Holmes spent the day trying to find the man with the black beard. He visited the newspaper offices and the cab companies. But every lead ended in disappointment. 'Three broken threads,' said Holmes that evening. 'The warning letter, the stolen boot, and the bearded spy.' 'I cannot connect them yet.' The next day, Sir Henry reported another theft. 'This time they took an old boot!' he said angrily. 'And they returned the new one they stole before.' Holmes's eyes lit up with interest. 'An old boot instead of a new one,' he murmured. 'That is very significant.' 'What does it mean?' I asked. 'I am not ready to say yet,' replied Holmes. That afternoon, we had lunch with Sir Henry and Dr. Mortimer. We discussed the journey to Devonshire. 'Watson, you must send me regular reports,' said Holmes. 'Write down everything you observe, no matter how small.' 'I want to know about everyone near Baskerville Hall.' 'I will do my best,' I promised. 'Do not let Sir Henry go anywhere alone,' Holmes added. 'Especially not on the moor at night.' 'Do you really believe the hound exists?' asked Sir Henry. 'I believe there is real danger,' said Holmes seriously. 'Whether supernatural or not, I cannot yet say.' 'But someone wants to harm you.' After lunch, we said goodbye to Holmes at the train station. 'Remember, Watson, trust no one,' he whispered to me. 'Keep your revolver ready at all times.' The train journey took several hours. As we traveled west, the landscape changed. Green fields gave way to brown hills and rocky outcrops. Finally, we arrived at a small station. A carriage was waiting to take us to Baskerville Hall. The driver was a rough-looking local man. 'Welcome to Dartmoor,' he said grimly. We climbed into the carriage and set off across the moor. The land was wild and empty, with few trees. Gray rocks rose from the ground like ancient monuments. A cold wind blew across the open landscape. Suddenly, we passed two soldiers standing by the road. They held rifles and watched our carriage carefully. 'What is happening here?' asked Sir Henry. 'A prisoner escaped from Princetown Prison,' said the driver. 'He has been loose on the moor for three days now.' 'His name is Selden, and he is a dangerous murderer.' Dr. Mortimer nodded gravely. 'I heard about this before we left London.' 'The whole countryside is afraid.' 'An escaped murderer is the least of our worries,' said Sir Henry. I could not help but agree with him. We had far stranger things to worry about. As the sun began to set, we saw a dark building ahead. 'There is Baskerville Hall,' said the driver. It was a grand old house with twin towers. Ivy covered its walls, and shadows filled its windows. It looked lonely and somewhat frightening. Sir Henry stared at his new home in silence. 'This is where my ancestors lived and died,' he said quietly. 'I wonder what awaits me here.'
B1Chapter 5 / 15498 words60 sentences
Three Broken Threads
Chapter 5 · 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
Holmes investigates but his leads go cold. He decides to send Watson with Sir Henry to Devonshire.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
Why did Holmes decide to send Watson to Dartmoor instead of going himself?
2
What instructions did Holmes give Watson for his stay at Baskerville Hall?
3
What was Watson's first impression of Dartmoor?
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