An Adventure at Brownville AUDIOBOOK Short Story by Ambrose Bierce Learn English Through Story
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an adventure at brownville
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there was only one school in brownville
and i was the only teacher
brownville was a small town and had few
young people
but many visitors stayed there in the
summer
brownville has some of the finest views
in the state of california
the town lies between hills that are
covered in beautiful colorful trees
in the hills the air is fresh and clear
many visitors came to brownville to
improve their health
they walked on the hills and breathed
the good clean air
i saw many of these visitors because i
lived in a boarding house
in summer the house was full of guests
and i talked to most of them
i ate breakfast and supper in the
boarding house
and spent the rest of the day at the
school
the school was not far away
it was on the other side of a hill
the distance by road was about one and a
half miles
but i knew a shorter way
i could walk over the top of the hill in
15 minutes
there was a path that ran through the
forest on the hill
i came back along this forest path late
one evening
it was the last day of term
tomorrow the students vacations would
begin
i had stayed late at the school because
i had been writing reports about the
students
the sun was going down in the sky
its golden light shone through the trees
and made long dark shadows
i was tired
i sat down on an old fallen tree
and looked at the sun setting in the
darkening sky
it was calm and peaceful in the forest
suddenly i heard voices
one was a woman’s voice
and she sounded angry
the second voice belonged to a man
it was a deep and musical voice
the voice of a singer
i could not see who was speaking
but i could hear the words clearly
don’t threaten me
the man said
you can do nothing
don’t try to change anything
or you’ll both suffer
what do you mean
said the woman’s voice angrily
it was a cultivated voice
she spoke clearly and well
do you mean that you’ll murder us
the man did not reply
i wanted to get to the boarding house
it was supper time
and i was hungry but i did not want to
pass the man and woman
i looked around and saw no one
i stood up quickly and walked on
it was almost dark now
but suddenly i saw the two people among
the trees
they were standing on the path
the man was tall and slim
he seemed to be wearing black clothes
but there were too many shadows
and i could not see clearly
the woman wore a pale gray dress
they did not see me
as i watched the woman knelt on the
ground in front of the man
she held her hands together in front of
her face
was she begging for the man’s help or
was she praying that he would not hurt
her
i did not like this scene
there was trouble here
i stepped behind a large
tree when i looked at the path again
the man and woman had disappeared
i walked on until i saw the light of the
lamps shining from the windows of the
boarding house
the scene of the man and the woman in
the forest
stayed in my mind
it had made me feel unhappy and
uncomfortable
i saw some new guests at breakfast the
next morning
a young woman sat at a table opposite
mine
but she was not the woman who i had seen
last night
then a younger lady entered the dining
room
the two young women looked very similar
and they were both extremely pretty
when the second young lady spoke
i recognized her voice
immediately i had heard it in the forest
the two ladies were sisters
i guessed that they were about 18 and 20
years old
i finished my coffee and left the dining
room quickly
we were the only people in the room
and i did not want to listen to their
private conversation
that would be rude
and i did not want them to notice me
i did not see the tall slim man
but i heard him
he was in the garden of the boarding
house
as i had guessed
he was a singer
he was practicing his singing
he was singing la donna a mobile
a song from verdi’s opera rigoletto
the singer had a very good strong voice
maybe it was too good
why was he in a simple boarding house in
brownville and singing in this way
this was strange did he want the guests
to admire his voice
i walked away quickly
when i returned to the boarding house
later
i saw the elder sister
she was standing in the garden with the
singer
he was dressed in black clothes
his back was turned toward me
so i could not see his face
brownville was a small town
and it had no theaters or restaurants
so when the people of brownville
finished their work
they enjoyed gossiping
i enjoyed gossiping too
who were these unusual visitors
and what was their story
the singer was talking easily to the
younger woman
i guessed that they knew each other well
when i came into the garden he stopped
talking and turned around
he looked straight at my face
the man was not young
i guessed that he was about 50 years old
his face was extremely handsome
his hair was thick and black
as black as the clothes that he wore
and the clothes were very fine
they were smart fashionable and well
made
they looked expensive
he could not have bought clothes like
these in brownville
i had seen pictures of opera houses in
the fashionable cities of europe
this man reminded me of the men in those
pictures
the man looked at me as if he knew the
thoughts in my head
did he know what i was thinking
the expression on his face was not angry
or frightening
but i suddenly felt afraid
why
i could not explain it
i only knew that i was afraid of this
dark and handsome man
he was dangerous
i did not like him
he put his hand on the young woman’s arm
and turned her away
then they stepped inside the boarding
house and disappeared
neither of them spoke to me
the landlady of the boarding house
always liked to gossip
she always had the latest news
and was happy to talk about it
so i asked her about the new guests
the two girls are pauline and eva
maynard
and they’ve come from san francisco
the landlady said
pauline is the older sister
the man’s name is richard benning
he is their guardian
he has taken care of the girls since
their father died
soon when the girls are 21
they’ll have their father’s money
meanwhile eva isn’t well
mr benning believes that the good heir
of brownville will improve her health
mr benning takes very good care of the
two girls
the landlady went on
he spends a lot of money on them
and on himself
but maybe he’s spending their father’s
money
it was now my summer vacation
i did not have to go back to the school
for several weeks
i walked on the hills
and enjoyed the views and the fresh air
i often met richard benning and the two
girls walking on the hills too
they seemed to be very happy together
then i remembered the strange words that
i had heard one of the sisters
say do you mean that you’ll murder us
why
had eva maynard said this
for a short time i forgot those
frightening words
then one morning
the people of brownville were all
talking about a tragedy
something terrible had happened in their
town
pauline maynard the elder sister
had died
many people came to the boarding house
to say a few kind words
i went into the sitting room
eva maynard was standing beside the body
of her dead sister
and she was weeping
pauline maynard was lying in a wooden
coffin
her face was extremely pale
she looked as if you were asleep
a crowd of people stood in the doorway
of the sitting room
and stared at the scene
suddenly richard benning pushed his way
through the crowd and entered the room
he tried to hold eva’s hand
but she pulled it away
she stood up and cried out
it’s you
she shouted
you’ve done this you you you
she doesn’t know what she’s saying
richard benning said in a soft voice
she’s had a terrible shock
she’s upset
benning moved toward eva
but she stepped away from him
he did not try to touch her hand again
instead
he moved his hand in front of her face
slowly
once
immediately eva’s eyes closed
and she stood still
then
benning held her hand and put his other
arm around her shoulders
suddenly she began to weep again
then benning gently led the young woman
out of the room
a few days later there was an inquest in
brownville
the coroner listened to the words of
benning
a doctor and several people in the
boarding house
then he wrote these words on pauline’s
death certificate
cause of death
heart disease
they thought that pauline had died
suddenly because her heart was weak
benning sent for an undertaker from san
francisco
the undertaker took pauline’s body back
to the city
and she was buried
neither benning nor eva went to the dead
girl’s funeral
many of the people of brownville thought
that this was wrong and strange
poor eva
the landlady said to me
her health is not good mr benning is
worried
he doesn’t want to take her back to san
francisco
her health might become worse if she
goes to the city
it’s better for her to stay here in
brownville
a week passed
one evening i finished my supper and
went into the garden
i saw richard benning and eva maynard
standing beneath a tree
they were holding each other’s hands
and looking into each other’s eyes
it was a very gentle and romantic scene
but it was wrong
they looked like lovers
benning was a 50 year old man
and eva was not yet 20.
also he was her guardian
benning should be like a father to the
young woman
not a lover
i stood in the shadows and they did not
see me
i did not move
but i listened
you will kill me
said eva
i know that you killed pauline
i beg you to kill me quickly
let me go
let me be at peace
richard benning did not reply
he released eva’s hand and walked away
he walked up the hill to the forest
where i had first seen him
as he walked he sang
his fine voice sounded beautiful and
wild
eva stared at her guardian
as she listened she put her hands
together
she held her hands in front of her body
as if she was praying
i walked out of the shadows
eva turned and stared at me
maybe i had frightened her
miss maynard i said
i’m sorry
i came into the garden and i heard what
you said
i believe that you’re in danger
you can do nothing she said
her voice was soft and she had a strange
expression on her face
her eyes were large and bright
was she ill
or maybe she was dreaming
i gently held eva’s hand
you seem to be asleep i said
you must wake up
you said that benning killed your sister
you said that he’ll kill you too
will you tell me about it
i’ll try to help you
you can’t help me
said eva
we’ll be here for only a day or two more
then we’ll go away
far away
i ask you to be silent
you mustn’t talk about anything that
you’ve seen or heard here
but this is crazy i said
i’m sure that you’re in danger i must
tell the police
eva woke up a little when she heard this
her expression changed
she became cold and polite
this is my business not yours she said
but your sister died here
in brownville i said
and she died suddenly
now you are in danger
the people of brownville might be in
danger too
you must tell me what happened
didn’t you love your sister
yes i loved her said eva
but i love him more
do you think that the police will
believe you
you heard a secret conversation
if you talk about it i’ll say that your
words are lies
no one will believe your story
suddenly she smiled
it was a beautiful sweet smile
i could not believe her words
they were so hard and cold
eva held my hand tightly
come with me
she said
we’ll walk together
he will be away all night
he won’t know that you’ve been with me
we’ll walk and talk
and you’ll forget what you’ve seen and
heard
you’ll forget about us
truly i did not know the ways of women
then
i was happy to walk in the garden with
eva maynard
i was a little in love with this
beautiful young woman
we talked about the people of brownville
and we talked about their love of gossip
i did not want to go to my bed
before i said good night
i asked eva to walk with me the next day
there’s an old mill on the top of the
hill
will you walk there with me tomorrow
afternoon
we can enjoy the fine views from the
mill
if he’s not here yes
i’ll walk there with you
said eva
i went to bed feeling happy
i smiled happily as i fell asleep
the next morning i awoke feeling even
happier
today is going to be a special day i
thought
eva was not in the dining room at lunch
time
maybe i had hoped for too much
i am only a school teacher in a small
town and i am not very rich or very
handsome
but i was not disappointed
eva came into the garden
benning must have gone away
i was the happiest man in the world
eva said nothing as i followed her up
the path to the old mill
she knew the way there because she had
walked to the mill many times with her
guardian
eva and i did not have a conversation
but she sang songs
she sang happy and sad songs
her feelings changed as quickly as
clouds pass across the sky
one minute sunshine
the next minute shadow
i was happy to be with her whatever she
felt
she walked and i followed
when we came to the mill
she did not stop walking
she crossed an old wooden bridge and
took the path up the high hill
it was the path to a place called the
eagle’s nest
this was where the path ended
on a cliff high above the forest
the view from the eagle’s nest was
beautiful
i was a little afraid
the view was fine
but i did not like to go near the edge
of the cliff
the ground was more than 200 feet below
us
but eva stood on the cliff’s edge
and looked up
not down
suddenly i heard footsteps
and richard benning came and stood
beside us
i saw you walking on the path he said
carelessly
so i came up too
eva turned toward us
she still stood on the edge of the cliff
her eyes were shining
and she was smiling
there was a look of love on her face
i’m so glad that you came
she said
she was staring at benning
her loving expression showed that she
was telling the truth
but then
i saw something else in her expression
eva’s mouth was smiling
but suddenly there was fear in her eyes
she looked like a frightened animal
with a smile on her lips and fear in her
eyes eva stepped backward
she fell over the edge of the cliff to
the ground below
benning and i ran down the path to the
bottom of the
cliff he got there before me
i did not want to look at eva’s body
beautiful eva was no longer beautiful
benning looked at her carefully
but he did not touch her
she’s dead
quite dead he said
i’ll go to the town and get a police
officer
please stay here with the body
i did not know what to say
i was shocked
benning started to walk toward
brownville
then he turned and looked at me
you saw what happened he said carelessly
it was an accident
eva killed herself
i saw her step off the edge of the cliff
and you saw it too
you’re a killer i said
you’re a damned killer
you didn’t touch her but i know that you
killed her
benning turned his back toward me and
walked away
as he walked through the forest i heard
him singing
he was singing a song from verdi’s opera
rigoletto
la donna
emobile
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