the wisdom of father brown-第17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！



　　　　　He　paused　a　moment　and　resumed　with　less　excitement。　　〃I　rather　want　to　insist；　if　it　comes　to　that；　that　so　far　I　had　very　little　to　go　on　except　the　scientific　experiment。　　There　was　really　nothing　against　the　man　at　all。　　His　clothes　were　ill…fitting；　as　I've　said；　but　they　were　rather　better；　if　anything；　than　those　of　the　submerged　class　to　which　he　evidently　belonged。　　Moreover；　under　all　the　stains　of　his　plunging　through　ploughed　fields　or　bursting　through　dusty　hedges；　the　man　was　comparatively　clean。　　This　might　mean；　of　course；　that　he　had　only　just　broken　prison；　but　it　reminded　me　more　of　the　desperate　decency　of　the　comparatively　respectable　poor。　　His　demeanour　was；　I　am　bound　to　confess；　quite　in　accordance　with　theirs。　　He　was　silent　and　dignified　as　they　are；　he　seemed　to　have　a　big；　but　buried；　grievance；　as　they　do。　　He　professed　total　ignorance　of　the　crime　and　the　whole　question；　and　showed　nothing　but　a　sullen　impatience　for　something　sensible　that　might　come　to　take　him　out　of　his　meaningless　scrape。　　He　asked　me　more　than　once　if　he　could　telephone　for　a　lawyer　who　had　helped　him　a　long　time　ago　in　a　trade　dispute；　and　in　every　sense　acted　as　you　would　expect　an　innocent　man　to　act。　　There　was　nothing　against　him　in　the　world　except　that　little　finger　on　the　dial　that　pointed　to　the　change　of　his　pulse。

　　　　　〃Then；　sir；　the　machine　was　on　its　trial；　and　the　machine　was　right。　　By　the　time　I　came　with　him　out　of　the　private　room　into　the　vestibule　where　all　sorts　of　other　people　were　awaiting　examination；　I　think　he　had　already　more　or　less　made　up　his　mind　to　clear　things　up　by　something　like　a　confession。　　He　turned　to　me　and　began　to　say　in　a　low　voice：　　‘Oh；　I　can't　stick　this　any　more。　　If　you　must　know　all　about　me'

　　　　　〃At　the　same　instant　one　of　the　poor　women　sitting　on　the　long　bench　stood　up；　screaming　aloud　and　pointing　at　him　with　her　finger。　　I　have　never　in　my　life　heard　anything　more　demoniacally　distinct。　　Her　lean　finger　seemed　to　pick　him　out　as　if　it　were　a　pea…shooter。　　Though　the　word　was　a　mere　howl；　every　syllable　was　as　clear　as　a　separate　stroke　on　the　clock。

　　　　　〃‘Drugger　Davis！'　she　shouted。　　‘They've　got　Drugger　Davis！'

　　　　　〃Among　the　wretched　women；　mostly　thieves　and　streetwalkers；　twenty　faces　were　turned；　gaping　with　glee　and　hate。　　If　I　had　never　heard　the　words；　I　should　have　known　by　the　very　shock　upon　his　features　that　the　so…called　Oscar　Rian　had　heard　his　real　name。　　But　I'm　not　quite　so　ignorant；　you　may　be　surprised　to　hear。　　Drugger　Davis　was　one　of　the　most　terrible　and　depraved　criminals　that　ever　baffled　our　police。　　It　is　certain　he　had　done　murder　more　than　once　long　before　his　last　exploit　with　the　warder。　　But　he　was　never　entirely　fixed　for　it；　curiously　enough　because　he　did　it　in　the　same　manner　as　those　milderor　meanercrimes　for　which　he　was　fixed　pretty　often。　　He　was　a　handsome；　well…bred…looking　brute；　as　he　still　is；　to　some　extent；　and　he　used　mostly　to　go　about　with　barmaids　or　shop…girls　and　do　them　out　of　their　money。　　Very　often；　though；　he　went　a　good　deal　farther；　and　they　were　found　drugged　with　cigarettes　or　chocolates　and　their　whole　property　missing。　　Then　came　one　case　where　the　girl　was　found　dead；　but　deliberation　could　not　quite　be　proved；　and；　what　was　more　practical　still；　the　criminal　could　not　be　found。　　I　heard　a　rumour　of　his　having　reappeared　somewhere　in　the　opposite　character　this　time；　lending　money　instead　of　borrowing　it；　but　still　to　such　poor　widows　as　he　might　personally　fascinate；　but　still　with　the　same　bad　result　for　them。　　Well；　there　is　your　innocent　man；　and　there　is　his　innocent　record。　　Even；　since　then；　four　criminals　and　three　warders　have　identified　him　and　confirmed　the　story。　　Now　what　have　you　got　to　say　to　my　poor　little　machine　after　that？　　Hasn't　the　machine　done　for　him？　　Or　do　you　prefer　to　say　that　the　woman　and　I　have　done　for　him？〃

　　　　　〃As　to　what　you've　done　for　him；〃　replied　Father　Brown；　rising　and　shaking　himself　in　a　floppy　way；　〃you've　saved　him　from　the　electrical　chair。　　I　don't　think　they　can　kill　Drugger　Davis　on　that　old　vague　story　of　the　poison；　and　as　for　the　convict　who　killed　the　warder；　I　suppose　it's　obvious　that　you　haven't　got　him。　　Mr　Davis　is　innocent　of　that　crime；　at　any　rate。〃

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　the　other。　　〃Why　should　he　be　innocent　of　that　crime？〃

　　　　　〃Why；　bless　us　all！〃　cried　the　small　man　in　one　of　his　rare　moments　of　animation；　〃why；　because　he's　guilty　of　the　other　crimes！　　I　don't　know　what　you　people　are　made　of。　　You　seem　to　think　that　all　sins　are　kept　together　in　a　bag。　　You　talk　as　if　a　miser　on　Monday　were　always　a　spendthrift　on　Tuesday。　　You　tell　me　this　man　you　have　here　spent　weeks　and　months　wheedling　needy　women　out　of　small　sums　of　money；　that　he　used　a　drug　at　the　best；　and　a　poison　at　the　worst；　that　he　turned　up　afterwards　as　the　lowest　kind　of　moneylender；　and　cheated　most　poor　people　in　the　same　patient　and　pacific　style。　　Let　it　be　grantedlet　us　admit；　for　the　sake　of　argument；　that　he　did　all　this。　　If　that　is　so；　I　will　tell　you　what　he　didn't　do。　　He　didn't　storm　a　spiked　wall　against　a　man　with　a　loaded　gun。　　He　didn't　write　on　the　wall　with　his　own　hand；　to　say　he　had　done　it。　　He　didn't　stop　to　state　that　his　justification　was　self…defence。　　He　didn't　explain　that　he　had　no　quarrel　with　the　poor　warder。　　He　didn't　name　the　house　of　the　rich　man　to　which　he　was　going　with　the　gun。　　He　didn't　write　his　own；　initials　in　a　man's　blood。　　Saints　alive！　　Can't　you　see　the　whole　character　is　different；　in　good　and　evil？　　　Why；　you　don't　seem　to　be　like　I　am　a　bit。　　One　would　think　you'd　never　had　any　vices　of　your　own。〃

　　　　　The　amazed　American　had　already　parted　his　lips　in　protest　when　the　door　of　his　private　and　official　room　was　hammered　and　rattled　in　an　unceremonious　way　to　which　he　was　totally　unaccustomed。

　　　　　The　door　flew　open。　　The　moment　before　Greywood　Usher　had　been　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　Father　Brown　might　possibly　be　mad。　　The　moment　after　he　began　to　think　he　was　mad　himself。　　There　burst　and　fell　into　his　private　room　a　man　in　the　filthiest　rags；　with　a　greasy　squash　hat　still　askew　on　his　head；　and　a　shabby　green　shade　shoved　up　from　one　of　his　eyes；　both　of　which　were　glaring　like　a　tiger's。　　The　rest　of　his　face　was　almost　undiscoverable；　being　masked　with　a　matted　beard　and　whiskers　through　which　the　nose　could　barely　thrust　itself；　and　further　buried　in　a　squalid　red　scarf　or　handkerchief。　　Mr　Usher　prided　himself　on　having　seen　most　of　the　roughest　specimens　in　the　State；　but　he　thought　he　had　never　seen　such　a　baboon　dressed　as　a　scarecrow　as　this。　　But；　above　all；　he　had　never　in　all　his　placid　scientific　existence　heard　a　man　like　that　speak　to　him　first。

　　　　　〃See　here；　old　man　Usher；〃　shouted　the　being　in　the　red　handkerchief；　〃I'm　getting　tired。　　Don't　you　try　any　of　your　hide…and…seek　on　me；　I　don't　get　fooled　any。　　Leave　go　of　my　guests；　and　I'll　let　up　on　the　fancy　clockwork。　　Keep　him　here　for　a　split　instant　and　you'll　feel　pretty　mean。　　I　reckon　I'm　not　a　man　with　no　pull。〃

　　　　　The　eminent　Usher　was　regarding　the　bellowing　monster　with　an　amazement　which　had　dried　up　all　other　sentiments。　　The　mere　shock　to　his　eyes　had　rendered　his　ears；　almost　useless。　　At　last　he　rang　a　bell　with　a　hand　of　violence。　　While　the　bell　was　still　strong　and　pealing；　the　voice　of　Father　Brown　fell　soft　but　distinct。

　　　　　〃I　have　a　suggestion　to　make；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　seems　a　little　confusing。　　I　don't　know　this　gentlemanbut　but　I　think　I　know　him。　　Now；　you　know　himyou　know　him　quite　well　but　you　don't　know　himnaturally。　　Sounds　paradoxical；　I　know。〃

　　　　　〃I　reckon　the　Cosmos　is　cracked；〃　said　Usher；　and　fell　asprawl　in　his　round　office　chair。

　　　　　〃Now；　see　here；〃　vociferated　the　stranger；　striking　the　table；　but　speaking　in　a　voice　that　was　all　the　more　mysterious　because　it　was　comparatively　mild　and　rational　though　still　resounding。　　〃I　won't　let　you　in。　　I　want〃

　　　　　〃Who　in　hell　are　you？〃　yelled　Usher；　suddenly　sitting　up　straight。

　　　　　〃I　think　the　gentleman's　name　is　Todd；〃　said　the　priest。

　　　　　Then　he　picked　up　the　pink　slip　of　newspaper。

　　　　　〃I　fear　you　don't　read　the　Society　papers　properly；〃　he　said；　and　began　to　read　out　in　a　monotonous　voice；　〃‘Or　locked　in　the　jewelled　bosoms　of　our　city's　gayest　leaders；　but　there　is　talk　of　a　pretty　parody　of　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　other　end　of　Society's　scale。'　There's　been　a　big　Slum　Dinner　up　at　Pilgrim's　Pond　tonight；　and　a　man；　one　of　the　guests；　disappeared。　　Mr　Ireton　Todd　is　a　good　host；　and　has　tracked　him　here；　without　even　waiting　to　take　off　his　fancy…dress。〃

　　　　　〃What　man　do　you　mean？〃

　　　　　〃I　mean　the　man　with　comically　ill…fitting　clothes　you　saw　running　across　the　ploughed　field。　　Hadn't　you　better　go　and　investigate　him？　　He　will　be　rather　impatient　to　get　back　to　his　champagne；　from　which　he　ran　away　in　such　a　hurry；　when　the　convict　with　the　gun　hove　in　sight。〃

　　　　　〃Do　you　seriously　mean〃　began　the　official。

　　　　　〃Why；　look　here；　Mr　Usher；〃　said　Father　Brown　quietly；　〃you　said　the　machine　couldn't　make　a　mistake；　and　in　one　sense　it　didn't。　　But　the　other　machine　did；　the　machine　that　worked　it。　　You　assumed　that　the　man　in　rags　jumped　at　the　name　of　Lord　Falconroy；　because　he　was　Lord　Falconroy's　murderer。　　He　jumped　at　the　name　of　Lord　Falconroy　because　he　is　Lord　Falconroy。〃

　　　　　〃Then　why　the　blazes　didn't　he　say　so？〃　demanded　the　staring　Usher。

　　　　　〃He　felt　his　plight　and　recent　panic　were　hardly　patrician；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃so　he　tried　to　keep　the　name　back　at　first。　　But　he　was　just　going　to　tell　it　you；　when〃and　Father　Brown　looked　down　at　his　boots〃when　a　woman　found　another　name　for　him。〃

　　　　　〃But　you　can't　be　so　mad　as　to　say；〃　said　Greywood　Usher；　very　white；　〃that　Lord　Falconroy　was　Drugger　Davis。〃

　　　　　The　priest　looked　at　him　very　earnestly；　but　with　a　baffling　and　undecipherable　face。

　　　　　〃I　am　not　saying　anything　about　it；〃　he　said。　　〃I　leave　all　the　rest　to　you。　　Your　pink　paper　says　that　the　title　was　recently　revived　for　him；　but　those　papers　are　very　unreliable。　　It　says　he　was　in　the　States　in　youth；　but　the　whole　story　s