the musgrave ritual-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


and　I　could　see　that　the　old；　foot…worn　gray　stones　with　which　it

was　paved　were　firmly　cemented　together；　and　had　certainly　not　been

moved　for　many　a　long　year。　Brunton　had　not　been　at　work　here。　I

tapped　upon　the　floor；　but　it　sounded　the　same　all　over；　and　there　was

no　sign　of　any　crack　or　crevice。　But　fortunately；　Musgrave；　who　had

begun　to　appreciate　the　meaning　of　my　proceedings；　and　who　was　now

as　excited　as　myself；　took　out　his　manuscript　to　check　my

calculations。

　　〃'And　under；'　he　cried。　'You　have　omitted　the　and　under。'

　　〃I　had　thought　that　it　meant　that　we　were　to　dig；　but　now；　of

course；　I　saw　at　once　that　I　was　wrong。　'There　is　a　cedar　under　this

then？'　I　cried。

　　〃'Yes；　and　as　old　as　the　house。　Down　here；　through　this　door。'

　　〃We　went　down　a　winding　stone　stair；　and　my　companion；　striking　a

match；　lit　a　large　lantern　which　stood　on　a　barrel　in　the　corner。　In

an　instant　it　was　obvious　that　we　had　at　last　come　upon　the　true

place；　and　that　we　had　not　been　the　only　people　to　visit　the　spot

recently。

　　〃It　had　been　used　for　the　storage　of　wood；　but　the　billets；　which

had　evidently　been　littered　over　the　floor；　were　now　piled　at　the

sides；　so　as　to　leave　a　clear　space　in　the　middle。　In　this　space　lay　a

large　and　heavy　flagstone　with　a　rusted　iron　ring　in　the　centre　to

which　a　thick　shepherd's…check　muffler　was　attached。

　　〃'By　Jove！'　cried　my　client。　'That's　Brunton's　muffler。　I　have

seen　it　on　him　and　could　swear　to　it。　What　has　the　villain　been

doing　here？'

　　〃At　my　suggestion　a　couple　of　the　county　police　were　summoned　to

be　present；　and　I　then　endeavoured　to　raise　the　stone　by　pulling　on

the　cravat。　I　could　only　move　it　slightly；　and　it　was　with　the　aid

of　one　of　the　constables　that　I　succeeded　at　last　in　carrying　it　to

one　side。　A　black　hole　yawned　beneath　into　which　we　all　peered；

while　Musgrave；　kneeling　at　the　side；　pushed　down　the　lantern。

　　〃A　small　chamber　about　seven　feet　deep　and　four　feet　square　lay　open

to　us。　At　one　side　of　this　was　a　squat；　brass…bound　wooden　box；　the

lid　of　which　was　hinged　upward；　with　this　curious　old…fashioned　key

projecting　from　the　lock。　It　was　furred　outside　by　a　thick　layer　of

dust；　and　damp　and　worms　had　eaten　through　the　wood；　so　that　a　crop　of

livid　fungi　was　growing　on　the　inside　of　it。　Several　discs　of　metal；

old　coins　apparently；　such　as　I　hold　here；　were　scattered　over　the

bottom　of　the　box；　but　it　contained　nothing　else。

　　〃At　the　moment；　however；　we　had　no　thought　for　the　old　chest；　for

our　eyes　were　riveted　upon　that　which　crouched　beside　it。　It　was　the

figure　of　a　man；　clad　in　a　suit　of　black；　who　squatted　down　upon　his

hams　with　his　forehead　sunk　upon　the　edge　of　the　box　and　his　two

arms　thrown　out　on　each　side　of　it。　The　attitude　had　drawn　all　the

stagnant　blood　to　the　face；　and　no　man　could　have　recognized　that

distorted　liver…coloured　countenance；　but　his　height；　his　dress；　and

his　hair　were　all　sufficient　to　show　my　client；　when　we　had　drawn

the　body　up；　that　it　was　indeed　his　missing　butler。　He　had　been　dead

some　days；　but　there　was　no　wound　or　bruise　upon　his　person　to　show

how　he　had　met　his　dreadful　end。　When　his　body　had　been　carried　from

the　cellar　we　found　ourselves　still　confronted　with　a　problem　which

was　almost　as　formidable　as　that　with　which　we　had　started。

　　〃I　confess　that　so　far；　Watson；　I　had　been　disappointed　in　my

investigation。　I　had　reckoned　upon　solving　the　matter　when　once　I

had　found　the　place　referred　to　in　the　Ritual；　but　now　I　was　there；

and　was　apparently　as　far　as　ever　from　knowing　what　it　was　which　the

family　had　concealed　with　such　elaborate　precautions。　It　is　true

that　I　had　thrown　a　light　upon　the　fate　of　Brunton；　but　now　I　had　to

ascertain　how　that　fate　had　come　upon　him；　and　what　part　had　been

played　in　the　matter　by　the　woman　who　had　disappeared。　I　sat　down　upon

a　keg　in　the　corner　and　thought　the　whole　matter　carefully　over。

　　〃You　know　my　methods　in　such　cases；　Watson。　I　put　myself　in　the

man's　place；　and；　having　first　gauged　his　intelligence；　I　try　to

imagine　how　I　should　myself　have　proceeded　under　the　same

circumstances。　In　this　case　the　matter　was　simplified　by　Brunton's

intelligence　being　quite　first…rate；　so　that　it　was　unnecessary　to

make　any　allowance　for　the　personal　equation；　as　the　astronomers

have　dubbed　it。　He　knew　that　something　valuable　was　concealed。　He

had　spotted　the　place。　He　found　that　the　stone　which　covered　it　was

just　too　heavy　for　a　man　to　move　unaided。　What　would　he　do　next？　He

could　not　get　help　from　outside；　even　if　he　had　someone　whom　he

could　trust；　without　the　unbarring　of　doors　and　considerable　risk　of

detection。　It　was　better；　if　he　could；　to　have　his　helpmate　inside　the

house。　But　whom　could　he　ask？　This　girl　had　been　devoted　to　him。　A　man

always　finds　it　hard　to　realize　that　he　may　have　finally　lost　a

woman's　love；　however　badly　he　may　have　treated　her。　He　would　try　by　a

few　attentions　to　make　his　peace　with　the　girl　Howells；　and　then　would

engage　her　as　his　accomplice。　Together　they　would　come　at　night　to　the

cellar；　and　their　united　force　would　suffice　to　raise　the　stone。　So

far　I　could　follow　their　actions　as　if　I　had　actually　seen　them。

　　〃But　for　two　of　them；　and　one　a　woman；　it　must　have　been　heavy　work；

the　raising　of　that　stone。　A　burly　Sussex　policeman　and　I　had　found　it

no　light　job。　What　would　they　do　to　assist　them？　Probably　what　I

should　have　done　myself。　I　rose　and　examined　carefully　the　different

billets　of　wood　which　were　scattered　round　the　floor。　Almost　at　once　I

came　upon　what　I　expected。　One　piece；　about　three　feet　in　length；

had　a　very　marked　indentation　at　one　end；　while　several　were　flattened

at　the　sides　as　if　they　had　been　compressed　by　some　considerable

weight。　Evidently；　as　they　had　dragged　the　stone　up；　they　had　thrust

the　chunks　of　wood　into　the　chink　until　at　last　when　the　opening　was

large　enough　to　crawl　through；　they　would　hold　it　open　by　a　billet

placed　lengthwise；　which　might　very　well　become　indented　at　the

lower　end；　since　the　whole　weight　of　the　stone　would　press　it　down

on　to　the　edge　of　this　other　slab。　So　far　I　was　still　on　safe　ground。

　　〃And　now　how　was　I　to　proceed　to　reconstruct　this　midnight　drama？

Clearly；　only　one　could　fit　into　the　hole；　and　that　one　was　Brunton。

The　girl　must　have　waited　above。　Brunton　then　unlocked　the　box；　handed

up　the　contents　presumably…since　they　were　not　to　be　found…and

then…and　then　what　happened？

　　〃What　smouldering　fire　of　vengeance　had　suddenly　sprung　into　flame

in　this　passionate　Celtic　woman's　soul　when　she　saw　the　man　who　had

wronged；　perhaps；　far　more　than　we　suspected…in　her　power？　Was　it　a

chance　that　the　wood　had　slipped　and　that　the　stone　had　shut　Brunton

into　what　had　become　his　sepulchre？　Had　she　only　been　guilty　of

silence　as　to　his　fate？　Or　had　some　sudden　blow　from　her　hand　dashed

the　support　away　and　sent　the　slab　crashing　down　into　its　place？　Be

that　as　it　might；　I　seemed　to　see　that　woman's　figure　still

clutching　at　her　treasure　trove　and　flying　wildly　up　the　winding

stair；　with　her　ears　ringing　perhaps　with　the　muffled　screams　from

behind　her　and　with　the　drumming　of　frenzied　hands　against　the　slab　of

stone　which　was　choking　her　faithless　lover's　life　out。

　　〃Here　was　the　secret　of　her　blanched　face；　her　shaken　nerves；　her

peals　of　hysterical　laughter　on　the　next　morning。　But　what　had　been　in

the　box？　What　had　she　done　with　that？　Of　course；　it　must　have　been　the

old　metal　and　pebbles　which　my　client　had　dragged　from　the　mere。　She

had　thrown　them　in　there　at　the　first　opportunity　to　remove　the　last

trace　of　her　crime。

　　〃For　twenty　minutes　I　had　sat　motionless；　thinking　the　matter　out。

Musgrave　still　stood　with　a　very　pale　face；　swinging　his　lantern　and

peering　down　into　the　hole。

　　〃'These　are　coins　of　Charles　the　First；'　said　he；　holding　out　the

few　which　had　been　in　the　box；　'you　see　we　were　right　in　fixing　our

date　for　the　Ritual。'

　　〃'We　may　find　something　else　of　Charles　the　First；'　I　cried；　as

the　probable　meaning　of　the　first　two　questions　of　the　Ritual　broke

suddenly　upon　me。　'Let　me　see　the　contents　of　the　bag　which　you　fished

from　the　mere。'

　　〃We　ascended　to　his　study；　and　he　laid　the　debris　before　me。　I　could

understand　his　regarding　it　as　of　small　importance　when　I　looked　at

it；　for　the　metal　was　almost　black　and　the　stones　lustreless　and　dull。

I　rubbed　one　of　them　on　my　sleeve；　however；　and　it　glowed　afterwards

like　a　spark　in　the　dark　hollow　of　my　hand。　The　metal　work　was　in

the　form　of　a　double　ring；　but　it　had　been　bent　and　twisted　out　of　its

original　shape。

　　〃'You　must　bear　in　mind；'　said　I；　'that　the　royal　party　made　head　in

England　even　after　the　death　of　the　king；　and　that　when　they　at　last

fled　they　probably　left　many　of　their　most　precious　sessions　buried

behind　them；　with　the　intention　of　returning　for　them　in　more　peaceful

times。'

　　〃'My　ancestor；　Sir　Ralph　Musgrave；　was　a　prominent　cavalier　and

the　righthand　man　of　Charles　the　Second　in　his　wanderings；'　said　my

friend。

　　〃'Ah；　indeed！'　I　answered。　'Well　now；　I　think　that　really　should

give　us　the　last　link　that　we　wanted。　I　must　congratulate　you　on

coming　into　the　possession；　though　in　rather　a　tragic　manner；　of　a

relic　which　is　of　great　intrinsic　value；　but　of　even　greater

importance　as　a　historical　curiosity。'

　　〃'What　is　it；　then？'　he　gasped　in　astonishment。

　　〃'It　is　nothing　less　than　the　ancient　crown　of　the　kings　of

England。'

　　〃'The　crown！'

　　〃'Precisely。　Consider　what　the　Ritual　says。　How　does　it　run？

〃Whose　was　it？〃　〃His　who　is　gone。〃　That　was　after　the　execution　of

Charles。　Then；　〃Who　shall　have　it？〃　〃He　who　will　come。〃　That　was

Charles　the　Second；　whose　advent　was　already　foreseen。　There　can；　I

think；　be　no　doubt　that　this　battered　and　shapeless　diadem　once

encircled　the　brows　of　the　royal　Stuarts。'

　　〃'And　how　came　it　in　the　pond？'

　　〃'Ah；　that　is　a　question　that　will　take　some　time　to　answer。'　And

with　that　I　sketched　out　to　him　the　whole　long　chain　of　surmise　and　of

proof　which　I　had　constructed。　The　twil