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小说: adventure05 字数: 每页4000字

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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; 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 the house;

as both windows and doors were found to be fastened in

the morning。  His clothes; his watch; and even his

money were in his room; but the black suit which he

usually wore was missing。  His slippers; too; were

gone; but his boots were left behind。  Where then

could butler Brunton have gone in the night; and what

could have become of him now?



〃'Of course we searched the house from cellar to

garret; but there was no trace of him。  It is; as I

have said; a labyrinth of an old house; especially the

original wing; which is now practically uninhabited;

but we ransacked every room and cellar without

discovering the least sign of the missing man。  It was

incredible to me that he could have gone away leaving

all his property behind him; and yet where could he

be?  I called in the local police; but without

success。  Rain had fallen on the night before and we

examined the lawn and the paths all round the house;

but in vain。  Matters were in this state; when a new

development quite drew our attention away from the

original mystery。



〃'For two days Rachel Howells had been so ill;

sometimes delirious; sometimes hysterical; that a

nurse had been employed to sit up with her at night。 

On the third night after Brunton's disappearance; the

nurse; finding her patient sleeping nicely; had

dropped into a nap in the arm…chair; when shoe woke in

the early morning to find the bed empty; the window

open; and 

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