Chapter 4. Sir Henry Baskerville

shortaddress,showingthattherewasverylittleinkinthebottle.Now,aprivatepenorink-bottleisseldomallowedtobeinsuchastate,andthecombinationofthetwomustbequiterare.Butyouknowthehotelinkandthehotelpen,whereitisraretogetanythingelse.Yes,Ihaveverylittlehesitationinsayingthatcouldweexaminethewaste-paperbasketsofthehotelsaroundCharingCrossuntilwefoundtheremainsofthemutilatedTimesleaderwecouldlayourhandsstraightuponthepersonwhosentthissingularmessage.Halloa!Halloa!What’sthis?” Hewascarefullyexaminingthefoolscap,uponwhichthewordswerepasted,holdingitonlyaninchortwofromhiseyes. “Well?” “Nothing,”saidhe,throwingitdown.“Itisablankhalf-sheetofpaper,withoutevenawater-markuponit.Ithinkwehavedrawnasmuchaswecanfromthiscuriousletterandnow,SirHenry,hasanythingelseofinteresthappenedtoyousinceyouhavebeeninLondon?” “Why,no,Mr.Holmes.Ithinknot.” “Youhavenotobservedanyonefolloworwatchyou?” “Iseemtohavewalkedrightintothethickofadimenovel,”saidourvisitor.“Whyinthundershouldanyonefolloworwatchme?” “Wearecomingtothat.Youhavenothingelsetoreporttousbeforewegointothismatter?” “Well,itdependsuponwhatyouthinkworthreporting.” “Ithinkanythingoutoftheordinaryroutineoflifewellworthreporting.” SirHenrysmiled.“Idon’tknowmuchofBritishlifeyet,forIhavespentnearlyallmytimeintheStatesandinCanada.ButIhopethattoloseoneofyourbootsisnotpartoftheordinaryroutineoflifeoverhere.” “Youhavelostoneofyourboots?” “Mydearsir,”criedDr.Mortimer,“itisonlymislaid.Youwillfinditwhenyoureturntothehotel.WhatistheuseoftroublingMr.Holmeswithtriflesofthiskind?” “Well,heaskedmeforanythingoutsidetheordinaryroutine.” “Exactly,”saidHolmes,“howeverfoolishtheincidentmayseem.Youhavelostoneofyourboots,yousay?” “Well,mislaidit,anyhow.Iputthembothoutsidemydoorlastnight,andtherewasonlyoneinthemorning.Icouldgetnosenseoutofthechapwhocleansthem.TheworstofitisthatIonlyboughtthepairlastnightintheStrand,andIhaveneverhadthemon.” “Ifyouhaveneverwornthem,whydidyouputthemouttobecleaned?” “Theyweretanbootsandhadneverbeenvarnished.ThatwaswhyIputthemout.” “ThenIunderstandthatonyourarrivalinLondonyesterdayyouwentoutatonceandboughtapairofboots?” “Ididagooddealofshopping.Dr.Mortimerherewentroundwithme.Yousee,ifIamtobesquiredownthereImustdressthepart,anditmaybethatIhavegotalittlecarelessinmywaysoutWest.AmongotherthingsIboughtthesebrownboots—gavesixdollarsforthem—andhadonestolenbeforeeverIhadthemonmyfeet.” “Itseemsasingularlyuselessthingtosteal,”saidSherlockHolmes.“IconfessthatIshareDr.Mortimer’sbeliefthatitwillnotbelongbeforethemissingbootisfound.” “And,now,gentlemen,”saidthebaronetwithdecision,“itseemstomethatIhavespokenquiteenoughaboutthelittlethatIknow.Itistimethatyoukeptyourpromiseandgavemeafullaccountofwhatwearealldrivingat.” “Yourrequestisaveryreasonableone,”Holmesanswered.“Dr.Mortimer,Ithinkyoucouldnotdobetterthantotellyourstoryasyoutoldittous.” Thusencouraged,ourscientificfrienddrewhispapersfromhispocketandpresentedthewholecaseashehaddoneuponthemorningbefore.SirHenryBaskervillelistenedwiththedeepestattentionandwithanoccasionalexclamationofsurprise. “Well,Iseemtohavecomeintoaninheritancewithavengeance,”saidhewhenthelongnarrativewasfinished.“Ofcourse,I’veheardofthehoundeversinceIwasinthenursery.It’sthepetstoryofthefamily,thoughIneverthoughtoftakingitseriouslybefore.Butastomyuncle’sdeath—well,itallseemsboilingupinmyhead,andIcan’tgetitclearyet.Youdon’tseemquitetohavemadeupyourmindwhetherit’sacaseforapolicemanoraclergyman.” “Precisely.” “Andnowthere’sthisaffairofthelettertomeatthehotel.Isupposethatfitsintoitsplace.” “Itseemstoshowthatsomeoneknowsmorethanwedoaboutwhatgoesonuponthemoor,”saidDr.Mortimer. “Andalso,”saidHolmes,“thatsomeoneisnotill-dis