the wisdom of father brown-第3章

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uld　a　gentleman　so　dressy　as　our　friend　Glass　leave　his　hat　behind　him；　if　he　left　of　his　own　free　will？　Second；〃　he　continued；　moving　towards　the　window；　〃this　is　the　only　exit；　and　it　is　locked　on　the　inside。　　Third；　this　blade　here　has　a　tiny　touch　of　blood　at　the　point；　but　there　is　no　wound　on　Mr　Todhunter。　　Mr　Glass　took　that　wound　away　with　him；　dead　or　alive。　　Add　to　all　this　primary　probability。　　It　is　much　more　likely　that　the　blackmailed　person　would　try　to　kill　his　incubus；　rather　than　that　the　blackmailer　would　try　to　kill　the　goose　that　lays　his　golden　egg。　　There；　I　think；　we　have　a　pretty　complete　story。〃

　　　　　〃But　the　ropes？〃　inquired　the　priest；　whose　eyes　had　remained　open　with　a　rather　vacant　admiration。

　　　　　〃Ah；　the　ropes；〃　said　the　expert　with　a　singular　intonation。　　〃Miss　MacNab　very　much　wanted　to　know　why　I　did　not　set　Mr　Todhunter　free　from　his　ropes。　　Well；　I　will　tell　her。　　I　did　not　do　it　because　Mr　Todhunter　can　set　himself　free　from　them　at　any　minute　he　chooses。〃

　　　　　〃What？〃　cried　the　audience　on　quite　different　notes　of　astonishment。

　　　　　〃I　have　looked　at　all　the　knots　on　Mr　Todhunter；〃　reiterated　Hood　quietly。　　〃I　happen　to　know　something　about　knots；　they　are　quite　a　branch　of　criminal　science。　　Every　one　of　those　knots　he　has　made　himself　and　could　loosen　himself；　not　one　of　them　would　have　been　made　by　an　enemy　really　trying　to　pinion　him。　　The　whole　of　this　affair　of　the　ropes　is　a　clever　fake；　to　make　us　think　him　the　victim　of　the　struggle　instead　of　the　wretched　Glass；　whose　corpse　may　be　hidden　in　the　garden　or　stuffed　up　the　chimney。〃

　　　　　There　was　a　rather　depressed　silence；　the　room　was　darkening；　the　sea…blighted　boughs　of　the　garden　trees　looked　leaner　and　blacker　than　ever；　yet　they　seemed　to　have　come　nearer　to　the　window。　　One　could　almost　fancy　they　were　sea…monsters　like　krakens　or　cuttlefish；　writhing　polypi　who　had　crawled　up　from　the　sea　to　see　the　end　of　this　tragedy；　even　as　he；　the　villain　and　victim　of　it；　the　terrible　man　in　the　tall　hat；　had　once　crawled　up　from　the　sea。　　For　the　whole　air　was　dense　with　the　morbidity　of　blackmail；　which　is　the　most　morbid　of　human　things；　because　it　is　a　crime　concealing　a　crime；　a　black　plaster　on　a　blacker　wound。

　　　　　The　face　of　the　little　Catholic　priest；　which　was　commonly　complacent　and　even　comic；　had　suddenly　become　knotted　with　a　curious　frown。　　It　was　not　the　blank　curiosity　of　his　first　innocence。　　It　was　rather　that　creative　curiosity　which　comes　when　a　man　has　the　beginnings　of　an　idea。　　〃Say　it　again；　please；〃　he　said　in　a　simple；　bothered　manner；　〃do　you　mean　that　Todhunter　can　tie　himself　up　all　alone　and　untie　himself　all　alone？〃

　　　　　〃That　is　what　I　mean；〃　said　the　doctor。

　　　　　〃Jerusalem！〃　　ejaculated　Brown　suddenly；　〃I　wonder　if　it　could　possibly　be　that！〃

　　　　　He　scuttled　across　the　room　rather　like　a　rabbit；　and　peered　with　quite　a　new　impulsiveness　into　the　partially…covered　face　of　the　captive。　　Then　he　turned　his　own　rather　fatuous　face　to　the　company。　　〃Yes；　that's　it！〃　he　cried　in　a　certain　excitement。　　〃Can't　you　see　it　in　the　man's　face？　　Why；　look　at　his　eyes！〃

　　　　　Both　the　Professor　and　the　girl　followed　the　direction　of　his　glance。　　And　though　the　broad　black　scarf　completely　masked　the　lower　half　of　Todhunter's　visage；　they　did　grow　conscious　of　something　struggling　and　intense　about　the　upper　part　of　it。

　　　　　〃His　eyes　do　look　queer；〃　cried　the　young　woman；　strongly　moved。　　〃You　brutes；　I　believe　it's　hurting　him！〃

　　　　　〃Not　that；　I　think；〃　said　Dr　Hood；　〃the　eyes　have　certainly　a　singular　expression。　　But　I　should　interpret　those　transverse　wrinkles　as　expressing　rather　such　slight　psychological　abnormality〃

　　　　　〃Oh；　bosh！〃　cried　Father　Brown：　　〃can't　you　see　he's　laughing？〃

　　　　　〃Laughing！〃　repeated　the　doctor；　with　a　start；　〃but　what　on　earth　can　he　be　laughing　at？〃

　　　　　〃Well；〃　replied　the　Reverend　Brown　apologetically；　〃not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it；　I　think　he　is　laughing　at　you。　　And　indeed；　I'm　a　little　inclined　to　laugh　at　myself；　now　I　know　about　it。〃

　　　　　〃Now　you　know　about　what？〃　asked　Hood；　in　some　exasperation。

　　　　　〃Now　I　know；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃the　profession　of　Mr　Todhunter。〃

　　　　　He　shuffled　about　the　room；　looking　at　one　object　after　another　with　what　seemed　to　be　a　vacant　stare；　and　then　invariably　bursting　into　an　equally　vacant　laugh；　a　highly　irritating　process　for　those　who　had　to　watch　it。　　He　laughed　very　much　over　the　hat；　still　more　uproariously　over　the　broken　glass；　but　the　blood　on　the　sword　point　sent　him　into　mortal　convulsions　of　amusement。　　Then　he　turned　to　the　fuming　specialist。

　　　　　〃Dr　Hood；〃　he　cried　enthusiastically；　〃you　are　a　great　poet！　You　have　called　an　uncreated　being　out　of　the　void。　　How　much　more　godlike　that　is　than　if　you　had　only　ferreted　out　the　mere　facts！　　Indeed；　the　mere　facts　are　rather　commonplace　and　comic　by　comparison。〃

　　　　　〃I　have　no　notion　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　said　Dr　Hood　rather　haughtily；　〃my　facts　are　all　inevitable；　though　necessarily　incomplete。　　A　place　may　be　permitted　to　intuition；　perhaps　（or　poetry　if　you　prefer　the　term）；　but　only　because　the　corresponding　details　cannot　as　yet　be　ascertained。　　In　the　absence　of　Mr　Glass〃

　　　　　〃That's　it；　that's　it；〃　said　the　little　priest；　nodding　quite　eagerly；　〃that's　the　first　idea　to　get　fixed；　the　absence　of　Mr　Glass。　　He　is　so　extremely　absent。　　I　suppose；〃　he　added　reflectively；　〃that　there　was　never　anybody　so　absent　as　Mr　Glass。〃

　　　　　〃Do　you　mean　he　is　absent　from　the　town？〃　demanded　the　doctor。

　　　　　〃I　mean　he　is　absent　from　everywhere；〃　answered　Father　Brown；　〃he　is　absent　from　the　Nature　of　Things；　so　to　speak。〃

　　　　　〃Do　you　seriously　mean；〃　said　the　specialist　with　a　smile；　〃that　there　is　no　such　person？〃

　　　　　The　priest　made　a　sign　of　assent。　　〃It　does　seem　a　pity；〃　he　said。

　　　　　Orion　Hood　broke　into　a　contemptuous　laugh。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃before　we　go　on　to　the　hundred　and　one　other　evidences；　let　us　take　the　first　proof　we　found；　the　first　fact　we　fell　over　when　we　fell　into　this　room。　　If　there　is　no　Mr　Glass；　whose　hat　is　this？〃

　　　　　〃It　is　Mr　Todhunter's；〃　replied　Father　Brown。

　　　　　〃But　it　doesn't　fit　him；〃　cried　Hood　impatiently。　　〃He　couldn't　possibly　wear　it！〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　shook　his　head　with　ineffable　mildness。　　〃I　never　said　he　could　wear　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　said　it　was　his　hat。　　Or；　if　you　insist　on　a　shade　of　difference；　a　hat　that　is　his。〃

　　　　　〃And　what　is　the　shade　of　difference？〃　asked　the　criminologist　with　a　slight　sneer。

　　　　　〃My　good　sir；〃　cried　the　mild　little　man；　with　his　first　movement　akin　to　impatience；　〃if　you　will　walk　down　the　street　to　the　nearest　hatter's　shop；　you　will　see　that　there　is；　in　common　speech；　a　difference　between　a　man's　hat　and　the　hats　that　are　his。〃

　　　　　〃But　a　hatter；〃　protested　Hood；　〃can　get　money　out　of　his　stock　of　new　hats。　　What　could　Todhunter　get　out　of　this　one　old　hat？〃

　　　　　〃Rabbits；〃　replied　Father　Brown　promptly。

　　　　　〃What？〃　cried　Dr　Hood。

　　　　　〃Rabbits；　ribbons；　sweetmeats；　goldfish；　rolls　of　coloured　paper；〃　said　the　reverend　gentleman　with　rapidity。　　〃Didn't　you　see　it　all　when　you　found　out　the　faked　ropes？　　It's　just　the　same　with　the　sword。　　Mr　Todhunter　hasn't　got　a　scratch　on　him；　as　you　say；　but　he's　got　a　scratch　in　him；　if　you　follow　me。〃

　　　　　〃Do　you　mean　inside　Mr　Todhunter's　clothes？〃　inquired　Mrs　MacNab　sternly。

　　　　　〃I　do　not　mean　inside　Mr　Todhunter's　clothes；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃I　mean　inside　Mr　Todhunter。〃

　　　　　〃Well；　what　in　the　name　of　Bedlam　do　you　mean？〃

　　　　　〃Mr　Todhunter；〃　explained　Father　Brown　placidly；　〃is　learning　to　be　a　professional　conjurer；　as　well　as　juggler；　ventriloquist；　and　expert　in　the　rope　trick。　　The　conjuring　explains　the　hat。　　It　is　without　traces　of　hair；　not　because　it　is　worn　by　the　prematurely　bald　Mr　Glass；　but　because　it　has　never　been　worn　by　anybody。　　The　juggling　explains　the　three　glasses；　which　Todhunter　was　teaching　himself　to　throw　up　and　catch　in　rotation。　　But；　being　only　at　the　stage　of　practice；　he　smashed　one　glass　against　the　ceiling。　　And　the　juggling　also　explains　the　sword；　which　it　was　Mr　Todhunter's　professional　pride　and　duty　to　swallow。　　But；　again；　being　at　the　stage　of　practice；　he　very　slightly　grazed　the　inside　of　his　throat　with　the　weapon。　　Hence　he　has　a　wound　inside　him；　which　I　am　sure　（from　the　expression　on　his　face）　is　not　a　serious　one。　　He　was　also　practising　the　trick　of　a　release　from　ropes；　like　the　Davenport　Brothers；　and　he　was　just　about　to　free　himself　when　we　all　burst　into　the　room。　　The　cards；　of　course；　are　for　card　tricks；　and　they　are　scattered　on　the　floor　because　he　had　just　been　practising　one　of　those　dodges　of　sending　them　flying　through　the　air。　　He　merely　kept　his　trade　secret；　because　he　had　to　keep　his　tricks　secret；　like　any　other　conjurer。　　But　the　mere　fact　of　an　idler　in　a　top　hat　having　once　looked　in　at　his　back　window；　and　been　driven　away　by　him　with　great　indignation；　was　enough　to　set　us　all　on　a　wrong　track　of　romance；　and　make　us　imagine　his　whole　life　overshadowed　by　the　silk…hatted　spectre　of　Mr　Glass。〃

　　　　　〃But　What　about　the　two　voices？〃　asked　Maggie；　staring。

　　　　　〃Have　you　never　heard　a　ventriloquist？〃　asked　Father　Brown。　　〃Don't　you　know　they　speak　first　in　their　natural　voice；　and　then　answer　themselves　in　just　that　shrill；　squeaky；　unnatural　voice　that　you　heard？〃

　　　　　There　was　a　long　silence；　and　Dr　Hood　regarded　the　little　man　who　had　spoken　with　a　dark　and　attentive　smile。　　〃You　are　certainly　a　very　ingenious　person；〃　he　said；　〃it　could　not　have　been　done　better　in　a　book。　　But　there　is　just　one　part　of　Mr　Glass　you　have　not　succeeded　in　explaining　away；　and　that　is　his　name。　　Miss　MacNab　distinctly　heard　him　so　addressed　by　Mr　Todhunter。〃

　　　　　The　Rev。　　Mr　Brown　broke　into　a　rather　childish　giggle。　　〃Well；　that；〃　he　said；　〃that's　the　silliest　part　of　the　whole　silly　story。　　When　our　juggling　friend　here　threw　up　the　three　glasses　in　turn；　he　counted　them　aloud　as　he　caught　them；　and　also　commented　aloud　when　he　failed　to　catch　them。　　What　he　really　said　was：　　‘One；　two　and　threemissed　a　glass　one；　twomissed　a　glass。'　　And　so　on。〃

　　　　　There　was　a　second　of　stillness　in　the　room；　and　then　everyone　with　one　accord　burst　out　laughing。　　As　they　did　so　the　figure　in　the　corner　complacently　uncoiled　all　the　ropes　and　let　them　fall　with　a　flourish。　　Then；　advancing　into　the　middle　of　the　room　with　a　bow；　he　produced　from　his　pocket　a　big　bill　printed　in　blue　and　red；　which　announced　that　ZALADIN；　the　World's　Greatest　Conjurer；　Contortionist；　Ventriloquist　and　Human　Kangaroo　would　be　ready　with　an　entirely　new　series　of　Tricks　at　the　Empire　Pavilion；　Scarborough；　on　Monday　next　at　eight　o'clock　precisely。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWO


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THE　great　Muscari；　most　original　of　the　young　Tuscan　poets；　walked　swiftly　into　his　favourite　restaurant；　which　overlooked　the　Mediterranean；　was　covered　by　an　awning　and　fenced　by　little　lemon　and　orange　trees。　　Waiters　in　white　aprons　were　already　laying　out　on　white　tables　the　insignia　of　an　early　and　elegant　lunch；　and　this　seemed　to　increa