登陆注册
5256000000039

第39章 Chapter 10(4)

`Well,' said I, `has this precious relation of yours departed, or is he still lurking out yonder?'

`I don't know, sir. I hope to heaven that he has gone, for he has brought nothing but trouble here! I've not heard of him since I left out food for him last, and that was three days ago.'

`Did you see him then?'

`No, sir, but the food was gone when next I went that way.'

`Then he was certainly there?'

`So you would think, sir, unless it was the other man who took it.'

I sat with my coffee-cup halfway to my lips and stared at Barrymore.

`You know that there is another man then?'

`Yes, sir; there is another man upon the moor.'

`Have you seen him?'

`No, sir.'

`How do you know of him then?'

`Selden told me of him, sir, a week ago or more. He's in hiding, too, but he's not a convict as far as I can make out. I don't like it, Dr. Watson - I tell you straight, sir, that I don't like it.' He spoke with a sudden passion of earnestness.

`Now, listen to me, Barrymore! I have no interest in this matter but that of your master. I have come here with no object except to help him. Tell me, frankly, what it is that you don't like.'

Barrymore hesitated for a moment, as if he regretted his outburst or found it difficult to express his own feelings in words.

`It's all these goings-on, sir,' he cried at last, waving his hand towards the rain-lashed window which faced the moor. `There's foul play somewhere, and there's black villainy brewing, to that I'll swear!

Very glad I should be, sir, to see Sir Henry on his way back to London again!'

`But what is it that alarms you?'

`Look at Sir Charles's death! That was bad enough, for all that the coroner said. Look at the noises on the moor at night. There's not a man would cross it after sundown if he was paid for it. Look at this stranger hiding out yonder, and watching and waiting! What's he waiting for? What does it mean? It means no good to anyone of the name of Baskerville, and very glad I shall be to be quit of it all on the day that Sir Henry's new servants are ready to take over the Hall.'

`But about this stranger,' said I. `Can you tell me anything about him? What did Selden say? Did he find out where he hid, or what he was doing?'

`He saw him once or twice, but he is a deep one and gives nothing away. At first he thought that he was the police, but soon he found that he had some lay of his own. A kind of gentleman he was, as far as he could see, but what he was doing he could not make out.'

`And where did he say that he lived?'

`Among the old houses on the hillside - the stone huts where the old folk used to live.'

`But how about his food?'

`Selden found out that he has got a lad who works for him and brings all he needs. I dare say he goes to Coombe Tracey for what he wants.'

`Very good, Barrymore. We may talk further of this some other time.' When the butler had gone I walked over to the black window, and I looked through a blurred pane at the driving clouds and at the tossing outline of the wind-swept trees. It is a wild night indoors, and what must it be in a stone hut upon the moor. What passion of hatred can it be which leads a man to lurk in such a place at such a time! And what deep and earnest purpose can he have which calls for such a trial!

There, in that hut upon the moor, seems to lie the very centre of that problem which has vexed me so sorely. I swear that another day shall not have passed before I have done all that man can do to reach the heart of the mystery.

同类推荐
  • 谷神赋

    谷神赋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谴告篇

    谴告篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 补农书

    补农书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 素问经注节解

    素问经注节解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛地经论

    佛地经论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 冷面将军俏千金:暮雨倾尘

    冷面将军俏千金:暮雨倾尘

    (完结)大漠中的灵动少女与冷面腹黑的将军,离家出走的千金小姐与骄纵跋扈的小王爷,谱写了一曲曲旷世绝恋。千山万水的距离,匆匆而逝的光阴,终究抵不过记忆深处的那一缕牵挂。爱恨交织,何去何从……庙堂之高,江湖之远,处处皆是风起云涌、扑朔迷离。
  • 赢在起跑线:帮助孩子上好小学一年级

    赢在起跑线:帮助孩子上好小学一年级

    赢在起跑线:帮助孩子上好小学一年级是在畅销书<帮助孩子上好小学一年级》的基础上进行再次创作、改良,引入更多富有时代意义具体案例和教育方法,全面仔细地为父母介绍“让孩子上好小学一年级”要做的全部工作。相信本书一定能帮助父母更有效、更出色地做好孩子的学前准备,为孩子未来的腾飞垫上第一块坚实的基石。
  • 神医皇妃

    神医皇妃

    一位淡然的缟素女子,为寻得一味救母命的奇药,坦然接受了一夜残忍的疯狂。他有着痛苦的回忆,有着雄霸天下的野心,无论何时何地,皆是天下人对他的负心。在那一夜疯狂过后,他兴味的在她身上留下了一生不可抹灭的痕迹,却不知道那淡淡的药香气悄然泌入到他的心里。一场意外的邂逅,他身中奇毒,秉承父亲遗愿,救了这个‘有缘’之人。不得不承认他是可怕的,亦是残忍的,简单如她与注定不可能平凡的他,在不知不觉中缓缓的有了交集……
  • 神尊大人饶命啊

    神尊大人饶命啊

    一个是神界最年轻的上神,他额间一点红,生的比女子还好看。一个是幻帝的小女儿,她性格善良,十分护短。她有尊贵的身份,高深的修为,厉害的契约兽,丹药数不胜数,兵器有二哥造,元素之力样样精通,不仅如此,还有关及天下苍生的重任在等着她……
  • 卢至长者因缘经

    卢至长者因缘经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 帮助孩子挖掘潜能的经典小故事

    帮助孩子挖掘潜能的经典小故事

    编者以孩子的求知欲与好奇心为契机紧紧抓住儿童求知欲强的心理特点,以讲述一个个经典生动小故事的形式帮助孩子挖掘自己的巨大潜能,以激励他们从小,树雄心立大志强体魄陶冶心灵等,让他们早日看到自己不可估量的潜能。
  • 困龙局

    困龙局

    月匆匆,冰雕河汉凝苍穹。凝苍穹,星光闪亮,傲渺群峰。忆昔临翊初相逢,莺飞蝶戏瞥惊鸿。瞥惊鸿,余音犹在,曲尽楼空。
  • 青梅大小姐:竹马影帝很傲娇

    青梅大小姐:竹马影帝很傲娇

    你曾说过人生如戏,全靠演技,而你的一句我爱你究竟有几分真几分假。“为什么你从来不相信我呢,你到底爱不爱我?”当她含着泪对他喊道,他却只是看了她一眼轻轻地,却用足以让她听到的声音说道“我喜欢你,但是喜欢只是喜欢……”
  • 六宫凤华

    六宫凤华

    新书《一品容华》发布了,欢迎老读者们跳坑。谢贵妃,熬死所有仇人,在八十岁时寿终正寝含笑九泉。不料一睁眼,竟回到了纯真善良的时期。----------小情建了书友群,群号六九三九二六八四九,欢迎书友们加群~(#^.^#)~
  • 骑马出走的女人:劳伦斯短篇小说选集

    骑马出走的女人:劳伦斯短篇小说选集

    本书精选了英国著名作家D.H.劳伦斯的7部短篇小说,分别为《菊花的香味》《太阳》《马商的女儿》《美妇人》《你触摸了我》《普鲁士军官》《骑马出走的女人》。作者在生动地叙述中,通过坚持不懈地描述日常生活中无休止的心灵抗争,探索人的灵魂深处,揭露人性,反映社会现实,文风沉郁。本书收入的7部短篇小说都是现实主义的代表作,在广大读者中产生过较大影响。