ingthereoftotheirsisterElizabeth.]”
WhenDr.MortimerhadfinishedreadingthissingularnarrativehepushedhisspectaclesuponhisforeheadandstaredacrossatMr.SherlockHolmes.Thelatteryawnedandtossedtheendofhiscigaretteintothefire.
“Well?”saidhe.
“Doyounotfinditinteresting?”
“Toacollectoroffairytales.”
Dr.Mortimerdrewafoldednewspaperoutofhispocket.
“Now,Mr.Holmes,wewillgiveyousomethingalittlemorerecent.ThisistheDevonCountyChronicleofMay14thofthisyear.ItisashortaccountofthefactselicitedatthedeathofSirCharlesBaskervillewhichoccurredafewdaysbeforethatdate.”
Myfriendleanedalittleforwardandhisexpressionbecameintent.Ourvisitorreadjustedhisglassesandbegan:
“TherecentsuddendeathofSirCharlesBaskerville,whosenamehasbeenmentionedastheprobableLiberalcandidateforMid-Devonatthenextelection,hascastagloomoverthecounty.ThoughSirCharleshadresidedatBaskervilleHallforacomparativelyshortperiodhisamiabilityofcharacterandextremegenerosityhadwontheaffectionandrespectofallwhohadbeenbroughtintocontactwithhim.Inthesedaysofnouveauxrichesitisrefreshingtofindacasewherethescionofanoldcountyfamilywhichhasfallenuponevildaysisabletomakehisownfortuneandtobringitbackwithhimtorestorethefallengrandeurofhisline.SirCharles,asiswellknown,madelargesumsofmoneyinSouthAfricanspeculation.Morewisethanthosewhogoonuntilthewheelturnsagainstthem,herealisedhisgainsandreturnedtoEnglandwiththem.ItisonlytwoyearssincehetookuphisresidenceatBaskervilleHall,anditiscommontalkhowlargewerethoseschemesofreconstructionandimprovementwhichhavebeeninterruptedbyhisdeath.Beinghimselfchildless,itwashisopenlyexpresseddesirethatthewholecountrysideshould,withinhisownlifetime,profitbyhisgoodfortune,andmanywillhavepersonalreasonsforbewailinghisuntimelyend.Hisgenerousdonationstolocalandcountycharitieshavebeenfrequentlychronicledinthesecolumns.
“ThecircumstancesconnectedwiththedeathofSirCharlescannotbesaidtohavebeenentirelyclearedupbytheinquest,butatleastenoughhasb