fused.SirCharleshadevidentlystoodthereforfiveortenminutes.”
“Howdoyouknowthat?”
“Becausetheashhadtwicedroppedfromhiscigar.”
“Excellent!Thisisacolleague,Watson,afterourownheart.Butthemarks?”
“Hehadlefthisownmarksalloverthatsmallpatchofgravel.Icoulddiscernnoothers.”
SherlockHolmesstruckhishandagainsthiskneewithanimpatientgesture.
“IfIhadonlybeenthere!”hecried.“Itisevidentlyacaseofextraordinaryinterest,andonewhichpresentedimmenseopportunitiestothescientificexpert.ThatgravelpageuponwhichImighthavereadsomuchhasbeenlongerethissmudgedbytherainanddefacedbytheclogsofcuriouspeasants.Oh,Dr.Mortimer,Dr.Mortimer,tothinkthatyoushouldnothavecalledmein!Youhaveindeedmuchtoanswerfor.”
“Icouldnotcallyouin,Mr.Holmes,withoutdisclosingthesefactstotheworld,andIhavealreadygivenmyreasonsfornotwishingtodoso.Besides,besides—”
“Whydoyouhesitate?”
“Thereisarealminwhichthemostacuteandmostexperiencedofdetectivesishelpless.”
“Youmeanthatthethingissupernatural?”
“Ididnotpositivelysayso.”
“No,butyouevidentlythinkit.”
“Sincethetragedy,Mr.Holmes,therehavecometomyearsseveralincidentswhicharehardtoreconcilewiththesettledorderofNature.”
“Forexample?”
“IfindthatbeforetheterribleeventoccurredseveralpeoplehadseenacreatureuponthemoorwhichcorrespondswiththisBaskervilledemon,andwhichcouldnotpossiblybeanyanimalknowntoscience.Theyallagreedthatitwasahugecreature,luminous,ghastly,andspectral.Ihavecross-examinedthesemen,oneofthemahard-headedcountryman,oneafarrier,andoneamoorlandfarmer,whoalltellthesamestoryofthisdreadfulapparition,exactlycorrespondingtothehell-houndofthelegend.Iassureyouthatthereisareignofterrorinthedistrict,andthatitisahardymanwhowillcrossthemooratnight.”
“Andyou,atrainedmanofscience,believeittobesupernatural?”
“Idonotknowwhattobelieve.”
Holmesshruggedhisshoulders.“Ihavehithertoconfinedmyinvestigationstothisworld,”saidhe.“InamodestwayIhavecombatedevil,buttotakeo