The Hound of the Baskervilles

34 The Hound of the Baskeryilles " W e l l , now, t h a t is real k i n d of you, D r . W a t s o n , " said he. " Y o u see h o w i t is w i t h me, and you k n o w just as m u c h about the matter as I do. I f you w i l l come d o w n to Baskervflle H a l l and see me t h r o u g h Г11 never forget i t . " T h e promise of adventure had always a fascination for me, a n d I was complimented by the words of Holmes a n d by the eagerness w i t h w h i c h t h e baronet hailed me as a companion. " I w i l l come, w i t h pleasure," said I . " I do n o t k n o w h o w I could em­ploy m y t i m e better." " A n d you w i l l report very carefully t o me," said Holmes. " W h e n a crisis comes, as i t w i l l do, I w i l l direct h o w you shall act. I suppose t h a t by Saturday all m i g h t be ready?" " W o u l d that suit D r . W a t s o n ? " "Perfectly." " T h e n o n Saturday, unless you hear t o t h e contrary, we shall meet at t h e ten-thirty train f r o m Paddington." W e h a d risen to depart when Baskerville gave a cry of t r i u m p h , a n d diving i n t o one of the corners of t h e r o o m he drew a b r o w n boot f r o m under a cabinet. " M y missing b o o t ! " he cried. " M a y all our difficulties vanish as easily!" said Sherlock Holmes. " B u t i t is a very singular t h i n g , " D r . M o r t i m e r remarked. " I searched this r o o m carefully before l u n c h . " " A n d so d i d I , " said Baskerville. "Every i n c h of i t . " " T h e r e was certainly no boot i n i t t h e n . " " I n t h a t case the waiter must have placed i t there while we were lunch­i n g . " T h e G e r m a n was sent for b u t professed to k n o w n o t h i n g o f t h e mat­ter, nor could any i n q u i r y clear i t up. A n o t h e r i t e m had been added t o t h a t constant and apparently purposeless series of small mysteries w h i c h had succeeded each other so rapidly. Setting a...