the wisdom of father brown-第35章
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water broken by the paddles of a canoe； the girl's voice giving orders； the voices of gipsies answering and coming nearer； the plumping and sucking noise of empty buckets plunged into a full stream； and finally the sound of many feet around the fire。 But all this was less to him than the fact that the red rent； which had lately once more increased； had once more slightly diminished。
Then came a cry that very nearly made him turn his head。 Flambeau and Fanshaw； now reinforced by some of the gipsies； had rushed after the mysterious man by the house； and he heard from the other end of the garden the Frenchman's cry of horror and astonishment。 It was echoed by a howl not to be called human； as the being broke from their hold and ran along the garden。 Three times at least it raced round the whole island； in a way that was as horrible as the chase of a lunatic； both in the cries of the pursued and the ropes carried by the pursuers； but was more horrible still； because it somehow suggested one of the chasing games of children in a garden。 Then； finding them closing in on every side； the figure sprang upon one of the higher river banks and disappeared with a splash into the dark and driving river。
〃You can do no more； I fear；〃 said Brown in a voice cold with pain。 〃He has been washed down to the rocks by now； where he has sent so many others。 He knew the use of a family legend。〃
〃Oh； don't talk in these parables；〃 cried Flambeau impatiently。 〃Can't you put it simply in words of one syllable？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Brown； with his eye on the hose。 〃‘Both eyes bright； she's all right； one eye blinks； down she sinks。'〃
The fire hissed and shrieked more and more； like a strangled thing； as it grew narrower and narrower under the flood from the pipe and buckets； but Father Brown still kept his eye on it as he went on speaking：
〃I thought of asking this young lady； if it were morning yet； to look through that telescope at the river mouth and the river。 She might have seen something to interest her： the sign of the ship； or Mr Walter Pendragon coming home； and perhaps even the sign of the half…man； for though he is certainly safe by now； he may very well have waded ashore。 He has been within a shave of another shipwreck； and would never have escaped it； if the lady hadn't had the sense to suspect the old Admiral's telegram and come down to watch him。 Don't let's talk about the old Admiral。 Don't let's talk about anything。 It's enough to say that whenever this tower； with its pitch and resin…wood； really caught fire； the spark on the horizon always looked like the twin light to the coast light…house。〃
〃And that；〃 said Flambeau； 〃is how the father and brother died。 The wicked uncle of the legends very nearly got his estate after all。〃
Father Brown did not answer； indeed； he did not speak again； save for civilities； till they were all safe round a cigar…box in the cabin of the yacht。 He saw that the frustrated fire was extinguished； and then refused to linger； though he actually heard young Pendragon； escorted by an enthusiastic crowd； come tramping up the river bank； and might （had he been moved by romantic curiosities） have received the combined thanks of the man from the ship and the girl from the canoe。 But his fatigue had fallen on him once more； and he only started once； when Flambeau abruptly told him he had dropped cigar…ash on his trousers。
〃That's no cigar…ash；〃 he said rather wearily。 〃That's from the fire； but you don't think so because you're all smoking cigars。 That's just the way I got my first faint suspicion about the chart。〃
〃Do you mean Pendragon's chart of his Pacific Islands？〃 asked Fanshaw。
〃You thought it was a chart of the Pacific Islands；〃 answered Brown。 〃Put a feather with a fossil and a bit of coral and everyone will think it's a specimen。 Put the same feather with a ribbon and an artificial flower and everyone will think it's for a lady's hat。 Put the same feather with an ink…bottle； a book and a stack of writing…paper； and most men will swear they've seen a quill pen。 So you saw that map among tropic birds and shells and thought it was a map of Pacific Islands。 It was the map of this river。〃
〃But how do you know？〃 asked Fanshaw。
〃I saw the rock you thought was like a dragon； and the one like Merlin； and〃
〃You seem to have noticed a lot as we came in；〃 cried Fanshaw。 〃We thought you were rather abstracted。〃
〃I was sea…sick；〃 said Father Brown simply。 〃I felt simply horrible。 But feeling horrible has nothing to do with not seeing things。〃 And he closed his eyes。
〃Do you think most men would have seen that？〃 asked Flambeau。 He received no answer： Father Brown was asleep。
NINE
The God of the Gongs
IT was one of those chilly and empty afternoons in early winter； when the daylight is silver rather than gold and pewter rather than silver。 If it was dreary in a hundred bleak offices and yawning drawing…rooms； it was drearier still along the edges of the flat Essex coast； where the monotony was the； more inhuman for being broken at very long intervals by a lamp…post that looked less civilized than a tree； or a tree that looked more ugly than a lamp…post。 A light fall of snow had half…melted into a few strips； also looking leaden rather than silver； when it had been fixed again by the seal of frost； no fresh snow had fallen； but a ribbon of the old snow ran along the very margin of the coast； so as to parallel the pale ribbon of the foam。
The line of the sea looked frozen in the very vividness of its violet…blue； like the vein of a frozen finger。 For miles and miles； forward and back； there was no breathing soul； save two pedestrians； walking at a brisk pace； though one had much longer legs and took much longer strides than the other。
It did not seem a very appropriate place or time for a holiday； but Father Brown had few holidays； and had to take them when he could； and he always preferred； if possible； to take them in company with his old friend Flambeau； ex…criminal and ex…detective。 The priest had had a fancy for visiting his old parish at Cobhole； and was going north…eastward along the coast。
After walking a mile or two farther； they found that the shore was beginning to be formally embanked； so as to form something like a parade； the ugly lamp…posts became less few and far between and more ornamental； though quite equally ugly。 Half a mile farther on Father Brown was puzzled first by little labyrinths of flowerless flower…pots； covered with the low； flat； quiet…coloured plants that look less like a garden than a tessellated pavement； between weak curly paths studded with seats with curly backs。 He faintly sniffed the atmosphere of a certain sort of seaside town that be did not specially care about； and； looking ahead along the parade by the sea； he saw something that put the matter beyond a doubt。 In the grey distance the big bandstand of a watering…place stood up like a giant mushroom with six legs。
〃I suppose；〃 said Father Brown； turning up his coat…collar and drawing a woollen scarf rather closer round his neck； 〃that we are approaching a pleasure resort。〃
〃I fear；〃 answered Flambeau； 〃a pleasure resort to which few people just now have the pleasure of resorting。 They try to revive these places in the winter； but it never succeeds except with Brighton and the old ones。 This must be Seawood； I think Lord Pooley's experiment； he had the Sicilian Singers down at Christmas； and there's talk about holding one of the great glove…fights here。 But they'll have to chuck the rotten place into the sea； it's as dreary as a lost railway…carriage。〃
They had come under the big bandstand； and the priest was looking up at it with a curiosity that had something rather odd about it； his head a little on one side； like a bird's。 It was the conventional； rather tawdry kind of erection for its purpose： a flattened dome or canopy； gilt here and there； and lifted on six slender pillars of painted wood； the whole being raised about five feet above the parade on a
