Собака Баскервиллей
The Problem
Therearetwoquestionswaitingforusattheoutset. Theoneiswhetheranycrimehasbeencommittedatall; thesecondis,whatisthecrimeandhowwasitcommitted? Ofcourse,ifDr.Mortimer’ssurmiseshouldbecorrect,andwearedealingwithforcesoutsidetheordinarylawsofNature,thereisanendofourinvestigation. Butweareboundtoexhaustallotherhypothesesbeforefallingbackuponthisone. Ithinkwe’llshutthatwindowagain,ifyoudon’tmind. Itisasingularthing,butIfindthataconcentratedatmospherehelpsaconcentrationofthought. Ihavenotpushedittothelengthofgettingintoaboxtothink,butthatisthelogicaloutcomeofmyconvictions. Haveyouturnedthecaseoverinyourmind?"
"Yes,Ihavethoughtagooddealofitinthecourseoftheday."
"Whatdoyoumakeofit?"
"Itisverybewildering."
"Ithascertainlyacharacterofitsown. Therearepointsofdistinctionaboutit. Thatchangeinthefootprints,forexample. Whatdoyoumakeofthat?"
"Mortimersaidthatthemanhadwalkedontiptoedownthatportionofthealley."
"Heonlyrepeatedwhatsomefoolhadsaidattheinquest. Whyshouldamanwalkontiptoedownthealley?"
"Whatthen?"
"Hewasrunning,Watson—runningdesperately,runningforhislife,runninguntilhebursthisheartandfelldeaduponhisface."
