Chapter 12. Death on the Moor

loodtoiceinmyveins. “Oh,myGod!”Igasped.“Whatisit?Whatdoesitmean?” Holmeshadsprungtohisfeet,andIsawhisdark,athleticoutlineatthedoorofthehut,hisshouldersstooping,hisheadthrustforward,hisfacepeeringintothedarkness. “Hush!”hewhispered.“Hush!” Thecryhadbeenloudonaccountofitsvehemence,butithadpealedoutfromsomewherefaroffontheshadowyplain.Nowitburstuponourears,nearer,louder,moreurgentthanbefore. “Whereisit?”HolmeswhisperedandIknewfromthethrillofhisvoicethathe,themanofiron,wasshakentothesoul.“Whereisit,Watson?” “There,Ithink.”Ipointedintothedarkness. “No,there!” Againtheagonisedcrysweptthroughthesilentnight,louderandmuchnearerthanever.Andanewsoundmingledwithit,adeep,mutteredrumble,musicalandyetmenacing,risingandfallinglikethelow,constantmurmurofthesea. “Thehound!”criedHolmes.“Come,Watson,come!Greatheavens,ifwearetoolate!” Hehadstartedrunningswiftlyoverthemoor,andIhadfollowedathisheels.Butnowfromsomewhereamongthebrokengroundimmediatelyinfrontofustherecameonelastdespairingyell,andthenadull,heavythud.Wehaltedandlistened.Notanothersoundbroketheheavysilenceofthewindlessnight. IsawHolmesputhishandtohisforeheadlikeamandistracted.Hestampedhisfeetupontheground. “Hehasbeatenus,Watson.Wearetoolate.” “No,no,surelynot!” “FoolthatIwastoholdmyhand.Andyou,Watson,seewhatcomesofabandoningyourcharge!But,byHeaven,iftheworsthashappenedwe’llavengehim!” Blindlyweranthroughthegloom,blunderingagainstboulders,forcingourwaythroughgorsebushes,pantinguphillsandrushingdownslopes,headingalwaysinthedirectionwhencethosedreadfulsoundshadcome.AteveryriseHolmeslookedeagerlyroundhim,buttheshadowswerethickuponthemoor,andnothingmoveduponitsdrearyface. “Canyouseeanything?” “Nothing.” “But,hark,whatisthat?” Alowmoanhadfallenuponourears.Thereitwasagainuponourleft!Onthatsidearidgeofrocksendedinasheercliffwhichoverlookedastone-strewnslope.Onitsjaggedfacewasspread-eagledsomedark,irregularobject.Aswerantowardsitthevagueoutlinehardenedintoadefiniteshape.Itwasaprostratemanfacedownwardupontheground,theheaddoubledunderhimatahorribleangle,theshouldersroundedandthebodyhunchedtogetherasifintheactofthrowingasomersault.SogrotesquewastheattitudethatIcouldnotfortheinstantrealisethatthatmoanhadbeenthepassingofhissoul.Notawhisper,notarustle,rosenowfromthedarkfigureoverwhichwestooped.Holmeslaidhishanduponhimandhelditupagainwithanexclamationofhorror.Thegleamofthematchwhichhestruckshoneuponhisclottedfingersandupontheghastlypoolwhichwidenedslowlyfromthecrushedskullofthevictim.Anditshoneuponsomethingelsewhichturnedourheartssickandfaintwithinus—thebodyofSirHenryBaskerville! Therewasnochanceofeitherofusforgettingthatpeculiarruddytweedsuit—theveryonewhichhehadwornonthefirstmorningthatwehadseenhiminBakerStreet.Wecaughttheoneclearglimpseofit,andthenthematchflickeredandwentout,evenasthehopehadgoneoutofoursouls.Holmesgroaned,andhisfaceglimmeredwhitethroughthedarkness. “Thebrute!Thebrute!”Icriedwithclenchedhands.“OhHolmes,Ishallneverforgivemyselfforhavinglefthimtohisfate.” “Iammoretoblamethanyou,Watson.Inordertohavemycasewellroundedandcomplete,Ihavethrownawaythelifeofmyclient.Itisthegreatestblowwhichhasbefallenmeinmycareer.ButhowcouldIknow—howcouldIknow—thathewouldriskhislifealoneuponthemoorinthefaceofallmywarnings?” “Thatweshouldhaveheardhisscreams—myGod,thosescreams!—andyethavebeenunabletosavehim!Whereisthisbruteofahoundwhichdrovehimtohisdeath?Itmaybelurkingamongtheserocksatthisinstant.AndStapleton,whereishe?Heshallanswerforthisdeed.” “Heshall.Iwillseetothat.Uncleandnephewhavebeenmurdered—theonefrightenedtodeathbytheverysightofabeastwhichhethoughttobesupernatural,theotherdriventohisendinhiswildflighttoescapefromit.Butnowwehavetoprovetheconnectionbetweenthemanandthebeast.Savefromwhatweheard,wecannotevensweartotheexistenceofthelatter,sinceSirHenryhasevidentlydiedfromthefall.But,byheavens,cunningasheis,thefellowshallbeinmypowerbeforeanotherdayispast!” Westoodwithbitterheartsoneithersideofthemangledbody,overwhelmedbythissuddenandirrevocabledisasterwhichhadbroughtallourlongandwearylabourstosopiteousanend.Thenasthemoonroseweclimbedtothetopoftherocksoverwhichourpoorfriendhadfallen,andfromthesummitwegazedoutovertheshadowymoor,halfsilverandhalfgloom.Faraway,milesoff,inthedirectionofGrimpen,asinglesteadyyello