the innocence of father brown-第34章

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ecause　of　an　additional　tragedy：　the　alleged　suicide　of　the　insulted　husband；　who　appeared　to　have　flung　himself　over　a　precipice　in　Sicily。　The　prince　then　lived　in　Vienna　for　a　time；　but　his　more　recent　years　seemed　to　have　been　passed　in　perpetual　and　restless　travel。　But　when　Flambeau；　like　the　prince　himself；　had　left　European　celebrity　and　settled　in　England；　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　pay　a　surprise　visit　to　this　eminent　exile　in　the　Norfolk　Broads。　Whether　he　should　find　the　place　he　had　no　idea；　and；　indeed；　it　was　sufficiently　small　and　forgotten。　　But；　as　things　fell　out；　he　found　it　much　sooner　than　he　expected。　　　　　They　had　moored　their　boat　one　night　under　a　bank　veiled　in　high　grasses　and　short　pollarded　trees。　　Sleep；　after　heavy　sculling；　had　come　to　them　early；　and　by　a　corresponding　accident　they　awoke　before　it　was　light。　　To　speak　more　strictly；　they　awoke　before　it　was　daylight；　for　a　large　lemon　moon　was　only　just　setting　in　the　forest　of　high　grass　above　their　heads；　and　the　sky　was　of　a　vivid　violet…blue；　nocturnal　but　bright。　　Both　men　had　simultaneously　a　reminiscence　of　childhood；　of　the　elfin　and　adventurous　time　when　tall　weeds　close　over　us　like　woods。　Standing　up　thus　against　the　large　low　moon；　the　daisies　really　seemed　to　be　giant　daisies；　the　dandelions　to　be　giant　dandelions。　Somehow　it　reminded　them　of　the　dado　of　a　nursery　wall…paper。　　The　drop　of　the　river…bed　sufficed　to　sink　them　under　the　roots　of　all　shrubs　and　flowers　and　make　them　gaze　upwards　at　the　grass。　　〃By　Jove！〃　said　Flambeau；　〃it's　like　being　in　fairyland。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　sat　bolt　upright　in　the　boat　and　crossed　himself。　His　movement　was　so　abrupt　that　his　friend　asked　him；　with　a　mild　stare；　what　was　the　matter。　　　　　〃The　people　who　wrote　the　mediaeval　ballads；〃　answered　the　priest；　〃knew　more　about　fairies　than　you　do。　　It　isn't　only　nice　things　that　happen　in　fairyland。〃　　　　　〃Oh；　bosh！〃　said　Flambeau。　　〃Only　nice　things　could　happen　under　such　an　innocent　moon。　　I　am　for　pushing　on　now　and　seeing　what　does　really　come。　　We　may　die　and　rot　before　we　ever　see　again　such　a　moon　or　such　a　mood。〃　　　　　〃All　right；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃I　never　said　it　was　always　wrong　to　enter　fairyland。　　I　only　said　it　was　always　dangerous。〃　　　　　They　pushed　slowly　up　the　brightening　river；　the　glowing　violet　of　the　sky　and　the　pale　gold　of　the　moon　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　amd　faded　into　that　vast　colourless　cosmos　that　precedes　the　colours　of　the　dawn。　　When　the　first　faint　stripes　of　red　and　gold　and　grey　split　the　horizon　from　end　to　end　they　were　broken　by　the　black　bulk　of　a　town　or　village　which　sat　on　the　river　just　ahead　of　them。　　It　was　already　an　easy　twilight；　in　which　all　things　were　visible；　when　they　came　under　the　hanging　roofs　and　bridges　of　this　riverside　hamlet。　　The　houses；　with　their　long；　low；　stooping　roofs；　seemed　to　come　down　to　drink　at　the　river；　like　huge　grey　and　red　cattle。　　The　broadening　and　whitening　dawn　had　already　turned　to　working　daylight　before　they　saw　any　living　creature　on　the　wharves　and　bridges　of　that　silent　town。　Eventually　they　saw　a　very　placid　and　prosperous　man　in　his　shirt　sleeves；　with　a　face　as　round　as　the　recently　sunken　moon；　and　rays　of　red　whisker　around　the　low　arc　of　it；　who　was　leaning　on　a　post　above　the　sluggish　tide。　　By　an　impulse　not　to　be　analysed；　Flambeau　rose　to　his　full　height　in　the　swaying　boat　and　shouted　at　the　man　to　ask　if　he　knew　Reed　Island　or　Reed　House。　　The　prosperous　man's　smile　grew　slightly　more　expansive；　and　he　simply　pointed　up　the　river　towards　the　next　bend　of　it。　　Flambeau　went　ahead　without　further　speech。　　　　　The　boat　took　many　such　grassy　corners　and　followed　many　such　reedy　and　silent　reaches　of　river；　but　before　the　search　had　become　monotonous　they　had　swung　round　a　specially　sharp　angle　and　come　into　the　silence　of　a　sort　of　pool　or　lake；　the　sight　of　which　instinctively　arrested　them。　　For　in　the　middle　of　this　wider　piece　of　water；　fringed　on　every　side　with　rushes；　lay　a　long；　low　islet；　along　which　ran　a　long；　low　house　or　bungalow　built　of　bamboo　or　some　kind　of　tough　tropic　cane。　　The　upstanding　rods　of　bamboo　which　made　the　walls　were　pale　yellow；　the　sloping　rods　that　made　the　roof　were　of　darker　red　or　brown；　otherwise　the　long　house　was　a　thing　of　repetition　and　monotony。　　The　early　morning　breeze　rustled　the　reeds　round　the　island　and　sang　in　the　strange　ribbed　house　as　in　a　giant　pan…pipe。　　　　　〃By　George！〃　cried　Flambeau；　〃here　is　the　place；　after　all！　Here　is　Reed　Island；　if　ever　there　was　one。　　Here　is　Reed　House；　if　it　is　anywhere。　　I　believe　that　fat　man　with　whiskers　was　a　fairy。〃　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　remarked　Father　Brown　impartially。　　〃If　he　was；　he　was　a　bad　fairy。〃　　　　　But　even　as　he　spoke　the　impetuous　Flambeau　had　run　his　boat　ashore　in　the　rattling　reeds；　and　they　stood　in　the　long；　quaint　islet　beside　the　odd　and　silent　house。　　　　　The　house　stood　with　its　back；　as　it　were；　to　the　river　and　the　only　landing…stage；　the　main　entrance　was　on　the　other　side；　and　looked　down　the　long　island　garden。　　The　visitors　approached　it；　therefore；　by　a　small　path　running　round　nearly　three　sides　of　the　house；　close　under　the　low　eaves。　　Through　three　different　windows　on　three　different　sides　they　looked　in　on　the　same　long；　well…lit　room；　panelled　in　light　wood；　with　a　large　number　of　looking…glasses；　and　laid　out　as　for　an　elegant　lunch。　　The　front　door；　when　they　came　round　to　it　at　last；　was　flanked　by　two　turquoise…blue　flower　pots。　　It　was　opened　by　a　butler　of　the　drearier　typelong；　lean；　grey　and　listlesswho　murmured　that　Prince　Saradine　was　from　home　at　present；　but　was　expected　hourly；　the　house　being　kept　ready　for　him　and　his　guests。　　The　exhibition　of　the　card　with　the　scrawl　of　green　ink　awoke　a　flicker　of　life　in　the　parchment　face　of　the　depressed　retainer；　and　it　was　with　a　certain　shaky　courtesy　that　he　suggested　that　the　strangers　should　remain。　　〃His　Highness　may　be　here　any　minute；〃　he　said；　〃and　would　be　distressed　to　have　just　missed　any　gentleman　he　had　invited。　　We　have　orders　always　to　keep　a　little　cold　lunch　for　him　and　his　friends；　and　I　am　sure　he　would　wish　it　to　be　offered。〃　　　　　Moved　with　curiosity　to　this　minor　adventure；　Flambeau　assented　gracefully；　and　followed　the　old　man；　who　ushered　him　ceremoniously　into　the　long；　lightly　panelled　room。　　There　was　nothing　very　notable　about　it；　except　the　rather　unusual　alternation　of　many　long；　low　windows　with　many　long；　low　oblongs　of　looking…glass；　which　gave　a　singular　air　of　lightness　and　unsubstantialness　to　the　place。　　It　was　somehow　like　lunching　out　of　doors。　　One　or　two　pictures　of　a　quiet　kind　hung　in　the　corners；　one　a　large　grey　photograph　of　a　very　young　man　in　uniform；　another　a　red　chalk　sketch　of　two　long…haired　boys。　　Asked　by　Flambeau　whether　the　soldierly　person　was　the　prince；　the　butler　answered　shortly　in　the　negative；　it　was　the　prince's　younger　brother；　Captain　Stephen　Saradine；　he　said。　　And　with　that　the　old　man　seemed　to　dry　up　suddenly　and　lose　all　taste　for　conversation。　　　　　After　lunch　had　tailed　off　with　exquisite　coffee　and　liqueurs；　the　guests　were　introduced　to　the　garden；　the　library；　and　the　housekeepera　dark；　handsome　lady；　of　no　little　majesty；　and　rather　like　a　plutonic　Madonna。　　It　appeared　that　she　and　the　butler　were　the　only　survivors　of　the　prince's　original　foreign　menage　the　other　servants　now　in　the　house　being　new　and　collected　in　Norfolk　by　the　housekeeper。　　This　latter　lady　went　by　the　name　of　Mrs。　Anthony；　but　she　spoke　with　a　slight　Italian　accent；　and　Flambeau　did　not　doubt　that　Anthony　was　a　Norfolk　version　of　some　more　Latin　name。　　Mr。　Paul；　the　butler；　also　had　a　faintly　foreign　air；　but　he　was　in　tongue　and　training　English；　as　are　many　of　the　most　polished　men…servants　of　the　cosmopolitan　nobility。　　　　　Pretty　and　unique　as　it　was；　the　place　had　about　it　a　curious　luminous　sadness。　　Hours　passed　in　it　like　days。　　The　long；　well…windowed　rooms　were　full　of　daylight；　but　it　seemed　a　dead　daylight。　　And　through　all　other　incidental　noises；　the　sound　of　talk；　the　clink　of　glasses；　or　the　passing　feet　of　servants；　they　could　hear　on　all　sides　of　the　house　the　melancholy　noise　of　the　river。　　　　　〃We　have　taken　a　wrong　tur