Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Musgrave Ritual
"’
"Ihadthoughtthatitmeantthatweweretodig,butnow,ofcourse,IsawatoncethatIwaswrong.‘Thereisacellarunderthisthen?"Icried.
"‘Yes,andasoldasthehouse.Downhere,throughthisdoor.’
"Wewentdownawindingstonestair,andmycompanion,strikingamatch,litalargelanternwhichstoodonabarrelinthecorner.Inaninstantitwasobviousthatwehadatlastcomeuponthetrueplace,andthatwehadnotbeentheonlypeopletovisitthespotrecently.
"Ithadbeenusedforthestorageofwood,butthebillets,whichhadevidentlybeenlitteredoverthefloor,werenowpiledatthesides,soastoleaveaclearspaceinthemiddle.Inthisspacelayalargeandheavyflagstonewitharustedironringinthecentretowhichathickshepherd’s-checkmufflerwasattached.
"‘ByJove!"criedmyclient.‘That’sBrunton’smuffler.Ihaveseenitonhimandcouldsweartoit.Whathasthevillainbeendoinghere?’
"Atmysuggestionacoupleofthecountypoliceweresummonedtobepresent,andIthenendeavouredtoraisethestonebypullingonthecravat.Icouldonlymoveitslightly,anditwaswiththeaidofoneoftheconstablesthatIsucceededatlastincarryingittooneside.Ablackholeyawnedbeneathintowhichweallpeered,whileMusgrave,kneelingattheside,pusheddownthelantern.
"Asmallchamberaboutsevenfeetdeepandfourfeetsquarelayopentous.
