Chapter 2. The Curse of the Baskervilles

“Ihaveinmypocketamanuscript,”saidDr.JamesMortimer. “Iobserveditasyouenteredtheroom,”saidHolmes. “Itisanoldmanuscript.” “Earlyeighteenthcentury,unlessitisaforgery.” “Howcanyousaythat,sir?” “Youhavepresentedaninchortwoofittomyexaminationallthetimethatyouhavebeentalking.Itwouldbeapoorexpertwhocouldnotgivethedateofadocumentwithinadecadeorso.Youmaypossiblyhavereadmylittlemonographuponthesubject.Iputthatat1730.” “Theexactdateis1742.”Dr.Mortimerdrewitfromhisbreast-pocket.“ThisfamilypaperwascommittedtomycarebySirCharlesBaskerville,whosesuddenandtragicdeathsomethreemonthsagocreatedsomuchexcitementinDevonshire.ImaysaythatIwashispersonalfriendaswellashismedicalattendant.Hewasastrong-mindedman,sir,shrewd,practical,andasunimaginativeasIammyself.Yethetookthisdocumentveryseriously,andhismindwaspreparedforjustsuchanendasdideventuallyovertakehim.” Holmesstretchedouthishandforthemanuscriptandflattenedituponhisknee.“Youwillobserve,Watson,thealternativeuseofthelongsandtheshort.Itisoneofseveralindicationswhichenabledmetofixthedate.” Ilookedoverhisshoulderattheyellowpaperandthefadedscript.Attheheadwaswritten:“BaskervilleHall,”andbelowinlarge,scrawlingfigures:“1742.” “Itappearstobeastatementofsomesort.” “Yes,itisastatementofacertainlegendwhichrunsintheBaskervillefamily.” “ButIunderstandthatitissomethingmoremodernandpracticaluponwhichyouwishtoconsultme?” “Mostmodern.Amostpractical,pressingmatter,whichmustbedecidedwithintwenty-fourhours.Butthemanuscriptisshortandisintimatelyconnectedwiththeaffair.WithyourpermissionIwillreadittoyou.” Holmesleanedbackinhischair,placedhisfinger-tipstogether,andclosedhiseyes,withanairofresignation.Dr.Mortimerturnedthemanuscripttothelightandreadinahigh,crackingvoicethefollowingcurious,old-worldnarrative: “OftheoriginoftheHoundoftheBaskervillestherehavebeenmanystatements,yetasIcomeinadirectlinefromHugoBaskerville,andasIhadthestoryfrommyfather,whoalsohaditfromhis,Ihavesetitdownwithallbeliefthatitoccurredevenasisheresetforth.AndIwouldhaveyoubelieve,mysons,thatthesameJusticewhichpunishessinmayalsomostgraciouslyforgiveit,andthatnobanissoheavybutthatbyprayerandrepentanceitmayberemoved.Learnthenfromthisstorynottofearthefruitsofthepast,butrathertobecircumspectinthefuture,thatthosefoulpassionswherebyourfamilyhassufferedsogrievouslymaynotagainbeloosedtoourundoing. “KnowthenthatinthetimeoftheGreatRebellion(thehistoryofwhichbythelearnedLordClarendonImostearnestlycommendtoyourattention)thisManorofBaskervillewasheldbyHugoofthatname,norcanitbegainsaidthathewasamostwild,profane,andgodlessman.This,intruth,hisneighboursmighthavepardoned,seeingthatsaintshaveneverflourishedinthoseparts,buttherewasinhimacertainwantonandcruelhumourwhichmadehisnameaby-wordthroughtheWest.ItchancedthatthisHugocametolove(if,indeed,sodarkapassionmaybeknownundersobrightaname)thedaughterofayeomanwhoheldlandsneartheBaskervilleestate.Buttheyoungmaiden,beingdiscreetandofgoodrepute,wouldeveravoidhim,forshefearedhisevilname.SoitcametopassthatoneMichaelmasthisHugo,withfiveorsixofhisidleandwickedcompanions,stoledownuponthefarmandcarriedoffthemaiden,herfatherandbrothersbeingfromhome,ashewellknew.WhentheyhadbroughthertotheHallthemaidenwasplacedinanupperchamber,whileHugoandhisfriendssatdowntoalongcarouse,aswastheirnightlycustom.Now,thepoorlassupstairswasliketohaveherwitsturnedatthesingingandshoutingandterribleoathswhichcameuptoherfrombelow,fortheysaythatthewordsusedbyHugoBaskerville,whenhewasinwine,weresuchasmightblastthemanwhosaidthem.Atlastint