the wisdom of father brown-第37节

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　　　　　〃And　what　is　that？〃

　　　　　〃You　want　to　be　proved　wrong；〃　said　Brown。

　　　　　During　the　last　words　Cray　had　sprung　or　staggered　to　his　feet　and　was　regarding　the　cleric　with　agitated　eyes。　　〃By　hell；　but　that　is　a　true　word！〃　he　cried。　　〃They　are　all　at　me　here　that　the　fellow　was　only　after　the　silveras　if　I　shouldn't　be　only　too　pleased　to　think　so！　　She's　been　at　me；〃　and　he　tossed　his　tousled　black　head　towards　Audrey；　but　the　other　had　no　need　of　the　direction；　〃she's　been　at　me　today　about　how　cruel　I　was　to　shoot　a　poor　harmless　house…breaker；　and　how　I　have　the　devil　in　me　against　poor　harmless　natives。　　But　I　was　a　good…natured　man　onceas　good…natured　as　Putnam。〃

　　　　　After　a　pause　he　said：　　〃Look　here；　I've　never　seen　you　before；　but　you　shall　judge　of　the　whole　story。　　Old　Putnam　and　I　were　friends　in　the　same　mess；　but；　owing　to　some　accidents　on　the　Afghan　border；　I　got　my　command　much　sooner　than　most　men；　only　we　were　both　invalided　home　for　a　bit。　　I　was　engaged　to　Audrey　out　there；　and　we　all　travelled　back　together。　　But　on　the　journey　back　things　happened。　　Curious　things。　　The　result　of　them　was　that　Putnam　wants　it　broken　off；　and　even　Audrey　keeps　it　hanging　on　and　I　know　what　they　mean。　　I　know　what　they　think　I　am。　　So　do　you。

　　　　　〃Well；　these　are　the　facts。　　The　last　day　we　were　in　an　Indian　city　I　asked　Putnam　if　I　could　get　some　Trichinopoli　cigars；　he　directed　me　to　a　little　place　opposite　his　lodgings。　　I　have　since　found　he　was　quite　right；　but　‘opposite'　is　a　dangerous　word　when　one　decent　house　stands　opposite　five　or　six　squalid　ones；　and　I　must　have　mistaken　the　door。　　It　opened　with　difficulty；　and　then　only　on　darkness；　but　as　I　turned　back；　the　door　behind　me　sank　back　and　settled　into　its　place　with　a　noise　as　of　innumerable　bolts。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　walk　forward；　which　I　did　through　passage　after　passage；　pitch…dark。　　Then　I　came　to　a　flight　of　steps；　and　then　to　a　blind　door；　secured　by　a　latch　of　elaborate　Eastern　ironwork；　which　I　could　only　trace　by　touch；　but　which　I　loosened　at　last。　　I　came　out　again　upon　gloom；　which　was　half　turned　into　a　greenish　twilight　by　a　multitude　of　small　but　steady　lamps　below。　　They　showed　merely　the　feet　or　fringes　of　some　huge　and　empty　architecture。　　Just　in　front　of　me　was　something　that　looked　like　a　mountain。　　I　confess　I　nearly　fell　on　the　great　stone　platform　on　which　I　had　emerged；　to　realize　that　it　was　an　idol。　　And　worst　of　all；　an　idol　with　its　back　to　me。

　　　　　〃It　was　hardly　half　human；　I　guessed；　to　judge　by　the　small　squat　head；　and　still　more　by　a　thing　like　a　tail　or　extra　limb　turned　up　behind　and　pointing；　like　a　loathsome　large　finger；　at　some　symbol　graven　in　the　centre　of　the　vast　stone　back。　　I　had　begun；　in　the　dim　light；　to　guess　at　the　hieroglyphic；　not　without　horror；　when　a　more　horrible　thing　happened。　　A　door　opened　silently　in　the　temple　wall　behind　me　and　a　man　came　out；　with　a　brown　face　and　a　black　coat。　　He　had　a　carved　smile　on　his　face；　of　copper　flesh　and　ivory　teeth；　but　I　think　the　most　hateful　thing　about　him　was　that　he　was　in　European　dress。　　I　was　prepared；　I　think；　for　shrouded　priests　or　naked　fakirs。　　But　this　seemed　to　say　that　the　devilry　was　over　all　the　earth。　　As　indeed　I　found　it　to　be。

　　　　　〃‘If　you　had　only　seen　the　Monkey's　Feet；'　he　said；　smiling　steadily；　and　without　other　preface；　‘we　should　have　been　very　gentle　you　would　only　be　tortured　and　die。　　If　you　had　seen　the　Monkey's　Face；　still　we　should　be　very　moderate；　very　tolerantyou　would　only　be　tortured　and　live。　　But　as　you　have　seen　the　Monkey's　Tail；　we　must　pronounce　the　worst　sentence。　which　isGo　Free。'

　　　　　〃When　he　said　the　words　I　heard　the　elaborate　iron　latch　with　which　I　had　struggled；　automatically　unlock　itself：　　and　then；　far　down　the　dark　passages　I　had　passed；　I　heard　the　heavy　street…door　shifting　its　own　bolts　backwards。

　　　　　〃‘It　is　vain　to　ask　for　mercy；　you　must　go　free；'　said　the　smiling　man。　　‘Henceforth　a　hair　shall　slay　you　like　a　sword；　and　a　breath　shall　bite　you　like　an　adder；　weapons　shall　come　against　you　out　of　nowhere；　and　you　shall　die　many　times。'　And　with　that　he　was　swallowed　once　more　in　the　wall　behind；　and　I　went　out　into　the　street。〃

　　　　　Cray　paused；　and　Father　Brown　unaffectedly　sat　down　on　the　lawn　and　began　to　pick　daisies。

　　　　　Then　the　soldier　continued：　　〃Putnam；　of　course；　with　his　jolly　common　sense；　pooh…poohed　all　my　fears；　and　from　that　time　dates　his　doubt　of　my　mental　balance。　　Well；　I'll　simply　tell　you；　in　the　fewest　words；　the　three　things　that　have　happened　since；　and　you　shall　judge　which　of　us　is　right。

　　　　　〃The　first　happened　in　an　Indian　village　on　the　edge　of　the　jungle；　but　hundreds　of　miles　from　the　temple；　or　town；　or　type　of　tribes　and　customs　where　the　curse　had　been　put　on　me。　　I　woke　in　black　midnight；　and　lay　thinking　of　nothing　in　particular；　when　I　felt　a　faint　tickling　thing；　like　a　thread　or　a　hair；　trailed　across　my　throat。　　I　shrank　back　out　of　its　way；　and　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　words　in　the　temple。　　But　when　I　got　up　and　sought　lights　and　a　mirror；　the　line　across　my　neck　was　a　line　of　blood。

　　　　　〃The　second　happened　in　a　lodging　in　Port　Said；　later；　on　our　journey　home　together。　　It　was　a　jumble　of　tavern　and　curiosity…shop；　and　though　there　was　nothing　there　remotely　suggesting　the　cult　of　the　Monkey；　it　is；　of　course；　possible　that　some　of　its　images　or　talismans　were　in　such　a　place。　　Its　curse　was　there；　anyhow。　　I　woke　again　in　the　dark　with　a　sensation　that　could　not　be　put　in　colder　or　more　literal　words　than　that　a　breath　bit　like　an　adder。　　Existence　was　an　agony　of　extinction；　I　dashed　my　head　against　walls　until　I　dashed　it　against　a　window；　and　fell　rather　than　jumped　into　the　garden　below。　　Putnam；　poor　fellow；　who　had　called　the　other　thing　a　chance　scratch；　was　bound　to　take　seriously　the　fact　of　finding　me　half　insensible　on　the　grass　at　dawn。　　But　I　fear　it　was　my　mental　state　he　took　seriously；　and　not　my　story。

　　　　　〃The　third　happened　in　Malta。　　We　were　in　a　fortress　there；　and　as　it　happened　our　bedrooms　overlooked　the　open　sea；　which　almost　came　up　to　our　window…sills；　save　for　a　flat　white　outer　wall　as　bare　as　the　sea。　　I　woke　up　again；　but　it　was　not　dark。　　There　was　a　full　moon；　as　I　walked　to　the　window；　I　could　have　seen　a　bird　on　the　bare　battlement；　or　a　sail　on　the　horizon。　　What　I　did　see　was　a　sort　of　stick　or　branch　circling；　self…supported；　in　the　empty　sky。　　It　flew　straight　in　at　my　window　and　smashed　the　lamp　beside　the　pillow　I　had　just　quitted。　　It　was　one　of　those　queer…shaped　war…clubs　some　Eastern　tribes　use。　　But　it　had　come　from　no　human　hand。〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　threw　away　a　daisy…chain　he　was　making；　and　rose　with　a　wistful　look。　　〃Has　Major　Putnam；〃　he　asked；　〃got　any　Eastern　curios；　idols；　weapons　and　so　on；　from　which　one　might　get　a　hint？〃

　　　　　〃Plenty　of　those；　though　not　much　use；　I　fear；〃　replied　Cray；　〃but　by　all　means　come　into　his　study。〃

　　　　　As　they　entered　they　passed　Miss　Watson　buttoning　her　gloves　for　church；　and　heard　the　voice　of　Putnam　downstairs　still　giving　a　lecture　on　cookery　to　the　cook。　　In　the　Major's　study　and　den　of　curios　they　came　suddenly　on　a　third　party；　silk…hatted　and　dressed　for　the　street；　who　was　poring　over　an　open　book　on　the　smoking…tablea　book　which　he　dropped　rather　guiltily；　and　turned。

　　　　　Cray　introduced　him　civilly　enough；　as　Dr　Oman；　but　he　showed　such　disfavour　in　his　very　face　that　Brown　guessed　the　two　men；　whether　Audrey　knew　it　or　not；　were　rivals。　　Nor　was　the　priest　wholly　unsympathetic　with　the　prejudice。　　Dr　Oman　was　a　very　well…dressed　gentleman　indeed；　well…featured；　though　almost　dark　enough　for　an　Asiatic。　　But　Father　Brown　had　to　tell　himself　sharply　that　one　should　be　in　charity　even　with　those　who　wax　their　pointed　beards；　who　have　small　gloved　hands；　and　who　speak　with　perfectly　modulated　voices。

　　　　　Cray　seemed　to　find　something　specially　irritating　in　the　small　prayer…book　in　Oman's　dark…gloved　hand。　　〃I　didn't　know　that　was　in　your　line；〃　he　said　rather　rudely。

　　　　　Oman　laughed　mildly；　but　without　offence。　　〃This　is　more　so；　I　know；〃　he　said；　laying　his　hand　on　the　big　book　he　had　dropped；　〃a　dictionary　of　drugs　and　such　things。　　But　it's　rather　too　large　to　take　to　church。〃　　Then　he　closed　the　larger　book；　and　there　seemed　again　the　faintest　touch　of　hurry　and　embarrassment。

　　　　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　the　priest；　who　seemed　anxious　to　change　the　subject；　〃all　these　spears　and　things　are　from　India？〃

　　　　　〃From　everywhere；〃　answered　the　doctor。　　〃Putnam　is　an　old　soldier；　and　has　been　in　Mexico　and　Australia；　and　the　Cannibal　Islands　for　all　I　know。〃

　　　　　〃I　hope　it　was　not　in　the　Cannibal　Islands；〃　said　Brown；　〃that　he　learnt　the　art　of　cookery。〃　And　he　ran　his　eyes　over　the　stew…pots　or　other　strange　utensils　on　the　wall。

　　　　　At　this　moment　the　jolly　subject　of　their　conversation　thrust　his　laughing；　lobsterish　face　into　the　room。　　〃Come　along；　Cray；〃　he　cried。　　〃Your　lunch　is　just　coming　in。　　And　the　bells　are　ringing　for　those　who　want　to　go　to　church。〃

　　　　　Cray　slipped　upstairs　to　change；　Dr　Oman　and　Miss　Watson　betook　themselves　solemnly　down　the　street；　with