the musgrave ritual-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MUSGRAVE　RITUAL

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　An　anomaly　which　often　struck　me　in　the　character　of　my　friend

Sherlock　Holmes　was　that；　although　in　his　methods　of　thought　he　was

the　neatest　and　most　methodical　of　mankind；　and　although　also　he

affected　a　certain　quiet　primness　of　dress；　he　was　nonetheless　in

his　personal　habits　one　of　the　most　untidy　men　that　ever　drove　a

fellow…lodger　to　distraction。　Not　that　I　am　in　the　least

conventional　in　that　respect　myself。　The　rough…and…tumble　work　in

Afghanistan；　coming　on　the　top　of　natural　Bohemianism　of

disposition；　has　made　me　rather　more　lax　than　befits　a　medical　man。

But　with　me　there　is　a　limit；　and　when　I　find　a　man　who　keeps　his

cigars　in　the　coal…scuttle；　his　tobacco　in　the　toe　end　of　a　Persian

slipper；　and　his　unanswered　correspondence　transfixed　by　a

jack…knife　into　the　very　centre　of　his　wooden　mantelpiece；　then　I

begin　to　give　myself　virtuous　airs。　I　have　always　held；　too；　that

pistol　practice　should　be　distinctly　an　open…air　pastime；　and　when

Holmes；　in　one　of　his　queer　humours；　would　sit　in　an　armchair　with　his

hair…trigger　and　a　hundred　Boxer　cartridges　and　proceed　to　adorn　the

opposite　wall　with　a　patriotic　V。　R。　done　in　bullet…pocks；　I　felt

strongly　that　neither　the　atmosphere　nor　the　appearance　of　our　room

was　improved　by　it。

　　Our　chambers　were　always　full　of　chemicals　and　of　criminal　relics

which　had　a　way　of　wandering　into　unlikely　positions；　and　of　turning

up　in　the　butter…dish　or　in　even　less　desirable　places。　But　his　papers

were　my　great　crux。　He　had　a　horror　of　destroying　documents；

especially　those　which　were　connected　with　his　past　cases；　and　yet

it　was　only　once　in　every　year　or　two　that　he　would　muster　energy　to

docket　and　arrange　them；　for；　as　I　have　mentioned　somewhere　in　these

incoherent　memoirs；　the　outbursts　of　passionate　energy　when　he

performed　the　remarkable　feats　with　which　his　name　is　associated

were　followed　by　reactions　of　lethargy　during　which　he　would　lie　about

with　his　violin　and　his　books；　hardly　moving　save　from　the　sofa　to　the

table。　Thus　month　after　month　his　papers　accumulated　until　every

corner　of　the　room　was　stacked　with　bundles　of　manuscript　which　were

on　no　account　to　be　burned；　and　which　could　not　be　put　away　save　by

their　owner。　One　winter's　night；　as　we　sat　together　by　the　fire；　I

ventured　to　suggest　to　him　that；　as　he　had　finished　pasting　extracts

into　his　commonplace　book；　he　might　employ　the　next　two　hours　in

making　our　room　a　little　more　habitable。　He　could　not　deny　the　justice

of　my　request；　so　with　a　rather　rueful　face　he　went　off　to　his

bedroom；　from　which　he　returned　presently　pulling　a　large　tin　box

behind　him。　This　he　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and；

squatting　down　upon　a　stool　in　front　of　it；　he　threw　back　the　lid。　I

could　see　that　it　was　already　a　third　full　of　bundles　of　paper　tied　up

with　red　tape　into　separate　packages。

　　〃There　are　cases　enough　here；　Watson；〃　said　he；　looking　at　me　with

mischievous　eyes。　〃I　think　that　if　you　knew　all　that　I　had　in　this　box

you　would　ask　me　to　pull　some　out　instead　of　putting　others　in。〃

　　〃These　are　the　records　of　your　early　work；　then？〃　I　asked。　〃I　have

often　wished　that　I　had　notes　of　those　cases。〃

　　〃Yes；　my　boy；　these　were　all　done　prematurely　before　my　biographer

had　come　to　glorify　me。〃　He　lifted　bundle　after　bundle　in　a　tender；

caressing　sort　of　way。

　　〃They　are　not　all　successes；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃But　there　are　some

pretty　little　problems　among　them。　Here's　the　record　of　the　Tarleton

murders；　and　the　case　of　Vamberry；　the　wine　merchant；　and　the

adventure　of　the　old　Russian　woman；　and　the　singular　affair　of　the

aluminum　crutch；　as　well　as　a　full　account　of　Ricoletti　of　the

club…foot；　and　his　abominable　wife。　And　here…ah；　now；　this　really　is

something　a　little　recherche。〃

　　He　dived　his　arm　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　chest　and　brought　up　a

small　wooden　box　with　a　sliding　lid　such　as　children's　toys　are　kept

in。　From　within　he　produced　a　crumpled　piece　of　paper；　an

old…fashioned　brass　key；　a　peg　of　wood　with　a　ball　of　string

attached　to　it；　and　three　rusty　old　discs　of　metal。

　　〃Well；　my　boy；　what　do　you　make　of　this　lot？〃　he　asked；　smiling　at

my　expression。

　　〃It　is　a　curious　collection。〃

　　〃Very　curious；　and　the　story　that　hangs　round　it　will　strike　you

as　being　more　curious　still。〃

　　〃These　relics　have　a　history；　then？〃

　　〃So　much　so　that　they　are　history。〃

　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　picked　them　up　one　by　one　and　laid　them　along　the

edge　of　the　table。　Then　he　reseated　himself　in　his　chair　and　looked

them　over　with　a　gleam　of　satisfaction　in　his　eyes。

　　〃These；〃　said　he；　〃are　all　that　I　have　left　to　remind　me　of　the

adventure　of　the　Musgrave　Ritual。〃

　　I　had　heard　him　mention　the　case　more　than　once；　though　I　had

never　been　able　to　gather　the　details。　〃I　should　be　so　glad；〃　said

I；　〃if　you　would　give　me　an　account　of　it。〃

　　〃And　leave　the　litter　as　it　is？〃　he　cried　mischievously。　〃Your

tidiness　won't　bear　much　strain；　after　all；　Watson。　But　I　should　be

glad　that　you　should　add　this　case　to　your　annals；　for　there　are

points　in　it　which　make　it　quite　unique　in　the　criminal　records　of

this　or；　I　believe；　of　any　other　country。　A　collection　of　my

trifling　achievements　would　certainly　be　incomplete　which　contained　no

account　of　this　very　singular　business。

　　〃You　may　remember　how　the　affair　of　the　Gloria　Scott；　and　my

conversation　with　the　unhappy　man　whose　fate　I　told　you　of；　first

turned　my　attention　in　the　direction　of　the　profession　which　has

become　my　life's　work。　You　see　me　now　when　my　charge　has　become

known　far　and　wide；　and　when　I　am　generally　recognized　both　by　the

public　and　by　the　official　force　as　being　a　final　court　of　appeal　in

doubtful　cases。　Even　when　you　knew　me　first；　at　the　time　of　the　affair

which　you　have　commemorated　in　'A　Study　in　Scarlet；'　I　had　already

established　a　considerable；　though　not　a　very　lucrative；　connection。

You　can　hardly　realize；　then；　how　difficult　I　found　it　at　first；　and

how　long　I　had　to　wait　before　I　succeeded　in　making　any　headway。

　　〃When　I　first　came　up　to　London　I　had　rooms　in　Montague　Street；　just

round　the　corner　from　the　British　Museum；　and　there　I　waited；

filling　in　my　too　abundant　leisure　time　by　studying　all　those　branches

of　science　which　might　make　me　more　efficient。　Now　and　again　cases

came　in　my　way；　principally　through　the　introduction　of　old

fellow…students；　for　during　my　last　years　at　the　university　there

was　a　good　deal　of　talk　there　about　myself　and　my　methods。　The　third

of　these　cases　was　that　of　the　Musgrave　Ritual；　and　it　is　to　the

interest　which　was　aroused　by　that　singular　chain　of　events；　and　the

large　issues　which　proved　to　be　at　stake；　that　I　trace　my　first　stride

towards　the　position　which　I　now　hold。

　　〃Reginald　Musgrave　had　been　in　the　same　college　as　myself；　and　I　had

some　slight　acquaintance　with　him。　He　was　not　generally　popular

among　the　undergraduates；　though　it　always　seemed　to　me　that　what

was　set　down　as　pride　was　really　an　attempt　to　cover　extreme　natural

diffidence。　In　appearance　he　was　a　man　of　an　exceedingly

aristocratic　type；　thin；　high…nosed；　and　large…eyed；　with　languid

and　yet　courtly　manners。　He　was　indeed　a　scion　of　one　of　the　very

oldest　families　in　the　kingdom；　though　his　branch　was　a　cadet　one

which　had　separated　from　the　northern　Musgraves　some　time　in　the

sixteenth　century　and　had　established　itself　in　western　Sussex；

where　the　Manor　House　of　Hurlstone　is　perhaps　the　oldest　inhabited

building　in　the　county。　Something　of　his　birth…place　seemed　to　cling

to　the　man；　and　I　never　looked　at　his　pale；　keen　face　or　the　poise

of　his　head　without　associating　him　with　gray　archways　and　mullioned

windows　and　all　the　venerable　wreckage　of　a　feudal　keep。　Once　or　twice

we　drifted　into　talk；　and　I　can　remember　that　more　than　once　he

expressed　a　keen　interest　in　my　methods　of　observation　and　inference。

　　〃For　four　years　I　had　seen　nothing　of　him　until　one　morning　he

walked　into　my　room　in　Montague　Street。　He　had　changed　little；　was

dressed　like　a　young　man　of　fashion…he　was　always　a　bit　of　a　dandy…and

preserved　the　same　quiet；　suave　manner　which　had　formerly

distinguished　him。

　　〃'How　has　all　gone　with　you；　Musgrave？'　I　asked　after　we　had

cordially　shaken　hands。

　　〃'You　probably　heard　of　my　poor　father's　death；'　said　he；　'he　was

carried　off　about　two　years　ago。　Since　then　I　have　of　course　had　the

Hurlstone　estate　to　manage；　and　as　I　am　member　for　my　district　as

well；　my　life　has　been　a　busy　one。　But　I　understand；　Holmes；　that

you　are　turning　to　practical　ends　those　powers　with　which　you　used

to　amaze　us？'

　　〃'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　have　taken　to　living　by　my　wits。'

　　〃'I　am　delighted　to　hear　it；　for　your　advice　at　present　would　be

exceedingly　valuable　to　me。　We　have　had　some　very　strange　doings　at

Hurlstone；　and　the　police　have　been　able　to　throw　no　light　upon　the

matter。　It　is　really　the　most　extraordinary　and　inexplicable

business。'

　　〃You　can　imagine　with　what　eagerness　I　listened　to　him；　Watson；

for　the　very　chance　for　which　I　had　been　panting　during　all　those

months　of　inaction　seemed　to　have　come　within　my　reach。　In　my　inmost

heart　I　believed　that　I　could　succeed　where　others　failed；　and　now　I

had　the　opportunity　to　test　myself。

　　〃'Pray　let　me　have　the　details；'　I　cried。

　　〃Reginald　Musgrave　sat　down　opposite　to　me　and　lit　the　cigarette

which　I　bad　pushed　towards　him。

　　〃'You　must　know；'　said　he；　'that　though　I　am　a　bachelor；　I　have　to

keep　up　a　considerable　staff　of　servants　at　Hurlstone；　for　it　is　a

rambling　old　place　and　takes　a　good　deal　of　looking　after。　I　preserve；

too；　and　in　the　pheasant　months　I　usually　have　a　house…party；　so

that　it　would　not　do　to　be　short…handed。　Altogether　there　are　eight

maids；　the　cook；　the　butler；　two　footmen；　and　a　boy。　The　garden　and

the　stables　of　course　have　a　separate　staff。

　　〃'Of　these　servants　the　one　who　had　been　longest　in　our　service

was　Brunton；　the　butler。　He　was　a　young　schoolmaster　out　of　place　when

he　was　first　taken　up　by　my　father；　but　he　was　a　man　of　great　energy

and　character；　and　he　soon　became　quite　invaluable　in　the　household。

He　was　a　well…grown；　handsome　man；　with　a　splendid　forehead；　and

though　he　has　been　with　us　for　twenty　years　he　cannot　be　more　than

forty　now。　With　his　personal　advantages　and　his　extraordinary

gifts…for　he　can　speak　several　languages　and　play　nearly　every　musical

instrument…it　is　wonderful　that　he　should　have　been　satisfied　so

long　in　such　a　position；　but　I　suppose　that　he　was　comfortable　and

lacked　energy　to　make　any　change。　The　butler　of　Hurlstone　is　always

a　thing　that　is　remembered　by　all　who　visit　us。

　　〃'But　this　paragon　has　one　fault。　He　is　a　bit　of　a　Don　Juan；　and　you

can　imagine　that　for　a　man　like　him　it　is　not　a　very　difficult　part　to

play　in　a　quiet　country　district。　When　he　was　married　it　was　all

right；　but　since　he　has　been　a　widower　we　have