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Adventure V
The Musgrave Ritual
An anomaly which often struck me in the character of
my friend Sherlock Holmes was that； although in his
methods of thought he was the neatest and most
methodical of mankind； and although also he affected a
certain quiet primness of dress； he was none the less
in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that
ever drove a fellow…lodger to distraction。 Not that I
am in the least conventional in that respect myself。
The rough…and…tumble work in Afghanistan； coming on
the top of a natural Bohemianism of disposition； has
made me rather more lax than befits a medical man who
keeps his cigars in the coal…scuttle； his tobacco in
the toe end of a Persian slipper； and his unanswered
correspondence transfixed by a jack…knife into the
very centre of his wooden mantelpiece； then I begin to
give myself virtuous airs。 I have always held； too；
that pistol practice should be distinctly an open…air
pastime； and when Holmes； in one of his queer humors；
would sit in an arm…chair with his hair…trigger and a
hundred Boxer cartridges； and proceed to adorn the
opposite wall with a patriotic V。 R。 Done in
bullet…pocks； I felt strongly that neither the
atmosphere nor the appearance of our room was improved
by it。
Our chambers were always full of chemicals and of
criminal relics which had a way of wandering into
unlikely positions； and of turning up in the
butter…dish or in even less desirable places。 But his
papers were my great crux。 He had a horror of
destroying documents； especially those which were
connected with his past cases； and yet it was only
once in every year or two that he would muster energy
to docket and arrange them； for； as I have mentioned
somewhere in these incoherent memoirs； the outbursts
of passionate energy when he performed the remarkable
feats with which his name is associated were followed
by reactions of lethargy during which he would lie
about with his violin and his books； hardly moving
save fro the sofa to the table。 Thus month after
month his papers accumulated； until every corner of
the room was stacked with bundles of manuscript which
were on no account to be burned； and which could not
be put away save by their owner。 One winter's night；
as we sat together by the fire； I ventured to suggest
to him that； as he had finished pasting extracts into
his common…place book； he might employ the next two
hours in making our room a little more habitable。 He
could not deny the justice of my request； so with a
rather rueful face went off to his bedroom； from which
he returned presently pulling a large tin box behind
him。 This he placed in the middle of the floor and；
squatting down upon a stool in front of it； he threw
back the lid。 I could see that it was already a third
full of bundles of paper tied up with red tape into
separate packages。
〃There are cases enough here； Watson；〃 said he；
looking at me with mischievous eyes。 〃I think that if
you knew all that I had in this box you would ask me
to pull some out instead of putting others in。〃
〃These are the records of your early work； then？〃 I
asked。 〃I have often wished that I had notes of those
cases。〃
〃Yes； my boy； these were all done prematurely before
my biographer had come to glorify me。〃 He lifted
bundle after bundle in a tender； caressing sort of
way。 〃They are not all successes； Watson；〃 said he。
〃But there are some pretty little problems among them。
Here's the record of the Tarleton murders； and the
case of Vamberry； the wine merchant； and the adventure
of the old Russian woman； and the singular affair of
the aluminium crutch； as well as a full account of
Ricoletti of the club…foot； and his abominable wife。
And hereah； now； this really is something a little
recherch椤！�
He dived his arm down to the bottom of the chest； and
brought up a small wooden box with a sliding lid； such
as children's toys are kept in。 From within he
produced a crumpled piece of paper； and old…fashioned
brass key； a peg of wood with a ball of string
attached to it； and three rusty old disks of metal。
〃Well； my boy； what do you make of this lot？〃 he
asked； smiling at my expression。
〃It is a curious collection。〃
〃Very curious； and the story that hangs round it will
strike you as being more curious still。〃
〃These relics have a history then？〃
〃So much so that they are history。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃
Sherlock Holmes picked them up one by one； and laid
them along the edge of the table。 Then re reseated
himself in his chair and looked them over with a gleam
of satisfaction in his eyes。
〃These；〃 said he； 〃are all that I have left to remind
me of the adventure of the Musgrave Ritual。〃
I had heard him mention the case more than once；
though I had never been able to gather the details。
〃I should be so glad；〃 said I； 〃if you would give me
an account of it。〃
〃And leave the litter as it is？〃 he cried；
mischievously。 〃Your tidiness won't bear much strain
after all； Watson。 But I should be glad that you
should add this case to your annals； for there are
points in it which make it quite unique in the
criminal records of this or； I believe； of any other
country。 A collection of my trifling achievements
would certainly be incomplete which contained no
account of this very singular business。
〃You may remember how the affair of the Gloria Scott；
and my conversation with the unhappy man whose fate I
told you of； first turned my attention in the
direction of the profession which has become my life's
work。 You see me now when my name has become known
far and wide； and when I am generally recognized both
by the public and by the official force as being a
final court of appeal in doubtful cases。 Even when
you knew me first； at the time of the affair which you
have commemorated in 'A Study in Scarlet；' I had
already established a considerable； though not a very
lucrative； connection。 You can hardly realize； then；
how difficult I found it at first； and how long I had
to wait before I succeeded in making any headway。
〃When I first came up to London I had rooms in
Montague Street； just round the corner from the
British Museum； and there I waited； filling in my too
abundant leisure time by studying all those branches
of science which might make me more efficient。 Now
and again cases came in my way； principally through
the introduction of old fellow…students； for during my
last years at the University there was a good deal of
talk there about myself and my methods。 The third of
these cases was that of the Musgrave Ritual； and it is
to the interest which was aroused by that singular
chain of events； and the large issues which proved to
be at stake； that I trace my first stride towards to
position which I now hold。
〃Reginald Musgrave had been in the same college as
myself； and I had some slight acquaintance with him。
He was not generally popular among the undergraduates；
though it always seemed to me that what was set down
as pride was really an attempt to cover extreme
natural diffidence。 In appearance he was a man of
exceedingly aristocratic type； thin； high…nosed； and
large…eyed； with languid and yet courtly manners。 He
was indeed a scion of one of the very oldest families
in the kingdom； though his branch was a cadet one
which had separated from the northern Musgraves some
time in the sixteenth century； and had established
itself in western Sussex； where the Manor House of
Hurlstone is perhaps the oldest inhabited building in
the county。 Something of his birth place seemed to
cling to the man； and I never looked at his pale； keen
face or the poise of his head without associating him
with gray archways and mullioned windows and all the
venerable wreckage of a feudal keep。 Once or twice we
drifted into talk； and I can remember that more than
once he expressed a keen interest in my methods of
observation and inference。
〃For four years I had seen nothing of him until one
morning he walked into my room in Montague Street。 He
had changed little； was dressed like a young man of
fashionhe was always a bit of a dandyand preserved
the same quiet； suave manner which had formerly
distinguished him。
〃'How has all gone wit you Musgrave？〃 I asked； after
we had cordially shaken hands。
〃'You probably heard of my poor father's death；' said
he； 'he was carried off about two years ago。 Since
then I have of course had the Hurlstone estates to
manage； and as I am member for my district as well； my
life has been a busy one。 But I understand； Holmes；
that you are turning to practical ends those powers
with which you used to amaze us？〃
〃'Yes；' said I； 'I have taken to living by my wits。'
〃'I am delighted to hear it； for your advice at
present would be exceedin