Собака Баскервилей / The Hound of the Baskervilles - стр. 11

“Who was the man?”

“I have not an idea.”

“A spy?”

“Well, it was evident from what we have heard that Baskerville has been followed by someone since he has been in town. How else could it be known so quickly about the Northumberland Hotel?

“When our friends left I at once followed them in the hopes of seeing the spy. So clever was he that he did not follow them on foot, but he had got a cab so that they did not notice him. If they took a cab he was ready to follow them. We are dealing with a clever man, Watson.”

“What a pity we did not get the number!”

“My dear Watson, you don’t really think so! No. 2704 is our man. And now it only remains for us to find the cabman.”

At two o’clock that afternoon we found ourselves at the Northumberland Hotel.

“Sir Henry Baskerville is upstairs expecting you,” said the clerk. “He asked me to show you up at once when you came.”

As we came to the top of the stairs we saw Sir Henry Baskerville himself. His face was red with anger, and he held an old boot in his hand. So furious was he that he could hardly speak.

“By thunder, if that fellow can’t find my missing boot there will be trouble,” he cried.

“Still looking for your boot?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You said that it was a new brown boot?”

“So it was, sir. And now it’s an old black one.”

“What!”

“Exactly. I only have three pairs of boots—new brown, old black, and the ones, which I am wearing. Last night they took one of my brown ones, and today they have stolen one of the black. Well, have you got it? Speak out, man!”

A clerk had appeared.

“No, sir; I have looked for it all over the hotel, but I have not found it.”

“Well, either that boot comes back today or I’ll see the manager and tell him that I leave this hotel.”

“I shall find it, sir—I promise you that.”

“Well, Mr. Holmes, you’ll excuse my troubling you about such a trifle—”

“I do not think it is a trifle.”

“Why, you take it very seriously. What do you make of it?”

“Well, I don’t say I understand it yet. Your case is very complex, Sir Henry.”

We had a pleasant lunch in which little was said of the business which had brought us together.

After lunch we went to Sir Henry’s room, where Holmes asked Baskerville about his plans.

“To go to Baskerville Hall.”

“And when?”

“At the end of the week.”

“I think,” said Holmes, “that your decision is a good one. I have evidence that you are being followed in London, and in this great city it is difficult to discover who these people are or why they are doing it. You did not know, Dr. Mortimer, that you were followed this morning from my house?”