the man who knew too much-第7部分

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　of　them；　where　the　hidden　outlaw　had　just　snuffed　the　candle；　Nolan；　a　little　farther　westward　to　the　next　window；　while　Wilson；　followed　by　Macbride　with　the　ladder；　went　round　to　the　two　windows　at　the　back。　Sir　Walter　Carey　himself；　followed　by　his　secretary；　began　to　walk　round　toward　the　only　door；　to　demand　admittance　in　a　more　regular　fashion。

〃He　will　be　armed；　of　course；〃　remarked　Sir　Walter；　casually。

〃By　all　accounts；〃　replied　Horne　Fisher；　〃he　can　do　more　with　a　candlestick　than　most　men　with　a　pistol。　But　he　is　pretty　sure　to　have　the　pistol；　too。〃

Even　as　he　spoke　the　question　was　answered　with　a　tongue　of　thunder。　Morton　had　just　placed　himself　in　front　of　the　nearest　window；　his　broad　shoulders。　blocking　the　aperture。　For　an　instant　it　was　lit　from　within　as　with　red　fire；　followed　by　a　thundering　throng　of　echoes。　The　square　shoulders　seemed　to　alter　in　shape；　and　the　sturdy　figure　collapsed　among　the　tall；　rank　grasses　at　the　foot　of　the　tower。　A　puff　of　smoke　floated　from　the　window　like　a　little　cloud。　The　two　men　behind　rushed　to　the　spot　and　raised　him；　but　he　was　dead。

Sir　Walter　straightened　himself　and　called　out　something　that　was　lost　in　another　noise　of　firing；　it　was　possible　that　the　police　were　already　avenging　their　comrade　from　the　other　side。　Fisher　had　already　raced　round　to　the　next　window；　and　a　new　cry　of　astonishment　from　him　brought　his　patron　to　the　same　spot。　Nolan；　the　Irish　policeman；　had　also　fallen；　sprawling　all　his　great　length　in　the　grass；　and　it　was　red　with　his　blood。　He　was　still　alive　when　they　reached　him；　but　there　was　death　on　his　face；　and　he　was　only　able　to　make　a　final　gesture　telling　them　that　all　was　over；　and；　with　a　broken　word　and　a　heroic　effort；　motioning　them　on　to　where　his　other　comrades　were　besieging　the　back　of　the　tower。　Stunned　by　these　rapid　and　repeated　shocks；　the　two　men　could　only　vaguely　obey　the　gesture；　and；　finding　their　way　to　the　other　windows　at　the　back；　they　discovered　a　scene　equally　startling；　if　less　final　and　tragic。　The　other　two　officers　were　not　dead　or　mortally　wounded；　but　Macbride　lay　with　a　broken　leg　and　his　ladder　on　top　of　him；　evidently　thrown　down　from　the　top　window　of　the　tower；　while　Wilson　lay　on　his　face；　quite　still　as　if　stunned；　with　his　red　head　among　the　gray　and　silver　of　the　sea　holly。　In　him；　however；　the　impotence　was　but　momentary；　for　he　began　to　move　and　rise　as　the　others　came　round　the　tower。

〃My　God！　it's　like　an　explosion！〃　cried　Sir　Walter；　and　indeed　it　was　the　only　word　for　this　unearthly　energy；　by　which　one　man　had　been　able　to　deal　death　or　destruction　on　three　sides　of　the　same　small　triangle　at　the　same　instant。

Wilson　had　already　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　with　splendid　energy　flew　again　at　the　window；　revolver　in　hand。　He　fired　twice　into　the　opening　and　then　disappeared　in　his　own　smoke；　but　the　thud　of　his　feet　and　the　shock　of　a　falling　chair　told　them　that　the　intrepid　Londoner　had　managed　at　last　to　leap　into　the　room。　Then　followed　a　curious　silence；　and　Sir　Walter；　walking　to　the　window　through　the　thinning　smoke；　looked　into　the　hollow　shell　of　the　ancient　tower。　Except　for　Wilson；　staring　around　him；　there　was　nobody　there。

The　inside　of　the　tower　was　a　single　empty　room；　with　nothing　but　a　plain　wooden　chair　and　a　table　on　which　were　pens；　ink　and　paper；　and　the　candlestick。　Halfway　up　the　high　wall　there　was　a　rude　timber　platform　under　the　upper　window；　a　small　loft　which　was　more　like　a　large　shelf。　It　was　reached　only　by　a　ladder；　and　it　seemed　to　be　as　bare　as　the　bare　walls。　Wilson　completed　his　survey　of　the　place　and　then　went　and　stared　at　the　things　on　the　table。　Then　he　silently　pointed　with　his　lean　forefinger　at　the　open　page　of　the　large　notebook。　The　writer　had　suddenly　stopped　writing；　even　in　the　middle　of　a　word。

〃I　said　it　was　like　an　explosion；〃　said　Sir　Walter　Carey　at　last。　〃And　really　the　man　himself　seems　to　have　suddenly　exploded。　But　he　has　blown　himself　up　somehow　without　touching　the　tower。　He's　burst　more　like　a　bubble　than　a　bomb。〃

〃He　has　touched　more　valuable　things　than　the　tower；〃　said　Wilson；　gloomily。

There　was　a　long　silence；　and　then　Sir　Walter　said；　seriously：　〃Well；　Mr。　Wilson；　I　am　not　a　detective；　and　these　unhappy　happenings　have　left　you　in　charge　of　that　branch　of　the　business。　We　all　lament　the　cause　of　this；　but　I　should　like　to　say　that　I　myself　have　the　strongest　confidence　in　your　capacity　for　carrying　on　the　work。　What　do　you　think　we　should　do　next？〃

Wilson　seemed　to　rouse　himself　from　his　depression　and　acknowledged　the　speaker's　words　with　a　warmer　civility　than　he　had　hitherto　shown　to　anybody。　He　called　in　a　few　of　the　police　to　assist　in　routing　out　the　interior；　leaving　the　rest　to　spread　themselves　in　a　search　party　outside。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃the　first　thing　is　to　make　quite　sure　about　the　inside　of　this　place；　as　it　was　hardly　physically　possible　for　him　to　have　got　outside。　I　suppose　poor　Nolan　would　have　brought　in　his　banshee　and　said　it　was　supernaturally　possible。　But　I've　got　no　use　for　disembodied　spirits　when　I'm　dealing　with　facts。　And　the　facts　before　me　are　an　empty　tower　with　a　ladder；　a　chair；　and　a　table。〃

〃The　spiritualists；〃　said　Sir　Walter；　with　a　smile；　〃would　say　that　spirits　could　find　a　great　deal　of　use　for　a　table。〃

〃I　dare　say　they　could　if　the　spirits　were　on　the　tablein　a　bottle；〃　replied　Wilson；　with　a　curl　of　his　pale　lip。　〃The　people　round　here；　when　　they're　all　sodden　up　with　Irish　whisky；　may　believe　　in　such　things。　I　think　they　want　a　little　education　in　　this　country。〃

Horne　Fisher's　heavy　eyelids　fluttered　in　a　faint　attempt　to　rise；　as　if　he　were　tempted　to　a　lazy　protest　against　the　contemptuous　tone　of　the　investigator。

〃The　Irish　believe　far　too　much　in　spirits　to　believe　in　spiritualism；〃　he　murmured。　〃They　know　too　much　about　'em。　If　you　want　a　simple　and　childlike　faith　in　any　spirit　that　comes　along　you　can　get　it　in　your　favorite　London。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　get　it　anywhere；〃　said　Wilson；　shortly。　〃I　say　I'm　dealing　with　much　simpler　things　than　your　simple　faith；　with　a　table　and　a　chair　and　a　ladder。　Now　what　I　want　to　say　about　them　at　the　start　is　this。　They　are　all　three　made　roughly　enough　of　plain　wood。　But　the　table　and　the　chair　are　fairly　new　and　comparatively　clean。　The　ladder　is　covered　with　dust　and　there　is　a　cobweb　under　the　top　rung　of　it。　That　means　that　he　borrowed　the　first　two　quite　recently　from　some　cottage；　as　we　supposed；　but　the　ladder　has　been　a　long　time　in　this　rotten　old　dustbin。　Probably　it　was　part　of　the　original　furniture；　an　heirloom　in　this　magnificent　palace　of　the　Irish　kings。〃

Again　Fisher　looked　at　him　under　his　eyelids；　but　seemed　too　sleepy　to　speak；　and　Wilson　went　on　with　his　argument。

〃Now　it's　quite　clear　that　something　very　odd　has　just　happened　in　this　place。　The　chances　are　ten　to　one；　it　seems　to　me；　that　it　had　something　specially　to　do　with　this　place。　Probably　he　came　here　because　he　could　do　it　only　here；　it　doesn't　seem　very　inviting　otherwise。　But　the　man　knew　it　of　old；　they　say　it　belonged　to　his　family；　so　that　altogether；　I　think；　everything　points　to　something　in　the　construction　of　the　tower　itself。〃

〃Your　reasoning　seems　to　me　excellent；〃　said　Sir　Walter；　who　was　listening　attentively。　〃But　what　could　it　be？〃

〃You　see　now　what　I　mean　about　the　ladder；〃　went　on　the　detective；　〃it's　the　only　old　piece　of　furniture　here　and　the　first　thing　that　caught　that　cockney　eye　of　mine。　But　there　is　something　else。　That　loft　up　there　is　a　sort　of　lumber　room　without　any　lumber。　So　far　as　I　can　see；　it's　as　empty　as　everything　else；　and；　as　things　are；　I　don't　see　the　use　of　the　ladder　leading　to　it。　It　seems　to　me；　as　I　can't　find　anything　unusual　down　here；　that　it　might　pay　us　to　look　up　there。〃

He　got　briskly　off　the　table　on　which　he　was　sitting　（for　the　only　chair　was　allotted　to　Sir　Walter）　and　ran　rapidly　up　the　ladder　to　the　platform　above。　He　was　soon　followed　by　the　others；　Mr。　Fisher　going　last；　however；　with　an　appearance　of　considerable　nonchalance。

At　this　stage；　however；　they　were　destined　to　disappointment；　Wilson　nosed　in　every　corner　like　a　terrier　and　examined　the　roof　almost　in　the　posture　of　a　fly；　but　half　an　hour　afterward　they　had　to　confess　that　they　were　still　without　a　clew。　Sir　Walter's　private　secretary　seemed　more　and　more　threatened　with　inappropriate　slumber；　and；　having　been　the　last　to　climb　up　the　ladder；　seemed　now　to　lack　the　energy　even　to　climb　down　again。

〃Come　along；　Fisher；〃　called　out　Sir　Walter　from　below；　when　the　others　had　regained　the　floor。　〃We　must　consider　whether　we'll　pull　the　whole　place　to　pieces　to　see　what　it's　made　of。〃

〃I'm　coming　in　a　minute；〃　said　the　voice　from　the　ledge　above　their　heads；　a　voice　somewhat　suggestive　of　an　articulate　yawn。

〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃　asked　Sir　Walter；　impatiently。　〃Can　you　see　anything　there？〃

〃Well；　yes；　in　a　way；〃　replied　the　voice；　vaguely。　〃In　fact；　I　see　it　quite　plain　now。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Wilson；　sharply；　from　the　table　on　which　he　sat　kicking　his　heels　restlessly。

〃Well；　it's　a　man；〃　said　Horne　Fisher。

Wilson　bounded　off　the　table　as　if　he　had　been　kicked　off　it。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　cried。　〃How　can　you　possibly　see　a　man？〃

〃I　can　see　him　through　the　window；〃　replied　the　secretary；　mildly。　〃I　see　him　coming　across　the　moor。　He's　making　a　bee　line　across　the　open　country　toward　this　tower。　He　evidently　means　to　pay　us　a　visit。　And；　considering　who　it　seems　to　be；　perhaps　it　would　be　more　polite。　if　we　were　all　at　the　door　to　receive　him。〃　And　in　a　leisurely　manner　the　secretary　came　down　the　ladder。

〃Who　it　seems　to　be！〃　repeated　Sir　Walter　in　astonishment。

〃Well；　I　think　it's　the　man　you　call　Prince　Michael；〃　observed　Mr。　Fisher；　airily。　〃In　fact；　I'm　sure　it　is。　I've　seen　the　police　portraits　of　him。〃

There　was　a　dead　silence；　and　Sir　Walter's　usually　steady　brain　seemed　to　go　round　like　a　windmill。

〃But；　hang　it　all！〃　he　said　at　last；　〃even　supposing　his　own　explosion　could　have　thrown　him　half　a　mile　away；　without　passing　through　any　of　the　windows；　and　left　him　alive　enough　for　a　country　walkeven　then；　why　the　devil　should　he　walk　i