“ ‘In order to reach the billiard-room I had to descend a flightof stairs and then to cross the head of a passage which led to thelibrary and the gun-room. You can imagine my surprise when,as I looked down this corridor, I saw a glimmer of light comingfrom the open door of the library. I had myself extinguished thelamp and closed the door before coming to bed. Naturally my firstthought was of burglars. The corridors at Hurlstone have theirwalls largely decorated with trophies of old weapons. From oneof these I picked a battle-axe, and then, leaving my candle behindme, I crept on tiptoe down the passage and peeped in at the opendoor.
“ ‘Brunton, the butler, was in the library. He was sitting, fullydressed, in an easy-chair, with a slip of paper which looked like amap upon his knee, and his forehead sunk forward upon his handin deep thought. I stood dumb with astonishment, watching himfrom the darkness. A small taper on the edge of the table shed afeeble light which sufficed to show me that he was fully dressed.
Suddenly, as I looked, he rose from his chair, and walking over to abureau 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 itout beside the taper on the edge of the table, and began to studyit with minute attention. My indignation at this calm examinationof our family documents overcame me so far that I took astep forward, and Brunton, looking up, saw me standing in thedoorway. He sprang to his feet, his face turned livid with fear, andhe thrust into his breast the chart-like paper which he had beenoriginally studying.
“ ‘ “So!” said I. “This is how you repay the trust which we havereposed in you. You will leave my service to-morrow.”
“ ‘He bowed with the look of a man who is utterly crushed andslunk past me without a word. The taper was still on the table, andby its light I glanced to see what the paper was which Bruntonhad taken from the bureau. To my surprise it was nothing of anyimportance at all, but simply a copy of the questions and answersin the singular old observance called the Musgrave Ritual. It is asort of ceremony peculiar to our family, which each Musgrave forcenturies past has gone through on his coming of age—a thingof private interest, and perhaps of some little importance to thearchaeologist, like our own blazonings and charges, but of nopractical use whatever.’
“ ‘We had better come back to the paper afterwards,’ said I.
“ ‘If you think it really necessary,’ he answered with somehesitation. ’to continue my statement, however: I relocked thebureau, using the key which Brunton had left, and I had turned togo when I was surprised to find that the butler had returned, andwas standing before me.
“ ‘ “Mr. Musgrave, sir,” he cried, in a voice which was hoarsewith emotion, “I can’t bear disgrace, sir. I’ve always been proudabove my station in life, and disgrace would kill me. My blood willbe on your head, sir—it will, indeed—if you drive me to despair. Ifyou cannot keep me after what has passed, then for God’s sake letme 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 allthe 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 beena long time in the family, I have no wish to bring public disgraceupon you. A month, however is too long. Take yourself away in aweek, and give what reason you like for going.”
“ ‘ “Only a week, sir?” he cried, in a despairing voice. “Afortnight—say at least a fortnight!”
“ ‘ “A week,” I repeated, “and you may consider yourself to havebeen very leniently dealt with.”
“ ‘He crept away, his face sunk upon his breast, like a brokenman, while I put out the light and returned to my room.
“ ‘ “For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous in hisattention to his duties. I made no allusion to what had passed,and waited with some curiosity to see how he would cover hisdisgrace. On the third morning, however he did not appear, as washis 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 recoveredfrom an illness, and was looking so wretchedly pale and wan that Iremonstrated with her for being at work.
“ ‘ “You should be in bed,” I said. “Come back to your dutieswhen you are stronger.”
“ ‘She looked at me with so strange an expression that I beganto suspect that her brain was affected.
“ ‘ “I am strong enough, Mr. Musgrave,” said she.
“ ‘ “We will see what the doctor says,” I answered. “You muststop work now, and when you go downstairs just say that I wish tosee 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 withshriek after shriek of laughter, while I, horrified at this suddenhysterical attack, rushed to the bell to summon help. The girlwas taken to her room, still screaming and sobbing, while I madeinquiries about Brunton. There was no doubt about it that he haddisappeared. His bed had not been slept in, he had been seen byno one since he had retired to his room the night before, and yetit was difficult to see how he could have left the house, as bothwindows and doors were found to be fastened in the morning.
His clothes, his watch, and even his money were in his room, butthe black suit which he usually wore was missing. His slippers,too, were gone, but his boots were left behind. Where then couldbutler Brunton have gone in the night, and what could havebecome of him now?
