the innocence of father brown-第5章

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act　farce；〃　he　cried。　〃Yes；　you　turnip；　I　am　quite　sure。　　I　had　the　sense　to　make　a　duplicate　of　the　right　parcel；　and　now；　my　friend；　you've　got　the　duplicate　and　I've　got　the　jewels。　　An　old　dodge；　Father　Brown　a　very　old　dodge。〃　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Father　Brown；　and　passed　his　hand　through　his　hair　with　the　same　strange　vagueness　of　manner。　　〃Yes；　I've　heard　of　it　before。〃　　　　　The　colossus　of　crime　leaned　over　to　the　little　rustic　priest　with　a　sort　of　sudden　interest。　　　　　〃You　have　heard　of　it？〃　he　asked。　　〃Where　have　you　heard　of　it？〃　　　　　〃Well；　I　mustn't　tell　you　his　name；　of　course；〃　said　the　little　man　simply。　　〃He　was　a　penitent；　you　know。　　He　had　lived　prosperously　for　about　twenty　years　entirely　on　duplicate　brown　paper　parcels。　　And　so；　you　see；　when　I　began　to　suspect　you；　I　thought　of　this　poor　chap's　way　of　doing　it　at　once。〃　　　　　〃Began　to　suspect　me？〃　repeated　the　outlaw　with　increased　intensity。　　〃Did　you　really　have　the　gumption　to　suspect　me　just　because　I　brought　you　up　to　this　bare　part　of　the　heath？〃　　　　　〃No；　no；〃　said　Brown　with　an　air　of　apology。　　〃You　see；　I　suspected　you　when　we　first　met。　　It's　that　little　bulge　up　the　sleeve　where　you　people　have　the　spiked　bracelet。〃　　　　　〃How　in　Tartarus；〃　cried　Flambeau；　〃did　you　ever　hear　of　the　spiked　bracelet？〃　　　　　〃Oh；　one's　little　flock；　you　know！〃　said　Father　Brown；　arching　his　eyebrows　rather　blankly。　　〃When　I　was　a　curate　in　Hartlepool；　there　were　three　of　them　with　spiked　bracelets。　　So；　as　I　suspected　you　from　the　first；　don't　you　see；　I　made　sure　that　the　cross　should　go　safe；　anyhow。　　I'm　afraid　I　watched　you；　you　know。　So　at　last　I　saw　you　change　the　parcels。　　Then；　don't　you　see；　I　changed　them　back　again。　　And　then　I　left　the　right　one　behind。〃　　　　　〃Left　it　behind？〃　repeated　Flambeau；　and　for　the　first　time　there　was　another　note　in　his　voice　beside　his　triumph。　　　　　〃Well；　it　was　like　this；〃　said　the　little　priest；　speaking　in　the　same　unaffected　way。　　〃I　went　back　to　that　sweet…shop　and　asked　if　I'd　left　a　parcel；　and　gave　them　a　particular　address　if　it　turned　up。　　Well；　I　knew　I　hadn't；　but　when　I　went　away　again　I　did。　　So；　instead　of　running　after　me　with　that　valuable　parcel；　they　have　sent　it　flying　to　a　friend　of　mine　in　Westminster。〃　Then　he　added　rather　sadly：　〃I　learnt　that；　too；　from　a　poor　fellow　in　Hartlepool。　　He　used　to　do　it　with　handbags　he　stole　at　railway　stations；　but　he's　in　a　monastery　now。　　Oh；　one　gets　to　know；　you　know；〃　he　added；　rubbing　his　head　again　with　the　same　sort　of　desperate　apology。　　〃We　can't　help　being　priests。　　People　come　and　tell　us　these　things。〃　　　　　Flambeau　tore　a　brown…paper　parcel　out　of　his　inner　pocket　and　rent　it　in　pieces。　　There　was　nothing　but　paper　and　sticks　of　lead　inside　it。　　He　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　gigantic　gesture；　and　cried：　　　　　〃I　don't　believe　you。　　I　don't　believe　a　bumpkin　like　you　could　manage　all　that。　　I　believe　you've　still　got　the　stuff　on　you；　and　if　you　don't　give　it　upwhy；　we're　all　alone；　and　I'll　take　it　by　force！〃　　　　　〃No；〃　said　Father　Brown　simply；　and　stood　up　also；　〃you　won't　take　it　by　force。　　First；　because　I　really　haven't　still　got　it。　And；　second；　because　we　are　not　alone。〃　　　　　Flambeau　stopped　in　his　stride　forward。　　　　　〃Behind　that　tree；〃　said　Father　Brown；　pointing；　〃are　two　strong　policemen　and　the　greatest　detective　alive。　　How　did　they　come　here；　do　you　ask？　　Why；　I　brought　them；　of　course！　　How　did　I　do　it？　　Why；　I'll　tell　you　if　you　like！　　Lord　bless　you；　we　have　to　know　twenty　such　things　when　we　work　among　the　criminal　classes！　Well；　I　wasn't　sure　you　were　a　thief；　and　it　would　never　do　to　make　a　scandal　against　one　of　our　own　clergy。　　So　I　just　tested　you　to　see　if　anything　would　make　you　show　yourself。　　A　man　generally　makes　a　small　scene　if　he　finds　salt　in　his　coffee；　if　he　doesn't；　he　has　some　reason　for　keeping　quiet。　　I　changed　the　salt　and　sugar；　and　you　kept　quiet。　　A　man　generally　objects　if　his　bill　is　three　times　too　big。　　If　he　pays　it；　he　has　some　motive　for　passing　unnoticed。　　I　altered　your　bill；　and　you　paid　it。〃　　　　　The　world　seemed　waiting　for　Flambeau　to　leap　like　a　tiger。　But　he　was　held　back　as　by　a　spell；　he　was　stunned　with　the　utmost　curiosity。　　　　　〃Well；〃　went　on　Father　Brown；　with　lumbering　lucidity；　〃as　you　wouldn't　leave　any　tracks　for　the　police；　of　course　somebody　had　to。　　At　every　place　we　went　to；　I　took　care　to　do　something　that　would　get　us　talked　about　for　the　rest　of　the　day。　　I　didn't　do　much　harma　splashed　wall；　spilt　apples；　a　broken　window；　but　I　saved　the　cross；　as　the　cross　will　always　be　saved。　　It　is　at　Westminster　by　now。　　I　rather　wonder　you　didn't　stop　it　with　the　Donkey's　Whistle。〃　　　　　〃With　the　what？〃　asked　Flambeau。　　　　　〃I'm　glad　you've　never　heard　of　it；〃　said　the　priest；　making　a　face。　　〃It's　a　foul　thing。　　I'm　sure　you're　too　good　a　man　for　a　Whistler。　　I　couldn't　have　countered　it　even　with　the　Spots　myself；　I'm　not　strong　enough　in　the　legs。〃　　　　　〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　the　other。　　　　　〃Well；　I　did　think　you'd　know　the　Spots；〃　said　Father　Brown；　agreeably　surprised。　　〃Oh；　you　can't　have　gone　so　very　wrong　yet！〃　　　　　〃How　in　blazes　do　you　know　all　these　horrors？〃　cried　Flambeau。　　　　　The　shadow　of　a　smile　crossed　the　round；　simple　face　of　his　clerical　opponent。　　　　　〃Oh；　by　being　a　celibate　simpleton；　I　suppose；〃　he　said。　　〃Has　it　never　struck　you　that　a　man　who　does　next　to　nothing　but　hear　men's　real　sins　is　not　likely　to　be　wholly　unaware　of　human　evil？　But；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　another　part　of　my　trade；　too；　made　me　sure　you　weren't　a　priest。〃　　　　　〃What？〃　asked　the　thief；　almost　gaping。　　　　　〃You　attacked　reason；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃It's　bad　theology。〃　　　　　And　even　as　he　turned　away　to　collect　his　property；　the　three　policemen　came　out　from　under　the　twilight　trees。　　Flambeau　was　an　artist　and　a　sportsman。　　He　stepped　back　and　swept　Valentin　a　great　bow。　　　　　〃Do　not　bow　to　me；　mon　ami；〃　said　Valentin　with　silver　clearness。　　〃Let　us　both　bow　to　our　master。〃　　　　　And　they　both　stood　an　instant　uncovered　while　the　little　Essex　priest　blinked　about　for　his　umbrella。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Secret　Garden

Aristide　Valentin；　Chief　of　the　Paris　Police；　was　late　for　his　dinner；　and　some　of　his　guests　began　to　arrive　before　him。　　These　were；　however；　reassured　by　his　confidential　servant；　Ivan；　the　old　man　with　a　scar；　and　a　face　almost　as　grey　as　his　moustaches；　who　always　sat　at　a　table　in　the　entrance　halla　hall　hung　with　weapons。　　Valentin's　house　was　perhaps　as　peculiar　and　celebrated　as　its　master。　　It　was　an　old　house；　with　high　walls　and　tall　poplars　almost　overhanging　the　Seine；　but　the　oddityand　perhaps　the　police　valueof　its　architecture　was　this：　that　there　was　no　ultimate　exit　at　all　except　through　this　front　door；　which　was　guarded　by　Ivan　and　the　armoury。　　The　garden　was　large　and　elaborate；　and　there　were　many　exits　from　the　house　into　the　garden。　　But　there　was　no　exit　from　the　garden　into　the　world　outside；　all　round　it　ran　a　tall；　smooth；　unscalable　wall　with　special　spikes　at　the　top；　no　bad　garden；　perhaps；　for　a　man　to　reflect　in　whom　some　hundred　criminals　had　sworn　to　kill。　　　　　As　Ivan　explained　to　the　guests；　their　host　had　telephoned　that　he　was　detained　for　ten　minutes。　　He　was；　in　truth；　making　some　last　arrangements　about　executions　and　such　ugly　things；　and　though　these　duties　were　rootedly　repulsive　to　him；　he　always　performed　them　with　precision。　　Ruthless　in　the　pursuit　of　criminals；　he　was　very　mild　about　their　punishment。　　Since　he　had　been　supreme　over　Frenchand　largely　over　Europeanpolicial　methods；　his　great　influence　had　been　honourably　used　for　the　mitigation　of　sentences　and　the　purification　of　prisons。　　He　was　one　of　the　great　humanitarian　French　freethinkers；　and　the　only　thing　wrong　with　them　is　that　they　make　mercy　even　colder　than　justice。　　　　　When　Valentin　arrived　he　was　already　dressed　in　black　clothes　and　the　red　rosettean　elegant　figure；　his　dark　beard　already　streaked　with　grey。　　He　went　straight　through　his　house　to　his　study；　which　opened　on　the　grounds　behind。　　The　garden　door　of　it　was　open；　and　after　he　had　carefully　locked　his　box　in　its　official　place；　he　stood　for　a　few　seconds　at　the　open　door　looking　out　upon　the　garden。　　A　sharp　moon　was　fighting　with　the　flying　rags　and　tatters　of　a　storm；　and　Valentin　regarded　it　with　a　wistfulness　unusual　in　such　scientific　natures　as　his。　　Perhaps　such　scientific　natures　have　some　psychic　prevision　of　the　most　tremendous　problem　of　their　lives。　　From　any　such　occult　mood；　at　least；　he　quickly　recovered；　for　he　knew　he　was　late；　and　that　his　guests　had　already　begun　to　arrive。　　A　glance　at　his　drawing…room　when　he　entered　it　was　enough　to　make　certain　that　his　principal　guest　was　not　there；　at　any　rate。　　He　saw　all　the　other　pillars　of　the　little　party；　he　saw　Lord　Galloway；　the　English　Ambassadora　choleric　old　man　with　a　russet　face　like　an　apple；　wearing　the　blue　ribbon　of　the　Garter。　　He　saw　Lady　Galloway；　slim　and　threadlike；　with　silver　hair　and　a　face　sensitive　and　superior。　He　saw　her　daughter；　Lady　Margaret　Graham；　a　pale　and　pretty　girl　with　an　elfish　face　and　copper…coloured　hair。　　He　saw　the　Duchess　of　Mont　St。　Michel；　black…eyed　and　opulent；　and　with　her　her　two　daughters；　black…e