the innocence of father brown-第34部分

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r；　who　was　looking　at　him　with　frowning　intentness；　only　said：　〃And　the　other　hint？〃　　　　　〃The　other　hint　is　this；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃Do　you　remember　the　blacksmith；　though　he　believes　in　miracles；　talking　scornfully　of　the　impossible　fairy　tale　that　his　hammer　had　wings　and　flew　half　a　mile　across　country？〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　remember　that。〃　　　　　〃Well；〃　added　Father　Brown；　with　a　broad　smile；　〃that　fairy　tale　was　the　nearest　thing　to　the　real　truth　that　has　been　said　today。〃　　And　with　that　he　turned　his　back　and　stumped　up　the　steps　after　the　curate。　　　　　The　Reverend　Wilfred；　who　had　been　waiting　for　him；　pale　and　impatient；　as　if　this　little　delay　were　the　last　straw　for　his　nerves；　led　him　immediately　to　his　favourite　corner　of　the　church；　that　part　of　the　gallery　closest　to　the　carved　roof　and　lit　by　the　wonderful　window　with　the　angel。　　The　little　Latin　priest　explored　and　admired　everything　exhaustively；　talking　cheerfully　but　in　a　low　voice　all　the　time。　　When　in　the　course　of　his　investigation　he　found　the　side　exit　and　the　winding　stair　down　which　Wilfred　had　rushed　to　find　his　brother　dead；　Father　Brown　ran　not　down　but　up；　with　the　agility　of　a　monkey；　and　his　clear　voice　came　from　an　outer　platform　above。　　　　　〃Come　up　here；　Mr。　Bohun；〃　he　called。　　〃The　air　will　do　you　good。〃　　　　　Bohun　followed　him；　and　came　out　on　a　kind　of　stone　gallery　or　balcony　outside　the　building；　from　which　one　could　see　the　illimitable　plain　in　which　their　small　hill　stood；　wooded　away　to　the　purple　horizon　and　dotted　with　villages　and　farms。　　Clear　and　square；　but　quite　small　beneath　them；　was　the　blacksmith's　yard；　where　the　inspector　still　stood　taking　notes　and　the　corpse　still　lay　like　a　smashed　fly。　　　　　〃Might　be　the　map　of　the　world；　mightn't　it？〃　said　Father　Brown。　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Bohun　very　gravely；　and　nodded　his　head。　　　　　Immediately　beneath　and　about　them　the　lines　of　the　Gothic　building　plunged　outwards　into　the　void　with　a　sickening　swiftness　akin　to　suicide。　　There　is　that　element　of　Titan　energy　in　the　architecture　of　the　Middle　Ages　that；　from　whatever　aspect　it　be　seen；　it　always　seems　to　be　rushing　away；　like　the　strong　back　of　some　maddened　horse。　　This　church　was　hewn　out　of　ancient　and　silent　stone；　bearded　with　old　fungoids　and　stained　with　the　nests　of　birds。　　And　yet；　when　they　saw　it　from　below；　it　sprang　like　a　fountain　at　the　stars；　and　when　they　saw　it；　as　now；　from　above；　it　poured　like　a　cataract　into　a　voiceless　pit。　　For　these　two　men　on　the　tower　were　left　alone　with　the　most　terrible　aspect　of　Gothic；　the　monstrous　foreshortening　and　disproportion；　the　dizzy　perspectives；　the　glimpses　of　great　things　small　and　small　things　great；　a　topsy…turvydom　of　stone　in　the　mid…air。　　Details　of　stone；　enormous　by　their　proximity；　were　relieved　against　a　pattern　of　fields　and　farms；　pygmy　in　their　distance。　　A　carved　bird　or　beast　at　a　corner　seemed　like　some　vast　walking　or　flying　dragon　wasting　the　pastures　and　villages　below。　　The　whole　atmosphere　was　dizzy　and　dangerous；　as　if　men　were　upheld　in　air　amid　the　gyrating　wings　of　colossal　genii；　and　the　whole　of　that　old　church；　as　tall　and　rich　as　a　cathedral；　seemed　to　sit　upon　the　sunlit　country　like　a　cloudburst。　　　　　〃I　think　there　is　something　rather　dangerous　about　standing　on　these　high　places　even　to　pray；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃Heights　were　made　to　be　looked　at；　not　to　be　looked　from。〃　　　　　〃Do　you　mean　that　one　may　fall　over；〃　asked　Wilfred。　　　　　〃I　mean　that　one's　soul　may　fall　if　one's　body　doesn't；〃　said　the　other　priest。　　　　　〃I　scarcely　understand　you；〃　remarked　Bohun　indistinctly。　　　　　〃Look　at　that　blacksmith；　for　instance；〃　went　on　Father　Brown　calmly；　〃a　good　man；　but　not　a　Christianhard；　imperious；　unforgiving。　　Well；　his　Scotch　religion　was　made　up　by　men　who　prayed　on　hills　and　high　crags；　and　learnt　to　look　down　on　the　world　more　than　to　look　up　at　heaven。　　Humility　is　the　mother　of　giants。　　One　sees　great　things　from　the　valley；　only　small　things　from　the　peak。〃　　　　　〃But　hehe　didn't　do　it；〃　said　Bohun　tremulously。　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　other　in　an　odd　voice；　〃we　know　he　didn't　do　it。〃　　　　　After　a　moment　he　resumed；　looking　tranquilly　out　over　the　plain　with　his　pale　grey　eyes。　　〃I　knew　a　man；〃　he　said；　〃who　began　by　worshipping　with　others　before　the　altar；　but　who　grew　fond　of　high　and　lonely　places　to　pray　from；　corners　or　niches　in　the　belfry　or　the　spire。　　And　once　in　one　of　those　dizzy　places；　where　the　whole　world　seemed　to　turn　under　him　like　a　wheel；　his　brain　turned　also；　and　he　fancied　he　was　God。　　So　that；　though　he　was　a　good　man；　he　committed　a　great　crime。〃　　　　　Wilfred's　face　was　turned　away；　but　his　bony　hands　turned　blue　and　white　as　they　tightened　on　the　parapet　of　stone。　　　　　〃He　thought　it　was　given　to　him　to　judge　the　world　and　strike　down　the　sinner。　　He　would　never　have　had　such　a　thought　if　he　had　been　kneeling　with　other　men　upon　a　floor。　　But　he　saw　all　men　walking　about　like　insects。　　He　saw　one　especially　strutting　just　below　him；　insolent　and　evident　by　a　bright　green　hata　poisonous　insect。〃　　　　　Rooks　cawed　round　the　corners　of　the　belfry；　but　there　was　no　other　sound　till　Father　Brown　went　on。　　　　　〃This　also　tempted　him；　that　he　had　in　his　hand　one　of　the　most　awful　engines　of　nature；　I　mean　gravitation；　that　mad　and　quickening　rush　by　which　all　earth's　creatures　fly　back　to　her　heart　when　released。　　See；　the　inspector　is　strutting　just　below　us　in　the　smithy。　　If　I　were　to　toss　a　pebble　over　this　parapet　it　would　be　something　like　a　bullet　by　the　time　it　struck　him。　　If　I　were　to　drop　a　hammereven　a　small　hammer〃　　　　　Wilfred　Bohun　threw　one　leg　over　the　parapet；　and　Father　Brown　had　him　in　a　minute　by　the　collar。　　　　　〃Not　by　that　door；〃　he　said　quite　gently；　〃that　door　leads　to　hell。〃　　　　　Bohun　staggered　back　against　the　wall；　and　stared　at　him　with　frightful　eyes。　　　　　〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃　he　cried。　　〃Are　you　a　devil？〃　　　　　〃I　am　a　man；〃　answered　Father　Brown　gravely；　〃and　therefore　have　all　devils　in　my　heart。　　Listen　to　me；〃　he　said　after　a　short　pause。　　〃I　know　what　you　didat　least；　I　can　guess　the　great　part　of　it。　　When　you　left　your　brother　you　were　racked　with　no　unrighteous　rage；　to　the　extent　even　that　you　snatched　up　a　small　hammer；　half　inclined　to　kill　him　with　his　foulness　on　his　mouth。　Recoiling；　you　thrust　it　under　your　buttoned　coat　instead；　and　rushed　into　the　church。　　You　pray　wildly　in　many　places；　under　the　angel　window；　upon　the　platform　above；　and　a　higher　platform　still；　from　which　you　could　see　the　colonel's　Eastern　hat　like　the　back　of　a　green　beetle　crawling　about。　　Then　something　snapped　in　your　soul；　and　you　let　God's　thunderbolt　fall。〃　　　　　Wilfred　put　a　weak　hand　to　his　head；　and　asked　in　a　low　voice：　〃How　did　you　know　that　his　hat　looked　like　a　green　beetle？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　that；〃　said　the　other　with　the　shadow　of　a　smile；　〃that　was　common　sense。　　But　hear　me　further。　　I　say　I　know　all　this；　but　no　one　else　shall　know　it。　　The　next　step　is　for　you；　I　shall　take　no　more　steps；　I　will　seal　this　with　the　seal　of　confession。　If　you　ask　me　why；　there　are　many　reasons；　and　only　one　that　concerns　you。　　I　leave　things　to　you　because　you　have　not　yet　gone　very　far　wrong；　as　assassins　go。　　You　did　not　help　to　fix　the　crime　on　the　smith　when　it　was　easy；　or　on　his　wife；　when　that　was　easy。　　You　tried　to　fix　it　on　the　imbecile　because　you　knew　that　he　could　not　suffer。　　That　was　one　of　the　gleams　that　it　is　my　business　to　find　in　assassins。　　And　now　come　down　into　the　village；　and　go　your　own　way　as　free　as　the　wind；　for　I　have　said　my　last　word。〃　　　　　They　went　down　the　winding　stairs　in　utter　silence；　and　came　out　into　the　sunlight　by　the　smithy。　　Wilfred　Bohun　carefully　unlatched　the　wooden　gate　of　the　yard；　and　going　up　to　the　inspector；　said：　〃I　wish　to　give　myself　up；　I　have　killed　my　brother。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Eye　of　Apollo

That　singular　smoky　sparkle；　at　once　a　confusion　and　a　transparency；　which　is　the　strange　secret　of　the　Thames；　was　changing　more　and　more　from　its　grey　to　its　glittering　extreme　as　the　sun　climbed　to　the　zenith　over　Westminster；　and　two　men　crossed　Westminster　Bridge。　　One　man　was　very　tall　and　the　other　very　short；　they　might　even　have　been　fantastically　compared　to　the　arrogant　clock…tower　of　Parliament　and　the　humbler　humped　shoulders　of　the　Abbey；　for　the　short　man　was　in　clerical　dress。　　The　official　description　of　the　tall　man　was　M。　Hercule　Flambeau；　private　detective；　and　he　was　going　to　his　new　offices　in　a　new　pile　of　flats　facing　the　Abbey　entrance。　　The　official　description　of　the　short　man　was　the　Reverend　J。　Brown；　attached　to　St。　Francis　Xavier's　Church；　Camberwell；　and　he　was　coming　from　a　Camberwell　deathbed　to　see　the　new　offices　of　his　friend。　　　　　The　building　was　American　in　its　sky…scraping　altitude；　and　American　also　in　the　oiled　elaboration　of　its　machinery　of　telephones　and　lifts。　　But　it　was　barely　finished　and　still　understaffed；　only　three　tenants　had　moved　in；　the　office　just　above　Flambeau　was　occupied；　as　also　was　the　office　just　below　him；　the　two　floors　above　that　and　the　three　floors　below　were　entirely　bare。　　But　the　first　glance　at　the　new　tower　of　flats　caught　something　much　more　arresting。　　Save　for　a　few　relics　of　scaffolding；　the　one　glaring　object　was　erected　outside　the　office　just　above　Flambeau's。　　It　was　an　enormous　gilt　effigy　of　the　human　eye；　surrounded　with　rays　of　gold；　and　taking　up　as　much　room　as　two　or　three　of　the　office　windows。　　　　　〃What　on　earth　is　that？〃　asked　Father　Brown；　and　stood　still。　〃Oh；　a　new　religion；〃　said　Flambeau；　laughing；　〃one　of　those　new　religions　that　forgive　your　sins　by　saying　you　never　had　any。　Rather　like　Christian　Science；　I　should　think。　　The　fact　is　that　a　fellow　calling　himself　Kalon　（I　don't　know　what　his　name　is；　except　that　it　can't　be　that）　has　taken　the　flat　just　above　me。　I　have　two　lady　typewriters　underneath　me；　and　this　enthusiastic　old　humbug　on　top。　　He　calls　himself　the　New　Priest　of　Apollo；　and　he　worships　the　sun。〃　　　　　〃Let　him　look　out；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃The　sun　was　the　cruellest　of　all　the　gods。　　But　what　does　that　monstrous　eye　mean？〃　　　　　〃As　I　understand　it；　it　is　a　theory　of　theirs；〃　answered　Flambeau；　〃that　a　man　can　endure　anything　if　his　mind　is　quite　ste