Since that time, many of the sons of the Baskerville family
have died while they were young. Many of them
have died strangely. This is the Curse of the Baskervilles.
The black dog – The Hound of the Baskervilles – still walks
on the moor at night.
‘Well, Mr Holmes, what do you think of this story?’
asked Dr Mortimer.
‘I do not think it is a true story,’ said Sherlock Holmes.
‘Why do you show me this story? Do you believe it?’
‘Before Sir Charles Baskerville’s death, I did not believe
the story,’ Dr Mortimer answered. ‘But Sir Charles believed
the story. It worried him. He became ill and his heart was
weak.’
‘Why did he believe this story?’ I asked.
‘Because he saw the hound on the moor,’ answered Dr
Mortimer. ‘Or, he thought he saw it. When Sir Charles
told me this story, I told him to take a holiday. I told him
to go to London for a few weeks and forget all about the
curse.’
‘Did he take a holiday?’ I asked.
‘No,’ said Dr Mortimer. ‘He planned to go to London
the following Friday. But, on the Thursday evening, he
went for a walk on the edge of the moor. And he never
returned.’
‘How did he die?’ I asked.
‘He died of a heart attack,’ answered Dr Mortimer. ‘His
servant came to fetch me. I found Sir Charles near the
house, on the edge of the moor. He was running away from
something when he died. I am sure of that. I think he was
terrified of something.’
‘Terrified?’ asked Holmes. ‘What was he running away
from?’