On the day of the appointment, Henry and Dr. Mortimer were already ready, and we set out for Devonshire as arranged in advance. Holmes rode with me in the carriage to the station, and gave me some parting advice.

and suggestions.

"Watson, I really don't want to influence you with your various opinions or my doubts." said my companion. "I just hope that you will tell me the real situation in as much detail as possible, and let me do the work of summarizing it."

Come and do it.”

"What's true?" I asked.

"There appears to be no real circumstances connected with this case, whether directly or not, or the relations between young Henry and his neighbours, or anything connected with the murder of Sir Charles. The other day, I

I've made some inquiries myself, but I'm afraid the results are all meaningless. Only one thing seems certain, and that is that Henry's next heir, James Dythman, was a

The older gentleman has a pure character, so such persecution cannot be planned by him. I feel that when we consider the problem, we can completely put him aside. In fact, the only thing left is the swamp.

There are people around Henry."

"How about we fire Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore first?"

"No, don't do this. Otherwise, you will make a big mistake. If they are innocent, this will be too unfair to them; if they are guilty, this will not punish them.

They deserve it. No, don't do this. We have to add them to the list of suspects. If I remember correctly, there is also a horseman and two swamp people. Of course, there are us.

My new friend Dr. Mortimer, I believe, is 100% honest, but we know nothing about his wife. In addition, the biologist Stapleton, it is said that his sister is a beautiful lady

.In addition, there is Mr. Frankland of Lyford Manor, a character whose circumstances are unknown, and one or two other neighbors. All of these are characters whom you must conduct special observation and research."

"I will do my best."

"I suppose you should bring a weapon?"

"I've brought it with me. I think it's better to take it with me."

"Of course, you should carry your revolver day and night without any carelessness."

Henry and Dr. Mortimer had booked seats in the first-class carriage and were waiting for me on the platform.

Holmes asked about them being followed and other issues.

"No, we have no news at all." Dr. Mortimer said in answer to Holmes's question: "But one thing, I am sure, we were not followed in the past two days. When we went out, there was not a single moment when we were not paying attention.

Observers, no one can escape our eyes.”

"I think you should always be together, right?"

"Except yesterday afternoon. Every time I come to London, I always spend a whole day in recreation. So, I spent the entire afternoon yesterday in the exhibition hall of the College of Surgeons."

"I went to the park," Henry said, "but we didn't have any problems."

"In any case, you are still too careless." My partner shook his head seriously and said: "Sir Henry, I ask you not to act alone, otherwise, you may be in disaster. Also, you

Have you found the old black high-top leather shoe?"

"Not found, Mr. Holmes. It seems that it will never be found again."

"Indeed, it is a very interesting thing. Well, good-bye!" said Holmes, as the train moved slowly along the platform: "Sir Henry, we must remember what Dr. Mortimer read to us, that strange and

There is a saying in the ancient stories and legends - be careful and avoid walking through the swamp when night falls and the evil forces are bluffing."

When the train had left the platform, I looked back and saw the tall figure of my partner still standing there, watching us leave calmly.

It was a quick and happy trip. During this time, I became closer to my two new friends and occasionally played games with Dr. Mortimer's long-eared dog. After a few hours of train travel,

The brown of the earth gradually turned to red, and stone buildings replaced brick houses; in the fields fenced by hedges, maroon cattle grazed leisurely. The green grass and dense vegetable gardens showed that the climate here was humid.

, it was expected that there would be a bumper harvest. Young Henry looked out the window enthusiastically. As soon as he recognized the familiar scenery of Devon County, he screamed with excitement.

"I have been to many parts of the world since I left this land," said Henry, "Dr. Watson, but I have never found any place comparable to this one."

"I've never met anyone from Dewen County who doesn't praise his homeland!" I said.

"Not only is the geographical environment of Devonshire unique, but the people born there are also extraordinary." Dr. Mortimer said, "Please look at our young friend. His round head is the standard of Kelvin."

A peculiar type, endowed with strong Celtic sentiments. The head of poor Sir Charles is a rare type, and its characteristics are: half Everest, half Gaelic. Once upon a time, I just arrived in Bath

You were still very young when Cowell Manor visited you!"

Henry said: "I was still a teenager when my father died. At that time, he lived in a small house by the sea in the south. Therefore, I had never seen Bascoville Manor. My father died.

After that, I went directly to a friend in America. I want to tell you, Dr. Watson and I must have been equally new to this manor, and I was very eager to see the swamp."

"Really? If so, your wish can easily come true, because we are about to go to the swamp." Dr. Mortimer said, pointing out the car window.

Beyond the fields cut into green squares by nature and the woods with curved tops, a green and gray hill appeared in the distance. There were jagged and weird-shaped gaps on the top of the mountain.

Seen from a distance, it looked hazy, like a scene in a dream. Henry sat there for a long time, staring at it. It could be seen from his enthusiastic facial expression that this place had such a great relationship with him.

Once I saw that peculiar place, which has been controlled by the Bathcowell family for a long time and is everywhere that can arouse the public's deep memories of their family. The baronet was dressed in tweed clothing and spoke with a western American accent.

Sitting in a corner of a train car, but every time I saw his dark and expressive face, I felt even more that he was really a descendant of that noble family, and he had the vague demeanor of the head of the family.

.His thick eyebrows, big chestnut eyes, nervous nostrils, etc. all show the power of enthusiasm, self-esteem and self-confidence. If he were in that terrifying swamp, something difficult or even dangerous would really happen.

, at least he is a sincere and reliable young gentleman who can bravely shoulder his responsibilities.

At a small station, the train stopped and the three of us got off. Outside the low white railings, there was a four-wheeled carriage waiting there, pulled by two short-legged stallions. It was obvious.

, Henry's arrival was a big event in this area. The stationmaster and his coolies surrounded us and helped us carry the gifts. This is a quiet, simple and lovely place, but there are two places near the exit.

A strong man in a black uniform, like a soldier, stood there, which made me feel surprised. The bodies of the two strong men were leaning on rifles that were not long for them, and their eyes were staring at us as we walked over. The driver was a

The short man had a vulgar appearance and a touch of coldness, but he saluted Henry. Within a few minutes, we were running along a wide gray-white road. On both sides of the road, the pastures undulated.

It rises upward, and through the gaps in the lush green shade, you can find some houses with their walls and roofs built into a "herringbone" shape. They are very simple. Behind the quiet village illuminated by the sun, there is a shadow that is set off by the dusk sky.

The swampland stretches endlessly, with several hills in the middle, jagged and dangerous.

Next, the four-wheeled carriage turned into a side road, and we passed through an alley-like channel. This road was rolled by wheels over hundreds of years and sunk deeply into the ground. The carriage twisted and twisted.

Winding upwards, both sides of the road were stone walls covered with wet moss and some kind of fern with thick branches and leaves. The ferns were bronze, and the blackberries were mottled in color, shining in the afterglow of the setting sun. The carriage kept moving upward, passing

A narrow bridge made of granite goes along a rushing torrent. The water is surging, the spray is spraying, and it rolls between the gray rocks. The road passes through a canyon of lush low oak and fir trees.

In the process, he went upstream along the winding river. At every turn, Henry cheered with excitement. He looked around eagerly and asked Dr. Mortimer and me many questions. In the eyes of the young baronet,

It seems that everything is beautiful, but I always feel that the countryside in this area is a bit desolate, and it has an obvious sad autumn scene. The road is covered with dead leaves, and when the carriage passes by, some dead leaves flutter from us.

Falling overhead, the sound of wheels quieted down as the carriage rolled over the dead leaves——

All of these, in my eyes, seem to be ominous gifts that the Creator dropped in front of the car of the only descendant of the Baskerville family who returned home.

"Ah!" cried Dr. Mortimer suddenly, "look, what is that?"

There is a steep slope ahead, covered with evergreen shrubs such as heather. This is a prominent area on the edge of the swamp. On the highest point of the slope, there is a soldier on horseback, like a knight on a monument.

He was like a statue, with a dark appearance and a stern expression. His gun was in a ready-to-fire position, resting on his left arm stretched forward. He was monitoring the road we passed.

"Perkins, what is he doing?" Dr. Mortimer asked. The coachman Perkins turned in his seat and said: "A felon has escaped from Princestown, sir, and he has been at large so far.

For three days, jailers have been monitoring every arterial road and every station, but so far no trace of him has been found. The people nearby are very uneasy, it is true."

Henry said: "Oh, I know this. If anyone can report the news, he can get a reward of 5 pounds."

"Yes, Master, but compared with the possibility of having his throat cut by a criminal, these 5 pounds seem too pitiful. You have to understand that he is not an ordinary criminal, he is a bold and daring guy.

.”

"So, who is he?" I asked.

"His name is Sai Erdan, he is the super killer who killed people in Nauting Mountain." said the coachman Bo Jinsi.

Regarding this case, I remember clearly that Seldan's crime was extremely cruel, and the entire assassination process was full of extreme atrocities. Therefore, it aroused Holmes's interest in pursuing the case. Later, the judge exempted Seldan from the death penalty.

The reason was that his actions were surprisingly cruel, and everyone doubted whether his mental state was normal.

The carriage climbed to the top of the slope, and finally a vast swamp appeared in front of us. It was dotted with many cairns, conical ones, and rock hills, which were uneven, colorful, and strange. A cold wind blew from the swamp.

We were all shivering from the cold. In this desolate wasteland, this devil-like fugitive might be hiding in a ravine. Like a wild beast, his heart must be filled with incomparable hatred for the human society that abandoned him.

The bare wasteland, the howling cold wind, the hazy sky, and this abnormal fugitive made it even more terrifying. Even Henry, who was full of energy, was speechless at this moment. He put on his body

Her coat was wrapped tighter.

The fertile countryside was already behind and below us. I looked back and looked into the distance. The setting sun shone in the west, illuminating the running water like a golden thread, making the newly plowed red land and the broad dense woods look strangely strange. The auburn or brown color in front of me was like a golden thread.

The road on the olive slope is becoming more and more desolate, with boulders scattered everywhere. We occasionally pass by a small house in the swamp. The walls and roof are made of stone, and there are no vines hidden on the wall.

Its rough shape. We looked down and suddenly discovered a bowl-like depression, where grew a small patch of stunted oak and fir forest that had been bent by the wind over time. Two groves.

The tall and slender spire protruded from the top of the woods. The coachman Perkins pointed with his riding crop and said: "Master, this is Bathcowell Manor."

The new owner of the manor stood up, his cheeks glowing red, and he looked at it with piercing eyes. Within a few minutes, we arrived at the door of the villa. The door was made of densely packed iron bars criss-crossed into strange patterns.

There is a pillar that has been eroded by wind, frost, rain and snow, and looks a little dirty because of the growth of moss. On the top of the pillar is a stone-carved boar's head representing the Bathcowell family. The house not far from the door has been turned into a

A pile of black granite, crumbling to reveal old rafters. Opposite it, however, stood a new building, about half-finished, which Sir Charles had begun building with the gold he earned in South Africa.

As soon as the carriage entered the gate, it walked onto the path. At this time, the wheels became quiet as they traveled on the dead leaves. The branches of the old trees intertwined into an archway above our heads, but it was a little dark. Through the long

At the end of the driveway, we saw a house that was shining brightly like a ghost, and Henry shuddered involuntarily.

"Did it happen here?" Henry asked in a low voice. "No, the pine tunnel is over there." Dr. Mortimer said. The young heir to a huge fortune looked a little gloomy, and he looked around.

"In a residence like this, it's no wonder that my uncle always feels that disaster is about to happen." He said: "This place is enough to scare anyone. I decided to install a row of Edison and Swan bulbs in front of the hall within six months.

, by then, everyone will no longer recognize this place.”

The path led to an open meadow, and the house was right in front of us. In the dim light, I saw a solid building in the center, with a corridor protruding from the front. Ivy covered the front of the house.

In the windows or places where the coat of arms is mounted, the ivy has been cut off, as if a patch has been put on the broken black mask. On the roof of the central building, there are two ancient towers with many gun holes and lookouts.

On the left and right sides of the tower, there is a newer wing made of black granite. At this time, some dim light shines into the window, and the tall chimneys installed on the steeply sloping roof are spraying out.

A column of black smoke erupted.

"Master Henry, welcome to Bascoville Manor!" A tall man walked out of the shadows of the corridor. He said as he walked and opened the door of the carriage. In front of the pale yellow light of the living room

, another woman appeared, she came out and helped us get the gift bag.

"Sir Henry, you wouldn't blame me if I had to rush home at once, would you?" said Dr. Mortimer. "My lady is waiting for me!"

"You'd better wait a while, let's go home after dinner!" Henry said to stay.

"No, I have to go. Maybe there are already a lot of things at home waiting for me to deal with! Originally, I should stay and show you the whole manor, but if you compare Barrymore to me, he is

Your better guide. Farewell, call me at once whenever you need me, day or night!" said Dr. Mortimer.

As soon as Henry and I walked into the hall, we could no longer hear the sound of wheels on the path, and there was a heavy door slamming behind us. The room we were in was indeed gorgeous, large and high, and had turned black due to age.

The rafters and beams are closely lined up. Behind the tall iron dog statue, in a huge old-fashioned fireplace, firewood is crackling. Henry and I first stretched out our hands to warm ourselves by the fire. Due to the long car ride, the firewood was burning.

We were all numb and cold. We looked around again and saw long narrow windows with old stained glass, oak paneling, a stuffed stag's head, and a coat of arms hanging on the wall, in the center of the room.

Under the soft light of the large chandelier, everything seemed a bit dark and gloomy.

"It's pretty much what I imagined." Henry said, "Isn't this the dilapidated scene that an ancient family should have? This is the hall where my family's ancestors have lived for five centuries. When I think of this, I feel...

heavy."

When the young man looked around, I could see that there was a childlike enthusiasm on his dark face. In the area where he was standing, even though there was light, there were long projections on the wall, dark holes.

The ceiling seemed to have opened a canopy above his head. Barrymore returned immediately after sending the luggage into our bedroom. With the obedient attitude of a well-trained servant, he stood between Henry and

In front of me, he has extraordinary appearance, tall figure, handsome appearance, neatly cut black beard, and a fair and outstanding face.

"Master, would you like to have dinner right away?" "Are you ready?"

"It will be ready in a few minutes, Master. There is also hot water in your bedroom. Before you give any new instructions, my wife and I are willing to stay with you. However, you have to understand that in this kind of situation

Under the new circumstances, this manor will need more servants."

"What's new?"

"Master, I'm just saying that Lord Childs lives a secluded life, so our couple can still take care of his needs. But as for you, of course you hope that more people will lively and lively

You are living together, so you must make some changes to your household chores."

"You mean you and your wife want to quit your job, right?"

"Master, of course, this will be done when it is convenient for you."

"However, your family and my ancestors have lived together for several generations, haven't they? I would be doubly regretful if I severed this long-standing family relationship as soon as I came back."

I seemed to see some signs of excitement in Barrymore's fair face.

"I think so too, Master, and so does my wife. Master, we both respect and love Lord Charles. His sudden death shocked us greatly. The current environment here makes us and our husband feel painful in every way.

I'm afraid we will never find peace of mind again at Bathcowell Manor."

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Master, I believe that if we and my wife do some business, we will definitely succeed. Lord Charles's generosity has made it possible for us and our wife to do this. But now, Master, I'd better get the money first."

Go take a look at your house!"

In the upper part of this old-style hall, there is a circle of square verandahs with railings. To go up, you need to go through a double-stacked staircase. Two long corridors extend from the central hall and pass through the entire building. Each bedroom opens to

These two corridors.

Henry's and my bedrooms were on the same side and almost adjacent to each other. It seemed that these rooms were much newer than the rooms in the middle of the building. The wallpapers were in bright colors and there were many candles burning.

The dark impression left in my mind when I arrived at the manor. However, the dining room that opens to the hall is still a dark area. It is a long room. There is a step that divides the room into two parts with different heights from the middle. The higher part is

The place where the master or guests eat, and the lower part is reserved for the servants. The concert hall is built at the high end. Above our heads are black beams, and above us is the ceiling, which is blackened. If we use a row of burning torches

Illuminating the entire room, in an old-style banquet with rich content and carnival, singing and dancing, the depressing atmosphere may become softer, but what about now? The two of us in black, sitting with a lampshade

In the small halo reflected below, the voice of the speaker couldn't help but become lower, and he also felt depressed mentally. A row of portraits of the ancestors of the Bascowell family appeared, wearing all kinds of fancy clothes, starting from Queen Elizabeth.

From the heroic knights of the period to the frivolous young master during the regency of Prince George IV, the ancestors of the Bascoville family all looked at the two of us, accompanying us silently, and awe-inspiring both of us with their majesty.

We didn't talk much. I was happy that dinner was finally over and we could go to the new-style billiard room to smoke.

"To be honest, I feel that this is really not a pleasant place." Henry said, "I thought I could gradually get used to the environment here, but now I always feel a little uncomfortable. No wonder my uncle lives alone

The villa will be deserted! If you wish, Dr. Watson, we may go to bed early tonight, and perhaps everything will appear more pleasant in the morning."

Before I went to bed, I opened the curtains and stared out of the window for a while. The window opened to the grass in front of the hall. Farther away, there were two bushes of trees whirling in the strong wind, their branches and leaves swaying, and they were racing to each other.

A half-circle moon peeked out from the gaps in the drifting clouds. Under the pale moonlight, behind the woods, I saw the edge of the hills and the low-lying and gently undulating swamps. I closed the curtains, and I

The impression is consistent with the impression obtained previously.

But this is not my final impression. Although I am a little tired, I can't fall asleep. I toss and turn, and the more I think about it, the more I can't sleep. The ancient villa is shrouded in death-like silence, and the sound of time bells can be heard in my ears.

The ground was beating. But then, suddenly, in the dead night, some kind of sound came into my ears. It was very loud and clear. Listening carefully, it was the sound of a woman sobbing, as if she was uttering unbearable pain.

The sound of choking and gasping. I sat up from the bed and listened with all my concentration. The sound did not come from far away, and it was definitely coming from this villa. In this way, every nerve in me was tense for half an hour.
Chapter completed!