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La Mansin del Ingls - http://www.mansioningles.com

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

By A. Conan Doyle

Chapter 4. Sir Henry Baskerville

Our breakfast table was cleared early, and Holmeswaited in his dressing-gown for the promisedinterview. Our clients were punctual to theirappointment, for the clock had just struck ten whenDr. Mortimer was shown up, followed by the youngbaronet. The latter was a small, alert, dark-eyedman about thirty years of age, very sturdily built,with thick black eyebrows and a strong, pugnaciousface. He wore a ruddy-tinted tweed suit and had the

weather-beaten appearance of one who has spentmost of his time in the open air, and yet there wassomething in his steady eye and the quietassurance of his bearing which indicated thegentleman.

"This is Sir Henry Baskerville," said Dr. Mortimer.

"Why, yes," said he, "and the strange thing is, Mr.Sherlock Holmes, that if my friend here had notproposed coming round to you this morning Ishould have come on my own account. I understand

that you think out little puzzles, and I've had onethis morning which wants more thinking out than Iam able to give it.""Pray take a seat, Sir Henry. Do I understand youto say that you have yourself had some remarkableexperience since you arrived in London?"

"Nothing of much importance, Mr. Holmes. Only ajoke, as like as not. It was this letter, if you can callit a letter, which reached me this morning."

He laid an envelope upon the table, and we all bent

over it. It was of common quality, grayish in colour.The address, "Sir Henry Baskerville,Northumberland Hotel," was printed in roughcharacters; the post-mark "Charing Cross," and thedate of posting the preceding evening.

"Who knew that you were going to theNorthumberland Hotel?" asked Holmes, glancingkeenly across at our visitor.

"No one could have known. We only decided after Imet Dr. Mortimer."

"But Dr. Mortimer was no doubt already stoppingthere?"

EL SABUESO DE LOS BASKERVI LLES

A. Conan Doyle

Captulo 4 . Sir Henr y Basker ville

Terminamos pronto de desayunar y Holmes, en bata,esper a que llegara el momento de la entrevistaprometida. Nuestros clientes acudieron puntualmente ala cita: el reloj acababa de dar las diez cuando entr eldoctor Mortimer, seguido del joven baronet, un hombrede unos treinta aos, pequeo, despierto, de ojosnegros, constitucin robusta, espesas cejas negras y unrostro de rasgos enrgicos que reflejaban un carcterbatallador. Vesta un traje de tweed de color rojizo y

tena la tez curtida de quien ha pasado mucho tiempo alaire libre, si bien haba algo en la firmeza de su miraday en la tranquila seguridad de sus modales que ponande manifiesto su noble cuna.

-Sir Henry Baskerville -dijo el doctor Mortimer.

-A su disposicin -dijo Sir Henry-, y lo ms extrao,seor Holmes, es que si mi amigo, aqu presente, nome hubiera propuesto venir a verlo hoy por la maana,habra venido yo por iniciativa propia. Segn creo,resuelve usted pequeos rompecabezas y esta maana

me he encontrado con uno que requiere ms sustanciagris de la que yo estoy en condiciones de consagrarle.

-Haga el favor de tomar asiento, Sir Henry. Si noentiendo mal ya ha tenido usted alguna experiencianotable desde su llegada a Londres?

-Nada de importancia, seor Holmes. Tan slo unabroma, probablemente. Se trata de una carta, si es quese la puede llamar as, que he recibido esta maana.Sir Henry dej un sobre en la mesa y todos nosinclinamos para verlo. Era de calidad corriente y colorgrisceo. Las seas, Sir Henry Baskerville,Northumberland Hotel, estaban escritas toscamente,en el matasellos se lea Charing Cross y la carta sehaba echado al correo la noche anterior.

-Quin saba que fuese usted a alojarse en elNorthumberland Hotel? -pregunt Holmes,mirando con gran inters a nuestro visitante.

-No lo saba nadie. Lo decid despus de conocer aldoctor Mortimer.

-Pero, sin duda, el doctor Mortimer se alojaba all conanterioridad.


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"No, I had been staying with a friend," said thedoctor. "There was no possible indication that weintended to go to this hotel."

"Hum! Someone seems to be very deeply interestedin your movements." Out of the envelope he took ahalf-sheet of foolscap paper folded into four. This he

opened and spread flat upon the table. Across themiddle of it a single sentence had been formed bythe expedient of pasting printed words upon it. Itran: As you value your life or your reason keepaway from the moor. The word "moor" only wasprinted in ink.

"Now," said Sir Henry Baskerville, "perhaps you willtell me, Mr. Holmes, what in thunder is the meaningof that, and who it is that takes so much interest inmy affairs?"

"What do you make of it, Dr. Mortimer? You mustallow that there is nothing supernatural about this,at any rate?"

"No, sir, but it might very well come from someonewho was convinced that the business issupernatural."

"What business?" asked Sir Henry sharply. "Itseems to me that all you gentlemen know a greatdeal more than I do about my own affairs."

"You shall share our knowledge before you leavethis room, Sir Henry. I promise you that," saidSherlock Holmes. "We will confine ourselves for thepresent with your permission to this veryinteresting document, which must have been puttogether and posted yesterday evening. Have youyesterday's Times, Watson?"

"It is here in the corner."

"Might I trouble you for itthe inside page, please,

with the leading articles?" He glanced swiftly overit, running his eyes up and down the columns."Capital article this on free trade. Permit me to giveyou an extract from it.

'You may be cajoled into imagining that yourown special trade or your own industry will beencouraged by a protective tariff, but it stands toreason that such legislation must in the long runkeep away wealth from the country, diminish thevalue of our imports, and lower the generalconditions of life in this island.'

"What do you think of that, Watson?" cried Holmesin high glee, rubbing his hands together withsatisfaction. "Don't you think that is an admirable

-No -dijo el doctor-; estuve disfrutando de lahospitalidad de un amigo. No exista la menorindicacin de que fusemos a elegir ese hotel.

-Hummm! Alguien parece estar muy interesado en susmovimientos -Holmes sac del sobre medio pliegodoblado en cuatro que procedi a abrir y extender

sobre la mesa. Una sola frase, escrita por elprocedimiento de pegar en el papel palabras impresas,ocupaba el centro de la hoja y deca lo siguiente: Si dausted valor a su vida o a su razn, se alejar delpramo. Tan slo la palabra pramo estaba escritaa mano.

-Ahora -dijo Sir Henry Baskerville- quiz pueda usteddecirme, seor Holmes, cul es, por mil pares dedemonios, el significado de todo esto y quin es lapersona que se interesa tanto por mis asuntos.

-Qu opina usted, doctor Mortimer? Tendr usted quereconocer, al menos, que no hay nada de sobrenaturalen ello.

-No, desde luego, pero podra venir de alguienconvencido de que existe una intervencinsobrenatural.

-De qu estn hablando? -pregunt Sir Henry conaspereza-. Tengo la impresin de que todosustedes, caballeros, estn ms al tanto que yo de mispropios asuntos.

-Le haremos partcipe de todo lo que sabemos antes deque abandone esta habitacin, Sir Henry, se lo prometo-dijo Sherlock Holmes-. Pero por el momento, con supermiso, nos ceiremos a este documento taninteresante, que debe de haberse compuesto y echadoal correo anoche. Tiene usted el Times de ayer,Watson?

-Est ah en el rincn.

-Le importa acercrmelo..., la tercera pgina, con loseditoriales? -Holmes examin los artculos con rapidez,recorriendo las columnas de arriba abajo con la mirada-. Un editorial muy importante sobre la libertad decomercio. Permtanme que les lea un extracto. Quizlo engatusen a usted para que se imagine que suespecialidad comercial o su industria se vernincentivadas mediante una tarifa protectora, pero si daen utilizar la razn comprender que, a la larga, esalegislacin alejar del pas mucha riqueza, disminuir elvalor de nuestras importaciones y empeorar lascondiciones generales de vida en nuestras tierras.

Qu le parece, Watson? -exclam Holmes, con granregocijo, frotndose las manos satisfecho-. No creeusted que se trata de una opinin admirable?


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sentiment?"

Dr. Mortimer looked at Holmes with an air ofprofessional interest, and Sir Henry Baskervilleturned a pair of puzzled dark eyes upon me.

"I don't know much about the tariff and things of

that kind," said he, "but it seems to me we've got abit off the trail so far as that note is concerned."

"On the contrary, I think we are particularly hotupon the trail, Sir Henry. Watson here knows moreabout my methods than you do, but I fear that evenhe has not quite grasped the significance of thissentence."

"No, I confess that I see no connection."

"And yet, my dear Watson, there is so very close aconnection that the one is extracted out of theother. 'You,' 'your,' 'your,' 'life,' 'reason,' 'value,''keep away,' 'from the.' Don't you see now whencethese words have been taken?"

"By thunder, you're right! Well, if that isn't smart!"cried Sir Henry. "If any possible doubt remained itis settled by the fact that 'keep away' and 'from the'are cut out in one piece."

"Well, nowso it is!"

"Really, Mr. Holmes, this exceeds anything which Icould have imagined," said Dr. Mortimer, gazing atmy friend in amazement. "I could understandanyone saying that the words were from anewspaper; but that you should name which, andadd that it came from the leading article, is reallyone of the most remarkable things which I haveever known. How did you do it?"

"I presume, Doctor, that you could tell the skull of anegro from that of an Esquimau?"

"Most certainly."

"But how?"

"Because that is my special hobby. The differencesare obvious. The supra-orbital crest, the facialangle, the maxillary curve, the"

"But this is my special hobby, and the differencesare equally obvious. There is as much difference tomy eyes between the leaded bourgeois type of a

Times article and the slovenly print of an eveninghalf-penny paper as there could be between yournegro and your Esquimau. The detection of types is

El doctor Mortimer mir a Holmes con intersprofesional y Sir Henry Baskerville volvi hacia m unosojos tan oscuros como desconcertados.

-No s mucho sobre tarifas y cosas semejantes -dijo-,

pero me parece que nos estamos apartando un poco dela cuestin.

-Pues yo opino, por el contrario, que la estamossiguiendo muy de cerca, Sir Henry. Watson, aqupresente, sabe ms que usted acerca de mis mtodos,pero me temo que tampoco l ha captado del todo laimportancia de esta frase.

-No; confieso que no veo la relacin.

-Y, sin embargo, mi querido Watson, existe una

conexin muy estrecha, dado que la primera estsacada de sta. Usted, su su, vida, razn,valor, alejar, del. Ve usted ahora dednde se han tomado esas palabras?

-Por todos los demonios, tiene usted razn! Que measpen si no es de lo ms ingenioso! - exclam SirHenry. -Y por si quedara alguna duda, no hay ms quever cmo alejar y del estn en el mismo recorte.

-Cierto, as es!

-A decir verdad, seor Holmes, esto sobrepasacualquier cosa que hubiera podido imaginar dijo eldoctor Mortimer, contemplando a mi amigo conasombro-. Entendera que alguien dijera que laspalabras han salido de un peridico, pero precisar culy aadir que se trata del editorial, es una de las cosasms sorprendentes que he visto nunca. Cmo lo hahecho?

-Imagino, doctor, que usted distinguira entre el crneode un negro y el de un esquimal.

-Sin duda.

-Pero, cmo?

-Porque es mi pasatiempo favorito. Las diferencias sonevidentes. El borde supraorbital, el ngulo facial, lacurva del maxilar, el...

-Pues ste es mi pasatiempo favorito y las diferenciastambin son evidentes. A mis ojos es tanta la diferenciaentre el tipo de imprenta grande y bien espaciado de unartculo del Times y la impresin descuidada de un

peridico de la tarde de medio penique como la quepueda existir para usted entre sus negros y susesquimales. La deteccin de caracteres de imprenta es


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one of the most elementary branches of knowledgeto the special expert in crime, though I confess thatonce when I was very young I confused the LeedsMercury with the Western Morning News. But aTimes leader is entirely distinctive, and these wordscould have been taken from nothing else. As it wasdone yesterday the strong probability was that we

should find the words in yesterday's issue."

"So far as I can follow you, then, Mr. Holmes," saidSir Henry Baskerville, "someone cut out thismessage with a scissors"

"Nail-scissors," said Holmes. "You can see that itwas a very short-bladed scissors, since the cutterhad to take two snips over 'keep away.'"

"That is so. Someone, then, cut out the messagewith a pair of short-bladed scissors, pasted it with

paste"

"Gum," said Holmes.

"With gum on to the paper. But I want to know whythe word 'moor' should have been written?"

"Because he could not find it in print. The otherwords were all simple and might be found in anyissue, but 'moor' would be less common."

"Why, of course, that would explain it. Have youread anything else in this message, Mr. Holmes?"

"There are one or two indications, and yet theutmost pains have been taken to remove all clues.The address, you observe is printed in roughcharacters. But the Times is a paper which isseldom found in any hands but those of the highlyeducated. We may take it, therefore, that the letterwas composed by an educated man who wished topose as an uneducated one, and his effort toconceal his own writing suggests that that writing

might be known, or come to be known, by you.Again, you will observe that the words are notgummed on in an accurate line, but that some aremuch higher than others. 'Life,' for example is quiteout of its proper place. That may point tocarelessness or it may point to agitation and hurryupon the part of the cutter. On the whole I inclineto the latter view, since the matter was evidentlyimportant, and it is unlikely that the composer ofsuch a letter would be careless. If he were in ahurry it opens up the interesting question why heshould be in a hurry, since any letter posted up toearly morning would reach Sir Henry before hewould leave his hotel. Did the composer fear aninterruptionand from whom?"

una de las ramas ms elementales del saber para elexperto en delitos, aunque debo confesar que, en unaocasin, cuando era muy joven, confund el LeedsMercury con el Western Morning News. Pero un editorialdel Times es inconfundible y esas palabras no se podanhaber tomado de ningn otro sitio. Y puesto que sehizo ayer, era ms que probable que las encontrramos

donde las hemos encontrado.

-Hasta donde soy capaz de seguirle, seor Holmes -dijoSir Henry Baskerville-, afirma usted que alguien cortese mensaje con unas tijeras...

-Tijeras para uas -dijo Holmes-. Se puede ver queeran unas tijeras de hoja muy pequea, ya que quien lohizo tuvo que dar dos tijeretazos para alejar del.

-Efectivamente. Alguien, entonces, recort el mensajecon unas tijeras muy pequeas, lo peg con engrudo...

-Goma -dijo Holmes.

-Con goma en el papel. Pero me gustara saber por qutuvo que escribir la palabra pramo.

-Porque el autor no la encontr en letra impresa. Lasotras palabras eran sencillas y podan encontrarse encualquier ejemplar del peridico, pero pramo esmenos corriente.

-Claro, eso lo explica. Ha descubierto usted algo msen ese mensaje, seor Holmes?

-Hay uno o dos indicios, aunque se ha hecho todo loposible por eliminar cualquier pista. La direccin, si sefija usted, est escrita con letra muy tosca. The Times,sin embargo, es un peridico que prcticamente sloleen las personas con una educacin superior. Podemosdeducir, por consiguiente, que quien compuso la cartaes una persona educada que ha querido hacerse pasarpor inculta y que su preocupacin por ocultar su letrasugiere que quiz alguno de ustedes la conozca o puedallegar a conocerla. Fjense, adems, en que las palabrasno estn pegadas con precisin, sino unas mucho msaltas que otras. Vida, por ejemplo, se hallacompletamente fuera de su sitio. Eso puede indicardescuido o tal vez agitacin y prisa. En conjunto meinclino por esto ltimo, ya que se trata de un asunto atodas luces importante y no es probable que el redactorde la carta descuidara su tarea voluntariamente. Si escierto que tena prisa, surge la interesante pregunta depor qu tena tanta prisa, dado que Sir Henry habrarecibido antes de abandonar el hotel cualquier carta quese echara al correo por la maana temprano. Acasotema su autor una interrupcin y, en ese caso, de

quin?


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"We are coming now rather into the region ofguesswork," said Dr. Mortimer.

"Say, rather, into the region where we balanceprobabilities and choose the most likely. It is thescientific use of the imagination, but we havealways some material basis on which to start our

speculation. Now, you would call it a guess, nodoubt, but I am almost certain that this address hasbeen written in a hotel."

"How in the world can you say that?"

"If you examine it carefully you will see that boththe pen and the ink have given the writer trouble.The pen has spluttered twice in a single word andhas run dry three times in a short address, showingthat there was very little ink in the bottle. Now, aprivate pen or ink-bottle is seldom allowed to be in

such a state, and the combination of the two mustbe quite rare. But you know the hotel ink and thehotel pen, where it is rare to get anything else. Yes,I have very little hesitation in saying that could weexamine the waste-paper baskets of the hotelsaround Charing Cross until we found the remains ofthe mutilated Times leader we could lay our handsstraight upon the person who sent this singularmessage. Halloa! Halloa! What's this?"

He was carefully examining the foolscap, uponwhich the words were pasted, holding it only an

inch or two from his eyes.

"Well?"

"Nothing," said he, throwing it down. "It is a blankhalf-sheet of paper, without even a water-markupon it. I think we have drawn as much as we canfrom this curious letter; and now, Sir Henry, hasanything else of interest happened to you since youhave been in London?"

"Why, no, Mr. Holmes. I think not."

"You have not observed anyone follow or watchyou?"

"I seem to have walked right into the thick of adime novel," said our visitor. "Why in thundershould anyone follow or watch me?"

"We are coming to that. You have nothing else toreport to us before we go into this matter?"

"Well, it depends upon what you think worthreporting."

"I think anything out of the ordinary routine of life

-Estamos entrando en el terreno de las conjeturas -dijoel doctor Mortimer.

-Digamos, ms bien, en el terreno donde sopesamosposibilidades y elegimos la ms probable. Es el usocientfico de la imaginacin, pero siempre tenemos unabase material sobre la que apoyar nuestras

especulaciones. Sin duda puede usted llamarloconjetura, pero estoy casi seguro de que estas seas sehan escrito en un hotel.

-Cmo demonios puede usted saberlo?

-Si las examina cuidadosamente descubrir que tanto lapluma como la tinta han causado problemas a lapersona que escriba. La pluma ha emborronado dosveces la misma palabra y se ha quedado seca tresveces en muy poco tiempo, lo que demuestra que habamuy poca tinta en el tintero. Ahora bien, raras veces se

permite que una pluma o un tintero personales lleguena esa situacin, y la combinacin de las dos ha de serbastante rara. Pero todos ustedes conocen las plumas ylos tinteros de los hoteles, donde lo raro es encontrarotra cosa. S: afirmo casi sin lugar a duda que sipudiramos examinar el contenido de las papeleras delos hoteles de los alrededores de Charing Cross hastaencontrar el resto del mutilado editorial del Timespodramos descubrir a la persona que envi estesingular mensaje. Vaya, vaya! Qu es esto?

Sherlock Holmes estaba examinando cuidadosamente el

medio pliego con las palabras pegadas, colocndoselo apocos centmetros de los ojos.

-Y bien?

-Nada -respondi Holmes, dejndolo caer-. Es la mitadde un pliego totalmente en blanco, sin filigrana siquiera.Creo que hemos extrado toda la informacin posible deesta carta tan curiosa. Ahora, Sir Henry, le hasucedido alguna otra cosa de inters desde su llegada aLondres?

-No, seor Holmes, me parece que no.

-No ha observado que nadie lo siguiera o lo vigilara?

-Tengo la impresin de haberme convertido enpersonaje de novela barata -dijo nuestro visitante-.Por qu demonios habra de vigilarme o de seguirmenadie?-Estamos llegando a eso. No tiene usted queinformarnos de nada ms antes de que hablemos de suviaje?

-Bueno, depende de lo que usted considere digno demencin.-Creo que todo lo que se salga del curso ordinario de la


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well worth reporting."

Sir Henry smiled. "I don't know much of British lifeyet, for I have spent nearly all my time in theStates and in Canada. But I hope that to lose one ofyour boots is not part of the ordinary routine of lifeover here."

"You have lost one of your boots?"

"My dear sir," cried Dr. Mortimer, "it is only mislaid.You will find it when you return to the hotel. What isthe use of troubling Mr. Holmes with trifles of thiskind?"

"Well, he asked me for anything outside theordinary routine."

"Exactly," said Holmes, "however foolish theincident may seem. You have lost one of yourboots, you say?"

"Well, mislaid it, anyhow. I put them both outsidemy door last night, and there was only one in themorning. I could get no sense out of the chap whocleans them. The worst of it is that I only boughtthe pair last night in the Strand, and I have neverhad them on."

"If you have never worn them, why did you put

them out to be cleaned?"

"They were tan boots and had never beenvarnished. That was why I put them out."

"Then I understand that on your arrival in Londonyesterday you went out at once and bought a pairof boots?"

"I did a good deal of shopping. Dr. Mortimer herewent round with me. You see, if I am to be squiredown there I must dress the part, and it may be

that I have got a little careless in my ways outWest. Among other things I bought these brownbootsgave six dollars for themand had onestolen before ever I had them on my feet."

"It seems a singularly useless thing to steal," saidSherlock Holmes. "I confess that I share Dr.Mortimer's belief that it will not be long before themissing boot is found."

"And, now, gentlemen," said the baronet withdecision, "it seems to me that I have spoken quite

enough about the little that I know. It is time thatyou kept your promise and gave me a full accountof what we are all driving at."

vida es digno de mencin.

Sir Henry sonri. -No s an mucho acerca de la vidabritnica, porque he pasado la mayor parte de miexistencia en los Estados Unidos y en Canad. Perosupongo que tampoco aqu perder una bota es parte delcurso ordinario de la vida.

-Ha perdido una bota?

-Mi querido seor -exclam el doctor Mortimer-, tanslo se ha extraviado. Estoy seguro de que laencontrar a su regreso al hotel. Qu sentido tienemolestar al seor Holmes con insignificancias comosa?

-Me ha preguntado por cualquier cosa que se saliera delo corriente.

-As es -intervino Holmes-, aunque el incidente puedaparecer completamente estpido. Dice usted que haperdido una bota?

-Digamos, ms bien, que se ha extraviado. Anoche dejlas dos fuera y slo haba una por la maana. No heconseguido sacar nada en limpio del sujeto que laslimpia. Y lo peor de todo es que las comprprecisamente anoche en el Strand y an no las heestrenado.

-Si no se las haba puesto, por qu las dej fuera para

que se las limpiaran?-Eran unas botas de cuero y estaban sin charolar. Poreso las saqu.

-Tengo que entender entonces que al llegar ayer aLondres sali inmediatamente a la calle y se compr unpar de botas?

-Compr muchas cosas. El doctor Mortimer, aqupresente, me acompa. Comprndalo usted, si voy aser un terrateniente destacado, he de vestirme enconsonancia con mi categora social, y puede ser queme haya hecho un poco descuidado en Amrica.Compr, entre otras cosas, esas botas marrones (paguseis dlares por ellas) y he conseguido que me robenuna antes de estrenarlas.-Parece un robo particularmente intil -dijo SherlockHolmes-. Confieso compartir la creencia deldoctor Mortimer de que la bota aparecer dentro depoco.

-Y ahora, caballeros -dijo el baronet con decisin- meparece que he hablado ms que suficiente de lo pocoque s. Ya es hora de que cumplan ustedes su promesa

y me den una informacin completa sobre el asunto quea todos nos ocupa.


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"Your request is a very reasonable one," Holmesanswered. "Dr. Mortimer, I think you could not dobetter than to tell your story as you told it to us."

Thus encouraged, our scientific friend drew hispapers from his pocket and presented the wholecase as he had done upon the morning before. Sir

Henry Baskerville listened with the deepestattention and with an occasional exclamation ofsurprise.

"Well, I seem to have come into an inheritance witha vengeance," said he when the long narrative wasfinished. "Of course, I've heard of the hound eversince I was in the nursery. It's the pet story of thefamily, though I never thought of taking it seriouslybefore. But as to my uncle's deathwell, it allseems boiling up in my head, and I can't get it clearyet. You don't seem quite to have made up your

mind whether it's a case for a policeman or aclergyman."

"Precisely."

"And now there's this affair of the letter to me atthe hotel. I suppose that fits into its place."

"It seems to show that someone knows more thanwe do about what goes on upon the moor," said Dr.Mortimer.

"And also," said Holmes, "that someone is not ill-disposed towards you, since they warn you ofdanger."

"Or it may be that they wish, for their ownpurposes, to scare me away."

"Well, of course, that is possible also. I am verymuch indebted to you, Dr. Mortimer, for introducingme to a problem which presents several interestingalternatives. But the practical point which we now

have to decide, Sir Henry, is whether it is or is notadvisable for you to go to Baskerville Hall."

"Why should I not go?"

"There seems to be danger."

"Do you mean danger from this family fiend or doyou mean danger from human beings?"

"Well, that is what we have to find out."

"Whichever it is, my answer is fixed. There is nodevil in hell, Mr. Holmes, and there is no man uponearth who can prevent me from going to the home

-Su peticin es muy razonable -respondi Holmes-.Doctor Mortimer, creo que lo mejor ser que cuenteusted la historia a Sir Henry tal como nos la cont anosotros.Al recibir aquel estmulo, nuestro amigo el hombre deciencia se sac los papeles que llevaba en el bolsillo ypresent el caso como lo haba hecho el da anterior. Sir

Henry le escuch con la ms profunda atencin y conalguna exclamacin de sorpresa de cuando en cuando.

-Vaya, parece que me ha tocado en suerte algo msque una herencia -coment, una vez terminada la larganarracin-. Por supuesto, llevo oyendo hablar delsabueso desde mi infancia. Es la historia preferida de lafamilia, aunque hasta ahora nunca se me haba ocurridotomarla en serio.Pero, por lo que se refiere a la muerte de mi to...,bueno, todo parece arremolinrseme en la cabeza y

todava no consigo verlo con claridad. Creo que an nohan decidido ustedes si hay que acudir a la polica o aun clrigo.-Exactamente.

-Y ahora se aade el asunto de la carta que me hanmandado al hotel. Supongo que eso encaja con lodems.

-Parece indicar que hay alguien que sabe ms quenosotros sobre lo que pasa en el pramo dijo el doctorMortimer.

-Y alguien adems -aadi Holmes- que est biendispuesto hacia usted, puesto que lo previene delpeligro.

-O que quiz quiere asustarme en beneficio propio. -S,por supuesto, tambin eso es posible.

Estoy muy en deuda con usted, doctor Mortimer, porhaberme presentado un problema que ofrece variasalternativas interesantes. Pero tenemos que resolveruna cuestin prctica, Sir Henry: la de si es aconsejableque vaya usted a la mansin de los Baskerville.

-Por qu tendra que renunciar a hacerlo?

-Podra ser peligroso.

-Se refiere usted al peligro de ese demonio familiar o ala actuacin de seres humanos?

-Bien; eso es lo que tenemos que averiguar.

-En cualquiera de los dos casos, mi respuesta es lamisma. No hay demonio en el infierno ni hombre sobrela faz de la tierra que me pueda impedir volver a la


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of my own people, and you may take that to be myfinal answer." His dark brows knitted and his faceflushed to a dusky red as he spoke. It was evidentthat the fiery temper of the Baskervilles was notextinct in this their last representative."Meanwhile," said he, "I have hardly had time tothink over all that you have told me. It's a big thing

for a man to have to understand and to decide atone sitting. I should like to have a quiet hour bymyself to make up my mind. Now, look here, Mr.Holmes, it's half-past eleven now and I am goingback right away to my hotel. Suppose you and yourfriend, Dr. Watson, come round and lunch with usat two. I'll be able to tell you more clearly then howthis thing strikes me."

"Is that convenient to you, Watson?"

"Perfectly."

"Then you may expect us. Shall I have a cabcalled?"

"I'd prefer to walk, for this affair has flurried merather."

"I'll join you in a walk, with pleasure," said hiscompanion.

"Then we meet again at two o'clock. Au revoir, andgood-morning!"

We heard the steps of our visitors descend the stairand the bang of the front door. In an instantHolmes had changed from the languid dreamer tothe man of action.

"Your hat and boots, Watson, quick! Not a momentto lose!" He rushed into his room in his dressing-gown and was back again in a few seconds in afrock-coat. We hurried together down the stairs andinto the street. Dr. Mortimer and Baskerville were

still visible about two hundred yards ahead of us inthe direction of Oxford Street.

"Shall I run on and stop them?"

"Not for the world, my dear Watson. I am perfectlysatisfied with your company if you will toleratemine. Our friends are wise, for it is certainly a veryfine morning for a walk."

He quickened his pace until we had decreased thedistance which divided us by about half. Then, still

keeping a hundred yards behind, we followed intoOxford Street and so down Regent Street. Once ourfriends stopped and stared into a shop window,upon which Holmes did the same. An instant

casa de mi familia, y tenga usted la seguridad de que ledoy mi respuesta definitiva -frunci el entrecejomientras hablaba y su rostro enrojeci vivamente. Nocaba duda de que el carcter fogoso de los Baskervillean segua vivo en el ltimo retoo de la estirpe-. Porotra parte -continu-, apenas he tenido tiempo depensar sobre todo lo que me han contado ustedes. Es

mucho pedir que una persona entienda y decida a lavez. Me gustara disponer de una hora de tranquilidad.Vamos a ver, seor Holmes: ahora son las once ymedia y yo voy a volver directamente a mi hotel. Qule parece si usted y su amigo, el doctor Watson, serenen a las dos con nosotros y almorzamos juntos?Para entonces estar en condiciones de decirle con msclaridad cmo veo las cosas.

-Tiene usted algn inconveniente, Watson?

-Ninguno.

-En ese caso cuenten con nosotros. Debo llamar a uncoche de alquiler?

-Prefiero andar, porque este asunto me ha puesto unpoco nervioso.

-Y yo le acompaar con mucho gusto -dijo el doctorMortimer.

-En ese caso volveremos a reunirnos a las dos. Hastaluego y buenos das!

Omos los pasos de nuestros visitantes en la escalera yel ruido de la puerta de la calle al cerrarse. En uninstante Holmes haba dejado de ser el soadorlnguido para transformarse en el hombre de accin.

-Enseguida, Watson, pngase el sombrero y las botas!Ni un momento que perder! -Holmes se dirigi a todaprisa hacia su cuarto para quitarse la bata y regres alos pocos segundos con la levita puesta. Descendimosapresuradamente las escaleras y salimos a la calle. Eldoctor Mortimer y Baskerville eran todava visibles aunos doscientos metros por delante de nosotros endireccin a Oxford Street.-Quiere que corra y los alcance?

-Ni por lo ms remoto, mi querido Watson. Sucompaa me satisface plenamente, si a usted no ledesagrada la ma. Nuestros amigos han acertado,porque sin duda es una maana muy adecuada parapasear.

Sherlock Holmes aceler la marcha hasta que ladistancia que nos separaba qued reducida a la mitad.

Luego, siempre mantenindonos unos cien metros pordetrs, seguimos a Baskerville y a Mortimer por OxfordStreet y despus por Regent Street. En una ocasin


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afterwards he gave a little cry of satisfaction, and,following the direction of his eager eyes, I saw thata hansom cab with a man inside which had haltedon the other side of the street was now proceedingslowly onward again.

"There's our man, Watson! Come along! We'll have

a good look at him, if we can do no more."

At that instant I was aware of a bushy black beardand a pair of piercing eyes turned upon us throughthe side window of the cab. Instantly the trapdoorat the top flew up, something was screamed to thedriver, and the cab flew madly off down RegentStreet. Holmes looked eagerly round for another,but no empty one was in sight. Then he dashed inwild pursuit amid the stream of the traffic, but thestart was too great, and already the cab was out ofsight.

"There now!" said Holmes bitterly as he emergedpanting and white with vexation from the tide ofvehicles. "Was ever such bad luck and such badmanagement, too? Watson, Watson, if you are anhonest man you will record this also and set itagainst my successes!"

"Who was the man?"

"I have not an idea."

"A spy?"

"Well, it was evident from what we have heard thatBaskerville has been very closely shadowed bysomeone since he has been in town. How else couldit be known so quickly that it was theNorthumberland Hotel which he had chosen? If theyhad followed him the first day I argued that theywould follow him also the second. You may haveobserved that I twice strolled over to the windowwhile Dr. Mortimer was reading his legend."

"Yes, I remember."

"I was looking out for loiterers in the street, but Isaw none. We are dealing with a clever man,Watson. This matter cuts very deep, and though Ihave not finally made up my mind whether it is abenevolent or a malevolent agency which is intouch with us, I am conscious always of power anddesign. When our friends left I at once followedthem in the hopes of marking down their invisibleattendant. So wily was he that he had not trustedhimself upon foot, but he had availed himself of acab so that he could loiter behind or dash past themand so escape their notice. His method had theadditional advantage that if they were to take a cab

nuestros amigos se detuvieron a mirar un escaparate yHolmes hizo lo mismo. Un instante despus dejescapar un leve grito de satisfaccin y, al seguir ladireccin de su mirada, vi que un cabriol de alquilerque se haba detenido al otro lado de la calle reanudabalentamente la marcha.-Ah est nuestro hombre, Watson! Venga! Al menos

tendremos ocasin de verlo, aunque no podamos hacernada ms.En aquel momento me di cuenta de que una pobladabarba negra y dos ojos muy penetrantes se habanvuelto hacia nosotros por la ventanilla del coche dealquiler. Inmediatamente se alz la trampilla del techo,el cochero recibi una orden a gritos y el vehculo salidisparado Regent Street adelante. Holmes buscansiosamente con la vista otro coche desocupado, perono haba ninguno. Luego ech a correrdesesperadamente entre la corriente del trfico, pero laventaja era demasiado grande y muy pronto el cabriol

se perdi de vista.-Qu contrariedad! -dijo Holmes con amargura alapartarse, jadeante y plido de indignacin, delflujo de vehculos-. Ha existido nunca peor suerte ytambin mayor torpeza? Watson, Watson, si esusted honesto tendr que apuntar esto en el debe,contraponindolo a mis xitos!

-Quin era ese individuo?

-No tengo la menor idea.

-Un espa?

-Por lo que hemos odo era evidente que a Baskervillelo han estado siguiendo muy de cerca desde que lleg aLondres. De lo contrario, cmo habra podido sabersetan pronto que se alojaba en el hotel Northumberland?Si lo haban seguido el primer da, era lgico quetambin lo siguieran el segundo. Quiz se percat ustedde que me llegu dos veces hasta la ventana mientrasel doctor Mortimer lea el texto de la leyenda.

-S, lo recuerdo.

-Quera ver si alguien merodeaba por la calle, pero nohe tenido xito. Nos enfrentamos con un hombreinteligente, Watson. Se trata de un asunto muy serio yaunque no he decidido an si estamos en contacto conun agente benvolo o perverso, constato siempre lapresencia de inteligencia y decisin. Al marcharsenuestros amigos los segu al instante con la esperanzade localizar a su invisible acompaante, pero nuestrohombre ha tenido la precaucin de no trasladarse a piesino utilizar un coche, lo que le permita rezagarse o

adelantarlos a toda velocidad y escapar as a sudeteccin. Ese mtodo tiene la ventaja adicional de quesi hubieran tomado un coche ya estaba preparado para


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he was all ready to follow them. It has, however,one obvious disadvantage."

"It puts him in the power of the cabman."

"Exactly."

"What a pity we did not get the number!"

"My dear Watson, clumsy as I have been, yousurely do not seriously imagine that I neglected toget the number? No. 2704 is our man. But that isno use to us for the moment."

"I fail to see how you could have done more."

"On observing the cab I should have instantlyturned and walked in the other direction. I should

then at my leisure have hired a second cab andfollowed the first at a respectful distance, or, betterstill, have driven to the Northumberland Hotel andwaited there. When our unknown had followedBaskerville home we should have had theopportunity of playing his own game upon himselfand seeing where he made for. As it is, by anindiscreet eagerness, which was taken advantage ofwith extraordinary quickness and energy by ouropponent, we have betrayed ourselves and lost ourman."

We had been sauntering slowly down Regent Streetduring this conversation, and Dr. Mortimer, with hiscompanion, had long vanished in front of us.

"There is no object in our following them," saidHolmes. "The shadow has departed and will notreturn. We must see what further cards we have inour hands and play them with decision. Could youswear to that man's face within the cab?"

"I could swear only to the beard."

"And so could Ifrom which I gather that in allprobability it was a false one. A clever man upon sodelicate an errand has no use for a beard save toconceal his features. Come in here, Watson!"

He turned into one of the district messenger offices,where he was warmly greeted by the manager.

"Ah, Wilson, I see you have not forgotten the littlecase in which I had the good fortune to help you?"

"No, sir, indeed I have not. You saved my good

name, and perhaps my life."

"My dear fellow, you exaggerate. I have some

seguirlos. Pero tiene, sin embargo, una desventaja.

-Lo pone a merced del cochero.

-Exactamente.

-Es una lstima que no tomramos el nmero!

-Mi querido Watson, aunque haya obrado con torpeza,no pensar usted seriamente que he olvidado esepequeo detalle. Nuestro hombre es el 2704. Pero porel momento no nos sirve de nada.

-No veo qu ms podra usted haber hecho.

-Al descubrir el coche de alquiler debera haber dado lavuelta y haberme alejado, para, a continuacin, alquilar

con toda calma un segundo cabriol y seguir al primeroa una distancia prudente o, mejor an, trasladarme alhotel Northumberland y esperar all. Despus de que eldesconocido hubiera seguido a Baskerville hasta su casahabramos tenido la oportunidad de jugar a su mismo

juego y ver a dnde se diriga l. Pero, debido a unaimpaciencia indiscreta, de la que nuestro contrincanteha sabido aprovecharse con extraordinaria celeridad yenerga, nos hemos traicionado y lo hemos perdido.

Durante esta conversacin habamos seguidoavanzando lentamente por Regent Street y ya hacatiempo que el doctor Mortimer y su acompaante sehaban perdido de vista.-No tiene objeto que continuemos -dijo Holmes-. Lapersona que los segua se ha marchado y noreaparecer. Hemos de ver si disponemos de otrostriunfos y jugarlos con decisin. Reconocera usted elrostro del hombre que iba en el cabriol?

-Slo reconocera la barba.

-Lo mismo me sucede a m, por lo que deduzco que,con toda probabilidad, era una barba postiza. Unhombre inteligente que lleva a cabo una misin tandelicada slo utiliza una barba para dificultar suidentificacin. Venga conmigo, Watson!

Holmes entr en una de las oficinas de recaderos deldistrito, donde el gerente lo recibi de manera muyafectuosa.-Ya veo, Wilson, que no ha olvidado el caso en que tuvela buena fortuna de poder ayudarle.

-No, seor; le aseguro que no lo he olvidado. Salv

usted mi reputacin y quiz tambin mi vida.

-Exagera usted, amigo mo. Si no recuerdo mal, cuenta


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recollection, Wilson, that you had among your boysa lad named Cartwright, who showed some abilityduring the investigation."

"Yes, sir, he is still with us."

"Could you ring him up?thank you! And I should

be glad to have change of this five-pound note."

A lad of fourteen, with a bright, keen face, hadobeyed the summons of the manager. He stoodnow gazing with great reverence at the famousdetective.

"Let me have the Hotel Directory," said Holmes."Thank you! Now, Cartwright, there are the namesof twenty-three hotels here, all in the immediateneighbourhood of Charing Cross. Do you see?"

"Yes, sir."

"You will visit each of these in turn."

"Yes, sir."

"You will begin in each case by giving the outsideporter one shilling. Here are twenty-three shillings."

"Yes, sir."

"You will tell him that you want to see the waste-paper of yesterday. You will say that an importanttelegram has miscarried and that you are lookingfor it. You understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"But what you are really looking for is the centrepage of the Times with some holes cut in it withscissors. Here is a copy of the Times. It is this page.You could easily recognize it, could you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"In each case the outside porter will send for thehall porter, to whom also you will give a shilling.Here are twenty-three shillings. You will then learnin possibly twenty cases out of the twenty-threethat the waste of the day before has been burned orremoved. In the three other cases you will beshown a heap of paper and you will look for thispage of the Times among it. The odds areenormously against your finding it. There are tenshillings over in case of emergencies. Let me have a

report by wire at Baker Street before evening. Andnow, Watson, it only remains for us to find out bywire the identity of the cabman, No. 2704, and then

usted entre sus empleados con un muchacho apellidadoCartwright, que mostr cierto talento durante nuestrainvestigacin.

-S, seor; todava sigue con nosotros.

-Podra usted llamarlo? Muchas gracias! Y tambin me

gustara que me cambiara este billete de cinco libras.

Un chico de catorce aos, de rostro despierto y miradainquisitiva, se present en respuesta a la llamada delencargado y se qued mirando al famoso detective conaire reverente.

-Djeme ver la gua de hoteles -dijo Holmes-. Muchasgracias. Vamos a ver, Cartwright, aqu tienes losnombres de veintitrs hoteles, todos en lasinmediaciones de Charing Cross. Los ves?

-S, seor.

-Vas a visitarlos todos, uno a uno.

-S, seor.

-Empezars, en cada caso, por dar un cheln al portero.Aqu tienes veintitrs chelines.

-S, seor.

-Le dirs que quieres ver el contenido de las papelerasque se vaciaron ayer. Dirs que se ha extraviado untelegrama importante y que lo ests buscando.Entiendes?

-S, seor.

-Pero, en realidad, lo que vas a buscar es un ejemplardel Times de ayer en cuya pgina central se hayanhecho unos agujeros con tijeras. Aqu tienes elperidico. sta es la pgina. La reconocers fcilmente,no es cierto?

-S, seor.

-El portero te mandar en cada caso al conserje, aquien tambin dars un cheln. Aqu tienes otrosveintitrs chelines. Es posible que en veinte de losveintitrs hoteles los papeles desechados del da deayer hayan sido quemados o eliminados. En los otrostres casos te mostrarn un montn de papel y buscarsen l esta pgina del Times. Las posibilidades en contrason elevadsimas. Aqu tienes diez chelines ms parauna emergencia. Mndame un informe por telgrafo aBaker Street antes de la noche. Y ahora, Watson, slo

nos queda descubrir mediante el telgrafo la identidadde nuestro cochero, el nmero 2704; luego pasaremospor una de las galeras de Bond Street y ocuparemos el


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we will drop into one of the Bond Street picturegalleries and fill in the time until we are due at thehotel."

tiempo viendo cuadros hasta el momento de nuestracita en el hotel.

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