the man who knew too much-第31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！


a　chair；　as　if　to　steady　himself；　and；　sitting　down　abruptly　at　the　table；　littered　with　the　last　meal；　poured　himself　out　a　tumbler　of　brandy　and　drank　it。　He　sat　with　his　back　to　March；　but　his　yellow　face　appeared　in　a　round　mirror　beyon　and　the　tinge　of　it　was　like　that　of　some　horrible　malady。　As　March　moved　he　started　violently　and　faced　round。

〃My　God！〃　he　cried；　〃have　you　seen　what's　outside？〃

〃Outside？〃　repeated　the　other；　glancing　over　his　shoulder　at　the　garden。

〃Oh；　go　and　look　for　yourself；〃　cried　Herries　in　a　sort　of　fury。　〃Hewitt's　murdered　and　his　papers　stolen；　that's　all。〃

He　turned　his　back　again　and　sat　down　with　a　thud；　his　square　shoulders　were　shaking。　Harold　March　darted　out　of　the　doorway　into　the　back　garden　with　its　steep　slope　of　statues。

The　first　thing　he　saw　was　Doctor　Prince；　the　detective；　peering　through　his　spectacles　at　something　on　the　ground；　the　second　was　the　thing　he　was　peering　at。　Even　after　the　sensational　news　he　had　heard　inside；　the　sight　was　something　of　a　sensation。

The　monstrous　stone　image　of　Britannia　was　lying　prone　and　face　downward　on　the　garden　path；　and　there　stuck　out　at　random　from　underneath　it；　like　the　legs　of　a　smashed　fly；　an　arm　clad　in　a　white　shirt　sleeve　and　a　leg　clad　in　a　khaki　trouser；　and　hair　of　the　unmistakable　sandy　gray　that　belonged　to　Horne　Fisher's　unfortunate　uncle。　There　were　pools　of　blood　and　the　limbs　were　quite　stiff　in　death。

〃Couldn't　this　have　been　an　accident？〃　said　March；　finding　words　at　last。

〃Look　for　yourself；　I　say；〃　repeated　the　harsh　voice　of　Herries；　who　had　followed　him　with　restless　movements　out　of　the　door。　〃The　papers　are　gone；　I　tell　you。　The　fellow　tore　the　coat　off　the　corpse　and　cut　the　papers　out　of　the　inner　pocket。　There's　the　coat　over　there　on　the　bank；　with　the　great　slash　in　it。〃

〃But　wait　a　minute；〃　said　the　detective；　Prince；　quietly。　〃In　that　case　there　seems　to　be　something　of　a　mystery。　A　murderer　might　somehow　have　managed　to　throw　the　statue　down　on　him；　as　he　seems　to　have　done。　But　I　bet　he　couldn't　easily　have　lifted　it　up　again。　I've　tried；　and　I'm　sure　it　would　want　three　men　at　least。　Yet　we　must　suppose；　on　that　theory；　that　the　murderer　first　knocked　him　down　as　he　walked　past；　using　the　statue　as　a　stone　club；　then　lifted　it　up　again；　took　him　out　and　deprived　him　of　his　coat；　then　put　him　back　again　in　the　posture　of　death　and　neatly　replaced　the　statue。　I　tell　you　it's　physically　impossible。　And　how　else　could　he　have　unclothed　a　man　covered　with　that　stone　monument？　It's　worse　than　the　conjurer's　trick；　when　a　man　shuffles　a　coat　off　with　his　wrists　tied。〃

〃Could　he　have　thrown　down　the　statue　after　he'd　stripped　the　corpse？〃　asked　March。

〃And　why？〃　asked　Prince；　sharply。　〃If　he'd　killed　his　man　and　got　his　papers；　he'd　be　away　like　the　wind。　He　wouldn't　potter　about　in　a　garden　excavating　the　pedestals　of　statues。　BesidesHullo；　who's　that　up　there？〃

High　on　the　ridge　above　them；　drawn　in　dark　thin　lines　against　the　sky；　was　a　figure　looking　so　long　and　lean　as　to　be　almost　spidery。　The　dark　silhouette　of　the　head　showed　two　small　tufts　like　horns；　and　they　could　almost　have　sworn　that　the　horns　moved。

〃Archer！〃　shouted　Herries；　with　sudden　passion；　and　called　to　him　with　curses　to　come　down。　The　figure　drew　back　at　the　first　cry；　with　an　agitated　movement　so　abrupt　as　almost　to　be　called　an　antic。　The　next　moment　the　man　seemed　to　reconsider　and　collect　himself；　and　began　to　come　down　the　zigzag　garden　path；　but　with　obvious　reluctance；　his　feet　falling　in　slower　and　slower　rhythm。　Through　March's　mind　were　throbbing　the　phrases　that　this　man　himself　had　used；　about　going　mad　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　wrecking　the　stone　figure。　just　so；　he　could　fancy；　the　maniac　who　had　done　such　a　thing　might　climb　the　crest　of　the　hill；　in　that　feverish　dancing　fashion；　and　look　down　on　the　wreck　he　had　made。　But　the　wreck　he　had　made　here　was　not　only　a　wreck　of　stone。

When　the　man　emerged　at　last　on　to　the　garden　path；　with　the　full　light　on　his　face　and　figure；　he　was　walking　slowly　indeed；　but　easily；　and　with　no　appearance　of　fear。

〃This　is　a　terrible　thing；〃　he　said。　〃I　saw　it　from　above；　I　was　taking　a　stroll　along　the　ridge。〃　

〃Do　you　mean　that　you　saw　the　murder？〃　demanded　March；　〃or　the　accident？　I　mean　did　you　see　the　statue　fall？〃

〃No；〃　said　Archer；　〃I　mean　I　saw　the　statue　fallen。〃

Prince　seemed　to　be　paying　but　little　attention；　his　eye　was　riveted　on　an　object　lying　on　the　path　a　yard　or　two　from　the　corpse。　It　seemed　to　be　a　rusty　iron　bar　bent　crooked　at　one　end。

〃One　thing　I　don't　understand；'　he　said；　〃is　all　this　blood。　The　poor　fellow's　skull　isn't　smashed；　most　likely　his　neck　is　broken；　but　blood　seems　to　have　spouted　as　if　all　his　arteries　were　severed。　I　was　wondering　if　some　other　instrument　。　。　。　that　iron　thing；　for　instance；　but　I　don't　see　that　even　that　is　sharp　enough。　I　suppose　nobody　knows　what　it　is。〃

〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　said　Archer　in　his　deep　but　somewhat　shaky　voice。　〃I've　seen　it　in　my　nightmares。　It　was　the　iron　clamp　or　prop　on　the　pedestal；　stuck　on　to　keep　the　wretched　image　upright　when　it　began　to　wabble；　I　suppose。　Anyhow；　it　was　always　stuck　in　the　stonework　there；　and　I　suppose　it　came　out　when　the　thing　collapsed。〃

Doctor　Prince　nodded；　but　he　continued　to　look　down　at　the　pools　of　blood　and　the　bar　of　iron。

〃I'm　certain　there's　something　more　　underneath　all　this；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Perhaps　something　more　underneath　the　statue。　I　have　a　huge　sort　of　hunch　that　there　is。　We　are　four　men　now　and　between　us　we　can　lift　that　great　tombstone　there。〃

They　all　bent　their　strength　to　the　business；　there　was　a　silence　save　for　heavy　breathing；　and　then；　after　an　instant　of　the　tottering　and　staggering　of　eight　legs；　the　great　carven　column　of　rock　was　rolled　away；　and　the　body　lying　in　its　shirt　and　trousers　was　fully　revealed。　The　spectacles　of　Doctor　Prince　seemed　almost　to　enlarge　with　a　restrained　radiance　like　great　eyes；　for　other　things　were　revealed　also。　One　was　that　the　unfortunate　Hewitt　had　a　deep　gash　across　the　jugular；　which　the　triumphant　doctor　instantly　identified　as　having　been　made　with　a　sharp　steel　edge　like　a　razor。　The　other　was　that　immediately　under　the　bank　lay　littered　three　shining　scraps　of　steel；　each　nearly　a　foot　long；　one　pointed　and　another　fitted　into　a　gorgeously　jeweled　hilt　or　handle。　It　was　evidently　a　sort　of　long　Oriental　knife；　long　enough　to　be　called　a　sword；　but　with　a　curious　wavy　edge；　and　there　was　a　touch　or　two　of　blood　on　the　point。

〃I　should　have　expected　more　blood；　hardly　on　the　point；〃　observed　Doctor　Prince；　thoughtfully；　〃but　this　is　certainly　the　instrument。　The　slash　was　certainly　made　with　a　weapon　shaped　like　this；　and　probably　the　slashing　of　the　pocket　as　well。　I　suppose　the　brute　threw　in　the　statue；　by　way　of　giving　him　a　public　funeral。〃

March　did　not　answer；　he　was　mesmerized　by　the　strange　stones　that　glittered　on　the　strange　sword　hilt；　and　their　possible　significance　was　broadening　upon　him　like　a　dreadful　dawn。　It　was　a　curious　Asiatic　weapon。　He　knew　what　name　was　connected　in　his　memory　with　curious　Asiatic　weapons。　Lord　James　spoke　his　secret　thought　for　him；　and　yet　it　startled　him　like　an　irrelevance。

〃Where　is　the　Prime　Minister？〃　Herries　had　cried；　suddenly；　and　somehow　like　the　bark　of　a　dog　at　some　discovery。

Doctor　Prince　turned　on　him　his　goggles　and　his　grim　face；　and　it　was　grimmer　than　ever。

〃I　cannot　find　him　anywhere；〃　he　said。　〃I　looked　for　him　at　once；　as　soon　as　I　found　the　papers　were　gone。　That　servant　of　yours；　Campbell；　made　a　most　efficient　search；　but　there　are　no　traces。〃

There　was　a　long　silence；　at　the　end　of　which　Herries　uttered　another　cry；　but　upon　an　entirely　new　note。

〃Well；　you　needn't　look　for　him　any　longer；〃　he　said；　〃for　here　he　comes；　along　with　your　friend　Fisher。　They　look　as　if　they'd　been　for　a　little　walking　tour。〃

The　two　figures　approaching　up　the　path　were　indeed　those　of　Fisher；　splashed　with　the　mire　of　travel　and　carrying　a　scratch　like　that　of　a　bramble　across　one　side　of　his　bald　forehead；　and　of　the　great　and　gray…haired　statesman　who　looked　like　a　baby　and　was　interested　in　Eastern　swords　and　swordmanship。　But　beyond　this　bodily　recognition；　March　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　their　presence　or　demeanor；　which　seemed　to　give　a　final　touch　of　nonsense　to　the　whole　nightmare。　The　more　closely　he　watched　them；　as　they　stood　listening　to　the　revelations　of　the　detective；　the　more　puzzled　he　was　by　their　attitudeFisher　seemed　grieved　by　the　death　of　his　uncle；　but　hardly　shocked　at　it；　the　older　man　seemed　almost　openly　thinking　about　something　else；　and　neither　had　anything　to　suggest　about　a　further　pursuit　of　the　fugitive　spy　and　murderer；　in　spite　of　the　prodigious　importance　of　the　documents　he　had　stolen。　When　the　detective　had　gone　off　to　busy　himself　with　that　department　of　the　business；　to　telephone　and　write　his　report；　when　Herries　had　gone　back；　probably　to　the　brandy　bottle；　and　the　Prime　Minister　had　blandly　sauntered　away　toward　a　comfortable　armchair　in　another　part　of　the　garden；　Horne　Fisher　spoke　directly　to　Harold　March。

〃My　friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　you　to　come　with　me　at　once；　there　is　no　one　else　I　can　trust　so　much　as　that。　The　journey　will　take　us　most　of　the　day；　and　the　chief　business　cannot　be　done　till　nightfall。　So　we　can　talk　things　over　thoroughly　on　the　way。　But　I　want　you　to　be　with　me；　for　I　rather　think　it　is　my　hour。〃

March　and　Fisher　both　had　motor　bicycles；　and　the　first　half　of　their　day's　journey　consisted　in　coasting　eastward　amid　the　unconversational　noise　of　those　uncomfortable　engines。　But　when　they　came　out　beyond　Canterbury　into　the　flats　of　eastern　Kent；　Fisher　stopped　at　a　pleasant　little　public　house　beside　a　sleepy　stream；　and　they　sat　down　to　cat　and　to　drink　and　to　speak　almost　for　the　first　time。　It　was　a　brilliant　afternoon；　birds　were　singing　in　the　wood　behind；　and　the　sun　shone　full　on　their　ale　bench　and　table；　but　the　face　of　Fisher　in　the　strong　sunlight　had　a　gravity　never　seen　on　it　before。

〃Before　we　go　any　farther；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　something　you　ought　to　know。　You　and　I　have　seen　some　m