巴斯克威尔的猎犬 巴斯克维尔的诅咒（9）（在线收听）

"The facts of the case are simple. Sir Charles Baskerville was in the habit every night beforegoing to bed of walking down the famous yew alley of Baskerville Hall. The evidence of theBarrymores shows that this had been his custom. On the fourth of May Sir Charles had declaredhis intention of starting next day for London, and had ordered Barrymore to prepare his luggage.

That night he went out as usual for his nocturnal walk, in the course of which he was in the habitof smoking a cigar. He never returned. At twelve o'clock Barrymore, finding the hall door stillopen, became alarmed, and, lighting a lantern, went in search of his master. The day had been wet,and Sir Charles's footmarks were easily traced down the alley. Halfway down this walk there is agate which leads out on to the moor. There were indications that Sir Charles had stood for somelittle time here. He then proceeded down the alley, and it was at the far end of it that his body wasdiscovered. One fact which has not been explained is the statement of Barrymore that his master'sfootprints altered their character from the time that he passed the moor-gate, and that he appearedfrom thence onward to have been walking upon his toes. One Murphy, a gipsy horse-dealer, wason the moor at no great distance at the time, but he appears by his own confession to have been theworse for drink. He declares that he heard cries but is unable to state from what direction theycame. No signs of violence were to be discovered upon Sir Charles's person, and though thedoctor's evidence pointed to an almost incredible facial distortion -- so great that Dr. Mortimerrefused at first to believe that it was indeed his friend and patient who lay before him -- it wasexplained that that is a symptom which is not unusual in cases of dyspnoea and death from cardiacexhaustion. This explanation was borne out by the post-mortem examination, which showedlong-standing organic disease, and the coroner's jury returned a verdict in accordance with themedical evidence. It is well that this is so, for it is obviously of the utmost importance that SirCharles's heir should settle at the Hall and continue the good work which has been so sadlyinterrupted. Had the prosaic finding of the coroner not finally put an end to the romantic storieswhich have been whispered in connection with the affair, it might have been difficult to find atenant for Baskerville Hall. It is understood that the next of kin is Mr. Henry Baskerville, if he bestill alive, the son of Sir Charles Baskerville's younger brother. The young man when last heard ofwas in America, and inquiries are being instituted with a view to informing him of his goodfortune."

“案件实情甚为简单。 查尔兹· 巴斯克维尔有一种习惯， 每晚在就寝前， 须沿巴斯克维尔庄园出名之水松夹道散步。 白瑞摩夫妇的证词说明死者之习惯确是如此。 五月 四日， 查尔兹爵士曾声称他第二天想去伦敦， 并曾命白瑞摩为他准备行李。当晚他照常出去作晚间散步，他常吸着雪茄散步， 可是他再也没有回来。 在十二点钟的时候， 白瑞摩发现厅门还开着， 他吃了一惊， 于是就点了 灯笼， 出去寻找主人。 当时外面很潮湿， 所以沿着夹道下去很容易看到爵士的足迹， 小路的中间有个通向沼地的栅门。 种种迹象都说明查尔兹爵士曾站在门前，然后他就沿着夹道走了下去， 他的尸体就是在夹道的末端被发现的。 有一件尚未得到解释的事实就是： 白瑞摩说， 他主人的足迹在过了 通往沼地的栅门后就变了样， 好象是从那以后就换用足尖走路了。有一个叫作摩菲的吉卜赛马贩子， 当时正在沼地里距出事地点不远的地方，可是他自己承认当时酒醉得很厉害。 他说他曾听到过呼喊声， 但说不清是来自哪方。 在查尔兹爵士身上找不出遭受暴力袭击的痕迹， 可是医生的证明中曾指出面容变形到几乎难以相信的程度的、 躺在他面前的就是他的朋友和病人的尸体——据解释说， 这是一种在因呼吸困难和心脏衰竭而死的时候常有的现象。 这一解释已为尸体解剖所证明， 说明存在着由来已久的官能上的病症。 法院验尸官也缴呈了一份与医生证明相符的判断书。 如此结束究属妥善， 因查尔兹爵士之后代仍将在庄园居住， 并将继续不幸为之中断的善行， 因此， 显然此点具有极端重要性， 如验尸官平凡的发现不能最后扑灭那些邻里相传的有关此事的荒诞故事， 则欲为巴斯克维尔庄园找个住户就很困难了。 据了解， 如果说爵士还有活着的最近的亲属的话， 那就是他弟弟的儿子亨利·巴斯克维尔先生了。 以前曾听说这位年轻人在美洲。 现已进行调查，以便通知他来接受这笔为数庞大的财产。”