the wisdom of father brown-第23部分

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　character　who　is　so　much　as　found　near　his　dressing…room　door。；

　　　　　〃He　seems　a　pleasant　old　party；〃　I　remarked。

　　　　　〃No；〃　replied　Dr　Mull　quite　simply；　〃and　yet　that　is　just　what　I　mean　by　saying　you　are　unjust　to　him　after　all。　　Gentlemen；　the　Duke　does　really　feel　the　bitterness　about　the　curse　that　he　uttered　just　now。　　He　does；　with　sincere　shame　and　terror；　hide　under　that　purple　wig　something　he　thinks　it　would　blast　the　sons　of　man　to　see。　　I　know　it　is　so；　and　I　know　it　is　not　a　mere　natural　disfigurement；　like　a　criminal　mutilation；　or　a　hereditary　disproportion　in　the　features。　　I　know　it　is　worse　than　that；　because　a　man　told　me　who　was　present　at　a　scene　that　no　man　could　invent；　where　a　stronger　man　than　any　of　us　tried　to　defy　the　secret；　and　was　scared　away　from　it。〃

　　　　　I　opened　my　mouth　to　speak；　but　Mull　went　on　in　oblivion　of　me；　speaking　out　of　the　cavern　of　his　hands。　　〃I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Father；　because　it's　really　more　defending　the　poor　Duke　than　giving　him　away。　　Didn't　you　ever　hear　of　the　time　when　he　very　nearly　lost　all　the　estates？〃

　　　　　The　priest　shook　his　head；　and　the　librarian　proceeded　to　tell　the　tale　as　he　had　heard　it　from　his　predecessor　in　the　same　post；　who　had　been　his　patron　and　instructor；　and　whom　he　seemed　to　trust　implicitly。　　Up　to　a　certain　point　it　was　a　common　enough　tale　of　the　decline　of　a　great　family's　fortunesthe　tale　of　a　family　lawyer。　　His　lawyer；　however；　had　the　sense　to　cheat　honestly；　if　the　expression　explains　itself。　　Instead　of　using　funds　he　held　in　trust；　he　took　advantage　of　the　Duke's　carelessness　to　put　the　family　in　a　financial　hole；　in　which　it　might　be　necessary　for　the　Duke　to　let　him　hold　them　in　reality。

　　　　　The　lawyer's　name　was　Isaac　Green；　but　the　Duke　always　called　him　Elisha；　presumably　in　reference　to　the　fact　that　he　was　quite　bald；　though　certainly　not　more　than　thirty。　　He　had　risen　very　rapidly；　but　from　very　dirty　beginnings；　being　first　a　〃nark〃　or　informer；　and　then　a　money…lender：　　but　as　solicitor　to　the　Eyres　he　had　the　sense；　as　I　say；　to　keep　technically　straight　until　he　was　ready　to　deal　the　final　blow。　　The　blow　fell　at　dinner；　and　the　old　librarian　said　he　should　never　forget　the　very　look　of　the　lampshades　and　the　decanters；　as　the　little　lawyer；　with　a　steady　smile；　proposed　to　the　great　landlord　that　they　should　halve　the　estates　between　them。　　The　sequel　certainly　could　not　be　overlooked；　for　the　Duke；　in　dead　silence；　smashed　a　decanter　on　the　man's　bald　head　as　suddenly　as　I　had　seen　him　smash　the　glass　that　day　in　the　orchard。　　It　left　a　red　triangular　scar　on　the　scalp；　and　the　lawyer's　eyes　altered；　but　not　his　smile。

　　　　　He　rose　tottering　to　his　feet；　and　struck　back　as　such　men　do　strike。　　〃I　am　glad　of　that；〃　he　said；　〃for　now　I　can　take　the　whole　estate。　　The　law　will　give　it　to　me。〃

　　　　　Exmoor；　it　seems；　was　white　as　ashes；　but　his　eyes　still　blazed。　　〃The　law　will　give　it　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　will　not　take　it。。。。　Why　not？　　Why？　because　it　would　mean　the　crack　of　doom　for　me；　and　if　you　take　it　I　shall　take　off　my　wig。。。。　　Why；　you　pitiful　plucked　fowl；　anyone　can　see　your　bare　head。　　But　no　man　shall　see　mine　and　live。〃

　　　　　Well；　you　may　say　what　you　like　and　make　it　mean　what　you　like。　　But　Mull　swears　it　is　the　solemn　fact　that　the　lawyer；　after　shaking　his　knotted　fists　in　the　air　for　an　instant；　simply　ran　from　the　room　and　never　reappeared　in　the　countryside；　and　since　then　Exmoor　has　been　feared　more　for　a　warlock　than　even　for　a　landlord　and　a　magistrate。

　　　　　Now　Dr　Mull　told　his　story　with　rather　wild　theatrical　gestures；　and　with　a　passion　I　think　at　least　partisan。　　I　was　quite　conscious　of　the　possibility　that　the　whole　was　the　extravagance　of　an　old　braggart　and　gossip。　　But　before　I　end　this　half　of　my　discoveries；　I　think　it　due　to　Dr　Mull　to　record　that　my　two　first　inquiries　have　confirmed　his　story。　　I　learned　from　an　old　apothecary　in　the　village　that　there　was　a　bald　man　in　evening　dress；　giving　the　name　of　Green；　who　came　to　him　one　night　to　have　a　three…cornered　cut　on　his　forehead　plastered。　　And　I　learnt　from　the　legal　records　and　old　newspapers　that　there　was　a　lawsuit　threatened；　and　at　least　begun；　by　one　Green　against　the　Duke　of　Exmoor。


　　　　　Mr　Nutt；　of　the　Daily　Reformer；　wrote　some　highly　incongruous　words　across　the　top　of　the　copy；　made　some　highly　mysterious　marks　down　the　side　of　it；　and　called　to　Miss　Barlow　in　the　same　loud；　monotonous　voice：　　〃Take　down　a　letter　to　Mr　Finn。〃

　　　　　DEAR　FINN；Your　copy　will　do；　but　I　have　had　to　headline　it　a　bit；　and　our　public　would　never　stand　a　Romanist　priest　in　the　story　you　must　keep　your　eye　on　the　suburbs。　　I've　altered　him　to　Mr　Brown；　a　Spiritualist。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E。　　NUTT。


　　　　　A　day　or　two　afterward　found　the　active　and　judicious　editor　examining；　with　blue　eyes　that　seemed　to　grow　rounder　and　rounder；　the　second　instalment　of　Mr　Finn's　tale　of　mysteries　in　high　life。　　It　began　with　the　words：


　　　　　I　have　made　an　astounding　discovery。　　I　freely　confess　it　is　quite　different　from　anything　I　expected　to　discover；　and　will　give　a　much　more　practical　shock　to　the　public。　　I　venture　to　say；　without　any　vanity；　that　the　words　I　now　write　will　be　read　all　over　Europe；　and　certainly　all　over　America　and　the　Colonies。　　And　yet　I　heard　all　I　have　to　tell　before　I　left　this　same　little　wooden　table　in　this　same　little　wood　of　apple…trees。

　　　　　I　owe　it　all　to　the　small　priest　Brown；　he　is　an　extraordinary　man。　　The　big　librarian　had　left　the　table；　perhaps　ashamed　of　his　long　tongue；　perhaps　anxious　about　the　storm　in　which　his　mysterious　master　had　vanished：　　anyway；　he　betook　himself　heavily　in　the　Duke's　tracks　through　the　trees。　　Father　Brown　had　picked　up　one　of　the　lemons　and　was　eyeing　it　with　an　odd　pleasure。

　　　　　〃What　a　lovely　colour　a　lemon　is！〃　he　said。　　〃There's　one　thing　I　don't　like　about　the　Duke's　wigthe　colour。〃

　　　　　〃I　don't　think　I　understand；〃　I　answered。

　　　　　〃I　dare　say　he's　got　good　reason　to　cover　his　ears；　like　King　Midas；〃　went　on　the　priest；　with　a　cheerful　simplicity　which　somehow　seemed　rather　flippant　under　the　circumstances。　　〃I　can　quite　understand　that　it's　nicer　to　cover　them　with　hair　than　with　brass　plates　or　leather　flaps。　　But　if　he　wants　to　use　hair；　why　doesn't　he　make　it　look　like　hair？　　There　never　was　hair　of　that　colour　in　this　world。　　It　looks　more　like　a　sunset…cloud　coming　through　the　wood。　　Why　doesn't　he　conceal　the　family　curse　better；　if　he's　really　so　ashamed　of　it？　　Shall　I　tell　you？　　It's　because　he　isn't　ashamed　of　it。　　He's　proud　of　it〃

　　　　　〃It's　an　ugly　wig　to　be　proud　ofand　an　ugly　story；〃　I　said。

　　　　　〃Consider；〃　replied　this　curious　little　man；　〃how　you　yourself　really　feel　about　such　things。　　I　don't　suggest　you're　either　more　snobbish　or　more　morbid　than　the　rest　of　us：　　but　don't　you　feel　in　a　vague　way　that　a　genuine　old　family　curse　is　rather　a　fine　thing　to　have？　　Would　you　be　ashamed；　wouldn't　you　be　a　little　proud；　if　the　heir　of　the　Glamis　horror　called　you　his　friend？　or　if　Byron's　family　had　confided；　to　you　only；　the　evil　adventures　of　their　race？　Don't　be　too　hard　on　the　aristocrats　themselves　if　their　heads　are　as　weak　as　ours　would　be；　and　they　are　snobs　about　their　own　sorrows。〃

　　　　　〃By　Jove！〃　I　cried；　〃and　that's　true　enough。　　My　own　mother's　family　had　a　banshee；　and；　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　it　has　comforted　me　in　many　a　cold　hour。〃

　　　　　〃And　think；〃　he　went　on；　〃of　that　stream　of　blood　and　poison　that　spurted　from　his　thin　lips　the　instant　you　so　much　as　mentioned　his　ancestors。　　Why　should　he　show　every　stranger　over　such　a　Chamber　of　Horrors　unless　he　is　proud　of　it？　　He　doesn't　conceal　his　wig；　he　doesn't　conceal　his　blood；　he　doesn't　conceal　his　family　curse；　he　doesn't　conceal　the　family　crimesbut〃

　　　　　The　little　man's　voice　changed　so　suddenly；　he　shut　his　hand　so　sharply；　and　his　eyes　so　rapidly　grew　rounder　and　brighter　like　a　waking　owl's；　that　it　had　all　the　abruptness　of　a　small　explosion　on　the　table。

　　　　　〃But；〃　he　ended；　〃he　does　really　conceal　his　toilet。〃

　　　　　It　somehow　completed　the　thrill　of　my　fanciful　nerves　that　at　that　instant　the　Duke　appeared　again　silently　among　the　glimmering　trees；　with　his　soft　foot　and　sunset…hued　hair；　coming　round　the　corner　of　the　house　in　company　with　his　librarian。　　Before　he　came　within　earshot；　Father　Brown　had　added　quite　composedly；　〃Why　does　he　really　hide　the　secret　of　what　he　does　with　the　purple　wig？　　Because　it　isn't　the　sort　of　secret　we　suppose。〃

　　　　　The　Duke　came　round　the　corner　and　resumed　his　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table　with　all　his　native　dignity。　　The　embarrassment　of　the　librarian　left　him　hovering　on　his　hind　legs；　like　a　huge　bear。　　The　Duke　addressed　the　priest　with　great　seriousness。　　〃Father　Brown；〃　he　said；　〃Doctor　Mull　informs　me　that　you　have　come　here　to　make　a　request。　　I　no　longer　profess　an　observance　of　the　religion　of　my　fathers；　but　for　their　sakes；　and　for　the　sake　of　the　days　when　we　met　before；　I　am　very　willing　to　hear　you。　　But　I　presume　you　would　rather　be　heard　in　private。〃

　　　　　Whatever　I　retain　of　the　gentleman　made　me　stand　up。　　Whatever　I　have　attained　of　the　journalist　made　me　stand　still。　　Before　this　paralysis　could　pass；　the　priest　had　made　a　momentarily　detaining　motion。　　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃your　Grace　will　permit　me　my　real　petition；　or　if　I　retain　any　right　to　advise　you；　I　would　urge　that　as　many　people　as　possible　should　be　present。　　All　over　this　country　I　have　found　hundreds；　even　of　my　own　faith　and　flock；　whose　imaginations　are　poisoned　by　the　spell　which　I　implore　you　to　break。　　I　wish　we　could　have　all　Devonshire　here　to　see　you　do　it。〃

　　　　　〃To　see　me　do　what？〃　asked　the　Duke；　arching　his　eyebrows。

　　　　　〃To　see　you　take　off　your　wig；〃　said　Father　Brown。

　　　　　The　Duke's　face　did　not　move；　but　he　looked　at　his　petitioner　with　a　glassy　stare　which　was　the　most　awful　expression　I　have　ever　seen　on　a　human　face。　　I　could　see　the　librarian's　great　legs　wavering　under　him　like　the　shadows　of　stems　in　a　pool；　and　I　could　not　banish　from　my　own　brain　the　fancy　that　the　tree