Brooksmith
| "Brooksmith" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Henry James |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Short story |
| Published in | The Lesson of the Master |
| Publication type | Book |
"Brooksmith" is a short story written by Henry James in 1891. The story is also present in a compilation of 50 Great Short Stories by Milton Crane
Plot
The narrator tells the story of Brooksmith, a butler he had once known. Brooksmith was responsible for the preservation of the atmosphere in a retired diplomat's salon where various conversations took place. With the diplomat's death, Brooksmith loses his vocation, which to him was almost a calling. Brooksmith, lonely and dispirited, works a few odd jobs but falls into poverty and illness. At the end of the story, the narrator reveals that Brooksmith had disappeared, and implies that he may have committed suicide.