the man who knew too much-第30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！


ike　men　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives。　Well；　I　tell　you；　March；　I　know　them　inside　out；　and　I　know　they　are　behaving　like　heroes。　Every　man　of　them　ought　to　have　a　statue；　and　on　the　pedestal　words　like　those　of　the　noblest　ruffian　of　the　Revolution：　'Que　mon　nom　soit　fletri；　que　la　France　soit　libre。'〃

〃Good　God！〃　cried　March；　〃shall　we　never　get　to　the　bottom　of　your　mines　and　countermines？〃

After　a　silence　Fisher　answered　in　a　lower　voice；　looking　his　friend　in　the　eyes。

〃Did　you　think　there　was　nothing　but　evil　at　the　bottom　of　them？〃　he　asked；　gently。　〃Did　you　think　I　had　found　nothing　but　filth　in　the　deep　seas　into　which　fate　has　thrown　me？　Believe　me；　you　never　know　the　best　about　men　till　you　know　the　worst　about　them。　It　does　not　dispose　of　their　strange　human　souls　to　know　that　they　were　exhibited　to　the　world　as　impossibly　impeccable　wax　works；　who　never　looked　after　a　woman　or　knew　the　meaning　of　a　bribe。　Even　in　a　palace；　life　can　be　lived　well；　and　even　in　a　Parliament；　life　can　be　lived　with　occasional　efforts　to　live　it　well。　I　tell　you　it　is　as　true　of　these　rich　fools　and　rascals　as　it　is　true　of　every　poor　footpad　and　pickpocket；　that　only　God　knows　how　good　they　have　tried　to　be。　God　alone　knows　what　the　conscience　can　survive；　or　how　a　man　who　has　lost　his　honor　will　still　try　to　save　his　soul。〃

There　was　another　silence；　and　March　sat　staring　at　the　table　and　Fisher　at　the　sea。　Then　Fisher　suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet　and　caught　up　his　hat　and　stick　with　all　his　new　alertness　and　even　pugnacity。

〃Look　here；　old　fellow；〃　he　cried；　〃let　us　make　a　bargain。　Before　you　open　your　campaign　for　　Attwood　come　down　and　stay　with　us　for　one　week；　to　hear　what　we're　really　doing。　I　mean　with　the　Faithful　Few；　formerly　known　as　the　Old　Gang；　occasionally　to　be　described　as　the　Low　Lot。　There　are　really　only　five　of　us　that　are　quite　fixed；　and　organizing　the　national　defense；　and　we're　living　like　a　garrison　in　a　sort　of　broken…down　hotel　in　Kent。　Come　and　see　what　we're　really　doing　and　what　there　is　to　be　done；　and　do　us　justice。　And　after　that；　with　unalterable　love　and　affection　for　you；　publish　and　be　damned。〃

Thus　it　came　about　that　in　the　last　week　before　war；　when　events　moved　most　rapidly；　Harold　March　found　himself　one　of　a　sort　of　small　house　party　of　the　people　he　was　proposing　to　denounce。　They　were　living　simply　enough；　for　people　with　their　tastes；　in　an　old　brown…brick　inn　faced　with　ivy　and　surrounded　by　rather　dismal　gardens。　At　the　back　of　the　building　the　garden　ran　up　very　steeply　to　a　road　along　the　ridge　above；　and　a　zigzag　path　scaled　the　slope　in　sharp　angles；　turning　to　and　fro　amid　evergreens　so　somber　that　they　might　rather　be　called　everblack。　Here　and　there　up　the　slope　were　statues　having　all　the　cold　monstrosity　of　such　minor　ornaments　of　the　eighteenth　century；　and　a　whole　row　of　them　ran　as　on　a　terrace　along　the　last　bank　at　the　bottom；　opposite　the　back　door。　This　detail　fixed　itself　first　in　March's　mind　merely　because　it　figured　in　the　first　conversation　he　had　with　one　of　the　cabinet　ministers。

The　cabinet　ministers　were　rather　older　than　he　had　expected　to　find　them。　The　Prime　Minister　no　longer　looked　like　a　boy；　though　he　still　looked　a　little　like　a　baby。　But　it　was　one　of　those　old　and　venerable　babies；　and　the　baby　had　soft　gray　hair。　Everything　about　him　was　soft；　to　his　speech　and　his　way　of　walking；　but　over　and　above　that　his　chief　function　seemed　to　be　sleep。　People　left　alone　with　him　got　so　used　to　his　eyes　being　closed　that　they　were　almost　startled　when　they　realized　in　the　stillness　that　the　eyes　were　wide　open；　and　even　watching。　One　thing　at　least　would　always　make　the　old　gentleman　open　his　eyes。　The　one　thing　he　really　cared　for　in　this　world　was　his　hobby　of　armored　weapons；　especially　Eastern　weapons；　and　he　would　talk　for　hours　about　Damascus　blades　and　Arab　swordmanship。　Lord　James　Herries；　the　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　was　a　short；　dark；　sturdy　man　with　a　very　sallow　face　and　a　very　sullen　manner；　which　contrasted　with　the　gorgeous　flower　in　his　buttonhole　and　his　festive　trick　of　being　always　slightly　overdressed。　It　was　something　of　a　euphemism　to　call　him　a　well…known　man　about　town。　There　was　perhaps　more　mystery　in　the　question　of　how　a　man　who　lived　for　pleasure　seemed　to　get　so　little　pleasure　out　of　it。　Sir　David　Archer；　the　Foreign　Secretary；　was　the　only　one　of　them　who　was　a　self…made　man；　and　the　only　one　of　them　who　looked　like　an　aristocrat。　He　was　tall　and　thin　and　very　handsome；　with　a　grizzled　beard；　his　gray　hair　was　very　curly；　and　even　rose　in　front　in　two　rebellious　ringlets　that　seemed　to　the　fanciful　to　tremble　like　the　antennae　of　some　giant　insect；　or　to　stir　sympathetically　with　the　restless　tufted　eyebrows　over　his　rather　haggard　eyes。　For　the　Foreign　Secretary　made　no　secret　of　his　somewhat　nervous　condition；　whatever　might　be　the　cause　of　it。

〃Do　you　know　that　mood　when　one　could　scream　because　a　mat　is　crooked？〃　he　said　to　March；　as　they　walked　up　and　down　in　the　back　garden　below　the　line　of　dingy　statues。　〃Women　get　into　it　when　they've　worked　too　hard；　and　I've　been　working　pretty　hard　lately；　of　course。　It　drives　me　mad　when　Herries　will　wear　his　hat　a　little　crookedhabit　of　looking　like　a　gay　dog。　Sometime　I　swear　I'll　knock　it　off。　That　statue　of　Britannia　over　there　isn't　quite　straight；　it　sticks　forward　a　bit　as　if　the　lady　were　going　to　topple　over。　The　damned　thing　is　that　it　doesn't　topple　over　and　be　done　with　it。　See；　it's　clamped　with　an　iron　prop。　Don't　be　surprised　if　I　get　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　hike　it　down。〃

They　paced　the　path　for　a　few　moments　in　silence　and　then　he　continued。　〃It's　odd　those　little　things　seem　specially　big　when　there　are　bigger　things　to　worry　about。　We'd　better　go　in　and　do　some　work。〃

Horne　Fisher　evidently　allowed　for　all　the　neurotic　possibilities　of　Archer　and　the　dissipated　habits　of　Herries；　and　whatever　his　faith　in　their　present　firmness；　did　not　unduly　tax　their　time　and　attention；　even　in　the　case　of　the　Prime　Minister。　He　had　got　the　consent　of　the　latter　finally　to　the　committing　of　the　important　documents；　with　the　orders　to　the　Western　armies；　to　the　care　of　a　less　conspicuous　and　more　solid　personan　uncle　of　his　named　Horne　Hewitt；　a　rather　colorless　country　squire　who　had　been　a　good　soldier；　and　was　the　military　adviser　of　the　committee。　He　was　charged　with　expediting　the　government　pledge；　along　with　the　concerted　military　plans；　to　the　half…mutinous　command　in　the　west；　and　the　still　more　urgent　task　of　seeing　that　it　did　not　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　who　might　appear　at　any　moment　from　the　east。　Over　and　above　this　military　official；　the　only　other　person　present　was　a　police　official；　a　certain　Doctor　Prince；　originally　a　police　surgeon　and　now　a　distinguished　detective；　sent　to　be　a　bodyguard　to　the　group。　He　was　a　square…faced　man　with　big　spectacles　and　a　grimace　that　expressed　the　intention　of　keeping　his　mouth　shut。　Nobody　else　shared　their　captivity　except　the　hotel　proprietor；　a　crusty　Kentish　man　with　a　crab…apple　face；　one　or　two　of　his　servants；　and　another　servant　privately　attached　to　Lord　James　Herries。　He　was　a　young　Scotchman　named　Campbell；　who　looked　much　more　distinguished　than　his　bilious…looking　master；　having　chestnut　hair　and　a　long　saturnine　face　with　large　but　fine　features。　He　was　probably　the　one　really　efficient　person　in　the　house。

After　about　four　days　of　the　informal　council；　March　had　come　to　feel　a　sort　of　grotesque　sublimity　about　these　dubious　figures；　defiant　in　the　twilight　of　danger；　as　if　they　were　hunchbacks　and　cripples　left　alone　to　defend　a　town。　All　were　working　hard；　and　he　himself　looked　up　from　writing　a　page　of　memoranda　in　a　private　room　to　see　Horne　Fisher　standing　in　the　doorway；　accoutered　as　if　for　travel。　He　fancied　that　Fisher　looked　a　little　pale；　and　after　　a　moment　that　gentleman　shut　the　door　behind　him　and　said；　quietly：

〃Well；　the　worst　has　happened。　Or　nearly　the　worst。〃

〃The　enemy　has　landed；〃　cried　March；　and　sprang　erect　out　of　his　chair。

〃Oh；　I　knew　the　enemy　would　land；〃　said　Fisher；　with　composure。　〃Yes；　he's　landed；　but　that's　not　the　worst　that　could　happen。　The　worst　is　that　there's　a　leak　of　some　sort；　even　from　this　fortress　of　ours。　It's　been　a　bit　of　a　shock　to　me；　I　can　tell　you；　though　I　suppose　it's　illogical。　After　all；　I　was　full　of　admiration　at　finding　three　honest　men　in　politics。　I　ought　not　to　be　full　of　astonishment　if　I　find　only　two。〃

He　ruminated　a　moment　and　then　said；　in　such　a　fashion　that　March　could　hardly　tell　if　he　were　changing　the　subject　or　no：

〃It's　hard　at　first　to　believe　that　a　fellow　like　Herries；　who　had　pickled　himself　in　vice　like　vinegar；　can　have　any　scruple　left。　But　about　that　I've　noticed　a　curious　thing。　Patriotism　is　not　the　first　virtue。　Patriotism　rots　into　Prussianism　when　you　pretend　it　is　the　first　virtue。　But　patriotism　is　sometimes　the　last　virtue。　A　man　will　swindle　or　seduce　who　will　not　sell　his　country。　But　who　knows？〃

〃But　what　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　March；　indignantly。

〃My　uncle　has　the　papers　safe　enough；〃　replied　Fisher；　〃and　is　sending　them　west　to…night；　but　somebody　is　trying　to　get　at　them　from　out。　side；　I　fear　with　the　assistance　of　somebody　in。　side。　All　I　can　do　at　present　is　to　try　to　head　off　the　man　outside；　and　I　must　get　away　now　and　do　it。　I　shall　be　back　in　about　twenty…four　hours。　While　I'm　away　I　want　you　to　keep　an　eye　on　these　people　and　find　out　what　you　can。　Au　revoir。〃　He　vanished　down　the　stairs；　and　from　the　window　March　could　see　him　mount　a　motor　cycle　and　trail　away　toward　the　neighboring　town。

On　the　following　morning；　March　was　sitting　in　the　window　seat　of　the　old　inn　parlor；　which　was　oak…paneled　and　ordinarily　rather　dark；　but　on　that　occasion　it　was　full　of　the　white　light　of　a　curiously　clear　morningthe　moon　had　shone　brilliantly　for　the　last　two　or　three　nights。　He　was　himself　somewhat　in　shadow　in　the　corner　of　the　window　seat；　and　Lord　James　Herries；　coming　in　hastily　from　the　garden　behind；　did　not　see　him。　Lord　James　clutched　the　back　of　a　chair；　as　if　to　steady　himself；　and；　sitting　down　abruptly　at　the　table；　littered　with　the　last　me