04-01-01-巴斯克维尔猎犬 [13]
．'
'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．
■ 8 格林盆宅邸的斯台普顿兄妹
第二天早上阳光明媚，我们也就觉得心情舒畅些了。
我对亨利爵士讲述了我所听到的哭声这件事。他摇铃把白瑞摩叫来，问他可否解释哭声的事。听到亨利爵士的问题时白瑞摩变得脸色煞白。
“亨利爵爷，这个房子里只有两个女人，”他回答道。“一位是女仆，她睡在对面厢房里。另一位就是我的妻子，她当然没有哭了。”
但是他在撒谎。早饭后我见到了白瑞摩夫人。阳光普照在她的脸上，清楚地表明她曾哭过。
白瑞摩为何要撒谎呢？是什么样的至深的悲伤曾使他的妻子哭泣呢？这个蓄着黑须的英俊男人的周围萦绕着一团疑云。白瑞摩有可能其实就是在伦敦监视亨利爵士的那个人吗？我决定与当地邮局核实一番，看看那封电报是否送到了白瑞摩手中。
在亨利爵士处理一些文件时，我便步行去了邮局。它在距此最近的一个名叫格林盆的村庄里。我对把电报投送到庄园的那个男孩说起话来。
“你把它交给白瑞摩先生本人了吗？”我问道。
“啊，”小男孩说道，“他当时正在屋顶上忙乎，所以我便把它交给了白瑞摩太太，她还答应马上就把它交给他。”
“你看到白瑞摩先生了吗？”我问他。
“没看到，”男孩说，“要是他不在屋顶上他妻子干嘛要说他在呢？”
再继续问下去也是无望的了。很清楚，福尔摩斯在电报上所施的高招并未给我们提供所需的证据。
我从邮局出来正往前走着，这时听到身后有人在跑。有人叫我的名字，我便转过身去。因为我在村里并不认识别人，所以我料想着看到的应是摩梯末医生。令我感到吃惊的是，那是位陌生人。他是个矮小瘦削的男人，大约三四十岁年纪，长着淡黄色头发，还没有蓄胡子。他拿着一个捕蝶网和一个用来装蝴蝶的盒子。
“我希望您会原谅我的冒昧，华生医生，”他走到我跟前对我说道。“我叫斯台普顿。当我在摩梯末医生家拜访他时，我们瞥见了您。他就把您告诉给了我。我可以与您同行吗？回庄园的这条路正在格林盆宅邸即我的家附近。请进来见见我妹妹，并与我们呆一会儿。”
我接受了斯台普顿的邀请，于是我们便同步而行。
“我知道您是歇洛克·福尔摩斯的亲密的朋友，”斯台普顿讲道。“福尔摩斯先生对查尔斯爵士的死有些看法了吗？”
“我恐怕不能回答这个问题，”我说道。
“福尔摩斯先生是否将亲自来这儿光临我们呢？”他问道。
“目前他还不能离开伦敦，”我回答道。我对他问我这些问题感到很惊讶。
我们继续前行。斯台普顿告诉我说，他和他妹妹在德文郡住了两年光景。查尔斯爵士刚住进巴斯克维尔庄园没有多久，他们便搬到那儿了。他还谈到了沼地及其如何激发起他的兴趣的事情。他让我朝沼地的尽头看以眺望一处呈嫩绿色的地方。
“那就是格林盆大泥潭，”他说道。“如果人畜踏进这片泥潭的话，就会陷进去送命的。但是我却能找到通往泥潭中心的道路。瞧，又一匹倒霉的马儿陷进去了。”
有个棕色的东西正在竭力挣扎着，想要从那片嫩绿色的泥潭中挣脱出来。接着，从沼地传来一声可怕的吼声。马的头和颈消失在那片绿色之下了。
“它完了，”斯台普顿道。“泥潭已把它给吞没了。这种情形经常发生。格林盆大泥潭可真是个邪恶的地方。”
“但是您不是说您能安全地进出其中吗？”我向他问道。
“是啊，其中有几条道，我都找到了。您所能看到的那些小山就像是被泥潭环绕着的小岛一样。那便是我能觅到稀有植物和稀世蝴蝶的处所。而且那便是我为何能在泥潭中找到了路的原因。”
“某天我也去碰碰运气，”我说道。
他带着惊讶的神情看着我。“千万别去试，”他说道。“您是不会活着回来的。那样就是我的错了。”
“听听，”我说道。“是什么东西？”
一声又低又长、非常深沉、相当悲惨的叫声传遍了整个沼地。它响彻空中，接着便消逝了。
“这是什么？”我问道，心里害怕得直打冷战。
斯台普顿的脸上带着一种奇怪
'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．
■ 8 格林盆宅邸的斯台普顿兄妹
第二天早上阳光明媚，我们也就觉得心情舒畅些了。
我对亨利爵士讲述了我所听到的哭声这件事。他摇铃把白瑞摩叫来，问他可否解释哭声的事。听到亨利爵士的问题时白瑞摩变得脸色煞白。
“亨利爵爷，这个房子里只有两个女人，”他回答道。“一位是女仆，她睡在对面厢房里。另一位就是我的妻子，她当然没有哭了。”
但是他在撒谎。早饭后我见到了白瑞摩夫人。阳光普照在她的脸上，清楚地表明她曾哭过。
白瑞摩为何要撒谎呢？是什么样的至深的悲伤曾使他的妻子哭泣呢？这个蓄着黑须的英俊男人的周围萦绕着一团疑云。白瑞摩有可能其实就是在伦敦监视亨利爵士的那个人吗？我决定与当地邮局核实一番，看看那封电报是否送到了白瑞摩手中。
在亨利爵士处理一些文件时，我便步行去了邮局。它在距此最近的一个名叫格林盆的村庄里。我对把电报投送到庄园的那个男孩说起话来。
“你把它交给白瑞摩先生本人了吗？”我问道。
“啊，”小男孩说道，“他当时正在屋顶上忙乎，所以我便把它交给了白瑞摩太太，她还答应马上就把它交给他。”
“你看到白瑞摩先生了吗？”我问他。
“没看到，”男孩说，“要是他不在屋顶上他妻子干嘛要说他在呢？”
再继续问下去也是无望的了。很清楚，福尔摩斯在电报上所施的高招并未给我们提供所需的证据。
我从邮局出来正往前走着，这时听到身后有人在跑。有人叫我的名字，我便转过身去。因为我在村里并不认识别人，所以我料想着看到的应是摩梯末医生。令我感到吃惊的是，那是位陌生人。他是个矮小瘦削的男人，大约三四十岁年纪，长着淡黄色头发，还没有蓄胡子。他拿着一个捕蝶网和一个用来装蝴蝶的盒子。
“我希望您会原谅我的冒昧，华生医生，”他走到我跟前对我说道。“我叫斯台普顿。当我在摩梯末医生家拜访他时，我们瞥见了您。他就把您告诉给了我。我可以与您同行吗？回庄园的这条路正在格林盆宅邸即我的家附近。请进来见见我妹妹，并与我们呆一会儿。”
我接受了斯台普顿的邀请，于是我们便同步而行。
“我知道您是歇洛克·福尔摩斯的亲密的朋友，”斯台普顿讲道。“福尔摩斯先生对查尔斯爵士的死有些看法了吗？”
“我恐怕不能回答这个问题，”我说道。
“福尔摩斯先生是否将亲自来这儿光临我们呢？”他问道。
“目前他还不能离开伦敦，”我回答道。我对他问我这些问题感到很惊讶。
我们继续前行。斯台普顿告诉我说，他和他妹妹在德文郡住了两年光景。查尔斯爵士刚住进巴斯克维尔庄园没有多久，他们便搬到那儿了。他还谈到了沼地及其如何激发起他的兴趣的事情。他让我朝沼地的尽头看以眺望一处呈嫩绿色的地方。
“那就是格林盆大泥潭，”他说道。“如果人畜踏进这片泥潭的话，就会陷进去送命的。但是我却能找到通往泥潭中心的道路。瞧，又一匹倒霉的马儿陷进去了。”
有个棕色的东西正在竭力挣扎着，想要从那片嫩绿色的泥潭中挣脱出来。接着，从沼地传来一声可怕的吼声。马的头和颈消失在那片绿色之下了。
“它完了，”斯台普顿道。“泥潭已把它给吞没了。这种情形经常发生。格林盆大泥潭可真是个邪恶的地方。”
“但是您不是说您能安全地进出其中吗？”我向他问道。
“是啊，其中有几条道，我都找到了。您所能看到的那些小山就像是被泥潭环绕着的小岛一样。那便是我能觅到稀有植物和稀世蝴蝶的处所。而且那便是我为何能在泥潭中找到了路的原因。”
“某天我也去碰碰运气，”我说道。
他带着惊讶的神情看着我。“千万别去试，”他说道。“您是不会活着回来的。那样就是我的错了。”
“听听，”我说道。“是什么东西？”
一声又低又长、非常深沉、相当悲惨的叫声传遍了整个沼地。它响彻空中，接着便消逝了。
“这是什么？”我问道，心里害怕得直打冷战。
斯台普顿的脸上带着一种奇怪