Chapter 13: Fixing the Nets
|
(1226) |
|
"We're at close grips at last," said Holmes as we walked together
across the moor. "What a nerve the fellow has! How he pulled
himself together in the face of what must have been a paralyzing
shock when he found that the wrong man had fallen a victim to his
plot. I told you in London, Watson, and I tell you now again,
that we have never had a foeman more worthy of our steel."
|
(1227) |
Holmes feels they will soon capture (close the grips on) Stapleton. He admires the way he stayed cool (pulled himself together). |
"I am sorry that he has seen you."
|
(1228) |
|
"And so was I at first. But there was no getting out of it."
|
(1229) |
|
"What effect do you think it will have upon his plans now that
he knows you are here?"
|
(1230) |
|
"It may cause him to be more cautious, or it may drive him to
desperate measures at once. Like most clever criminals, he may
be too confident in his own cleverness and imagine that he has
completely deceived us."
|
(1231) |
Stapleton knows Holmes is present: this may (1) make him panic and do something stupid, (2) make him too confident and do something stupid. |
"Why should we not arrest him at once?"
|
(1232) |
|
"My dear Watson, you were born to be a man of action. Your
instinct is always to do something energetic. But supposing,
for argument's sake, that we had him arrested tonight, what on
earth the better off should we be for that? We could prove
nothing against him. There's the devilish cunning of it! If he
were acting through a human agent we could get some evidence,
but if we were to drag this great dog to the light of day it would
not help us in putting a rope round the neck of its master."
|
(1233) |
At present, they can prove nothing against Stapleton. Even finding the hound would not help. |
"Surely we have a case."
|
(1234) |
|
"Not a shadow of one — only surmise and conjecture. We should be
laughed out of court if we came with such a story and such evidence."
|
(1235) |
[surmise = conjecture]
|
"There is Sir Charles's death."
|
(1236) |
|
"Found dead without a mark upon him. You and I know that he died
of sheer fright, and we know also what frightened him, but how are
we to get twelve stolid jurymen to know it? What signs are there
of a hound? Where are the marks of its fangs? Of course we know
that a hound does not bite a dead body and that Sir Charles was
dead before ever the brute overtook him. But we have to prove
all this, and we are not in a position to do it."
|
(1237) |
They must prove that Sir Charles's death, from terror, was due to Stapleton's setting the hound on him. |
"Well, then, tonight?"
|
(1238) |
|
"We are not much better off tonight. Again, there was no direct
connection between the hound and the man's death. We never saw
the hound. We heard it, but we could not prove that it was
running upon this man's trail. There is a complete absence of
motive. No, my dear fellow; we must reconcile ourselves to the
fact that we have no case at present, and that it is worth our
while to run any risk in order to establish one."
|
(1239) |
They must also establish a motive. |
"And how do you propose to do so?"
|
(1240) |
|
"I have great hopes of what Mrs Laura Lyons may do for us when
the position of affairs is made clear to her. And I have my own
plan as well. Sufficient for tomorrow is the evil thereof; but
I hope before the day is past to have the upper hand at last."
|
(1241) |
Holmes has a plan. First, they must meet Mrs Lyons. [Sufficient for tomorrow is the evil thereof - « À chaque jour suffit sa peine. » Evangile selon St. Matthieu, 6:34; thereof = of it; to have the upper hand - avoir l'avantage]
|
I could draw nothing further from him, and he walked, lost in
thought, as far as the Baskerville gates.
|
(1242) |
"Are you coming up?"
|
(1243) |
|
"Yes; I see no reason for further concealment. But one last
word, Watson. Say nothing of the hound to Sir Henry. Let him
think that Selden's death was as Stapleton would have us believe.
He will have a better nerve for the ordeal which he will have to
undergo tomorrow, when he is engaged, if I remember your report
aright, to dine with these people."
|
(1244) |
Watson mustn't mention the hound to Sir Henry. [aright = correctly] |
"And so am I."
|
(1245) |
|
"Then you must excuse yourself and he must go alone. That will
be easily arranged. And now, if we are too late for dinner, I
think that we are both ready for our suppers."
|
(1246) |
They have missed dinner but will have supper and go to bed. [In England, supper is usually a snack before going to bed; sometimes it means dinner!] |
Sir Henry was more pleased than surprised to see Sherlock Holmes,
for he had for some days been expecting that recent events would
bring him down from London. He did raise his eyebrows, however,
when he found that my friend had neither any luggage nor any
explanations for its absence. Between us we soon supplied his
wants, and then over a belated supper we explained to the baronet
as much of our experience as it seemed desirable that he should
know. But first I had the unpleasant duty of breaking the news
to Barrymore and his wife. To him it may have been an unmitigated
relief, but she wept bitterly in her apron. To all the world he
was the man of violence, half animal and half demon; but to her
he always remained the little wilful boy of her own girlhood, the
child who had clung to her hand. Evil indeed is the man who has
not one woman to mourn him.
|
(1247) |
Sir Henry is pleased but surprised to see Holmes who, with Watson, tells him about the death of Selden without mentioning the hound. Watson informs the Barrymores. |
"I've been moping in the house all day since Watson went off in
the morning," said the baronet. "I guess I should have some
credit, for I have kept my promise. If I hadn't sworn not to go
about alone I might have had a more lively evening, for I had a
message from Stapleton asking me over there."
|
(1248) |
Sir Henry has spent a boring evening since he promised not to go out. [to mope - traîner son ennui, avoir le cafard] |
"I have no doubt that you would have had a more lively evening,"
said Holmes drily. "By the way, I don't suppose you appreciate
that we have been mourning over you as having broken your neck?"
|
(1249) |
|
Sir Henry opened his eyes. "How was that?"
|
(1250) |
|
"This poor wretch was dressed in your clothes. I fear your servant
who gave them to him may get into trouble with the police."
|
(1251) |
They tell Sir Henry they thought the body was his. |
"That is unlikely. There was no mark on any of them, as far as
I know."
|
(1252) |
|
"That's lucky for him — in fact, it's lucky for all of you, since
you are all on the wrong side of the law in this matter. I am
not sure that as a conscientious detective my first duty is not
to arrest the whole household. Watson's reports are most
incriminating documents."
|
(1253) |
|
"But how about the case?" asked the baronet. "Have you made
anything out of the tangle? I don't know that Watson and I are
much the wiser since we came down."
|
(1254) |
|
"I think that I shall be in a position to make the situation rather
more clear to you before long. It has been an exceedingly difficult
and most complicated business. There are several points upon which
we still want light — but it is coming all the same."
|
(1255) |
Holmes avoids Sir Henry's questions about the case.
|
"We've had one experience, as Watson has no doubt told you. We
heard the hound on the moor, so I can swear that it is not all
empty superstition. I had something to do with dogs when I was
out West, and I know one when I hear one. If you can muzzle that
one and put him on a chain I'll be ready to swear you are the
greatest detective of all time."
|
(1256) |
[to muzzle - museler]
|
"I think I will muzzle him and chain him all right if you will
give me your help."
|
(1257) |
|
"Whatever you tell me to do I will do."
|
(1258) |
|
"Very good; and I will ask you also to do it blindly, without
always asking the reason."
|
(1259) |
Sir Henry can help but he mustn't ask any questions.
|
"Just as you like."
|
(1260) |
|
"If you will do this I think the chances are that our little
problem will soon be solved. I have no doubt — "
|
(1261) |
|
He stopped suddenly and stared fixedly up over my head into the
air. The lamp beat upon his face, and so intent was it and so
still that it might have been that of a clear-cut classical statue,
a personification of alertness and expectation.
|
(1262) |
|
"What is it?" we both cried.
|
(1263) |
|
I could see as he looked down that he was repressing some internal
emotion. His features were still composed, but his eyes shone with
amused exultation.
|
(1264) |
|
"Excuse the admiration of a connoisseur," said he as he waved
his hand towards the line of portraits which covered the opposite
wall. "Watson won't allow that I know anything of art but that
is mere jealousy because our views upon the subject differ. Now,
these are a really very fine series of portraits."
|
(1265) |
Holmes observes the portraits on the walls. |
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say so," said Sir Henry, glancing
with some surprise at my friend. "I don't pretend to know much
about these things, and I'd be a better judge of a horse or a
steer than of a picture. I didn't know that you found time for
such things."
|
(1266) |
[a steer - un boeuf, bouvillon]
|
"I know what is good when I see it, and I see it now. That's a
Kneller, I'll swear, that lady in the blue silk over yonder, and
the stout gentleman with the wig ought to be a Reynolds. They
are all family portraits, I presume?"
|
(1267) |
Holmes shows he can identify artists'
work. [wig - perruque; Godfrey
Kneller and Joshua
Reynolds were 18th century portrait painters.] |
"Every one."
|
(1268) |
|
"Do you know the names?"
|
(1269) |
|
"Barrymore has been coaching me in them, and I think I can say
my lessons fairly well."
|
(1270) |
|
"Who is the gentleman with the telescope?"
|
(1271) |
|
"That is Rear-Admiral Baskerville, who served under Rodney in the
West Indies. The man with the blue coat and the roll of paper
is Sir William Baskerville, who was Chairman of Committees of the
House of Commons under Pitt."
|
(1272) |
Sir Henry identifies certain portraits. |
"And this Cavalier opposite to me — the one with the black velvet
and the lace?"
|
(1273) |
[Cavalier: a supporter
of Charles I in
the Civil War of 1642] |
"Ah, you have a right to know about him. That is the cause of
all the mischief, the wicked Hugo, who started the Hound of the
Baskervilles. We're not likely to forget him."
|
(1274) |
|
I gazed with interest and some surprise upon the portrait.
|
(1275) |
|
"Dear me!" said Holmes, "he seems a quiet, meek-mannered man
enough, but I dare say that there was a lurking devil in his eyes.
I had pictured him as a more robust and ruffianly person."
|
(1276) |
They observe the portrait of Hugo Baskerville. [meek - résigné; ruffian - voyou, brute]
|
"There's no doubt about the authenticity, for the name and the
date, 1647, are on the back of the canvas."
|
(1277) |
|
Holmes said little more, but the picture of the old roysterer
seemed to have a fascination for him, and his eyes were continually
fixed upon it during supper. It was not until later, when Sir
Henry had gone to his room, that I was able to follow the trend
of his thoughts. He led me back into the banqueting-hall, his
bedroom candle in his hand, and he held it up against the time-stained portrait on the wall.
|
(1278) |
Holmes is fascinated by the portrait of Hugo. [roysterer = someone who goes to a lot of parties] |
"Do you see anything there?"
|
(1279) |
|
I looked at the broad plumed hat, the curling love-locks, the
white lace collar, and the straight, severe face which was framed
between them. It was not a brutal countenance, but it was prim,
hard, and stern, with a firm-set, thin-lipped mouth, and a coldly
intolerant eye.
|
(1280) |
[prim - guindé, compassé]
|
"Is it like anyone you know?"
|
(1281) |
|
"There is something of Sir Henry about the jaw."
|
(1282) |
|
"Just a suggestion, perhaps. But wait an instant!" He stood upon
a chair, and, holding up the light in his left hand, he curved
his right arm over the broad hat and round the long ringlets.
|
(1283) |
|
"Good heavens!" I cried in amazement.
|
(1284) |
|
The face of Stapleton had sprung out of the canvas.
|
(1285) |
Hugo looks like Stapleton.
|
"Ha, you see it now. My eyes have been trained to examine faces
and not their trimmings. It is the first quality of a criminal
investigator that he should see through a disguise."
|
(1286) |
|
"But this is marvellous. It might be his portrait."
|
(1287) |
|
"Yes, it is an interesting instance of a throwback, which appears
to be both physical and spiritual. A study of family portraits
is enough to convert a man to the doctrine of reincarnation. The
fellow is a Baskerville — that is evident."
|
(1288) |
Stapleton must be a Baskerville. [a throwback - une régression] |
"With designs upon the succession."
|
(1289) |
Stapleton plans to inherit the fortune. |
"Exactly. This chance of the picture has supplied us with one of
our most obvious missing links. We have him, Watson, we have him,
and I dare swear that before tomorrow night he will be fluttering
in our net as helpless as one of his own butterflies. A pin, a
cork, and a card, and we add him to the Baker Street collection!"
He burst into one of his rare fits of laughter as he turned away
from the picture. I have not heard him laugh often, and it has
always boded ill to somebody.
|
(1290) |
For Holmes, this is an important clue: they can now catch Stapleton in their net, like a butterfly. |
I was up betimes in the morning, but Holmes was afoot earlier
still, for I saw him as I dressed, coming up the drive.
|
(1291) |
[betimes = early; afoot = out of bed] |
"Yes, we should have a full day today," he remarked, and he rubbed
his hands with the joy of action. "The nets are all in place,
and the drag is about to begin. We'll know before the day is out
whether we have caught our big, leanjawed pike, or whether he
has got through the meshes."
|
(1292) |
Watson and Holmes get up early to catch Stapleton. [the drag - la drague; lean-jawed pike - un brochet à mâchoire solide; mesh - maille, filet] |
"Have you been on the moor already?"
|
(1293) |
|
"I have sent a report from Grimpen to Princetown as to the death
of Selden. I think I can promise that none of you will be troubled
in the matter. And I have also communicated with my faithful
Cartwright, who would certainly have pined away at the door of
my hut, as a dog does at his master's grave, if I had not set
his mind at rest about my safety."
|
(1294) |
Holmes has informed the prison of Selden's death and the boy, Cartwright, of where he is. [to pine away = to die of sadness] |
"What is the next move?"
|
(1295) |
|
"To see Sir Henry. Ah, here he is!"
|
(1296) |
|
"Good-morning, Holmes," said the baronet. "You look like a general
who is planning a battle with his chief of the staff."
|
(1297) |
[chief-of-staff - chef d'état-major] |
"That is the exact situation. Watson was asking for orders."
|
(1298) |
|
"And so do I."
|
(1299) |
|
"Very good. You are engaged, as I understand, to dine with our
friends the Stapletons tonight."
|
(1300) |
|
"I hope that you will come also. They are very hospitable people,
and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you."
|
(1301) |
|
"I fear that Watson and I must go to London."
|
(1302) |
|
"To London?"
|
(1303) |
|
"Yes, I think that we should be more useful there at the present
juncture."
|
(1304) |
Holmes tells Sir Henry that he and Watson must go to London. |
The baronet's face perceptibly lengthened.
|
(1305) |
|
"I hoped that you were going to see me through this business.
The Hall and the moor are not very pleasant places when one is
alone."
|
(1306) |
|
"My dear fellow, you must trust me implicitly and do exactly what
I tell you. You can tell your friends that we should have been
happy to have come with you, but that urgent business required
us to be in town. We hope very soon to return to Devonshire.
Will you remember to give them that message?"
|
(1307) |
Sir Henry is worried. Holmes reassures him and tells him that, when he is at dinner with the Stapletons that evening, he must tell them that he and Watson went back to London.
|
"If you insist upon it."
|
(1308) |
|
"There is no alternative, I assure you."
|
(1309) |
|
I saw by the baronet's clouded brow that he was deeply hurt by
what he regarded as our desertion.
|
(1310) |
|
"When do you desire to go?" he asked coldly.
|
(1311) |
|
"Immediately after breakfast. We will drive in to Coombe Tracey,
but Watson will leave his things as a pledge that he will come
back to you. Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton to tell
him that you regret that you cannot come."
|
(1312) |
|
"I have a good mind to go to London with you," said the baronet.
"Why should I stay here alone?"
|
(1313) |
|
"Because it is your post of duty. Because you gave me your word
that you would do as you were told, and I tell you to stay."
|
(1314) |
|
"All right, then, I'll stay."
|
(1315) |
|
"One more direction! I wish you to drive to Merripit House. Send
back your trap, however, and let them know that you intend to
walk home."
|
(1316) |
Sir Henry must tell the Stapletons that he plans to walk back to Baskerville Hall after dinner. |
"To walk across the moor?"
|
(1317) |
|
"Yes."
|
(1318) |
|
"But that is the very thing which you have so often cautioned me
not to do."
|
(1319) |
|
"This time you may do it with safety. If I had not every confidence
in your nerve and courage I would not suggest it, but it is essential
that you should do it."
|
(1320) |
|
"Then I will do it."
|
(1321) |
|
"And as you value your life do not go across the moor in any
direction save along the straight path which leads from Merripit
House to the Grimpen Road, and is your natural way home."
|
(1322) |
He must take the normal path home. |
"I will do just what you say."
|
(1323) |
|
"Very good. I should be glad to get away as soon after breakfast
as possible, so as to reach London in the afternoon."
|
(1324) |
|
I was much astounded by this programme, though I remembered that
Holmes had said to Stapleton on the night before that his visit
would terminate next day. It had not crossed my mind however,
that he would wish me to go with him, nor could I understand how
we could both be absent at a moment which he himself declared to
be critical. There was nothing for it, however, but implicit
obedience; so we bade good-bye to our rueful friend, and a couple
of hours afterwards we were at the station of Coombe Tracey and
had dispatched the trap upon its return journey. A small boy was
waiting upon the platform.
|
(1325) |
Watson doesn't understand what Holmes is planning but he trusts him. They take the trap (cabriolet) to the train station at Coombe Tracey and send it back to the Hall. [trap - cabriolet, charette anglaise] |
"Any orders, sir?"
|
(1326) |
|
"You will take this train to town, Cartwright. The moment you
arrive you will send a wire to Sir Henry Baskerville, in my name,
to say that if he finds the pocketbook which I have dropped he
is to send it by registered post to Baker Street."
|
(1327) |
However, it is the boy, Cartwright, who will go to London. From there, he will send a message to Sir Henry, in Holmes's name, about his 'lost' pocketbook (portefeuille). |
"Yes, sir."
|
(1328) |
|
"And ask at the station office if there is a message for me."
|
(1329) |
|
The boy returned with a telegram, which Holmes handed to me. It
ran:
|
(1330) |
|
Wire received. Coming down with unsigned warrant. Arrive five-forty. Lestrade.
|
(1331) |
|
"That is in answer to mine of this morning. He is the best of
the professionals, I think, and we may need his assistance. Now,
Watson, I think that we cannot employ our time better than by
calling upon your acquaintance, Mrs Laura Lyons."
|
(1332) |
A telegram from Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard informs Holmes that he will be arriving at 5.40 p.m. with an arrest warrant (mandat d'arrêt). |
His plan of campaign was beginning to be evident. He would use
the baronet in order to convince the Stapletons that we were really
gone, while we should actually return at the instant when we were
likely to be needed. That telegram from London, if mentioned by
Sir Henry to the Stapletons, must remove the last suspicions from
their minds. Already I seemed to see our nets drawing closer
around that leanjawed pike.
|
(1333) |
Watson understands Holmes's plan: (1) use Sir Henry to have Stapleton believe Holmes and Watson are in London; (2) catch Stapleton when he doesn't suspect they're watching him. |
Mrs Laura Lyons was in her office, and Sherlock Holmes opened
his interview with a frankness and directness which considerably
amazed her.
|
(1334) |
Holmes and Watson visit Mrs Lyons. |
"I am investigating the circumstances which attended the death
of the late Sir Charles Baskerville," said he. "My friend here,
Dr Watson, has informed me of what you have communicated, and
also of what you have withheld in connection with that matter."
|
(1335) |
[to withhold - retenir]
|
"What have I withheld?" she asked defiantly.
|
(1336) |
|
"You have confessed that you asked Sir Charles to be at the gate
at ten o'clock. We know that that was the place and hour of his
death. You have withheld what the connection is between these
events."
|
(1337) |
|
"There is no connection."
|
(1338) |
|
"In that case the coincidence must indeed be an extraordinary one.
But I think that we shall succeed in establishing a connection,
after all. I wish to be perfectly frank with you, Mrs Lyons.
We regard this case as one of murder, and the evidence may implicate
not only your friend Mr Stapleton but his wife as well."
|
(1339) |
Holmes challenges Mrs Lyons about the fact that her meeting with Sir Charles was for 10 p.m., the very hour he was murdered. He mentions, as if in passing, Stapleton's wife. |
The lady sprang from her chair.
|
(1340) |
|
"His wife!" she cried.
|
(1341) |
|
"The fact is no longer a secret. The person who has passed for
his sister is really his wife."
|
(1342) |
|
Mrs Lyons had resumed her seat. Her hands were grasping the arms
of her chair, and I saw that the pink nails had turned white with
the pressure of her grip.
|
(1343) |
Mrs Lyons is shocked to discover that Beryl is really Stapleton's wife. |
"His wife!" she said again. "His wife! He is not a married man."
|
(1344) |
|
Sherlock Holmes shrugged his shoulders.
|
(1345) |
|
"Prove it to me! Prove it to me! And if you can do so — !"
|
(1346) |
|
The fierce flash of her eyes said more than any words.
|
(1347) |
|
"I have come prepared to do so," said Holmes, drawing several papers
from his pocket. "Here is a photograph of the couple taken in
York four years ago. It is indorsed 'Mr and Mrs Vandeleur',
but you will have no difficulty in recognizing him, and her also,
if you know her by sight. Here are three written descriptions
by trustworthy witnesses of Mr and Mrs Vandeleur, who at that
time kept St. Oliver's private school. Read them and see if you
can doubt the identity of these people."
|
(1348) |
Holmes proves, with a photo and some letters from witnesses (témoins), that the Stapletons were married as Mrs and Mr Vandeleur. Stapleton was headmaster of St. Oliver's School. |
She glanced at them, and then looked up at us with the set, rigid
face of a desperate woman.
|
(1349) |
|
"Mr Holmes," she said, "this man had offered me marriage on
condition that I could get a divorce from my husband. He has
lied to me, the villain, in every conceivable way. Not one word
of truth has he ever told me. And why — why? I imagined that all
was for my own sake. But now I see that I was never anything
but a tool in his hands. Why should I preserve faith with him
who never kept any with me? Why should I try to shield him from
the consequences of his own wicked acts? Ask me what you like,
and there is nothing which I shall hold back. One thing I swear
to you, and that is that when I wrote the letter I never dreamed
of any harm to the old gentleman, who had been my kindest friend."
|
(1350) |
Mrs Lyons realizes she has been used by Stapleton. So she agrees to give Holmes any evidence she can against him. |
"I entirely believe you, madam," said Sherlock Holmes. "The
recital of these events must be very painful to you, and perhaps
it will make it easier if I tell you what occurred, and you can
check me if I make any material mistake. The sending of this
letter was suggested to you by Stapleton?"
|
(1351) |
Stapleton dictated the letter she sent to Sir Charles the day he died. |
"He dictated it."
|
(1352) |
|
"I presume that the reason he gave was that you would receive
help from Sir Charles for the legal expenses connected with
your divorce?"
|
(1353) |
The letter was for a meeting to ask for money so she could divorce her husband and marry Stapleton. |
"Exactly."
|
(1354) |
|
"And then after you had sent the letter he dissuaded you from
keeping the appointment?"
|
(1355) |
|
"He told me that it would hurt his self-respect that any other
man should find the money for such an object, and that though
he was a poor man himself he would devote his last penny to
removing the obstacles which divided us."
|
(1356) |
Stapleton then persuaded her not to go to the meeting because it would humiliate him. |
"He appears to be a very consistent character. And then you heard
nothing until you read the reports of the death in the paper?"
|
(1357) |
|
"No."
|
(1358) |
|
"And he made you swear to say nothing about your appointment with
Sir Charles?"
|
(1359) |
|
"He did. He said that the death was a very mysterious one, and
that I should certainly be suspected if the facts came out. He
frightened me into remaining silent."
|
(1360) |
After the murder, Stapleton warned Mrs Lyons she would be a suspect if she mentioned having sent Sir Charles a letter.
|
"Quite so. But you had your suspicions?"
|
(1361) |
|
She hesitated and looked down.
|
(1362) |
|
"I knew him," she said. "But if he had kept faith with me I should
always have done so with him."
|
(1363) |
|
"I think that on the whole you have had a fortunate escape," said
Sherlock Holmes. "You have had him in your power and he knew it,
and yet you are alive. You have been walking for some months very
near to the edge of a precipice. We must wish you good-morning
now, Mrs Lyons, and it is probable that you will very shortly
hear from us again."
|
(1364) |
Holmes tells her she is lucky to be alive since she knows too much about Stapleton. |
"Our case becomes rounded off, and difficulty after difficulty
thins away in front of us," said Holmes as we stood waiting for
the arrival of the express from town. "I shall soon be in the
position of being able to put into a single connected narrative
one of the most singular and sensational crimes of modern times.
Students of criminology will remember the analogous incidents in
Godno, in Little Russia, in the year '66, and of course there are
the Anderson murders in North Carolina, but this case possesses
some features which are entirely its own. Even now we have no
clear case against this very wily man. But I shall be very much
surprised if it is not clear enough before we go to bed this night."
|
(1365) |
Holmes and Watson leave Mrs Lyons and wait for the express train from London. Holmes thinks this case will be one of the most famous in contemporary criminology. [wily - rusé] |
The London express came roaring into the station, and a small,
wiry bulldog of a man had sprung from a first-class carriage.
We all three shook hands, and I saw at once from the reverential
way in which Lestrade gazed at my companion that he had learned
a good deal since the days when they had first worked together.
I could well remember the scorn which the theories of the reasoner
used then to excite in the practical man.
|
(1366) |
Inspector Lestrade gets out of the London express train. |
"Anything good?" he asked.
|
(1367) |
|
"The biggest thing for years," said Holmes. "We have two hours
before we need think of starting. I think we might employ it in
getting some dinner and then, Lestrade, we will take the London
fog out of your throat by giving you a breath of the pure night
air of Dartmoor. Never been there? Ah, well, I don't suppose
you will forget your first visit."
|
(1368) |
They will have dinner and then go to the moor. |