Chapter 3. The Problem

thedesolate,lifelessmoor.This,then,isthestageuponwhichtragedyhasbeenplayed,anduponwhichwemayhelptoplayitagain.” “Itmustbeawildplace.” “Yes,thesettingisaworthyone.Ifthedevildiddesiretohaveahandintheaffairsofmen—” “Thenyouareyourselfincliningtothesupernaturalexplanation.” “Thedevil’sagentsmaybeoffleshandblood,maytheynot?Therearetwoquestionswaitingforusattheoutset.Theoneiswhetheranycrimehasbeencommittedatallthesecondis,whatisthecrimeandhowwasitcommitted?Ofcourse,ifDr.Mortimer’ssurmiseshouldbecorrect,andwearedealingwithforcesoutsidetheordinarylawsofNature,thereisanendofourinvestigation.Butweareboundtoexhaustallotherhypothesesbeforefallingbackuponthisone.Ithinkwe’llshutthatwindowagain,ifyoudon’tmind.Itisasingularthing,butIfindthataconcentratedatmospherehelpsaconcentrationofthought.Ihavenotpushedittothelengthofgettingintoaboxtothink,butthatisthelogicaloutcomeofmyconvictions.Haveyouturnedthecaseoverinyourmind?” “Yes,Ihavethoughtagooddealofitinthecourseoftheday.” “Whatdoyoumakeofit?” “Itisverybewildering.” “Ithascertainlyacharacterofitsown.Therearepointsofdistinctionaboutit.Thatchangeinthefootprints,forexample.Whatdoyoumakeofthat?” “Mortimersaidthatthemanhadwalkedontiptoedownthatportionofthealley.” “Heonlyrepeatedwhatsomefoolhadsaidattheinquest.Whyshouldamanwalkontiptoedownthealley?” “Whatthen?” “Hewasrunning,Watson—runningdesperately,runningforhislife,runninguntilhebursthisheart—andfelldeaduponhisface.” “Runningfromwhat?” “Thereliesourproblem.Thereareindicationsthatthemanwascrazedwithfearbeforeeverhebegantorun.” “Howcanyousaythat?” “Iampresumingthatthecauseofhisfearscametohimacrossthemoor.Ifthatwereso,anditseemsmostprobable,onlyamanwhohadlosthiswitswouldhaverunfromthehouseinsteadoftowardsit.Ifthegipsy’sevidencemaybetakenastrue,heranwithcriesforhelpinthedirectionwherehelpwasleastlikelytobe.Then,again,whomwashewaitingforthatnight,andwhywashewaitingforhimintheyewalleyratherthaninhisownhouse?” “Youthinkthathewaswaitingforsomeone?” “Themanwaselderlyandinfirm.Wecanunderstandhistakinganeveningstroll,butthegroundwasdampandthenightinclement.Isitnaturalthatheshouldstandforfiveortenminutes,asDr.Mortimer,withmorepracticalsensethanIshouldhavegivenhimcreditfor,deducedfromthecigarash?” “Buthewentouteveryevening.” “Ithinkitunlikelythathewaitedatthemoor-gateeveryevening.Onthecontrary,theevidenceisthatheavoidedthemoor.Thatnighthewaitedthere.ItwasthenightbeforehemadehisdepartureforLondon.Thethingtakesshape,Watson.Itbecomescoherent.MightIaskyoutohandmemyviolin,andwewillpostponeallfurtherthoughtuponthisbusinessuntilwehavehadtheadvantageofmeetingDr.MortimerandSirHenryBaskervilleinthemorning.”