Mysteries follow one another so closely in a great city that the reading public and the friends of Johnny Bellchambers have ceased to marvel2 at his sudden and unexplained disappearance3 nearly a year ago. This particular mystery has now been cleared up, but the solution is so strange and incredible to the mind of the average man that only a select few who were in close touch with Bellchambers will give it full credence4.
Johnny Bellchambers, as is well known, belonged to the intrinsically inner circle of the elite5. Without any of the ostentation6 of the fashionable ones who endeavor to attract notice by eccentric display of wealth and show he still was au fait in everything that gave deserved lustre7 to his high position in the ranks of society.
Especially did he shine in the matter of dress. In this he was the despair of imitators. Always correct, exquisitely8 groomed9, and possessed10 of an unlimited11 wardrobe, he was conceded to be the best-dressed man in New York, and, therefore, in America. There was not a tailor in Gotham who would not have deemed it a precious boon12 to have been granted the privilege of making Bellchambers' clothes without a cent of pay. As he wore them, they would have been a priceless advertisement. Trousers were his special passion. Here nothing but perfection would he notice. He would have worn a patch as quickly as he would have overlooked a wrinkle. He kept a man in his apartments always busy pressing his ample supply. His friends said that three hours was the limit of time that he would wear these garments without exchanging.
Bellchambers disappeared very suddenly. For three days his absence brought no alarm to his friends, and then they began to operate the usual methods of inquiry13. All of them failed. He had left absolutely no trace behind. Then the search for a motive14 was instituted, but none was found. He had no enemies, he had no debts, there was no woman. There were several thousand dollars in his bank to his credit. He had never showed any tendency toward mental eccentricity15; in fact, he was of a particularly calm and well-balanced temperament16. Every means of tracing the vanished man was made use of, but without avail. It was one of those cases - more numerous in late years - where men seem to have gone out like the flame of a candle, leaving not even a trail of smoke as a witness.
In May, Tom Eyres and Lancelot Gilliam, two of Bellchambers' old friends, went for a little run on the other side. While pottering around in Italy and Switzerland, they happened, one day, to hear of a monastery17 in the Swiss Alps that promised something outside of the ordinary tourist-beguiling attractions. The monastery was almost inaccessible18 to the average sightseer, being on an extremely rugged19 and precipitous spur of the mountains. The attractions it possessed but did not advertise were, first, an exclusive and divine cordial made by the monks20 that was said to far surpass benedictine and chartreuse. Next a huge brass21 bell so purely22 and accurately23 cast that it had not ceased sounding since it was first rung three hundred years ago. Finally, it was asserted that no Englishman had ever set foot within its walls. Eyres and Gilliam decided24 that these three reports called for investigation25.
It took them two days with the aid of two guides to reach the monastery of St. Gondrau. It stood upon a frozen, wind-swept crag with the snow piled about it in treacherous26, drifting masses. They were hospitably27 received by the brothers whose duty it was to entertain the infrequent guest. They drank of the precious cordial, finding it rarely potent29 and reviving. They listened to the great, ever-echoing bell, and learned that they were pioneer travelers, in those gray stone walls, over the Englishman whose restless feet have trodden nearly every corner of the earth.
At three o'clock on the afternoon they arrived, the two young Gothamites stood with good Brother Cristofer in the great, cold hallway of the monastery to watch the monks march past on their way to the refectory. They came slowly, pacing by twos, with their heads bowed, treading noiselessly with sandaled feet upon the rough stone flags. As the procession slowly filed past, Eyres suddenly gripped Gilliam by the arm. "Look," he whispered, eagerly, "at the one just opposite you now - the one on this side, with his hand at his waist - if that isn't Johnny Bellchambers then I never saw him!"
Gilliam saw and recognized the lost glass of fashion.
"What the deuce," said he, wonderingly, "is old Bell doing here? Tommy, it surely can't be he! Never heard of Bell having a turn for the religious. Fact is, I've heard him say things when a four-in-hand didn't seem to tie up just right that would bring him up for court-martial before any church."
"It's Bell, without a doubt," said Eyres, firmly, "or I'm pretty badly in need of an oculist30. But think of Johnny Bellchambers, the Royal High Chancellor31 of swell32 togs and the Mahatma of pink teas, up here in cold storage doing penance33 in a snuff-colored bathrobe! I can't get it straight in my mind. Let's ask the jolly old boy that's doing honors."
Brother Cristofer was appealed to for information. By that time the monks had passed into the refectory. He could not tell to which one they referred. Bellchambers? Ah, the brothers of St. Gondrau abandoned their worldly names when they took the vows34. Did the gentlemen wish to speak with one of the brothers? If they would come to the refectory and indicate the one they wished to see, the reverend abbot in authority would, doubtless, permit it.
Eyres and Gilliam went into the dining hall and pointed35 out to Brother Cristofer the man they had seen. Yes, it was Johnny Bellchambers. They saw his face plainly now, as he sat among the dingy36 brothers, never looking up, eating broth28 from a coarse, brown bowl.
Permission to speak to one of the brothers was granted to the two travelers by the abbot, and they waited in a reception room for him to come. When he did come, treading softly in his sandals, both Eyres and Gilliam looked at him in perplexity and astonishment37. It was Johnny Bellchambers, but he had a different look. Upon his smooth-shaven face was an expression of ineffable38 peace, of rapturous attainment39, of perfect and complete happiness. His form was proudly erect40, his eyes shone with a serene41 and gracious light. He was as neat and well-groomed as in the old New York days, but how differently was he clad! Now he seemed clothed in but a single garment - a long robe of rough brown cloth, gathered by a cord at the waist, and falling in straight, loose folds nearly to his feet. He shook hands with his visitors with his old ease and grace of manner. If there was any embarrassment42 in that meeting it was not manifested by Johnny Bellchambers. The room had no seats; they stood to converse43.
"Glad to see you, old man," said Eyres, somewhat awkwardly. "Wasn't expecting to find you up here. Not a bad idea though, after all. Society's an awful sham44. Must be a relief to shake the giddy whirl and retire to - er - contemplation and - er - prayer and hymns45, and those things.
"Oh, cut that, Tommy," said Bellchambers, cheerfully. "Don't be afraid that I'll pass around the plate. I go through these thing-um-bobs with the rest of these old boys because they are the rules. I'm Brother Ambrose here, you know. I'm given just ten minutes to talk to you fellows. That's rather a new design in waistcoats you have on, isn't it, Gilliam? Are they wearing those things on Broadway now?"
"It's the same old Johnny," said Gilliam, joyfully46. "What the devil - I mean why - Oh, confound it! what did you do it for, old man?"
"Peel the bathrobe," pleaded Eyres, almost tearfully, "and go back with us. The old crowd'll go wild to see you. This isn't in your line, Bell. I know half a dozen girls that wore the willow47 on the quiet when you shook us in that unaccountable way. Hand in your resignation, or get a dispensation, or whatever you have to do to get a release from this ice factory. You'll get catarrh here, Johnny - and - My God! you haven't any socks on!"
Bellchambers looked down at his sandaled feet and smiled.
"You fellows don't understand," he said, soothingly48. "It's nice of you to want me to go back, but the old life will never know me again. I have reached here the goal of all my ambitions. I am entirely49 happy and contented50. Here I shall remain for the remainder of my days. You see this robe that I wear?" Bellchambers caressingly51 touched the straight-hanging garment: "At last I have found something that will not bag at the knees. I have attained52 -"
At that moment the deep boom of the great brass bell reverberated53 through the monastery. It must have been a summons to immediate54 devotions, for Brother Ambrose bowed his head, turned and left the chamber1 without another word. A slight wave of his hand as he passed through the stone doorway55 seemed to say a farewell to his old friends. They left the monastery without seeing him again.
And this is the story that Tommy Eyres and Lancelot Gilliam brought back with them from their latest European tour.
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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credence
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| n.信用，祭器台，供桌，凭证 | |
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elite
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| n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的 | |
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ostentation
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| n.夸耀，卖弄 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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groomed
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| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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eccentricity
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| n.古怪，反常，怪癖 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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oculist
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| n.眼科医生 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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ineffable
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| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
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attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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42
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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43
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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44
sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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45
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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46
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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47
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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48
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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49
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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50
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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51
caressingly
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| 爱抚地，亲切地 | |
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52
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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53
reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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54
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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55
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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