FromthispointonwardIwillfollowthecourseofeventsbytranscribingmyownletterstoMr.SherlockHolmeswhichliebeforemeonthetable.Onepageismissing,butotherwisetheyareexactlyaswrittenandshowmyfeelingsandsuspicionsofthemomentmoreaccuratelythanmymemory,clearasitisuponthesetragicevents,canpossiblydo.
BaskervilleHall,October13th.
MYDEARHOLMES,
MypreviouslettersandtelegramshavekeptyouprettywelluptodateastoallthathasoccurredinthismostGod-forsakencorneroftheworld.Thelongeronestaysherethemoredoesthespiritofthemoorsinkintoone’ssoul,itsvastness,andalsoitsgrimcharm.WhenyouareonceoutuponitsbosomyouhaveleftalltracesofmodernEnglandbehindyou,but,ontheotherhand,youareconsciouseverywhereofthehomesandtheworkoftheprehistoricpeople.Onallsidesofyouasyouwalkarethehousesoftheseforgottenfolk,withtheirgravesandthehugemonolithswhicharesupposedtohavemarkedtheirtemples.Asyoulookattheirgreystonehutsagainstthescarredhillsidesyouleaveyourownagebehindyou,andifyouweretoseeaskin-clad,hairymancrawloutfromthelowdoorfittingaflint-tippedarrowontothestringofhisbow,youwouldfeelthathispresencetherewasmorenaturalthanyourown.Thestrangethingisthattheyshouldhavelivedsothicklyonwhatmustalwayshavebeenmostunfruitfulsoil.Iamnoantiquarian,butIcouldimaginethattheyweresomeunwarlikeandharriedracewhowereforcedtoacceptthatwhichnoneotherwouldoccupy.
Allthis,however,isforeigntothemissiononwhichyousentmeandwillprobablybeveryuninterestingtoyourseverelypracticalmind.Icanstillrememberyourcompleteindifferenceastowhetherthesunmovedroundtheearthortheearthroundthesun.Letme,therefore,returntothefactsconcerningSirHenryBaskerville.
Ifyouhavenothadanyreportwithinthelastfewdaysitisbecauseuptotodaytherewasnothingofimportancetorelate.Thenaverysurprisingcircumstanceoccurre