Chapter 15. A Retrospection

alarmedthecountryside,andfinallybroughtthecasewithinthescopeofourobservation. “SomuchforthedeathofSirCharlesBaskerville.Youperceivethedevilishcunningofit,forreallyitwouldbealmostimpossibletomakeacaseagainsttherealmurderer.Hisonlyaccomplicewasonewhocouldnevergivehimaway,andthegrotesque,inconceivablenatureofthedeviceonlyservedtomakeitmoreeffective.Bothofthewomenconcernedinthecase,Mrs.StapletonandMrs.LauraLyons,wereleftwithastrongsuspicionagainstStapleton.Mrs.Stapletonknewthathehaddesignsupontheoldman,andalsooftheexistenceofthehound.Mrs.Lyonsknewneitherofthesethings,buthadbeenimpressedbythedeathoccurringatthetimeofanuncancelledappointmentwhichwasonlyknowntohim.However,bothofthemwereunderhisinfluence,andhehadnothingtofearfromthem.Thefirsthalfofhistaskwassuccessfullyaccomplishedbutthemoredifficultstillremained. “ItispossiblethatStapletondidnotknowoftheexistenceofanheirinCanada.InanycasehewouldverysoonlearnitfromhisfriendDr.Mortimer,andhewastoldbythelatteralldetailsaboutthearrivalofHenryBaskerville.Stapleton’sfirstideawasthatthisyoungstrangerfromCanadamightpossiblybedonetodeathinLondonwithoutcomingdowntoDevonshireatall.Hedistrustedhiswifeeversinceshehadrefusedtohelphiminlayingatrapfortheoldman,andhedarednotleaveherlongoutofhissightforfearheshouldlosehisinfluenceoverher.ItwasforthisreasonthathetookhertoLondonwithhim.Theylodged,Ifind,attheMexboroughPrivateHotel,inCravenStreet,whichwasactuallyoneofthosecalleduponbymyagentinsearchofevidence.Herehekepthiswifeimprisonedinherroomwhilehe,disguisedinabeard,followedDr.MortimertoBakerStreetandafterwardstothestationandtotheNorthumberlandHotel.Hiswifehadsomeinklingofhisplansbutshehadsuchafearofherhusband—afearfoundeduponbrutalill-treatment—thatshedarenotwritetowarnthemanwhomsheknewtobeindanger.IfthelettershouldfallintoStapleton’shandsherownlifewouldnotbesafe.Eventually,asweknow,sheadoptedtheexpedientofcuttingoutthewordswhichwouldformthemessage,andaddressingtheletterinadisguisedhand.Itreachedthebaronet,andgavehimthefirstwarningofhisdanger. “ItwasveryessentialforStapletontogetsomearticleofSirHenry’sattiresothat,incasehewasdriventousethedog,hemightalwayshavethemeansofsettinghimuponhistrack.Withcharacteristicpromptnessandaudacityhesetaboutthisatonce,andwecannotdoubtthatthebootsorchamber-maidofthehotelwaswellbribedtohelphiminhisdesign.Bychance,however,thefirstbootwhichwasprocuredforhimwasanewoneand,therefore,uselessforhispurpose.Hethenhaditreturnedandobtainedanother—amostinstructiveincident,sinceitprovedconclusivelytomymindthatweweredealingwitharealhound,asnoothersuppositioncouldexplainthisanxietytoobtainanoldbootandthisindifferencetoanewone.Themoreoutréandgrotesqueanincidentisthemorecarefullyitdeservestobeexamined,andtheverypointwhichappearstocomplicateacaseis,whendulyconsideredandscientificallyhandled,theonewhichismostlikelytoelucidateit. “Thenwehadthevisitfromourfriendsnextmorning,shadowedalwaysbyStapletoninthecab.Fromhisknowledgeofourroomsandofmyappearance,aswellasfromhisgeneralconduct,IaminclinedtothinkthatStapleton’scareerofcrimehasbeenbynomeanslimitedtothissingleBaskervilleaffair.Itissuggestivethatduringthelastthreeyearstherehavebeenfourconsiderableburglariesinthewestcountry,fornoneofwhichwasanycriminaleverarrested.Thelastofthese,atFolkestoneCourt,inMay,wasremarkableforthecold-bloodedpistollingofthepage,whosurprisedthemaskedandsolitaryburglar.IcannotdoubtthatStapletonrecruitedhiswaningresourcesinthisfashion,andthatforyearshehasbeenadesperateanddangerousman. “Wehadanexampleofhisreadinessofresourcethatmorningwhenhegotawayfromussosuccessfully,andalsoofhisaudacityinsendingbackmyownnametomethroughthecabman.FromthatmomentheunderstoodthatIhadtakenoverthecasei