the wisdom of father brown-第7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！


sure　of　entertaining　them。　　I　need　not　expound　the　quaint　old　ritual　of　ransom；　which　it　is　incumbent　upon　me　to　keep　up；　and　even　this　only　applies　to　a　part　of　the　company。　　The　Reverend　Father　Brown　and　the　celebrated　Signor　Muscari　I　shall　release　tomorrow　at　dawn　and　escort　to　my　outposts。　　Poets　and　priests；　if　you　will　pardon　my　simplicity　of　speech；　never　have　any　money。　　And　so　（since　it　is　impossible　to　get　anything　out　of　them）；　let　us；　seize　the　opportunity　to　show　our　admiration　for　classic　literature　and　our　reverence　for　Holy　Church。〃

　　　　　He　paused　with　an　unpleasing　smile；　and　Father　Brown　blinked　repeatedly　at　him；　and　seemed　suddenly　to　be　listening　with　great　attention。　　The　brigand　captain　took　the　large　paper　from　the　attendant　brigand　and；　glancing　over　it；　continued：　〃My　other　intentions　are　clearly　set　forth　in　this　public　document；　which　I　will　hand　round　in　a　moment；　and　which　after　that　will　be　posted　on　a　tree　by　every　village　in　the　valley；　and　every　cross…road　in　the　hills。　　I　will　not　weary　you　with　the　verbalism；　since　you　will　be　able　to　check　it；　the　substance　of　my　proclamation　is　this：　　I　announce　first　that　I　have　captured　the　English　millionaire；　the　colossus　of　finance；　Mr　Samuel　Harrogate。　　I　next　announce　that　I　have　found　on　his　person　notes　and　bonds　for　two　thousand　pounds；　which　he　has　given　up　to　me。　　Now　since　it　would　be　really　immoral　to　announce　such　a　thing　to　a　credulous　public　if　it　had　not　occurred；　I　suggest　it　should　occur　without　further　delay。　　I　suggest　that　Mr　Harrogate　senior　should　now　give　me　the　two　thousand　pounds　in　his　pocket。〃

　　　　　The　banker　looked　at　him　under　lowering　brows；　red…faced　and　sulky；　but　seemingly　cowed。　　That　leap　from　the　failing　carriage　seemed　to　have　used　up　his　last　virility。　　He　had　held　back　in　a　hang…dog　style　when　his　son　and　Muscari　had　made　a　bold　movement　to　break　out　of　the　brigand　trap。　　And　now　his　red　and　trembling　hand　went　reluctantly　to　his　breast…pocket；　and　passed　a　bundle　of　papers　and　envelopes　to　the　brigand。

　　　　　〃Excellent！〃　cried　that　outlaw　gaily；　〃so　far　we　are　all　cosy。　　I　resume　the　points　of　my　proclamation；　so　soon　to　be　published　to　all　Italy。　　The　third　item　is　that　of　ransom。　　I　am　asking　from　the　friends　of　the　Harrogate　family　a　ransom　of　three　thousand　pounds；　which　I　am　sure　is　almost　insulting　to　that　family　in　its　moderate　estimate　of　their　importance。　　Who　would　not　pay　triple　this　sum　for　another　day's　association　with　such　a　domestic　circle？　　I　will　not　conceal　from　you　that　the　document　ends　with　certain　legal　phrases　about　the　unpleasant　things　that　may　happen　if　the　money　is　not　paid；　but　meanwhile；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　let　me　assure　you　that　I　am　comfortably　off　here　for　accommodation；　wine　and　cigars；　and　bid　you　for　the　present　a　sportsman…like　welcome　to　the　luxuries　of　the　Paradise　of　Thieves。〃

　　　　　All　the　time　that　he　had　been　speaking；　the　dubious…looking　men　with　carbines　and　dirty　slouch　hats　had　been　gathering　silently　in　such　preponderating　numbers　that　even　Muscari　was　compelled　to　recognize　his　sally　with　the　sword　as　hopeless。　　He　glanced　around　him；　but　the　girl　had　already　gone　over　to　soothe　and　comfort　her　father；　for　her　natural　affection　for　his　person　was　as　strong　or　stronger　than　her　somewhat　snobbish　pride　in　his　success。　　Muscari；　with　the　illogicality　of　a　lover；　admired　this　filial　devotion；　and　yet　was　irritated　by　it。　　He　slapped　his　sword　back　in　the　scabbard　and　went　and　flung　himself　somewhat　sulkily　on　one　of　the　green　banks。　　The　priest　sat　down　within　a　yard　or　two；　and　Muscari　turned　his　aquiline　nose　on　him　in　an　instantaneous　irritation。

　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　poet　tartly；　〃do　people　still　think　me　too　romantic？　　Are　there；　I　wonder；　any　brigands　left　in　the　mountains？〃

　　　　　〃There　may　be；〃　said　Father　Brown　agnostically。

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

　　　　　〃I　mean　I　am　puzzled；〃　replied　the　priest。　　〃I　am　puzzled　about　Ezza　or　Montano；　or　whatever　his　name　is。　　He　seems　to　me　much　more　inexplicable　as　a　brigand　even　than　he　was　as　a　courier。〃

　　　　　〃But　in　what　way？〃　persisted　his　companion。　　〃Santa　Maria！　I　should　have　thought　the　brigand　was　plain　enough。〃

　　　　　〃I　find　three　curious　difficulties；〃　said　the　priest　in　a　quiet　voice。　　〃I　should　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　them。　　First　of　all　I　must　tell　you　I　was　lunching　in　that　restaurant　at　the　seaside。　　As　four　of　you　left　the　room；　you　and　Miss　Harrogate　went　ahead；　talking　and　laughing；　the　banker　and　the　courier　came　behind；　speaking　sparely　and　rather　low。　　But　I　could　not　help　hearing　Ezza　say　these　words‘Well；　let　her　have　a　little　fun；　you　know　the　blow　may　smash　her　any　minute。'　　Mr　Harrogate　answered　nothing；　so　the　words　must　have　had　some　meaning。　　On　the　impulse　of　the　moment　I　warned　her　brother　that　she　might　be　in　peril；　I　said　nothing　of　its　nature；　for　I　did　not　know。　　But　if　it　meant　this　capture　in　the　hills；　the　thing　is　nonsense。　　Why　should　the　brigand…courier　warn　his　patron；　even　by　a　hint；　when　it　was　his　whole　purpose　to　lure　him　into　the　mountain…mousetrap？　　It　could　not　have　meant　that。　　But　if　not；　what　is　this　disaster；　known　both　to　courier　and　banker；　which　hangs　over　Miss　Harrogate's　head？〃

　　　　　〃Disaster　to　Miss　Harrogate！〃　ejaculated　the　poet；　sitting　up　with　some　ferocity。　　〃Explain　yourself；　go　on。〃

　　　　　〃All　my　riddles；　however；　revolve　round　our　bandit　chief；〃　resumed　the　priest　reflectively。　　〃And　here　is　the　second　of　them。　　Why　did　he　put　so　prominently　in　his　demand　for　ransom　the　fact　that　he　had　taken　two　thousand　pounds　from　his　victim　on　the　spot？　　It　had　no　faintest　tendency　to　evoke　the　ransom。　　Quite　the　other　way；　in　fact。　　Harrogate's　friends　would　be　far　likelier　to　fear　for　his　fate　if　they　thought　the　thieves　were　poor　and　desperate。　　Yet　the　spoliation　on　the　spot　was　emphasized　and　even　put　first　in　the　demand。　　Why　should　Ezza　Montano　want　so　specially　to　tell　all　Europe　that　he　had　picked　the　pocket　before　he　levied　the　blackmail？〃

　　　　　〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　said　Muscari；　rubbing　up　his　black　hair　for　once　with　an　unaffected　gesture。　　〃You　may　think　you　enlighten　me；　but　you　are　leading　me　deeper　in　the　dark。　　What　may　be　the　third　objection　to　the　King　of　the　Thieves？〃　　〃The　third　objection；〃　said　Father　Brown；　still　in　meditation；　〃is　this　bank　we　are　sitting　on。　　Why　does　our　brigand…courier　call　this　his　chief　fortress　and　the　Paradise　of　Thieves？　　It　is　certainly　a　soft　spot　to　fall　on　and　a　sweet　spot　to　look　at。　　It　is　also　quite　true；　as　he　says；　that　it　is　invisible　from　valley　and　peak；　and　is　therefore　a　hiding…place。　　But　it　is　not　a　fortress。　　It　never　could　be　a　fortress。　　I　think　it　would　be　the　worst　fortress　in　the　world。　　For　it　is　actually　commanded　from　above　by　the　common　high…road　across　the　mountains　the　very　place　where　the　police　would　most　probably　pass。　　Why；　five　shabby　short　guns　held　us　helpless　here　about　half　an　hour　ago。　　The　quarter　of　a　company　of　any　kind　of　soldiers　could　have　blown　us　over　the　precipice。　　Whatever　is　the　meaning　of　this　odd　little　nook　of　grass　and　flowers；　it　is　not　an　entrenched　position。　　It　is　something　else；　it　has　some　other　strange　sort　of　importance；　some　value　that　I　do　not　understand。　　It　is　more　like　an　accidental　theatre　or　a　natural　green…room；　it　is　like　the　scene　for　some　romantic　comedy；　it　is　like。。。。〃

　　　　　As　the　little　priest's　words　lengthened　and　lost　themselves　in　a　dull　and　dreamy　sincerity；　Muscari；　whose　animal　senses　were　alert　and　impatient；　heard　a　new　noise　in　the　mountains。　　Even　for　him　the　sound　was　as　yet　very　small　and　faint；　but　he　could　have　sworn　the　evening　breeze　bore　with　it　something　like　the　pulsation　of　horses'　hoofs　and　a　distant　hallooing。

　　　　　At　the　same　moment；　and　long　before　the　vibration　had　touched　the　less…experienced　English　ears；　Montano　the　brigand　ran　up　the　bank　above　them　and　stood　in　the　broken　hedge；　steadying　himself　against　a　tree　and　peering　down　the　road。　　He　was　a　strange　figure　as　he　stood　there；　for　he　had　assumed　a　flapped　fantastic　hat　and　swinging　baldric　and　cutlass　in　his　capacity　of　bandit　king；　but　the　bright　prosaic　tweed　of　the　courier　showed　through　in　patches　all　over　him。

　　　　　The　next　moment　he　turned　his　olive；　sneering　face　and　made　a　movement　with　his　hand。　　The　brigands　scattered　at　the　signal；　not　in　confusion；　but　in　what　was　evidently　a　kind　of　guerrilla　discipline。　　Instead　of　occupying　the　road　along　the　ridge；　they　sprinkled　themselves　along　the　side　of　it　behind　the　trees　and　the　hedge；　as　if　watching　unseen　for　an　enemy。　　The　noise　beyond　grew　stronger；　beginning　to　shake　the　mountain　road；　and　a　voice　could　be　clearly　heard　calling　out　orders。　　The　brigands　swayed　and　huddled；　cursing　and　whispering；　and　the　evening　air　was　full　of　little　metallic　noises　as　they　cocked　their　pistols；　or　loosened　their　knives；　or　trailed　their　scabbards　over　the　stones。　　Then　the　noises　from　both　quarters　seemed　to　meet　on　the　road　above；　branches　broke；　horses　neighed；　men　cried　out。

　　　　　〃A　rescue！〃　cried　Muscari；　springing　to　his　feet　and　waving　his　hat；　〃the　gendarmes　are　on　them！　　Now　for　freedom　and　a　blow　for　it！　　Now　to　be　rebels　against　robbers！　　Come；　d