How we cite our quotes: (Chapter. Paragraph)
Quote #1
This, in truth, his neighbours might have pardoned, seeing that saints have never flourished in those parts, but there was in him a certain wanton and cruel humour which made his name a by-word through the West. It chanced that this Hugo came to love (if, indeed, so dark a passion may be known under so bright a name) the daughter of a yeoman who held lands near the Baskerville estate. But the young maiden, being discreet and of good repute, would ever avoid him, for she feared his evil name. (2.17)
In our analysis of the "Genre" of The Hound of the Baskervilles, we talk about the Hugo Baskerville episode as an example of Gothic fiction. Gothic fiction seldom features moral "gray area" or subtlety in its portrayal of evil. Bad guys in Gothic fiction may not always seem wicked at first glance, but they generally are evil through and through, without no redeeming quality. Hugo Baskerville is this kind of Gothic villain: his "evil name" in the area turns out to be absolutely justified. How about Stapleton—is he a Gothic villain like his ancestor, Hugo Baskerville? How do these two villains compare?
Quote #2
"On observing the cab I should have instantly turned and walked in the other direction. I should then at my leisure have hired a second cab and followed the first at a respectful distance, or, better still, have driven to the Northumberland Hotel and waited there. When our unknown had followed Baskerville home we should have had the opportunity of playing his own game upon himself and seeing where he made for. As it is, by an indiscreet eagerness, which was taken advantage of with extraordinary quickness and energy by our opponent, we have betrayed ourselves and lost our man." (4.105)
It is pretty unusual that Holmes makes mistakes. But here, early on in The Hound of the Baskervilles, he is filled with regret because, as he is trying to follow Sir Henry's pursuer, he allows himself to be seen. This mistake on Holmes' part not only convinces us he's imperfect like the rest of us, but it also ups the suspense early in the story. It hints that, even in these more familiar surroundings, there are still risks to his investigation—risks that will only get more dire in strange, gloomy Dartmoor.
This is another example of Holmes regretting a professional error. If only he'd feel some regret about treating Watson so abominably. Now that would be real guilt.
Quote #3
The only conceivable motive was that which had been suggested by Sir Henry, that if the family could be scared away a comfortable and permanent home would be secured for the Barrymores. But surely such an explanation as that would be quite inadequate to account for the deep and subtle scheming which seemed to be weaving an invisible net round the young baronet. Holmes himself had said that no more complex case had come to him in all the long series of his sensational investigations. (7.21)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the first suspect in a detective story is never the actual murderer. It would be completely boring if Watson suspected Barrymore the butler from the start and he turned out to be right. No twists and turns, no dramatic reveals! So these early speculations from Watson lead us in the completely wrong direction. Still, the more questions Watson poses—and the more that he reassures us that "Holmes himself had said that no more complex case had come to him in all the long series of his sensational investigations"—the more curious and emotionally involved we get.