the wisdom of father brown-第33部分

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e　taller　and　more　elegant　man　was　still　in　his　night…garb；　with　tousled　black　hair；　and　now　crawling　about　the　garden　on　his　hands　and　knees；　still　looking　for　traces　of　the　burglar；　and　now　and　again；　to　all　appearance；　striking　the　ground　with　his　hand　in　anger　at　not　finding　him。　　Seeing　him　thus　quadrupedal　in　the　grass；　the　priest　raised　his　eyebrows　rather　sadly；　and　for　the　first　time　guessed　that　〃fancies　things〃　might　be　an　euphemism。

　　　　　The　third　item　in　the　group　of　the　cook　and　the　epicure　was　also　known　to　Father　Brown；　it　was　Audrey　Watson；　the　Major's　ward　and　housekeeper；　and　at　this　moment；　to　judge　by　her　apron；　tucked…up　sleeves　and　resolute　manner；　much　more　the　housekeeper　than　the　ward。

　　　　　〃It　serves　you　right；〃　she　was　saying：　　〃I　always　told　you　not　to　have　that　old…fashioned　cruet…stand。〃

　　　　　〃I　prefer　it；〃　said　Putnam；　placably。　　〃I'm　old…fashioned　myself；　and　the　things　keep　together。〃

　　　　　〃And　vanish　together；　as　you　see；〃　she　retorted。　　〃Well；　if　you　are　not　going　to　bother　about　the　burglar；　I　shouldn't　bother　about　the　lunch。　　It's　Sunday；　and　we　can't　send　for　vinegar　and　all　that　in　the　town；　and　you　Indian　gentlemen　can't　enjoy　what　you　call　a　dinner　without　a　lot　of　hot　things。　　I　wish　to　goodness　now　you　hadn't　asked　Cousin　Oliver　to　take　me　to　the　musical　service。　　It　isn't　over　till　half…past　twelve；　and　the　Colonel　has　to　leave　by　then。　　I　don't　believe　you　men　can　manage　alone。〃

　　　　　〃Oh　yes；　we　can；　my　dear；〃　said　the　Major；　looking　at　her　very　amiably。　　〃Marco　has　all　the　sauces；　and　we've　often　done　ourselves　well　in　very　rough　places；　as　you　might　know　by　now。　　And　it's　time　you　had　a　treat；　Audrey；　you　mustn't　be　a　housekeeper　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　I　know　you　want　to　hear　the　music。〃

　　　　　〃I　want　to　go　to　church；〃　she　said；　with　rather　severe　eyes。

　　　　　She　was　one　of　those　handsome　women　who　will　always　be　handsome；　because　the　beauty　is　not　in　an　air　or　a　tint；　but　in　the　very　structure　of　the　head　and　features。　　But　though　she　was　not　yet　middle…aged　and　her　auburn　hair　was　of　a　Titianesque　fullness　in　form　and　colour；　there　was　a　look　in　her　mouth　and　around　her　eyes　which　suggested　that　some　sorrows　wasted　her；　as　winds　waste　at　last　the　edges　of　a　Greek　temple。　　For　indeed　the　little　domestic　difficulty　of　which　she　was　now　speaking　so　decisively　was　rather　comic　than　tragic。　　Father　Brown　gathered；　from　the　course　of　the　conversation；　that　Cray；　the　other　gourmet；　had　to　leave　before　the　usual　lunch…time；　but　that　Putnam；　his　host；　not　to　be　done　out　of　a　final　feast　with　an　old　crony；　had　arranged　for　a　special　dejeuner　to　be　set　out　and　consumed　in　the　course　of　the　morning；　while　Audrey　and　other　graver　persons　were　at　morning　service。　　She　was　going　there　under　the　escort　of　a　relative　and　old　friend　of　hers；　Dr　Oliver　Oman；　who；　though　a　scientific　man　of　a　somewhat　bitter　type；　was　enthusiastic　for　music；　and　would　go　even　to　church　to　get　it。　　There　was　nothing　in　all　this　that　could　conceivably　concern　the　tragedy　in　Miss　Watson's　face；　and　by　a　half　conscious　instinct；　Father　Brown　turned　again　to　the　seeming　lunatic　grubbing　about　in　the　grass。

　　　　　When　he　strolled　across　to　him；　the　black；　unbrushed　head　was　lifted　abruptly；　as　if　in　some　surprise　at　his　continued　presence。　　And　indeed；　Father　Brown；　for　reasons　best　known　to　himself；　had　lingered　much　longer　than　politeness　required；　or　even；　in　the　ordinary　sense；　permitted。

　　　　　〃Well！〃　cried　Cray；　with　wild　eyes。　　〃I　suppose　you　think　I'm　mad；　like　the　rest？〃

　　　　　〃I　have　considered　the　thesis；〃　answered　the　little　man；　composedly。　　〃And　I　incline　to　think　you　are　not。〃

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　snapped　Cray　quite　savagely。

　　　　　〃Real　madmen；〃　explained　Father　Brown；　〃always　encourage　their　own　morbidity。　　They　never　strive　against　it。　　But　you　are　trying　to　find　traces　of　the　burglar；　even　when　there　aren't　any。　　You　are　struggling　against　it。　　You　want　what　no　madman　ever　wants。〃

　　　　　〃And　what　is　that？〃

　　　　　〃You　want　to　be　proved　wrong；〃　said　Brown。

　　　　　During　the　last　words　Cray　had　sprung　or　staggered　to　his　feet　and　was　regarding　the　cleric　with　agitated　eyes。　　〃By　hell；　but　that　is　a　true　word！〃　he　cried。　　〃They　are　all　at　me　here　that　the　fellow　was　only　after　the　silveras　if　I　shouldn't　be　only　too　pleased　to　think　so！　　She's　been　at　me；〃　and　he　tossed　his　tousled　black　head　towards　Audrey；　but　the　other　had　no　need　of　the　direction；　〃she's　been　at　me　today　about　how　cruel　I　was　to　shoot　a　poor　harmless　house…breaker；　and　how　I　have　the　devil　in　me　against　poor　harmless　natives。　　But　I　was　a　good…natured　man　onceas　good…natured　as　Putnam。〃

　　　　　After　a　pause　he　said：　　〃Look　here；　I've　never　seen　you　before；　but　you　shall　judge　of　the　whole　story。　　Old　Putnam　and　I　were　friends　in　the　same　mess；　but；　owing　to　some　accidents　on　the　Afghan　border；　I　got　my　command　much　sooner　than　most　men；　only　we　were　both　invalided　home　for　a　bit。　　I　was　engaged　to　Audrey　out　there；　and　we　all　travelled　back　together。　　But　on　the　journey　back　things　happened。　　Curious　things。　　The　result　of　them　was　that　Putnam　wants　it　broken　off；　and　even　Audrey　keeps　it　hanging　on　and　I　know　what　they　mean。　　I　know　what　they　think　I　am。　　So　do　you。

　　　　　〃Well；　these　are　the　facts。　　The　last　day　we　were　in　an　Indian　city　I　asked　Putnam　if　I　could　get　some　Trichinopoli　cigars；　he　directed　me　to　a　little　place　opposite　his　lodgings。　　I　have　since　found　he　was　quite　right；　but　‘opposite'　is　a　dangerous　word　when　one　decent　house　stands　opposite　five　or　six　squalid　ones；　and　I　must　have　mistaken　the　door。　　It　opened　with　difficulty；　and　then　only　on　darkness；　but　as　I　turned　back；　the　door　behind　me　sank　back　and　settled　into　its　place　with　a　noise　as　of　innumerable　bolts。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　walk　forward；　which　I　did　through　passage　after　passage；　pitch…dark。　　Then　I　came　to　a　flight　of　steps；　and　then　to　a　blind　door；　secured　by　a　latch　of　elaborate　Eastern　ironwork；　which　I　could　only　trace　by　touch；　but　which　I　loosened　at　last。　　I　came　out　again　upon　gloom；　which　was　half　turned　into　a　greenish　twilight　by　a　multitude　of　small　but　steady　lamps　below。　　They　showed　merely　the　feet　or　fringes　of　some　huge　and　empty　architecture。　　Just　in　front　of　me　was　something　that　looked　like　a　mountain。　　I　confess　I　nearly　fell　on　the　great　stone　platform　on　which　I　had　emerged；　to　realize　that　it　was　an　idol。　　And　worst　of　all；　an　idol　with　its　back　to　me。

　　　　　〃It　was　hardly　half　human；　I　guessed；　to　judge　by　the　small　squat　head；　and　still　more　by　a　thing　like　a　tail　or　extra　limb　turned　up　behind　and　pointing；　like　a　loathsome　large　finger；　at　some　symbol　graven　in　the　centre　of　the　vast　stone　back。　　I　had　begun；　in　the　dim　light；　to　guess　at　the　hieroglyphic；　not　without　horror；　when　a　more　horrible　thing　happened。　　A　door　opened　silently　in　the　temple　wall　behind　me　and　a　man　came　out；　with　a　brown　face　and　a　black　coat。　　He　had　a　carved　smile　on　his　face；　of　copper　flesh　and　ivory　teeth；　but　I　think　the　most　hateful　thing　about　him　was　that　he　was　in　European　dress。　　I　was　prepared；　I　think；　for　shrouded　priests　or　naked　fakirs。　　But　this　seemed　to　say　that　the　devilry　was　over　all　the　earth。　　As　indeed　I　found　it　to　be。

　　　　　〃‘If　you　had　only　seen　the　Monkey's　Feet；'　he　said；　smiling　steadily；　and　without　other　preface；　‘we　should　have　been　very　gentle　you　would　only　be　tortured　and　die。　　If　you　had　seen　the　Monkey's　Face；　still　we　should　be　very　moderate；　very　tolerantyou　would　only　be　tortured　and　live。　　But　as　you　have　seen　the　Monkey's　Tail；　we　must　pronounce　the　worst　sentence。　which　isGo　Free。'

　　　　　〃When　he　said　the　words　I　heard　the　elaborate　iron　latch　with　which　I　had　struggled；　automatically　unlock　itself：　　and　then；　far　down　the　dark　passages　I　had　passed；　I　heard　the　heavy　street…door　shifting　its　own　bolts　backwards。

　　　　　〃‘It　is　vain　to　ask　for　mercy；　you　must　go　free；'　said　the　smiling　man。　　‘Henceforth　a　hair　shall　slay　you　like　a　sword；　and　a　breath　shall　bite　you　like　an　adder；　weapons　shall　come　against　you　out　of　nowhere；　and　you　shall　die　many　times。'　And　with　that　he　was　swallowed　once　more　in　the　wall　behind；　and　I　went　out　into　the　street。〃

　　　　　Cray　paused；　and　Father　Brown　unaffectedly　sat　down　on　the　lawn　and　began　to　pick　daisies。

　　　　　Then　the　soldier　continued：　　〃Putnam；　of　course；　with　his　jolly　common　sense；　pooh…poohed　all　my　fears；　and　from　that　time　dates　his　doubt　of　my　mental　balance。　　Well；　I'll　simply　tell　you；　in　the　fewest　words；　the　three　things　that　have　happened　since；　and　you　shall　judge　which　of　us　is　right。

　　　　　〃The　first　happened　in　an　Indian　village　on　the　edge　of　the　jungle；　but　hundreds　of　miles　from　the　temple；　or　town；　or　type　of　tribes　and　customs　where　the　curse　had　been　put　on　me。　　I　woke　in　black　midnight；　and　lay　thinking　of　nothing　in　particular；　when　I　felt　a　faint　tickling　thing；　like　a　thread　or　a　hair；　trailed　across　my　throat。　　I　shrank　back　out　of　its　way；　and　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　words　in　the　temple。　　But　when　I　got　up　and　sought　lights　and　a　mirror；　the　line　across　my　neck　was　a　line　of　blood。

　　　　　〃The　second　happened　in　a　lodging　in　Port　Said；　later；　on　our　journey　home　together。　　It　was　a　jumble　of　tavern　and　curiosity…shop；　and　though　there　was　nothing　there　remotely　suggesting　the　cult　of　the　Monkey；　it　is；　of　course；　possible　that　some　of　its　images　or　talismans　were　in　such　a　place。　　Its　curse　was　there；　anyhow。　　I　woke　again　in　the　dark　with　a　sensation　that　could　not　be　put　in　colder　or　more　literal　words　than　that　a　breath　bit　like　an　adder。　　Existence　was　an　agony　of　extinction；　I　dashed　my　head　against　walls　until　I　dashed　it　against　a　window；　and　fell　rather　than　jumped　into　the　garden　below。　　Putnam；　poor　fellow；　who　had　called　the　other　thing　a　chance　scratch；　was　bound　to　take　seriously　the　fact　of　finding　me　half　insensible　on　the　grass　at　dawn。　　But　I　fear　it　was　my　mental　state　he　took　seriously；　and　not　my　story。

　　　　　〃The　third　happened　in　Malta。　　We　were　in　a　fortress　there；　and　as　it　happened　our　bedrooms　overlooked　the　open　sea；　which　almost　came　up　to　our　window…sills；　save　for　a　flat　white　outer　wall　as　bare　as　the　sea。　　I　woke　up　again；　but　it　was　no