Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Musgrave Ritual
"‘FortwodaysRachelHowellshadbeensoill,sometimesdelirious,sometimeshysterical,thatanursehadbeenemployedtositupwithheratnight.OnthethirdnightafterBrunton’sdisappearance,thenurse,findingherpatientsleepingnicely,haddroppedintoanapinthearmchair,whenshewokeintheearlymorningtofindthebedempty,thewindowopen,andnosignsoftheinvalid.Iwasinstantlyaroused,and,withthetwofootmen,startedoffatonceinsearchofthemissinggirl.Itwasnotdifficulttotellthedirectionwhichshehadtaken,for,startingfromunderherwindow,wecouldfollowherfootmarkseasilyacrossthelawntotheedgeofthemere,wheretheyvanishedclosetothegravelpathwhichleadsoutofthegrounds.Thelakethereiseightfeetdeep,andyoucanimagineourfeelingswhenwesawthatthetrailofthepoordementedgirlcametoanendattheedgeofit.
"‘Ofcourse,wehadthedragsatonceandsettoworktorecovertheremains,butnotraceofthebodycouldwefind.Ontheotherhand,webroughttothesurfaceanobjectofamostunexpectedkind.Itwasalinenbagwhichcontainedwithinitamassofoldrusted,anddiscolouredmetalandseveraldullcolouredpiecesofpebbleorglass.Thisstrangefindwasallthatwecouldgetfromthemere,and,althoughwemadeeverypossiblesearchandinquiryyesterday,weknownothingofthefateeitherofRachelHowellsorofRichardBrunton.Thecountypoliceareattheirwit’send,andIhavecomeuptoyouasalastresource.
