本书的主要地点或犯罪现场不再是大英帝国的中心伦敦，而是英格兰西部德文郡的达特莫尔荒原。在这篇故事中，谋杀案起于“恶魔之犬”的家族诅咒。巴斯克维尔家族因为祖先犯下罪孽，“恶犬魔咒”犹如一道阴霾挥之不去。巴斯克维尔庄园的最后一位主人查尔斯·巴斯克维尔爵士突然死亡，尸体旁发现巨大的猎犬脚印。爵士的侄子亨利回国继承遗产，刚在伦敦的旅馆住下，就收到匿名便条，警示他不要踏足德文郡的荒野。于是，“起死回生”的神探福尔摩斯接手了这桩诡秘莫测的奇案。他与华生医生再次精诚合作，上演了一出破解谜团、追查真凶的“二人转”。福尔摩斯的探案过程可大致归纳如下：起初线索中断，迷雾重重，举步维艰，随后秘密查探，精心推算，遭遇险情，一波三折，几乎功亏一篑，最后柳暗花明，案件水落石出。那环环相扣的逻辑链，那严丝合缝的推理分析，那无懈可击的案情推演，依旧精彩纷呈，引人入胜。

　　★《巴斯克维尔的猎犬》是“侦探小说之父”阿瑟·柯南·道尔的代表作，悬念丛生、跌宕起伏的破案故事中隐含着科学理性主义的主题与深邃的人文主义思想。
　　——张和龙

　　《巴斯克维尔的猎犬》：
　　'I have in my pocket a manuscript，' said Dr. James Mortimer.
　　'I observed it as you entered the room，' said Holmes.
　　'It is an old manuscript.'
　　'Early eighteenth century， unless it is a forgery.'
　　'How can you say that， sir?'
　　'You have presented an inch or two ofit to my examination all the time that you have been talking. It would be a poor expert who could not give the date of a document within a decade or so. You may possibly have read my little monograph upon the subject. I put that at 1730.'
　　'The exact date is 1742.' Dr. Mortimer drew it from his breast-pocket. 'This family paper was committed to my care by Sir Charles Baskerville， whose sudden and tragic death some three months ago created so much excitement in Devonshire. I may say that I was his personal friend as well as his medical attendant. He was a strong-minded man， sir， shrewd， practical， and as unimaginative as I am myself. Yet he took this document very seriously， and his mind was prepared for just such an end as did eventually overtake him.'
　　Holmes stretched out his hand for the manuscript and flattened it upon his knee.
　　'You will observe， Watson， the alternative use of the long s and the short. It is one of several indications which enabled me to fix the date.'
　　I looked over his shoulder at the yeUow paper and the faded script. At the head was written： 'Baskerville Hall，' and below，in large， scrawling figures： '1742.'
　　'It appears to be a statement of some sort.
　　'Yes， it is a statement of a certain legend which runs in the Baskerville family.'
　　'But I understand that it is something more modern and practical upon which you wish to consult me?'
　　'Most modern. A most practical， pressing matter， which must be decided within twenty-four hours. But the manuscript is short and is intimately connected with the affair. With your permission I will read it to you.'
　　Holmes leaned back in his chair， placed his fmger-tips together， and closed his eyes， with an air of resignation. Dr. Mortimer turned the manuscript to the light and read in a high， crackling voice the following curious， old-world narrative.
　　'Of the origin ofthe Hound of the Baskervilles there have been many statements， yet as I come in a direct line from Hugo Baskerville， and as I had the story from my father， who also had it from his， I have set it down with all belief that it occurred even as is here set forth. And I would have you believe， my sons， that the same Justice which punishes sin may also most graaously forgive it， and that no banis so heavy but that by prayer and repentance it may be removed. Learn then from this story not to fear the fruits ofthe past， but rather to be circumspect in the future， that those foul passions whereby our family has suffered so grievously may not again be loosed to our undoing.
　　……

Chapter 1 Mr． Sherlock Holmes
Chapter 2 The Curse of the Baskervilles
Chapter 3 The Problem
Chapter 4 Sir Henry Baskerville
Chapter 5 Three Broken Threads
Chapter 6 Baskerville Hall
Chapter 7 The Stapletons ofMerripit House
Chapter 8 First Report of Dr． Watson
Chapter 9 The Light Upon the Moor
Chapter 10 Extract from the Diary of Dr． Watson
Chapter 11 The Man on the Tor
Chapter 12 Death on the Moor
Chapter 13 Fixing the Nets
Chapter 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles
Chapter 15 A Retrospection
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