the man who knew too much-第2部分

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The　level　above　was　a　stretch　of　common　turf　on　which　the　tracks　of　the　fated　car　were　plowed　plainly　enough；　but　the　brink　of　it　was　broken　as　with　rocky　teeth；　broken　boulders　of　all　shapes　and　sizes　lay　near　the　edge；　it　was　almost　incredible　that　any　one　could　have　deliberately　driven　into　such　a　death　trap；　especially　in　broad　daylight。

〃I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of　it；〃　said　March。　〃Was　he　blind？　Or　blind　drunk？〃

〃Neither；　by　the　look　of　him；〃　replied　the　other。

〃Then　it　was　suicide。〃

〃It　doesn't　seem　a　cozy　way　of　doing　it；〃　remarked　the　man　called　Fisher。　〃Besides；　I　don't　fancy　poor　old　Puggy　would　commit　suicide；　somehow。〃

〃Poor　old　who？〃　inquired　the　wondering　journalist。；　〃Did　you　know　this　unfortunate　man？〃

〃Nobody　knew　him　exactly；〃　replied　Fisher；　with　some　vagueness。　〃But　one　KNEW　him；　of　course。　He'd　been　a　terror　in　his　time；　in　Parliament　and　the　courts；　and　so　on；　especially　in　that　row　about　the　aliens　who　were　deported　as　undesirables；　when　he　wanted　one　of　'em　hanged　for　murder。　He　was　so　sick　about　it　that　he　retired　from　the　bench。　Since　then　he　mostly　motored　about　by　himself；　but　he　was　coming　to　Torwood；　too；　for　the　week…end；　and　I　don't　see　why　he　should　deliberately　break　his　neck　almost　at　the　very　door。　I　believe　HoggsI　mean　my　cousin　Howardwas　coming　down　specially　to　meet　him。〃

〃Torwood　Park　doesn't　belong　to　your　cousin？〃　inquired　March。

〃No；　it　used　to　belong　to　the　Winthrops；　you　know；〃　replied　the　other。　〃Now　a　new　man's　got　it；　a　man　from　Montreal　named　Jenkins。　Hoggs　comes　for　the　shooting；　I　told　you　he　was　a　lovely　shot。〃

This　repeated　eulogy　on　the　great　social　statesman　affected　Harold　March　as　if　somebody　had　defined　Napoleon　as　a　distinguished　player　of　nap。　But　he　had　another　half…formed　impression　struggling　in　this　flood　of　unfamiliar　things；　and　he　brought　it　to　the　surface　before　it　could　vanish。

〃Jenkins；〃　he　repeated。　〃Surely　you　don't　mean　Jefferson　Jenkins；　the　social　reformer？　I　mean　the　man　who's　fighting　for　the　new　cottage…estate　scheme。　It　would　be　as　interesting　to　meet　him　as　any　Cabinet　Minister　in　the　world；　if　you'll　excuse　my　saying　so。〃

〃Yes；　Hoggs　told　him　it　would　have　to　be　cottages；〃　said　Fisher。　〃He　said　the　breed　of　cattle　had　improved　too　often；　and　people　were　beginning　to　laugh。　And；　of　course；　you　must　hang　a　peerage　on　to　something；　though　the　poor　chap　hasn't　got　it　yet。　Hullo；　here's　somebody　else。〃

They　had　started　walking　in　the　tracks　of　the　car；　leaving　it　behind　them　in　the　hollow；　still　humming　horribly　like　a　huge　insect　that　had　killed　a　man。　The　tracks　took　them　to　the　corner　of　the　road；　one　arm　of　which　went　on　in　the　same　line　toward　the　distant　gates　of　the　park。　It　was　clear　that　the　car　had　been　driven　down　the　long　straight　road；　and　then；　instead　of　turning　with　the　road　to　the　left；　had　gone　straight　on　over　the　turf　to　its　doom。　But　it　was　not　this　　discovery　that　had　riveted　Fisher's　eye；　but　something　even　more　solid。　At　the　angle　of　the　white　road　a　dark　and　solitary　figure　was　standing　almost　as　still　as　a　finger　post。　It　was　that　of　a　big　man　in　rough　shooting…clothes；　bareheaded；　and　with　tousled　curly　hair　that　gave　him　a　rather　wild　look。　On　a　nearer　approach　this　first　more　fantastic　impression　faded；　in　a　full　light　the　figure　took　on　more　conventional　colors；　as　of　an　ordinary　gentleman　who　happened　to　have　come　out　without　a　hat　and　without　very　studiously　brushing　his　hair。　But　the　massive　stature　remained；　and　something　deep　and　even　cavernous　about　the　setting　of　the　eyes　redeemed。　his　animal　good　looks　from　the　commonplace。　But　March　had　no　time　to　study　the　man　more　closely；　for；　much　to　his　astonishment；　his　guide　merely　observed；　〃Hullo；　Jack！〃　and　walked　past　him　as　if　he　had　indeed　been　a　signpost；　and　without　attempting　to　inform　him　of　the　catastrophe　beyond　the　rocks。　It　was　relatively　a　small　thing；　but　it　was　only　the　first　in　a　string　of　singular　antics　on　which　his　new　and　eccentric　friend　was　leading　him。

The　man　they　had　passed　looked　after　them　in　rather　a　suspicious　fashion；　but　Fisher　continued　serenely　on　his　way　along　the　straight　road　that　ran　past　the　gates　of　the　great　estate。

〃That's　John　Burke；　the　traveler；〃　he　condescended　to　explain。　〃I　expect　you've　heard　of　him；　shoots　big　game　and　all　that。　Sorry　I　couldn't　stop　to　introduce　you；　but　I　dare　say　you'll　meet　him　later　on。〃

〃I　know　his　book；　of　course；〃　said　March；　with　renewed　interest。　〃That　is　certainly　a　fine　piece　of　description；　about　their　being　only　conscious　of　the　closeness　of　the　elephant　when　the　colossal　head　blocked　out　the　moon。〃

〃Yes；　young　Halkett　writes　jolly　well；　I　think。　What？　Didn't　you　know　Halkett　wrote　Burke's　book　for　him？　Burke　can't　use　anything　except　a　gun；　and　you　can't　write　with　that。　Oh；　he's　genuine　enough　in　his　way；　you　know；　as　brave　as　a　lion；　or　a　good　deal　braver　by　all　accounts。〃

〃You　seem　to　know　all　about　him；〃　observed　March；　with　a　rather　bewildered　laugh；　〃and　about　a　good　many　other　people。〃

Fisher's　bald　brow　became　abruptly　corrugated；　and　a　curious　expression　came　into　his　eyes。

〃I　know　too　much；〃　he　said。　〃That's　what's　the　matter　with　me。　That's　what's　the　matter　with　all　of　us；　and　the　whole　show；　we　know　too　much。　Too　much　about　one　another；　too　much　about　ourselves。　That's　why　I'm　really　interested；　just　now；　about　one　thing　that　I　don't　know。〃

〃And　that　is？〃　inquired　the　other。

〃Why　that　poor　fellow　is　dead。〃

They　had　walked　along　the　straight　road　for　nearly　a　mile；　conversing　at　intervals　in　this　fashion；　and　March　had　a　singular　sense　of　the　whole　world　being　turned　inside　out。　Mr。　Horne　Fisher　did　not　especially　abuse　his　friends　and　relatives　in　fashionable　society；　of　some　of　them　he　spoke　with　affection。　But　they　seemed　to　be　an　entirely　new　set　of　men　and　women；　who　happened　to　have　the　same　nerves　as　the　men　and　women　mentioned　most　often　in　the　newspapers。　Yet　no　fury　of　revolt　could　have　seemed　to　him　more　utterly　revolutionary　than　this　cold　familiarity。　It　was　like　daylight　on　the　other　side　of　stage　scenery。

They　reached　the　great　lodge　gates　of　the　park；　and；　to　March's　surprise；　passed　them　and　continued　along　the　interminable　white；　straight　road。　But　he　was　himself　too　early　for　his　appointment　with　Sir　Howard；　and　was　not　disinclined　to　see　the　end　of　his　new　friend's　experiment；　whatever　it　might　be。　They　had　long　left　the　moorland　behind　them；　and　half　the　white　road　was　gray　in　the　great　shadow　of　the　Torwood　pine　forests；　themselves　like　gray　bars　shuttered　against　the　sunshine　and　within；　　amid　that　clear　noon；　manufacturing　their　own　midnight。　Soon；　however；　rifts　began　to　appear　in　them　like　gleams　of　colored　windows；　the　trees　thinned　and　fell　away　as　the　road　went　forward；　showing　the　wild；　irregular　copses　in　which；　as　Fisher　said；　the　house…party　had　been　blazing　away　all　day。　And　about　two　hundred　yards　farther　on　they　came　to　the　first　turn　of　the　road。

At　the　corner　stood　a　sort　of　decayed　inn　with　the　dingy　sign　of　The　Grapes。　The　signboard　was　dark　and　indecipherable　by　now；　and　hung　black　against　the　sky　and　the　gray　moorland　beyond；　about　as　inviting　as　a　gallows。　March　remarked　that　it　looked　like　a　tavern　for　vinegar　instead　of　wine。

〃A　good　phrase；〃　said　Fisher；　〃and　so　it　would　be　if　you　were　silly　enough　to　drink　wine　in　it。　But　the　beer　is　very　good；　and　so　is　the　brandy。〃

March　followed　him　to　the　bar　parlor　with　some　wonder；　and　his　dim　sense　of　repugnance　was　not　dismissed　by　the　first　sight　of　the　innkeeper；　who　was　widely　different　from　the　genial　innkeepers　of　romance；　a　bony　man；　very　silent　behind　a　black　mustache；　but　with　black；　restless　eyes。　Taciturn　as　he　was；　the　investigator　succeeded　at　last　in　extracting　a　scrap　of　information　from　him；　by　dint　of　ordering　beer　and　talking　to　him　persistently　and　minutely　on　the　subject　of　motor　cars。　He　evidently　regarded　the　innkeeper　as　in　some　singular　way　an　authority　on　motor　cars；　as　being　deep　in　the　secrets　of　the　mechanism；　management；　and　mismanagement　of　motor　cars；　holding　the　man　all　the　time　with　a　glittering　eye　like　the　Ancient　Mariner。　Out　of　all　this　rather　mysterious　conversation　there　did　emerge　at　last　a　sort　of　admission　that　one　particular　motor　car；　of　a　given　description；　had　stopped　before　the　inn　about　an　hour　before；　and　that　an　elderly　man　had　alighted；　requiring　some　mechanical　assistance。　Asked　if　the　visitor　required　any　other　assistance；　the　innkeeper　said　shortly　that　the　old　gentleman　had　filled　his　flask　and　taken　a　packet　of　sandwiches。　And　with　these　words　the　somewhat　inhospitable　host　had　walked　hastily　out　of　the　bar；　and　they　heard　him　banging　doors　in　the　dark　interior。

Fisher's　weary　eye　wandered　round　the　dusty　and　dreary　inn　parlor　and　rested　dreamily　on　a　glass　case　containing　a　stuffed　bird；　with　a　gun　hung　on　hooks　above　it；　which　seemed　to　be　its　only　ornament。

〃Puggy　was　a　humorist；〃　he　observed；　〃at　least　in　his　own　rather　grim　style。　But　it　seems　rather　too　grim　a　joke　for　a　man　to　buy　a　packet　of　sandwiches　when　he　is　just　going　to　commit　suicide。〃

〃If　you　come　to　that；〃　answered　March；　〃it　　isn't　very　usual　for　a　man　to　buy　a　packet　of　sandwiches　when　he's　just　outside　the　door　of　a　grand　house　he's　going　to　stop　at。〃

〃No　。　。　。　no；〃　repeated　Fisher；　almost　mechanically；　and　then　suddenly　cocked　his　eye　at　his　interlocutor　with　a　much　livelier　expression。

〃By　Jove！　that's　an　idea。　You're　perfectly　right。　And　that　suggests　a　very　queer　idea；　doesn't　it？〃

There　was　a　silence；　and　then　March　started　with　irrational　nervousness　as　the　door　of　the　inn　was　flung　open　and　another　man　walked　rapidly　to　the　counter。　He　had　struck　it　with　a　coin　and　called　out　for　brandy　before　he　saw　the　other　two　guests；　who　were　sitting　at　a　bare　wooden　table　under　the　window。　When　he　turned　about　with　a　rather　wild　stare；　March　had　yet　another　unexpected　emotion；　for　his　guide　hailed　the　man　as　Hoggs　and　introduced　him　as　Sir　Howard　Horne。

He　looked　rather　older　than　his　boyish　portraits　in　the　illustrated　papers；　as　is　the　way　of　politicians；　his　flat；　fair　hair　was　touched　with　gray；　but　his　face　was　almost　comically　round；　with　a　Roman　nose　which；　when　combined　with　his