the lamp that went out-第12部分

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〃Excuse　me；　sir；　I　must　get　him　his　glass　of　wine；〃　said　the
landlord；　hurrying　away　to　the　bar。　　He　returned　in　a　moment　with
a　small　bottle　and　a　glass　and　set　it　down　on　Muller's　table。

〃You　don't　mind；　sir；　if　he　sits　down　here？〃　　he　asked。　　〃He　usually
sits　here　at　this　table　because　then　he　can　see　if　he　is　needed　over
at　the　house。〃

〃Oh；　please　let　him　come　here。　　He　has　prior　rights　to　this　table
undoubtedly；〃　　said　the　stranger　politely。　　The　old　butler　sat　down
with　an　embarrassed　murmur；　as　the　voluble　landlord　explained　that
the　stranger　had　no　objection。　　Then　the　boniface　hurried　off　to
attend　to　some　newly　entered　customers　and　the　detective；　greatly
pleased　at　the　prospect；　found　himself　alone　with　the　old　servant。

〃You　come　here　frequently？〃　　he　began；　to　open　the　conversation。

〃Yes；　sir；　since　my　master　and　myself　have　settled　down　here　…　we
travelled　most　of　the　time　until　several　years　ago　…　I　find　this
place　very　convenient。　　It's　a　cosy　little　room；　the　wine　is　good
and　not　expensive；　I'm　near　home　and　yet　I　can　see　some　new　faces
occasionally。〃

〃I　hope　the　faces　that　you　see　about　you　at　home　are　not　so
unpleasant　that　you　are　glad　to　get　away　from　them？〃　　asked　Muller
with　a　smile。

The　old　man　gave　a　start　of　alarm。　　〃Oh；　dear；　no；　sir；〃　　he
exclaimed　eagerly；　〃that　wasn't　what　I　meant。　　Indeed　I'm　fond　of
everybody　in　the　house　from　our　dear　lady　down　to　the　poor　little
dog。〃

Here　Muller　gained　another　little　bit　of　knowledge；　the　fact　that
the　lady　of　the　house　was　the　favourite　of　her　servants；　or　that
she　seemed　to　them　even　more　an　object　of　adoration　than　the　master。

〃Then　you　evidently　have　a　very　good　place；　since　you　seem　so　fond
of　every　one。〃

〃Indeed　I　have　a　good　place；　sir。〃

〃You've　had　this　place　a　long　time？〃

〃More　than　twenty　years。　　My　master　was　only　eleven　years　old　when
I　took　service　with　the　family。〃

〃Ah；　indeed！　　then　you　must　be　a　person　of　importance　in　the　house
if　you　have　been　there　so　long？〃

〃Well　more　or　less　I　might　say　I　am；〃　　the　old　man　smiled　and
looked　flattered；　then　added：　〃But　the　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Bernaner；
is　even　more　important　than　I　am；　to　tell　you　the　truth。　　She　was
nurse　to　our　present　young　master；　and　she's　been　in　the　house　ever
since。　　When　his　parents　died；　it's　some　years　ago　now；　she　took
entire　charge　of　the　housekeeping。　　She　was　a　fine　active　woman
then；　and　now　the　young　master　and　mistress　couldn't　get　along
without　her。　　They　treat　her　as　if　she　was　one　of　the　family。〃

〃And　she　is　ill　also？　　I　say　also；〃　　explained　Muller；　〃because　the
landlord　has　just　been　telling　me　that　your　mistress　is　ill。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　more's　the　pity！　　our　poor　dear　young　lady　has　been
miserable　for　nearly　a　year　now。　　It's　a　shame　to　see　such　a　sweet
angel　as　she　is　suffer　like　that　and　the　master's　quite　heart…broken
over　it。　　But　there's　nothing　the　matter　with　Mrs。　Bernaner。　　How
did　you　come　to　think　that　she　was　sick？〃

Muller　did　not　intend　to　explain　that　the　change　in　the　housekeeper's
appearance；　a　change　which　had　come　about　between　Tuesday　morning
and　Thursday　morning；　might　easily　have　made　any　one　think　that　she
was　ill。　　He　gave　as　excuse　for　his　question　the　old　man's　own　words：
〃Why；　I　thought　that　she　might　be　ill　also　because　you　said　yourself
that　the　housekeeper　…　what　did　you　say　her　name　was？〃

〃Bernauer；　Mrs。　Adele　Bernauer。　　She　was　a　widow　when　she　came　to
take　care　of　the　master。　　Her　husband　was　a　sergeant　of　artillery。〃

〃Well；　I　mean；〃　　continued　Muller；　〃you　said　yourself　that　when　the
gentleman's　parents　died；　Mrs。　Bernauer　was　a　fine　active　woman；
therefore　I　supposed　she　was　no　longer　so。〃

Franz　thought　the　matter　over　for　a　while。　　〃I　don't　know　just　why
I　put　it　that　way。　　Indeed　she's　still　as　active　as　ever　and　always
fresh　and　well。　　It's　true　that　for　the　last　two　or　three　days　she's
been　very　nervous　and　since　yesterday　it　is　as　if　she　was　a　changed
woman。　　She　must　be　ill；　I　don't　know　how　to　explain　it　otherwise。〃

〃What　seems　to　be　the　matter　with　her？〃　　asked　Muller　and　then　to
explain　his　interest　in　the　housekeeper's　health；　he　fabricated　a
story：　〃I　studied　medicine　at　one　time　and　although　I　didn't　finish
my　course　or　get　a　diploma；　I've　always　had　a　great　interest　in　such
things；　and　every　now　and　then　I'll　take　a　case；　particularly
nervous　diseases。　　That　was　my　specialty。〃　　Muller　took　up　his　glass
and　turned　away　from　the　window；　for　be　felt　a　slow　flush　rising
to　his　cheeks。　　It　was　another　of　Muller's　peculiarities　that　he
always　felt　an　inward　embarrassment　at　the　lies　he　was　obliged　to
tell　in　his　profession。

The　butler　did　not　seem　to　have　noticed　it　however；　and　appeared
eager　to　tell　of　what　concerned　him　in　the　housekeeper's　appearance
and　demeanour。　　〃Why；　yesterday　at　dinner　time　was　the　first　that
we　began　to　notice　anything　wrong　with　Mrs。　Bernauer。　　The　rest　of
us；　that　is；　Lizzie　the　upstairs　girl；　the　cook　and　myself。　　She
began　to　eat　her　dinner　with　a　good　appetite；　then　suddenly；　when
we　got　as　far　as　the　pudding；　she　let　her　fork　fall　and　turned
deathly　white。　　She　got　up　without　saying　a　word　and　left　the　room。
Lizzie　ran　after　her　to　ask　if　anything　was　the　matter；　but　she
said　no；　it　was　nothing　of　importance。　　After　dinner；　she　went　right
out；　saying　she　was　doing　some　errands。　　She　brought　in　a　lot　of
newspapers；　which　was　quite　unusual；　for　she　sometimes　does　not　look
at　a　newspaper　once　a　week　even。　　I　wouldn't　have　noticed　it　but
Lizzie's　the　kind　that　sees　and　hears　everything　and　she　told　us
about　it。〃　　Franz　stopped　to　take　a　drink；　and　Muller　said
indifferently；　〃I　suppose　Mrs。　Bernauer　was　interested　in　the　murder
case。　　The　whole　neighbourhood　seems　to　be　aroused　about　it。〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　that　was　it；〃　　answered　the　old　servant；　〃because
then　she　would　have　sent　for　a　paper　this　morning　too。〃

〃And　she　didn't　do　that？〃

〃No；　unless　she　might　have　gone　out　for　it　herself。　　There's　a　news
stand　right　next　door　here。　　But　I　don't　think　she　did　because　I
would　have　seen　the　paper　around　the　house　then。〃

〃And　is　that　all　that's　the　matter　with　her？〃　　asked　Muller　in　a
tone　of　disappointment。　　〃Why；　I　thought　you'd　have　something　really
interesting　to　tell　me。〃

〃Oh；　no；　that　isn't　all；　sir；〃　　exclaimed　the　old　man　eagerly。

Muller　leaned　forward；　really　interested　now；　while　Franz　continued：
〃She　was　uneasy　all　the　afternoon　yesterday。　　She　walked　up　and　down
stairs　and　through　the　halls　…　I　remember　Lizzie　making　some　joke
about　it　…　and　then　in　the　evening　to　our　surprise　she　suddenly　began
a　great　rummaging　in　the　first　story。〃

〃Is　that　where　she　lives　？〃

〃Oh；　no；　her　room　is　in　the　wing　out　towards　the　garden。　　The　rooms
on　the　first　floor　all　belong　to　the　master　and　mistress。　　This
morning　we　found　out　that　Mrs。　Bernauer's　cleaning　up　of　the　evening
before　had　been　done　because　she　remembered　that　the　master　wanted
to　take　some　papers　with　him　but　couldn't　find　them　and　had　asked
her　to　look　for　them　and　send　them　right　on。〃

〃Well；　I　shouldn't　call　that　a　sign　of　any　particular　nervousness；
but　rather　an　evidence　of　Mrs。　Bernaner's　devotion　to　her　duty。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　sir　…　but　it　certainly　is　queer　that　she　should　go　into
the　garden　at　four　o'clock　this　morning　and　appear　to　be　looking
for　something　along　the　paths　and　under　the　bushes。　　Even　if　a　few
of　the　papers　blew　out　of　the　window；　or　blew　away　from　the　summer
house；　where　the　master　writes　sometimes；　they　couldn't　have
scattered　all　over　the　garden　like　that。〃

Muller　didn't　follow　up　this　subject　any　longer。　　There　might　come
a　time　when　he　would　be　interested　in　finding　out　the　reason　for
the　housekeeper's　search　in　the　garden；　but　just　at　present　he
wanted　something　else。　　He　remembered　some　remark　of　the　old　man's
about　the　〃poor　little　dog；〃　　and　on　this　he　built　his　plan。

〃Oh；　well；〃　　he　said　carelessly；　〃almost　everybody　is　nervous　and
impatient　now…a…days。　　I　suppose　Mrs。　Bernauer　felt　uneasy　because
she　couldn't　find　the　paper　right　away。　　There's　nothing　particularly
interesting　or　noticeable　about　that。　　Anyway；　I've　been　occupying
myself　much　more　these　last　years　with　sick　animals　rather　than　with
sick　people。　　I've　had　some　very　successful　cures　there。〃

〃No；　really；　have　you？　　Then　you　could　do　us　a　great　favour；〃
exclaimed　Franz　in　apparent　eagerness。　　Muller's　heart　rejoiced。　　He
had　apparently　hit　it　right　this　time。　　He　knew　that　in　a　house　like
that　〃a　poor　dog〃　　could　only　mean　a　〃sick　dog。〃　　But　his　voice　was
quite　calm　as　he　asked：　〃How　can　I　do　you　a　favour？〃

〃Why；　you　see；　sir；　we've　got　a　little　terrier；〃　　explained　the　old
man；　who　had　quite　forgotten　the　fact　that　he　had　mentioned　the　dog
before。　　〃And　there's　been　something　the　matter　with　the　poor　little
chap　for　several　days。　　He　won't　eat　or　drink；　he　bites　at　the　grass
and　rolls　around　on　his　stomach　and　cries　…　it's　a　pity　to　see　him。
If　you're　fond　of　animals　and　know　how　to　take　care　of　them；　you　may
be　able　to　help　us　there。〃

〃You　want　me　to　look　at　the　little　dog？　　Why；　yes；　I　suppose　I　can。〃

〃We'll　appreciate　it；〃　　said　the　old　man　with　an　embarrassed　smile。
But　Muller　shook　his　head　and　continued：　〃No；　never　mind　the　payment；
I　wouldn't　take　any　money　for　it。　　But　I'll　tell　you　what　you　can
do　for　me。　　I'm　very　fond　of　flowers。　　If　you　think　you　can　take　the　responsibility　of　letting　me
walk　around　in　the　garden　for　a　little
while；　and　pick　a　rose　or　two；　I　will　be　greatly　pleased。〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　may；〃　　said　Franz。　　〃Take　any　of　the　roses　you
see　there　that　please　you。　　They're　nearly　over　for　the　season　now
and　it's　better　they　should　be　picked　rather　than　left　to　fade　on
the　bush。　　We　don't　use　so　many　flowers　in　the　house　now　when　the
family　are　not　there。〃

〃All　right；　then；　it's　a　bargain；〃　　laughed　Muller；　signalling　to
the　landlord。　　〃Are　you；　going　already？〃　asked　the　old　servant。

〃Yes；　I　must　be　going　if　I　am　to　spend　any　time　with　the　little　dog。〃

〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　at　home　myself；〃　　said　Franz。　　〃Something's
the　matter　with　the　electric　wiring　in　our　place。　　The　bell　in　the
master's　room　keeps　ri