巴斯克維爾獵犬 4.The Problem

巴斯克維爾獵犬

The hound of the baskervilles

美國作家改編

原著 Conan Doyle

【英】柯南.道爾

改編 Robert Ellis

故事梗概

九月一個美麗的早晨，神探歌洛克.福爾摩斯收到一封來自一位名叫詹姆斯.摩梯末的醫(yī)生的拜訪信。上午十點半摩梯末醫(yī)生如約而至，他隨身帶來了一扎神秘的手稿，這扎手稿來自已故的查爾斯.巴斯克雄爾爵士。信中講述了一百多年前巴斯克維爾家庭的祖先雨果.巴斯克維爾是如何為非作歹，最終招致自己喪命在傳說中兇悍無比的巴斯克維爾獵犬的利齒之下的故事。自此之后，巴斯克維爾家族就籠罩在祖先所犯下罪行的陰影之中，家族族長的繼承人們都相繼以蹊蹺而恐怖的方式死去。

起初福爾摩斯并不為摩梯末醫(yī)生的故事所吸引，認為這只是個有趣的傳說。但隨著摩梯末醫(yī)生逐步向福爾摩斯講述了查爾斯.巴斯克維爾爵士死因的疑點時，福爾摩斯決定插手此案，因為他意識到這不僅關系到已故伯爵查爾斯的真正死因，還關系到巴斯克維爾莊園的下一個繼承人亨利.巴斯克維爾的生命安全。在福爾摩斯的巧妙安排之下。他的忠實搭檔華生醫(yī)生陪伴亨利爵士回到巴斯克維爾莊園。

在巴斯克維爾莊園期間，華生醫(yī)生接二連三地遇到了種種怪異之事，如半夜時分女人凄慘的哭聲，管家白瑞摩夜間可疑的舉動，還有他后來發(fā)現(xiàn)的一封查爾斯爵士死前未被完全燒毀的信件的碎片，等等。這諸多的疑團使他墜入云霧之中。正當他決定開始深入虎穴探聽虛實之時，他卻出乎意料地遇到了從天而降的福爾摩斯。原來福爾摩斯為了弄清傳說中那只可怕獵犬的秘密及發(fā)生在巴斯克維爾莊園的慘案，故意避人耳目，獨自躲在人跡罕至的沼澤地，忍受暴風雨以及孤獨和寒冷的襲擊。而此時狡猾的罪犯也開始按捺不住，逐漸浮出水面，他迫不及待地誤殺了穿著亨利爵士衣服的逃犯塞爾多。這使福爾摩斯更加確信自己的推斷無誤。于是，福爾摩斯果斷地用亨利引出了真正的兇手——斯臺普頓。原來兩年前剛剛搬到德文郡的斯臺普頓就是羅杰.巴斯克維爾，即查爾斯爵士最小弟弟的兒子。多年前人們誤以為身為逃犯的羅杰死于南美洲，但實際上，他并沒有死，而且還有了一個兒子也叫羅杰，他就是斯臺普頓。斯臺普頓知道如果查爾斯和亨利都死了，那么他將能得到巴斯克維爾家族的巨額財產(chǎn)，因此他便利用巴斯克維爾獵犬的傳說不擇手段地殺害了自己的親人。他先是用怒犬嚇死了年老體衰的查爾斯爵士，隨后又妄圖讓惡犬咬死亨利爵士，但福爾摩斯最終識破了他的詭計，在華生和警探的配合下殺死了那只可怕的獵犬，而斯臺普頓也在深夜倉皇出逃時生死不明……

感謝大耳朵網(wǎng)友“Alice-nemo”提供聽力原文

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.