the innocence of father brown-第23章

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　rather　grave。　I'm　going　round　at　once　to　fetch　him。〃　　　　　〃Right　you　are；〃　said　the　other；　with　admirable　cheerfulness。　〃Bring　him　round　here　as　quick　as　you　can。〃　　　　　But　as　Angus　closed　the　front　door　behind　him　he　saw　Smythe　push　back　a　button；　and　one　of　the　clockwork　images　glided　from　its　place　and　slid　along　a　groove　in　the　floor　carrying　a　tray　with　syphon　and　decanter。　　There　did　seem　something　a　trifle　weird　about　leaving　the　little　man　alone　among　those　dead　servants；　who　were　coming　to　life　as　the　door　closed。　　　　　Six　steps　down　from　Smythe's　landing　the　man　in　shirt　sleeves　was　doing　something　with　a　pail。　　Angus　stopped　to　extract　a　promise；　fortified　with　a　prospective　bribe；　that　he　would　remain　in　that　place　until　the　return　with　the　detective；　and　would　keep　count　of　any　kind　of　stranger　coming　up　those　stairs。　　Dashing　down　to　the　front　hall　he　then　laid　similar　charges　of　vigilance　on　the　commissionaire　at　the　front　door；　from　whom　he　learned　the　simplifying　circumstances　that　there　was　no　back　door。　　Not　content　with　this；　he　captured　the　floating　policeman　and　induced　him　to　stand　opposite　the　entrance　and　watch　it；　and　finally　paused　an　instant　for　a　pennyworth　of　chestnuts；　and　an　inquiry　as　to　the　probable　length　of　the　merchant's　stay　in　the　neighbourhood。　　　　　The　chestnut　seller；　turning　up　the　collar　of　his　coat；　told　him　he　should　probably　be　moving　shortly；　as　he　thought　it　was　going　to　snow。　　Indeed；　the　evening　was　growing　grey　and　bitter；　but　Angus；　with　all　his　eloquence；　proceeded　to　nail　the　chestnut　man　to　his　post。　　　　　〃Keep　yourself　warm　on　your　own　chestnuts；〃　he　said　earnestly。　〃Eat　up　your　whole　stock；　I'll　make　it　worth　your　while。　　I'll　give　you　a　sovereign　if　you'll　wait　here　till　I　come　back；　and　then　tell　me　whether　any　man；　woman；　or　child　has　gone　into　that　house　where　the　commissionaire　is　standing。〃　　　　　He　then　walked　away　smartly；　with　a　last　look　at　the　besieged　tower。　　　　　〃I've　made　a　ring　round　that　room；　anyhow；〃　he　said。　　〃They　can't　all　four　of　them　be　Mr。　Welkin's　accomplices。〃　　　　　Lucknow　Mansions　were；　so　to　speak；　on　a　lower　platform　of　that　hill　of　houses；　of　which　Himylaya　Mansions　might　be　called　the　peak。　　Mr。　Flambeau's　semi…official　flat　was　on　the　ground　floor；　and　presented　in　every　way　a　marked　contrast　to　the　American　machinery　and　cold　hotel…like　luxury　of　the　flat　of　the　Silent　Service。　　Flambeau；　who　was　a　friend　of　Angus；　received　him　in　a　rococo　artistic　den　behind　his　office；　of　which　the　ornaments　were　sabres；　harquebuses；　Eastern　curiosities；　flasks　of　Italian　wine；　savage　cooking…pots；　a　plumy　Persian　cat；　and　a　small　dusty…looking　Roman　Catholic　priest；　who　looked　particularly　out　of　place。　　　　　〃This　is　my　friend　Father　Brown；〃　said　Flambeau。　　〃I've　often　wanted　you　to　meet　him。　　Splendid　weather；　this；　a　little　cold　for　Southerners　like　me。〃　　　　　〃Yes；　I　think　it　will　keep　clear；〃　said　Angus；　sitting　down　on　a　violet…striped　Eastern　ottoman。　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　priest　quietly；　〃it　has　begun　to　snow。〃　　　　　And；　indeed；　as　he　spoke；　the　first　few　flakes；　foreseen　by　the　man　of　chestnuts；　began　to　drift　across　the　darkening　windowpane。　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　Angus　heavily。　　〃I'm　afraid　I've　come　on　business；　and　rather　jumpy　business　at　that。　　The　fact　is；　Flambeau；　within　a　stone's　throw　of　your　house　is　a　fellow　who　badly　wants　your　help；　he's　perpetually　being　haunted　and　threatened　by　an　invisible　enemy　a　scoundrel　whom　nobody　has　even　seen。〃　　As　Angus　proceeded　to　tell　the　whole　tale　of　Smythe　and　Welkin；　beginning　with　Laura's　story；　and　going　on　with　his　own；　the　supernatural　laugh　at　the　corner　of　two　empty　streets；　the　strange　distinct　words　spoken　in　an　empty　room；　Flambeau　grew　more　and　more　vividly　concerned；　and　the　little　priest　seemed　to　be　left　out　of　it；　like　a　piece　of　furniture。　　When　it　came　to　the　scribbled　stamp…paper　pasted　on　the　window；　Flambeau　rose；　seeming　to　fill　the　room　with　his　huge　shoulders。　　　　　〃If　you　don't　mind；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　you　had　better　tell　me　the　rest　on　the　nearest　road　to　this　man's　house。　　It　strikes　me；　somehow；　that　there　is　no　time　to　be　lost。〃　　　　　〃Delighted；〃　said　Angus；　rising　also；　〃though　he's　safe　enough　for　the　present；　for　I've　set　four　men　to　watch　the　only　hole　to　his　burrow。〃　　　　　They　turned　out　into　the　street；　the　small　priest　trundling　after　them　with　the　docility　of　a　small　dog。　　He　merely　said；　in　a　cheerful　way；　like　one　making　conversation；　〃How　quick　the　snow　gets　thick　on　the　ground。〃　　　　　As　they　threaded　the　steep　side　streets　already　powdered　with　silver；　Angus　finished　his　story；　and　by　the　time　they　reached　the　crescent　with　the　towering　flats；　he　had　leisure　to　turn　his　attention　to　the　four　sentinels。　　The　chestnut　seller；　both　before　and　after　receiving　a　sovereign；　swore　stubbornly　that　he　had　watched　the　door　and　seen　no　visitor　enter。　　The　policeman　was　even　more　emphatic。　　He　said　he　had　had　experience　of　crooks　of　all　kinds；　in　top　hats　and　in　rags；　he　wasn't　so　green　as　to　expect　suspicious　characters　to　look　suspicious；　he　looked　out　for　anybody；　and；　so　help　him；　there　had　been　nobody。　　And　when　all　three　men　gathered　round　the　gilded　commissionaire；　who　still　stood　smiling　astride　of　the　porch；　the　verdict　was　more　final　still。　　　　　〃I've　got　a　right　to　ask　any　man；　duke　or　dustman；　what　he　wants　in　these　flats；〃　said　the　genial　and　gold…laced　giant；　〃and　I'll　swear　there's　been　nobody　to　ask　since　this　gentleman　went　away。〃　　　　　The　unimportant　Father　Brown；　who　stood　back；　looking　modestly　at　the　pavement；　here　ventured　to　say　meekly；　〃Has　nobody　been　up　and　down　stairs；　then；　since　the　snow　began　to　fall？　　It　began　while　we　were　all　round　at　Flambeau's。〃　　　　　〃Nobody's　been　in　here；　sir；　you　can　take　it　from　me；〃　said　the　official；　with　beaming　authority。　　　　　〃Then　I　wonder　what　that　is？〃　said　the　priest；　and　stared　at　the　ground　blankly　like　a　fish。　　　　　The　others　all　looked　down　also；　and　Flambeau　used　a　fierce　exclamation　and　a　French　gesture。　　For　it　was　unquestionably　true　that　down　the　middle　of　the　entrance　guarded　by　the　man　in　gold　lace；　actually　between　the　arrogant；　stretched　legs　of　that　colossus；　ran　a　stringy　pattern　of　grey　footprints　stamped　upon　the　white　snow。　　　　　〃God！〃　cried　Angus　involuntarily；　〃the　Invisible　Man！〃　　　　　Without　another　word　he　turned　and　dashed　up　the　stairs；　with　Flambeau　following；　but　Father　Brown　still　stood　looking　about　him　in　the　snow…clad　street　as　if　he　had　lost　interest　in　his　query。　　　　　Flambeau　was　plainly　in　a　mood　to　break　down　the　door　with　his　big　shoulders；　but　the　Scotchman；　with　more　reason；　if　less　intuition；　fumbled　about　on　the　frame　of　the　door　till　he　found　the　invisible　button；　and　the　door　swung　slowly　open。　　　　　It　showed　substantially　the　same　serried　interior；　the　hall　had　grown　darker；　though　it　was　still　struck　here　and　there　with　the　last　crimson　shafts　of　sunset；　and　one　or　two　of　the　headless　machines　had　been　moved　from　their　places　for　this　or　that　purpose；　and　stood　here　and　there　about　the　twilit　place。　　The　green　and　red　of　their　coats　were　all　darkened　in　the　dusk；　and　their　likeness　to　human　shapes　slightly　increased　by　their　very　shapelessness。　　But　in　the　middle　of　them　all；　exactly　where　the　paper　with　the　red　ink　had　lain；　there　lay　something　that　looked　like　red　ink　spilt　out　of　its　bottle。　　But　it　was　not　red　ink。　　　　　With　a　French　combination　of　reason　and　violence　Flambeau　simply　said　〃Murder！〃　and；　plunging　into　the　flat；　had　explored；　every　corner　and　cupboard　of　it　in　five　minutes。　　But　if　he　expected　to　find　a　corpse　he　found　none。　　Isidore　Smythe　was　not　in　the　place；　either　dead　or　alive。　　After　the　most　tearing　search　the　two　men　met　each　other　in　the　outer　hall；　with　streaming　faces　and　staring　eyes。　　〃My　friend；〃　said　Flambeau；　talking　French　in　his　excitement；　〃not　only　is　your　murderer　invisible；　but　he　makes　invisible　also　the　murdered　man。〃　　　　　Angus　looked　round　at　the　dim　room　full　of　dummies；　and　in　some　Celtic　corner　of　his　Scotch　soul　a　shudder　started。　　One　of　the　life…size　dolls　stood　immediately　overshadowing　the　blood　stain；　summoned；　perhaps；　by　the　slain　man　an　instant　before　he　fell。　　One　of　the　high…shouldered　hooks　that　served　the　thing　for　arms；　was　a　little　lifted；