Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 59 The Legendary Hound (8)
Sir Henry and the girl stopped, and they stood absorbed in their conversation.I suddenly found a green thing floating in the air, and when I looked carefully, I realized that the green thing was mounted on the top of a pole, and the person holding the pole was walking on a rough place.It turned out that it was Staplet holding his butterfly net.He was much closer to the couple than I was, and he seemed to be walking in their direction.At this moment, the baron suddenly kissed the young lady, but she, as if unwilling to do so, turned her face away and pushed the baron away.

Later, they separated hastily.It turned out that Staplet was already walking towards them.He yelled loudly in front of them, and Henry seemed to be explaining something to him, while Miss Staplet stood there silently.

At last Staplet turned to his sister and said something in a tone that could not be excused.Miss Staplet glanced at Sir Henry and followed her brother.From the behavior of the biologist, it is clear that he is strongly opposed to this appointment.Sir Henry stared blankly at their retreating figures, and then returned to the manor along the path dejectedly.

I don't know what the hell it is, I'm just ashamed that I've had a peek at something so intimate with my friends when they don't know it.I ran down the hill, and met Sir Henry at the foot of the hill.His face was flushed red, obviously he had been greatly wronged.

"My God, Watson, why are you here? Have you been..."

I had to explain my actions to him, and I said it was my duty to perform.His eyes widened, glaring.In the end, I said it was for his safety, which gradually calmed down his anger.

He said, "I thought it was going to be a more secluded place. Good God, it seems like the whole town knows I'm proposing—and it's such a terrible proposal! Where's the seat you found?"

I replied, "On that hill."

"Oh, you bought the ticket in the last row, and his brother bought the ticket in the front row. It was a good show! Did you see him coming towards us?"

I replied, "Yes, I see."

"Have you ever seen him act like this crazy before?"

I shook my head.

"I can assure you that he is not at all mad. I have always thought him to be a very sane man. But you must remember that someday one of us will really go mad. Watson, after so long Get along, do you find any shortcomings in me? Why does he think I can't be his sister's husband?"

"In my opinion, no."

"Regardless of my social status, then, she must hate me because of some kind of flaw in me? Why doesn't she even let me touch her fingertips?"

"Did she ever say that to you?"

"Hey, Watson, to tell you the truth, from the first moment I met her, I had this feeling—I felt that she was mine. And she felt the same way. She was very happy with me. Happy, I can assure you, no one knows this better than me. And he never gave us a chance to be together. Today, at first she was happy. But with me, she didn't want to talk about us She didn't want me to talk about the two, she kept repeating that this is a dangerous place and told me to get out of here. I told her that I wouldn't leave here alone unless she left with me. I was Proposed to her, before she could answer, her brother rushed towards me like a demon. His face was flushed, and his eyes were shining fiercely. I only proposed to her sister as a courtesy, and did not do anything. something that displeased her. If he wasn't her brother, he wasn't my match at all. Then I said: 'I'm not ashamed of the feelings I've had with your sister, and I'd like her to condescend to do it. My wife.' It didn't seem to help, he lost his mind. Then I lost my temper too, and she was next to us when I said these words. But in the end I failed, and she walked with her brother and I have come back all alone. I should be most obliged, Watson, if you could tell me what to do."

I tried to explain it to him, but, to be honest, I didn't know why myself.As far as Henry's status, property, age, character and appearance are concerned, these are beyond the reach of others.I simply can't think of any reason other than that magical legend in their family.What is even more incomprehensible is that all this is in the hands of Stapler, and his sister has no rights at all.

It was Staplet's personal visit that afternoon that resolved our doubts.The purpose of his visit was to apologize.He and Sir Henry finally came to an agreement after a long conversation, and he invited us to dine at his house.

Sir Henry said: "The look in his eyes when he visited today told me that he didn't come to apologize sincerely, but his apology could be said convincingly."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he and his sister grew up together, so he loves his sister very much. He is a lonely person, and only his sister can accompany him, so he doesn't want anyone to take his sister away from him. Go. At that time, he couldn't control his words and lost his mind. He apologized to me for this. Now he is sober, he can't sacrifice his sister's happiness for himself, and he is willing to marry her to a person like me. However, anyway, he was reluctant to let his sister leave his side. He asked me to promise him not to mention this matter within three months. During this time, let us cultivate and cultivate our relationship, and he will not object in the future Yes. I also agreed to his request."

Now we can see why Staplet has been thwarting the marriage.So let us turn to another thread, which is why Mrs. Barrymore weeps every day, and why Barrymore snoops in that room.Congratulate me, Holmes!I have lived up to your entrustment.After a night of hard work on these things, I have now thoroughly figured them out.

What I said was a night of hard work, but it was actually two nights. We saw nothing on the first night, and we waited most of the night that night. We had nothing but listening to the bells upstairs.Then we lay down and fell asleep.But we didn't give up and decided to try again the next day.The next day, we sat in the room and waited silently. Time passed so slowly!We squatted there like hunters waiting for the prey to appear.The bell rang "da da", and I almost wanted to give up.

Just then, the "prey" appeared.We both jumped out of our chairs to catch our long-awaited "prey".

We waited for the footsteps to go away, and then quietly followed.The man had already entered the corridor, and the corridor was completely dark.We tiptoed to a wing on the other side, where we could see his black beard and tall figure.He walked barefoot through the corridor, and then entered the room from last time. He lit a candle, and a light illuminated the gloomy corridor.

We catwalked cautiously.Even though we were barefoot, the worn floors were still creaking, seemingly louder than ever.Luckily he's not very good at hearing either, not to mention he's so preoccupied with what he's doing.

We saw him hunched over the window, his face pressed against the window, exactly as I had seen him that night.

We did not discuss a course of action, and Sir Henry believed that the most immediate course was the best course.

Henry came straight up to him, which startled Barrymore.He stood pale in front of us, looked up at us quietly, his eyes full of panic.

"What are you doing here, Barrymore?"

"My lord, no... I didn't do anything, I just came out to see if the window is plugged in."

The candle in his hand was shaking constantly, and his shadow was also shaking non-stop.

"Are the windows all plugged in?"

"My lord, it's all ready."

Sir Henry said bluntly: "Aren't you ready to tell the truth, Barrymore? Tell me! Stop lying! What on earth do you want?"

Barrymore was in agony, not knowing how to answer.

"There's nothing wrong with me doing it. I'm just holding the candle close to the window."

"What on earth did you bring the candle near the window for?"

"My lord, please don't ask any more questions, okay? This matter is not my own business, so I can't confess it to you. If it is my personal matter, I will definitely tell you."

With a sudden inspiration, I took the candle from his hand.

I said: "You are using it as a signal!"

I also put the candle close to the window, it was pitch black outside, and I couldn't see my fingers.Then I saw a tiny yellow point of light across the dark night, and I called Sir Henry over and showed it to him.

"There." I said aloud.

Barrymore interrupted hastily: "No, no, that's nothing. Please believe me."

Sir Henry said to me again: "Watson, move your candle away and look at it." Immediately, the bright spot was also moved away.

Sir Henry turned to Barrymore and cursed: "You fellow, don't you still say that's not a signal? Be honest! Who is that man, and what kind of tricks are you playing?"

The butler straightened his body, as if nothing mattered.

"As I said, this is not my personal matter, and I will not tell you."

Henry yelled: "Then get out of here."

"Very well, my lord. We shall go at once."

"God, don't you feel ashamed? Your grandparents have been with my family for more than 100 years, and now you dare to plot something so deliberately to harm me."

"No, my lord, how dare we harm you!" Mrs. Barrymore hurried towards here.She has a particularly ugly face and looks terrified, and if she wasn't that terrified, she would be cute.

Barrymore said to his wife: "Eliza, you go and pack your things, let's go."

"Sir Henry, it's none of your lord's business. I made him do it. And I begged him to do it. Blame me if you want!"

"Okay, then tell me, what are you doing?"

"My brother is in the swamp right now. We can't do nothing. This candlelight tells him that the food is ready, and the signal he gives is to indicate where to ask for it."

"So your brother is the fugitive."

"Yes, that fugitive Seldan is my younger brother."

"Monseigneur, this is the whole truth. As I said, it is not my personal secret, so I cannot tell you. You say we have a conspiracy, but this conspiracy will not hurt you at all."

This is what we did all night.

We watched with astonishment at this venerable woman who was the sibling of the most notorious fugitive in the country.

"My lord, my surname is Seldan, and he is my own brother. When he was little, our family spoiled him and spoiled him. He thought he could do whatever he wanted. When he grew up, , associating with some dubious people. My mother was worried about him all the time, so my family's reputation was ruined, and he started to commit crimes. If God bless him, he would be dead by now. My lord, For me, he will always be my naughty little brother. He knew I was here, so he escaped from prison and wanted to join me. One night, he broke into here in a ghostly way, only the sound of prison guards chasing after him. You said Can we not save him? Then we hid him here. Then you came. My brother thought it was safer in the swamp, so he hid there, but he must live! Then we It was agreed to bring him some food every night. We all hope that he can leave here quickly and safely. But as long as he is alive for one day, we can't just leave him alone! I'm telling the truth, if you still can't forgive If not, then blame me! This is what I let him do."

She spoke very sincerely and seriously.

"Barrymore, is what your wife said true?"

"Lord Henry, what she says is the truth."

"Well, I shouldn't blame you. Assuming I didn't say those words just now, you go back first. As for this matter, let's talk about it tomorrow."

When they got back to the room, we looked out the window again.

Sir Henry opened the window, and a cool breeze blew in our faces.In the distance, the small yellow bright spot still exists.

Henry snorted and said, "They are really audacious, how dare they do this."

"Perhaps the light can only be seen from this window."

"Yes. Do you think that light is far from us?"

"I reckon the light is over there on the Rift Mountain."

"About two or three miles."

"I guess it's not that far away."

"Yes, Barrymore couldn't have gone so far to deliver the meals every day, and the fugitive must be waiting by the candle! My God, Watson, how I want to catch him!"

I felt the same way, because the Barrymores didn't trust us, that's why they didn't want to let the secret out.We cannot sympathize with that man who is a constant threat to the local population.Arrest him and send him to jail, that's what we should do.If we ignore him now, it is likely that he will do harm to others again.The thought, for instance, that the Staplets and the young might be the targets of his attack one night, made up his mind to take the risk.

I said, "I'll go with you."

"Then take your weapons and prepare quickly, before it's too late."

After three or four minutes, we set off.

The autumn wind is bleak, and I walk through the dark woods.The air is always so humid at night, and sometimes the moon peeks out from the clouds.The clouds came hard and covered the sky for a while, and it started raining as soon as we entered the swamp.But the candlelight was still flickering there.

"Henry, are you armed?"

"I have, I have brought a hunting whip."

"We have to rush towards him by surprise. Fugitives usually don't want their lives. We must subdue him before he wakes up."

Sir Henry asked: "Watson, what would Holmes have us do on a night like this?"

From far away in the vast expanse of swamp came a roar like the one I heard on the edge of the Great Greenpen Mire.It seemed to be answering Sir Henry's question.The sound echoed throughout the night sky, first a hiss, then a roar, and then a low moan, the sound echoed between our ears, harsh, wild and chilling.

Sir Henry held me tightly, and it was evident that his whole body was shaking.

"What is that sound, Watson?"

"I don't know either, but I heard it once."

The sound died away, and deathly silence surrounded us again.We listened and heard nothing.

"Watson, is that the sound of the Hound?"

I couldn't help but shudder, because the hesitation in his speech was enough to show that he was already frightened.

Henry asked, "What do people call that sound?"

"Who are they referring to?"

"Villagers!"

"They! They are just uneducated vulgar people. Do you believe what they say?"

"Watson, don't say any more, please tell me!"

I didn't know what to say for a while, so let me tell him.

"They say that's the bark of the Baskerville spaniel."

His face was pale, as if the previous legend had been confirmed.

He added: "It's the sound of the great hound. Where did that come from? It must be from there."

"I can't tell where the sound is coming from."

"The voice is high and low, isn't that the direction of Greenpen?"

"Yes, there."

"Watson, do you also recognize the voice of a hound? Go ahead, I'm not a child."

"The last time I heard a sound exactly like this, when Staplet was with me, he said it was a heron call."

"No, it's not the cry of a heron. It's the cry of a hound. My God, is that legend true? Watson, do you believe it to be true?"

"No, I don't believe it."

"If this had happened in London, people would have laughed their ass off. But here, it's almost real. My uncle died with the footprints of the great hounds around him. God, I really don't want to Think again. I've always been very courageous, but now my blood seems to be frozen, you touch my hand." His hand was cold.

"It will be fine after a while, don't be afraid."

"I don't think I can get that cry out of my head. What do we do now?"

"Either we should go back."

"No, we can't go back, we came out to catch fugitives, and we must go on, even if there is a big devil-like hound after us. Come, my friend, let us fight them to the death!"

We walked in the dark, with the dim and jagged shadows of the mountains looming over us.The light is still swaying ahead. In the dark night, the light is sometimes far away, and sometimes it seems to be right in front of your eyes.

Finally, we finally see exactly where it is.By this time it was only a few yards away from us.The candle was stuck in a crevice of a stone, so that it could be sheltered from the wind and rain without being easily found.We hid behind a ledge of granite, peeped over the side of the rock, and saw the burning candle, and there was nothing around, indeed, just a candle and the bare, illuminated rock.

Henry asked quietly: “What should we do next?”

"Wait here for a while until you find him."

As soon as the voice fell, we saw a figure.A filthy, savage-like face protruded from behind a large black rock.The beard was all matted, and the hair was a mess that looked like it hadn't been washed in years.His eyes peered around warily like a mouse.Suddenly, he panicked as if frightened.Maybe he noticed something.

(End of this chapter)