would come to Sir Charles.He was a dear old gentleman who was very kind to me.I would do nothing to hurt him.'
'I believe you,Mrs Lyons,'said Holmes.'Now,let me tell you what I think happened.You can tell me If I'm right or if I'm wrong.First of all,I think Stapleton told you to write the letter to Sir Charles and to ask him for help.He also told you to ask Sir Charles to meet you at the moor gate.Then,after you had sent the letter,Stapleton persuaded you not to meet Sir Charles after all.'
'Stapleton told me that he could not allow any other man to give me the money for my divorce,'Mrs Lyons said.'He said he was poor,but he would give all his money to bring us to gether.Then,after I heard about Sir Charles' death,Stapleton told me to say nothing about my letter and the meeting.He said I would be a suspect.He frightened me into staying silent.'
'Yes,'said Holmes.'But you wondered about him?'
She said nothing for a moment,and looked down.' Yes,'she said.' But since he has lied to me about marrying me,I will no longer keep his secrets.'
'You are lucky that you have escaped him,'Holmes said.'You know too much But I hope you are safe now.Good morning,Mrs Lyons,and thank you.You will hear from us soon.'
'So one by one our questions are answered,'said Holmes as we left Newtown.'When it is over,this will be one of the most famous cases of our time.And now it has nearly ended.We must hope that it ends safely and successfully.'
我们到了庄园时,亨利爵士很高兴见到福尔摩斯。可是,他为福尔摩斯既没带行李又是突如其来而感到很惊讶。
我担当起了把白瑞摩太太的弟弟去世的消息透露给他们夫妇俩的令人不快的差使。白瑞摩太太痛哭起来,真的非常悲伤。
晚饭时亨利爵士告诉我们,他独自一人闷闷地呆了一个白天和一个傍晚。他恪守了对福尔摩斯所许的诺言,所以他没有接受斯台普顿让他晚上去他们家的邀请。我们没有告诉他,我们为他远离沼地是何等高兴!
福尔摩斯开始说起什么事情来,接着他突然停下了。他的双眼注视着挂在墙上的已故的巴斯克维尔家人的一张画像。
“亨利爵士,您能告诉我那是巴斯克维尔家的哪位吗?”他问道。我和亨利爵士都看着那幅画像。
“那是雨果爵士,开始滋生麻烦的那位,”亨利爵士说道。“他就是最早见到那只猎犬的人。”
福尔摩斯凝视着这幅画像,可是没再说什么别的话。
后来,在亨利爵士回到自己的房间以后,福尔摩斯让我站在画像之前。“他像不像你认识的某个人?”他问道。他站在椅子上,用双手盖住画中的那人的帽子和头发。
“天哪!”我惊奇地叫道。我(好像)正在看着斯台普顿的一幅肖像。
“是这样,”没等我再说什么福尔摩斯就说道。“对这点是没有多少疑问的。斯台普顿是巴斯克维尔家族中的一员。他长得很像雨果,还有着同样邪恶的性格。我现在理解他为何想杀死亨利爵士了。我敢肯定,我们将发现他打算继承巴斯克维尔家的地产。如此一来,我们又有了一个答案。明晚之前斯台普顿就要像他自己所捉的蝴蝶一样被捕获了,我们还将把他添到贝克街的收集物中去。”
我们很快就上床睡觉去了。第二天早上我很早就起来了,但是福尔摩斯比我起得还要早些。他已经给警方就塞尔登的事情报了个信儿,还送信给他雇的那个小男孩让他不要给小屋带食品了。
当亨利爵士加入到我们之中时,福尔摩斯告诉他我们在早饭后就得马上出发去伦敦了。亨利爵士对此很不高兴,但是福尔摩斯请他帮助我们,一切按福尔摩斯的吩咐去做。亨利爵士答应通过这种方式帮我们的忙,而且还同意那个傍晚单身前往斯台普顿兄妹那儿。他还同意告诉斯台普顿兄妹我和福尔摩斯已去伦敦,却没说我们不久之后便可回来的消息。
“还有一个要求,”福尔摩斯说道。“我希望您坐马车去斯台普顿兄妹家,然后就把您的马车夫打发走。让他们知道,您是打算横穿沼地走回家的。”
“走过沼地吗?”亨利爵士说道,显得非常惊愕。“可是您一再告诉我不要那么干的啊。”
“这一次保证安全。我知道您是有足够的勇气这么做的,而且必须得这么干啊。”
“那么,我就这样干吧。”
“可是,您得坚持走从斯台普顿家的宅邸与格林盆大路之间的那条小路,那正是您回家的必经之路。不要离开那条道。”
所有这些叫我大吃一惊。福尔摩斯曾告诉过斯台普顿他将回伦敦去,但在那时并没有说我也将回去。我还为亨利爵士在傍晚走过沼地时我们二人都不能与他做伴而感到担忧。可是我们必须得听从福尔摩斯的吩咐。
我和福尔摩斯在早饭过后马上离开了巴斯克维尔庄园,还去了纽顿的火车站。一个小男孩正在站台上等着。
“有什么吩咐吗,先生?”他对福尔摩斯问道。
“孩子,你就乘这趟火车去伦敦吧。你到了那儿时,就以我的名义向亨利爵士发封电报。请他把我丢在了庄园的那个笔记本给我寄到贝克街去。”
我开始明白福尔摩斯的计划中的某些端倪了。亨利爵士收到福尔摩斯雇的男孩发来的电报时,他就会认为我们已抵达伦敦了。他将告给斯台普顿,那么斯台普顿也就会相信我们已远远地离开了巴斯克维尔庄园。事实上,我们在亨利爵士万一需要我们时就近在咫尺。
我们离开了车站,去见劳拉·莱昂丝太太。我把福尔摩斯介绍给了她。他俩握手之后,他说道:“华生医生告诉了我一切,莱昂丝太太。我们认为查尔斯爵士的死是一桩谋杀案。斯台普顿及其妻子都是该案的嫌疑犯。”
莱昂丝太太从椅子上跳了起来。“他的太太!”她惊叫道。“他没有妻子。他还是个单身汉。”
“我来此地时已经准备就绪,可以证明他已结了婚而自称是他妹妹的那个女子其实是他妻子,”福尔摩斯说道。他从衣兜里掏出几张相片和几张纸来,并把它们给莱昂丝太太看。她看了看相片,又看了看那几张纸。当她把那些从手中放下时,我能看出她已接受了事实。
“我以为这个人爱我,”她说道。“可是他一直在对我撒谎。愿意问我什么就问吧,福尔摩斯先生,我将告诉您事情的真相。我从没有想到会加害于查尔斯爵士。他是位年迈的、待我非常好的绅士。我决不干什么伤害他的事情。”
“我相信您,莱昂丝太太,”福尔摩斯说道。“现在,让我告诉您我认为已发生的事情。您可以告诉我讲对了还是讲错了。首先,我认为斯台普顿要您给查尔斯爵士写信并向他求救。他还叫您去请求查尔斯爵士在通往沼地的栅门旁见您。接着,在您把信发出去之后,斯台普顿劝阻您根本不要去见查尔斯爵士。”
“斯台普顿对我说,他不能容许别的男人为我的离婚之事而给我出钱,”莱昂丝太太说道。“他说虽然他是个穷人,但是他也要尽自己所有使我们二人得以结合。接着,在我听到查尔斯爵士已死一事之后,斯台普顿叫我决不要把关于我写的信件和约他见面的事情说出去。他说,我会变成嫌疑犯的。他吓得我不敢说话了。”
“正是这样,”福尔摩斯说道。“可是您对他可曾疑惑过?”
她一时没说什么,还低下了头。“是的,”她说道。“可是既然他就娶我一事向我撒谎的话,我也就不再为他保密了。”
“您能脱身幸运得很呢,”福尔摩斯说道,“您了解得太多了。可是我希望您现在能安全无恙。早安,莱昂丝太太,而且非常感谢。不久您就会听到我们的信儿了。”
“因此,我们的问题一个接一个地被回答了,”我们离开纽顿时福尔摩斯说道。“当此案结束时,它将会成为我们所处的时代最著名的案件之一。现在它已几乎结束了。我们必须盼望此案能够平安、顺当地有个了结。”