the innocence of father brown-第36章

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ting　man　to　look　at；　having　stubbly　brown　hair　and　a　round　and　stolid　face。　　But　if　he　had　been　as　splendid　as　Apollo　no　one　would　have　looked　at　him　at　that　moment。　　Everyone　turned　round　and　peered　at　the　pathway　which　wound　across　the　plain　below；　along　which　was　indeed　walking；　at　his　own　huge　stride　and　with　a　hammer　on　his　shoulder；　Simeon　the　smith。　　He　was　a　bony　and　gigantic　man；　with　deep；　dark；　sinister　eyes　and　a　dark　chin　beard。　　He　was　walking　and　talking　quietly　with　two　other　men；　and　though　he　was　never　specially　cheerful；　he　seemed　quite　at　his　ease。　　　　　〃My　God！〃　cried　the　atheistic　cobbler；　〃and　there's　the　hammer　he　did　it　with。〃　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　inspector；　a　sensible…looking　man　with　a　sandy　moustache；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　　〃There's　the　hammer　he　did　it　with　over　there　by　the　church　wall。　　We　have　left　it　and　the　body　exactly　as　they　are。〃　　　　　All　glanced　round　and　the　short　priest　went　across　and　looked　down　in　silence　at　the　tool　where　it　lay。　　It　was　one　of　the　smallest　and　the　lightest　of　the　hammers；　and　would　not　have　caught　the　eye　among　the　rest；　but　on　the　iron　edge　of　it　were　blood　and　yellow　hair。　　　　　After　a　silence　the　short　priest　spoke　without　looking　up；　and　there　was　a　new　note　in　his　dull　voice。　　〃Mr。　Gibbs　was　hardly　right；〃　he　said；　〃in　saying　that　there　is　no　mystery。　　There　is　at　least　the　mystery　of　why　so　big　a　man　should　attempt　so　big　a　blow　with　so　little　a　hammer。〃　　　　　〃Oh；　never　mind　that；〃　cried　Gibbs；　in　a　fever。　　〃What　are　we　to　do　with　Simeon　Barnes？〃　　　　　〃Leave　him　alone；〃　said　the　priest　quietly。　　〃He　is　coming　here　of　himself。　　I　know　those　two　men　with　him。　　They　are　very　good　fellows　from　Greenford；　and　they　have　come　over　about　the　Presbyterian　chapel。〃　　　　　Even　as　he　spoke　the　tall　smith　swung　round　the　corner　of　the　church；　and　strode　into　his　own　yard。　　Then　he　stood　there　quite　still；　and　the　hammer　fell　from　his　hand。　　The　inspector；　who　had　preserved　impenetrable　propriety；　immediately　went　up　to　him。　　　　　〃I　won't　ask　you；　Mr。　Barnes；〃　he　said；　〃whether　you　know　anything　about　what　has　happened　here。　　You　are　not　bound　to　say。　I　hope　you　don't　know；　and　that　you　will　be　able　to　prove　it。　　But　I　must　go　through　the　form　of　arresting　you　in　the　King's　name　for　the　murder　of　Colonel　Norman　Bohun。〃　　　　　〃You　are　not　bound　to　say　anything；〃　said　the　cobbler　in　officious　excitement。　　〃They've　got　to　prove　everything。　　They　haven't　proved　yet　that　it　is　Colonel　Bohun；　with　the　head　all　smashed　up　like　that。〃　　　　　〃That　won't　wash；〃　said　the　doctor　aside　to　the　priest。　〃That's　out　of　the　detective　stories。　　I　was　the　colonel's　medical　man；　and　I　knew　his　body　better　than　he　did。　　He　had　very　fine　hands；　but　quite　peculiar　ones。　　The　second　and　third　fingers　were　the　same　length。　　Oh；　that's　the　colonel　right　enough。〃　　　　　As　he　glanced　at　the　brained　corpse　upon　the　ground　the　iron　eyes　of　the　motionless　blacksmith　followed　them　and　rested　there　also。　　　　　〃Is　Colonel　Bohun　dead？〃　said　the　smith　quite　calmly。　　〃Then　he's　damned。〃　　　　　〃Don't　say　anything！　　Oh；　don't　say　anything；〃　cried　the　atheist　cobbler；　dancing　about　in　an　ecstasy　of　admiration　of　the　English　legal　system。　　For　no　man　is　such　a　legalist　as　the　good　Secularist。　　　　　The　blacksmith　turned　on　him　over　his　shoulder　the　august　face　of　a　fanatic。　　　　　〃It's　well　for　you　infidels　to　dodge　like　foxes　because　the　world's　law　favours　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　God　guards　His　own　in　His　pocket；　as　you　shall　see　this　day。〃　　　　　Then　he　pointed　to　the　colonel　and　said：　〃When　did　this　dog　die　in　his　sins？〃　　　　　〃Moderate　your　language；〃　said　the　doctor。　　　　　〃Moderate　the　Bible's　language；　and　I'll　moderate　mine。　　When　did　he　die？〃　　　　　〃I　saw　him　alive　at　six　o'clock　this　morning；〃　stammered　Wilfred　Bohun。　　　　　〃God　is　good；〃　said　the　smith。　　〃Mr。　Inspector；　I　have　not　the　slightest　objection　to　being　arrested。　　It　is　you　who　may　object　to　arresting　me。　　I　don't　mind　leaving　the　court　without　a　stain　on　my　character。　　You　do　mind　perhaps　leaving　the　court　with　a　bad　set…back　in　your　career。〃　　　　　The　solid　inspector　for　the　first　time　looked　at　the　blacksmith　with　a　lively　eye；　as　did　everybody　else；　except　the　short；　strange　priest；　who　was　still　looking　down　at　the　little　hammer　that　had　dealt　the　dreadful　blow。　　　　　〃There　are　two　men　standing　outside　this　shop；〃　went　on　the　blacksmith　with　ponderous　lucidity；　〃good　tradesmen　in　Greenford　whom　you　all　know；　who　will　swear　that　they　saw　me　from　before　midnight　till　daybreak　and　long　after　in　the　committee　room　of　our　Revival　Mission；　which　sits　all　night；　we　save　souls　so　fast。　　In　Greenford　itself　twenty　people　could　swear　to　me　for　all　that　time。　　If　I　were　a　heathen；　Mr。　Inspector；　I　would　let　you　walk　on　to　your　downfall。　　But　as　a　Christian　man　I　feel　bound　to　give　you　your　chance；　and　ask　you　whether　you　will　hear　my　alibi　now　or　in　court。〃　　　　　The　inspector　seemed　for　the　first　time　disturbed；　and　said；　〃Of　course　I　should　be　glad　to　clear　you　altogether　now。〃　　　　　The　smith　walked　out　of　his　yard　with　the　same　long　and　easy　stride；　and　returned　to　his　two　friends　from　Greenford；　who　were　indeed　friends　of　nearly　everyone　present。　　Each　of　them　said　a　few　words　which　no　one　ever　thought　of　disbelieving。　　When　they　had　spoken；　the　innocence　of　Simeon　stood　up　as　solid　as　the　great　church　above　them。　　　　　One　of　those　silences　struck　the　group　which　are　more　strange　and　insufferable　than　any　speech。　　Madly；　in　order　to　make　conversation；　the　curate　said　to　the　Catholic　priest：　　　　　〃You　seem　very　much　interested　in　that　hammer；　Father　Brown。〃　　　　　〃Yes；　I　am；〃　said　Father　Brown；　〃why　is　it　such　a　small　hammer？〃　　　　　The　doctor　swung　round　on　him。　　　　　〃By　George；　that's　true；〃　he　cried；　〃who　would　use　a　little　hammer　with　ten　larger　hammers　lying　about？〃　　　　　Then　he　lowered　his　voice　in　the　curate's　ear　and　said：　〃Only　the　kind　of　person　that　can't　lift　a　large　hammer。　　It　is　not　a　question　of　force　or　courage　between　the　sexes。　　It's　a　question　of　lifting　power　in　the　shoulders。　　A　bold　woman　could　commit　ten　murders　with　a　light　hammer　and　never　turn　a　hair。　　She　could　not　kill　a　beetle　with　a　heavy　one。〃　　　　　Wilfred　Bohun　was　staring　at　him　with　a　sort　of　hypnotised　horror；　while　Father　Brown　listened　with　his　head　a　little　on　one　side；　really　interested　and　attentive。　　The　doctor　went　on　with　more　hissing　emphasis：　　　　　〃Why　do　these　idiots　always　assume　that　the　only　person　who　hates　the　wife's　lover　is　the　wife's　husband？　　Nine　times　out　of　ten　the　person　who　most　hates　the　wife's　lover　is　the　wife。　　Who　knows　what　insolence　or　treachery　he　had　shown　herlook　there！〃　　　　　He　made　a　momentary　gesture　towards　the　red…haired　woman　on　the　bench。　　She　had　lifted　her　head　at　last　and　the　tears　were　drying　on　her　splendid　face。　　But　the　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　corpse　with　an　electric　glare　that　had　in　it　something　of　idiocy。　　　　　The　Rev。　Wilfred　Bohun　made　a　limp　gesture　as　if　waving　away　all　desire　to　know；　but　Father　Brown；　dusting　off　his　sleeve　some　ashes　blown　from　the　furnace；　spoke　in　his　indifferent　way。　　　　　〃You　are　like　so　many　doctors；〃　he　said；　〃your　mental　science　is　really　suggestive。　　It　is　your　physical　science　that　is　utterly　impossible。　　I　agree　that　the　woman　wants　to　kill　the　co…respondent　much　more　than　the　petitioner　does。　　And　I　agree　that　a　woman　will　always　pick　up　a　small　hammer　instead　of　a　big　one。　　But　the　difficulty　is　one　of　physical　impossibility。　　No　woman　ever　born　could　have　smashed　a　man's　skull　out　flat　like　that。〃　　Then　he　added　reflectively；　after　a　pause：　〃These　people　haven't　grasped　the　whole　of　it。　　The　man　was　actually　wearing　an　iron　helmet；　and　the　blow　scattered　it　like　broken　glass。　　Look　at　that　woman。　　Look　at　her　arms。〃　　　　　Silence　held　them　all　up　again；　and　then　the　doctor　said　rather　sulkily：　〃Well；　I　may　be　wrong；　there　are　objections　to　everything。　　But　I　stick　to　the　main　point。　　No　man　but　an　idiot　would　pick　up　that　little　hammer　if　he　could　use　a　big　hammer。〃　　　　　With　that　the　lean　and　quivering　hands　of　Wilfred　Bohun　went　up　to　his　head　and　seemed　to　clutch　his　scanty　yellow　hair。　　After　an　instant　they　dropped；　and　he　cried：　〃That　was　the　word　I　wanted；　you　have　said　the　word。〃　　　　　Then　he　continued；　mastering　his　discomposure：　〃The　words　you　said　were；　‘No　man　but　an　idiot　would　pick　up　the　small　hammer。'〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃Well？〃　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　curate；　〃no　man　but　an　idiot　did。〃　　The　rest　stared　at　him　with　eyes　arrested　and　riveted；　and　he　went　on　in　a　febrile　and　feminine　agitation。　　　　　〃I　am　a　priest；〃　he　cried　unsteadily；　〃and　a　priest　should　be　no　shedder　of　blood。　　II　mean　that　he　should　bring　no　one　to　the　gallows。　　And　I　thank　God　that　I　see　the　criminal　clearly　now　because　he　is　a　criminal　who　cannot　be　brought　to　the　gallows。〃　　　　　〃You　will　not　denounce　him？〃　inquired　the　doctor。　　　　　〃He　would　not　be　hanged　if　I　did　denounce　him；〃　answered　Wilfred　with　a　wild　but　curiously　happy　smile。　　〃When　I　went　into　the　church　this　morning　I　found　a　madman　praying　there　that　poor　Joe；　who　has　been　wrong　all　his　life。　　God　knows　what　he　prayed；　but　with　such　strange　folk　it　is　not　incredible　to　suppose　that　their　prayers　are　all　upside　down。　　Very　likely　a　lunatic　would　pray　before　killing　a　man。　　When　I　last