thatisthatwehavenotbeenshadowedduringthelasttwodays.Wehavenevergoneoutwithoutkeepingasharpwatch,andnoonecouldhaveescapedournotice.”
“Youhavealwayskepttogether,Ipresume?”
“Exceptyesterdayafternoon.IusuallygiveuponedaytopureamusementwhenIcometotown,soIspentitattheMuseumoftheCollegeofSurgeons.”
“AndIwenttolookatthefolkinthepark,”saidBaskerville.
“Butwehadnotroubleofanykind.”
“Itwasimprudent,allthesame,”saidHolmes,shakinghisheadandlookingverygrave.“Ibeg,SirHenry,thatyouwillnotgoaboutalone.Somegreatmisfortunewillbefallyouifyoudo.Didyougetyourotherboot?”
“No,sir,itisgoneforever.”
“Indeed.Thatisveryinteresting.Well,good-bye,”headdedasthetrainbegantoglidedowntheplatform.“Bearinmind,SirHenry,oneofthephrasesinthatqueeroldlegendwhichDr.Mortimerhasreadtous,andavoidthemoorinthosehoursofdarknesswhenthepowersofevilareexalted.”
Ilookedbackattheplatformwhenwehadleftitfarbehindandsawthetall,austerefigureofHolmesstandingmotionlessandgazingafterus.
Thejourneywasaswiftandpleasantone,andIspentitinmakingthemoreintimateacquaintanceofmytwocompanionsandinplayingwithDr.Mortimer’sspaniel.Inaveryfewhoursthebrownearthhadbecomeruddy,thebrickhadchangedtogranite,andredcowsgrazedinwell-hedgedfieldswherethelushgrassesandmoreluxuriantvegetationspokeofaricher,ifadamper,climate.YoungBaskervillestaredeagerlyoutofthewindowandcriedaloudwithdelightasherecognizedthefamiliarfeaturesoftheDevonscenery.
“I’vebeenoveragoodpartoftheworldsinceIleftit,Dr.Watson,”saidhe“butIhaveneverseenaplacetocomparewithit.”
“IneversawaDevonshiremanwhodidnotswearbyhiscounty,”Iremarked.
“Itdependsuponthebreedofmenquiteasmuchasonthecounty,”saidDr.Mortimer.“AglanceatourfriendhererevealstheroundedheadoftheCelt,whichcarriesinsideittheCelticenthusiasmandpowerofattachment.PoorSirCharles’sheadwasofaveryraretype,halfGaelic,halfIvernianinitscharacteristics.ButyouwereveryyoungwhenyoulastsawBaskervilleHall,wereyounot?”
“Iwasaboyinmyteensatthetimeofmyfather’sdeathand