the innocence of father brown-第40章

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not　descended。　　Something　else　had　descended；　something　that　ought　to　have　come　by　a　lift。　　　　　For　the　last　four　minutes　Flambeau　had　looked　down　on　it；　had　seen　the　brained　and　bleeding　figure　of　that　beautiful　woman　who　denied　the　existence　of　tragedy。　　He　had　never　had　the　slightest　doubt　that　it　was　Pauline　Stacey；　and；　though　he　had　sent　for　a　doctor；　he　had　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　she　was　dead。　　　　　He　could　not　remember　for　certain　whether　he　had　liked　her　or　disliked　her；　there　was　so　much　both　to　like　and　dislike。　　But　she　had　been　a　person　to　him；　and　the　unbearable　pathos　of　details　and　habit　stabbed　him　with　all　the　small　daggers　of　bereavement。　　He　remembered　her　pretty　face　and　priggish　speeches　with　a　sudden　secret　vividness　which　is　all　the　bitterness　of　death。　　In　an　instant　like　a　bolt　from　the　blue；　like　a　thunderbolt　from　nowhere；　that　beautiful　and　defiant　body　had　been　dashed　down　the　open　well　of　the　lift　to　death　at　the　bottom。　　Was　it　suicide？　　With　so　insolent　an　optimist　it　seemed　impossible。　　Was　it　murder？　　But　who　was　there　in　those　hardly　inhabited　flats　to　murder　anybody？　In　a　rush　of　raucous　words；　which　he　meant　to　be　strong　and　suddenly　found　weak；　he　asked　where　was　that　fellow　Kalon。　　A　voice；　habitually　heavy；　quiet　and　full；　assured　him　that　Kalon　for　the　last　fifteen　minutes　had　been　away　up　on　his　balcony　worshipping　his　god。　　When　Flambeau　heard　the　voice；　and　felt　the　hand　of　Father　Brown；　he　turned　his　swarthy　face　and　said　abruptly：　　　　　〃Then；　if　he　has　been　up　there　all　the　time；　who　can　have　done　it？〃　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　other；　〃we　might　go　upstairs　and　find　out。　We　have　half　an　hour　before　the　police　will　move。〃　　　　　Leaving　the　body　of　the　slain　heiress　in　charge　of　the　surgeons；　Flambeau　dashed　up　the　stairs　to　the　typewriting　office；　found　it　utterly　empty；　and　then　dashed　up　to　his　own。　　Having　entered　that；　he　abruptly　returned　with　a　new　and　white　face　to　his　friend。　　　　　〃Her　sister；〃　he　said；　with　an　unpleasant　seriousness；　〃her　sister　seems　to　have　gone　out　for　a　walk。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　nodded。　　〃Or；　she　may　have　gone　up　to　the　office　of　that　sun　man；〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　were　you　I　should　just　verify　that；　and　then　let　us　all　talk　it　over　in　your　office。　　No；〃　he　added　suddenly；　as　if　remembering　something；　〃shall　I　ever　get　over　that　stupidity　of　mine？　　Of　course；　in　their　office　downstairs。〃　　　　　Flambeau　stared；　but　he　followed　the　little　father　downstairs　to　the　empty　flat　of　the　Staceys；　where　that　impenetrable　pastor　took　a　large　red…leather　chair　in　the　very　entrance；　from　which　he　could　see　the　stairs　and　landings；　and　waited。　　He　did　not　wait　very　long。　　In　about　four　minutes　three　figures　descended　the　stairs；　alike　only　in　their　solemnity。　　The　first　was　Joan　Stacey；　the　sister　of　the　dead　womanevidently　she　had　been　upstairs　in　the　temporary　temple　of　Apollo；　the　second　was　the　priest　of　Apollo　himself；　his　litany　finished；　sweeping　down　the　empty　stairs　in　utter　magnificencesomething　in　his　white　robes；　beard　and　parted　hair　had　the　look　of　Dore's　Christ　leaving　the　Pretorium；　the　third　was　Flambeau；　black　browed　and　somewhat　bewildered。　　　　　Miss　Joan　Stacey；　dark；　with　a　drawn　face　and　hair　prematurely　touched　with　grey；　walked　straight　to　her　own　desk　and　set　out　her　papers　with　a　practical　flap。　　The　mere　action　rallied　everyone　else　to　sanity。　　If　Miss　Joan　Stacey　was　a　criminal；　she　was　a　cool　one。　　Father　Brown　regarded　her　for　some　time　with　an　odd　little　smile；　and　then；　without　taking　his　eyes　off　her；　addressed　himself　to　somebody　else。　　　　　〃Prophet；〃　he　said；　presumably　addressing　Kalon；　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　a　lot　about　your　religion。〃　　　　　〃I　shall　be　proud　to　do　it；〃　said　Kalon；　inclining　his　still　crowned　head；　〃but　I　am　not　sure　that　I　understand。〃　　　　　〃Why；　it's　like　this；〃　said　Father　Brown；　in　his　frankly　doubtful　way：　〃We　are　taught　that　if　a　man　has　really　bad　first　principles；　that　must　be　partly　his　fault。　　But；　for　all　that；　we　can　make　some　difference　between　a　man　who　insults　his　quite　clear　conscience　and　a　man　with　a　conscience　more　or　less　clouded　with　sophistries。　　Now；　do　you　really　think　that　murder　is　wrong　at　all？〃　　　　　〃Is　this　an　accusation？〃　asked　Kalon　very　quietly。　　　　　〃No；〃　answered　Brown；　equally　gently；　〃it　is　the　speech　for　the　defence。〃　　　　　In　the　long　and　startled　stillness　of　the　room　the　prophet　of　Apollo　slowly　rose；　and　really　it　was　like　the　rising　of　the　sun。　He　filled　that　room　with　his　light　and　life　in　such　a　manner　that　a　man　felt　he　could　as　easily　have　filled　Salisbury　Plain。　　His　robed　form　seemed　to　hang　the　whole　room　with　classic　draperies；　his　epic　gesture　seemed　to　extend　it　into　grander　perspectives；　till　the　little　black　figure　of　the　modern　cleric　seemed　to　be　a　fault　and　an　intrusion；　a　round；　black　blot　upon　some　splendour　of　Hellas。　　　　　〃We　meet　at　last；　Caiaphas；〃　said　the　prophet。　　〃Your　church　and　mine　are　the　only　realities　on　this　earth。　　I　adore　the　sun；　and　you　the　darkening　of　the　sun；　you　are　the　priest　of　the　dying　and　I　of　the　living　God。　　Your　present　work　of　suspicion　and　slander　is　worthy　of　your　coat　and　creed。　　All　your　church　is　but　a　black　police；　you　are　only　spies　and　detectives　seeking　to　tear　from　men　confessions　of　guilt；　whether　by　treachery　or　torture。　You　would　convict　men　of　crime；　I　would　convict　them　of　innocence。　You　would　convince　them　of　sin；　I　would　convince　them　of　virtue。　　　　　〃Reader　of　the　books　of　evil；　one　more　word　before　I　blow　away　your　baseless　nightmares　for　ever。　　Not　even　faintly　could　you　understand　how　little　I　care　whether　you　can　convict　me　or　no。　The　things　you　call　disgrace　and　horrible　hanging　are　to　me　no　more　than　an　ogre　in　a　child's　toy…book　to　a　man　once　grown　up。　You　said　you　were　offering　the　speech　for　the　defence。　　I　care　so　little　for　the　cloudland　of　this　life　that　I　will　offer　you　the　speech　for　the　prosecution。　　There　is　but　one　thing　that　can　be　said　against　me　in　this　matter；　and　I　will　say　it　myself。　　The　woman　that　is　dead　was　my　love　and　my　bride；　not　after　such　manner　as　your　tin　chapels　call　lawful；　but　by　a　law　purer　and　sterner　than　you　will　ever　understand。　　She　and　I　walked　another　world　from　yours；　and　trod　palaces　of　crystal　while　you　were　plodding　through　tunnels　and　corridors　of　brick。　　Well；　I　know　that　policemen；　theological　and　otherwise；　always　fancy　that　where　there　has　been　love　there　must　soon　be　hatred；　so　there　you　have　the　first　point　made　for　the　prosecution。　　But　the　second　point　is　stronger；　I　do　not　grudge　it　you。　　Not　only　is　it　true　that　Pauline　loved　me；　but　it　is　also　true　that　this　very　morning；　before　she　died；　she　wrote　at　that　table　a　will　leaving　me　and　my　new　church　half　a　million。　　Come；　where　are　the　handcuffs？　　Do　you　suppose　I　care　what　foolish　things　you　do　with　me？　　Penal　servitude　will　only　be　like　waiting　for　her　at　a　wayside　station。　The　gallows　will　only　be　going　to　her　in　a　headlong　car。〃　　　　　He　spoke　with　the　brain…shaking　authority　of　an　orator；　and　Flambeau　and　Joan　Stacey　stared　at　him　in　amazed　admiration。　Father　Brown's　face　seemed　to　express　nothing　but　extreme　distress；　he　looked　at　the　ground　with　one　wrinkle　of　pain　across　his　forehead。　　The　prophet　of　the　sun　leaned　easily　against　the　mantelpiece　and　resumed：　　　　　〃In　a　few　words　I　have　put　before　you　the　whole　case　against　methe　only　possible　case　against　me。　　In　fewer　words　still　I　will　blow　it　to　pieces；　so　that　not　a　trace　of　it　remains。　　As　to　whether　I　have　committed　this　crime；　the　truth　is　in　one　sentence：　I　could　not　have　committed　this　crime。　　Pauline　Stacey　fell　from　this　floor　to　the　ground　at　five　minutes　past　twelve。　　A　hundred　people　will　go　into　the　witness…box　and　say　that　I　was　standing　out　upon　the　balcony　of　my　own　rooms　above　from　just　before　the　stroke　of　noon　to　a　quarter…pastthe　usual　period　of　my　public　prayers。　　My　clerk　（a　respectable　youth　from　Clapham；　with　no　sort　of　connection　with　me）　will　swear　that　he　sat　in　my　outer　office　all　the　morning；　and　that　no　communication　passed　through。　　He　will　swear　that　I　arrived　a　full　ten　minutes　before　the　hour；　fifteen　minutes　before　any　whisper　of　the　accident；　and　that　I　did　not　leave　the　office　or　the　balcony　all　that　time。　　No　one　ever　had　so　complete　an　alibi；　I　could　subpoena　half　Westminster。　　I　think　you　had　better　put　the　handcuffs　away　again。　　The　case　is　at　an　end。　　　　　〃But　last　of　all；　that　no　breath　of　this　idiotic　suspicion　remain　in　the　air；　I　will　tell　you　all　you　want　to　know。　　I　believe　I　do　know　how　my　unhappy　friend　came　by　her　death。　　You　can；　if　you　choose；　blame　me　for　it；　or　my　faith　and　philosophy　at　least；　but　you　certainly　cannot　lock　me　up。　　It　is　well　known　to　all　students　of　the　higher　truths　that　certain　adepts　and　illuminati　have　in　history　attained　the　power　of　levitation　that　is；　of　being　self…sustained　upon　the　empty　air。　　It　is　but　a　part　of　that　general　conquest　of　matter　which　is　the　main　element　in　our　occult　wisdom。　　Poor　Pauline　was　of　an　impulsive　and　ambitious　temper。　　I　think；　to　tell　the　truth；　she　thought　herself　somewhat　deeper　in　the　mysteries　than　she　was；　and　she　has　often　said　to　me；　as　we　went　down　in　the　lift　together；　that　if　one's　will　were　strong　enough；　one　could　float　down　as　harmlessly　as　a　feather。