· Whiten: to make or become whiter 

· Breakout season: when a really good player started to get good at the game and be recognized for it

· Record-scratch: something that abruptly calls attention to surprise or change

· Denial: a statement in which you say that something is not true

· Locks: a tuft, tress, or ringlet of hair

· Straighted: to become straight or to make something straight

· Bleached: a strong chemical used for clearing things or removing color from things

· Shield: to protect someone or something

· Tricky: difficult to deal with and needing careful attention or skill

· Whiteness: the quality of being white

· Squad: a small group of people trained to work together as a unit

· Upper: at a higher position or level than something else, or being the top part of something

· Echelons: a particular level or group of people within an organization such as an army or company

· Patina: something that makes someone or something seem to be something that they are not

· Ban: an official order that prevents something from happening

· Blossom: when people blossom, they become more attractive, successful, or confident, and when good feelings or relationships blossom, they develop and become stronger

· Compelling: if a reason, argument, etc. is compelling, it makes you believe it or accept it because it is so strong, very exciting, and interesting and making you want to watch or listen 

· Pamphlet: a book with only a few pages that gives information or an opinion about something 

· Whirlpool: a small area of the sea or other water in which there is a powerful, circular current or water that can pull objects down into its center  

· Debunk: to show that something is not true

· Chastised: to criticize someone severely 

· Goalkeeper: the player who stands in the team's goal to try to stop the other team from scoring 

· Cheeky: slightly rude or showing no respect, but often in a funny way

· Heritage: features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance 

· Blur: something that you cannot see, remember or understand clearly

· Boundaries: a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something

· Stem: a central part of something from which other parts can develop or grow, or which forms a support 

· Colorblindness: the condition or being unable to see colors

· Tainted: spoiled, damaged in quality, taste or value

· Blackness: the quality of being very dark or an area of darkness

· Betterment: improvement

· Beloved: loved very much

· Urge: a strong wish, especially one that is difficult or impossible to control

· Quagmires: an area of soft, wet ground that you sink into if you try to walk on it; a difficult and dangerous situation

· Pageant: any colorful and impressive show or ceremony (traditional ones).

Denial is a defensive behavior that promotes us a psychological survival in order to deal with the problems of our lives, otherwise we wouldn’t function well.

 

 - Bliss: perfect/completely happiness.

- Awareness: knowledge that something exists, or understanding of a situation or subject at the present time based on information or experience.

- Squeak: to make a short, very high cry or sound.

- Breast: either of the two soft, rounded parts of a woman's chest that produce milk after she has a baby.
- Adage: a wise saying or proverb.
- Widespread: existing or happening in many places or among many people. 

- Overwhelming: difficult to fight against. 

 

The conclusion of the text talks about flexibility, arguing that we need to have a balance about the things that we need to denial and the others that is necessary to give special attention. So, it’s necessary to denial some things in order to don’t get crazy, but it’s also necessary to give attention to other things, then is crucial to define what is essential in our life and what deserves more importance than other things.

Yasmim started her path in the school when she was 4 years old, the same time when she started to learn how to play the piano. In that time, she discovered her love with the studies and music, that nowadays is her safe harbor. After 4 years she started to study at SESI, where she stayed until last year when she finished High School. During her school career she won lots of essay's competitions from PROERD, EPTV and Lions Club of Valinhos. She also started to go to the swimming classes and learn how to play the guitar, flute and ukulele. And, she started to do something that has changed her life forever: she started to learn English with 8 years old, now she is studying Spanish and the languages are the passions of her life.

She did a Technology Course in Food 2 years ago and she won a prize for being the best student in the class and because of a project that she has developed with her group: "Edible packaging made with orange peel waste" and last year she began to give English classes and to date with Vinicius Carvalho, one of her classmates from High School.

Nowadays she is studying Language Arts at PUC in Campinas and she is loving the course. She is also giving English classes and making an internship in a company of subtitles, and she knows that she has lots of things to do and face yet, but she believes that with hope, persistence and love she can reach her goals, and in addition, to be happy and to stay with the people that you love are the key to have a cheerful life. 

The music also shows that all the things that the poetic persona talks about is over, since the title of the song is “Castle on the hill”, what demonstrates something in ruins and castle is related to the culture of the home country of the poetic persona: Great Britain. 

(Chorus)

I'm on my way / Driving at ninety down those country lanes
Singing to "Tiny Dancer"
And I miss the way you make me feel, and it's real
We 10. watched the sunset over the castle on the hill

Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
Running from the law through the backfields and getting drunk with my friends
11. Had my first kiss on a Friday night, I don't reckon that I 12. I did it right
But I was younger then, take me back to when

We 13. found weekend jobs, when we 14. got paid
We'd buy cheap spirits and drink them straight
Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long, oh how we've grown
But I can't wait to go home

 (Repeat Chorus)

Over the castle on the hill (2x)
 

One friend 15. left to sell clothes / One works down by the coast
One 16. works two kids but lives alone One's brother overdosed
One's already on his second wife / One's just barely getting by
But these people 17. raised me and I can't wait to go home

And I'm on my way, I still remember
This old country lanes
When we did not know the answers
And I miss the way you make me feel, it's real
We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill.

The word in the text that means “fight; wrestle; strong effort” is challenge. 

 

In the 5^th paragraph, the “treasures of life” refers to the most important/valuable things in life, and it is connected to wealth, knowledge and wisdom that were mentioned in the 4^th paragraph.

 

Some words that represent numerals are: first, second, third, one, three.

 

A synonym of “fright; dread” is fear.

 

A word that means “afraid; uncomfortable; awkward” is embarrassed.

But something that I need to say to you is that one of my classmates named Vinicius Carvalho - but I used to call him just Carvalho -, said that he was going to see me at home in my birthday, but I didn't care, I thought that it was a joke. But well, what happened? While I was sleeping, he went to my house with other two of our classmates: João Arduino - that is also my neighbor and I call him Ardo - and João Pedro - that I call him JP.  Carvalho had this idea, because in that day he was at Ardo's house (that is behind my house) and decided to go to my house. So, he invited Ardo and JP to go with him. But, in fact, he had the idea, but he was really afraid and ashamed, and it was Ardo that encouraged him to go to my house. 

Then, Ardo rang the bell and Carvalho and JP were hiding behind the wall. My mother went to open the gate and then she was ok, because she saw Ardo - that she already knew -, but when she was in front of the gate and saw Carvalho and JP she was surprised, understanding nothing! In fact, she thought it was strange: 3 guys at home, and she didn’t know who were two of them! 

After inviting them to get in, she woke me up and so I went to the living room to see my friends. I was horrible, more asleep than awake, but I liked their attitude.

It was a shameful situation - especially because they were wearing tank tops and they were a little sweaty because of the hot weather -, but they knew to deal with my slowly mind of a sleepy person. In fact, my mother appeared and started to talk with them, and she said to Carvalho (and I was really ashamed, because I thought that blond guy with green eyes was handsome, and maybe I wasn’t able to hide it from the others):

- You look naughty! - and I have to admit that she wasn't wrong.

My friends started to laugh, and Carvalho's face became red, really red! Then, we started to talk, and we also took pictures with a wolf papercraft from Game of Thrones that I've done (they preferred to take a picture with the wolf than with me that was the birthday person!). After 10 minutes they gave me a hug and went away, saying "Happy birthday" to me. I couldn't believe that 3 of my friends went to my home in my birthday: they did something that nobody had done in 17 years of my life! 

Well, I had to listen to their jokes for 1 month at school about the fact that I was sleeping when they went to my home (they told the story for my teachers too!) but it was worth it. After this episode I became really close to them (more than the other friends that I had before): we started to make barbecues, hang around, and well, after 1 month I started to date Carvalho, and we are together until today! 

The following night, all doubts about the existence of the ghost were finally removed forever. At eleven o'clock the family went to bed and some time after, Mr Otis was awakened by a strange noise in the corridor, outside his room. It sounded like the clank of metal, and it came nearer every moment. Mr Otis got up and looked at the time. It was exactly one o'clock. So Mr Otis put on his slippers, went to the door and opened it. There, right in front of him, stood the ghost - his eyes were as red as burning coals; long grey hair feel over his shoulders and from his wrists and ankles hung heavy chains.

“My dear Sir,” said Mr Otis, “you must oil those chains. It's impossible to sleep with such a noise going on outside the bedrooms. I have therefore brought you this bottle of lubricator, and I will be happy to supply you with more if you require it.” With these words Mr Otis laid the bottle down, closed his door and went back to bed.

Shocked, the Canterville ghost stood quite motionless for a moment, but then he growled angrily. Just at this moment, the twins appeared on the corridor and threw a large pillow at him! The ghost hastily escaped through the wall, and the house became quiet again.

When the ghost reached his small secret chamber, he took a deep breath. No ghosts in history had ever been treated in this manner!

2. Responsibility: responsible

3. Selflessness: unselfish

4. Wisdom: wise

5. Humility: humble

6. Honesty: honest

7. Patience: patient

8. Competence: competent

9. Care: careful

10. Confidence: confident

11. Modesty: modest

12. Values/moral compass: valorous, ethical

13. Kindness: kind

14. Experience: experienced

15. Strength: strong

16. Persistence: persistent

17. Determination: determined

18. Empathy: empathic

19. Compassion: compassionate

20. Passion: passionate

21. Conviction (strong belief): convinced

22. Honor: honorable

23. Faith: faithful

24. Like to support others: helpful

25. Dedication: dedicated

26. Trust: trustful

27. Bravery: brave

28. Sense of justice: fair

29. Loyalty: loyal

30. Happiness: happy

31. Perseverance: persevering

32. Friendship: friendly

33. Virtuosity: virtuous

34. Good skills (great abilities): skilful

To transform nouns into adjectives sometimes we have to put a prefix and/or suffix in a word, especially -ful, -ate or -ed.

- Wisdom: the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments. 

- Kindness: the quality of being generous, helpful, and caring about other people, or an act showing this quality. 

- Strength: the ability to do things that need a lot of physical or mental effort. 

- Compassion: a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of other and a wish to help them.

- Passion: very powerful feeling.

- Conviction: strong opinion or belief.

- Faith: great trust or confidence in something or someone.

            The main difference between the two moments when I read the book is that in the first time, 4 years ago, the book was in Portuguese, and now I read the book more simplified and in English. But that was good, and I enjoyed a lot, since it made me learn new words and expressions, made me practice my English, especially the reading and comprehension skills.

            What helped me a lot to understand the book were the activities proposed by the teacher, because they helped me to have a focused eye in some aspects of the book: the words enriched my vocabulary; the cultural aspects helped me to make a comparison between the story’s time and the current days, and so on. And then, the socializations were also good, because those were moments where we could see the other’s opinions and impressions, different points of view from what I think in relation of the things that happen in the story. 

So, in general, I really liked the experience, because I could live again the story, feel its doubts and curiosity while I could learn new words and expressions and also could share my impressions with my group and have contact with different perspectives about the novel.

- Which character of the book are you liking the most?

- How did you feel when you read about Hugo’s death?

- Did anything in this section of the book surprised you?

- What do you think about Sherlock Holmes’ attitudes?

- Do you trust on Dr. Mortimer? And on the butler?

- What do you think will happen next?

    - Cheerful: happy and positive

 

· Page 32, 5^th paragraph (Holmes’ characteristic): “[…] It was hopeless to ask any more questions. It was clear that Holmes' cleverness with the telegram had not given us the proof we needed.”

   - Cleverness: ability to understand and learn quickly and easily

 

· Page 34, 1^st paragraph: “[…] ‘That is the Great Grimpen Marsh,' he said. 'If animals or men go into the marsh, they will sink into it and die. But I can find my way to the very centre of it. Look, there is another of those poor horses'”.

   - Marsh: ground near a lake, a river, or the sea that often floods and is always wet

 

· Page 35, 5^th paragraph: “[…] At that moment a small butterfly flew across the path in front of us. 'Excuse me, Dr. Watson,' shouted Stapleton, and ran off to try to catch the butterfly. He ran' quickly and followed the butterfly on to the marsh, but he knew exactly where he could go, and was not in any danger.”

   - Ran off: (past of ran off) to leave somewhere/someone suddenly

 

· Page 36, 5^th paragraph: “[…] The house was lonely and rather grim. I wondered why the two of them had come to live so far away from anyone else.”

   - Rather: to a slight degree

 

· Page 39, 1^st paragraph: “[…] He wanted to find Selden, the escaped murderer. Nobody had seen the prisoner for a fortnight; and we all thought that he had probably left the moor.”

   - Fortnight: a period of two weeks

 

· Page 41, 2^nd paragraph: “[…] 'There it is,' I cried. I waved my light backwards and forwards across the window. The night on the moor answered by moving in the same way.”

   - Cried: (past of cry) to call out loud

   - Waved: (past of wave) to move from side to side / make something move while holding it in the hand

 

· Page 42, 1^st paragraph: “[…]'The murderer is waiting out there by that light,' said Sir Henry. 'He's a danger to everyone. I'm going to catch 'him. If you want to come with me, Watson, fetch your revolver and let's go.'”

   - Fetch: to get something and bring it

 

· Page 44, 1^st paragraph / 4^th paragraph: “[…] The following day was dull and foggy. The Hall was surrounded by heavy, low clouds, which opened now and then to show the grim, cold moor and its wet, grey rocks. The weather made us miserable. […] 'I promise he won't break into any house,' said Barrymore, 'and he won't cause any trouble. In a few days he will catch a boat for South America. Please don't tell the police about him. If you tell the police, my wife and I will be in serious trouble.'”

   - Dull: not interesting and exciting / not clear, bright or shiny

   - Foggy: weather condition in which very small drops of water come together to from a thick cloud close to the land or sea-ocean, making it difficult to see

   - Break into: to suddenly begin to do something

 

· Page 48, 3^rd paragraph: “[…] 'He looked like a gentleman. He was living in one of the old stone huts on the moor. A boy works for him and · brings him all the food and' things he needs. That's all · Selden told me."

    - Stone huts: small, simple building, usually consisting of one room, in this case, made in a stone

 

· Page 54, 2^nd paragraph: “[…] 'There were some blankets on a flat stone were the man slept. There had been a fire in one comer.”

   - Blanket: a flat cover made of wool or similar warm material, usually used on a bed

 

· Page 61, 1^st paragraph: “[…] He had fallen on his head, which was bent under him, and his neck was broken. Holmes lit a match.”

   - Bent: (past of bend) to/cause to curve

 

· Page 63, 2^nd / 5^th paragraph: “[…] 'Then the clothes have caused, the death of the poor man. The hound had been given something of Sir Henry's to smell so that it would pick up his scent and follow him. […] His, sharp eyes had seen a figure moving in the darkness in front of us, and as the man came closer, 1 could see that it was indeed Stapleton.”

   - Scent: a pleasant natural smell

   - Indeed: really or certainly

- What has happened in your life that is similar to some of the things that are happening to the people in the story? 

Crime (especially the ones where the guilty scape), crimes motivated because of inheritance, liars. 

 

- Do any of the characters remind you of people that you know? How? Why? Do any of the characters help you to understand the thinking of real people that you know? 

Not a person in specific, because in general Holmes reminds me people that are arrogant and logical; Watson reminds me loyal people; Stapleton reminds me people that do everything necessary to conquest what they want.

 

- Have you ever had thoughts or feelings similar to those of any of the characters in the story? 

Scary; wish to solve a mystery and disappointment.

 

- Does anything in the story remind you of something in the news or something that you have read? Some connections I have found between this reading and other people, places, experiences, events...

Crimes for the inheritance, lies, woman tied in a place.

2. Ways of transport (train, by animals..)

3. Social positions (family, jobs – doctor/ butler)

Cultural questions:
1. Do families still have paints of their ancestors on the wall?

2.  Do people still write letters nowadays? 

3. Do people still sit by the fire nowadays? 

- 1^st paragraph, page 82: “[...] Holmes and I were sitting on either side of a bright fire in our sitting room' in Baker Street [...].”

   - What do you think about this wordplay made by Sherlock?

· Page 2, 3^rd paragraph (description): “[…] Mortimer 'did not look like a country doctor. He 'was very tall and thin. He had a long thin nose. His grey 'eyes were bright, and he wore gold glasses. His coat and trousers were old and worn. His face was young, but his shoulders were bent like an old man's and his head was pushed forward. He took some papers from his pocket.”

   - What are the impressions that you have from Dr. Mortimer?

· Page 7, 2^nd paragraph (description about fear of the animal): “[…] As they watched, it tore out Hugo Baskerville's throat. Then it turned towards them. Its eyes were burning brightly. Its body shone with a strange light. Blood ran from its mouth. The men screamed and kicked their horses. They rode back up the valley as fast, as they could go. Later that night one died from the horror he had seen. The other two were mad for the rest of their lives.”

   - What are the impressions that you have from this passage? What did you feel?

· Page 8, 2^nd paragraph: “[…] 'It may interest a collector of stories to frighten children,' said Holmes.”

   - Do you think Sherlock believed the story at first?

· Page 9 (description of how Sir Charles died): “[…] Sir Charles was going to London on the next day, and Barrymore, his butler, was packing his suitcases. By midnight Barrymore was worried that Sir Charles had not returned, so he went to look for him. He found the door of the Hall open. The day had been rainy and wet so Barrymore saw the prints left by Sir Charles' shoes as he had walked down the Alley. Half-way down the Alley is a gate, which leads to the moor. There were signs that Sir Charles had stood there for some time. Barrymore followed the footprints to the far end of the Alley. And there he found Sir Charles' body.”

   - What feelings does this passage causes on you?

· Page 12, dialogue: “[…] 'Footprints?' asked Holmes. 'Yes. Footprints,' said Mortimer. 'A man's or a woman's?' asked Holmes. Dr Mortimer looked at us strangely for a moment. His voice became a whisper as he answered: 'Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a huge hound!’”

   - What did you feel when you discovered that the footprints were made by a hound?

· Page 14, last paragraph: “[…] 'Excellent,' said Holmes. 'This man is a very good detective, Watson.'”

   - Do you think Sherlock believes on Dr. Mortimer?

· Page 16, 2^nd paragraph: “[…] 'If you think that Sir Charles' death was caused by something supernatural, my detective work can't help you,' said Holmes, rather coldly.”

   - Do you think Sherlock has a big reputation as a detective in London? 

· Page 19, 4^th paragraph and page 22, 1^st paragraph: “[…] 'This is very interesting,' said Holmes. 'Look how badly it has been done. I think the writer was in a hurry. Why? Perhaps because he did not want somebody to see him. I think he address was written in a hotel. The pen and the ink have both given the writer trouble. The pen has run dry three times in writing a short address. There was probably very little ink in the bottle. A private pen and bottle of ink are never allowed to get into that conditiono, what's this?'”.

   - What are your impressions when you read this passages that shows Sherlock’s thoughts and conclusions?

· Page 23, 5^th paragraph: “[…] 'That's our man, Watson! Come along! 'We'll have a good look at him.'”

   - What do you think about Sherlock’s strategies?

·  Page 25, 2^nd – 4^th paragraph (shoe’s episode): “[…] 'We must check whether Barrymore is in London or at Baskerville Hall,' said Holmes. 'I shall send a telegram to Barrymore at the Hall, which will say: ‘Is everything ready for Sir Henry?’ Then I'll send another telegram to the local post office. This one will say: ‘Please put telegram to Mr. Barrymore into his own hand. If he is away, please return telegram to Sir Henry Baskerville ‘I'll give your address at this hotel. We shall know before evening whether Barrymore is in Devonshire or not.' […] Just as we were leaving Sir Henry's room, he gave a cry and got down on his knees by the table. 'Here's my brown shoe that was lost,' he said, reaching under the table. 'That's very strange,' said Dr Mortimer. 'We both searched the room before lunch, and it wasn't under the table then.' None of the people who worked at the hotel could explain how the 'shoe had got back into the room.”

   - What did you feel when they found the lost shoe?

· Page 26, 7^th paragraph: “[…] ‘His name,' said the taxi driver, 'was' Sherlock Holmes.'”

   - How did you feel when you discover the name of the beard guy? And do you think will happen next?

· Page 27, 3^rd paragraph: “[…] Holmes came to Waterloo station to say goodbye to us. Our friends told him that they were sure nobody' had followed them since our last meeting. Sir Henry's other shoe had not reappeared. Holmes' repeated his warning that Sir Henry should not go on the moor at night and should not go anywhere alone. Then Holmes checked with me that I had my gun, an army revolver.”

   - Watson says he is carrying a gun to the trip. Do you think something serious will happen during the story?

Sir Henry’s legs were shaking so much from his terrible experience that he could not stand. We helped him to sit in a rock. He sat there and held his head in his hands.

‘Maybe we can’t find Mr. Stapleton in the middle of this fog. Let’s go to the Hall, probably there is something there that can help us. And you, Mr. Henry, will go with us.’

‘But do you think that Stapleton went to the Hall?’, I asked.

‘No, I’m almost certain he won’t be there, he probably heard the noise of our guns, so he knows his evil game is finished.’

The front door of the house was opened. We went in and looked from room to room. All the rooms downstairs were empty, so we went upstairs. We divided ourselves, which one was going to see one room per time. Then, Sir Henry said.

‘I think I found something! This room is locked and I’m hearing someone moving, but I don’t have the keys here with me’.

So, Holmes and I met him in the hall and Holmes said.

‘Help me to break open this door.’

We threw ourselves against the door, and as the lock broke we went in. We held our revolvers (except Sir Henry) ready to fire. 

In the middle of the room there was a figure tied to a post. We could not see whether it was a man or a woman, as it was completely covered with sheets. Only its eyes and nose were free. 

We pulled off the sheets and untied the prisoner from the post. It was Miss Stapleton. As we untied her, we could see long red bruises across her neck.

‘That cruel devil Stapleton has beaten her,’ Holmes said, ‘Put her into a chair.’ Miss Stapleton had fainted from the beating and exhaustion. As we put her into the chair, she opened her eyes.

‘Is he safe?’, she asked. ‘Has he escaped?’.

‘He cannot escape from us, Miss Stapleton’, Holmes said. 

‘No, no, I don’t mean my husband. I mean Sir Henry. Is he safe?’

‘Yes, here I am’, said Sir Henry appearing in front of her. ‘I’m safe and the hound is dead, but I’m really disappointed to be misled by you. I trust a lot on you, you have no idea about the plans I was making about us, and now I discovered that you were married!’.

‘Sorry, but thanks God everything is ok. I’m really sad about the things I have done, but look what that cruel devil has done to me.’ She showed her arms, and we saw with horror that her skin was black and blue where she had been beaten. ‘But he has hurt me more in other ways. I thought he loved me so I accepted many things. But he doesn’t love me. He has used me. Please, forgive me, Henry’.

‘We have no time to discuss this now. If you are sorry about the things that you have done, help us now,’ said Holmes. ‘Tell us where he has gone.’

‘There is an old house on an island in the middle of the marsh’, she said. ‘He kept his hound there. He also had the house ready in case he needed to escape. He will be there, I’m sure.’

‘Nobody could find his way into the Grimpe Marsh in this fog tonight,’ said Holmes, looking out of the window.

‘But we need to. If we let Stapleton escape everything will be in vain. We need to face this fog,’ said Henry. 

‘And how about Miss Stapleton?’, I asked.

‘I will send a letter to Dr. Mortimer to come here and take care of her,’ replied Sir Henry.

‘Thank, Henry. I have no words to thank you,’ she said.

‘But just a minute, do you have any clue about where the house is?’, asked Holmes. 

‘Yes, you will see some sticks in the marsh. My husband put them to mark the way, so you need to follow them through the marsh.’

So, after the arrival of Dr Mortimer, we left the Hall and followed Miss Stapleton’s instructions. At that time, the fog has lifted. The marsh smelled of dying plants and the wet ground pulled our feet as we walked. From time to time one of us stepped from the path and sank up to his waist in the marsh. One man in his own could not hope to escape the pull of the marsh; without help he would sink to his death.

During the path we heard a very strange and loud sound that we didn’t know what it was, but it just increased our careful. 

We reached the island Miss Stapleton had described and searched the old house. 

‘This place tells us nothing that we do not already know’, said Holmes. ‘These bones show that he hid the hound here, but he could not keep it quiet, so people heard its cries.’ Then, while he was walking around the house, he suddenly stopped. ‘There is something strange here. This part of the floor is hollow.’

So, we discovered that there was a hiding place there and it was locked. We forced it and we could open the door of it and there we discovered a hidden laboratory. It was a colorful place, with lots of fireflies and butterflies inside of glass jars. The place was surrounded with books and experiments, and all its shine came from the phosphorus that was hidden there. And suddenly we saw a dead body on the floor surrounded by a puddle of blood, and on the right side of the body there was a gun. 

‘It is Mr. Stapleton!’, said Sir Henry.

‘Probably he preferred to die than to face the prison’s consequences’, replied Holmes.

‘At least we catch our enemy with all the proves we need’ I said.

‘Elementary, my dear Watson’, replied Holmes.

We returned to the Hall with the dead body and all the case was solve.

We spent a week at the Hall, enough time to Henry forgive ex-Miss Stapleton and start a romance with her. But during the period, Holmes didn’t talk to us about the case anymore.

Then, Sr. Holmes and I returned to London, where he continued solving other cases.

 

It was the end of November, more than a month after our return from Baskerville Hall. Holmes and I were sitting on either side of a bright fire in our sitting room in Baker Street. Since our return, Holmes had been working hard on two other cases, and he had been too busy to discuss the Baskerville case. But now the other cases were finished; and he had been successful in both of them. I decided it was a good time to ask him the final questions about Stapleton and the hound.

‘The picture showed us that Stapleton was indeed a Baskerville,' Holme began. 'He was the son of Roger Baskerville, who was Sir Charles' younger brother. Roger was a criminal who escaped from prison and ran away to South America. Everyone thought he had died unmarried, but that was not true. He had one son, also called Roger, whom we knew as Stapleton. Stapleton married a beautiful South American, and came to England, where he started a school in the north. He discovered that he would inherit the Baskerville lands and fortune if Sir Charles and Sir Henry both died. That is why he moved to Devonshire when the school closed.

 'When he met Sir Charles, he heard the story of the hell-hound. He also learned that Sir Charles believed these supernatural stories, and that he had a weak heart.

'Stapleton had the idea of buying a huge hound, and of using the phosphorus to make it shine like the hound in the story. I have found the place where he bought the animal. He took it by train to Devonshire and walked many miles over the moors with it so that it would not be seen near Baskerville Hall.

'He needed to get Sir Charles out of the Hall at night. This would be easy to do if his wife made Sir Charles fall in love with her. But, although he beat her, she refused to help him with his evil plan.

'Then Stapleton met Laura Lyons. We know that he made her write a letter to bring Sir Charles to the moor gate on that sad night. The hound; which was shining with phosphorus, chased Sir Charles down the Yew Alley. Sir Charles terror was so great that his weak heart stopped, and he died, but the animal did not touch the dead body.

‘The hound had run on the grass, so it left no footprints, except the one found by Dr Mortimer. You see how clever Stapleton was. Neither he nor the hound had touched Sir Charles so there was no sign of murder. The only two people who might suspect him – his wife and Mrs. Lyons - could not be certain about what he had done. Anyway, neither of them would inform the police about him. 

'Next, Stapleton learned that Sir Henry had reached England, so he went to London. He hoped to murder Sir Henry there. He took his wife with him, but he wasn't sure that she would keep his secret, so he did not tell her the truth. He locked her up in their hotel. She knew that he had some evil plan, but she was too frightened to give Sir Henry a clear warning. Instead, she sent him the letter made of words cut from a newspaper. 

'Meanwhile, Stapleton was wearing a false beard and following Sir Henry. He needed something to give the hound Sir Henry's scent, so he paid a maid at Sir Henry's hotel to steal one of his shoes. The first one was a new one, and didn't have Sir Henry’s scent on it. It was no use for the hound, so he put it back, and another, older, shoe was stolen. When the shoes were changed, I knew that the hound must be a natural and not a supernatural creature. 

'Next there was the letter made of words cut from a newspaper. When I looked at it, I held it close to my eyes. I noticed a smell of perfume, so I guessed that a woman had sent the letter. 

'By the time I went to Devonshire I knew that there was a real hound, and I knew we were looking for a man and a woman. I guessed that the Stapletons were the pair. I had to watch Stapleton, but I had to hide myself. As I have explained, I could not tell you what I was doing. I stayed in Newtown and used the hut on the moor only when necessary. 

'Your letters were sent to me immediately from Baker Street, and were very helpful. When you told me that Stapleton had owned a school in the north of England, I checked on him and where he had come from. I discovered he had come from South America. And then everything became clear. 

'By the time you found me on the moor, I knew everything, but I could prove nothing. We had to catch the man doing something criminal, and so I had to put Sir Henry in danger.

‘And in the end, we found Stapleton dead in the middle of the proves. Now, Sir Henry is happy with his future wife!’

‘But was she involved in the crime?!’, I asked.

‘Well, she was very frightened of her cruel husband, but she suspected that he was responsible for Sir Charles' death. She knew about the hound, and when Selden died, she guessed that the hound had killed him. She knew her husband had the hound at their house on the night Sir Henry came to dinner. They argued about the hound that evening, and as they argued Stapleton told her about Mrs. Lyons. Any love she had for her husband disappeared at that moment. He knew that she wanted to help Sir Henry, so he beat her and tied her up.

'He probably hoped that when he inherited the Baskerville lands, she would love him again. He certainly thought that she would keep silent if she became Lady Baskerville. But I think he was wrong. He had been too cruel to her. She could not forgive him or love him again, nor, I think, allow him to enjoy the results of his crime.

'Of course, he could not frighten Sir Henry in the same way as Sir Charles. Sir Henry was a young and healthy man. So he kept the hound hungry. He knew that the animal would either kill Sir Henry or would hurt him so badly that it would be easy to complete the murder.' 

I had one last question for Holmes. 'But Stapleton was living so close to Baskerville Hall and using a false name. It looked very strange. How would he explain that to the police, if after Sir Henry's death he then inherited the Baskerville lands and fortune?' 

'I don't know how he planned to explain the false name and why he was living at Pen House,' said Holmes. 'I can only say that he was a very clever man. l am sure he had thought of an answer to the problem.

‘I just know one thing: nothing in this world is supernatural, everything has an explanation!’

 And suddenly, when I glanced to the window, I saw a shadow: it was a phantasmagoric picture of a person with a black beard.

A feeling of frighten started to appear.

'But that's enough work for the evening, Watson. I have two tickets for the theatre. If we get ready now, we shall have time to stop at my favorite restaurant for some dinner on the way.'

‘Yes, let’s go to forget all this things’, and I left the apartment really scared with Homes’ company.