the wisdom of father brown-第3章

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arply　to　the　panel　and　burst　in　the　door。

　　　　　It　opened　on　a　scene　of　silent　catastrophe。　　No　one　seeing　it；　even　for　a　flash；　could　doubt　that　the　room　had　been　the　theatre　of　some　thrilling　collision　between　two；　or　perhaps　more；　persons。　　Playing…cards　lay　littered　across　the　table　or　fluttered　about　the　floor　as　if　a　game　had　been　interrupted。　　Two　wine　glasses　stood　ready　for　wine　on　a　side…table；　but　a　third　lay　smashed　in　a　star　of　crystal　upon　the　carpet。　　A　few　feet　from　it　lay　what　looked　like　a　long　knife　or　short　sword；　straight；　but　with　an　ornamental　and　pictured　handle；　its　dull　blade　just　caught　a　grey　glint　from　the　dreary　window　behind；　which　showed　the　black　trees　against　the　leaden　level　of　the　sea。　　Towards　the　opposite　corner　of　the　room　was　rolled　a　gentleman's　silk　top　hat；　as　if　it　had　just　been　knocked　off　his　head；　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　one　almost　looked　to　see　it　still　rolling。　　And　in　the　corner　behind　it；　thrown　like　a　sack　of　potatoes；　but　corded　like　a　railway　trunk；　lay　Mr　James　Todhunter；　with　a　scarf　across　his　mouth；　and　six　or　seven　ropes　knotted　round　his　elbows　and　ankles。　　His　brown　eyes　were　alive　and　shifted　alertly。

　　　　　Dr　Orion　Hood　paused　for　one　instant　on　the　doormat　and　drank　in　the　whole　scene　of　voiceless　violence。　　Then　he　stepped　swiftly　across　the　carpet；　picked　up　the　tall　silk　hat；　and　gravely　put　it　upon　the　head　of　the　yet　pinioned　Todhunter。　　It　was　so　much　too　large　for　him　that　it　almost　slipped　down　on　to　his　shoulders。

　　　　　〃Mr　Glass's　hat；〃　said　the　doctor；　returning　with　it　and　peering　into　the　inside　with　a　pocket　lens。　　〃How　to　explain　the　absence　of　Mr　Glass　and　the　presence　of　Mr　Glass's　hat？　　For　Mr　Glass　is　not　a　careless　man　with　his　clothes。　　That　hat　is　of　a　stylish　shape　and　systematically　brushed　and　burnished；　though　not　very　new。　　An　old　dandy；　I　should　think。〃

　　　　　〃But；　good　heavens！〃　called　out　Miss　MacNab；　〃aren't　you　going　to　untie　the　man　first？〃

　　　　　〃I　say　‘old'　with　intention；　though　not　with　certainty〃　continued　the　expositor；　〃my　reason　for　it　might　seem　a　little　far…fetched。　　The　hair　of　human　beings　falls　out　in　very　varying　degrees；　but　almost　always　falls　out　slightly；　and　with　the　lens　I　should　see　the　tiny　hairs　in　a　hat　recently　worn。　　It　has　none；　which　leads　me　to　guess　that　Mr　Glass　is　bald。　　Now　when　this　is　taken　with　the　high…pitched　and　querulous　voice　which　Miss　MacNab　described　so　vividly　（patience；　my　dear　lady；　patience）；　when　we　take　the　hairless　head　together　with　the　tone　common　in　senile　anger；　I　should　think　we　may　deduce　some　advance　in　years。　　Nevertheless；　he　was　probably　vigorous；　and　he　was　almost　certainly　tall。　　I　might　rely　in　some　degree　on　the　story　of　his　previous　appearance　at　the　window；　as　a　tall　man　in　a　silk　hat；　but　I　think　I　have　more　exact　indication。　　This　wineglass　has　been　smashed　all　over　the　place；　but　one　of　its　splinters　lies　on　the　high　bracket　beside　the　mantelpiece。　　No　such　fragment　could　have　fallen　there　if　the　vessel　had　been　smashed　in　the　hand　of　a　comparatively　short　man　like　Mr　Todhunter。〃

　　　　　〃By　the　way；〃　said　Father　Brown；　〃might　it　not　be　as　well　to　untie　Mr　Todhunter？〃

　　　　　〃Our　lesson　from　the　drinking…vessels　does　not　end　here；〃　proceeded　the　specialist。　　〃I　may　say　at　once　that　it　is　possible　that　the　man　Glass　was　bald　or　nervous　through　dissipation　rather　than　age。　　Mr　Todhunter；　as　has　been　remarked；　is　a　quiet　thrifty　gentleman；　essentially　an　abstainer。　　These　cards　and　wine…cups　are　no　part　of　his　normal　habit；　they　have　been　produced　for　a　particular　companion。　　But；　as　it　happens；　we　may　go　farther。　　Mr　Todhunter　may　or　may　not　possess　this　wine…service；　but　there　is　no　appearance　of　his　possessing　any　wine。　　What；　then；　were　these　vessels　to　contain？　　I　would　at　once　suggest　some　brandy　or　whisky；　perhaps　of　a　luxurious　sort；　from　a　flask　in　the　pocket　of　Mr　Glass。　　We　have　thus　something　like　a　picture　of　the　man；　or　at　least　of　the　type：　　tall；　elderly；　fashionable；　but　somewhat　frayed；　certainly　fond　of　play　and　strong　waters；　perhaps　rather　too　fond　of　them　Mr　Glass　is　a　gentleman　not　unknown　on　the　fringes　of　society。〃

　　　　　〃Look　here；〃　cried　the　young　woman；　〃if　you　don't　let　me　pass　to　untie　him　I'll　run　outside　and　scream　for　the　police。〃

　　　　　〃I　should　not　advise　you；　Miss　MacNab；〃　said　Dr　Hood　gravely；　〃to　be　in　any　hurry　to　fetch　the　police。　　Father　Brown；　I　seriously　ask　you　to　compose　your　flock；　for　their　sakes；　not　for　mine。　　Well；　we　have　seen　something　of　the　figure　and　quality　of　Mr　Glass；　what　are　the　chief　facts　known　of　Mr　Todhunter？　　They　are　substantially　three：　　that　he　is　economical；　that　he　is　more　or　less　wealthy；　and　that　he　has　a　secret。　　Now；　surely　it　is　obvious　that　there　are　the　three　chief　marks　of　the　kind　of　man　who　is　blackmailed。　　And　surely　it　is　equally　obvious　that　the　faded　finery；　the　profligate　habits；　and　the　shrill　irritation　of　Mr　Glass　are　the　unmistakable　marks　of　the　kind　of　man　who　blackmails　him。　　We　have　the　two　typical　figures　of　a　tragedy　of　hush　money：　　on　the　one　hand；　the　respectable　man　with　a　mystery；　on　the　other；　the　West…end　vulture　with　a　scent　for　a　mystery。　　These　two　men　have　met　here　today　and　have　quarrelled；　using　blows　and　a　bare　weapon。〃

　　　　　〃Are　you　going　to　take　those　ropes　off？〃　asked　the　girl　stubbornly。

　　　　　Dr　Hood　replaced　the　silk　hat　carefully　on　the　side　table；　and　went　across　to　the　captive。　　He　studied　him　intently；　even　moving　him　a　little　and　half…turning　him　round　by　the　shoulders；　but　he　only　answered：

　　　　　〃No；　I　think　these　ropes　will　do　very　well　till　your　friends　the　police　bring　the　handcuffs。〃

　　　　　Father　Brown；　who　had　been　looking　dully　at　the　carpet；　lifted　his　round　face　and　said：　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

　　　　　The　man　of　science　had　picked　up　the　peculiar　dagger…sword　from　the　carpet　and　was　examining　it　intently　as　he　answered：

　　　　　〃Because　you　find　Mr　Todhunter　tied　up；〃　he　said；　〃you　all　jump　to　the　conclusion　that　Mr　Glass　had　tied　him　up；　and　then；　I　suppose；　escaped。　　There　are　four　objections　to　this：　First；　why　should　a　gentleman　so　dressy　as　our　friend　Glass　leave　his　hat　behind　him；　if　he　left　of　his　own　free　will？　Second；〃　he　continued；　moving　towards　the　window；　〃this　is　the　only　exit；　and　it　is　locked　on　the　inside。　　Third；　this　blade　here　has　a　tiny　touch　of　blood　at　the　point；　but　there　is　no　wound　on　Mr　Todhunter。　　Mr　Glass　took　that　wound　away　with　him；　dead　or　alive。　　Add　to　all　this　primary　probability。　　It　is　much　more　likely　that　the　blackmailed　person　would　try　to　kill　his　incubus；　rather　than　that　the　blackmailer　would　try　to　kill　the　goose　that　lays　his　golden　egg。　　There；　I　think；　we　have　a　pretty　complete　story。〃

　　　　　〃But　the　ropes？〃　inquired　the　priest；　whose　eyes　had　remained　open　with　a　rather　vacant　admiration。

　　　　　〃Ah；　the　ropes；〃　said　the　expert　with　a　singular　intonation。　　〃Miss　MacNab　very　much　wanted　to　know　why　I　did　not　set　Mr　Todhunter　free　from　his　ropes。　　Well；　I　will　tell　her。　　I　did　not　do　it　because　Mr　Todhunter　can　set　himself　free　from　them　at　any　minute　he　chooses。〃

　　　　　〃What？〃　cried　the　audience　on　quite　different　notes　of　astonishment。

　　　　　〃I　have　looked　at　all　the　knots　on　Mr　Todhunter；〃　reiterated　Hood　quietly。　　〃I　happen　to　know　something　about　knots；　they　are　quite　a　branch　of　criminal　science。　　Every　one　of　those　knots　he　has　made　himself　and　could　loosen　himself；　not　one　of　them　would　have　been　made　by　an　enemy　really　trying　to　pinion　him。　　The　whole　of　this　affair　of　the　ropes　is　a　clever　fake；　to　make　us　think　him　the　victim　of　the　struggle　instead　of　the　wretched　Glass；　whose　corpse　may　be　hidden　in　the　garden　or　stuffed　up　the　chimney。〃

　　　　　There　was　a　rather　depressed　silence；　the　room　was　darkening；　the　sea…blighted　boughs　of　the　garden　trees　looked　leaner　and　blacker　than　ever；　yet　they　seemed　to　have　come　nearer　to　the　window。　　One　could　almost　fancy　they　were　sea…monsters　like　krakens　or　cuttlefish；　writhing　polypi　who　had　crawled　up　from　the　sea　to　see　the　end　of　this　tragedy；　even　as　he；　the　villain　and　victim　of　it；　the　terrible　man　in　the　tall　hat；　had　once　crawled　up　from　the　sea。　　For　the　whole　air　was　dense　with　the　morbidity　of　blackmail；