the man who knew too much-第6部分

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　brought　to　a　standstill　before　the　door。　Morton　instantly　sprang　to　his　feet。　tly　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Thank　the　Lord　that's　the　car　from　Dublin；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　do　anything　without　special　authority；　not　if　he　were　sitting　on　the　top　of　the　tower　and　putting　out　his　tongue　at　us。　But　the　chief　can　do　what　he　thinks　best。〃

He　hurried　out　to　the　entrance　and　was　soon　exchanging　greetings　with　a　big　handsome　man　in　a　fur　coat；　who　brought　into　the　dingy　little　station　the　indescribable　glow　of　the　great　cities　and　the　luxuries　of　the　great　world。

For　this　was　Sir　Walter　Carey；　an　official　of　such　eminence　in　Dublin　Castle　that　nothing　short　of　the　case　of　Prince　Michael　would　have　brought　him　on　such　a　journey　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　But　the　case　of　Prince　Michael；　as　it　happened；　was　complicated　by　legalism　as　well　as　lawlessness。　On　the　last　occasion　he　had　escaped　by　a　forensic　quibble　and　not；　as　usual；　by　a　private　escapade；　and　it　was　a　question　whether　at　the　moment　he　was　amenable　to　the　law　or　not。　It　might　be　necessary　to　stretch　a　point；　but　a　man　like　Sir　Walter　could　probably　stretch　it　as　far　as　he　liked。

Whether　he　intended　to　do　so　was　a　question　to　be　considered。　Despite　the　almost　aggressive　touch　of　luxury　in　the　fur　coat；　it　soon　became　apparent　that　Sir　Walter's　large　leonine　head　was　for　use　as　well　as　ornament；　and　he　considered　the　matter　soberly　and　sanely　enough。　Five　chairs　were　set　round　the　plain　deal　table；　for　who　should　Sir　Walter　bring　with　him　but　his　young　relative　and　secretary；　Horne　Fisher。　Sir　Walter　listened　　with　grave　attention；　and　his　secretary　with　polite　boredom；　to　the　string　of　episodes　by　which　the　police　had　traced　the　flying　rebel　from　the　steps　of　the　hotel　to　the　solitary　tower　beside　the　sea。　There　at　least　he　was　cornered　between　the　moors　and　the　breakers；　and　the　scout　sent　by　Wilson　reported　him　as　writing　under　a　solitary　candle；　perhaps　composing　another　of　his　tremendous　proclamations。　Indeed；　it　would　have　been　typical　of　him　to　choose　it　as　the　place　in　which　finally　to　turn　to　bay。　He　had　some　remote　claim　on　it；　as　on　a　family　castle；　and　those　who　knew　him　thought　him　capable　of　imitating　the　primitive　Irish　chieftains　who　fell　fighting　against　the　sea。

〃I　saw　some　queer…looking　people　leaving　as　I　came　in；〃　said　Sir　Walter　Carey。　〃I　suppose　they　were　your　witnesses。　But　why　do　they　turn　up　here　at　this　time　of　night？〃

Morton　smiled　grimly。　〃They　come　here　by　night　because　they　would　be　dead　men　if　they　came　here　by　day。　They　are　criminals　committing　a　crime　that　is　more　horrible　here　than　theft　or　murder。〃

〃What　crime　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　other；　with　some　curiosity。

〃They　are　helping　the　law；〃　said　Morton。

There　was　a　silence；　and　Sir　Walter　considered　the　papers　before　him　with　an　abstracted　eye。　At　last　he　spoke。

〃Quite　so；　but　look　here；　if　the　local　feeling　is　as　lively　as　that　there　are　a　good　many　points　to　consider。　I　believe　the　new　Act　will　enable　me　to　collar　him　now　if　I　think　it　best。　But　is　it　best？　A　serious　rising　would　do　us　no　good　in　Parliament；　and　the　government　has　enemies　in　England　as　well　as　Ireland。　It　won't　do　if　I　have　done　what　looks　a　little　like　sharp　practice；　and　then　only　raised　a　revolution。〃

〃It's　all　the　other　way；〃　said　the　man　called　Wilson；　rather　quickly。　〃There　won't　be　half　so　much　of　a　revolution　if　you　arrest　him　as　there　will　if　you　leave　him　loose　for　three　days　longer。　But；　anyhow；　there　can't　be　anything　nowadays　that　the　proper　police　can't　manage。〃

〃Mr。　Wilson　is　a　Londoner；〃　said　the　Irish　detective；　with　a　smile。

〃Yes；　I'm　a　cockney；　all　right；〃　replied　Wilson；　〃and　I　think　I'm　all　the　better　for　that。　Especially　at　this　job；　oddly　enough。〃

Sir　Walter　seemed　slightly　amused　at　the　pertinacity　of　the　third　officer；　and　perhaps　even　more　amused　at　the　slight　accent　with　which　he　spoke；　which　rendered　rather　needless　his　boast　about　his　origin。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；〃　he　asked；　〃that　you　know　more　about　the　business　here　because　you　have　come　from　London？〃

〃Sounds　funny；　I　know；　but　I　do　believe　it；〃　answered　Wilson。　〃I　believe　these　affairs　want　fresh　methods。　But　most　of　all　I　believe　they　want　a　fresh　eye。〃

The　superior　officers　laughed；　and　the　redhaired　man　went　on　with　a　slight　touch　of　temper：

〃Well；　look　at　the　facts。　See　how　the　fellow　got　away　every　time；　and　you'll　understand　what　I　mean。　Why　was　he　able　to　stand　in　the　place　of　the　scarecrow；　hidden　by　nothing　but　an　old　hat？　Because　it　was　a　village　policeman　who　knew　the　scarecrow　was　there；　was　expecting　it；　and　therefore　took　no　notice　of　it。　Now　I　never　expect　a　scarecrow。　I've　never　seen　one　in　the　street；　and　I　stare　at　one　when　I　see　it　in　the　field。　It's　a　new　thing　to　me　and　worth　noticing。　And　it　was　just　the　same　when　he　hid　in　the　well。　You　are　ready　to　find　a　well　in　a　place　like　that；　you　look　for　a　well；　and　so　you　don't　see　it。　I　don't　look　for　it；　and　therefore　I　do　look　at　it。〃

〃It　is　certainly　an　idea；〃　said　Sir　Walter；　smiling；　〃but　what　about　the　balcony？　Balconies　are　occasionally　seen　in　London。〃

〃But　not　rivers　right　under　them；　as　if　it　was　in　Venice；〃　replied　Wilson。

〃It　is　certainly　a　new　idea；〃　repeated　Sir　Walter；　with　something　like　respect。　He　had　all　the　love　of　the　luxurious　classes　for　new　ideas。　But　he　also　had　a　critical　faculty；　and　was　inclined　to　think；　after　due　reflection；　that　it　was　a　true　idea　as　well。

Growing　dawn　had　already　turned　the　window　panes　from　black　to　gray　when　Sir　Walter　got　abruptly　to　his　feet。　The　others　rose　also；　taking　this　for　a　signal　that　the　arrest　was　to　be　undertaken。　But　their　leader　stood　for　a　moment　in　deep　thought；　as　if　conscious　that　he　had　come　to　a　parting　of　the　ways。

Suddenly　the　silence　was　pierced　by　a　long；　wailing　cry　from　the　dark　moors　outside。　The　silence　that　followed　it　seemed　more　startling　than　the　shriek　itself；　and　it　lasted　until　Nolan　said；　heavily：

〃　'Tis　the　banshee。　Somebody　is　marked　for　the　grave。〃

His　long；　large…featured　face　was　as　pale　as　a　moon；　and　it　was　easy　to　remember　that　he　was　the　only　Irishman　in　the　room。

〃Well；　I　know　that　banshee；〃　said　Wilson；　cheerfully；　〃ignorant　as　you　think　I　am　of　these　things。　I　talked　to　that　banshee　myself　an　hour　ago；　and　I　sent　that　banshee　up　to　the　tower　and　told　her　to　sing　out　like　that　if　she　could　get　a　glimpse　of　our　friend　writing　his　proclamation。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　girl　Bridget　Royce？〃　asked　Morton；　drawing　his　frosty　brows　together。　〃Has　she　turned　king's　evidence　to　that　extent？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Wilson。　〃I　know　very　little　of　these　local　things；　you　tell　me；　but　I　reckon　an　angry　woman　is　much　the　same　in　all　countries。〃

Nolan；　however；　seemed　still　moody　and　unlike　himself。　〃It's　an　ugly　noise　and　an　ugly　business　altogether；〃　he　said。　〃If　it's　really　the　end　of　Prince　Michael　it　may　well　be　the　end　of　other　things　as　well。　When　the　spirit　is　on　him　he　would　escape　by　a　ladder　of　dead　men；　and　wade　through　that　sea　if　it　were　made　of　blood。〃

〃Is　that　the　real　reason　of　your　pious　alarms？〃　asked　Wilson；　with　a　slight　sneer。

The　Irishman's　pale　face　blackened　with　a　new　passion。

〃I　have　faced　as　many　murderers　in　County　Clare　as　you　ever　fought　with　in　Clapham　junction；　Mr。　Cockney；〃　he　said。

〃Hush；　please；〃　said　Morton；　sharply。　〃Wilson；　you　have　no　kind　of　right　to　imply　doubt　of　your　superior's　conduct。　I　hope　you　will　prove　yourself　as　courageous　and　trustworthy　as　he　has　always　been。〃

The　pale　face　of　the　red…haired　man　seemed　a　shade　paler；　but　he　was　silent　and　composed；　and　Sir　Walter　went　up　to　Nolan　with　marked　courtesy；　saying；　〃Shall　we　go　outside　now；　and　get　this　business　done？〃

Dawn　had　lifted；　leaving　a　wide　chasm　of　white　between　a　great　gray　cloud　and　the　great　gray　moorland；　beyond　which　the　tower　was　outlined　against　the　daybreak　and　the　sea。

Something　in　its　plain　and　primitive　shape　vaguely　suggested　the　dawn　in　the　first　days　of　the　earth；　in　some　prehistoric　time　when　even　the　colors　were　hardly　created；　when　there　was　only　blank　daylight　between　cloud　and　clay。　These　dead　hues　were　relieved　only　by　one　spot　of　goldthe　spark　of　the　candle　alight　in　the　window　of　the　lonely　tower；　and　burning　on　into　the　broadening　daylight。　As　the　group　of　detectives；　followed　by　a　cordon　of　policemen；　spread　out　into　a　crescent　to　cut　off　all　escape；　the　light　in　the　tower　flashed　as　if　it　were　moved　for　a　moment；　and　then　went　out。　They　knew　the　man　inside　had　realized　the　daylight　and　blown　out　his　candle。

〃There　are　other　windows；　aren't　there？〃　asked　Morton；　〃and　a　door；　of　course；　somewhere　round　the　corner？　Only　a　round　tower　has　no　corners。〃

〃Another　example　of　my　small　suggestion；〃　observed　Wilson；　quietly。　〃That　queer　tower　was　the　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　came　to　these　parts；　and　I　can　tell　you　a　little　more　about　itor；　at　any　rate；　the　outside　of　it。　There　are　four　windows　altogether；　one　a　little　way　from　this　one；　but　just　out　of　sight。　Those　are　both　on　the　ground　floor；　and　so　is　the　third　on　the　other　side；　making　a　sort　of　triangle。　But　the　　fourth　is　just　above　the　third；　and　I　suppose　it　looks　on　an　upper　floor。〃

〃It's　only　a　sort　of　loft；　reached　by　a　ladder；　said　Nolan。　〃I've　played　in　the　place　when　I　was　a　child。　It's　no　more　than　an　empty　shell。〃　And　his　sad　face　grew　sadder；　thinking　perhaps　of　the　tragedy　of　his　country　and　the　part　that　he　played　in　it。

〃The　man　must　have　got　a　table　and　chair；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Wilson；　〃but　no　doubt　he　could　have　got　those　from　some　cottage。　If　I　might　make　a　suggestion；　sir；　I　think　we　ought　to　approach　all　the　five　entrances　at　once；　so　to　speak。　One　of　us　should　go　to　the　door　and　one　to　each　window；　Macbride　here　has　a　ladder　for　the　upper　window。〃

Mr。　Horne　Fisher　languidly　turned　to　his　distinguished　relative　and　spoke　for　the　first　time。

〃I　am　rather　a　convert　to　the　cockney　school　of　psychology；〃　he　said　in　an　almost　inaudible　voice。

The　others　seemed　to　feel　the　same　influence　in　different　ways；　for　the　group　began　to　break　up　in　the　manner　indicated。　Morton　moved　toward　the　window　immediately　in　front　of　them；　where　the　hidden　outlaw　had　just　snuffed　the　candle；　Nolan；　a　little　farther　westward　to　t