The Hound of the Baskervilles Part 15 (1/2)
”Why should I go back?” I asked
”I cannot explain” She spoke in a low, eager voice, with a curious lisp in her utterance ”But for God's sake do what I ask you Go back and never set foot upon the ain”
”But I have only just come”
”Man,is for your own good? Go back to London! Start tonight! Get away fro! Not a word of what I have said Would youthe mare's-tails yonder? We are very rich in orchids on the h, of course, you are rather late to see the beauties of the place”
Stapleton had abandoned the chase and ca hard and flushed with his exertions
”Halloa, Beryl!” said he, and it seeether a cordial one
”Well, Jack, you are very hot”
”Yes, I was chasing a Cyclopides He is very rare and seldom found in the late autumn What a pity that I should have ht eyes glanced incessantly froirl to me
”You have introduced yourselves, I can see”
”Yes I was telling Sir Henry that it was rather late for him to see the true beauties of the ine that it must be Sir Henry Baskerville”
”No, no,” said I ”Only a humble commoner, but his friend My name is Dr Watson”
A flush of vexation passed over her expressive face ”We have been talking at cross purposes,” said she
”Why, you had not very much ti eyes
”I talked as if Dr Watson were a resident instead of being merely a visitor,” said she ”It cannot much matter to him whether it is early or late for the orchids But you will come on, will you not, and see Merripit House?”
A short walk brought us to it, a bleak razier in the old prosperous days, but now put into repair and turned into aAn orchard surrounded it, but the trees, as is usual upon the moor, were stunted and nipped, and the effect of the whole place was e, wizened, rusty-coated oldwith the house Inside, however, there were large roonize the taste of the lady As I looked froranite-fleckedunbroken to the farthest horizon I could not but hly educated man and this beautiful woman to live in such a place
”Queer spot to choose, is it not?” said he as if in answer to e to make ourselves fairly happy, do we not, Beryl?”
”Quite happy,” said she, but there was no ring of conviction in her words
”I had a school,” said Stapleton ”It was in the north country The work to a , but the privilege of living with youth, of helping tothem with one's own character and ideals was very dear to ainst us A serious epidemic broke out in the school and three of the boys died It never recovered from the blow, and much of my capital was irretrievably sed up And yet, if it were not for the loss of the char companionshi+p of the boys, I could rejoice overtastes for botany and zoology, I find an unlimited field of work here, and my sister is as devoted to Nature as I aht upon your head by your expression as you surveyed the moor out of our ”
”It certainly did cross ht be a little dull--less for you, perhaps, than for your sister”
”No, no, I am never dull,” said she quickly
”We have books, we have our studies, and we have interesting neighbours
Dr Mortimer is a most learned man in his own line Poor Sir Charles was also an admirable companion We knew him well and miss him more than I can tell Do you think that I should intrude if I were to call this afternoon and make the acquaintance of Sir Henry?”
”I ahted”