the wisdom of father brown-第12章

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！


ften　duped。　　I　mean　the　persons　of　the　play。　　I　mean　the　conspirators；　if　they　were　conspirators。　　I　mean　the　traitor；　if　he　was　a　traitor。　　I　mean　the　men　who　must　have　known　the　truth。　　Now　Dreyfus　went　on　like　a　man　who　knew　he　was　a　wronged　man。　　And　yet　the　French　statesmen　and　soldiers　went　on　as　if　they　knew　he　wasn't　a　wronged　man　but　simply　a　wrong　'un。　　I　don't　mean　they　behaved　well；　I　mean　they　behaved　as　if　they　were　sure。　　I　can't　describe　these　things；　I　know　what　I　mean。〃

　　　　　〃I　wish　I　did；〃　said　his　friend。　　〃And　what　has　it　to　do　with　old　Hirsch？〃

　　　　　〃Suppose　a　person　in　a　position　of　trust；〃　went　on　the　priest；　〃began　to　give　the　enemy　information　because　it　was　false　information。　　Suppose　he　even　thought　he　was　saving　his　country　by　misleading　the　foreigner。　　Suppose　this　brought　him　into　spy　circles；　and　little　loans　were　made　to　him；　and　little　ties　tied　on　to　him。　　Suppose　he　kept　up　his　contradictory　position　in　a　confused　way　by　never　telling　the　foreign　spies　the　truth；　but　letting　it　more　and　more　be　guessed。　　The　better　part　of　him　（what　was　left　of　it）　would　still　say：　　‘I　have　not　helped　the　enemy；　I　said　it　was　the　left　drawer。'　　The　meaner　part　of　him　would　already　be　saying：　　‘But　they　may　have　the　sense　to　see　that　means　the　right。'　I　think　it　is　psychologically　possiblein　an　enlightened　age；　you　know。〃

　　　　　〃It　may　be　psychologically　possible；〃　answered　Flambeau；　〃and　it　certainly　would　explain　Dreyfus　being　certain　he　was　wronged　and　his　judges　being　sure　he　was　guilty。　　But　it　won't　wash　historically；　because　Dreyfus's　document　（if　it　was　his　document）　was　literally　correct。〃

　　　　　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　Dreyfus；〃　said　Father　Brown。

　　　　　Silence　had　sunk　around　them　with　the　emptying　of　the　tables；　it　was　already　late；　though　the　sunlight　still　clung　to　everything；　as　if　accidentally　entangled　in　the　trees。　　In　the　stillness　Flambeau　shifted　his　seat　sharplymaking　an　isolated　and　echoing　noise　and　threw　his　elbow　over　the　angle　of　it。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　rather　harshly；　〃if　Hirsch　is　not　better　than　a　timid　treason…monger。。。〃

　　　　　〃You　mustn't　be　too　hard　on　them；〃　said　Father　Brown　gently。　　〃It's　not　entirely　their　fault；　but　they　have　no　instincts。　　I　mean　those　things　that　make　a　woman　refuse　to　dance　with　a　man　or　a　man　to　touch　an　investment。　　They've　been　taught　that　it's　all　a　matter　of　degree。〃

　　　　　〃Anyhow；〃　cried　Flambeau　impatiently；　〃he's　not　a　patch　on　my　principal；　and　I　shall　go　through　with　it。　　Old　Dubosc　may　be　a　bit　mad；　but　he's　a　sort　of　patriot　after　all。〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　continued　to　consume　whitebait。

　　　　　Something　in　the　stolid　way　he　did　so　caused　Flambeau's　fierce　black　eyes　to　ramble　over　his　companion　afresh。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　Flambeau　demanded。　　〃Dubosc's　all　right　in　that　way。　　You　don't　doubt　him？〃

　　　　　〃My　friend；〃　said　the　small　priest；　laying　down　his　knife　and　fork　in　a　kind　of　cold　despair；　〃I　doubt　everything。　　Everything；　I　mean；　that　has　happened　today。　　I　doubt　the　whole　story；　though　it　has　been　acted　before　my　face。　　I　doubt　every　sight　that　my　eyes　have　seen　since　morning。　　There　is　something　in　this　business　quite　different　from　the　ordinary　police　mystery　where　one　man　is　more　or　less　lying　and　the　other　man　more　or　less　telling　the　truth。　　Here　both　men。。。。　Well！　　I've　told　you　the　only　theory　I　can　think　of　that　could　satisfy　anybody。　　It　doesn't　satisfy　me。〃

　　　　　〃Nor　me　either；〃　replied　Flambeau　frowning；　while　the　other　went　on　eating　fish　with　an　air　of　entire　resignation。　　〃If　all　you　can　suggest　is　that　notion　of　a　message　conveyed　by　contraries；　I　call　it　uncommonly　clever；　but。。。well；　what　would　you　call　it？〃

　　　　　〃I　should　call　it　thin；〃　said　the　priest　promptly。　　〃I　should　call　it　uncommonly　thin。　　But　that's　the　queer　thing　about　the　whole　business。　　The　lie　is　like　a　schoolboy's。　　There　are　only　three　versions；　Dubosc's　and　Hirsch's　and　that　fancy　of　mine。　　Either　that　note　was　written　by　a　French　officer　to　ruin　a　French　official；　or　it　was　written　by　the　French　official　to　help　German　officers；　or　it　was　written　by　the　French　official　to　mislead　German　officers。　　Very　well。　　You'd　expect　a　secret　paper　passing　between　such　people；　officials　or　officers；　to　look　quite　different　from　that。　　You'd　expect；　probably　a　cipher；　certainly　abbreviations；　most　certainly　scientific　and　strictly　professional　terms。　　But　this　thing's　elaborately　simple；　like　a　penny　dreadful：　　‘In　the　purple　grotto　you　will　find　the　golden　casket。'　It　looks　as　if。。。　as　if　it　were　meant　to　be　seen　through　at　once。〃

　　　　　Almost　before　they　could　take　it　in　a　short　figure　in　French　uniform　had　walked　up　to　their　table　like　the　wind；　and　sat　down　with　a　sort　of　thump。

　　　　　〃I　have　extraordinary　news；〃　said　the　Duc　de　Valognes。　　〃I　have　just　come　from　this　Colonel　of　ours。　　He　is　packing　up　to　leave　the　country；　and　he　asks　us　to　make　his　excuses　sur　le　terrain。〃

　　　　　〃What？〃　cried　Flambeau；　with　an　incredulity　quite　frightful　〃apologize？〃

　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　Duke　gruffly；　〃then　and　therebefore　everybody　when　the　swords　are　drawn。　　And　you　and　I　have　to　do　it　while　he　is　leaving　the　country。〃

　　　　　〃But　what　can　this　mean？〃　cried　Flambeau。　　〃He　can't　be　afraid　of　that　little　Hirsch！　　Confound　it！〃　he　cried；　in　a　kind　of　rational　rage；　〃nobody　could　be　afraid　of　Hirsch！〃

　　　　　〃I　believe　it's　some　plot！〃　snapped　Valognes〃some　plot　of　the　Jews　and　Freemasons。　　It's　meant　to　work　up　glory　for　Hirsch。。。〃

　　　　　The　face　of　Father　Brown　was　commonplace；　but　curiously　contented；　it　could　shine　with　ignorance　as　well　as　with　knowledge。　　But　there　was　always　one　flash　when　the　foolish　mask　fell；　and　the　wise　mask　fitted　itself　in　its　place；　and　Flambeau；　who　knew　his　friend；　knew　that　his　friend　had　suddenly　understood。　　Brown　said　nothing；　but　finished　his　plate　of　fish。

　　　　　〃Where　did　you　last　see　our　precious　Colonel？〃　asked　Flambeau；　irritably。

　　　　　〃He's　round　at　the　Hotel　Saint　Louis　by　the　Elysee；　where　we　drove　with　him。　　He's　packing　up；　I　tell　you。〃

　　　　　〃Will　he　be　there　still；　do　you　think？〃　asked　Flambeau；　frowning　at　the　table。

　　　　　〃I　don't　think　he　can　get　away　yet；〃　replied　the　Duke；　〃he's　packing　to　go　a　long　journey。。。〃

　　　　　〃No；〃　said　Father　Brown；　quite　simply；　but　suddenly　standing　up；　〃for　a　very　short　journey。　　For　one　of　the　shortest；　in　fact。　　But　we　may　still　be　in　time　to　catch　him　if　we　go　there　in　a　motor…cab。〃

　　　　　Nothing　more　could　be　got　out　of　him　until　the　cab　swept　round　the　corner　by　the　Hotel　Saint　Louis；　where　they　got　out；　and　he　led　the　party　up　a　side　lane　already　in　deep　shadow　with　the　growing　dusk。　　Once；　when　the　Duke　impatiently　asked　whether　Hirsch　was　guilty　of　treason　or　not；　he　answered　rather　absently：　　〃No；　only　of　ambitionlike　Caesar。〃　Then　he　somewhat　inconsequently　added：　　〃He　lives　a　very　lonely　life；　he　has　had　to　do　everything　for　himself。〃

　　　　　〃Well；　if　he's　ambitious；　he　ought　to　be　satisfied　now；〃　said　Flambeau　rather　bitterly。　　〃All　Paris　will　cheer　him　now　our　cursed　Colonel　has　turned　tail。〃

　　　　　〃Don't　talk　so　loud；〃　said　Father　Brown；　lowering　his　voice；　〃your　cursed　Colonel　is　just　in　front。〃

　　　　　The　other　two　started　and　shrank　farther　back　into　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　for　the　sturdy　figure　of　their　runaway　principal　could　indeed　be　seen　shuffling　along　in　the　twilight　in　front；　a　bag　in　each　hand。　　He　looked　much　the　same　as　when　they　first　saw　him；　except　that　he　had　changed　his　picturesque　mountaineering　knickers　for　a　conventional　pair　of　trousers。　　It　was　clear　he　was　already　escaping　from　the　hotel。

　　　　　The　lane　down　which　they　followed　him　was　one　of　those　that　seem　to　be　at　the　back　of　things；　and　look　like　the　wrong　side　of　the　stage　scenery。　　A　colourless；　continuous　wall　ran　down　one　flank　of　it；　interrupted　at　intervals　by　dull…hued　and　dirt…stained　doors；　all　shut　fast　and　featureless　save　for　the　chalk　scribbles　of　some　passing　gamin。　　The　tops　of　trees；　mostly　rather　depressing　evergreens；　showed　at　intervals　over　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　beyond　them　in　the　grey　and　purple　gloaming　could　be　seen　the　back　of　some　long　terrace　of　tall　Parisian　houses；　really　comparatively　close；　but　somehow　lookin