We stood over Selden's broken body in the darkness. 'We cannot leave him here,' I said. 'No, but we cannot move him now either,' replied Holmes. 'We will send people tomorrow to recover the body.' Then I saw a figure approaching us across the moor. My hand went to my revolver. 'Good evening, gentlemen,' said a familiar voice. It was Stapleton, carrying a lantern. 'I heard screams and came to investigate,' he said. His eyes fell on the body, and he gasped. 'Good heavens! Who is this? Is it... Sir Henry?' I watched his face carefully in the lantern light. Was that disappointment I saw in his eyes? 'No, it is the escaped convict,' said Holmes calmly. Stapleton's expression changed to relief. 'Selden! But those clothes belong to Sir Henry!' 'Sir Henry gave them to his servants,' I explained. 'They must have passed them to Selden.' 'How strange,' said Stapleton. 'And what brings you out on the moor, Mr. Holmes?' I had not introduced Holmes. How did Stapleton know who he was? Holmes smiled thinly. 'I came to see Watson and visit our client.' 'I must return to London tomorrow, unfortunately.' 'Tomorrow?' said Stapleton eagerly. 'Yes, my work here is done,' lied Holmes. Stapleton seemed pleased by this news. 'Please come to dinner at my house before you leave.' 'I am sure Sir Henry would enjoy the company.' 'That is very kind,' said Holmes. 'We will certainly come.' Stapleton bid us goodnight and walked away. When he was gone, Holmes turned to me. 'That is our man, Watson.' 'Stapleton? The naturalist?' I was shocked. 'He is not what he seems,' said Holmes. 'I have discovered that he is actually a Baskerville.' 'A distant cousin who would inherit if Sir Henry dies.' 'Good God!' I exclaimed. 'And the woman he calls his sister is actually his wife.' Now I understood Miss Stapleton's warnings. She knew her husband was a murderer. 'He keeps a huge hound hidden in the Grimpen Mire.' 'He used it to frighten Sir Charles to death.' 'And now he plans to do the same to Sir Henry.' 'That is why he stole the boot,' I realized. 'To give the hound Sir Henry's scent.' 'Exactly,' said Holmes. 'But proving all this will be difficult.' 'We must catch him in the act.' 'That is why we will accept his dinner invitation.' 'You mean to use Sir Henry as bait?' I asked worriedly. 'It is the only way to trap Stapleton.' 'We will be nearby to protect Sir Henry.' We walked back to Baskerville Hall together. Sir Henry was relieved to see us safe. We told him about Selden's death. 'Poor Barrymore will have to tell his wife,' said Sir Henry sadly. Holmes said nothing, but his eyes were already planning our next move.
B1Chapter 12 / 15463 words60 sentences
Death on the Moor
Chapter 12 · The Hound of the Baskervilles · B1 English. Tip: Click on any word while reading to see its translation. Take your time with each chapter and review the vocabulary before moving on.
Chapter Summary
A scream in the night leads to a tragic discovery, and Holmes reveals his suspicions about the killer.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What suspicious behavior did Watson notice from Stapleton at the death scene?
2
What shocking truth did Holmes reveal about Stapleton's identity?
3
Where did Stapleton keep the hound?
4