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！
〃'I am delighted to hear it； for your advice at
present would be exceedingly valuable to me。 We have
had some very strange doings at 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 had 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
school…master 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
giftsfor he can speak several languages and play
nearly every musical instrumentit 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
house…maid； but he has thrown her over since then and
taken up with Janet Tregellis； the daughter of the
head game…keeper。 Rachelwho is a very good girl；
but of an excitable Welsh temperamenthad a sharp
touch of brain…fever； and goes about the house nowor
did until yesterdaylike 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 weekon Thursday night； to be more exactI
found that I could not sleep； having foolishly taken a
cup of strong caf椤oir 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 lake 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 agea 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； sirit will； indeedif 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 fortnightsay 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；