"The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
| S:9 E:4S9 Ep 4
Host: Frank Lavallo
Readers: Katie Porcile and Gregory James
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Year of Publication: 1920
Plot: In "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, we see the
preeminent Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes' solve the eerie murder of a
Sir Arthur Baskerville on the moors of Dartmoor by an apparent fiendish
hound.
Special thanks to our readers, Katie Porcile and Gregory James, our Producer and Sound Designer Noah Foutz, our Engineer Gray Sienna Longfellow, and our executive producers Brigid Coyne and Joan Andrews.
Here's to hoping you find yourself in a novel conversation!
Where to Listen
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00:08 - 00:43 Frank Hello, and
welcome to Novel Conversations, a podcast about the world's greatest
stories. I'm your host, Frank Lovallo. And for each episode of Novel
Conversations, I talk to two readers about one book. And together, we
summarize the story for you. We introduce you to the characters, we tell
you what happens to them, and we read from the book along the way. So
if you love hearing a good story, you're in the right place. This
episode's conversation is about the novel, The Hound of the
Baskervilles, by author Conan Doyle. And I'm joined by our Novel
Conversations readers, Katie Portile and Gregory James. Katie, Greg,
welcome. Hi, thank you.
00:43 - 00:45 Katie Thanks, Frank. Glad to be here.
00:45 - 01:35 Frank
Glad to have you both here to have this conversation with me. Before we
get started, I want to give a quick introduction to our novel. The
Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of the four crime novels by
British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring the detective Sherlock
Holmes. Originally serialized in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to
April 1902, it was published in book form in 1902. The novel is set in
1889, largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country, and tells
the story of an attempted murder inspired by the legend of a fearsome,
diabolical hound of supernatural origin. It was the first Sherlock
Holmes tale after the detective's shocking, quote, death in the story
The Final Problem from 1893, but was set prior to his demise. The
popularity of The Hound of the Baskervilles helped pave the way for
Holmes' appearance in later works. Gregory, start us off.
01:36 - 01:45 Gregory
The first chapter is appropriately titled Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and it
introduces us to the great detective while describing his abilities and
comparing him to Dr. Watson.
01:45 - 01:48 Frank Katie, what do we generally know about this famous detective?
01:48 - 01:59 Katie
Well, we know he has a keen eye and is observation and intuition
personified. And though he takes a bit of a backseat to Watson in this
story, we always feel his presence.
02:00 - 02:02 Frank But Katie, don't forget his trademark hat and pipe.
02:02 - 02:14 Katie
The deerstalker hat was indeed a Conan Doyle trademark, but it was the
movies that turned the pipe into the full-bent white meerschaum. In the
four stories, there are at least three kinds of pipes mentioned.
02:14 - 02:21 Frank
And cigars. That's right. He smoked more cigars, I think, than pipes in
some of those stories. Well, Greg, what about Dr. Watson?
02:21 - 02:38 Gregory
So he's the novel's other protagonist and the narrator of the story.
Dr. Watson is the sidekick to Holmes and longtime chronicler of the
detective's adventures. In this novel, Watson tries his hand at Holmes'
game, expressing his eagerness to please and impress the master by
solving such a baffling case.
02:38 - 02:47 Katie
As sidekick and apprentice to Holmes, Watson acts as a foil for Holmes'
genius and, as a stand-in for us, the awestruck audience.
02:47 - 03:02 Gregory
We connect with Watson both by virtue of his narration and his
common-sense analysis of the situation, but Holmes will always be able
to trump Watson and us, providing more insight, analysis, and
cleverness. Holmes always has an insider's edge. Conan Doyle always
gives Holmes an advantage.
03:02 - 03:06 Frank All right, with those introductions, Katie, how does our story actually start?
03:06 - 03:30 Katie
We first glimpse Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in their home office at
221B Baker Street, London. Watson examines a mysterious cane left in
the office by an unknown visitor and Holmes asks Watson what he makes of
the cane and Watson declares that his friend must have eyes on the back
of his head since he saw what he was doing. Holmes admits that he saw
Watson's reflection in the coffee service.
03:30 - 04:03 Gregory
Watson offers up his theory as to the origin of the walking stick,
declaring that the inscription, quote, to James Mortimer, MRCS, from his
friends of the CCH, suggests an elderly doctor who was awarded the
object after years of faithful service. Holmes encourages Watson's
speculation, and the doctor continues, saying that the well-worn stick
implies a country practitioner who walks about quite a bit. In addition,
the CCH, he suggests, is probably the mark of a local hunt group to
whom Mortimer provided some service. MRCS? Membership of the Royal
College of Surgeons.
04:03 - 04:15 Katie
Holmes congratulates Watson and goes on to examine the cane himself as
Watson basks in the glory of Holmes' compliment. However, Holmes quickly
contradicts almost all of Watson's conclusions.
04:15 - 04:16 Frank So much for the compliment.
04:17 - 04:35 Katie
Holmes suggests that while the owner is clearly a country practitioner,
CCH actually means Charing Cross Hospital. The cane was probably
presented on the occasion of the man's retirement from the hospital, and
only a young man would have retired from a successful city practice to
move to a rural one.
04:35 - 04:56 Frank
And then amazingly, Holmes goes on to suggest that the man must possess
a small spaniel, given the bite marks on the cane. And then he
playfully announces the appearance of master and dog at their front
door. As we mentioned, Colin Doyle gives Holmes an advantage. In this
case, Holmes determines the size and breed of Mortimer's dog because he
sees the animal outside the window.
04:56 - 05:05 Gregory
Dr. Mortimer arrives, introduces himself, and announces his desire to
consult with, quote, the second highest expert in Europe, a moniker
which Holmes disputes.
05:05 - 05:07 Frank I can imagine. Second highest? Who's the first?
05:07 - 05:19 Gregory
To quote, to the man of a precisely scientific mind, the work of
Monsieur Bertillion must always appeal strongly. I'm sure Holmes loves
that. He suggests that Dr. Mortimer consult Monsieur Bertillion then.
05:20 - 05:28 Katie
But Mortimer says, I said, sir, to the scientific mind, but as a
practical man of affairs, it is acknowledged that you stand alone.
05:28 - 05:30 Frank And what else do we learn about Dr. Mortimer?
05:30 - 05:37 Katie Mortimer is also a phrenology enthusiast, and he wishes and hopes to someday have the opportunity to study Holmes's head.
05:38 - 05:43 Frank Well, other than a desire to get his hands on Holmes' skull, why is the doctor there?
05:43 - 05:56 Gregory
That's what Holmes asks him, and Chapter 2 begins, with Mortimer
presenting Holmes and Watson with a manuscript. The document, dated
1742, Baskerville Hall, reveals the myth of the Baskerville Curse. The
Baskerville Curse?
05:56 - 06:19 Katie
Mortimer reads from the document. At the time of the great revolution,
Hugo Baskerville lorded over the Baskerville mansion in Devonshire.
Sex-crazed and lecherous, the infamous Hugo became obsessed with the
local yeoman's daughter, whom he kidnapped one day. Trapped in an
upstairs room, hearing the raucous drinking and carousing going on
downstairs, the girl escaped with the help of the ivy-covered wall.
06:20 - 06:41 Gregory
She fled across the Moorlands. Enraged at finding that his captive
escaped, Hugo made a deal with the devil and released his hounds in
pursuit of the young girl. Hugo's companions followed their drunken
friend across the Moorland and came upon the bodies of both Hugo and the
girl. Hugo had just had his throat ripped out by, quote, a foul thing, a
great black beast.
06:41 - 06:53 Frank
And ever since, Mortimer reports, the supernatural hound has haunted
the family. He claims the hound just recently killed Sir Charles
Baskerville, the latest inhabitant of Baskerville Hall. And Katie, Dr.
Mortimer has another document.
06:53 - 07:24 Katie
He does. Mortimer unfolds the Devon County Chronicle of May 14, reading
about Sir Charles's philanthropy and the circumstances surrounding his
death. Having remade his family fortune in South African colonial
ventures, Charles returned two years ago to the family estate and gave
extensively to the local population. The Chronicle mentions the myth
only to discount it, citing the testimony of Sir Charles' servants, Mr.
Barrymore and Mrs. Barrymore, and that of Mortimer himself.
07:25 - 07:52 Gregory
Charles was found dead, the paper reports, at the site of his nightly
walk down the so-called Yew Alley, which borders the Haunted Moorlands.
Suspicious facts include Charles's apparent dawdling at the gate to the
alley and his footsteps down the alley itself, which indicated tiptoeing
or running. The paper points out Charles's poor health and the
coroner's conclusion that the man died of a heart attack. The article
goes on to insist that the next of kin, Sir Henry Baskerville, should
come to take his uncle's post and continue his philanthropy.
07:53 - 08:15 Katie
Mortimer interrupts the account, however, to indicate that those are
the publicly known facts. Off the record, he admits that Sir Charles'
poor health was a result of his fear of the family curse. Finally,
Mortimer announces that the scene of the crime contained, in addition to
Sir Charles' tiptoeing steps, quote, the footprints of a gigantic
hound.
08:16 - 08:40 Frank
Readers, there's a couple of things going on in this chapter. The Curse
of the Baskervilles establishes many of the themes that will run
throughout the rest of the book. The contrasting pairs of natural and
supernatural, myth and reality, and even as Conan Doyle relates the
deeds of a lecherous libertine, he invokes the Gothic traditions that
are popular at this time. The idea of an ancient curse, a hound of hell,
and a kind of divine retribution.
08:40 - 08:51 Gregory
This chapter also presents several sources of information about the
case. The manuscript with the ancient curse, the paper, a modern piece
of journalism, and Mortimer's counsel and reading of each one.
08:51 - 09:10 Katie
The manuscript points to the easy but unrealistic supernatural answers
to a perplexing problem rather than the more complicated scientific
explanations. The other piece of evidence, the newspaper article, only
gets the story half right and concocts easy answers just like the
manuscript.
09:10 - 09:19 Frank
Right, if the manuscript took a credulous, superstitious stance, then
the paper makes the opposite mistake, refusing to acknowledge a set of
mysterious data.
09:19 - 09:41 Gregory
Holmes, excited by such a mysterious case, asks for more details from
Mortimer. As it turns out, the paw prints indicated that the dog had not
approached the body. High hedges and two locked gates bordered the
U-alley. Mortimer suggests that the death was the result of some
supernatural evil, and he describes his own interviews with the locals
who had seen a fiery, spectral hound roaming the moors.
09:41 - 10:04 Katie
Holmes is very surprised that a man of science, a doctor, should
believe in the supernatural evil. The superstitious Mortimer states he
only came to Holmes to ask what to do with Sir Henry, the sole heir, set
to arrive at Waterloo Station in one hour. He mentions another heir,
Sir Charles's brother Roger, but points out that he is presumed dead in
South America.
10:04 - 10:19 Gregory
Holmes promises to consider the matter, telling Mortimer to pick up Sir
Henry at the station and bring him to the office the next morning. The
detective dismisses Mortimer and Watson and settles down to contemplate
the situation, ruminating in his typical fashion over a bag of Bradley's
strongest shag tobacco.
10:19 - 10:38 Katie
Later that night, Watson returns to find the office thick with smoke.
As Holmes suggests, quote, a concentrated atmosphere helps a
concentration of thought. Holmes indicates his inclination to go through
all the other possibilities before falling back on the supernatural
one, and he speculates on the relevant questions.
10:38 - 11:34 Frank
Given his infirmity and fear of the moor, Holmes wonders whom Charles
was waiting for at the gate. The change in footprints Holmes suggests
indicates running and not tiptoeing. Holmes also points out that Sir
Charles was running in exactly the wrong direction, away from his house
and any help that he might have found. The duo sets aside the case and
Holmes takes up his violin. All right, readers, with that start, let's
take a break, and when we come back, we'll meet the newest Sir
Baskerville, Sir Henry, and hopefully avoid meeting the gigantic
hellhound of Baskerville Hall. You're listening to Novel Conversations.
We'll be right back. Welcome back. All right, readers, when we left, we
had heard Dr. Mortimer's story of the death of Sir Charles Baskerville
and the imminent arrival of Sir Henry Baskerville. And we learned of the
curse of the Baskerville Hound. Greg, will you continue?
11:34 - 11:55 Gregory
So the next morning, Mortimer and the young Henry Baskerville arrive at
221B Baker Street. Though sturdy and weather-beaten, Sir Henry's
expression showed that he was a gentleman. Just 24 hours in London, Sir
Henry has already gotten involved in the mystery. He received an
anonymous note of warning when he arrived at his hotel. The note said,
As you value your life or your reason, keep away from the moor.
11:55 - 12:25 Katie
For Holmes, a few facts stand out. The address is on a plain envelope
and printed in rough writing, and the note itself is composed with words
cut out of newspaper, except for the word more. Holmes establishes that
no one could have known where to reach Sir Henry, so the writer must be
following him. Holmes quickly assesses the typeface and discerns that
the words were cut out from yesterday's times. He goes on to suggest
that the word more was handwritten because the author couldn't find that
word in print.
12:25 - 12:44 Gregory
Astounded, the others listen on intently. Holmes continues, the author
must be an educated man, since only the well-educated read the times. As
such, the roughly written address suggests the writer was trying to
disguise his or her handwriting. In addition, the author must have been
in a hurry, since the words are glued carelessly onto the paper.
12:44 - 13:12 Katie
Dr. Mortimer, suddenly skeptical, questions Holmes' guest work, and
Holmes retorts that his methodology involves weighing probabilities and
deciding on the likeliest solution. To prove it, he points out that the
spluttered writing suggests a lack of ink, undoubtedly the result of a
hotel pen and not a private one. Holmes even asserts that an
investigation of hotel garbage around Charing Cross, where the letter
was postmarked, should yield a torn-up copy of the Times.
13:12 - 13:32 Gregory
Announcing that he cannot glean anything else from the letter, the
detective asks Henry whether anything else unusual has happened.
Apparently, when Henry put out a new pair of boots to be shined, one
boot was lost or stolen. The group debates whether the warning suggests a
friend eager to protect the baronet or an enemy intent on scaring him
off. Henry announces his intention to go to Baskerville Hall.
13:33 - 13:52 Katie
And as soon as Sir Henry and Mortimer leave, Holmes leaps into action,
intent on trailing the baronet to spot the letter writer whom Holmes
suspects is trailing Sir Henry. Sure enough, the stakeout reveals a
suspicious stranger in a cab, but the moment Watson spies his bushy
black beard, the villain hurries off.
13:52 - 14:09 Gregory
The spy, Holmes suggests, is a worthy rival given his choice of a cab, a
supremely well-suited getaway car. Holmes considers his own performance
subpar. He let the spy know that he was seen. The detective does
announce that he has caught the cab's number, 2704, and directs Watson
into a nearby messenger office.
14:09 - 14:28 Katie
Once inside, Holmes greets the manager, a former client, and asks for
the man's son, Cartwright. Holmes instructs Cartwright to inspect the
garbage of all the hotels in the Charing Cross region in search of the
mutilated times. Meanwhile, he tells Watson they will investigate cab
number 2704 before meeting Sir Henry for lunch.
14:31 - 14:46 Gregory
Cartwright offers an interesting glimpse into the mindset of
upper-middle class England during Holmes' time. As an educated person,
Holmes expects not only respect, but also service from his social
inferiors, and he usually gets it. The boy agrees to go rummaging about
in the trash for Holmes.
14:46 - 15:04 Frank
These two chapters introduce us to more puzzling clues, right? The
cut-and-paste warning letter, the stolen boot, and this mysterious
stranger. The appearance of the mysterious stranger highlights another
of the more prevalent themes in the story, that of disguised identity,
and readers will certainly come back to that a little bit later.
15:04 - 15:21 Katie
Arriving at Sir Henry's hotel, the pair runs into a flustered Sir
Henry, enraged at the theft of a second boot, this time an old one.
Denouncing the hotel staff, Sir Henry is surprised at Holmes' suggestion
that the thefts may indeed have something to do with the case.
15:21 - 15:38 Gregory
At lunch, Holmes, Watson, Henry, and Mortimer discuss Sir Henry's
decision to go to Devonshire, and Holmes' assents given the extreme
improbability of unmasking the stalker in London. Holmes asks if there
is anyone up at Devonshire with a full black beard, and learns that the
butler, Mr. Barrymore, fits that description.
15:39 - 15:56 Katie
Intent on assessing whether Barrymore is at home or in London, Holmes
sends a telegraph to Barrymore that will be delivered to his hand or
else returned to the sender. Barrymore, Mortimer relates, stood to
inherit 500 pounds and a cushy, work-free setup upon Charles's death.
15:56 - 16:15 Gregory
Asking about other heirs and beneficiaries, Holmes learns that Mortimer
himself received 1,000 pounds and Sir Henry got 740,000. Holmes
declares that Sir Henry needs a more attentive bodyguard at Baskerville
Hall than Mortimer and surprises everyone by suggesting that Watson
accompany the baronet. Holmes insists that Watson keep him updated.
16:15 - 16:30 Katie
And while they are getting ready to leave for their office, they are
surprised by a cry from Sir Henry. Diving under a cabinet, Henry
discovers the first boot he lost, the new one, despite the fact that
Mortimer searched the lunchroom earlier that afternoon.
16:31 - 16:46 Gregory
Back at 221B Baker Street, the detectives soon hear by wire that
Barrymore is indeed in Devonshire, and that young Cartwright has not
found the mutilated newspaper. However, the cab number proves useful.
The cabman himself, irked and irate at what he assumes is a complaint,
arrives at the office.
16:46 - 17:11 Katie
Holmes assures the man that he just contacted the cab company to get
some information, and promises him half a sovereign if he cooperates. As
with the young Cartwright, Holmes handles the irate cab driver, buys
him off, and ensures his total cooperation. The detective's interaction
with people of lower classes suggests that they do not respect those
people whom they consider of a lower social or economic status.
17:12 - 17:26 Frank
Holmes gets the man's name and asks about his mysterious morning fare.
The cabman announces that the fare called himself Sherlock Holmes and
was nondescript and ordered him to do just what the detective saw.
Holmes is amused at his adversary's wit.
17:26 - 17:43 Gregory
On the morning of their departure, Holmes offers Watson some advice,
suggesting that the doctor report facts only and not conjectures. In
enlisting Watson, Holmes plays his own game of disguised identity.
Watson will act as Holmes' secret ears and eyes. Thus, Holmes will be
there through the conduit of Watson.
17:43 - 17:54 Katie
Holmes also tells Watson to keep a close watch on everyone he meets.
Assuring that Watson has his gun and that Sir Henry will never go out
alone, Holmes bids the group adieu.
17:54 - 18:10 Frank
Watson's newfound authority allows the novel to present a series of
clues through his letters to Holmes. And learning the clues before
Holmes gives us a chance to try our hand at solving the mystery. Watson
has the opportunity to stumble along with us, suggesting theories that
may or may not be true.
18:10 - 18:17 Gregory
On the trip, the baronet admires the scenery of his birthplace. Soon,
the group spots the fabled Moorland, a gray, dreamlike expanse.
18:18 - 18:49 Katie
At the station, the group is met by a pair of gun-toting police
officers on guard for an escaped convict and by a set of Baskerville
servants. The ride to the hall offers a beautiful scenic view, but
always with the foreboding moor in the background. Asking about the
armed guards, the group learns from the coachman that the dastardly
criminal named Selden, the Nodding Hill murderer, has just recently
escaped from prison. Sobered and silent, the party finally reaches the
Baskerville Hall.
18:49 - 18:54 Frank Now wait, readers, are we buying the crazed murderer loose on the moor story?
18:54 - 19:06 Gregory
The so-called Notting Hill murderer does pop out of nowhere. In a novel
that satires the easy answer by providing obvious clues, the
manuscript, the county chronicle, we get the easiest answer of all, a
murderer on the loose.
19:07 - 19:32 Katie
Yes, but at the same time, it seems jarring and improbable to count the
convict among the suspects because of the structure of the book. First,
there's the setup of a curse and a hound, and second, there are still
over 100-some-odd pages left in the book. The murderer on the loose is
dangled in front of us as a red herring, an unlikely candidate to be
dismissed but who just might be the culprit after all.
19:32 - 19:42 Gregory
At Baskerville Hall, Barrymore and his wife introduce themselves and
take in the baggage. Once inside, Watson and Sir Henry learn of the
Barrymore's intention to leave Henry's service as soon as he gets
settled.
19:42 - 19:49 Katie Citing their sadness and fear at Charles's death, the Barrymore's admit that they will never feel relaxed at Baskerville Hall.
19:49 - 19:54 Frank And that night, once in bed, Watson has trouble sleeping and he hears a woman crying.
19:54 - 20:14 Katie
The next morning, Watson mentions that crying he heard the previous
evening. Sir Henry admits that he also heard the sobbing, but that he
thought it was just a dream. Asking Barry more about the incident,
Watson notices that the butler gets flustered. He later learns that the
man's suggestion that it could not have been his wife crying is a lie.
20:14 - 20:30 Gregory
Watson sees the woman's red and swollen eyes. Watson wonders at the
butler's lie and at the woman's tears, speculating that perhaps
Barrymore was the bearded stranger back in London. He decides to make
sure Holmes' telegraph was actually delivered into the butler's own
hands, so he takes a long walk out to the Grimpen postmaster.
20:31 - 20:48 Frank
And after questioning the postmaster's delivery boy, Watson learns that
the telegram was actually delivered to Mrs. Barrymore, who claimed that
her husband was busy upstairs. The boy did not see Mr. Barrymore
himself. Confused by the back and forth of the investigation, Watson
wishes that Holmes were free to come to Devonshire.
20:49 - 21:20 Katie
Just then, a small stranger carrying a butterfly net comes up, calling
Watson by his name. Mr. Jack Stapleton of Mary Pitt House introduces
himself and excuses his casual country manners. He asks all kinds of
questions, about homes, about the case, about Sir Henry. He expresses
his concern that the baronet should continue his uncle's good works. He
also remarks at the silliness of the local superstition, and at the same
time suggests that there must have been something to scare Charles to
death.
21:21 - 21:44 Gregory
Watson's surprised that Stapleton knew of Charles' condition, but The
Naturalist explains that Dr. Mortimer clued him in. Watson is equally
put off by Stapleton's subsequent mention of Sherlock Holmes, but he
quickly realizes that his friend's celebrity status has preceded him,
and he tells the inquisitive Stapleton that Holmes is occupied in
London. Watson refuses to tell Stapleton anything specific about the
case, and The Naturalist lauds his discretion.
21:44 - 22:06 Katie
Walking alongside the moor, Stapleton points out the mystery and danger
of the place, highlighting the Great Grimpen Mire, a stretch where a
sort of quicksand can suck up either man or beast. Just then, the two
spot a pony being swallowed up by the sand, even though, as Stapleton
says, the pony knows his way around well enough not to get into trouble.
22:06 - 22:19 Frank
And then the two hear a low, sad moan that the locals suspect is the
howling of the hound of the Baskervilles. Stapleton also points out some
low stone buildings along the moor, the residences of ancient Neolithic
man.
22:19 - 22:36 Gregory
Suddenly, Stapleton goes bounding off after a butterfly and Watson finds
himself face to face with a stunning dark beauty who has walked up
unnoticed. She quickly introduces herself as Stapleton's sister. She
cuts off Watson's introduction by telling him to go back to London and
insisting that Watson say nothing to her brother.
22:37 - 22:53 Katie
And reappearing at Watson's side, Mr. Stapleton discovers that his
sister had thought Watson was Sir Henry, and proper introductions are
made. The three make their way to Mary Pitt House, and Watson remarks
that the spot seems a strange and melancholy place for a pair to choose.
22:54 - 23:07 Gregory
Stapleton suggests that they get along fine, though his sister seems
unconvinced. The naturalist tells Watson of a previous career as a
schoolmaster up north, but insists that he prefers the opportunity the
Moors provide for collecting and inspecting insects.
23:07 - 23:36 Katie
And as Watson leaves, Stapleton asks that he tell Sir Henry of his
intention to pay a visit. On the way home, Watson again encounters Miss
Stapleton, who has run to catch up with him. She tells him to forget her
warning, though Watson presses her for more details. Miss Stapleton
tries to play off her outburst, claiming to be concerned about the curse
and eager not to contradict her brother, who wants a charitable
Baskerville in residence. Watson is more confused than ever.
23:36 - 23:47 Frank
Of course, since this is a mystery, we wonder whether there's a reason
for Doyle to mention Stapleton's past as a schoolmaster, and the warning
of Miss Stapleton meant for Sir Henry. Greg, what about Beryl
Stapleton?
23:47 - 23:55 Gregory
Well, Conan Doyle spends a lot of time describing her dark beauty, her
different way of speaking. In appearance and attitude, she seems to be
the exact opposite of her brother.
23:55 - 24:50 Frank
I guess these facts are supposed to fit neatly into the rubric of clues
that end up revealing who the Stapletons really are and what this whole
mystery means. But if we take Conan Doyle's depictions of young
Cartwright and the cabman as examples of English classism, I'd argue
that Barrow's identity and the way the novel treats her reveals the
different assumptions and stereotypes about ethnicity that colored Conan
Doyle's and Holmes's England. And as Chapter 8 begins, Watson tells us
that from this point on, the story will be told as it was reported to
Holmes himself, in letter form. But first, let's take a break here, and
when we come back, we'll continue to unwrap these series of mysteries.
The death of Sir Charles, the convict Selden, the odd Stapletons, and of
course, the curse of the Hound of the Baskervilles. We'll be right
back. Welcome back. When we left, the clues and mysteries were piling
up. First, a convict.
24:50 - 25:01 Gregory
Greg? Watson relates the status of the escaped con, who has not been
seen in two weeks. The relieved locals assume he has fled the area since
there's no food to sustain him on the moor. And the Stapletons?
25:01 - 25:13 Katie
Watson alludes to a budding romance between Sir Henry and Miss
Stapleton, whom he characterizes as exotic. He points out that Mr.
Stapleton expresses disapproval of Sir Henry's interest in his sister.
25:13 - 25:25 Gregory
Watson goes on to relate his meeting with another neighbor, Mr.
Franklin of Laughter Hole. I like this guy. Mr. Franklin is a
good-natured, if quarrelsome, man who likes to sue people. So this is
you.
25:25 - 25:29 Katie It's no wonder you like him.
25:29 - 25:35 Frank In a long, old, previous world.
25:35 - 25:47 Gregory
Mr. Franklin is a good-natured, if quarrelsome, man who likes to sue
people for the sake of suing. Watson notes his interest in astronomy and
the telescope atop his house, often used for searching the moorlands
for the escaped convict.
25:47 - 26:01 Katie
Mr. Franklin serves as a much-needed dose of comic relief in the
otherwise grim tale. He talks of the locals burning him in effigy or
carrying him through the streets, depending on whether he has done them a
service or a disservice on that particular day.
26:01 - 26:18 Frank
You know, at the same time, the character of Franklin satirizes the
idea of entitlement and hierarchy, although it's not clear which side
he's on. Franklin's gratuitous lawsuits aimed at protecting what he sees
as his rights suggest that Conan Doyle has a humorous take on this
character's actions and his opinions.
26:18 - 26:37 Gregory
In his letters to Holmes, Watson mentions the telegraph did not make it
into Barrymore's hands, and he describes Sir Henry's questioning of the
butler. Barrymore admits that he did not receive the wire from the
postman himself, but insists he was indeed at home that day. Watson
reiterates his suspicions that Barrymore, whose wife he has seen once
again crying, is up to no good.
26:37 - 27:04 Katie
And indeed, late one night, Watson is awakened by the sound of
footsteps outside his door. Peeking out, he sees Barrymore, silhouetted
by a candle he is holding, skulking down the hall. As Watson follows
him, he sees the butler go up to a window and hold his candle aloft as
if signaling to someone. Suddenly, he lets out an impatient groan and
puts out the light. Watson offers no speculation, leaving the theorizing
to Holmes.
27:04 - 27:24 Gregory
Having investigated the window that Barrymore used, Watson determines
that this particular window has the best view of the moor. Watson
suggests his suspicion of a love affair between Barrymore and a country
lass, which would explain the wife's crying. Informing Sir Henry, who
also claims to have heard Barrymore's late-night activity, Watson plots a
late-night stakeout to catch Barrymore in the act.
27:25 - 27:55 Katie
Meanwhile, Henry's romance with Stapleton hits a rough patch. Henry
going out to meet her excuses Watson of his duties as bodyguard, lest
the doctor turn into chaperone as well. All the same, Watson trails the
baronet and sees him walking with Miss Stapleton. As Henry bends in for a
kiss, Mr. Stapleton arrives on the scene, yelling and carrying on
inexplicably. As the Stapletons depart, Watson reveals himself to Henry,
who wonders whether Stapleton might be crazy.
27:56 - 28:28 Gregory
When we get a glimpse of Sir Henry's romantic life in Chapter 9, the
themes of entitlement and hierarchy reappear. Talking with Watson about
his failure to woo Miss Stapleton, Henry is utterly baffled that the
non-noble Beryl and her brother would reject so good a marriage. In
assuming his own suitability, Henry acts as if he is entitled to a
marriage with a woman of a lower class. By doing so, he mimics the
assumption of his ancestor, Hugo, who started the curse when he ignored
that entitlement to dignity and to self-determination of even the
lowliest of lower classes.
28:28 - 28:43 Katie
He thinks himself a worthy match for Miss Stapleton, though he admits
that on this occasion she refused to talk of love and only offer
mysterious warning. Later that day, Stapleton meets Sir Henry at home to
apologize for his overprotective nature and invites him to dinner.
28:44 - 29:00 Frank
Meanwhile, Watson and Henry's stakeout takes two nights of vigilance.
On the second night, the two hear Barrymore and follow him to his
window. Watson watches as Sir Henry confronts him. Shocked and
bewildered, the butler tries to furnish an excuse, but Sir Henry insists
on the truth.
29:00 - 29:17 Katie
As Barrymore waffles, protesting, Watson goes to the window, figuring
that another person out on the moor must be matching Barrymore's signal.
Sure enough, a light shows up across the moor and the butler refuses to
talk, even at the expense of his job.
29:17 - 29:35 Gregory
Suddenly, Mrs. Barrymore arrives and explains everything. The light on
the moor is a signal from the escaped convict, who turns out to be her
brother. The Barrymores have been feeding and clothing the man so he
does not starve out on the moor. Excusing the Barrymores, Henry and
Watson determine to go out and capture the convict so as to protect the
community.
29:35 - 29:49 Katie
On their way toward the light, though, the pair hears a loud moaning and
wonders whether they should continue their adventure. Watson even
admits that the locals suspect the braying to be the call of the Hound
of the Baskervilles.
29:49 - 30:05 Gregory
Frightened but determined, Sir Henry insists they proceed. When the
pair finally reaches the flickering candlelight, they spy a small
crevice in some rocks where candle and convict are carefully hidden. The
convict turns out to be all the two might have expected, haggard,
unkempt, and animal-like.
30:05 - 30:22 Katie
When Watson moves in for the kill, though, the man manages to escape
across the moor. Just then, as they make their way home, Watson catches
sight of a lone figure, silhouetted against the moor. But as suddenly as
the tall, mysterious figure appeared, the figure is gone.
30:22 - 30:34 Frank
There are several clues presented in these chapters, but little
analysis. At the end of chapter 9, when Watson leaves it to Holmes to
figure things out, he's also leaving it to us, as readers, to come up
with our own theories.
30:34 - 30:54 Gregory
Musing on the mysteries of the case, Watson dismisses the supernatural
explanation, but admits that his common sense offers no obvious
solution. Where might a living and breathing hound hide by day, and who
is the mysterious shadow out on the moor? Watson determines to find out
what this man might know, and whether he is the same person who provided
the warning back in London.
30:54 - 30:59 Frank The next chapter gives Watson, and us, some new information and some new clues.
30:59 - 31:34 Katie
Sir Henry argues with Barrymore over the chase of his brother-in-law,
Seldon. Watson and Henry worry that the man is a public danger.
Nonetheless, Barrymore assures them that Seldon is just biding his time
until a ship arrives from South America and that he will not commit any
more crimes. They agree not to tell the police, and Barrymore thanks
them by offering another clue. Apparently, Sir Charles went to the gate
on the night he died to meet a woman, and Barrymore tells of his wife's
discovery of a charred letter in the fireplace, signed LL, requesting a
late-night meeting.
31:35 - 31:58 Gregory
Greg, LL? Well, the next day, Watson learns from Mortimer that Laura
Lyons, daughter of Franklin the Crank, which it should just be Frank the
Crank, right? Mortimer goes on to explain that Laura married an artist
against her father's will and that both husband and father have since
abandoned her. In the meantime, both Stapleton and Sir Charles have come
to her aid by offering her alms.
31:59 - 32:11 Katie
As for the silhouette on the moor, Watson learns from Barrymore that
Selden has seen him too. He appears to be a gentleman, and he lives in
one of the Neolithic huts along the moor, getting his food delivered by a
young boy.
32:11 - 32:15 Frank And now we do get to meet LL, Laura Lyons.
32:15 - 32:34 Gregory
Deciding that an informal visit might be the most productive, Watson
leaves Sir Henry at home and heads for Coombe Tracey. At Laura Lyons'
apartment, Watson meets the beautiful brunette and announces his
interest in the matter of Sir Charles' death. Suspicious but finally
cooperative, Laura admits that Sir Charles supported her financially,
and that she wrote to him once or twice.
32:34 - 32:42 Frank
But when Watson presses the issue, she claims to have had very little
to do with him personally, and that it was Stapleton who told Sir
Charles about her situation.
32:42 - 32:47 Katie Watson mentions the burned letter with her initials, and Laura admits to having written it.
32:47 - 33:02 Gregory
When Watson asks what happened that night, Laura claims to have missed
the appointment, but she refuses to say why. All she will disclose is
the letter's content, an appeal for alms from Sir Charles to get her out
of her bad marriage. She also adds that in the interim, she has gotten
help from someone else.
33:03 - 33:27 Katie
Frustrated, Watson takes his leave, wondering what Laura might be
holding back. Meanwhile, he determines to seek for the mysterious
stranger on the moor. On his way home, Watson bumps into Mr. Franklin
and agrees to have a glass of wine with him. As Franklin prattles on
about his various legal matters, Watson realizes that the man has also
spotted the stranger on the moor, thinking him to be the escaped
convict.
33:28 - 33:43 Gregory
The man Franklin saw had a young boy bringing him food, just as
Barrymore described. Watson prods Franklin for more information, and
just then, the man spots someone out on the moor and goes to his
telescope. Sure enough, they see a young boy who is glancing behind him
as if to make sure no one is watching.
33:43 - 34:05 Katie
Watson declines Franklin's offer for another drink and makes his way to
where he saw the boy. Finding the stranger's hut, Watson decides to
wait for his return. Examining the contents of the hut, the doctor
discovers a note that says he has gone to Coombe Tracy and he realizes
that he is also being followed. Finally, Watson hears footsteps outside
and a sudden greeting.
34:06 - 34:26 Gregory
Watson quickly realizes that Holmes is the man greeting him. After a
long period of narration by Watson, the return of Holmes, like the
unexpected appearance of the convict, can seem a bit jarring. At the
same time, this section reveals Holmes' own game of disguised identity.
Holmes shows that he, a gentleman, lived like a convict. He looked for
food and lived in a bare-bones dwelling.
34:26 - 34:31 Frank And in talking with Watson, Holmes starts to add information only he had, and he does answer some of the clues.
34:32 - 34:51 Katie
And we learned quite a lot. We learned that Stapleton is the culprit
and that, in effect, all our speculations were useless since we did not
have the key piece of information, Stapleton's identity and marital
status. Beryl, the woman masquerading as Stapleton's sister, is actually
his wife.
34:52 - 35:03 Frank
And we should mention, readers, that this information comes to us just
as quickly as we just delivered it. Holmes just tells Watson, it's the
Stapletons. And oh, by the way, Beryl is the wife, not the sister.
35:03 - 35:12 Gregory
Yeah, Watson also learns from Holmes that Laura and Mr. Stapleton share
a close relationship. Of course they do. Shocked at these revelations,
the doubting Watson demands proof.
35:12 - 35:32 Katie
Holmes tells of his own investigation into Stapleton's past and his
career as a schoolmaster up north. Stapleton, it becomes clear, is the
enemy they have been after, and he has been using his wife to get at Sir
Henry and lure Lyons. He seduced Lyons and used her to lure Charles
onto the moor.
35:33 - 35:48 Gregory
Watson wonders why Holmes was hiding on the Moor in the first place.
The detective explains that he hid so the enemies would not know of his
direct involvement. Holmes lied to Watson, he says, so that no one would
discover him should Watson decide to compare notes or bring his master
some food.
35:48 - 36:04 Frank
The events quickly follow one after the other, and the finale comes at
an appropriate pace. If Watson's clue-gathering allowed us a chance to
participate, Holmes's tight-lipped detection builds up the suspense even
after the mystery is solved. Now, As readers, it's about what Holmes
will do to catch the criminal.
36:04 - 36:36 Katie
Watson and Holmes decide to visit Laura Lyons again, to tell her of
Stapleton's ruse and, hopefully, to shift her loyalties. A sudden scream
is heard on the moor, and, upon investigation, they discover the body
of Sir Henry, or at least what appears to be a body in his clothing. The
dead man is Selden. As it turns out, Barrymore delivered a bunch of Sir
Henry's old clothes to the convict. The hound had sniffed Henry's
stolen boot back in London and had attacked the right clothes on the
wrong man.
36:37 - 36:42 Frank Ah, the missing boot. The missing old boot. I guess there was no scent on the missing new boot.
36:42 - 37:13 Gregory
Just then, Stapleton shows up, assuming that the dead man is Sir Henry.
When he discovers the truth, he stammers, who's this? When Watson
wonders why the naturalist assumed it was Sir Henry, Stapleton admits it
was because he had asked him to come over. Holmes diffuses the
situation by suggesting that the convict, Selden, must have just fallen
and broke at his neck. and goes on to tell Stapleton he intends to go
home tomorrow, since he is not interested in the myths that plague the
particular case. Suspicious but reassured, Stapleton goes home and the
detectives head for the hall.
37:13 - 37:39 Katie
Walking and talking on their way home, Watson and Holmes marvel at the
self-control of their enemy, who held his tongue even after it became
clear his hound had killed the wrong man. They wonder, now that the
villain has seen Holmes, whether he will become more cautious or more
desperate. Watson suggests that they arrest him at once, but Holmes
reminds him that they have yet to establish the proof they need for the
conviction.
37:39 - 37:55 Gregory
Holmes has hope for tomorrow's interview with Lyons, but he also claims
to have another plan in the works. After some conversation with Sir
Henry and the sad announcement of Selden's death to his sister, Holmes
spies a portrait on the wall and learns that the thin cavalier in
question is none other than Hugo Baskerville himself.
37:55 - 38:11 Katie
And later that night, Holmes explains his interest to Watson,
demonstrating the remarkable similarity between Hugo and Stapleton, thus
establishing Stapleton's motive. As a Baskerville relative, Stapleton
has designs on the inheritance.
38:11 - 38:44 Frank
Aha, the long-lost brother Roger. So again, this section recalls the
themes of mistaken identity and entitlement. First, the convict is
mistaken for Sir Henry because he's in his clothes, and as a result, the
hound attacks him. Also, Holmes observes Stapleton's close resemblance
to Hugo Baskerville. The villain's noble birth seems to make sense,
because he feels like he's entitled to a large sum of money. And
finally, Beryl's rejection of Henry now makes more sense to us as
readers, since she's not a lower-class woman rejecting a higher-class
man, but rather, she is already taken.
38:45 - 39:04 Gregory
The next morning, Holmes tells Sir Henry to keep his dinner appointment
with Stapleton, excusing himself and Watson. Holmes tells the baronet
that he and his friend are going to London, and though Sir Henry is
understandably alarmed, Holmes tells him to trust him. He also insists
that the baronet deliver the same message to Stapleton, and that he walk
home alone across the moor after dinner.
39:05 - 39:42 Katie
Meanwhile, Holmes and Watson head over to Laura Lyon's place, and
Holmes tells her of Stapleton's secret marriage. Shocked and visibly
upset, Laura demands proof, and Holmes produces a photo of husband and
wife. Laura spills the beans. Stapleton had offered to marry her if she
got a divorce, an endeavor that would require Sir Charles' assistance.
The naturalist wrote Laura's letters to Charles and then insisted she
miss the appointment, suggesting that he himself would pay the expenses.
Stapleton even convinced Laura to keep quiet, telling her that she
might get in trouble.
39:43 - 39:55 Gregory
The detectives approach Merripit House, and Holmes insists that they
tiptoe so they are not heard. Hidden behind some rocks, they observe Sir
Henry and Mr. Stapleton chatting over coffee. Sir Henry seems nervous,
perhaps pondering the long walk home across the moor.
39:56 - 40:24 Katie
Just then, Stapleton gets up and heads outside, letting himself into a
small outhouse where the hidden group hears some strange scuffling.
Meanwhile, a thick fog starts to settle. Of course it does. And it
spreads across the moor, and the group gets nervous as the visibility
gets worse and worse. Once the fog engulfs the path from Mary Pitt to
Baskerville Hall, the detectives will not be able to watch Henry walk
home, nor protect him from the hound attacks.
40:25 - 40:56 Gregory
Once Henry finally gets going, the fog's getting thicker and Leon is
getting larger, the fog covers the path and the detectives hear the
hound before they see it. When it emerges from the mist, the hound turns
out to be an immense, iridescent, fire-breathing beast, the very
picture of the Baskerville myth. Stunned, the detectives only shoot one
round of bullets as the hound nips at Henry's heels. But the shots do
not kill the beast, and it leaps at Henry's throat. Fortunately, Holmes
manages to unload five more rounds at just the right moment, and the
hound collapses.
40:56 - 41:12 Katie
Examining the baronet, they discover no injuries. Getting a chance to
finally examine the animal, the detectives determine it to be a
bloodhound-mastiff mix, as big as a lion and covered with phosphorus to
make it glow, to make it seem the hound was on fire.
41:13 - 41:24 Frank
So once again, the detectives encounter a kind of disguised identity,
discovering the artifice that made the hound look supernatural. Rushing
back to the house, the detectives discover Mrs. Stapleton bound and
gagged.
41:24 - 41:40 Gregory
Mrs. Stapleton makes sure Sir Henry is safe and the hound is dead, and
then informs the detectives of her husband's hiding place in the Grimpen
Mire, the deadly marshland where he kept his hound. Deciding that the
fog is too thick to pursue the villain through the treacherous mire,
Holmes and Watson head back to Baskerville Hall with Sir Henry.
41:41 - 42:08 Katie
And the next day, Mrs. Stapleton leads them through the mire, eager to
capture her abusive husband. The Stapletons had placed sticks in the
mire to mark the spot where it was safe to walk, and the detectives
follow the path until they come upon an object, partially submerged. It
turns out to be Sir Henry's black boot. The old boot. Mm, which
Stapleton used to set his hound on Henry's trail and then threw to the
ground as he made his escape.
42:08 - 42:33 Gregory
As for Stapleton himself, his footprints are nowhere to be found beyond
a certain point, and the detectives decide that the Great Grimpen Mire
has engulfed him. When they reach his lair, they discover the place
where the hound was kept. Hidden away, but still audible for miles
around. The villain brought his hound to Merripit only that last day, so
dangerous was the risk of discovery. The detectives also find the
phosphorus used to make the beast glow. Scary enough to frighten Sir
Charles to death.
42:33 - 43:02 Katie
Back in London, in the final chapter titled The Retrospection, Henry
and Mortimer call on the detectives to get the full rundown of the
confusing case. Holmes explains that Stapleton was actually the son of
Roger Baskerville, Charles's younger brother who moved to South America
and was presumed dead. Stapleton, or Sir Rogers Baskerville Jr., lived
in South America and married Beryl Garcia of Costa Rica, a dark beauty
masquerading as his sister.
43:02 - 43:20 Gregory
Having embezzled public money, Roger fled to England, changed his name,
and established a school up north. When the school folded, Roger had to
take off again, this time heading to Devonshire, where he had heard of
his stake in a large inheritance. Having made friends with Sir Charles,
Roger heard of the myth of the hound and of Charles's bad heart.
43:20 - 43:43 Katie
To get the superstitious Charles out alone on the moor, Stapleton tried
to enlist his wife, but she refused. He happened, however, to meet
Laura Lyons, and he told her he would marry her if she got a divorce.
Convincing her to get the necessary money from Charles, he made her miss
the late-night appointment and unleashed his hound. Though Laura
suspected Stapleton, she protected him out of love.
43:45 - 44:02 Gregory
Once Henry arrived on the scene, Stapleton took his untrustworthy wife
with him to London, where he trailed the baronet and she tried to warn
him. Stapleton also made a point of stealing one of Henry's shoes to
give his hound the baronet's scent. But the first boot he stole was
brand new, not yet worn by Sir Henry, and unsuitable for its intended
purpose.
44:02 - 44:24 Katie
Holmes mentions that Mrs. Stapleton's letter smelled of perfume,
something we were not told, and that the suggestion of a gentlewoman
made him think right from the start of the Stapletons. Going on to
investigate and ultimately establish Stapleton as the enemy, Holmes
nonetheless needed proof, so he used Henry as bait to catch Stapleton
red-handed.
44:24 - 44:45 Frank
Another example of Arthur Conan Doyle withholding certain information
from us as readers so he could make Holmes look good. And Mrs.
Stapleton, for her part, both loved and feared her husband, and she was
willing to warn Henry, but not to reveal her husband's involvement.
Stapleton himself encouraged the romance, but could not help a jealous
outburst the day he saw the two talking intimately.
44:45 - 44:55 Gregory
On the night Henry came to dinner, Mrs. Stapleton realized her husband
had his hound in the outhouse, and she confronted him. He revealed his
relationship with Laura, and when she reacted, he tied her up and gagged
her.
44:55 - 45:51 Frank You
know, the juxtaposition of the plot-driven climax of the hound's
appearance and the thematic climax of its unmasking clearly reveals the
ways in which Conan Doyle uses a kind of gothic folktale tradition in
service of his story. And in the end, the mystery is exciting, but
closure is comforting. And so ends the story of The Hound of the
Baskervilles. Katie, Gregory, let's take a final break here and then
head into our last segment where I'd like to ask the two of you to share
a moment or a character or perhaps a quote that we haven't had a chance
to talk about yet. And we'll be right back. Welcome back. You're
listening to Novel Conversations. We just finished a conversation about
the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by author Conan Doyle, and now
I'd like to ask the two of you to share a moment or a character or a
quote that we haven't had a chance to talk about yet. Katie, do you have
something for us?
45:51 - 46:28 Katie
This time was not my first time reading the book, and so since it was
already fresh on my mind, it gave me the ability to pay attention to the
clues that we were given, and I was able to tell which ones would be
useful and which ones wouldn't, or what would give it away and what
would lead us away from it. And I think that the way it's written keeps
the reader's interest at every angle, and they're trying to glean every
clue that they can. As you mentioned, he keeps some only for Holmes that
he reveals at the end, but I love the way that as you read it, you get
to solve the story as you go along.
46:28 - 46:30 Frank Gregory, how about you? Do you have something?
46:30 - 47:13 Gregory
I think it's just so funny how we're introduced to the relationship
between Holmes and Watson. It's on, I mean, page two. I know that this
is not the first time that we've seen these two together, but when
Watson's making his first observations of the walking stick and Holmes
is just completely just, yeah, everything's great. This is fantastic.
I've got a quote here. I'm afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your
conclusions were erroneous. When I said you stimulated me, I meant to be
frank that in noting your fallacies, I was occasionally guided towards
the truth. And it's just so, like, immediately, he's just torn down. And
then Watson takes over the story. Holmes just disappears. This is
Watson's story for a large portion of it.
47:13 - 47:16 Frank But then Holmes does sweep in and wraps it all up for us.
47:16 - 47:38 Gregory
Right, but Holmes also kind of makes better on that kind of
relationship later when he's found having been disguised on the mire and
he tells Watson- On the moor? On the moor, sorry. He tells Watson that
like, no, I kept all your letters. They were fantastic. Everything you
did was exactly right. So he definitely trails him along.
47:40 - 47:43 Katie And he does trust him because he sends him to go with him.
47:43 - 48:44 Frank
And we've all mentioned that by using Watson this way, Conan Doyle
gives us a chance to participate in the solving of the mystery as we
learn things with Watson. And actually that goes to the piece that I
wanted to bring up in the story. I mentioned that when we finished our
novel, the mystery was exciting, but that the closure was comforting. I
do want to mention to our listeners That while Holmes gives us all the
comfort we need and a synopsis of the entire story, and seemingly ties
up all the loose ends and claims to have known right from the start that
the Stapletons were the ones to blame, interesting though, the wrap-up
is not that neat. Henry is headed off to calm his nerves on a vacation.
Henry and Beryl do not get married and live happily ever after. It's not
even clear if Stapleton is actually dead. He's just disappeared onto
the moors, assumed to be in the mire, but we don't really know. It has
been considered by other readers that perhaps Conan Doyle considered
bringing Stapleton back in a later story, but what a man may do in the
future is a hard question to answer.
48:44 - 48:46 Katie Oh, that's interesting. I didn't know that.
48:47 - 49:14 Frank
If you recall, I mentioned at the beginning that Holmes had already
died in a subsequent story, and Conan Doyle brings him back. So I think
that's why some people presumed that perhaps Stapleton might come back
in a future novel as well. All right, with that said, I'd like to end
our conversation about the novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, by
author Conan Doyle. Katie, Gregory, I do want to thank both of you for
coming in and having this conversation with me today. I hope you both
enjoyed it as much as I did.
49:14 - 49:14 Gregory Of course.
49:14 - 49:56 Frank
It was great, thank you. Thanks, Frank. I'm Frank Lavallo, and you've
been listening to Novel Conversations. Thanks for listening to Novel
Conversations. If you're enjoying the show, please give us a five-star
review wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find us on Instagram at
Novel Conversations. Follow us to stay up to date on upcoming episodes
and in anything else we've got in the works. Special thanks to our
readers today, Katie Porcile and Gregory James. Our sound designer and
producer is Noah Foutz, and Grace Sienna Longfellow is our audio
engineer. Our executive producers are Bridget Coyne and Joan Andrews.
I'm Frank Lavallo. Thank you for listening. I hope you soon find
yourself in a novel conversation all your own.
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