the innocence of father brown-第40章

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edy　in　one　glance；　flat　underneath　him　like　a　plan。　　In　the　yard　of　the　smithy　were　standing　five　or　six　men　mostly　in　black；　one　in　an　inspector's　uniform。　　They　included　the　doctor；　the　Presbyterian　minister；　and　the　priest　from　the　Roman　Catholic　chapel；　to　which　the　blacksmith's　wife　belonged。　The　latter　was　speaking　to　her；　indeed；　very　rapidly；　in　an　undertone；　as　she；　a　magnificent　woman　with　red…gold　hair；　was　sobbing　blindly　on　a　bench。　　Between　these　two　groups；　and　just　clear　of　the　main　heap　of　hammers；　lay　a　man　in　evening　dress；　spread…eagled　and　flat　on　his　face。　　From　the　height　above　Wilfred　could　have　sworn　to　every　item　of　his　costume　and　appearance；　down　to　the　Bohun　rings　upon　his　fingers；　but　the　skull　was　only　a　hideous　splash；　like　a　star　of　blackness　and　blood。　　　　　Wilfred　Bohun　gave　but　one　glance；　and　ran　down　the　steps　into　the　yard。　　The　doctor；　who　was　the　family　physician；　saluted　him；　but　he　scarcely　took　any　notice。　　He　could　only　stammer　out：　〃My　brother　is　dead。　　What　does　it　mean？　　What　is　this　horrible　mystery？〃　　There　was　an　unhappy　silence；　and　then　the　cobbler；　the　most　outspoken　man　present；　answered：　〃Plenty　of　horror；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃but　not　much　mystery。〃　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Wilfred；　with　a　white　face。　　　　　〃It's　plain　enough；〃　answered　Gibbs。　　〃There　is　only　one　man　for　forty　miles　round　that　could　have　struck　such　a　blow　as　that；　and　he's　the　man　that　had　most　reason　to。〃　　　　　〃We　must　not　prejudge　anything；〃　put　in　the　doctor；　a　tall；　black…bearded　man；　rather　nervously；　〃but　it　is　competent　for　me　to　corroborate　what　Mr。　Gibbs　says　about　the　nature　of　the　blow；　sir；　it　is　an　incredible　blow。　　Mr。　Gibbs　says　that　only　one　man　in　this　district　could　have　done　it。　　I　should　have　said　myself　that　nobody　could　have　done　it。〃　　　　　A　shudder　of　superstition　went　through　the　slight　figure　of　the　curate。　　〃I　can　hardly　understand；〃　he　said。　　　　　〃Mr。　Bohun；〃　said　the　doctor　in　a　low　voice；　〃metaphors　literally　fail　me。　　It　is　inadequate　to　say　that　the　skull　was　smashed　to　bits　like　an　eggshell。　　Fragments　of　bone　were　driven　into　the　body　and　the　ground　like　bullets　into　a　mud　wall。　　It　was　the　hand　of　a　giant。〃　　　　　He　was　silent　a　moment；　looking　grimly　through　his　glasses；　then　he　added：　〃The　thing　has　one　advantagethat　it　clears　most　people　of　suspicion　at　one　stroke。　　If　you　or　I　or　any　normally　made　man　in　the　country　were　accused　of　this　crime；　we　should　be　acquitted　as　an　infant　would　be　acquitted　of　stealing　the　Nelson　column。〃　　　　　〃That's　what　I　say；〃　repeated　the　cobbler　obstinately；　〃there's　only　one　man　that　could　have　done　it；　and　he's　the　man　that　would　have　done　it。　　Where's　Simeon　Barnes；　the　blacksmith？〃　　　　　〃He's　over　at　Greenford；〃　faltered　the　curate。　　　　　〃More　likely　over　in　France；〃　muttered　the　cobbler。　　　　　〃No；　he　is　in　neither　of　those　places；〃　said　a　small　and　colourless　voice；　which　came　from　the　little　Roman　priest　who　had　joined　the　group。　　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　is　coming　up　the　road　at　this　moment。〃　　　　　The　little　priest　was　not　an　interesting　man　to　look　at；　having　stubbly　brown　hair　and　a　round　and　stolid　face。　　But　if　he　had　been　as　splendid　as　Apollo　no　one　would　have　looked　at　him　at　that　moment。　　Everyone　turned　round　and　peered　at　the　pathway　which　wound　across　the　plain　below；　along　which　was　indeed　walking；　at　his　own　huge　stride　and　with　a　hammer　on　his　shoulder；　Simeon　the　smith。　　He　was　a　bony　and　gigantic　man；　with　deep；　dark；　sinister　eyes　and　a　dark　chin　beard。　　He　was　walking　and　talking　quietly　with　two　other　men；　and　though　he　was　never　specially　cheerful；　he　seemed　quite　at　his　ease。　　　　　〃My　God！〃　cried　the　atheistic　cobbler；　〃and　there's　the　hammer　he　did　it　with。〃　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　inspector；　a　sensible…looking　man　with　a　sandy　moustache；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　　〃There's　the　hammer　he　did　it　with　over　there　by　the　church　wall。　　We　have　left　it　and　the　body　exactly　as　they　are。〃　　　　　All　glanced　round　and　the　short　priest　went　across　and　looked　down　in　silence　at　the　tool　where　it　lay。　　It　was　one　of　the　smallest　and　the　lightest　of　the　hammers；　and　would　not　have　caught　the　eye　among　the　rest；　but　on　the　iron　edge　of　it　were　blood　and　yellow　hair。　　　　　After　a　silence　the　short　priest　spoke　without　looking　up；　and　there　was　a　new　note　in　his　dull　voice。　　〃Mr。　Gibbs　was　hardly　right；〃　he　said；　〃in　saying　that　there　is　no　mystery。　　There　is　at　least　the　mystery　of　why　so　big　a　man　should　attempt　so　big　a　blow　with　so　little　a　hammer。〃　　　　　〃Oh；　never　mind　that；〃　cried　Gibbs；　in　a　fever。　　〃What　are　we　to　do　with　Simeon　Barnes？〃　　　　　〃Leave　him　alone；〃　said　the　priest　quietly。　　〃He　is　coming　here　of　himself。　　I　know　those　two　men　with　him。　　They　are　very　good　fellows　from　Greenford；　and　they　have　come　over　about　the　Presbyterian　chapel。〃　　　　　Even　as　he　spoke　the　tall　smith　swung　round　the　corner　of　the　church；　and　strode　into　his　own　yard。　　Then　he　stood　there　quite　still；　and　the　hammer　fell　from　his　hand。　　The　inspector；　who　had　preserved　impenetrable　propriety；　immediately　went　up　to　him。　　　　　〃I　won't　ask　you；　Mr。　Barnes；〃　he　said；　〃whether　you　know　anything　about　what　has　happened　here。　　You　are　not　bound　to　say。　I　hope　you　don't　know；　and　that　you　will　be　able　to　prove　it。　　But　I　must　go　through　the　form　of　arresting　you　in　the　King's　name　for　the　murder　of　Colonel　Norman　Bohun。〃　　　　　〃You　are　not　bound　to　say　anything；〃　said　the　cobbler　in　officious　excitement。　　〃They've　got　to　prove　everything。　　They　haven't　proved　yet　that　it　is　Colonel　Bohun；　with　the　head　all　smashed　up　like　that。〃　　　　　〃That　won't　wash；〃　said　the　doctor　aside　to　the　priest。　〃That's　out　of　the　detective　stories。　　I　was　the　colonel's　medical　man；　and　I　knew　his　body　better　than　he　did。　　He　had　very　fine　hands；　but　quite　peculiar　ones。　　The　second　and　third　fingers　were　the　same　length。　　Oh；　that's　the　colonel　right　enough。〃　　　　　As　he　glanced　at　the　brained　corpse　upon　the　ground　the　iron　eyes　of　the　motionless　blacksmith　followed　them　and　rested　there　also。　　　　　〃Is　Colonel　Bohun　dead？〃　said　the　smith　quite　calmly。　　〃Then　he's　damned。〃　　　　　〃Don't　say　anything！　　Oh；　don't　say　anything；〃　cried　the　atheist　cobbler；　dancing　about　in　an　ecstasy　of　admiration　of　the　English　legal　system。　　For　no　man　is　such　a　legalist　as　the　good　Secularist。　　　　　The　blacksmith　turned　on　him　over　his　shoulder　the　august　face　of　a　fanatic。　　　　　〃It's　well　for　you　infidels　to　dodge　like　foxes　because　the　world's　law　favours　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　God　guards　His　own　in　His　pocket；　as　you　shall　see　this　day。〃　　　　　Then　he　pointed　to　the　colonel　and　said：　〃When　did　this　dog　die　in　his　sins？〃　　　　　〃Moderate　your　language；〃　said　the　doctor。　　　　　〃Moderate　the　Bible's　language；　and　I'll　moderate　mine。　　When　did　he　die？〃　　　　　〃I　saw　him　alive　at　six　o'clock　this　morning；〃　stammered　Wilfred　Bohun。　　　　　〃God　is　good；〃　said　the　smith。　　〃Mr。　Inspector；　I　have　not　the　slightest　objection　to　being　arrested。　　It　is　you　who　may　object　to　arresting　me。　　I　don't　mind　leaving　the　court　without　a　stain　on　my　character。　　You　do　mind　perhaps　leaving　the　court　with　a　bad　set…back　in　your　career。〃　　　　　The　solid　inspector　for　the　first　time　looked　at　the　blacksmith　with　a　lively　eye；　as　did　everybody　else；　except　the　short；　strange　priest；　who　was　still　looking　down　at　the　little　hammer　that　had　dealt　the　dreadful　blow。　　　　　〃There　are　two　men　standing　outside　this　shop；〃　went　on　the　blacksmith　with　ponderous　lucidity；　〃good　tradesmen　in　Greenford　whom　you　all　know；　who　will　swear　that　they　saw　me　from　before　midnight　till　daybreak　and　long　after　in　the　committee　room　of　our　Revival　Mission；　which　sits　all　night；　we　save　souls　so　fast。　　In　Greenford　itself　twenty　people　could　swear　to　me　for　all　that　time。　　If　I　were　a　heathen；　Mr。　Inspector；　I　would　let　you　walk　on　to　your　downfall。　　But　as　a　Christian　man　I　feel　bound　to　give　you　your　chance；　and　ask　you　whether　you　will　hear　my　alibi　now　or　in　court。〃　　　　　The　inspector　seemed　for　the　first　time　disturbed；　and　said；　〃Of　course　I　should　be　glad　to　clear　you　altogether　now。〃　　　　　The　smith　walked　out　of　his　yard　with　the　same　long　and　easy　stride；　and　returned　to　his　two　friends　from　Greenford；　who　were　indeed　friends　of　nearly　everyone　present。　　Each　of　them　said　a　few　word