解説　場面 207「ロンドンでの日々」

"It is possible that Stapleton did not know of the existence of an heir in Canada. In any case he would very soon learn it from his friend Dr. Mortimer, and he was told by the latter all details about the arrival of Henry Baskerville. Stapleton's first idea was that this young stranger from Canada might possibly be done to death in London without coming down to Devonshire at all. He distrusted his wife ever since she had refused to help him in laying a trap for the old man, and he dared not leave her long out of his sight for fear he should lose his influence over her. It was for this reason that he took her to London with him. They lodged, I find, at the Mexborough Private Hotel, in Craven Street, which was actually one of those called upon by my agent in search of evidence. Here he kept his wife imprisoned in her room while he, disguised in a beard, followed Dr. Mortimer to Baker Street and afterwards to the station and to the Northumberland Hotel. His wife had some inkling of his plans; but she had such a fear of her husband—a fear founded upon brutal ill-treatment—that she dare not write to warn the man whom she knew to be in danger. If the letter should fall into Stapleton's hands her own life would not be safe. Eventually, as we know, she adopted the expedient of cutting out the words which would form the message, and addressing the letter in a disguised hand. It reached the baronet, and gave him the first warning of his danger.

「ステイプルトンは、カナダに相続人がいることを知らなかった可能性がある。いずれにせよ友人のモーティマー博士からすぐに知り、ヘンリー・バスカヴィルの到着について詳しく聞かされた。ステイプルトンが最初に考えたのは、カナダから来たこの若者をデヴォンシャーへ一度も来させず、ロンドンで殺せるかもしれないということだった。老人を罠にはめる手助けを拒まれて以来、彼は妻を信用せず、支配力を失うことを恐れて、長く目の届かないところへ置く勇気がなかった。そのため、妻をロンドンへ連れていった。調べたところ、二人はクレイヴン街のメクスバラ私設ホテルに泊まった。そこは実際、私の使者が証拠を求めて訪ねた宿の一つだった。彼は妻を部屋へ閉じ込め、自分は付けひげで変装し、モーティマー博士をベーカー街へ、続いて駅とノーサンバーランド・ホテルへと尾行した。妻は彼の計画をある程度察していた。しかし夫をひどく恐れており、その恐怖は残酷な虐待に根ざしていたので、危険にあると知る男へ警告の手紙を書く勇気がなかった。手紙がステイプルトンの手に落ちれば、彼女自身の命が危なかった。結局、私たちが知るように、彼女は伝言を構成する単語を切り抜き、筆跡を変えて宛名を書く方法を選んだ。手紙は準男爵に届き、危険について最初の警告を与えた。