BaskervilleHall,asthepapersays,wouldcertainlyremainuntenantedifanythingweredonetoincreaseitsalreadyrathergrimreputation.ForboththesereasonsIthoughtthatIwasjustifiedintellingratherlessthanIknew,sincenopracticalgoodcouldresultfromit,butwithyouthereisnoreasonwhyIshouldnotbeperfectlyfrank.
“Themoorisverysparselyinhabited,andthosewholiveneareachotherarethrownverymuchtogether.ForthisreasonIsawagooddealofSirCharlesBaskerville.WiththeexceptionofMr.Frankland,ofLafterHall,andMr.Stapleton,thenaturalist,therearenoothermenofeducationwithinmanymiles.SirCharleswasaretiringman,butthechanceofhisillnessbroughtustogether,andacommunityofinterestsinsciencekeptusso.HehadbroughtbackmuchscientificinformationfromSouthAfrica,andmanyacharmingeveningwehavespenttogetherdiscussingthecomparativeanatomyoftheBushmanandtheHottentot.
“WithinthelastfewmonthsitbecameincreasinglyplaintomethatSirCharles’snervoussystemwasstrainedtothebreakingpoint.HehadtakenthislegendwhichIhavereadyouexceedinglytoheart—somuchsothat,althoughhewouldwalkinhisowngrounds,nothingwouldinducehimtogooutuponthemooratnight.Incredibleasitmayappeartoyou,Mr.Holmes,hewashonestlyconvincedthatadreadfulfateoverhunghisfamily,andcertainlytherecordswhichhewasabletogiveofhisancestorswerenotencouraging.Theideaofsomeghastlypresenceconstantlyhauntedhim,andonmorethanoneoccasionhehasaskedmewhetherIhadonmymedicaljourneysatnighteverseenanystrangecreatureorheardthebayingofahound.Thelatterquestionheputtomeseveraltimes,andalwayswithavoicewhichvibratedwithexcitement.
“Icanwellrememberdrivinguptohishouseintheeveningsomethreeweeksbeforethefatalevent.Hechancedtobeathishalldoor.Ihaddescendedfrommygigandwasstandinginfrontofhim,whenIsawhiseyesfixthemselvesovermyshoulderandstarepastmewithanexpressionofthemostdreadfulhorror.IwhiskedroundandhadjusttimetocatchaglimpseofsomethingwhichItooktobealargeblackcalfpassingattheheadofthedrive.SoexcitedandalarmedwashethatIwascompelledtogodowntothespotwheretheanimalh