格林盆宅邸的斯臺普頓兄妹-巴斯克維爾獵犬

巴斯克維爾獵犬目錄8 格林盆宅邸的斯臺普頓兄妹 The Stapletons of Pen House The next morning was sunny,and we were much more cheerful.
I told Sir Henry about the crying I had heard.He rang the bell to call Barrymore,and asked him if he could explain the crying.Barrymore's face went white when he heard Sir Henry's question.
'There are only two women in the house,Sir Henry,'he an swered.'One is the maid,who sleeps on the other side of the house.The other is my wife,and she was certainly not crying.'
But he was telling a lie.I saw Mrs Barrymore after breakfast.The sun was full on her face,and it was clear she had been crying.
Why had Barrymore lied?What deep sadness had made his wife cry?There was a mystery surrounding this black bearded,handsome man.Was it possible that Barrymore was in fact the man who had been watching Sir Henry in London?I decided I must check with the local post office that the tele gram had really been put into Barrymore's own hands.
While Sir Henry worked at some papers,I walked to the post office.It was in the nearest village,which was called Grimpen.I spoke to the boy who had taken the telegram to the Hall.
'Did you give it to Mr Barrymore himself?'I asked.
'Well,'the boy said,'he was working upon the roof,so I couldn't give it to him.I gave it to Mrs Barrymore,and she promised to give it to him at once.'
'Did you see Mr Barrymore?'I asked him.
'No,'said the boy,'but why did his wife say he was upon the roof if he wasn't?'
It was hopeless to ask any more questions.It was clear that Holmes' cleverness with the telegram had not given us the proof we needed.
I was walking away from the post office when I heard some one running after me.A voice called me by name,and I turned.I expected to see Dr Mortimer,as I knew nobody else in the village.To my surprise it was a stranger.He was a small,thin man,between thirty and forty years old,with fair hair and no beard.He was carrying a butterfly net,and a box for putting butterflies in.
'I hope you will excuse me for introducing myself,Dr Wat son,'he said as he came up to me.'My name is Stapleton.I was in Dr Mortimer's house and we saw you.He told me who you are.May I walk along with you? This path back to the Hall goes near my home,Pen House.Please come in and meet my sister,and spend an hour with us.'
I accepted Stapleton's invitation,and we walked together.
'I know that you are a close friend of Sherlock Holmes,'said Stapleton.'Has Mr Holmes any ideas about Sir Charles death?'
'I'm afraid I can't answer that question,'I said.
'Will Mr Holmes visit us himself?'he asked.
'He can't leave London at the moment,'I answered.I was rather surprised that he was asking me these questions
We walked on.Stapleton told me that he and his sister had lived in Devonshire for only two years.They had moved there soon after Sir Charles had begun to live in Baskerville Hall.He also talked about the moor and how it interested him.He told me to look across the moor to a place which was a bright green colour.
'That is the Great Grimpen Marsh,'he said 'If animals or men go into the marsh,they will sink into it and die.But I can find my way to the very centre of it.Look,there is another of those poor horses.'
Something brown was fighting to get out of the bright green of the marsh.Then a terrible cry came across the moor.The horse's head and neck disappeared under the green.
'It's gone,'Stapleton said.'The marsh has caught and killed it.That often happens.It is an evil place,the Great Grimpen Marsh.'
'But you say you can go safely in and out of it?'I asked him.
'Yes,there are a few paths,and I have found them.The low hills you can see are like islands surrounded by the marsh.That is where I can find the unusual plants and butterflies.And that's why I found my way through the marsh.'
'I shall try my luck one day,'I said.
He looked at me in surprise.'Please don't try,'he said.'You would never return alive,and it would be my fault.'
'Listen,'I said.'What is that?'
A long,low cry,very deep and very sad,came over the moor.It filled the whole air.Then it died away.
'What is it?'I asked,with a cold fear in my heart.
Stapleton had a strange look on his face.'The people say it's the Hound of the Baskervilles,which is calling for some thing to hunt and kill.I've heard it once or twice before,but never so loud.'
'You are a man of science,'I said.'You don't believe that,do you?Isn't there a natural explanation for the sound?'
'A marsh makes strange noises sometimes.It is the water and the wet ground moving.'
'But that was the voice of a living creature,'I said.
'Well,perhaps it was.There are some very unusual birds on the moors.It was most probably the cry of one of those.'
At that moment a small butterfly flew across the path in front of us.'Excuse me,Dr Watson,'shouted Stapleton,and ran off to try to catch the butterfly.He ran quickly and fol lowed the butterfly on to the marsh,but he knew exactly where he could go,and was not in any danger.
As I watched him,I heard the sound of steps behind me.I turned and saw a woman near me on the path.I was sure she was Miss Stapleton.She was very beautiful.She was dark and tall,with a lovely face.Before I could say anything,she said:
'Go back!Go straight back to London,immediately.I can not tell you why,but please do what I ask you,and never come near the moor again.But my brother is coming.Not a word to him.'
Stapleton had caught the butterfly,and was walking bath to us.
'Hello,my dear,'he said to his sister,but it seemed to me that his voice was not completely friendly.'I see that you two have already introduced yourselves.'
'Yes,'she said.'I was telling Sir Henry that it was rather late in the year for him to see the true beauty of the moor.'
'I am sorry,'I said.'You have made a mistake.I'm not Sir Henry.I am a friend who is visiting him,and my name is Dr Watson.'
Miss Stapleton was clearly angry with herself.'I'm sorry,' she said.'Please forget what I said.But do come with us to our house.'
The house was lonely and rather grim.I wondered why the two of them had come to live so far away from anyone else.Stapleton seemed to know what I was thinking,and said:'You may think this a lonely,strange place to live,but the moors are very interesting,and we enjoy it here.I owned a school in the north of England,but I had to close it.I miss the boys and girls but thefe is plenty to do here,and we have good neighbours.I hope Sir Henry will become one of tnem.May I visit the Hall this afternoon to meet him,do you think?'
'I'm sure he will be very pleased to meet you,'I said.'I must go back to the Hall now,and I shall tell him immediately.'
I said goodbye to the Stapletons,and continued on the path back to the Hall.I had been walking for only a few minutes when I was surprised to see Miss Stapleton sitting on a rock ahead of me.She was breathing quickly,and I realized she had run by a quicker way to get ahead of me.
'Dr Watson,'she said.'I want to say sorry for the mistake I made.I thought you were Sir Henry.Please forget what I said.I did not mean you were in danger.Now I must go,or my brother will miss me.'
'I cannot forget your words,Miss Stapleton,'I said.'If Sir Henry is in danger,I must tell him.'
'You know the story of the Hound?'she asked me.
'Yes,but I do not believe it,'I replied.
'But I think it's true,'she said.'Please persuade Sir Henry to leave this place.So many of his family have died here mys teriously.He must not put his life in danger by staying here.'
'Sir Henry won't leave this place without a real reason,'I said.
'I can't give you a real reason.I don't know anything for certain.'
'One more question,Miss Stapleton,'I said.'The story of the Hound is well known.Why didn't you want your brother to hear what you said?'
'My brother wants the head of the Baskerville family to live in the Hall,'she said.'He wants Sir Henry to continue the good work that Sir Charles began.He doesn't want Sir Henry to go and live in another place.So he doesn't want me to talk about the Hound.I must go now,or my brother will guess I have been speaking to you.Goodbye!'
She turned and went back towards her house,and I walked on to Baskerville Hall.
第二天早上陽光明媚，我們也就覺得心情舒暢些了。
我對亨利爵士講述了我所聽到的哭聲這件事。他搖鈴把白瑞摩叫來，問他可否解釋哭聲的事。聽到亨利爵士的問題時白瑞摩變得臉色煞白。
“亨利爵爺，這個房子裏只有兩個女人，”他回答道。“一位是女仆，她睡在對面廂房裏。另一位就是我的妻子，她當然沒有哭了。”
但是他在撒謊。早飯後我見到了白瑞摩夫人。陽光普照在她的臉上，清楚地表明她曾哭過。
白瑞摩為何要撒謊呢？是什麽樣的至深的悲傷曾使他的妻子哭泣呢？這個蓄著黑須的英俊男人的周圍縈繞著一團疑雲。白瑞摩有可能其實就是在倫敦監視亨利爵士的那個人嗎？我決定與當地郵局核實一番，看看那封電報是否送到了白瑞摩手中。
在亨利爵士處理一些文件時，我便步行去了郵局。它在距此最近的一個名叫格林盆的村莊裏。我對把電報投送到莊園的那個男孩說起話來。
“你把它交給白瑞摩先生本人了嗎？”我問道。
“啊，”小男孩說道，“他當時正在屋頂上忙乎，所以我便把它交給了白瑞摩太太，她還答應馬上就把它交給他。”
“你看到白瑞摩先生了嗎？”我問他。
“沒看到，”男孩說，“要是他不在屋頂上他妻子幹嘛要說他在呢？”
再繼續問下去也是無望的了。很清楚，福爾摩斯在電報上所施的高招並未給我們提供所需的證據。
我從郵局出來正往前走著，這時聽到身後有人在跑。有人叫我的名字，我便轉過身去。因為我在村裏並不認識別人，所以我料想著看到的應是摩梯末醫生。令我感到吃驚的是，那是位陌生人。他是個矮小瘦削的男人，大約三四十歲年紀，長著淡黃色頭發，還沒有蓄胡子。他拿著一個捕蝶網和一個用來裝蝴蝶的盒子。
“我希望您會原諒我的冒昧，華生醫生，”他走到我跟前對我說道。“我叫斯臺普頓。當我在摩梯末醫生家拜訪他時，我們瞥見了您。他就把您告訴給了我。我可以與您同行嗎？回莊園的這條路正在格林盆宅邸即我的家附近。請進來見見我妹妹，並與我們呆一會兒。”
我接受了斯臺普頓的邀請，於是我們便同步而行。
“我知道您是歇洛克·福爾摩斯的親密的朋友，”斯臺普頓講道。“福爾摩斯先生對查爾斯爵士的死有些看法了嗎？”
“我恐怕不能回答這個問題，”我說道。
“福爾摩斯先生是否將親自來這兒光臨我們呢？”他問道。
“目前他還不能離開倫敦，”我回答道。我對他問我這些問題感到很驚訝。
我們繼續前行。斯臺普頓告訴我說，他和他妹妹在德文郡住了兩年光景。查爾斯爵士剛住進巴斯克維爾莊園沒有多久，他們便搬到那兒了。他還談到了沼地及其如何激發起他的興趣的事情。他讓我朝沼地的盡頭看以眺望一處呈嫩綠色的地方。
“那就是格林盆大泥潭，”他說道。“如果人畜踏進這片泥潭的話，就會陷進去送命的。但是我卻能找到通往泥潭中心的道路。瞧，又一匹倒黴的馬兒陷進去了。”
有個棕色的東西正在竭力掙紮著，想要從那片嫩綠色的泥潭中掙脫出來。接著，從沼地傳來一聲可怕的吼聲。馬的頭和頸消失在那片綠色之下了。
“它完了，”斯臺普頓道。“泥潭已把它給吞沒了。這種情形經常發生。格林盆大泥潭可真是個邪惡的地方。”
“但是您不是說您能安全地進出其中嗎？”我向他問道。
“是啊，其中有幾條道，我都找到了。您所能看到的那些小山就像是被泥潭環繞著的小島一樣。那便是我能覓到稀有植物和稀世蝴蝶的處所。而且那便是我為何能在泥潭中找到了路的原因。”
“某天我也去碰碰運氣，”我說道。
他帶著驚訝的神情看著我。“千萬別去試，”他說道。“您是不會活著回來的。那樣就是我的錯了。”
“聽聽，”我說道。“是什麽東西？”
一聲又低又長、非常深沈、相當悲慘的叫聲傳遍了整個沼地。它響徹空中，接著便消逝了。
“這是什麽？”我問道，心裏害怕得直打冷戰。
斯臺普頓的臉上帶著一種奇怪的神色。“人們說這是巴斯克維爾獵犬，它正在召喚獵物。我以前曾聽到過一兩次，可是聲音從沒有這麽大過。”
“您是位科學工作者，”我說道。“諒您也不會相信這些，是吧？難道對這種聲音就沒有一個符合自然規律的解釋嗎？”
“泥潭有時會發出奇怪的聲音。這是由於水和稀泥在移動。”
“可是那是動物發出的聲音呀。”
“啊，也許是。沼地上有些稀有鳥類。極有可能是其中某一只的叫聲。”
那時，一只小蝴蝶從我們面前飛過。“對不起，華生醫生，”斯臺普頓高喊著，同時跑開捉蝴蝶去了。他飛快地跑著，隨著那只蝴蝶到了泥潭中，但是他知道自己的腳該落在哪兒，因此便沒有什麽危險。
正當我註視著他的時侯，我聽到了身後的腳步聲。我轉過身去，看到路上離我不遠處有一個女子。我敢肯定她便是斯臺普頓小姐。她人很漂亮，膚色很深，身材纖長。我還沒來得及開口說話，她便說道：
“回去吧！馬上回到倫敦去。我不能告訴您緣由，可是請照我說的去做，千萬不要再靠近沼地了。但是，我哥哥來了。對他什麽也別說。”
斯臺普頓已抓到了那只蝴蝶，正向我們這邊走回來。
“你好，我親愛的，”他對他妹妹說道，可是就我看來他的語氣並不怎麽友好。“我看得出來你們倆已經做過自我介紹了。”
“是啊，”她說道。“我正和亨利爵士說，他來得太晚了，已經看不到沼地的真正美麗之處了。”
“我很抱歉，”我說道。“您弄錯了。我不是亨利爵士。我是來拜訪他的一位朋友，我是華生醫生。”
斯臺普頓小姐顯然對自己很懊惱。“我很抱歉，”她說道。“請忘掉我所說的話。可是，您一定得和我們一道去屋裏坐坐。”
這所房屋既偏僻又相當陰森。我納悶他們倆為何到這種與他人相隔甚遠的地方來居住。斯臺普頓似乎知道我在想些什麽，於是便說道：“您可能認為這兒要住人的話偏僻和奇特了些，可是這些沼地相當有趣，我們在這兒過得也很快活。我曾在英格蘭北部辦過一所學校，但是後來被迫關閉了。我很懷念那些孩子們，但在此處有許多事情都有待去做，而且我們還有很好的鄰居們。我希望亨利爵士也會成為其中的一員。您認為我今天下午可否冒昧地去莊園拜訪一下他呢？”
“我敢說他一定會高興見到您的，”我說道。“我現在得回莊園去了，我還打算立刻告訴他這個消息。”
我與斯臺普頓兄妹道了別，繼續沿著回莊園的那條路向前走。沒走幾分鐘便驚奇地看到斯臺普頓小姐正坐在我前邊的一塊巖石上。她呼吸急促，我意識到她是為了趕在我前面而抄近路跑來的。
“華生醫生，”她說道。“因我所犯的錯誤，我想向您致以深深的歉意。我竟把您當成亨利爵士了。請忘掉我說過的話。我當時並不是說您有危險。現在我得走了，否則的話我哥哥就要掛念我了。”
“我不會忘記您的話語的，斯臺普頓小姐，”我說道。“如果亨利爵士有危險的話，那我就得告訴他。”
“您知道那個獵犬的故事吧？”她對我問道。
“知道，但是我並不相信它，”我應答道。
“可是我認為它是真實的，”她說道。“請勸說亨利爵士離開這個地方。他家族中的那麽多人都在這兒神秘地死去了。他不應該因呆在這兒而讓自己冒生命危險。”
“沒有真正的理由的話亨利爵士是不會離開此地的，”我說道。
“我給不出真正的理由。我並非確切地知道某些事情。”
“還有一個問題，斯臺普頓小姐，”我說道。“獵犬的故事是眾所周知的。您為何不願讓您哥哥聽到您所說的話呢？”
“我哥哥想讓巴斯克維爾家族的主人在這個莊園裏住下來，”她說道。“他想叫亨利爵士把查爾斯爵士開創的慈善工作繼續下去。他不想讓亨利爵士去別處居住。因此他不想讓我談論獵犬的事情。我現在得走了，否則的話我哥哥就會猜到我是在同您談話了。再見！”
她轉身往回走去，我便繼續向巴斯克維爾莊園走去。