the innocence of father brown-第23章

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table　to　where　a　bundle　of　wax　candles　lay　among　the　other　scrappy　exhibits。　　As　he　did　so　he　bent　accidentally　over　the　heap　of　red…brown　dust；　and　a　sharp　sneeze　cracked　the　silence。　　　　　〃Hullo！〃　he　said；　〃snuff！〃　　　　　He　took　one　of　the　candles；　lit　it　carefully；　came　back　and　stuck　it　in　the　neck　of　the　whisky　bottle。　　The　unrestful　night　air；　blowing　through　the　crazy　window；　waved　the　long　flame　like　a　banner。　　And　on　every　side　of　the　castle　they　could　hear　the　miles　and　miles　of　black　pine　wood　seething　like　a　black　sea　around　a　rock。　　　　　〃I　will　read　the　inventory；〃　began　Craven　gravely；　picking　up　one　of　the　papers；　〃the　inventory　of　what　we　found　loose　and　unexplained　in　the　castle。　　You　are　to　understand　that　the　place　generally　was　dismantled　and　neglected；　but　one　or　two　rooms　had　plainly　been　inhabited　in　a　simple　but　not　squalid　style　by　somebody；　somebody　who　was　not　the　servant　Gow。　　The　list　is　as　follows：　　　　　〃First　item。　　A　very　considerable　hoard　of　precious　stones；　nearly　all　diamonds；　and　all　of　them　loose；　without　any　setting　whatever。　　Of　course；　it　is　natural　that　the　Ogilvies　should　have　family　jewels；　but　those　are　exactly　the　jewels　that　are　almost　always　set　in　particular　articles　of　ornament。　　The　Ogilvies　would　seem　to　have　kept　theirs　loose　in　their　pockets；　like　coppers。　　　　　〃Second　item。　　Heaps　and　heaps　of　loose　snuff；　not　kept　in　a　horn；　or　even　a　pouch；　but　lying　in　heaps　on　the　mantelpieces；　on　the　sideboard；　on　the　piano；　anywhere。　　It　looks　as　if　the　old　gentleman　would　not　take　the　trouble　to　look　in　a　pocket　or　lift　a　lid。　　　　　〃Third　item。　　Here　and　there　about　the　house　curious　little　heaps　of　minute　pieces　of　metal；　some　like　steel　springs　and　some　in　the　form　of　microscopic　wheels。　　As　if　they　had　gutted　some　mechanical　toy。　　　　　〃Fourth　item。　　The　wax　candles；　which　have　to　be　stuck　in　bottle　necks　because　there　is　nothing　else　to　stick　them　in。　　Now　I　wish　you　to　note　how　very　much　queerer　all　this　is　than　anything　we　anticipated。　　For　the　central　riddle　we　are　prepared；　we　have　all　seen　at　a　glance　that　there　was　something　wrong　about　the　last　earl。　　We　have　come　here　to　find　out　whether　he　really　lived　here；　whether　he　really　died　here；　whether　that　red…haired　scarecrow　who　did　his　burying　had　anything　to　do　with　his　dying。　　But　suppose　the　worst　in　all　this；　the　most　lurid　or　melodramatic　solution　you　like。　　Suppose　the　servant　really　killed　the　master；　or　suppose　the　master　isn't　really　dead；　or　suppose　the　master　is　dressed　up　as　the　servant；　or　suppose　the　servant　is　buried　for　the　master；　invent　what　Wilkie　Collins'　tragedy　you　like；　and　you　still　have　not　explained　a　candle　without　a　candlestick；　or　why　an　elderly　gentleman　of　good　family　should　habitually　spill　snuff　on　the　piano。　　The　core　of　the　tale　we　could　imagine；　it　is　the　fringes　that　are　mysterious。　　By　no　stretch　of　fancy　can　the　human　mind　connect　together　snuff　and　diamonds　and　wax　and　loose　clockwork。〃　　　　　〃I　think　I　see　the　connection；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃This　Glengyle　was　mad　against　the　French　Revolution。　　He　was　an　enthusiast　for　the　ancien　regime；　and　was　trying　to　re…enact　literally　the　family　life　of　the　last　Bourbons。　　He　had　snuff　because　it　was　the　eighteenth　century　luxury；　wax　candles；　because　they　were　the　eighteenth　century　lighting；　the　mechanical　bits　of　iron　represent　the　locksmith　hobby　of　Louis　XVI；　the　diamonds　are　for　the　Diamond　Necklace　of　Marie　Antoinette。〃　　　　　Both　the　other　men　were　staring　at　him　with　round　eyes。　　〃What　a　perfectly　extraordinary　notion！〃　cried　Flambeau。　　〃Do　you　really　think　that　is　the　truth？〃　　　　　〃I　am　perfectly　sure　it　isn't；〃　answered　Father　Brown；　〃only　you　said　that　nobody　could　connect　snuff　and　diamonds　and　clockwork　and　candles。　　I　give　you　that　connection　off…hand。　　The　real　truth；　I　am　very　sure；　lies　deeper。〃　　　　　He　paused　a　moment　and　listened　to　the　wailing　of　the　wind　in　the　turrets。　　Then　he　said；　〃The　late　Earl　of　Glengyle　was　a　thief。　He　lived　a　second　and　darker　life　as　a　desperate　housebreaker。　　He　did　not　have　any　candlesticks　because　he　only　used　these　candles　cut　short　in　the　little　lantern　he　carried。　　The　snuff　he　employed　as　the　fiercest　French　criminals　have　used　pepper：　to　fling　it　suddenly　in　dense　masses　in　the　face　of　a　captor　or　pursuer。　　But　the　final　proof　is　in　the　curious　coincidence　of　the　diamonds　and　the　small　steel　wheels。　　Surely　that　makes　everything　plain　to　you？　　Diamonds　and　small　steel　wheels　are　the　only　two　instruments　with　which　you　can　cut　out　a　pane　of　glass。〃　　　　　The　bough　of　a　broken　pine　tree　lashed　heavily　in　the　blast　against　the　windowpane　behind　them；　as　if　in　parody　of　a　burglar；　but　they　did　not　turn　round。　　Their　eyes　were　fastened　on　Father　Brown。　　　　　〃Diamonds　and　small　wheels；〃　repeated　Craven　ruminating。　〃Is　that　all　that　makes　you　think　it　the　true　explanation？〃　　　　　〃I　don't　think　it　the　true　explanation；〃　replied　the　priest　placidly；　〃but　you　said　that　nobody　could　connect　the　four　things。　The　true　tale；　of　course；　is　something　much　more　humdrum。　　Glengyle　had　found；　or　thought　he　had　found；　precious　stones　on　his　estate。　Somebody　had　bamboozled　him　with　those　loose　brilliants；　saying　they　were　found　in　the　castle　caverns。　　The　little　wheels　are　some　diamond…cutting　affair。　　He　had　to　do　the　thing　very　roughly　and　in　a　small　way；　with　the　help　of　a　few　shepherds　or　rude　fellows　on　these　hills。　　Snuff　is　the　one　great　luxury　of　such　Scotch　shepherds；　it's　the　one　thing　with　which　you　can　bribe　them。　　They　didn't　have　candlesticks　because　they　didn't　want　them；　they　held　the　candles　in　their　hands　when　they　explored　the　caves。〃　　　　　〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Flambeau　after　a　long　pause。　　〃Have　we　got　to　the　dull　truth　at　last？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　　　　As　the　wind　died　in　the　most　distant　pine　woods　with　a　long　hoot　as　of　mockery　Father　Brown；　with　an　utterly　impassive　face；　went　on：　　　　　〃I　only　suggested　that　because　you　said　one　could　not　plausibly　connect　snuff　with　clockwork　or　candles　with　bright　stones。　　Ten　false　philosophies　will　fit　the　universe；　ten　false　theories　will　fit　Glengyle　Castle。　　But　we　want　the　real　explanation　of　the　castle　and　the　universe。　　But　are　there　no　other　exhibits？〃　　　　　Craven　laughed；　and　Flambeau　rose　smiling　to　his　feet　and　strolled　down　the　long　table。　　　　　〃Items　five；　six；　seven；　etc。；〃　he　said；　〃and　certainly　more　varied　than　instructive。　　A　curious　collection；　not　of　lead　pencils；　but　of　the　lead　out　of　lead　pencils。　　A　senseless　stick　of　bamboo；　with　the　top　rather　splintered。　　It　might　be　the　instrument　of　the　crime。　　Only；　there　isn't　any　crime。　　The　only　other　things　are　a　few　old　missals　and　little　Catholic　pictures；　which　the　Ogilvies　kept；　I　suppose；　from　the　Middle　Agestheir　family　pride　being　stronger　than　their　Puritanism。　　We　only　put　them　in　the　museum　because　they　seem　curiously　cut　about　and　defaced。〃　　　　　The　heady　tempest　without　drove　a　dreadful　wrack　of　clouds　across　Glengyle　and　threw　the　long　room　into　darkness　as　Father　Brown　picked　up　the　little　illuminated　pages　to　examine　them。　　He　spoke　before　the　drift　of　darkness　had　passed；　but　it　was　the　voice　of　an　utterly　new　man。　　　　　〃Mr。　Craven；〃　said　he；　talking　like　a　man　ten　years　younger；　〃you　have　got　a　legal　warrant；　haven't　you；　to　go　up　and　examine　that　grave？　　The　sooner　we　do　it　the　better；　and　get　to　the　bottom　of　this　horrible　affair。　　If　I　were　you　I　should　start　now。〃　　　　　〃Now；〃　repeated　the　astonished　detective；　〃and　why　now？〃　　　　　〃Because　this　is　serious；〃　answered　Brown；　〃this　is　not　spilt　snuff　or　loose　pebbles；　that　might　be　there　for　a　hundred　reasons。　There　is　only　one　reason　I　know　of　for　this　being　done；　and　the　reason　goes　down　to　the　roots　of　the　world。　　These　religious　pictures　are　not　just　dirtied　or　torn　or　scrawled　over；　which　might　be　done　in　idleness　or　bigotry；　by　children　or　by　Protestants。　　These　have　been　treated　very　carefullyand　very　queerly。　　In　every　place　where　the　great　ornamented　name　of　God　comes　in　the　old　illuminations　it　has　been　elaborately　taken　out。　The　only　other　thing　that　has　been　removed　is　the　halo　round　the　head　of　the　Child　Jesus。　　Therefore；　I　say；　let　us　get　our　warrant　and　our　spade　and　our　hatchet；　and　go　up　and　break　open　that　coffin。〃　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　the　London　officer。　　　　　〃I　mean；〃　answered　the　little　priest；　and　his　voice　seemed　to　rise　slightly　in　the　roar　of　the　gale。　　〃I　mean　that　the　great　devil　of　the　universe　may　be　sitting　on　the　top　tower　of　this　castle　at　this　moment；　as　big　as　a　hundred　elephants；　and　roaring　like　the　Apocalypse。　　There　is　black　magic　somewhere　at　the　bottom　of　this。〃　　　　　〃Black　magic；〃　repeated　Flambeau　in　a　low　voice；　for　he　was　too　enlightened　a　man　not　to　know　of　such　things；　〃but　what　can　these　other　things　mean？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　something　damnable；　I　suppose；〃　replied　Brown　impatiently。　〃How　should　I　know？　　How　can　I　guess　all　their　mazes　down　below？　Perhaps　you　can　make　a　torture　out　of　snuff　and　bamboo。　　Perhaps　lunatics　lust　after　wax　and　steel　filings。　　Perhaps　there　is　a　maddening　drug　made　of　lead　pencils！　　Our　shortest　cut　to　the　mystery　is　up　the　hill　to　the　grave。〃　　　　　His　comrades　hardly　knew　that　they　had　obeyed　and　followed　him　till　a　blast　of　the　night　wind　nearly　flung　them　on　their　f