the wisdom of father brown-第6部分

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perhaps　the　poison　isn't　hers；　perhaps　it's　one　of　Muscari's　melodramatic　tricks。〃

　　　　　Muscari　set　the　lady　lightly　on　her　feet；　made　her　an　absurdly　theatrical　bow；　and　then；　drawing　his　cutlass；　hacked　hard　at　the　taut　reins　of　the　horses；　so　that　they　scrambled　to　their　feet　and　stood　in　the　grass　trembling。　　When　he　had　done　so；　a　most　remarkable　thing　occurred。　　A　very　quiet　man；　very　poorly　dressed　and　extremely　sunburnt；　came　out　of　the　bushes　and　took　hold　of　the　horses'　heads。　　He　had　a　queer…shaped　knife；　very　broad　and　crooked；　buckled　on　his　belt；　there　was　nothing　else　remarkable　about　him；　except　his　sudden　and　silent　appearance。　　The　poet　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　he　did　not　answer。

　　　　　Looking　around　him　at　the　confused　and　startled　group　in　the　hollow；　Muscari　then　perceived　that　another　tanned　and　tattered　man；　with　a　short　gun　under　his　arm；　was　looking　at　them　from　the　ledge　just　below；　leaning　his　elbows　on　the　edge　of　the　turf。　　Then　he　looked　up　at　the　road　from　which　they　had　fallen　and　saw；　looking　down　on　them；　the　muzzles　of　four　other　carbines　and　four　other　brown　faces　with　bright　but　quite　motionless　eyes。

　　　　　〃The　brigands！〃　cried　Muscari；　with　a　kind　of　monstrous　gaiety。　　〃This　was　a　trap。　　Ezza；　if　you　will　oblige　me　by　shooting　the　coachman　first；　we　can　cut　our　way　out　yet。　　There　are　only　six　of　them。〃

　　　　　〃The　coachman；〃　said　Ezza；　who　was　standing　grimly　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　〃happens　to　be　a　servant　of　Mr　Harrogate's。〃

　　　　　〃Then　shoot　him　all　the　more；〃　cried　the　poet　impatiently；　〃he　was　bribed　to　upset　his　master。　　Then　put　the　lady　in　the　middle；　and　we　will　break　the　line　up　therewith　a　rush。〃

　　　　　And；　wading　in　wild　grass　and　flowers；　he　advanced　fearlessly　on　the　four　carbines；　but　finding　that　no　one　followed　except　young　Harrogate；　he　turned；　brandishing　his　cutlass　to　wave　the　others　on。　　He　beheld　the　courier　still　standing　slightly　astride　in　the　centre　of　the　grassy　ring；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　his　lean；　ironical　Italian　face　seemed　to　grow　longer　and　longer　in　the　evening　light。

　　　　　〃You　thought；　Muscari；　I　was　the　failure　among　our　schoolfellows；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　thought　you　were　the　success。　　But　I　have　succeeded　more　than　you　and　fill　a　bigger　place　in　history。　　I　have　been　acting　epics　while　you　have　been　writing　them。〃

　　　　　〃Come　on；　I　tell　you！〃　thundered　Muscari　from　above。　　〃Will　you　stand　there　talking　nonsense　about　yourself　with　a　woman　to　save　and　three　strong　men　to　help　you？　　What　do　you　call　yourself？〃

　　　　　〃I　call　myself　Montano；〃　cried　the　strange　courier　in　a　voice　equally　loud　and　full。　　〃I　am　the　King　of　Thieves；　and　I　welcome　you　all　to　my　summer　palace。〃

　　　　　And　even　as　he　spoke　five　more　silent　men　with　weapons　ready　came　out　of　the　bushes；　and　looked　towards　him　for　their　orders。　　One　of　them　held　a　large　paper　in　his　hand。

　　　　　〃This　pretty　little　nest　where　we　are　all　picnicking；〃　went　on　the　courier…brigand；　with　the　same　easy　yet　sinister　smile；　〃is；　together　with　some　caves　underneath　it；　known　by　the　name　of　the　Paradise　of　Thieves。　　It　is　my　principal　stronghold　on　these　hills；　for　（as　you　have　doubtless　noticed）　the　eyrie　is　invisible　both　from　the　road　above　and　from　the　valley　below。　　It　is　something　better　than　impregnable；　it　is　unnoticeable。　　Here　I　mostly　live；　and　here　I　shall　certainly　die；　if　the　gendarmes　ever　track　me　here。　　I　am　not　the　kind　of　criminal　that　‘reserves　his　defence；'　but　the　better　kind　that　reserves　his　last　bullet。〃

　　　　　All　were　staring　at　him　thunderstruck　and　still；　except　Father　Brown；　who　heaved　a　huge　sigh　as　of　relief　and　fingered　the　little　phial　in　his　pocket。　　〃Thank　God！〃　he　muttered；　〃that's　much　more　probable。　　The　poison　belongs　to　this　robber…chief；　of　course。　　He　carries　it　so　that　he　may　never　be　captured；　like　Cato。〃

　　　　　The　King　of　Thieves　was；　however；　continuing　his　address　with　the　same　kind　of　dangerous　politeness。　　〃It　only　remains　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃to　explain　to　my　guests　the　social　conditions　upon　which　I　have　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　them。　　I　need　not　expound　the　quaint　old　ritual　of　ransom；　which　it　is　incumbent　upon　me　to　keep　up；　and　even　this　only　applies　to　a　part　of　the　company。　　The　Reverend　Father　Brown　and　the　celebrated　Signor　Muscari　I　shall　release　tomorrow　at　dawn　and　escort　to　my　outposts。　　Poets　and　priests；　if　you　will　pardon　my　simplicity　of　speech；　never　have　any　money。　　And　so　（since　it　is　impossible　to　get　anything　out　of　them）；　let　us；　seize　the　opportunity　to　show　our　admiration　for　classic　literature　and　our　reverence　for　Holy　Church。〃

　　　　　He　paused　with　an　unpleasing　smile；　and　Father　Brown　blinked　repeatedly　at　him；　and　seemed　suddenly　to　be　listening　with　great　attention。　　The　brigand　captain　took　the　large　paper　from　the　attendant　brigand　and；　glancing　over　it；　continued：　〃My　other　intentions　are　clearly　set　forth　in　this　public　document；　which　I　will　hand　round　in　a　moment；　and　which　after　that　will　be　posted　on　a　tree　by　every　village　in　the　valley；　and　every　cross…road　in　the　hills。　　I　will　not　weary　you　with　the　verbalism；　since　you　will　be　able　to　check　it；　the　substance　of　my　proclamation　is　this：　　I　announce　first　that　I　have　captured　the　English　millionaire；　the　colossus　of　finance；　Mr　Samuel　Harrogate。　　I　next　announce　that　I　have　found　on　his　person　notes　and　bonds　for　two　thousand　pounds；　which　he　has　given　up　to　me。　　Now　since　it　would　be　really　immoral　to　announce　such　a　thing　to　a　credulous　public　if　it　had　not　occurred；　I　suggest　it　should　occur　without　further　delay。　　I　suggest　that　Mr　Harrogate　senior　should　now　give　me　the　two　thousand　pounds　in　his　pocket。〃

　　　　　The　banker　looked　at　him　under　lowering　brows；　red…faced　and　sulky；　but　seemingly　cowed。　　That　leap　from　the　failing　carriage　seemed　to　have　used　up　his　last　virility。　　He　had　held　back　in　a　hang…dog　style　when　his　son　and　Muscari　had　made　a　bold　movement　to　break　out　of　the　brigand　trap。　　And　now　his　red　and　trembling　hand　went　reluctantly　to　his　breast…pocket；　and　passed　a　bundle　of　papers　and　envelopes　to　the　brigand。

　　　　　〃Excellent！〃　cried　that　outlaw　gaily；　〃so　far　we　are　all　cosy。　　I　resume　the　points　of　my　proclamation；　so　soon　to　be　published　to　all　Italy。　　The　third　item　is　that　of　ransom。　　I　am　asking　from　the　friends　of　the　Harrogate　family　a　ransom　of　three　thousand　pounds；　which　I　am　sure　is　almost　insulting　to　that　family　in　its　moderate　estimate　of　their　importance。　　Who　would　not　pay　triple　this　sum　for　another　day's　association　with　such　a　domestic　circle？　　I　will　not　conceal　from　you　that　the　document　ends　with　certain　legal　phrases　about　the　unpleasant　things　that　may　happen　if　the　money　is　not　paid；　but　meanwhile；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　let　me　assure　you　that　I　am　comfortably　off　here　for　accommodation；　wine　and　cigars；　and　bid　you　for　the　present　a　sportsman…like　welcome　to　the　luxuries　of　the　Paradise　of　Thieves。〃

　　　　　All　the　time　that　he　had　been　speaking；　the　dubious…looking　men　with　carbines　and　dirty　slouch　hats　had　been　gathering　silently　in　such　preponderating　numbers　that　even　Muscari　was　compelled　to　recognize　his　sally　with　the　sword　as　hopeless。　　He　glanced　around　him；　but　the　girl　had　already　gone　over　to　soothe　and　comfort　her　father；　for　her　natural　affection　for　his　person　was　as　strong　or　stronger　than　her　somewhat　snobbish　pride　in　his　success。　　Muscari；　with　the　illogicality　of　a　lover；　admired　this　filial　devotion；　and　yet　was　irritated　by　it。　　He　slapped　his　sword　back　in　the　scabbard　and　went　and　flung　himself　somewhat　sulkily　on　one　of　the　green　banks。　　The　priest　sat　down　within　a　yard　or　two；　and　Muscari　turned　his　aquiline　nose　on　him　in　an　instantaneous　irritation。

　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　poet　tartly；　〃do　people　still　think　me　too　romantic？　　Are　there；　I　wonder；　any　brigands　left　in　the　mountains？〃

　　　　　〃There　may　be；〃　said　Father　Brown　agnostically。

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

　　　　　〃I　mean　I　am　puzzled；〃　replied　the　priest。　　〃I　am　puzzled　about　Ezza　or　Montano；　or　whatever　his　name　is。　　He　seems　to　me　much　more　inexplicable　as　a　brigand　even　than　he　was　as　a　courier。〃

　　　　　〃But　in　what　way？〃　persisted　his　companion。　　〃Santa　Maria！　I　should　have　thought　the　brigand　was　plain　enough。〃

　　　　　〃I　find　three　curious　difficulties；〃　said　the　priest　in　a　quiet　voice。　　〃I　should　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　them。　　First　of　all　I　must　tell　you　I　was　lunching　in　that　restaurant　at　the　seaside。　　As　four　of　you　left　the　room；　you　and　Miss　Harrogate　went　ahead；　talking　and　laughing；　the　banker　and　the　courier　came　behind；　speaking　sparely　and　rather　low。　　But　I　could　not　help　hearing　Ezza　say　these　words‘Well；　let　her　have　a　little　fun；　you　know　the　blow　may　smash　her　any　minute。'　　Mr　Harrogate　answered　nothing；　so　the　words　must　have　had　some　meaning。　　On　the　impulse　of　the　moment　I　warned　her　brother　that　she　might　be　in　peril；　I　said　nothing　of　its　nature；　for　I　did　not　know。　　But　if　it　meant　this　capture　in　the　hills；　the　thing　is　nonsense。　　Why　should　the　brigand…courier　warn　his　patron；　even　by　a　hint；　when　it　was　his　whole　purpose　to　lure　him　into　the　mountain…mousetrap？　　It　could　not　have　meant　that。　　But　if　not；　what　is　this　disaster；　known　both　to　courier　and　banker；　which　hangs　over　Miss　Harrogate's　head？〃

　　　　　〃Disaster　to　Miss　Harrogate！〃　ejaculated　the　poet；　sitting　up　with　some　ferocity。　　〃Explain　yourself；　go　on。〃

　　　　　〃All　my　riddles；　however；　revolve　round　our　bandit　chief；〃　resumed　the　priest　reflectively。　　〃And　here　is　the　second　of　them。　　Why　did　he　put　so　prominently　in　his　demand　for　ransom　the　fact　that　he　had　taken　two　thousand　pounds　from　his　victim　on　the　spot？　　It　had　no　faintest　tendency　to　evoke　the　ransom。　　Quite　the　other　way；　in　fact。　　Harrogate's　friends　would　be　far　likelier　to　fear　for　his　fate　if　they　thought　the　thieves　were　poor　and　desperate。　　Yet　the　spoliation　on　the　spot　was　emphasized　and　even　put　first　in　the　demand。　　Why　should　Ezza　Montano　want　so　specially　to　tell　all　Europe　that　he　had　picked　the　pocket　before　he　levied　the　blackmail？〃

　　　　　〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　said　Muscari；　rubbing　up　his　black　hair　for　once　with　an　unaffected　gesture。　　〃You　may　think　you　enlighten　me；　but　you　are　leading　me　d