classic mystery and detective stories-第58章

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admitted　possession　of　a　secret；　a　curse；　and　a　mysterious　cabinet；

in　addition　to　the　usual　surplusage　of　horrors　supplied　in　such

cases　by　popular　imagination。　　Some　declared　that　a　Mervyn　of　the

days　of　Henry　VIII　had　been　cursed　by　an　injured　abbot　from　the

foot　of　the　gallows。　　Others　affirmed　that　a　dissipated　Mervyn　of

the　Georgian　era　was　still　playing　cards　for　his　soul　in　some

remote　region　of　the　Grange。　　There　were　stories　of　white　ladies

and　black　imps；　of　bloodstained　passages　and　magic　stones。　　We；

proud　of　our　more　intimate　acquaintance　with　the　family；　naturally

gave　no　credence　to　these　wild　inventions。　　The　Mervyns；　indeed；

followed　the　accepted　precedent　in　such　cases；　and　greatly　disliked

any　reference　to　the　reputed　mystery　being　made　in　their　presence；

with　the　inevitable　result　that　there　was　no　subject　so

pertinaciously　discussed　by　their　friends　in　their　absence。　　My

father's　sister　had　married　the　late　Baronet；　Sir　Henry　Mervyn；　and

we　always　felt　that　she　ought　to　have　been　the　means　of　imparting

to　us　a　very　complete　knowledge　of　the　family　secret。　　But　in　this

connection　she　undoubtedly　failed　of　her　duty。　　We　knew　that　there

had　been　a　terrible　tragedy　in　the　family　some　two　or　three　hundred

years　agothat　a　peculiarly　wicked　owner　of　Mervyn；　who　flourished

in　the　latter　part　of　the　sixteenth　century；　had　been　murdered　by

his　wife　who　subsequently　committed　suicide。　　We　knew　that　the

mysterious　curse　had　some　connection　with　this　crime；　but　what　the

curse　exactly　was　we　had　never　been　able　to　discover。　　The　history

of　the　family　since　that　time　had　indeed　in　one　sense　been　full　of

misfortune。　　Not　in　every　sense。　　A　coal　mine　had　been　discovered

in　one　part　of　the　estate；　and　a　populous　city　had　grown　over　the

corner　of　another　part；　and　the　Mervyns　of　to…day；　in　spite　of　the

usual　percentage　of　extravagant　heirs　and　political　mistakes；　were

three　times　as　rich　as　their　ancestors　had　been。　　But　still　their

story　was　full　of　bloodshed　and　shame；　of　tales　of　duels　and

suicides；　broken　hearts　and　broken　honor。　　Only　these　calamities

seemed　to　have　little　or　no　relation　to　each　other；　and　what　the

precise　curse　was　that　was　supposed　to　connect　or　account　for　them

we　could　not　learn。　　When　she　first　married；　my　aunt　was　told

nothing　about　it。　　Later　on　in　life；　when　my　father　asked　her　for

the　story；　she　begged　him　to　talk　upon　a　pleasanter　subject；　and

being　unluckily　a　man　of　much　courtesy　and　little　curiosity；　he

complied　with　her　request。　　This；　however；　was　the　only　part　of　the

ghostly　traditions　of　her　husband's　home　upon　which　she　was　so

reticent。　　The　haunted　chamber；　for　instancewhich；　of　course；

existed　at　the　Grangeshe　treated　with　the　greatest　contempt。

Various　friends　and　relations　had　slept　in　it　at　different　times；

and　no　approach　to　any　kind　of　authenticated　ghost…story；　even　of

the　most　trivial　description；　had　they　been　able　to　supply。　　Its

only　claim　to　respect；　indeed；　was　that　it　contained　the　famous

Mervyn　cabinet；　a　fascinating　puzzle　of　which　I　will　speak　later；

but　which　certainly　had　nothing　haunting　or　horrible　about　its

appearance。



My　uncle's　family　consisted　of　three　sons。　　The　eldest；　George；　the

present　baronet；　was　now　in　his　thirties；　married；　and　with

children　of　his　own。　　The　second；　Jack；　was　the　black…sheep　of　the

family。　　He　had　been　in　the　Guards；　but；　about　five　years　back；　had

got　into　some　very　disgraceful　scrape；　and　had　been　obliged　to

leave　the　country。　　The　sorrow　and　the　shame　of　this　had　killed　his

unhappy　mother；　and　her　husband　had　not　long　afterwards　followed

her　to　the　grave。　　Alan；　the　youngest　son；　probably　because　he　was

the　nearest　to　us　in　age；　had　been　our　special　favorite　in　earlier

years。　　George　was　grown　up　before　I　had　well　left　the　nursery；　and

his　hot；　quick　temper　had　always　kept　us　youngsters　somewhat　in　awe

of　him。　　Jack　was　four　years　older　than　Alan；　and；　besides；　his

profession　had；　in　a　way；　cut　his　boyhood　short。　　When　my　uncle　and

aunt　were　abroad；　as　they　frequently　were　for　months　together　on

account　of　her　health；　it　was　Alan；　chiefly；　who　had　to　spend　his

holidays　with　us；　both　as　school…boy　and　as　undergraduate。　　And　a

brighter；　sweeter…tempered　comrade；　or　one　possessed　of　more

diversified　talents　for　the　invention　of　games　or　the　telling　of

stories；　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　find。



For　five　years　together　now　our　ancient　custom　of　an　annual　visit

to　Mervyn　had　been　broken。　　First　there　had　been　the　seclusion　of

mourning　for　my　aunt；　and　a　year　later　for　my　uncle；　then　George

and　his　wife；　Lucy；she　was　a　connection　of　our　own　on　our

mother's　side；　and　very　intimate　with　us　all；had　been　away　for

nearly　two　years　on　a　voyage　round　the　world；　and　since　then

sickness　in　our　own　family　had　kept　us　in　our　turn　a　good　deal

abroad。　　So　that　I　had　not　seen　my　cousins　since　all　the　calamities

which　had　befallen　them　in　the　interval；　and　as　I　steamed

northwards　I　wondered　a　good　deal　as　to　the　changes　I　should　find。

I　was　to　have　come　out　that　year　in　London；　but　ill…health　had

prevented　me；　and　as　a　sort　of　consolation　Lucy　had　kindly　asked　me

to　spend　a　fortnight　at　Mervyn；　and　be　present　at　a　shooting…party；

which　was　to　assemble　there　in　the　first　week　of　October。



I　had　started　early；　and　there　was　still　an　hour　of　the　short

autumn　day　left　when　I　descended　at　the　little　wayside　station；

from　which　a　six…mile　drive　brought　me　to　the　Grange。　　A　dreary

drive　I　found　itthe　round；　gray；　treeless　outline　of　the　fells

stretching　around　me　on　every　side　beneath　the　leaden；　changeless

sky。　　The　night　had　nearly　fallen　as　we　drove　along　the　narrow

valley　in　which　the　Grange　stood：　it　was　too　dark　to　see　the　autumn

tints　of　the　woods　which　clothed　and　brightened　its　sides；　almost

too　dark　to　distinguish　the　old　tower；Dame　Alice's　tower　as　it

was　called；which　stood　some　half　a　mile　farther　on　at　its　head。

But　the　light　shone　brightly　from　the　Grange　windows；　and　all

feeling　of　dreariness　departed　as　I　drove　up　to　the　door。　　Leaving

maid　and　boxes　to　their　fate；　I　ran　up　the　steps　into　the　old；

well…remembered　hall；　and　was　informed　by　the　dignified　man…servant

that　her　ladyship　and　the　tea　were　awaiting　me　in　the　morning…room。



I　found　that　there　was　nobody　staying　in　the　house　except　Alan；　who

was　finishing　the　long　vacation　there：　he　had　been　called　to　the

Bar　a　couple　of　years　before。　　The　guests　were　not　to　arrive　for

another　week；　so　that　I　had　plenty　of　opportunity　in　the　interval

to　make　up　for　lost　time　with　my　cousins。　　I　began　my　observations

that　evening　as　we　sat　down　to　dinner；　a　cozy　party　of　four。　　Lucy

was　quite　unchangedpretty；　foolish；　and　gentle　as　ever。　　George

showed　the　full　five　years'　increase　of　age；　and　seemed　to　have

acquired　a　somewhat　painful　control　of　his　temper。　　Instead　of　the

old　petulant　outbursts；　there　was　at　times　an　air　of　nervous；

irritable　self…restraint；　which　I　found　the　less　pleasant　of　the

two。　　But　it　was　in　Alan　that　the　most　striking　alteration

appeared。　　I　felt　it　the　moment　I　shook　hands　with　him；　and　the

impression　deepened　that　evening　with　every　hour。　　I　told　myself

that　it　was　only　the　natural　difference　between　boy　and　man；

between　twenty　and　twenty…five；　but　I　don't　think　that　I　believed

it。　　Superficially　the　change　was　not　great。　　The　slight…built；

graceful　figure；　the　deep　gray　eyes；　too　small　for　beauty；　the

clear…cut　features；　the　delicate；　sensitive　lips；　close　shaven　now；

as　they　had　been　hairless　then；all　were　as　I　remembered　them。

But　the　face　was　paler　and　thinner　than　it　had　been；　and　there　were

lines　round　the　eyes　and　at　the　corners　of　the　mouth　which　were　no

more　natural　to　twenty…five　than　they　would　have　been　to　twenty。

The　old　charm　indeedthe　sweet　friendliness　of　manner；　which　was

his　own　peculiar　possessionwas　still　there。　　He　talked　and

laughed　almost　as　much　as　formerly；　but　the　talk　was　manufactured

for　our　entertainment；　and　the　laughter　came　from　his　head　and　not

from　his　heart。　　And　it　was　when　he　was　taking　no　part　in　the

conversation　that　the　change　showed　most。　　Then　the　face；　on　which

in　the　old　time　every　passing　emotion　had　expressed　itself　in　a

constant；　living　current；　became　cold　and　impassivewithout

interest；　and　without　desire。　　It　was　at　such　times　that　I　knew

most　certainly　that　here　was　something　which　had　been　living　and

was　dead。　　Was　it　only　his　boyhood？　　This　question　I　was　unable　to

answer。



Still；　in　spite　of　all；　that　week　was　one　of　the　happiest　in　my

life。　　The　brothers　were　both　men　of　enough　ability　and　cultivation

to　be　pleasant　talkers；　and　Lucy　could　perform　adequately　the　part

of　conversational　accompanist；　which；　socially　speaking；　is　all

that　is　required　of　a　woman。　　The　meals　and　evenings　passed　quickly

and　agreeably；　the　mornings　I　spent　in　unending　gossips　with　Lucy；

or　in　games　with　the　children；　two　bright　boys　of　five　and　six

years　old。　　But　the　afternoons　were　the　best　part　of　the　day。

George　was　a　thorough　squire　in　all　his　tastes　and　habits；　and

every　afternoon　his　wife　dutifully　accompanied　him　round　farms　and

coverts；　inspecting　new　buildings；　trudging　along　half…made　roads；

or　marking　unoffending　trees　for　destruction。　　Then　Alan　and　I

would　ride　by　the　hour　together　over　moor　and　meadowland；　often

picking　our　way　homewards　down　the　glen…side　long　after　the　autumn

evenings　had　closed　in。　　During　these　rides　I　had　glimpses　many　a

time　into　depths　in　Alan's　nature　of　which　I　doubt　whether　in　the

old　days　he　had　himself　been　aware。　　To　me　certainly　they　were　as　a

revelation。　　A　prevailing　sadness；　occasionally　a　painful　tone　of

bitterness；　characterized　these　more　serious　moods　of　his；　but　I　do

not　think　that；　at　the　end　of　that　week；　I　would；　if　I　could；　have

changed　the　man；　whom　I　was　learning　to　revere　and　to　pity；　for　the

light…hearted　playmate　whom　I　felt　was　lost　to　me　for　ever。





II





The　only　feature　of　the　family　life　which　jarred　on　me　was　the

attitude　of　the　two　brothers　towards　the　children。　　I　did　not

notice　this　much　at　first；　and　at　all　times　it　was　a　thing　to　be

felt　rather　than　to　be　seen。　　George　himself　never　seemed　quite　at

ease　with　them。　　The　boys　were　strong　and　well　grown；　healthy　in

mind　and　body；　and　one　would　have　thought　that　the　existence　of　two

such　representatives　to　carry　on　his　name　and　inherit　his　fortune

would　have　been　the　very　crown　of　pride　and　happiness　to　their

father。　　But　it　was　not　so。　　Lucy　indeed　was　devoted　to　them；　and

in　all　practical　matters　no　one　could　have　been　kinder　to　them　than

was　George。　　They　were　free　of　the　whole　house；　and　every

indulgence　that　money　could　buy　for　them　they　had。　　I　never　heard

him　give　them　a　harsh　word。　　But　there　was　something　wrong。　　A

constraint　in　their　presence；　a　relief　in　their　absence；　an　evident

dislike　of　discussing　them