the innocence of father brown-第5章

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hy　to　look　at　them。　　But　no　more　innocently　clerical　conversation　could　have　been　heard　in　any　white　Italian　cloister　or　black　Spanish　cathedral。　　　　　The　first　he　heard　was　the　tail　of　one　of　Father　Brown's　sentences；　which　ended：　〃。。。　what　they　really　meant　in　the　Middle　Ages　by　the　heavens　being　incorruptible。〃　　　　　The　taller　priest　nodded　his　bowed　head　and　said：　　　　　〃Ah；　yes；　these　modern　infidels　appeal　to　their　reason；　but　who　can　look　at　those　millions　of　worlds　and　not　feel　that　there　may　well　be　wonderful　universes　above　us　where　reason　is　utterly　unreasonable？〃　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　other　priest；　〃reason　is　always　reasonable；　even　in　the　last　limbo；　in　the　lost　borderland　of　things。　　I　know　that　people　charge　the　Church　with　lowering　reason；　but　it　is　just　the　other　way。　　Alone　on　earth；　the　Church　makes　reason　really　supreme。　　Alone　on　earth；　the　Church　affirms　that　God　himself　is　bound　by　reason。〃　　　　　The　other　priest　raised　his　austere　face　to　the　spangled　sky　and　said：　　　　　〃Yet　who　knows　if　in　that　infinite　universe？〃　　　　　〃Only　infinite　physically；〃　said　the　little　priest；　turning　sharply　in　his　seat；　〃not　infinite　in　the　sense　of　escaping　from　the　laws　of　truth。〃　　　　　Valentin　behind　his　tree　was　tearing　his　fingernails　with　silent　fury。　　He　seemed　almost　to　hear　the　sniggers　of　the　English　detectives　whom　he　had　brought　so　far　on　a　fantastic　guess　only　to　listen　to　the　metaphysical　gossip　of　two　mild　old　parsons。　　In　his　impatience　he　lost　the　equally　elaborate　answer　of　the　tall　cleric；　and　when　he　listened　again　it　was　again　Father　Brown　who　was　speaking：　　　　　〃Reason　and　justice　grip　the　remotest　and　the　loneliest　star。　Look　at　those　stars。　　Don't　they　look　as　if　they　were　single　diamonds　and　sapphires？　　Well；　you　can　imagine　any　mad　botany　or　geology　you　please。　　Think　of　forests　of　adamant　with　leaves　of　brilliants。　　Think　the　moon　is　a　blue　moon；　a　single　elephantine　sapphire。　　But　don't　fancy　that　all　that　frantic　astronomy　would　make　the　smallest　difference　to　the　reason　and　justice　of　conduct。　On　plains　of　opal；　under　cliffs　cut　out　of　pearl；　you　would　still　find　a　notice…board；　‘Thou　shalt　not　steal。'〃　　　　　Valentin　was　just　in　the　act　of　rising　from　his　rigid　and　crouching　attitude　and　creeping　away　as　softly　as　might　be；　felled　by　the　one　great　folly　of　his　life。　　But　something　in　the　very　silence　of　the　tall　priest　made　him　stop　until　the　latter　spoke。　When　at　last　he　did　speak；　he　said　simply；　his　head　bowed　and　his　hands　on　his　knees：　　　　　〃Well；　I　think　that　other　worlds　may　perhaps　rise　higher　than　our　reason。　　The　mystery　of　heaven　is　unfathomable；　and　I　for　one　can　only　bow　my　head。〃　　　　　Then；　with　brow　yet　bent　and　without　changing　by　the　faintest　shade　his　attitude　or　voice；　he　added：　　　　　〃Just　hand　over　that　sapphire　cross　of　yours；　will　you？　　We're　all　alone　here；　and　I　could　pull　you　to　pieces　like　a　straw　doll。〃　　　　　The　utterly　unaltered　voice　and　attitude　added　a　strange　violence　to　that　shocking　change　of　speech。　　But　the　guarder　of　the　relic　only　seemed　to　turn　his　head　by　the　smallest　section　of　the　compass。　　He　seemed　still　to　have　a　somewhat　foolish　face　turned　to　the　stars。　　Perhaps　he　had　not　understood。　　Or；　perhaps；　he　had　understood　and　sat　rigid　with　terror。　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　tall　priest；　in　the　same　low　voice　and　in　the　same　still　posture；　〃yes；　I　am　Flambeau。〃　　　　　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　said：　　　　　〃Come；　will　you　give　me　that　cross？〃　　　　　〃No；〃　said　the　other；　and　the　monosyllable　had　an　odd　sound。　　　　　Flambeau　suddenly　flung　off　all　his　pontifical　pretensions。　The　great　robber　leaned　back　in　his　seat　and　laughed　low　but　long。　　　　　〃No；〃　he　cried；　〃you　won't　give　it　me；　you　proud　prelate。　　You　won't　give　it　me；　you　little　celibate　simpleton。　　Shall　I　tell　you　why　you　won't　give　it　me？　　Because　I've　got　it　already　in　my　own　breast…pocket。〃　　　　　The　small　man　from　Essex　turned　what　seemed　to　be　a　dazed　face　in　the　dusk；　and　said；　with　the　timid　eagerness　of　〃The　Private　Secretary〃：　　　　　〃Areare　you　sure？〃　　　　　Flambeau　yelled　with　delight。　　　　　〃Really；　you're　as　good　as　a　three…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　t