The Musgrave Ritual

           AnanomalywhichoftenstruckmeinthecharacterofmyfriendSherlockHolmeswasthat,althoughinhismethodsofthoughthewastheneatestandmostmethodicalofmankind,andalthoughalsoheaffectedacertainquietprimnessofdress,hewasnonethelessinhispersonalhabitsoneofthemostuntidymenthateverdroveafellow-lodgertodistraction.NotthatIamintheleastconventionalinthatrespectmyself.Therough-and-tumbleworkinAfghanistan,comingonthetopofnaturalBohemianismofdisposition,hasmademerathermorelaxthanbefitsamedicalman.Butwithmethereisalimit,andwhenIfindamanwhokeepshiscigarsinthecoal-scuttle,histobaccointhetoeendofaPersianslipper,andhisunansweredcorrespondencetransfixedbyajack-knifeintotheverycentreofhiswoodenmantelpiece,thenIbegintogivemyselfvirtuousairs.Ihavealwaysheld,too,thatpistolpracticeshouldbedistinctlyanopen-airpastime;andwhenHolmes,inoneofhisqueerhumours,wouldsitinanarmchairwithhishair-triggerandahundredBoxercartridgesandproceedtoadorntheoppositewallwithapatrioticV.R.doneinbullet-pocks,Ifeltstronglythatneithertheatmospherenortheappearanceofourroomwasimprovedbyit.

           Ourchamberswerealwaysfullofchemicalsandofcriminalrelicswhichhadawayofwanderingintounlikelypositions,andofturningupinthebutter-dishorinevenlessdesirableplaces.Buthispapersweremygreatcrux.