Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Hisbackwasroundedwithstudy,butotherwisehewasasfinealookingmanofhisage—five-and-fiftyperhaps—asanywomanwouldwishtolookupon.

           Buthispresencewasnotacheerfulone.Hewasalwayscourteous,alwaysrefined,butsingularlysilentandretiring.Ihaveneverlivedsolongwithanymanandknownsolittleofhim.IfhewereindoorshespenthistimeeitherinhisownsmallstudyintheEasternTower,orinthelibraryinthemodernwing.Soregularwashisroutinethatonecouldalwayssayatanyhourexactlywherehewouldbe.Twiceinthedayhewouldvisithisstudy,onceafterbreakfast,andonceabouttenatnight.Youmightsetyourwatchbytheslamoftheheavydoor.Fortherestofthedayhewouldbeinhislibrary—savethatforanhourortwointheafternoonhewouldtakeawalkoraride,whichwassolitaryliketherestofhisexistence.Helovedhischildren,andwaskeenlyinterestedintheprogressoftheirstudies,buttheywerealittleawedbythesilent,shaggy-browedfigure,andtheyavoidedhimasmuchastheycould.Indeed,wealldidthat.

           ItwassometimebeforeIcametoknowanythingaboutthecircumstancesofSirJohnBollamore’slife,forMrs.Stevens,thehousekeeper,andMr.Richards,theland-steward,weretooloyaltotalkeasilyoftheiremployer’saffairs.Astothegoverness,sheknewnomorethanIdid,andourcommoninterestwasoneofthecauseswhichdrewustogether.Atlast,however,anincidentoccurredwhichledtoacloseracquaintancewithMr.RichardsandafullerknowledgeofthelifeofthemanwhomIserved.