Собака Баскервилей / The Hound of the Baskervilles - стр. 6

“On the night of Sir Charles’s death Barrymore the butler sent Perkins the groom for me, and I was able to reach Baskerville Hall an hour after the death. I followed the footsteps down the yew alley, I saw the place at the moor gate where he evidently had waited, I remarked the change in the shape of the footsteps. I saw that there were no other footsteps except those of Barrymore, and I carefully examined the body, which had not been touched until my arrival. Sir Charles lay on his face, his arms out, his fingers dug into the ground. I turned him over and saw that his face was so convulsed that I could hardly recognize my friend. There was no physical injury of any kind. Barrymore said at the inquest that there were no footprints on the ground round the body. He did not see any. But I did—some little distance off, but fresh and clear.”

“Footprints?”

“Footprints.”

“A man’s or a woman’s?”

Dr. Mortimer looked strangely at us for a moment, and said in a whisper:

“Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!”

I saw that Holmes was really interested.

“You saw this?”

“As clearly as I see you.”

“Why did not anyone else see it?”

“The footsteps were some distance away from the body. I should not have noticed them myself if I had not known this legend.”

“But they had not approached the body?”

“No.”

“What kind of night was it?”

“Damp but not raining.”

“Is there any other gate that leads on to the moor?”

“None.”

“Now, tell me, Dr. Mortimer—and this is important—was the gate closed?”

“Closed and locked.”

“How high was it?”

“About four feet high.”

“Then anyone could get over it?”

“Yes.”

“And what marks did you see by the gate?”

“Nothing interesting.”

“Good heaven! Did no one examine?”

“Yes, I examined, myself.”

“And found nothing?”

“Sir Charles had evidently stood there for five or ten minutes.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because the ash had twice dropped from his cigar.”

“Excellent! But the marks?”

“He had left his own marks all over that small place. I could see no others.”

“If I had only been there!” he cried. “It is evidently a case of extraordinary interest. Oh, Dr. Mortimer, why did you not call me in!”

“I could not call you in, Mr. Holmes, without telling everyone about these facts, and I have explained why I did not wish to do so. Besides—”

“Yes?”

“There are things in which the best of detectives is helpless.”

“You mean that the thing is supernatural?”

“I did not say so.”

“No, but you evidently think it.”

“Since the tragedy, Mr. Holmes, I have heard some strange stories.”