Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Musgrave Ritual
Imustcongratulateyouoncomingintothepossession,thoughinratheratragicmanner,ofarelicwhichisofgreatintrinsicvalue,butofevengreaterimportanceasahistoricalcuriosity.’
"‘Whatisit,then?"hegaspedinastonishment.
"‘ItisnothinglessthantheancientcrownofthekingsofEngland.’
"‘Thecrown!’
"‘Precisely.ConsiderwhattheRitualsays.Howdoesitrun?"Whosewasit?""Hiswhoisgone."ThatwasaftertheexecutionofCharles.Then,"Whoshallhaveit?""Hewhowillcome."ThatwasCharlestheSecond,whoseadventwasalreadyforeseen.Therecan,Ithink,benodoubtthatthisbatteredandshapelessdiademonceencircledthebrowsoftheroyalStuarts.’
"‘Andhowcameitinthepond?’
"‘Ah,thatisaquestionthatwilltakesometimetoanswer."AndwiththatIsketchedouttohimthewholelongchainofsurmiseandofproofwhichIhadconstructed.Thetwilighthadclosedinandthemoonwasshiningbrightlyintheskybeforemynarrativewasfinished.
"‘AndhowwasitthenthatCharlesdidnotgethiscrownwhenhereturned?"askedMusgrave,pushingbacktherelicintoitslinenbag.
"‘Ah,thereyoulayyourfingerupontheonepointwhichweshallprobablyneverbeabletoclearup.ItislikelythattheMusgravewhoheldthesecretdiedintheinterval,andbysomeoversightleftthisguidetohisdescendantwithoutexplainingthemeaningofit