ntheFatherofEvilhimselfwould,perhaps,betooambitiousatask.Yetyoumustadmitthatthefootmarkismaterial.”
“Theoriginalhoundwasmaterialenoughtotugaman’sthroatout,andyethewasdiabolicalaswell.”
“Iseethatyouhavequitegoneovertothesupernaturalists.Butnow,Dr.Mortimer,tellmethis.Ifyouholdtheseviews,whyhaveyoucometoconsultmeatall?YoutellmeinthesamebreaththatitisuselesstoinvestigateSirCharles’sdeath,andthatyoudesiremetodoit.”
“IdidnotsaythatIdesiredyoutodoit.”
“Then,howcanIassistyou?”
“ByadvisingmeastowhatIshoulddowithSirHenryBaskerville,whoarrivesatWaterlooStation”—Dr.Mortimerlookedathiswatch—“inexactlyonehourandaquarter.”
“Hebeingtheheir?”
“Yes.OnthedeathofSirCharlesweinquiredforthisyounggentlemanandfoundthathehadbeenfarminginCanada.Fromtheaccountswhichhavereachedusheisanexcellentfellowineveryway.IspeaknownotasamedicalmanbutasatrusteeandexecutorofSirCharles’swill.”
“Thereisnootherclaimant,Ipresume?”
“None.TheonlyotherkinsmanwhomwehavebeenabletotracewasRodgerBaskerville,theyoungestofthreebrothersofwhompoorSirCharleswastheelder.Thesecondbrother,whodiedyoung,isthefatherofthisladHenry.Thethird,Rodger,wastheblacksheepofthefamily.HecameoftheoldmasterfulBaskervillestrainandwastheveryimage,theytellme,ofthefamilypictureofoldHugo.HemadeEnglandtoohottoholdhim,fledtoCentralAmerica,anddiedtherein1876ofyellowfever.HenryisthelastoftheBaskervilles.InonehourandfiveminutesImeethimatWaterlooStation.IhavehadawirethathearrivedatSouthamptonthismorning.Now,Mr.Holmes,whatwouldyouadvisemetodowithhim?”
“Whyshouldhenotgotothehomeofhisfathers?”
“Itseemsnatural,doesitnot?Andyet,considerthateveryBaskervillewhogoestheremeetswithanevilfate.IfeelsurethatifSirCharlescouldhavespokenwithmebeforehisdeathhewouldhavewarnedmeagainstbringingthis,thelastoftheoldrace,andtheheirtogreatwealth,tothatdeadlyplace.Andyetitcannotbedeniedthattheprosperityofthewholepoor,bleakcountrysidedependsuponhispresence.Alltheg