에드가 월러스의 검은 수도원장

The Black Abbot by Edgar Wallace

에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace) 지음

디즈비즈북스 2025년 10월 01일 출간

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영어로 읽는 고전 _ 에드가 월러스의 검은 수도원장
에드가 월러스의 《검은 수도원장》은 1920년대 후반에 쓰인 추리소설입니다. 영국의 한 영지를 배경으로 하는 이 이야기는 포사웨이 저택을 떠돈다고 전해지는 유령인 검은 수도원장의 신화를 둘러싼 논의에 휘말린 첼포드 백작으로 시작됩니다. 플롯이 전개되면서 가족의 비밀, 보물 사냥, 그리고 로맨스가 얽히게 되며, 특히 해리 앨포드와 그의 형제 딕, 그리고 수수께끼 같은 인물 레슬리 그윈과 관련됩니다.
서사의 시작에서 우리는 첼포드 경과 그의 하인 토마스가 재무부 수표 발송에 대해 논의하고, 첼포드를 눈에 띄게 동요시키는 검은 수도원장의 으스스한 전설에 대해 이야기하는 모습을 소개받습니다. 그는 토마스에게 유령에 대해 이야기하지 말라고 엄하게 경고하고 자신의 두려움을 드러내며, 단순한 미신 이상의 것이 작용하고 있을 수 있음을 시사합니다. 한편, 불만을 품은 전 비서 웨너 양의 존재는 로맨틱한 긴장과 음모의 층을 도입하며, 특히 백작의 다가오는 결혼과 저택의 전설 속에 숨겨진 보물의 가능성과 관련하여 그렇습니다. 도입부는 미스터리, 개인적 드라마, 그리고 초자연적 요소들의 혼합을 능숙하게 설정하여 유령이 나오는 영지의 이야기와 가족 관계의 복잡성에 흥미를 느끼는 독자들을 분명히 사로잡을 것입니다.

Classics Read in English _ The Black Abbot by Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace's "The Black Abbot" emerges as a compelling late 1920s mystery that skillfully weaves together supernatural folklore with earthly intrigue within the atmospheric setting of an English country estate. The novel centers on the troubled Earl of Chelford, whose ancestral home, Fossaway Manor, harbors both ancient legends and contemporary secrets that threaten to unravel the family's carefully maintained facade.
The story opens with Lord Chelford's evident distress over the persistent legend of the Black Abbot, a spectral figure whose alleged appearances at the manor have become a source of genuine terror rather than mere curiosity. The Earl's interactions with his loyal footman Thomas reveal the depth of his anxiety about the supernatural presence, suggesting that recent events may have given credence to what others dismiss as folklore.
The narrative complexity deepens with the introduction of multiple romantic and financial entanglements involving the Alford brothers, Harry and Dick, whose differing approaches to life create tension within the family circle. The mysterious Leslie Gwyn adds another layer of intrigue, while the discontented former secretary Miss Wenner represents unresolved emotional complications that threaten the Earl's plans for matrimonial stability.
Wallace establishes a framework where treasure hunting becomes entangled with family politics, romance intersects with supernatural dread, and the manor itself serves as both sanctuary and prison for its inhabitants. The author's careful balance of gothic atmosphere with contemporary relationship dynamics creates a narrative that appeals to readers seeking both mystery and psychological depth.
The opening sequences effectively establish the various plot threads that will converge as ancient secrets collide with modern ambitions, setting the stage for revelations that will challenge both the characters' beliefs and their survival.

목차

Contents
CHAPTER I. Thomas
CHAPTER II. The reapers had laid low
CHAPTER III. He spoke without bitterness
CHAPTER IV. Dick Alford was in the little study
CHAPTER V. If the Honourable Richard Fallington Alford
CHAPTER VI. In all the City of London there was perhaps no office
CHAPTER VII. Arthur Gwyn laughed softly
CHAPTER VIII. Fifteen tons of gold
CHAPTER IX. Leslie Gwyn’s occupations at Willow House
CHAPTER X. Strange as it may seem
CHAPTER XI. My sister?
CHAPTER XII. When Gilder had this message
CHAPTER XIII. Leslie had spent rather a boring afternoon
CHAPTER XIV. Dick Alford
CHAPTER XV. Not a word did Leslie say
CHAPTER XVI. To his unspeakable relief
CHAPTER XVII. He did not attempt to rise from his chair
CHAPTER XVIII. The night was cool and dark
CHAPTER XIX. Leslie opened her eyes
CHAPTER XX. The Second Son climbed the fence
CHAPTER XXI. There was a sign of dawn in the sky
CHAPTER XXII. It was a girl’s voice
CHAPTER XXIII. The office of Gwyn & Gwyn was thrown
CHAPTER XXIV. The luncheon was not a genial meal
CHAPTER XXV. She leaned on the gray stone
CHAPTER XXVI. Dick flew forward to the prostrate figure
CHAPTER XXVII. Mr. Fabrian Gilder, sometime head clerk
CHAPTER XXVIII. She rose as Gladys brought in the tea
CHAPTER XXIX. The weather had changed that afternoon
CHAPTER XXX. With an oath, Gilder whipped a pistol
CHAPTER XXXI. And that was all the other cylinders
CHAPTER XXXII. Gilder poured out the tea
CHAPTER XXXIII. The groom who brought Dick Alford’s horse
CHAPTER XXXIV. In sight of her house he left her
CHAPTER XXXV. The truth was out
CHAPTER XXXVI. Mr. Gilder arrived at his cottage
CHAPTER XXXVII. The door opened
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Passing down Wardour Street
CHAPTER XXXIX. A dozen letters were written
CHAPTER XL. Dick looked at the pitiable thing
CHAPTER XLI. Puttler, unshaven and weary-eyed
CHAPTER XLII. Curiouser and curiouser
CHAPTER XLIII. Mr. Gilder rose at six o’clock that morning
CHAPTER XLIV. Gilder stopped the taxi
CHAPTER XLV. “Burnt,” said Dick
CHAPTER XLVI. The adaptability of Miss Wenner
CHAPTER XLVII. Hurrying back the way she had come
CHAPTER XLVIII. The bane of life that day
CHAPTER XLIX. Though she waited up till nearly eleven
CHAPTER L. Neither man spoke
CHAPTER LI. At nine o’clock that morning
CHAPTER LII. So Dick Alford was the Black Abbot!
CHAPTER LIII. Despite all her gloomy
CHAPTER LIV. Harry had lit a candle
CHAPTER LV. It seemed an interminable time
CHAPTER LVI. A high official from Scotland Yard
CHAPTER LVII. He called again
CHAPTER LVIII. Leslie had no doubt
CHAPTER LIX. Harry was unconscious
CHAPTER LX. She woke
CHAPTER LXI. A hot bath and a meal
CHAPTER LXII. What time is it
CHAPTER LXIII. She could see no daylight
CHAPTER LXIV. There was no question
CHAPTER LXV. When Leslie Gwyn woke

책 속으로

“Thomas!” … “Yes, m’lord.”
Thomas the footman waited, a look of concentrated interest on his unprepossessing face, whilst the pale man behind the big library desk sorted out a small pile of treasury notes. The battered steel box from which they were taken was full to the brim with bank and treasury notes of all denominations in hopeless confusion.
“Thomas!” absently.
“Yes, m’lord.”
“Put this money in that envelope—not that one, you fool, the gray one. Is it addressed?”
“Yes, m’lord. ‘Herr Lubitz, Frankfurterstrasse 35, Leipsic,’ m’lord.”
“Lick it down, take it to the post office and register it. Is Mr. Richard in his study?”
“No, m’lord, he went out an hour ago.”
Harry Alford, eighteenth Earl of Chelford, sighed. He was on the right side of thirty, thin of face and pale as students are, his jet-black hair emphasizing the pallor of his skin.

출판사 서평

서평(Book Review)
에드가 월러스의 《검은 수도원장》은 고딕 소설의 전통과 현대적 추리소설이 절묘하게 결합된 작품이다. 포사웨이 저택이라는 영국 전통 영지를 배경으로 한 설정이 효과적이며, 검은 수도원장이라는 유령 전설이 단순한 장식이 아닌 플롯의 핵심 요소로 기능한다. 첼포드 백작의 공포와 불안이 생생하게 묘사되어 독자들도 함께 긴장감을 느끼게 된다.
월러스는 초자연적 요소와 현실적 범죄를 교묘히 융합시키며, 앨포드 형제와 레슬리 그윈, 웨너 양 등 다양한 인물들의 복잡한 관계를 통해 이야기에 깊이를 더한다. 보물 사냥과 가족 비밀, 로맨스가 얽힌 플롯 구성이 흥미로우며, 특히 저택이라는 폐쇄적 공간에서 벌어지는 심리적 긴장이 잘 그려진다.
1920년대 후반 작품답게 당시 사회의 계급 의식과 가족 제도의 특성이 잘 반영되어 있다. 다만 일부 캐릭터의 행동 동기가 다소 예측 가능한 면이 있다. 그럼에도 이 작품은 고전적 고딕 미스터리의 매력을 현대적 감각으로 재해석한 성공적인 작품이다.

Edgar Wallace's "The Black Abbot" represents a masterful fusion of gothic tradition with contemporary mystery elements, creating an atmospheric tale that effectively balances supernatural dread with realistic character development. The novel's setting at Fossaway Manor provides an ideal backdrop for exploring how ancient legends can intrude upon modern lives, while Wallace's characterization of the Earl of Chelford demonstrates genuine psychological complexity.
The author's treatment of the Black Abbot legend avoids the trap of relying solely on supernatural elements for suspense, instead using the ghostly presence as a catalyst for revealing deeper human conflicts. The interplay between Lord Chelford's genuine terror and the practical concerns of treasure hunting creates compelling dramatic tension throughout the opening chapters.
Wallace demonstrates considerable skill in managing multiple plot threads involving romance, family dynamics, and financial intrigue without allowing any single element to overwhelm the narrative. The relationships between the Alford brothers, Leslie Gwyn, and Miss Wenner add layers of complexity that extend beyond simple mystery plotting.
The novel succeeds in creating an authentic atmosphere of a late 1920s English estate while incorporating timeless themes of greed, fear, and familial obligation. While some character motivations may feel familiar to contemporary readers versed in the gothic mystery genre, Wallace's execution remains engaging through his attention to psychological detail and atmospheric description.
"The Black Abbot" stands as an effective example of how traditional gothic elements can be successfully integrated with modern crime fiction, creating a work that satisfies both mystery enthusiasts and readers seeking atmospheric storytelling.

인물정보

저자(글) 에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace)

에드가 월러스(Edgar Wallace, 1875-1932)는 영국의 대표적인 추리소설 작가로, 20세기 초 가장 다작의 작가 중 한 명이었습니다. 그는 170여 편의 소설과 수많은 단편소설, 연극 대본을 썼으며, 특히 스릴러와 범죄소설 장르에서 큰 인기를 얻었습니다. 대표작으로는 《사괴도》(The Four Just Men) 시리즈와 《킹콩》의 원작 시나리오가 있습니다. 신문기자 출신인 그는 빠른 속도로 작품을 집필하는 것으로 유명했으며, 당시 영국에서 판매되는 책 4권 중 1권이 그의 작품일 정도로 엄청난 인기를 누렸습니다.

Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British author who became one of the most popular thriller and detective fiction writers of the early 20th century. He wrote over 170 novels, numerous short stories, and stage plays, establishing himself as a master of crime fiction and adventure stories. His most famous works include "The Four Just Men" series and the original story for "King Kong." A former journalist, Wallace was renowned for his incredible writing speed and productivity. At the height of his popularity, it was said that one in every four books sold in Britain was written by him, making him one of the best-selling authors of his time.