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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Hurlstone； and the police have been able to throw no light upon the
matter。 It is really the most extraordinary and inexplicable
business。'
〃You can imagine with what eagerness I listened to him； Watson；
for the very chance for which I had been panting during all those
months of inaction seemed to have come within my reach。 In my inmost
heart I believed that I could succeed where others failed； and now I
had the opportunity to test myself。
〃'Pray let me have the details；' I cried。
〃Reginald Musgrave sat down opposite to me and lit the cigarette
which I bad pushed towards him。
〃'You must know；' said he； 'that though I am a bachelor； I have to
keep up a considerable staff of servants at Hurlstone； for it is a
rambling old place and takes a good deal of looking after。 I preserve；
too； and in the pheasant months I usually have a house…party； so
that it would not do to be short…handed。 Altogether there are eight
maids； the cook； the butler； two footmen； and a boy。 The garden and
the stables of course have a separate staff。
〃'Of these servants the one who had been longest in our service
was Brunton； the butler。 He was a young schoolmaster out of place when
he was first taken up by my father； but he was a man of great energy
and character； and he soon became quite invaluable in the household。
He was a well…grown； handsome man； with a splendid forehead； and
though he has been with us for twenty years he cannot be more than
forty now。 With his personal advantages and his extraordinary
gifts…for he can speak several languages and play nearly every musical
instrument…it is wonderful that he should have been satisfied so
long in such a position； but I suppose that he was comfortable and
lacked energy to make any change。 The butler of Hurlstone is always
a thing that is remembered by all who visit us。
〃'But this paragon has one fault。 He is a bit of a Don Juan； and you
can imagine that for a man like him it is not a very difficult part to
play in a quiet country district。 When he was married it was all
right； but since he has been a widower we have had no end of trouble
with him。 A few months ago we were in hopes that he was about to
settle down again； for he became engaged to Rachel Howells； our second
housemaid； but he has thrown her over since then and taken up with
Janet Tregellis； the daughter of the head game…keeper。 Rachel…who is a
very good girl； but of an excitable Welsh temperament…had a sharp
touch of brain…fever and goes about the house now…or did until
yesterday…like a black…eyed shadow of her former self。 That was our
first drama at Hurlstone； but a second one came to drive it from our
minds； and it was prefaced by the disgrace and dismissal of butler
Brunton。
〃'This was how it came about。 I have said that the man was
intelligent； and this very intelligence has caused his ruin； for it
seems to have led to an insatiable curiosity about things which did
not in the least concern him。 I had no idea of the lengths to which
this would carry him until the merest accident opened my eyes to it。
〃'I have said that the house is a rambling one。 One day last week…on
Thursday night； to be more exact…I found that I could not sleep；
having foolishly taken a cup of strong cafe noir after my dinner。
After struggling against it until two in the morning； I felt that it
was quite hopeless； so I rose and lit the candle with the intention of
continuing a novel which I was reading。 The book； however； had been
left in the billiard…room； so I pulled on my dressing…gown and started
off to get it。
〃'In order to reach the billiard…room I had to descend a flight of
stairs and then to cross the head of a passage which led to the
library and the gun…room。 You can imagine my surprise when； as I
looked down this corridor； I saw a glimmer of light coming from the
open door of the library。 I had myself extinguished the lamp and
closed the door before coming to bed。 Naturally my first thought was
of burglars。 The corridors at Hurlstone have their walls largely
decorated with trophies of old weapons。 From one of these I picked a
battle…axe； and then； leaving my candle behind me； I crept on tiptoe
down the passage and peeped in at the open door。
〃'Brunton； the butler； was in the library。 He was sitting； fully
dressed； in an easy…chair； with a slip of paper which looked like a
map upon his knee； and his forehead sunk forward upon his hand in deep
thought。 I stood dumb with astonishment； watching him from the
darkness。 A small taper on the edge of the table shed a feeble light
which sufficed to show me that he was fully dressed。 Suddenly； as I
looked； he rose from his chair； and； walking over to a bureau at the
side； he unlocked it and drew out one of the drawers。 From this he
took a paper； and； returning to his seat； he flattened it out beside
the taper on the edge of the table and began to study it with minute
attention。 My indignation at this calm examination of our family
documents overcame me so far that I took a step forward； and
Brunton； looking up； saw me standing in the doorway。 He sprang to
his feet； his face turned livid with fear； and he thrust into his
breast the chart…like paper which he had been originally studying。
〃'〃So！〃 said I。 〃'〃This is how you repay the trust which we have
reposed in you。 You will leave my service to…morrow。〃
〃'He bowed with the look of a man who is utterly crushed and slunk
past me without a word。 The taper was still on the table； and by its
light I glanced to see what the paper was which Brunton had taken from
the bureau。 To my surprise it was nothing of any importance at all；
but simply a copy of the questions and answers in the singular old
observance called the Musgrave Ritual。 It is a sort of ceremony
peculiar to our family； which each Musgrave for centuries past has
gone through on his coming of age…a thing of private interest； and
perhaps of some little importance to the archaeologist； like our own
blazonings and charges； but of no practical use whatever。'
〃'We had better come back to the paper afterwards；' said I。
〃'If you think it really necessary；' he answered with some
hesitation。 'To continue my statement； however： I relocked the bureau；
using the key which Brunton had left； and I had turned to go when I
was surprised to find that the butler had returned； and was standing
before me。
〃'〃Mr。 Musgrave； sir；〃 he cried in a voice which was hoarse with
emotion； 〃I can't bear disgrace； sir。 I've always been proud above
my station in life； and disgrace would kill me。 My blood will be on
your head； sir…it will； indeed…if you drive me to despair。 If you
cannot keep me after what has passed； then for God's sake let me
give you notice and leave in a month； as if of my own free will。 I
could stand that； Mr。 Musgrave； but not to be cast out before all
the folk that I know so well。〃
〃'〃You don't deserve much consideration； Brunton；〃 I answered。 〃Your
conduct has been most infamous。 However； as you have been a long
time in the family； I have no wish to bring public disgrace upon
you。 A month； however； is too long。 Take yourself away in a week；
and give what reason you like for going。〃
〃'〃Only a week； sir？〃 he cried in a despairing voice。 〃A
fortnight…say at least a fortnight！〃
〃'〃A week；〃 I repeated； 〃and you may consider yourself to have
been very leniently dealt with。〃
〃'He crept away； his face sunk upon his breast； like a broken man；
while I put out the light and returned to my room。
〃'For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous in his
attention to his duties。 I made no allusion to what had passed and
waited with some curiosity to see how he would cover his disgrace。
On the third morning； however； he did not appear； as was his custom；
after breakfast to receive my instructions for the day。 As I left
the dining…room I happened to meet Rachel Howells； the maid。 I have
told you that she had only recently recovered from an illness and
was looking so wretchedly pale and wan that I remonstrated with her
for being at work。
〃'〃You should be in bed；〃 I said。 〃Come back to your duties when you
are stronger。〃
〃'She looked at me with so strange an expression that I began to
suspect that her brain was affected。
〃'〃I am strong enough； Mr。 Musgrave；〃 said she。
〃'〃We will see what the doctor says；〃 I answered。 〃You must stop
work now； and when you go downstairs just say that I wish to see
Brunton。〃
〃'〃The butler is gone；〃 said she。
〃'〃Gone！ Gone where？〃
〃'〃He is gone。 No one has seen him。 He is not in his room。 Oh；
yes； he is gone； he is gone！〃 She fell back against the wall with
shriek after shriek of laughter； while I； horrified at this sudden
hysterical attack； rushed to the bell to summon help。 The girl was
taken to her room； still screaming and sobbing； while I made inquiries
about Brunton。 There was no doubt about it that he had disappeared。
His bed had not been slept in； he had been seen by no one since he had
retired to his room the night before； and yet it was difficult to
see how he could have left