Chapter 14. The Hound of the Baskervilles

thehoundthefoghadliftedandwewereguidedbyMrs.Stapletontothepointwheretheyhadfoundapathwaythroughthebog.Ithelpedustorealisethehorrorofthiswoman’slifewhenwesawtheeagernessandjoywithwhichshelaidusonherhusband’strack.Weleftherstandinguponthethinpeninsulaoffirm,peatysoilwhichtaperedoutintothewidespreadbog.Fromtheendofitasmallwandplantedhereandthereshowedwherethepathzigzaggedfromtufttotuftofrushesamongthosegreen-scummedpitsandfoulquagmireswhichbarredthewaytothestranger.Rankreedsandlush,slimywater-plantssentanodourofdecayandaheavymiasmaticvapourontoourfaces,whileafalsestepplungedusmorethanoncethigh-deepintothedark,quiveringmire,whichshookforyardsinsoftundulationsaroundourfeet.Itstenaciousgrippluckedatourheelsaswewalked,andwhenwesankintoititwasasifsomemalignanthandwastuggingusdownintothoseobscenedepths,sogrimandpurposefulwastheclutchinwhichitheldus.Onceonlywesawatracethatsomeonehadpassedthatperilouswaybeforeus.Fromamidatuftofcottongrasswhichboreitupoutoftheslimesomedarkthingwasprojecting.Holmessanktohiswaistashesteppedfromthepathtoseizeit,andhadwenotbeentheretodraghimouthecouldneverhavesethisfootuponfirmlandagain.Heheldanoldblackbootintheair.“Meyers,Toronto,”wasprintedontheleatherinside. “Itisworthamudbath,”saidhe.“ItisourfriendSirHenry’smissingboot.” “ThrowntherebyStapletoninhisflight.” “Exactly.Heretaineditinhishandafterusingittosetthehounduponthetrack.Hefledwhenheknewthegamewasup,stillclutchingit.Andhehurleditawayatthispointofhisflight.Weknowatleastthathecamesofarinsafety.” Butmorethanthatwewereneverdestinedtoknow,thoughtherewasmuchwhichwemightsurmise.Therewasnochanceoffindingfootstepsinthemire,fortherisingmudoozedswiftlyinuponthem,butasweatlastreachedfirmergroundbeyondthemorasswealllookedeagerlyforthem.Butnoslightestsignofthemevermetoureyes.Iftheearthtoldatruestory,thenStapletonneverreachedthatislandofrefugetowardswhichhestruggledthroughthefoguponthatlastnight.SomewhereintheheartofthegreatGrimpenMire,downinthefoulslimeofthehugemorasswhichhadsuckedhimin,thiscoldandcruel-heartedmanisforeverburied. Manytraceswefoundofhiminthebog-girtislandwherehehadhidhissavageally.Ahugedriving-wheelandashafthalf-filledwithrubbishshowedthepositionofanabandonedmine.Besideitwerethecrumblingremainsofthecottagesoftheminers,drivenawaynodoubtbythefoulreekofthesurroundingswamp.Inoneoftheseastapleandchainwithaquantityofgnawedbonesshowedwheretheanimalhadbeenconfined.Askeletonwithatangleofbrownhairadheringtoitlayamongthedébris. “Adog!”saidHolmes.“ByJove,acurly-hairedspaniel.PoorMortimerwillneverseehispetagain.Well,Idonotknowthatthisplacecontainsanysecretwhichwehavenotalreadyfathomed.Hecouldhidehishound,buthecouldnothushitsvoice,andhencecamethosecrieswhichevenindaylightwerenotpleasanttohear.Onanemergencyhecouldkeepthehoundintheout-houseatMerripit,butitwasalwaysarisk,anditwasonlyonthesupremeday,whichheregardedastheendofallhisefforts,thathedareddoit.Thispasteinthetinisnodoubttheluminousmixturewithwhichthecreaturewasdaubed.Itwassuggested,ofcourse,bythestoryofthefamilyhell-hound,andbythedesiretofrightenoldSirCharlestodeath.Nowonderthepoordevilofaconvictranandscreamed,evenasourfrienddid,andasweourselvesmighthavedone,whenhesawsuchacreatureboundingthroughthedarknessofthemooruponhistrack.Itwasacunningdevice,for,apartfromthechanceofdrivingyourvictimtohisdeath,whatpeasantwouldventuretoinquiretoocloselyintosuchacreatureshouldhegetsightofit,asmanyhavedone,uponthemoor?IsaiditinLondon,Watson,andIsayitagainnow,thatneveryethavewehelpedtohuntdownamoredangerousmanthanhewhoislyingyonder”—heswepthislongarmtowardsthehugemottledexpanseofgreen-splotchedbogwhichstretchedawayuntilitmergedintotherussetslopesofthemoor.