the man who knew too much-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


…apple　face；　one　or　two　of　his　servants；　and　another　servant　privately　attached　to　Lord　James　Herries。　He　was　a　young　Scotchman　named　Campbell；　who　looked　much　more　distinguished　than　his　bilious…looking　master；　having　chestnut　hair　and　a　long　saturnine　face　with　large　but　fine　features。　He　was　probably　the　one　really　efficient　person　in　the　house。

After　about　four　days　of　the　informal　council；　March　had　come　to　feel　a　sort　of　grotesque　sublimity　about　these　dubious　figures；　defiant　in　the　twilight　of　danger；　as　if　they　were　hunchbacks　and　cripples　left　alone　to　defend　a　town。　All　were　working　hard；　and　he　himself　looked　up　from　writing　a　page　of　memoranda　in　a　private　room　to　see　Horne　Fisher　standing　in　the　doorway；　accoutered　as　if　for　travel。　He　fancied　that　Fisher　looked　a　little　pale；　and　after　　a　moment　that　gentleman　shut　the　door　behind　him　and　said；　quietly：

〃Well；　the　worst　has　happened。　Or　nearly　the　worst。〃

〃The　enemy　has　landed；〃　cried　March；　and　sprang　erect　out　of　his　chair。

〃Oh；　I　knew　the　enemy　would　land；〃　said　Fisher；　with　composure。　〃Yes；　he's　landed；　but　that's　not　the　worst　that　could　happen。　The　worst　is　that　there's　a　leak　of　some　sort；　even　from　this　fortress　of　ours。　It's　been　a　bit　of　a　shock　to　me；　I　can　tell　you；　though　I　suppose　it's　illogical。　After　all；　I　was　full　of　admiration　at　finding　three　honest　men　in　politics。　I　ought　not　to　be　full　of　astonishment　if　I　find　only　two。〃

He　ruminated　a　moment　and　then　said；　in　such　a　fashion　that　March　could　hardly　tell　if　he　were　changing　the　subject　or　no：

〃It's　hard　at　first　to　believe　that　a　fellow　like　Herries；　who　had　pickled　himself　in　vice　like　vinegar；　can　have　any　scruple　left。　But　about　that　I've　noticed　a　curious　thing。　Patriotism　is　not　the　first　virtue。　Patriotism　rots　into　Prussianism　when　you　pretend　it　is　the　first　virtue。　But　patriotism　is　sometimes　the　last　virtue。　A　man　will　swindle　or　seduce　who　will　not　sell　his　country。　But　who　knows？〃

〃But　what　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　March；　indignantly。

〃My　uncle　has　the　papers　safe　enough；〃　replied　Fisher；　〃and　is　sending　them　west　to…night；　but　somebody　is　trying　to　get　at　them　from　out。　side；　I　fear　with　the　assistance　of　somebody　in。　side。　All　I　can　do　at　present　is　to　try　to　head　off　the　man　outside；　and　I　must　get　away　now　and　do　it。　I　shall　be　back　in　about　twenty…four　hours。　While　I'm　away　I　want　you　to　keep　an　eye　on　these　people　and　find　out　what　you　can。　Au　revoir。〃　He　vanished　down　the　stairs；　and　from　the　window　March　could　see　him　mount　a　motor　cycle　and　trail　away　toward　the　neighboring　town。

On　the　following　morning；　March　was　sitting　in　the　window　seat　of　the　old　inn　parlor；　which　was　oak…paneled　and　ordinarily　rather　dark；　but　on　that　occasion　it　was　full　of　the　white　light　of　a　curiously　clear　morningthe　moon　had　shone　brilliantly　for　the　last　two　or　three　nights。　He　was　himself　somewhat　in　shadow　in　the　corner　of　the　window　seat；　and　Lord　James　Herries；　coming　in　hastily　from　the　garden　behind；　did　not　see　him。　Lord　James　clutched　the　back　of　a　chair；　as　if　to　steady　himself；　and；　sitting　down　abruptly　at　the　table；　littered　with　the　last　meal；　poured　himself　out　a　tumbler　of　brandy　and　drank　it。　He　sat　with　his　back　to　March；　but　his　yellow　face　appeared　in　a　round　mirror　beyon　and　the　tinge　of　it　was　like　that　of　some　horrible　malady。　As　March　moved　he　started　violently　and　faced　round。

〃My　God！〃　he　cried；　〃have　you　seen　what's　outside？〃

〃Outside？〃　repeated　the　other；　glancing　over　his　shoulder　at　the　garden。

〃Oh；　go　and　look　for　yourself；〃　cried　Herries　in　a　sort　of　fury。　〃Hewitt's　murdered　and　his　papers　stolen；　that's　all。〃

He　turned　his　back　again　and　sat　down　with　a　thud；　his　square　shoulders　were　shaking。　Harold　March　darted　out　of　the　doorway　into　the　back　garden　with　its　steep　slope　of　statues。

The　first　thing　he　saw　was　Doctor　Prince；　the　detective；　peering　through　his　spectacles　at　something　on　the　ground；　the　second　was　the　thing　he　was　peering　at。　Even　after　the　sensational　news　he　had　heard　inside；　the　sight　was　something　of　a　sensation。

The　monstrous　stone　image　of　Britannia　was　lying　prone　and　face　downward　on　the　garden　path；　and　there　stuck　out　at　random　from　underneath　it；　like　the　legs　of　a　smashed　fly；　an　arm　clad　in　a　white　shirt　sleeve　and　a　leg　clad　in　a　khaki　trouser；　and　hair　of　the　unmistakable　sandy　gray　that　belonged　to　Horne　Fisher's　unfortunate　uncle。　There　were　pools　of　blood　and　the　limbs　were　quite　stiff　in　death。

〃Couldn't　this　have　been　an　accident？〃　said　March；　finding　words　at　last。

〃Look　for　yourself；　I　say；〃　repeated　the　harsh　voice　of　Herries；　who　had　followed　him　with　restless　movements　out　of　the　door。　〃The　papers　are　gone；　I　tell　you。　The　fellow　tore　the　coat　off　the　corpse　and　cut　the　papers　out　of　the　inner　pocket。　There's　the　coat　over　there　on　the　bank；　with　the　great　slash　in　it。〃

〃But　wait　a　minute；〃　said　the　detective；　Prince；　quietly。　〃In　that　case　there　seems　to　be　something　of　a　mystery。　A　murderer　might　somehow　have　managed　to　throw　the　statue　down　on　him；　as　he　seems　to　have　done。　But　I　bet　he　couldn't　easily　have　lifted　it　up　again。　I've　tried；　and　I'm　sure　it　would　want　three　men　at　least。　Yet　we　must　suppose；　on　that　theory；　that　the　murderer　first　knocked　him　down　as　he　walked　past；　using　the　statue　as　a　stone　club；　then　lifted　it　up　again；　took　him　out　and　deprived　him　of　his　coat；　then　put　him　back　again　in　the　posture　of　death　and　neatly　replaced　the　statue。　I　tell　you　it's　physically　impossible。　And　how　else　could　he　have　unclothed　a　man　covered　with　that　stone　monument？　It's　worse　than　the　conjurer's　trick；　when　a　man　shuffles　a　coat　off　with　his　wrists　tied。〃

〃Could　he　have　thrown　down　the　statue　after　he'd　stripped　the　corpse？〃　asked　March。

〃And　why？〃　asked　Prince；　sharply。　〃If　he'd　killed　his　man　and　got　his　papers；　he'd　be　away　like　the　wind。　He　wouldn't　potter　about　in　a　garden　excavating　the　pedestals　of　statues。　BesidesHullo；　who's　that　up　there？〃

High　on　the　ridge　above　them；　drawn　in　dark　thin　lines　against　the　sky；　was　a　figure　looking　so　long　and　lean　as　to　be　almost　spidery。　The　dark　silhouette　of　the　head　showed　two　small　tufts　like　horns；　and　they　could　almost　have　sworn　that　the　horns　moved。

〃Archer！〃　shouted　Herries；　with　sudden　passion；　and　called　to　him　with　curses　to　come　down。　The　figure　drew　back　at　the　first　cry；　with　an　agitated　movement　so　abrupt　as　almost　to　be　called　an　antic。　The　next　moment　the　man　seemed　to　reconsider　and　collect　himself；　and　began　to　come　down　the　zigzag　garden　path；　but　with　obvious　reluctance；　his　feet　falling　in　slower　and　slower　rhythm。　Through　March's　mind　were　throbbing　the　phrases　that　this　man　himself　had　used；　about　going　mad　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　wrecking　the　stone　figure。　just　so；　he　could　fancy；　the　maniac　who　had　done　such　a　thing　might　climb　the　crest　of　the　hill；　in　that　feverish　dancing　fashion；　and　look　down　on　the　wreck　he　had　made。　But　the　wreck　he　had　made　here　was　not　only　a　wreck　of　stone。

When　the　man　emerged　at　last　on　to　the　garden　path；　with　the　full　light　on　his　face　and　figure；　he　was　walking　slowly　indeed；　but　easily；　and　with　no　appearance　of　fear。

〃This　is　a　terrible　thing；〃　he　said。　〃I　saw　it　from　above；　I　was　taking　a　stroll　along　the　ridge。〃　

〃Do　you　mean　that　you　saw　the　murder？〃　demanded　March；　〃or　the　accident？　I　mean　did　you　see　the　statue　fall？〃

〃No；〃　said　Archer；　〃I　mean　I　saw　the　statue　fallen。〃

Prince　seemed　to　be　paying　but　little　attention；　his　eye　was　riveted　on　an　object　lying　on　the　path　a　yard　or　two　from　the　corpse。　It　seemed　to　be　a　rusty　iron　bar　bent　crooked　at　one　end。

〃One　thing　I　don't　understand；'　he　said；　〃is　all　this　blood。　The　poor　fellow's　skull　isn't　smashed；　most　likely　his　neck　is　broken；　but　blood　seems　to　have　spouted　as　if　all　his　arteries　were　severed。　I　was　wondering　if　some　other　instrument　。　。　。　that　iron　thing；　for　instance；　but　I　don't　see　that　even　that　is　sharp　enough。　I　suppose　nobody　knows　what　it　is。〃

〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　said　Archer　in　his　deep　but　somewhat　shaky　voice。　〃I've　seen　it　in　my　nightmares。　It　was　the　iron　clamp　or　prop　on　the　pedestal；　stuck　on　to　keep　the　wretched　image　upright　when　it　began　to　wabble；　I　suppose。　Anyhow；　it　was　always　stuck　in　the　stonework　there；　and　I　suppose　it　came　out　when　the　thing　collapsed。〃

Doctor　Prince　nodded；　but　he　continued　to　look　down　at　the　pools　of　blood　and　the　bar　of　iron。

〃I'm　certain　there's　something　more　　underneath　all　this；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Perhaps　something　more　underneath　the　statue。　I　have　a　huge　sort　of　hunch　that　there　is。　We　are　four　men　now　and　between　us　we　can　lift　that　great　tombstone　there。〃

They　all　bent　their　strength　to　the　business；　there　was　a　silence　save　for　heavy　breathing；　and　then；　after　an　instant　of　the　tottering　and　staggering　of　eight　legs；　the　great　carven　column　of　rock　was　rolled　away；　and　the　body　lying　in　its　shirt　and　trousers　was　fully　revealed。　The　spectacles　of　Doctor　Prince　seemed　almost　to　enlarge　with　a　restrained　radiance　like　great　eyes；　for　other　things　were　revealed　also。　One　was　that　the　unfortunate　Hewitt　had　a　deep　gash　across　the　jugular；　which　the　triumphant　doctor　instantly　identified　as　having　bee