Chapter 4. Sir Henry Baskerville

sverydeep,andthoughIhavenotfinallymadeupmymindwhetheritisabenevolentoramalevolentagencywhichisintouchwithus,Iamconsciousalwaysofpoweranddesign.WhenourfriendsleftIatoncefollowedtheminthehopesofmarkingdowntheirinvisibleattendant.Sowilywashethathehadnottrustedhimselfuponfoot,buthehadavailedhimselfofacabsothathecouldloiterbehindordashpastthemandsoescapetheirnotice.Hismethodhadtheadditionaladvantagethatiftheyweretotakeacabhewasallreadytofollowthem.Ithas,however,oneobviousdisadvantage.” “Itputshiminthepowerofthecabman.” “Exactly.” “Whatapitywedidnotgetthenumber!” “MydearWatson,clumsyasIhavebeen,yousurelydonotseriouslyimaginethatIneglectedtogetthenumber?No.2704isourman.Butthatisnousetousforthemoment.” “Ifailtoseehowyoucouldhavedonemore.” “OnobservingthecabIshouldhaveinstantlyturnedandwalkedintheotherdirection.Ishouldthenatmyleisurehavehiredasecondcabandfollowedthefirstatarespectfuldistance,or,betterstill,havedriventotheNorthumberlandHotelandwaitedthere.WhenourunknownhadfollowedBaskervillehomeweshouldhavehadtheopportunityofplayinghisowngameuponhimselfandseeingwherehemadefor.Asitis,byanindiscreeteagerness,whichwastakenadvantageofwithextraordinaryquicknessandenergybyouropponent,wehavebetrayedourselvesandlostourman.” WehadbeensaunteringslowlydownRegentStreetduringthisconversation,andDr.Mortimer,withhiscompanion,hadlongvanishedinfrontofus. “Thereisnoobjectinourfollowingthem,”saidHolmes.“Theshadowhasdepartedandwillnotreturn.Wemustseewhatfurthercardswehaveinourhandsandplaythemwithdecision.Couldyousweartothatman’sfacewithinthecab?” “Icouldswearonlytothebeard.” “AndsocouldI—fromwhichIgatherthatinallprobabilityitwasafalseone.Aclevermanuponsodelicateanerrandhasnouseforabeardsavetoconcealhisfeatures.Comeinhere,Watson!” Heturnedintooneofthedistrictmessengeroffices,wherehewaswarmlygreetedbythemanager. “Ah,Wilson,IseeyouhavenotforgottenthelittlecaseinwhichIhadthegoodfortunetohelpyou?” “No,sir,indeedIhavenot.Yousavedmygoodname,andperhapsmylife.” “Mydearfellow,youexaggerate.Ihavesomerecollection,Wilson,thatyouhadamongyourboysaladnamedCartwright,whoshowedsomeabilityduringtheinvestigation.” “Yes,sir,heisstillwithus.” “Couldyouringhimup?—thankyou!AndIshouldbegladtohavechangeofthisfive-poundnote.” Aladoffourteen,withabright,keenface,hadobeyedthesummonsofthemanager.Hestoodnowgazingwithgreatreverenceatthefamousdetective. “LetmehavetheHotelDirectory,”saidHolmes.“Thankyou!Now,Cartwright,therearethenamesoftwenty-threehotelshere,allintheimmediateneighbourhoodofCharingCross.Doyousee?” “Yes,sir.” “Youwillvisiteachoftheseinturn.” “Yes,sir.” “Youwillbeginineachcasebygivingtheoutsideporteroneshilling.Herearetwenty-threeshillings.” “Yes,sir.” “Youwilltellhimthatyouwanttoseethewaste-paperofyesterday.Youwillsaythatanimportanttelegramhasmiscarriedandthatyouarelookingforit.Youunderstand?” “Yes,sir.” “ButwhatyouarereallylookingforisthecentrepageoftheTimeswithsomeholescutinitwithscissors.HereisacopyoftheTimes.Itisthispage.Youcouldeasilyrecognizeit,couldyounot?” “Yes,sir.” “Ineachcasetheoutsideporterwillsendforthehallporter,towhomalsoyouwillgiveashilling.Herearetwenty-threeshillings.Youwillthenlearninpossiblytwentycasesoutofthetwenty-threethatthewasteofthedaybeforehasbeenburnedorremoved.InthethreeothercasesyouwillbeshownaheapofpaperandyouwilllookforthispageoftheTimesamongit.Theoddsareenormouslyagainstyourfindingit.Therearetenshillingsoverincaseofemergencies.LetmehaveareportbywireatBakerStreetbeforeevening.Andnow,Watson,itonlyremainsforustofindoutbywiretheidentityofthecabman,No.2704,andthenwewilldropintooneoftheBondStreetpicturegalleriesandfillinthetimeuntilwearedueatthehotel.”