Chapter 5. Three Broken Threads

nkit’swellworthtroublingabout.” “Why,youlookveryseriousoverit.” “Howdoyouexplainit?” “Ijustdon’tattempttoexplainit.Itseemstheverymaddest,queerestthingthateverhappenedtome.” “Thequeerestperhaps—”saidHolmesthoughtfully. “Whatdoyoumakeofityourself?” “Well,Idon’tprofesstounderstandityet.Thiscaseofyoursisverycomplex,SirHenry.Whentakeninconjunctionwithyouruncle’sdeathIamnotsurethatofallthefivehundredcasesofcapitalimportancewhichIhavehandledthereisonewhichcutssodeep.Butweholdseveralthreadsinourhands,andtheoddsarethatoneorotherofthemguidesustothetruth.Wemaywastetimeinfollowingthewrongone,butsoonerorlaterwemustcomeupontheright.” Wehadapleasantluncheoninwhichlittlewassaidofthebusinesswhichhadbroughtustogether.Itwasintheprivatesitting-roomtowhichweafterwardsrepairedthatHolmesaskedBaskervillewhatwerehisintentions. “TogotoBaskervilleHall.” “Andwhen?” “Attheendoftheweek.” “Onthewhole,”saidHolmes,“Ithinkthatyourdecisionisawiseone.IhaveampleevidencethatyouarebeingdoggedinLondon,andamidthemillionsofthisgreatcityitisdifficulttodiscoverwhothesepeopleareorwhattheirobjectcanbe.Iftheirintentionsareeviltheymightdoyouamischief,andweshouldbepowerlesstopreventit.Youdidnotknow,Dr.Mortimer,thatyouwerefollowedthismorningfrommyhouse?” Dr.Mortimerstartedviolently.“Followed!Bywhom?” “That,unfortunately,iswhatIcannottellyou.HaveyouamongyourneighboursoracquaintancesonDartmooranymanwithablack,fullbeard?” “No—or,letmesee—why,yes.Barrymore,SirCharles’sbutler,isamanwithafull,blackbeard.” “Ha!WhereisBarrymore?” “HeisinchargeoftheHall.” “Wehadbestascertainifheisreallythere,orifbyanypossibilityhemightbeinLondon.” “Howcanyoudothat?” “Givemeatelegraphform.‘IsallreadyforSirHenry?’Thatwilldo.AddresstoMr.Barrymore,BaskervilleHall.Whatisthenearesttelegraph-office?Grimpen.Verygood,wewillsendasecondwiretothepostmaster,Grimpen:‘TelegramtoMr.Barrymoretobedeliveredintohisownhand.Ifabsent,pleasereturnwiretoSirHenryBaskerville,NorthumberlandHotel.’ThatshouldletusknowbeforeeveningwhetherBarrymoreisathispostinDevonshireornot.” “That’sso,”saidBaskerville.“Bytheway,Dr.Mortimer,whoisthisBarrymore,anyhow?” “Heisthesonoftheoldcaretaker,whoisdead.TheyhavelookedaftertheHallforfourgenerationsnow.SofarasIknow,heandhiswifeareasrespectableacoupleasanyinthecounty.” “Atthesametime,”saidBaskerville,“it’sclearenoughthatsolongastherearenoneofthefamilyattheHallthesepeoplehaveamightyfinehomeandnothingtodo.” “Thatistrue.” “DidBarrymoreprofitatallbySirCharles’swill?”askedHolmes. “Heandhiswifehadfivehundredpoundseach.” “Ha!Didtheyknowthattheywouldreceivethis?” “YesSirCharleswasveryfondoftalkingabouttheprovisionsofhiswill.” “Thatisveryinteresting.” “Ihope,”saidDr.Mortimer,“thatyoudonotlookwithsuspiciouseyesuponeveryonewhoreceivedalegacyfromSirCharles,forIalsohadathousandpoundslefttome.” “Indeed!Andanyoneelse?” “Thereweremanyinsignificantsumstoindividuals,andalargenumberofpubliccharities.TheresidueallwenttoSirHenry.” “Andhowmuchwastheresidue?” “Sevenhundredandfortythousandpounds.” Holmesraisedhiseyebrowsinsurprise.“Ihadnoideat