the innocence of father brown-第7章

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　stare　at　the　celebrated　American；　his　lateness　had　already　become　a　domestic　problem；　and　he　was　sent　with　all　speed　into　the　dining…room　with　Lady　Galloway　on　his　arm。　　　　　Except　on　one　point　the　Galloways　were　genial　and　casual　enough。　　So　long　as　Lady　Margaret　did　not　take　the　arm　of　that　adventurer　O'Brien；　her　father　was　quite　satisfied；　and　she　had　not　done　so；　she　had　decorously　gone　in　with　Dr。　Simon。　Nevertheless；　old　Lord　Galloway　was　restless　and　almost　rude。　　He　was　diplomatic　enough　during　dinner；　but　when；　over　the　cigars；　three　of　the　younger　menSimon　the　doctor；　Brown　the　priest；　and　the　detrimental　O'Brien；　the　exile　in　a　foreign　uniformall　melted　away　to　mix　with　the　ladies　or　smoke　in　the　conservatory；　then　the　English　diplomatist　grew　very　undiplomatic　indeed。　　He　was　stung　every　sixty　seconds　with　the　thought　that　the　scamp　O'Brien　might　be　signalling　to　Margaret　somehow；　he　did　not　attempt　to　imagine　how。　　He　was　left　over　the　coffee　with　Brayne；　the　hoary　Yankee　who　believed　in　all　religions；　and　Valentin；　the　grizzled　Frenchman　who　believed　in　none。　　They　could　argue　with　each　other；　but　neither　could　appeal　to　him。　　After　a　time　this　〃progressive〃　logomachy　had　reached　a　crisis　of　tedium；　Lord　Galloway　got　up　also　and　sought　the　drawing…room。　　He　lost　his　way　in　long　passages　for　some　six　or　eight　minutes：　till　he　heard　the　high…pitched；　didactic　voice　of　the　doctor；　and　then　the　dull　voice　of　the　priest；　followed　by　general　laughter。　　They　also；　he　thought　with　a　curse；　were　probably　arguing　about　〃science　and　religion。〃　　But　the　instant　he　opened　the　salon　door　he　saw　only　one　thinghe　saw　what　was　not　there。　　He　saw　that　Commandant　O'Brien　was　absent；　and　that　Lady　Margaret　was　absent　too。　　　　　Rising　impatiently　from　the　drawing…room；　as　he　had　from　the　dining…room；　he　stamped　along　the　passage　once　more。　　His　notion　of　protecting　his　daughter　from　the　Irish…Algerian　n'er…do…weel　had　become　something　central　and　even　mad　in　his　mind。　　As　he　went　towards　the　back　of　the　house；　where　was　Valentin's　study；　he　was　surprised　to　meet　his　daughter；　who　swept　past　with　a　white；　scornful　face；　which　was　a　second　enigma。　　If　she　had　been　with　O'Brien；　where　was　O'Brien！　　If　she　had　not　been　with　O'Brien；　where　had　she　been？　　With　a　sort　of　senile　and　passionate　suspicion　he　groped　his　way　to　the　dark　back　parts　of　the　mansion；　and　eventually　found　a　servants'　entrance　that　opened　on　to　the　garden。　　The　moon　with　her　scimitar　had　now　ripped　up　and　rolled　away　all　the　storm…wrack。　　The　argent　light　lit　up　all　four　corners　of　the　garden。　　A　tall　figure　in　blue　was　striding　across　the　lawn　towards　the　study　door；　a　glint　of　moonlit　silver　on　his　facings　picked　him　out　as　Commandant　O'Brien。　　　　　He　vanished　through　the　French　windows　into　the　house；　leaving　Lord　Galloway　in　an　indescribable　temper；　at　once　virulent　and　vague。　　The　blue…and…silver　garden；　like　a　scene　in　a　theatre；　seemed　to　taunt　him　with　all　that　tyrannic　tenderness　against　which　his　worldly　authority　was　at　war。　　The　length　and　grace　of　the　Irishman's　stride　enraged　him　as　if　he　were　a　rival　instead　of　a　father；　the　moonlight　maddened　him。　　He　was　trapped　as　if　by　magic　into　a　garden　of　troubadours；　a　Watteau　fairyland；　and；　willing　to　shake　off　such　amorous　imbecilities　by　speech；　he　stepped　briskly　after　his　enemy。　　As　he　did　so　he　tripped　over　some　tree　or　stone　in　the　grass；　looked　down　at　it　first　with　irritation　and　then　a　second　time　with　curiosity。　　The　next　instant　the　moon　and　the　tall　poplars　looked　at　an　unusual　sight　an　elderly　English　diplomatist　running　hard　and　crying　or　bellowing　as　he　ran。　　　　　His　hoarse　shouts　brought　a　pale　face　to　the　study　door；　the　beaming　glasses　and　worried　brow　of　Dr。　Simon；　who　heard　the　nobleman's　first　clear　words。　　Lord　Galloway　was　crying：　〃A　corpse　in　the　grassa　blood…stained　corpse。〃　　O'Brien　at　last　had　gone　utterly　out　of　his　mind。　　　　　〃We　must　tell　Valentin　at　once；〃　said　the　doctor；　when　the　other　had　brokenly　described　all　that　he　had　dared　to　examine。　〃It　is　fortunate　that　he　is　here〃；　and　even　as　he　spoke　the　great　detective　entered　the　study；　attracted　by　the　cry。　　It　was　almost　amusing　to　note　his　typical　transformation；　he　had　come　with　the　common　concern　of　a　host　and　a　gentleman；　fearing　that　some　guest　or　servant　was　ill。　　When　he　was　told　the　gory　fact；　he　turned　with　all　his　gravity　instantly　bright　and　businesslike；　for　this；　however　abrupt　and　awful；　was　his　business。　　　　　〃Strange；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　as　they　hurried　out　into　the　garden；　〃that　I　should　have　hunted　mysteries　all　over　the　earth；　and　now　one　comes　and　settles　in　my　own　back…yard。　　But　where　is　the　place？〃　　They　crossed　the　lawn　less　easily；　as　a　slight　mist　had　begun　to　rise　from　the　river；　but　under　the　guidance　of　the　shaken　Galloway　they　found　the　body　sunken　in　deep　grassthe　body　of　a　very　tall　and　broad…shouldered　man。　　He　lay　face　downwards；　so　they　could　only　see　that　his　big　shoulders　were　clad　in　black　cloth；　and　that　his　big　head　was　bald；　except　for　a　wisp　or　two　of　brown　hair　that　clung　to　his　skull　like　wet　seaweed。　　A　scarlet　serpent　of　blood　crawled　from　under　his　fallen　face。　　　　　〃At　least；〃　said　Simon；　with　a　deep　and　singular　intonation；　〃he　is　none　of　our　party。〃　　　　　〃Examine　him；　doctor；〃　cried　Valentin　rather　sharply。　　〃He　may　not　be　dead。〃　　　　　The　doctor　bent　down。　　〃He　is　not　quite　cold；　but　I　am　afraid　he　is　dead　enough；〃　he　answered。　　〃Just　help　me　to　lift　him　up。〃　　　　　They　lifted　him　carefully　an　inch　from　the　ground；　and　all　doubts　as　to　his　being　really　dead　were　settled　at　once　and　frightfully。　　The　head　fell　away。　　It　had　been　entirely　sundered　from　the　body；　whoever　had　cut　his　throat　had　managed　to　sever　the　neck　as　well。　　Even　Valentin　was　slightly　shocked。　　〃He　must　have　been　as　strong　as　a　gorilla；〃　he　muttered。　　　　　Not　without　a　shiver；　though　he　was　used　to　anatomical　abortions；　Dr。　Simon　lifted　the　head。　　It　was　slightly　slashed　about　the　neck　and　jaw；　but　the　face　was　substantially　unhurt。　　It　was　a　ponderous；　yellow　face；　at　once　sunken　and　swollen；　with　a　hawk…like　nose　and　heavy　lidsa　face　of　a　wicked　Roman　emperor；　with；　perhaps；　a　distant　touch　of　a　Chinese　emperor。　　All　present　seemed　to　look　at　it　with　the　coldest　eye　of　ignorance。　　Nothing　else　could　be　noted　about　the　man　except　that；　as　they　had　lifted　his　body；　they　had　seen　underneath　it　the　white　gleam　of　a　shirt…front　defaced　with　a　red　gleam　of　blood。　　As　Dr。　Simon　said；　the　man　had　never　been　of　their　party。　　But　he　might　very　well　have　been　trying　to　join　it；　for　he　had　come　dressed　for　such　an　occasion。　　　　　Valentin　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　and　examined　with　his　closest　professional　attention　the　grass　and　ground　for　some　twenty　yards　round　the　body；　in　which　he　was　assisted　less　skillfully　by　the　doctor；　and　quite　vaguely　by　the　English　lord。　Nothing　rewarded　their　grovellings　except　a　few　twigs；　snapped　or　chopped　into　very　small　lengths；　which　Valentin　lifted　for　an　instant's　examination　and　then　tossed　away。　　　　　〃Twigs；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃twigs；　and　a　total　stranger　with　his　head　cut　off；　that　is　all　there　is　on　this　lawn。〃　　　　　There　was　an　almost　creepy　stillness；　and　then　the　unnerved　Galloway　called　out　sharply：　　　　　〃Who's　that！　　Who's　that　over　there　by　the　garden　wall！〃　　　　　A　small　figure　with　a　foolishly　large　head　drew　waveringly　near　them　in　the　moonlit　haze；　looked　for　an　instant　like　a　goblin；　but　turned　out　to　be　the　harmless　little　priest　whom　they　had　left　in　the　drawing…room。　　　　　〃I　say；〃　he　said　meekly；　〃there　are　no　gates　to　this　garden；　do　you　know。〃　　　　　Valentin's　black　brows　had　come　together　somewhat　crossly；　as　they　did　on　principle　at　the　sight　of　the　cassock。　　But　he　was　far　too　just　a　man　to　deny　the　relevance　of　the　remark。　　〃You　are　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Before　we　find　out　how　he　came　to　be　killed；　we　may　have　to　find　out　how　he　came　to　be　here。　　Now　listen　to　me；　gentlemen。　　If　it　can　be　done　without　prejudice　to　my　position　and　duty；　we　shall　all　agree　that　certain　distinguished　names　might　well　be　kept　out　of　this。　　There　are　ladies；　gentlemen；　and　there　is　a　foreign　ambassador。　　If　we　must　mark　it　down　as　a　crime；　then　it　must　be　followed　up　as　a　crime。　　But　till　then　I　can　use　m