"Within the last few months it became increasingly plain to me
that Sir Charles's nervous system was strained to the breaking
point. He had taken this legend which I have read you exceedingly
to heart--so much so that, although he would walk in his own
grounds, nothing would induce him to go out upon the moor at
night. Incredible as it may appear to you, Mr. Holmes, he was
honestly convinced that a dreadful fate overhung his family,
and certainly the records which he was able to give of his
ancestors were not encouraging. The idea of some ghastly
presence constantly haunted him, and on more than one occasion
he has asked me whether I had on my medical journeys at night
ever seen any strange creature or heard the baying of a hound.
The latter question he put to me several times, and always with
a voice which vibrated with excitement.

"I can well remember driving up to his house in the evening some
three weeks before the fatal event. He chanced to be at his hall
door. I had descended from my gig and was standing in front of
him, when I saw his eyes fix themselves over my shoulder and stare
past me with an expression of the most dreadful horror. I whisked
round and had just time to catch a glimpse of something which I
took to be a large black calf passing at the head of the drive.
So excited and alarmed was he that I was compelled to go down to
the spot where the animal had been and look around for it. It
was gone, however, and the incident appeared to make the worst
impression upon his mind. I stayed with him all the evening,
and it was on that occasion, to explain the emotion which he had
shown, that he confided to my keeping that narrative which I read
to you when first I came. I mention this small episode because