the innocence of father brown-第41章

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ft　together；　that　if　one's　will　were　strong　enough；　one　could　float　down　as　harmlessly　as　a　feather。　　I　solemnly　believe　that　in　some　ecstasy　of　noble　thoughts　she　attempted　the　miracle。　　Her　will；　or　faith；　must　have　failed　her　at　the　crucial　instant；　and　the　lower　law　of　matter　had　its　horrible　revenge。　　There　is　the　whole　story；　gentlemen；　very　sad　and；　as　you　think；　very　presumptuous　and　wicked；　but　certainly　not　criminal　or　in　any　way　connected　with　me。　　In　the　short…hand　of　the　police…courts；　you　had　better　call　it　suicide。　　I　shall　always　call　it　heroic　failure　for　the　advance　of　science　and　the　slow　scaling　of　heaven。〃　　　　　It　was　the　first　time　Flambeau　had　ever　seen　Father　Brown　vanquished。　　He　still　sat　looking　at　the　ground；　with　a　painful　and　corrugated　brow；　as　if　in　shame。　　It　was　impossible　to　avoid　the　feeling　which　the　prophet's　winged　words　had　fanned；　that　here　was　a　sullen；　professional　suspecter　of　men　overwhelmed　by　a　prouder　and　purer　spirit　of　natural　liberty　and　health。　　At　last　he　said；　blinking　as　if　in　bodily　distress：　〃Well；　if　that　is　so；　sir；　you　need　do　no　more　than　take　the　testamentary　paper　you　spoke　of　and　go。　　I　wonder　where　the　poor　lady　left　it。〃　　　　　〃It　will　be　over　there　on　her　desk　by　the　door；　I　think；〃　said　Kalon；　with　that　massive　innocence　of　manner　that　seemed　to　acquit　him　wholly。　　〃She　told　me　specially　she　would　write　it　this　morning；　and　I　actually　saw　her　writing　as　I　went　up　in　the　lift　to　my　own　room。〃　　　　　〃Was　her　door　open　then？〃　asked　the　priest；　with　his　eye　on　the　corner　of　the　matting。　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Kalon　calmly。　　　　　〃Ah！　it　has　been　open　ever　since；〃　said　the　other；　and　resumed　his　silent　study　of　the　mat。　　　　　〃There　is　a　paper　over　here；〃　said　the　grim　Miss　Joan；　in　a　somewhat　singular　voice。　　She　had　passed　over　to　her　sister's　desk　by　the　doorway；　and　was　holding　a　sheet　of　blue　foolscap　in　her　hand。　　There　was　a　sour　smile　on　her　face　that　seemed　unfit　for　such　a　scene　or　occasion；　and　Flambeau　looked　at　her　with　a　darkening　brow。　　　　　Kalon　the　prophet　stood　away　from　the　paper　with　that　loyal　unconsciousness　that　had　carried　him　through。　　But　Flambeau　took　it　out　of　the　lady's　hand；　and　read　it　with　the　utmost　amazement。　It　did；　indeed；　begin　in　the　formal　manner　of　a　will；　but　after　the　words　〃I　give　and　bequeath　all　of　which　I　die　possessed〃　the　writing　abruptly　stopped　with　a　set　of　scratches；　and　there　was　no　trace　of　the　name　of　any　legatee。　　Flambeau；　in　wonder；　handed　this　truncated　testament　to　his　clerical　friend；　who　glanced　at　it　and　silently　gave　it　to　the　priest　of　the　sun。　　　　　An　instant　afterwards　that　pontiff；　in　his　splendid　sweeping　draperies；　had　crossed　the　room　in　two　great　strides；　and　was　towering　over　Joan　Stacey；　his　blue　eyes　standing　from　his　head。　　　　　〃What　monkey　tricks　have　you　been　playing　here？〃　he　cried。　〃That's　not　all　Pauline　wrote。〃　　　　　They　were　startled　to　hear　him　speak　in　quite　a　new　voice；　with　a　Yankee　shrillness　in　it；　all　his　grandeur　and　good　English　had　fallen　from　him　like　a　cloak。　　　　　〃That　is　the　only　thing　on　her　desk；〃　said　Joan；　and　confronted　him　steadily　with　the　same　smile　of　evil　favour。　　　　　Of　a　sudden　the　man　broke　out　into　blasphemies　and　cataracts　of　incredulous　words。　　There　was　something　shocking　about　the　dropping　of　his　mask；　it　was　like　a　man's　real　face　falling　off。　　　　　〃See　here！〃　he　cried　in　broad　American；　when　he　was　breathless　with　cursing；　〃I　may　be　an　adventurer；　but　I　guess　you're　a　murderess。　　Yes；　gentlemen；　here's　your　death　explained；　and　without　any　levitation。　　The　poor　girl　is　writing　a　will　in　my　favour；　her　cursed　sister　comes　in；　struggles　for　the　pen；　drags　her　to　the　well；　and　throws　her　down　before　she　can　finish　it。　Sakes！　I　reckon　we　want　the　handcuffs　after　all。〃　　　　　〃As　you　have　truly　remarked；〃　replied　Joan；　with　ugly　calm；　〃your　clerk　is　a　very　respectable　young　man；　who　knows　the　nature　of　an　oath；　and　he　will　swear　in　any　court　that　I　was　up　in　your　office　arranging　some　typewriting　work　for　five　minutes　before　and　five　minutes　after　my　sister　fell。　　Mr。　Flambeau　will　tell　you　that　he　found　me　there。〃　　　　　There　was　a　silence。　　　　　〃Why；　then；〃　cried　Flambeau；　〃Pauline　was　alone　when　she　fell；　and　it　was　suicide！〃　　　　　〃She　was　alone　when　she　fell；〃　said　Father　Brown；　〃but　it　was　not　suicide。〃　　　　　〃Then　how　did　she　die？〃　asked　Flambeau　impatiently。　　　　　〃She　was　murdered。〃　　　　　〃But　she　was　alone；〃　objected　the　detective。　　　　　〃She　was　murdered　when　she　was　all　alone；〃　answered　the　priest。　　　　　All　the　rest　stared　at　him；　but　he　remained　sitting　in　the　same　old　dejected　attitude；　with　a　wrinkle　in　his　round　forehead　and　an　appearance　of　impersonal　shame　and　sorrow；　his　voice　was　colourless　and　sad。　　　　　〃What　I　want　to　know；〃　cried　Kalon；　with　an　oath；　〃is　when　the　police　are　coming　for　this　bloody　and　wicked　sister。　　She's　killed　her　flesh　and　blood；　she's　robbed　me　of　half　a　million　that　was　just　as　sacredly　mine　as〃　　　　　〃Come；　come；　prophet；〃　interrupted　Flambeau；　with　a　kind　of　sneer；　〃remember　that　all　this　world　is　a　cloudland。〃　　　　　The　hierophant　of　the　sun…god　made　an　effort　to　climb　back　on　his　pedestal。　　〃It　is　not　the　mere　money；〃　he　cried；　〃though　that　would　equip　the　cause　throughout　the　world。　　It　is　also　my　beloved　one's　wishes。　　To　Pauline　all　this　was　holy。　　In　Pauline's　eyes〃　　　　　Father　Brown　suddenly　sprang　erect；　so　that　his　chair　fell　over　flat　behind　him。　　He　was　deathly　pale；　yet　he　seemed　fired　with　a　hope；　his　eyes　shone。　　　　　〃That's　it！〃　he　cried　in　a　clear　voice。　　〃That's　the　way　to　begin。　　In　Pauline's　eyes〃　　　　　The　tall　prophet　retreated　before　the　tiny　priest　in　an　almost　mad　disorder。　　〃What　do　you　mean？　　How　dare　you？〃　he　cried　repeatedly。　　　　　〃In　Pauline's　eyes；〃　repeated　the　priest；　his　own　shining　more　and　more。　　〃Go　onin　God's　name；　go　on。　　The　foulest　crime　the　fiends　ever　prompted　feels　lighter　after　confession；　and　I　implore　you　to　confess。　　Go　on；　go　onin　Pauline's　eyes〃　　　　　〃Let　me　go；　you　devil！〃　thundered　Kalon；　struggling　like　a　giant　in　bonds。　　〃Who　are　you；　you　cursed　spy；　to　weave　your　spiders'　webs　round　me；　and　peep　and　peer？　　Let　me　go。〃　　　　　〃Shall　I　stop　him？〃　asked　Flambeau；　bounding　towards　the　exit；　for　Kalon　had　already　thrown　the　door　wide　open。　　　　　〃No；　let　him　pass；〃　said　Father　Brown；　with　a　strange　deep　sigh　that　seemed　to　come　from　the　depths　of　the　universe。　　〃Let　Cain　pass　by；　for　he　belongs　to　God。〃　　　　　There　was　a　long…drawn　silence　in　the　room　when　he　had　left　it；　which　was　to　Flambeau's　fierce　wits　one　long　agony　of　interrogation。　　Miss　Joan　Stacey　very　coolly　tidied　up　the　papers　on　her　desk。　　　　　〃Father；〃　said　Flambeau　at　last；　〃it　is　my　duty；　not　my　curiosity　onlyit　is　my　duty　to　find　out；　if　I　can；　who　committed　the　crime。〃　　　　　〃Which　crime？〃　asked　Father　Brown。　　　　　〃The　one　we　are　dealing　with；　of　course；〃　replied　his　impatient　friend。　　　　　〃We　are　dealing　with　two　crimes；〃　said　Brown；　〃crimes　of　very　different　weightand　by　very　different　criminals。〃　　　　　Miss　Joan　Stacey；　having　collected　and　put　away　her　papers；　proceeded　to　lock　up　her　drawer。　　Father　Brown　went　on；　noticing　her　as　little　as　she　noticed　him。　　　　　〃The　two　crimes；〃　he　observed；　〃were　committed　against　the　same　weakness　of　the　same　person；　in　a　struggle　for　her　money。　The　author　of　the　larger　crime　found　himself　thwarted　by　the　smaller　crime；　the　author　of　the　smaller　crime　got　the　money。〃　　　　　〃Oh；　don't　go　on　like　a　lecturer；〃　groaned　Flambeau；　〃put　it　in　a　few　words。〃　　　　　〃I　can　put　it　in　one　word；〃　answered　his　friend。　　　　　Miss　Joan　Stacey　skewered　her　business…like　black　hat　on　to　her　head　with　a　business…like　black　frown　before　a　little　mirror；　and；　as　the　conversation　proceeded；　took　her　handbag　and　umbrella　in　an　unhurried　style；　and　left　the　room。　　　　　〃The　truth　is　one　word；　and　a　short　one；〃　said　Father　Brown。　〃Pauline　Stacey　was　blind。〃　　　　　〃Blind！〃　repeated　Flambeau；　and　rose　slowly　to　his　whole　huge　stature。　　　　　〃She　was　subject　to　it　by　blood；〃　Brown　proceeded。　　〃Her　sister　would　have　started　eyeglasses　if　Pauline　would　have　let　her；　but　it　was　her　special　philosophy　or　fad　that　one　must　not　encourage　such　diseases　by　yielding　to　them。　　She　would　not　admit　the　cloud；　or　she　tried　to　dispel　it　by　will。　　So　her　eyes　got　worse　and　worse　with　straining；　but　the　worst　strain　was　to　come。　It　came　with　this　precious　prophet；　or　whatever　he　calls　himself；　who　taught　her　to　stare　at　the　hot　sun　with　the　naked　eye。　　It　was　called　accepting　Apollo。　　Oh；　if　these　new　pagans　would　only　be　old　pagans；　they　would　be　a　little　wiser！　　The　old　pagans　knew　that　mere　naked　Nature…worship　must　have　a　cruel　side。　　They　knew　that　the　eye　of　Apollo　can　blast　and　blind。〃　　　　　There　was　a　pause；　and　the　priest　went　on　in　a　gentle　and　even　broken　voice。　　〃Whether　or　no　that　devil　deliberately　made　her　blind；　there　is　no　doubt　that　he　deliberately　killed　her　through　her　blindness。　　The　very　simplicity　of　the　crime　is　sickening。　You　know　he　and　she　went　up　and　down　in　those　lifts　without　official　help；　you　know　also　how　smoothly　and　silently　the　lifts　slide。　　Kalon　brought　the　lift　to　the　girl's　landing；　and　saw　her；　through　the　open　door；　writing　in　her　slow；　sightless　way　the　will　she　had　promised　him。　　He　called　out　to　her　cheerily　that　he　had　the　lift　ready　for　he