the man who knew too much-第20部分

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Ten　minutes　afterward　the　five　men；　shaken　by　such　a　shock；　were　again　together　in　the　garden；　looking　at　one　another　with　white　but　watchful　faces。　The　lawyer　seemed　the　most　alert　of　the　group；　he　was　articulate　if　somewhat　abrupt。

〃We　must　leave　the　body　as　it　is　and　telephone　for　the　police；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　my　own　authority　will　stretch　to　examining　the　servants　and　the　poor　fellow's　papers；　to　see　if　there　is　anything　that　concerns　them。　Of　course；　none　of　you　gentlemen　must　leave　this　place。〃

Perhaps　there　was　something　in　his　rapid　and　rigorous　legality　that　suggested　the　closing　of　a　net　or　trap。　Anyhow；　young　Bullen　suddenly　broke　down；　or　perhaps　blew　up；　for　his　voice　was　like　an　explosion　in　the　silent　garden。

〃I　never　touched　him；〃　he　cried。　〃I　swear　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it！〃

〃Who　said　you　had？〃　demanded　Harker；　with　a　hard　eye。　〃Why　do　you　cry　out　before　you're　hurt？〃

〃Because　you　all　look　at　me　like　that；〃　cried　the　young　man；　angrily。　〃Do　you　think　I　don't　know　you're　always　talking　about　my　damned　debts　and　expectations？〃

Rather　to　March's　surprise；　Fisher　had　drawn　away　from　this　first　collision；　leading　the　duke　with　him　to　another　part　of　the　garden。　When　he　was　out　of　earshot　of　the　others　he　said；　with　a　curious　simplicity　of　manner：

〃Westmoreland；　I　am　going　straight　to　the　point。〃

〃Well？〃　said　the　other；　staring　at　him　stolidly。

〃You　have　a　motive　for　killing　him；〃　said　Fisher。

The　duke　continued　to　stare；　but　he　seemed　unable　to　speak。

〃I　hope　you　had　a　motive　for　killing　him；〃　continued　Fisher；　mildly。　〃You　see；　it's　rather　a　curious　situation。　If　you　have　a　motive　for　murdering；　you　probably　didn't　murder。　But　if　you　hadn't　any　motive；　why；　then　perhaps；　you　did。〃

〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　demanded　the　duke；　violently。

〃It's　quite　simple；〃　said　Fisher。　〃When　you　went　across　he　was　either　alive　or　dead。　If　he　was　alive；　it　might　be　you　who　killed　him；　or　why　should　you　have　held　your　tongue　about　his　death？　But　if　he　was　dead；　and　you　had　a　reason　for　killing　him；　you　might　have　held　your　tongue　for　fear　of　being　accused。〃　Then　after　　a　silence　he　added；　abstractedly：　〃Cyprus　is　a　beautiful　place；　I　believe。　Romantic　scenery　and　romantic　people。　Very　intoxicating　for　a　young　man。〃

The　duke　suddenly　clenched　his　hands　and　said；　thickly；　〃Well；　I　had　a　motive。〃

〃Then　you're　all　right；〃　said　Fisher；　holding　out　his　hand　with　an　air　of　huge　relief。　〃I　was　pretty　sure　you　wouldn't　really　do　it；　you　had　a　fright　when　you　saw　it　done；　as　was　only　natural。　Like　a　bad　dream　come　true；　wasn't　it？〃

While　this　curious　conversation　was　passing；　Harker　had　gone　into　the　house；　disregarding　the　demonstrations　of　the　sulky　nephew；　and　came　back　presently　with　a　new　air　of　animation　and　a　sheaf　of　papers　in　his　hand。

〃I've　telephoned　for　the　police；〃　he　said；　stopping　to　speak　to　Fisher；　〃but　I　think　I've　done　most　of　their　work　for　them。　I　believe　I've　found　out　the　truth。　There's　a　paper　here〃　He　stopped；　for　Fisher　was　looking　at　him　with　a　singular　expression；　and　it　was　Fisher　who　spoke　next：

〃Are　there　any　papers　that　are　not　there；　I　wonder？　I　mean　that　are　not　there　now？〃　After　a　pause　he　added：　〃Let　us　have　the　cards　on　the　table。　When　you　went　through　his　papers　in　such　a　hurry；　Harker；　weren't　you　looking　for　something　toto　make　sure　it　shouldn't　be　found？〃

Harker　did　not　turn　a　red　hair　on　his　hard　head；　but　he　looked　at　the　other　out　of　the　corners　of　his　eyes。

〃And　I　suppose；〃　went　on　Fisher；　smoothly；　〃that　is　why　you；　too；　told　us　lies　about　having　found　Hook　alive。　You　knew　there　was　something　to　show　that　you　might　have　killed　him；　and　you　didn't　dare　tell　us　he　was　killed。　But；　believe　me；　it's　much　better　to　be　honest　now。〃

Harker's　haggard　face　suddenly　lit　up　as　if　with　infernal　flames。

〃Honest；〃　he　cried；　〃it's　not　so　damned　fine　of　you　fellows　to　be　honest。　You're　all　born　with　silver　spoons　in　your　mouths；　and　then　you　swagger　about　with　everlasting　virtue　because　you　haven't　got　other　people's　spoons　in　your　pockets。　But　I　was　born　in　a　Pimlico　lodging　house　and　I　had　to　make　my　spoon；　and　there'd　be　plenty　to　say　I　only　spoiled　a　horn　or　an　honest　man。　And　if　a　struggling　man　staggers　a　bit　over　the　line　in　his　youth；　in　the　lower　parts　of　the　law　which　are　pretty　dingy；　anyhow；　there's　always　some　old　vampire　to　hang　on　to　him　all　his　life　for　it。〃

〃Guatemalan　Golcondas；　wasn't　it？〃　said　Fisher；　sympathetically。

Harker　suddenly　shuddered。　Then　he　said；　〃I　believe　you　must　know　everything；　like　God　Almighty。〃

〃I　know　too　much；〃　said　Horne　Fisher；　〃and　all　the　wrong　things。〃

The　other　three　men　were　drawing　nearer　to　them；　but　before　they　came　too　near；　Harker　said；　in　a　voice　that　had　recovered　all　its　firmness：

〃Yes；　I　did　destroy　a　paper；　but　I　really　did　find　a　paper；　too；　and　I　believe　that　it　clears　us　all。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Fisher；　in　a　louder　and　more　cheerful　tone；　〃let　us　all　have　the　benefit　of　it。〃

〃On　the　very　top　of　Sir　Isaac's　papers；〃　explained　Harker；　〃there　was　a　threatening　letter　from　a　man　named　Hugo。　It　threatens　to　kill　our　unfortunate　friend　very　much　in　the　way　that　he　was　actually　killed。　It　is　a　wild　letter；　full　of　taunts；　you　can　see　it　for　yourselves；　but　it　makes　a　particular　point　of　poor　Hook's　habit　of　fishing　from　the　island。　Above　all；　the　man　professes　to　be　writing　from　a　boat。　And；　since　we　alone　went　across　to　him；〃　and　he　smiled　in　a　rather　ugly　fashion；　〃the　crime　must　have　been　committed　by　a　man　passing　in　a　boat。〃

〃Why；　dear　me！〃　cried　the　duke；　with　something　almost　amounting　to　animation。　〃Why；　I　remember　the　man　called　Hugo　quite　well！　He　was　a　sort　of　body　servant　and　bodyguard　of　Sir　Isaac。　You　see；　Sir　Isaac　was　in　some　fear　of　assault。　He　washe　was　not　very　popular　with　several　people。　Hugo　was　discharged　after　some　row　or　other；　but　I　remember　him　well。　He　was　a　great　big　Hungarian　fellow　with　great　mustaches　that　stood　out　on　each　side　of　his　face。〃

A　door　opened　in　the　darkness　of　Harold　March's　memory；　or；　rather；　oblivion；　and　showed　a　shining　landscape；　like　that　of　a　lost　dream。　It　was　rather　a　waterscape　than　a　landscape；　a　thing　of　flooded　meadows　and　low　trees　and　the　dark　archway　of　a　bridge。　And　for　one　instant　he　saw　again　the　man　with　mustaches　like　dark　horns　leap　up　on　to　the　bridge　and　disappear。

〃Good　heavens！〃　he　cried。　〃Why；　I　met　the　murderer　this　morning！〃


Horne　Fisher　and　Harold　March　had　their　day　on　the　river；　after　all；　for　the　little　group　broke　up　when　the　police　arrived。　They　declared　that　the　coincidence　of　March's　evidence　had　cleared　the　whole　company；　and　clinched　the　case　against　the　flying　Hugo。　Whether　that　Hungarian　fugitive　would　ever　be　caught　appeared　to　Horne　Fisher　to　be　highly　doubtful；　nor　can　it　be　pretended　that　he　displayed　any　very　demoniac　detective　energy　in　the　matter　as　he　leaned　back　in　the　boat　cushions；　smoking；　and　watching　the　swaying　reeds　slide　past。

〃It　was　a　very　good　notion　to　hop　up　on　to　the　bridge；〃　he　said。　〃An　empty　boat　means　very　little；　he　hasn't　been　seen　to　land　on　either　bank；　and　he's　walked　off　the　bridge　without　walking　on　to　it；　so　to　speak。　He's　got　twenty…four　hours'　start；　his　mustaches　will　disappear；　and　then　he　will　disappear。　I　think　there　is　every　hope　of　his　escape。〃

〃Hope？〃　repeated　March；　and　stopped　sculling　for　an　instant。

〃Yes；　hope；〃　repeated　the　other。　〃To　begin　with；　I'm　not　going　to　be　exactly　consumed　with　Corsican　revenge　because　somebody　has　killed　Hook。　Perhaps　you　may　guess　by　this　time　what　Hook　was。　A　damned　blood…sucking　blackmailer　was　that　simple；　strenuous；　self…made　captain　of　industry。　He　had　secrets　against　nearly　everybody；　one　against　poor　old　Westmoreland　about　an　early　marriage　in　Cyprus　that　might　have　put　the　duchess　in　a　queer　position；　and　one　against　Harker　about　some　flutter　with　his　client's　money　when　he　was　a　young　solicitor。　That's　why　they　went　to　pieces　when　they　found　him　murdered；　of　course。　They　felt　as　if　they'd　done　it　in　a　dream。　But　I　admit　I　have　another　reason　for　not　wanting　our　Hungarian　friend　actually　hanged　for　the　murder。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃　asked　his　friend。

〃Only　that　he　didn't　commit　the　murder；〃　answered　Fisher。

Harold　March　laid　down　the　oars　and　let　the　boat　drift　for　a　moment。

〃Do　you　know；　I　was　half　expecting　something　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　quite　irrational；　but　it　was　hanging　about　in　the　atmosphere；　like　thunder　in　the　air。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　it's　finding　Hugo　guilty　that's　irrational；〃　replied　Fisher。　〃Don't　you　see　that　they're　condemning　him　for　the　very　reason　for　which　they　acquit　everybody　else？　Harker　and　Westmoreland　were　silent　because　they　found　him　murdered；　and　knew　there　were　papers　that　made　them　look　like　the　murderers。　Well；　so　did　Hugo　find　him　murdered；　and　so　did　Hugo　know　there　was　a　paper　that　would　make　him　look　like　the　murderer。　He　had　written　it　himself　the　day　before。〃

〃But　in　that　case；〃　said　March；　frowning；　〃at　what　sort　of　unearthly　hour　in　the　morning　was　the　murder　really　committed？　It　was　barely　daylight　when　I　met　him　at　the　bridge；　and　that's　some　way　above　the　island。〃

〃The　answer　is　very　simple；〃　replied　Fishe