Chapter 15. A Retrospection

butthathemeantmischieffromthefirstisevidentfromthewayinwhichhetookhiswifewithhiminthecharacterofhissister.Theideaofusingherasadecoywasclearlyalreadyinhismind,thoughhemaynothavebeencertainhowthedetailsofhisplotweretobearranged.Hemeantintheendtohavetheestate,andhewasreadytouseanytoolorrunanyriskforthatend.Hisfirstactwastoestablishhimselfasneartohisancestralhomeashecould,andhissecondwastocultivateafriendshipwithSirCharlesBaskervilleandwiththeneighbours. “Thebaronethimselftoldhimaboutthefamilyhound,andsopreparedthewayforhisowndeath.Stapleton,asIwillcontinuetocallhim,knewthattheoldman’sheartwasweakandthatashockwouldkillhim.SomuchhehadlearnedfromDr.Mortimer.HehadheardalsothatSirCharleswassuperstitiousandhadtakenthisgrimlegendveryseriously.Hisingeniousmindinstantlysuggestedawaybywhichthebaronetcouldbedonetodeath,andyetitwouldbehardlypossibletobringhometheguilttotherealmurderer. “Havingconceivedtheideaheproceededtocarryitoutwithconsiderablefinesse.Anordinaryschemerwouldhavebeencontenttoworkwithasavagehound.Theuseofartificialmeanstomakethecreaturediabolicalwasaflashofgeniusuponhispart.ThedogheboughtinLondonfromRossandMangles,thedealersinFulhamRoad.Itwasthestrongestandmostsavageintheirpossession.HebroughtitdownbytheNorthDevonlineandwalkedagreatdistanceoverthemoorsoastogetithomewithoutexcitinganyremarks.HehadalreadyonhisinsecthuntslearnedtopenetratetheGrimpenMire,andsohadfoundasafehiding-placeforthecreature.Herehekennelleditandwaitedhischance. “Butitwassometimecoming.Theoldgentlemancouldnotbedecoyedoutsideofhisgroundsatnight.SeveraltimesStapletonlurkedaboutwithhishound,butwithoutavail.Itwasduringthesefruitlessqueststhathe,orratherhisally,wasseenbypeasants,andthatthelegendofthedemondogreceivedanewconfirmation.HehadhopedthathiswifemightlureSirCharlestohisruin,butheresheprovedunexpectedlyindependent.Shewouldnotendeavourtoentangletheoldgentlemaninasentimentalattachmentwhichmightdeliverhimovertohisenemy.Threatsandeven,Iamsorrytosay,blowsrefusedtomoveher.Shewouldhavenothingtodowithit,andforatimeStapletonwasatadeadlock. “HefoundawayoutofhisdifficultiesthroughthechancethatSirCharles,whohadconceivedafriendshipforhim,madehimtheministerofhischarityinthecaseofthisunfortunatewoman,Mrs.LauraLyons.Byrepresentinghimselfasasinglemanheacquiredcompleteinfluenceoverher,andhegavehertounderstandthatintheeventofherobtainingadivorcefromherhusbandhewouldmarryher.HisplansweresuddenlybroughttoaheadbyhisknowledgethatSirCharleswasabouttoleavetheHallontheadviceofDr.Mortimer,withwhoseopinionhehimselfpretendedtocoincide.Hemustactatonce,orhisvictimmightgetbeyondhispower.HethereforeputpressureuponMrs.Lyonstowritethisletter,imploringtheoldmantogiveheraninterviewontheeveningbeforehisdepartureforLondon.Hethen,byaspeciousargument,preventedherfromgoing,andsohadthechanceforwhichhehadwaited. “DrivingbackintheeveningfromCoombeTraceyhewasintimetogethishound,totreatitwithhisinfernalpaint,andtobringthebeastroundtothegateatwhichhehadreasontoexpectthathewouldfindtheoldgentlemanwaiting.Thedog,incitedbyitsmaster,sprangoverthewicket-gateandpursuedtheunfortunatebaronet,whofledscreamingdowntheyewalley.Inthatgloomytunnelitmustindeedhavebeenadreadfulsighttoseethathugeblackcreature,withitsflamingjawsandblazingeyes,boundingafteritsvictim.Hefelldeadattheendofthealleyfromheartdiseaseandterror.Thehoundhadkeptuponthegrassyborderwhilethebaronethadrundownthepath,sothatnotrackbuttheman’swasvisible.Onseeinghimlyingstillthecreaturehadprobablyapproachedtosniffathim,butfindinghimdeadhadturnedawayagain.ItwasthenthatitlefttheprintwhichwasactuallyobservedbyDr.Mortimer.ThehoundwascalledoffandhurriedawaytoitslairintheGrimpenMire,andamysterywasleftwhichpuzzledtheauthorities,