Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Musgrave Ritual
Ihavesaidthatthemanwasintelligent,andthisveryintelligencehascausedhisruin,foritseemstohaveledtoaninsatiablecuriosityaboutthingswhichdidnotintheleastconcernhim.Ihadnoideaofthelengthstowhichthiswouldcarryhimuntilthemerestaccidentopenedmyeyestoit.
"‘Ihavesaidthatthehouseisaramblingone.Onedaylastweek—onThursdaynight,tobemoreexact—IfoundthatIcouldnotsleep,havingfoolishlytakenacupofstrongcafe"noiraftermydinner.Afterstrugglingagainstituntiltwointhemorning,Ifeltthatitwasquitehopeless,soIroseandlitthecandlewiththeintentionofcontinuinganovelwhichIwasreading.Thebook,however,hadbeenleftinthebilliard-room,soIpulledonmydressing-gownandstartedofftogetit.
"‘Inordertoreachthebilliard-roomIhadtodescendaflightofstairsandthentocrosstheheadofapassagewhichledtothelibraryandthegun-room.Youcanimaginemysurprisewhen,asIlookeddownthiscorridor.Isawaglimmeroflightcomingfromtheopendoorofthelibrary.Ihadmyselfextinguishedthelampandclosedthedoorbeforecomingtobed.Naturallymyfirstthoughtwasofburglar.ThecorridorsatHurlstonehavetheirwallslargelydecoratedwithtrophiesofoldweapons.FromoneoftheseIpickedabattle-axe,andthen,leavingmycandlebehindme,Icreptontiptoedownthepassageandpeepedinattheopendoor.
"‘Brunton,thebutler,wasinthelibrary.
