Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Musgrave Ritual
HewouldtrybyafewattentionstomakehispeacewiththegirlHowells,andthenwouldengageherashisaccomplice.Togethertheywouldcomeatnighttothecellar,andtheirunitedforcewouldsufficetoraisethestone.SofarIcouldfollowtheiractionsasifIhadactuallyseenthem.
"Butfortwoofthem,andoneawoman,itmusthavebeenheavywork,theraisingofthatstone.AburlySussexpolicemanandIhadfounditnolightjob.Whatwouldtheydotoassistthem?ProbablywhatIshouldhavedonemyself.Iroseandexaminedcarefullythedifferentbilletsofwoodwhichwerescatteredroundthefloor.AlmostatonceIcameuponwhatIexpected.Onepiece,aboutthreefeetinlength,hadaverymarkedindentationatoneend,whileseveralwereflattenedatthesidesasiftheyhadbeencompressedbysomeconsiderableweight.Evidently,astheyhaddraggedthestoneup,theyhadthrustthechunksofwoodintothechinkuntilatlastwhentheopeningwaslargeenoughtocrawlthrough,theywouldholditopenbyabilletplacedlengthwise,whichmightverywellbecomeindentedatthelowerend,sincethewholeweightofthestonewouldpressitdownontotheedgeofthisotherslab.SofarIwasstillonsafeground.
"AndnowhowwasItoproceedtoreconstructthismidnightdrama?Clearly,onlyonecouldfitintothehole,andthatonewasBrunton.Thegirlmusthavewaitedabove.
