the wisdom of father brown-第44部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　　　　　Father　Brown　sat　up　suddenly。

　　　　　〃Rose　from　the　ranks！〃　he　cried；　and　made　a　mouth　as　if　to　whistle。　　〃Well；　well；　what　a　queer　story！　　What　a　queer　way　of　killing　a　man；　but　I　suppose　it　was　the　only　one　possible。　　But　to　think　of　hate　so　patient〃

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　the　other。　　〃In　what　way　did　they　kill　the　man？〃

　　　　　〃They　killed　him　with　the　sash；〃　said　Brown　carefully；　and　then；　as　Flambeau　protested：　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　about　the　bullet。　　Perhaps　I　ought　to　say　he　died　of　having　a　sash。　　I　know　it　doesn't　sound　like　having　a　disease。〃

　　　　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　Flambeau；　〃that　you've　got　some　notion　in　your　head；　but　it　won't　easily　get　the　bullet　out　of　his。　　As　I　explained　before；　he　might　easily　have　been　strangled。　　But　he　was　shot。　　By　whom？　　By　what？〃

　　　　　〃He　was　shot　by　his　own　orders；〃　said　the　priest。

　　　　　〃You　mean　he　committed　suicide？〃

　　　　　〃I　didn't　say　by　his　own　wish；〃　replied　Father　Brown。　　〃I　said　by　his　own　orders。〃

　　　　　〃Well；　anyhow；　what　is　your　theory？〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　laughed。　　〃I　am　only　on　my　holiday；〃　he　said。　　〃I　haven't　got　any　theories。　　Only　this　place　reminds　me　of　fairy　stories；　and；　if　you　like；　I'll　tell　you　a　story。〃

　　　　　The　little　pink　clouds；　that　looked　rather　like　sweet…stuff；　had　floated　up　to　crown　the　turrets　of　the　gilt　gingerbread　castle；　and　the　pink　baby　fingers　of　the　budding　trees　seemed　spreading　and　stretching　to　reach　them；　the　blue　sky　began　to　take　a　bright　violet　of　evening；　when　Father　Brown　suddenly　spoke　again：

　　　　　〃It　was　on　a　dismal　night；　with　rain　still　dropping　from　the　trees　and　dew　already　clustering；　that　Prince　Otto　of　Grossenmark　stepped　hurriedly　out　of　a　side　door　of　the　castle　and　walked　swiftly　into　the　wood。　　One　of　the　innumerable　sentries　saluted　him；　but　he　did　not　notice　it。　　He　had　no　wish　to　be　specially　noticed　himself。　　He　was　glad　when　the　great　trees；　grey　and　already　greasy　with　rain；　swallowed　him　up　like　a　swamp。　　He　had　deliberately　chosen　the　least　frequented　side　of　his　palace；　but　even　that　was　more　frequented　than　he　liked。　　But　there　was　no　particular　chance　of　officious　or　diplomatic　pursuit；　for　his　exit　had　been　a　sudden　impulse。　　All　the　full…dressed　diplomatists　he　left　behind　were　unimportant。　　He　had　realized　suddenly　that　he　could　do　without　them。

　　　　　〃His　great　passion　was　not　the　much　nobler　dread　of　death；　but　the　strange　desire　of　gold。　　For　this　legend　of　the　gold　he　had　left　Grossenmark　and　invaded　Heiligwaldenstein。　　For　this　and　only　this　he　had　bought　the　traitor　and　butchered　the　hero；　for　this　he　had　long　questioned　and　cross…questioned　the　false　Chamberlain；　until　he　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that；　touching　his　ignorance；　the　renegade　really　told　the　truth。　　For　this　he　had；　somewhat　reluctantly；　paid　and　promised　money　on　the　chance　of　gaining　the　larger　amount；　and　for　this　he　had　stolen　out　of　his　palace　like　a　thief　in　the　rain；　for　he　had　thought　of　another　way　to　get　the　desire　of　his　eyes；　and　to　get　it　cheap。

　　　　　〃Away　at　the　upper　end　of　a　rambling　mountain　path　to　which　he　was　making　his　way；　among　the　pillared　rocks　along　the　ridge　that　hangs　above　the　town；　stood　the　hermitage；　hardly　more　than　a　cavern　fenced　with　thorn；　in　which　the　third　of　the　great　brethren　had　long　hidden　himself　from　the　world。　　He；　thought　Prince　Otto；　could　have　no　real　reason　for　refusing　to　give　up　the　gold。　　He　had　known　its　place　for　years；　and　made　no　effort　to　find　it；　even　before　his　new　ascetic　creed　had　cut　him　off　from　property　or　pleasures。　　True；　he　had　been　an　enemy；　but　he　now　professed　a　duty　of　having　no　enemies。　　Some　concession　to　his　cause；　some　appeal　to　his　principles；　would　probably　get　the　mere　money　secret　out　of　him。　　Otto　was　no　coward；　in　spite　of　his　network　of　military　precautions；　and；　in　any　case；　his　avarice　was　stronger　than　his　fears。　　Nor　was　there　much　cause　for　fear。　　Since　he　was　certain　there　were　no　private　arms　in　the　whole　principality；　he　was　a　hundred　times　more　certain　there　were　none　in　the　Quaker's　little　hermitage　on　the　hill；　where　he　lived　on　herbs；　with　two　old　rustic　servants；　and　with　no　other　voice　of　man　for　year　after　year。　　Prince　Otto　looked　down　with　something　of　a　grim　smile　at　the　bright；　square　labyrinths　of　the　lamp…lit　city　below　him。　　For　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see　there　ran　the　rifles　of　his　friends；　and　not　one　pinch　of　powder　for　his　enemies。　　Rifles　ranked　so　close　even　to　that　mountain　path　that　a　cry　from　him　would　bring　the　soldiers　rushing　up　the　hill；　to　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that　the　wood　and　ridge　were　patrolled　at　regular　intervals；　rifles　so　far　away；　in　the　dim　woods；　dwarfed　by　distance；　beyond　the　river；　that　an　enemy　could　not　slink　into　the　town　by　any　detour。　　And　round　the　palace　rifles　at　the　west　door　and　the　east　door；　at　the　north　door　and　the　south；　and　all　along　the　four　facades　linking　them。　　He　was　safe。

　　　　　〃It　was　all　the　more　clear　when　he　had　crested　the　ridge　and　found　how　naked　was　the　nest　of　his　old　enemy。　　He　found　himself　on　a　small　platform　of　rock；　broken　abruptly　by　the　three　corners　of　precipice。　　Behind　was　the　black　cave；　masked　with　green　thorn；　so　low　that　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　a　man　could　enter　it。　　In　front　was　the　fall　of　the　cliffs　and　the　vast　but　cloudy　vision　of　the　valley。　　On　the　small　rock　platform　stood　an　old　bronze　lectern　or　reading…stand；　groaning　under　a　great　German　Bible。　　The　bronze　or　copper　of　it　had　grown　green　with　the　eating　airs　of　that　exalted　place；　and　Otto　had　instantly　the　thought；　〃Even　if　they　had　arms；　they　must　be　rusted　by　now。〃　Moonrise　had　already　made　a　deathly　dawn　behind　the　crests　and　crags；　and　the　rain　had　ceased。

　　　　　〃Behind　the　lectern；　and　looking　across　the　valley；　stood　a　very　old　man　in　a　black　robe　that　fell　as　straight　as　the　cliffs　around　him；　but　whose　white　hair　and　weak　voice　seemed　alike　to　waver　in　the　wind。　　He　was　evidently　reading　some　daily　lesson　as　part　of　his　religious　exercises。　　〃They　trust　in　their　horses。。。〃

　　　　　〃‘Sir；'　said　the　Prince　of　Heiligwaldenstein；　with　quite　unusual　courtesy；　‘I　should　like　only　one　word　with　you。'

　　　　　〃‘。。。and　in　their　chariots；'　went　on　the　old　man　weakly；　‘but　we　will　trust　in　the　name　of　the　Lord　of　Hosts。。。。'　　His　last　words　were　inaudible；　but　he　closed　the　book　reverently　and；　being　nearly　blind；　made　a　groping　movement　and　gripped　the　reading…stand。　　Instantly　his　two　servants　slipped　out　of　the　low…browed　cavern　and　supported　him。　　They　wore　dull…black　gowns　like　his　own；　but　they　had　not　the　frosty　silver　on　the　hair；　nor　the　frost…bitten　refinement　of　the　features。　　They　were　peasants；　Croat　or　Magyar；　with　broad；　blunt　visages　and　blinking　eyes。　　For　the　first　time　something　troubled　the　Prince；　but　his　courage　and　diplomatic　sense　stood　firm。

　　　　　〃‘I　fear　we　have　not　met；'　he　said；　‘since　that　awful　cannonade　in　which　your　poor　brother　died。'

　　　　　〃‘All　my　brothers　died；'　said　the　old　man；　still　looking　across　the　valley。　　Then；　for　one　instant　turning　on　Otto　his　drooping；　delicate　features；　and　the　wintry　hair　that　seemed　to　drip　over　his　eyebrows　like　icicles；　he　added：　　‘You　see；　I　am　dead；　too。'

　　　　　〃‘I　hope　you'll　understand；'　said　the　Prince；　controlling　himself　almost　to　a　point　of　conciliation；　‘that　I　do　not　come　here　to　haunt　you；　as　a　mere　ghost　of　those　great　quarrels。　　We　will　not　talk　about　who　was　right　or　wrong　in　that；　but　at　least　there　was　one　point　on　which　we　were　never　wrong；　because　you　were　always　right。　　Whatever　is　to　be　said　of　the　policy　of　your　family；　no　one　for　one　moment　imagines　that　you　were　moved　by　the　mere　gold；　you　have　proved　yourself　above　the　suspicion　that。。。'

　　　　　〃The　old　man　in　the　black　gown　had　hitherto　continued　to　gaze　at　him　with　watery　blue　eyes　and　a　sort　of　weak　wisdom　in　his　face。　　But　when　the　word　‘gold'　was　said　he　held　out　his　hand　as　if　in　arrest　of　something；　and　turned　away　his　face　to　the　mountains。

　　　　　〃‘He　has　spoken　of　gold；'　he　said。　　‘He　has　spoken　of　things　not　lawful。　　Let　him　cease　to　speak。'

　　　　　〃Otto　had　the　vice　of　his　Prussian　type　and　tradition；　which　is　to　regard　success　not　as　an　incident　but　as　a　quality。　　He　conceived　himself　and　his　like　as　perpetually　conquering　peoples　who　were　perpetually　being　conquered。　　Consequently；　he　was　ill　acquainted　with　the　emotion　of　surprise；　and　ill　prepared　for　the　next　movement；　which　startled　and　stiffened　him。　　He　had　opened　his　mouth　to　answer　the　hermit；　when　the　mouth　was　stopped　and　the　voice　strangled　by　a　strong；　soft　gag　suddenly　twisted　round　his　head　like　a　tourniquet。　　It　was　fully　forty　seconds　before　he　even　realized　that　the　two　Hungarian　servants　had　done　it；　and　that　they　had　done　it　with　his　own　military　scarf。

　　　　　〃The　old　man　went　again　weakly　to　his　great　brazen…supported　Bible；　turned　over　the　leaves；　with　a　patience　that　had　something　horrible　about　it；　till　he　came　to　the　Epistle　of　St　James；　and　then　began　to　read：　　‘The　tongue　is　a　little　member；　but'

　　　　　〃Something　in　the　very　voice　made　the　Prince　turn　suddenly　and　plunge　down　the　mountain…path　he　had　climbed。　　He　was　half…way　towards　the　gardens　of　the　palace　before　he　even　tried　to　tear　the　strangling　scarf　fr