Chapter 3. The Problem

ndIhavealreadygivenmyreasonsfornotwishingtodoso.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,buttotakeontheFatherofEvilhimselfwould,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?” “Whyshouldheno