the musgrave ritual-第2章

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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　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　armchair；　when　she　woke　in　the　early　morning

to　find　the　bed　empty；　the　window　open；　and　no　signs　of　the　invalid。　I

was　instantly　aroused；　and；　with　the　two　footmen；　started　off　at

once　in　search　of　the　missing　girl。　It　was　not　difficult　to　tell　the

direction　which　she　had　taken；　for；　starting　from　under　her　window；　we

could　follow　her　footmarks　easily　across　the　lawn　to　the　edge　of　the

mere；　where　they　vanished　close　to　the　gravel　path　which　leads　out

of　the　grounds。　The　lake　there　is　eight　feet　deep；　and　you　can　imagine

our　feelings　when　we　saw　that　the　trail　of　the　poor　demented　girl　came

to　an　end　at　the　edge　of　it。

　　〃'Of　course；　we　had　the　drags　at　once　and　set　to　work　to　recover　the

remains；　but　no　trace　of　the　body　could　we　find。　On　the　other　hand；　we

brought　to　the　surface　an　object　of　a　most　unexpected　kind。　It　was　a

linen　bag　which　contained　within　it　a　mass　of　old　rusted　and

discoloured　metal　and　several　dull…coloured　pieces　of　pebble　or　glass。

This　strange　find　was　all　that　we　could　get　from　the　mere；　and；

although　we　made　every　possible　search　and　inquiry　yesterday；　we

know　nothing　of　the　fate　either　of　Rachel　Howells　or　of　Richard

Brunton。　The　county　police　are　at　their　wit's　end；　and　I　have　come

up　to　you　as　a　last　resource。'

　　〃You　can　imagine；　Watson；　with　what　eagerness　I　listened　to　this

extraordinary　sequence　of　events；　and　endeavoured　to　piece　them

together；　and　to　devise　some　common　thread　upon　which　they　might　all

hang。　The　butler　was　gone。　The　maid　was　gone。　The　maid　had　loved　the

butler；　but　had　afterwards　had　cause　to　hate　him。　She　was　of　Welsh

blood；　fiery　and　passionate。　She　had　been　terribly　excited　immediately

after　his　disappearance。　She　had　flung　into　the　lake　a　bag

containing　some　curious　contents。　These　were　all　factors　which　had

to　be　taken　into　consideration；　and　yet　none　of　them　got　quite　to

the　heart　of　the　matter。　What　was　the　starting…point　of　this　chain

of　events？　There　lay　the　end　of　this　tangled　line。

　　〃'I　must　see　that　paper；　Musgrave；'　said　I；　'which　this　butler　of

yours　thought　it　worth　his　while　to　consult；　even　at　the　risk　of　the

loss　of　his　place。'

　　〃'It　is　rather　an　absurd　business；　this　ritual　of　ours；'　he

answered。　'But　it　has　at　least　the　saving　grace　of　antiquity　to　excuse

it。　I　have　a　copy　of　the　questions　and　answers　here　if　you　care　to　run

your　eye　over　them。'

　　〃He　handed　me　the　very　paper　which　I　have　here；　Watson；　and　this

is　the　strange　catechism　to　which　each　Musgrave　had　to　submit　when

he　came　to　man's　estate。　I　will　read　you　the　questions　and　answers

as　they　stand。

　　〃'Whose　was　it？'

　　〃'His　who　is　gone。'

　　〃'Who　shall　ha