Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 76 Memoirs (10)
"'Rachel Howell was very ill again, sometimes lethargic, sometimes screaming, and I had a nurse nurse her day and night. On the third night after Brenton was away, the nurse saw the patient sleeping She sat down in the armchair and took a nap. The next morning, she woke up and found that no one was there, the window was wide open, but the bed was empty. The nurse informed me of the situation immediately, and I immediately took two The servant went to look for it. Obviously, she escaped through the window. We started from under her window and followed her footprints all the way through the lawn to the small lake. Near the gravel road, the footprints disappeared. The gravel road It leads to the garden next to the house. The small lake is eight feet deep, and our hearts were heavy when we saw the footprints disappear.

"'Of course we immediately organized our crews to salvage the body, but there was no trace of the body. But what was surprising was a linen bag containing a heap of old, rusted metal. , and some dull crystal and glass. We found nothing but these monstrosities. At this point, the police are helpless, and I thought of you, your only hope.'

"You can imagine, Watson, how anxious I was to make sense of these few oddities. But first, the thread running through all the events had to be found. First the butler disappeared, then the maid. The maid used to be The butler's lover, who later hated him. The maid, who was of Welsh blood, was irritable and irritated. She was so excited by the butler's disappearance that she threw a sack of strange things into the lake. These factors had to be taken into account, But none of it gets to the heart of the matter. What set off this chain of events, all I know is the outcome.

"I said: 'I must look at that document, Musgrave, and I think there must be a reason why Brenton risked his job looking at it.'

"Musgrave replied: 'Our family ceremony is absurd. It is only a document left by the ancestors and may not be useful. If you want to see it, I have a transcript of the catechism of the ceremony.'

"You see, Watson, that this document was given to me by Musgrave. It is a copy of the question-and-answer manual in a strange ceremonial ceremony that every member of the Musgrave family must undergo before coming of age. Please see the original text.

"'Whose is it?'

"'It belongs to the man who has gone.'

"'Who will be its master in the future?'

"'The one who's coming soon.'

"'Where is the sun?'

"'On top of the oak tree.'

"'Where's the Yin?'

"'Under the elms.'

"'How to measure it?'

"'Ten steps north and then ten steps, east five steps and five steps, south two steps and two steps, west one step and then it's down there.'

"'What shall we trade it for?'

"'Everything.'

"'Why are we handing it over?'

"'Because of keeping the word.'

"'There is no date at the end of the document, but its spelling is from the mid-seventeenth century. I don't think it matters, though,' said Musgrave.

"I said: 'At least it gives us another queer mystery, and a more interesting one. It is possible that by solving this mystery other problems will also be solved. Forgive me, Musgrave, for my analysis. Say, your steward is very wise, wiser than ten generations of your family.'

"Musgrave said: 'I don't understand what you mean, I do think the document is moot.'

"'However, I think the document is very significant, and Brenton thinks as I do. It is probable that he read it before you caught him that night.'

"'Very likely. Because we never treasured it as a treasure.'

"'If my guess is correct, he only wanted to remember its content this time. At that time, he was comparing various maps with the original document. When he saw you coming, he hurriedly hid the map.'

"'Perhaps. Does it have something to do with an ancient ritual in our family? And what's the secret of this ridiculous ritual?'

"'I think the matter will be cleared up easily, and if you agree, we shall now go to Sussex, and make some detailed inquiries on the spot.'

"Musgrave and I went to Helstone that afternoon. Maybe you have seen the photos and records of this ancient building, so I won't go into details. There is only one thing I want to say, it is a L The long part is newer and the short part is older, but it is the core of the villa. The new part is expanded from here. On the low and heavy lintel in the middle of the old house, the year 1607 is engraved But the architect believes that from the structure of the house, it is actually older. Its walls are high and thick, and the windows are very small. Because some people built those modern-style houses in the last century, so Those old houses are now used as storerooms and wine cellars. The house is surrounded by dense old trees, which naturally form a small quiet garden. The small lake is close to the tree-lined road, about two hundred yards from the house.

"Watson, so far I have believed that it is not three separate mysteries, but one mystery. If I can understand the 'Musgrave Ritual' accurately, I should find clues, and then find out Brenton and Howe The truth of the events at Erles. Why was Brenton so anxious to know the words of the ancient ritual's question and answer? Apparently he knew the secret, which had never been taken seriously. Brenton was counting on profiting from this secret. Well, this so What is the secret to attract the butler?

"I read the ceremonial question and answer again, and then did a detailed study. The measurement method mentioned in it must refer to a certain position. If you find this place, you can solve the mystery. Presumably Musgrave's ancestors thought that Only in this way can future generations not forget this secret. To find this place, you must first find an oak tree and an elm tree. Oak trees are easy to find. In front of the house, on the left side of the driveway, there is an oak forest. Among them was indeed a very old oak, the largest oak I ever saw.

"While driving past the oak tree, I asked, 'Did your family have the oak tree when they drafted this ceremonial question and answer?'

"'It probably existed when the Normans conquered England, and it was 1066 feet thick,' said Musgrave.

"This shows that my speculation just now is correct, so I asked again: 'Is there an old elm tree in your house?'

"'Yes, over there, struck down by lightning ten years ago, and we sawed off the dry trunk.'

"'Remember where the elms are?'

"'of course I remember!'

"'Any other elms?'

"'There are no old elms, but there are many new ones.'

"'Let's go see its ruins.'

"The one-horse cart arrived in front of the house. We didn't enter the house. He took me directly to a pothole in the lawn-that is the site of the old elm. It is located in the middle of the oak tree and the house. It seems that my investigation has made progress.

"I asked: 'Do you know how high it is?'

"'I'm sure it's 64 feet tall.'

"I was surprised and asked: 'How do you know.'

"'When I was a child, my governess always made me do trigonometry, often heights, and several times measured every building and every tree on the estate.'

"What a bonus, the data I wanted was available so quickly.

"'Do you think, did Brenton ask you about the elm?'

"Musgrave looked at me in amazement and said: 'I remember when you mentioned that. The steward had a quarrel with the groom a few months ago, and he did ask me the height of the elm.'

"It's very good news. You see, Watson, this proves my theory to be correct. I looked up at the sun, which was already in the west, and I thought it would move to the top of the old oak tree in an hour. So, the ceremony The first condition mentioned in the question and answer is satisfied. As for the shadow of the elm tree, it must refer to the far end of the shadow, otherwise it is better to choose the trunk as a benchmark. Therefore, when the sun reaches the top of the oak tree, I will look for the shadow of the elm tree furthest."

"That must be difficult, Holmes, for the elm has been sawed off."

"True. But if Brenton can find it, so can I. Besides, it's not very difficult to find. Musgrave and I went into the study, whittled a peg, and tied the long rope to the peg. We then tied the two rods together, making a total of six feet. Then we returned to the old elm. The sun was just at the tip of the oak. I stuck the end of the rod in Went down to the soil, measured the length of the shadow, nine feet, and noted its direction.

"The rest is simple calculations. The projection length of the six-foot-long pole is nine feet, so the shadow of the 64-foot-high elm should be 96 feet long. Furthermore, the direction of the shadow of the fishing rod is the direction of the shadow of the old elm. I quickly measured the place, at the base of the manor wall, and drove the peg in. Then, Watson, I found a small taper-shaped hole, just two inches from where the peg had been driven. I'm glad it should have been marked by Brenton, and I'm repeating his path.

"From that point, I began to measure with steps. First, I set the direction with my small compass, and then according to the ceremony speech, I walked twenty steps north and nailed a wooden nail; then, I walked east again. I walked ten steps, then walked four steps south, and came to the threshold of the old house; then I took two steps west, to the corridor paved with stone slabs.

"Watson, this made me very disappointed, so I wanted to deny my speculation. The pavement of the corridor was very brightly lit by the setting sun. I carefully observed the gray stone slabs. They were very old and had been trampled down by passers-by for so many years. , but still firmly cast together, must have been untouched in years. Brenton did not touch here. I knocked on the slate everywhere, but the sound was the same, and there were neither holes nor cracks under the slabs. Thanks to Mas Greve understood what I meant, and he excitedly took the file to check the results of my calculations.

"He yelled: 'It's down there, you're ignoring the words: It's down there.'

"At first I thought we were going to dig from here, but I knew I was wrong. I said out loud: 'So there's a basement down there?'

"'Yes, the basement down there is as old as these houses, and it can be entered through this door.'

"We went down the winding stone steps, and my partner lit a match in the corner lamp. In an instant, it was clear that we were where we were looking. Someone had obviously been there, and it was nearly sky.

"This has always been a storeroom for timber, but the timber that was thrown on the ground has been neatly placed on both sides, and an open space has been removed. There is a heavy stone slab in the open space, and there is a rusty iron in the center of the slab. A cloth scarf with black and white squares is tied to the iron ring.

"My companion exclaimed: 'My God! It's Brenton's, I swear, I've seen him use this scarf, what's he doing here?'

"At my suggestion, Musgrave called two policemen. I then stepped forward and grabbed the scarf and lifted the slate with all my strength. But it moved only a little. Later, with the help of the police, we Finally, he moved the stone slab to the side with difficulty. There was a dark cellar below. Musgrave lay on his stomach at the entrance, and put a lamp in to illuminate it.

"We found that the cellar was about seven feet deep and four feet square, and on one side was a low wooden box bound with yellow brass hoops. The lid of the box had been opened, and in the lock was a strange old-fashioned key. Outside the box was a thick A layer of dust, the walls of the box have been perforated by insects and damp, and there are gray molds everywhere. There are also some old coins like the ones in my hand, scattered in the box, and the rest is nothing.

"However, we soon lost our attention to the box. Because we were strongly attracted by another object, it seemed to be a human being crouched beside the box, dressed in black, with his forehead pressed against the side of the box, and his arms were still clasped. box. Because of this position, all his blood was pooled on his face, making it contorted and purple like a pig's liver, making it difficult to identify who it was. My client only recognized the man when we dragged the body out. It was the butler Brenton who had been missing for many days! He had been dead for several days without any marks on his body, and no one knew how he died. We carried the body out of the basement, but we still faced a problem. The one I encountered was not easy to solve.

"Watson, I still admit it now. At that time, I was very disappointed with the result. I thought that as long as I found the place pointed by the ancient ritual, I would be able to solve the mystery. But now I am at this place, but I still can't find it." Knowing what the family was trying to hide. Obviously, I solved the mystery of Brenton's disappearance, but did not know how he died. And what did the missing maid have to do with it? I sat On a wooden barrel in the corner, deep in thought.

"When this happens, Watson, you know what I do. I put myself in the man's shoes. First, I weigh his intelligence and try to imagine it at his level. This is my usual practice. .Thus, things were made easier. As for Brenton, he was a very wise man, and there was no doubt that he would make mistakes in his observations. He knew that there was treasure hidden here, so he found the place exactly, but he found that the stone was very It is so heavy that it cannot be removed. What to do next? Even if there are accomplices outside the manor, to get their assistance, you must first open the door and let them in. But this is easy to be found. So it is best to find an accomplice inside the manor But who will help him? This maid once loved him so much, no matter how bad a man is to a woman, he will not easily lose the support of a woman who loves him. So he may have courted Howell many times, and the two Reunited after a broken mirror, they agreed to act together. They came here together and moved the slate together. From then on, we can see their actions as if we saw them with our own eyes.

"However, it is still very difficult for them, a man and a woman, to remove this slate. Because it is very laborious for us two big men to do it together. What will they do if they can't move the slate? If it were me, I would What? I stood up and looked carefully at the logs in the ground, and at once I saw what I had imagined. A log, about three feet long, with a piece obviously missing at one end. There were also several flattened logs, It appears to have been pressed hard. Apparently, while lifting the slab, they filled the gap with short pieces of wood until a man could crawl in. Then they put a solid piece of wood against the slab. Because the wood took the slab The full weight of the grounded end is missing a piece. So far, my guesses are correct.

"The crux of the problem now is how to reproduce what happened that night. One thing is certain, Brenton crawled into the cellar, and the maid was on top to receive it. Brenton handed over the contents of the box, but later What happened?

"I think it may be that the impetuous maid saw her abuser—perhaps he did break her heart, and when she could manipulate it, she lost her mind for a moment, moved the top wood, and the slate fell; it may also be The logs slipped and the slabs fell of their own accord, leaving Brenton buried in the cellar he had found himself, and her fault could only be buried in his heart. In either case, I seemed to see a woman with Holding the treasure, she ran forward desperately on the winding stairs, ignoring the man's cries for help in the cellar. The cries became weaker and weaker, and it was obvious that the person who had wronged her had died.

"No wonder she was pale, trembling, and laughing the next morning. But what was in the box? Are these things related to her? The only thing that is certain is that my client fished it out of the small lake. Those things were in the box. She threw them into the lake in order to destroy the evidence.

"I sat quietly for twenty or ten minutes, and rethought the case. Musgrave stood pale. He held a lamp, looking into the grotto.

"He took out a few coins from the box and said: 'These gold coins are from the time of Charles I, so we can see that the date of the ritual words we speculate is completely correct.'

"I suddenly remembered the first two sentences of the ceremonial catechism, and exclaimed: 'We can find other things from Charles I's time, take what you fished out of the lake.'

"We went to his study, and he took out those things. It was obvious that he didn't pay much attention to them--the metal turned black, and the stones lost their luster. But when I picked up one by hand and wiped it with my sleeve, It shone like Venus. The metalwork had been deformed, but it could still be deduced that it was a double ring shape.

"I said: 'You may remember that after the execution of King Charles I, the Royalists still fought in many places, but failed. They hid many very valuable treasures when they fled, so that they can be used later. There is a chance to go back to the country to dig.'

"My client said: 'My ancestor, Sir Ralph Musgrave, was a well-known royalist in the time of Charles I. He was a confidant of Charles II when he fled.'

"Very good, now I have found the last key link. First of all, congratulations on getting this treasure. Although it has witnessed a tragic history, it is a priceless treasure. As a historical witness, its significance is even greater.'

"Musgrave asked in amazement: 'What the hell is this?'

"'It is exactly one of the old crowns of an English king.'

"'crown?!!'

"'Yes, think of the words in the ceremonial catechism! 'Whose is it, the one who has gone. ’ means Charles I. ‘Who will be its master?The one who is coming. "This refers to Charles II. At that time, Charles II was expected to come to Helstone Park. There is no doubt that this dilapidated crown once belonged to the Stuart Emperor.'

"'But why is it in the lake?'

"'As for this question, it will take me longer to explain.' So I told him all my speculations. I didn't finish until the night was dim and the moon was bright.

"Musgrave put the relic in his pocket and asked again: 'Why didn't Charles II take the crown when he returned home?'

(End of this chapter)