Собака Баскервиллей
The Man on the Tor
Hecertainlyseemedtobegettinguncomfortablynearthetruth. "Nodoubt,"saidI; "buthowdoyouknowthatheisanywhereuponthemoor?"
"IknowitbecauseIhaveseenwithmyowneyesthemessengerwhotakeshimhisfood."
MyheartsankforBarrymore. Itwasaseriousthingtobeinthepowerofthisspitefuloldbusybody. Buthisnextremarktookaweightfrommymind.
"You’llbesurprisedtohearthathisfoodistakentohimbyachild. Iseehimeverydaythroughmytelescopeupontheroof. Hepassesalongthesamepathatthesamehour,andtowhomshouldhebegoingexcepttotheconvict?"
Herewasluckindeed! AndyetIsuppressedallappearanceofinterest. Achild! Barrymorehadsaidthatourunknownwassuppliedbyaboy. Itwasonhistrack,andnotupontheconvict’s,thatFranklandhadstumbled. IfIcouldgethisknowledgeitmightsavemealongandwearyhunt. Butincredulityandindifferencewereevidentlymystrongestcards.
"Ishouldsaythatitwasmuchmorelikelythatitwasthesonofoneofthemoorlandshepherdstakingouthisfather’sdinner."
Theleastappearanceofoppositionstruckfireoutoftheoldautocrat. Hiseyeslookedmalignantlyatme,andhisgraywhiskersbristledlikethoseofanangrycat.
"Indeed,sir! "saidhe,pointingoutoverthewide-stretchingmoor. "DoyouseethatBlackToroveryonder? Well,doyouseethelowhillbeyondwiththethornbushuponit? Itisthestoniestpartofthewholemoor. Isthataplacewhereashepherdwouldbelikelytotakehisstation? Yoursuggestion,sir,isamostabsurdone."
