the wisdom of father brown-第7章

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　landed　in　a　lap　of　land　which　might　have　been　specially　padded　with　turf　and　clover　to　receive　him。　　As　it　happened；　indeed；　the　whole　company　were　equally　lucky；　if　less　dignified　in　their　form　of　ejection。　　Immediately　under　this　abrupt　turn　of　the　road　was　a　grassy　and　flowery　hollow　like　a　sunken　meadow；　a　sort　of　green　velvet　pocket　in　the　long；　green；　trailing　garments　of　the　hills。　　Into　this　they　were　all　tipped　or　tumbled　with　little　damage；　save　that　their　smallest　baggage　and　even　the　contents　of　their　pockets　were　scattered　in　the　grass　around　them。　　The　wrecked　coach　still　hung　above；　entangled　in　the　tough　hedge；　and　the　horses　plunged　painfully　down　the　slope。　　The　first　to　sit　up　was　the　little　priest；　who　scratched　his　head　with　a　face　of　foolish　wonder。　　Frank　Harrogate　heard　him　say　to　himself：　〃Now　why　on　earth　have　we　fallen　just　here？〃

　　　　　He　blinked　at　the　litter　around　him；　and　recovered　his　own　very　clumsy　umbrella。　　Beyond　it　lay　the　broad　sombrero　fallen　from　the　head　of　Muscari；　and　beside　it　a　sealed　business　letter　which；　after　a　glance　at　the　address；　he　returned　to　the　elder　Harrogate。　　On　the　other　side　of　him　the　grass　partly　hid　Miss　Ethel's　sunshade；　and　just　beyond　it　lay　a　curious　little　glass　bottle　hardly　two　inches　long。　　The　priest　picked　it　up；　in　a　quick；　unobtrusive　manner　he　uncorked　and　sniffed　it；　and　his　heavy　face　turned　the　colour　of　clay。

　　　　　〃Heaven　deliver　us！〃　he　muttered；　〃it　can't　be　hers！　　Has　her　sorrow　come　on　her　already？〃　He　slipped　it　into　his　own　waistcoat　pocket。　　〃I　think　I'm　justified；〃　he　said；　〃till　I　know　a　little　more。〃

　　　　　He　gazed　painfully　at　the　girl；　at　that　moment　being　raised　out　of　the　flowers　by　Muscari；　who　was　saying：　　〃We　have　fallen　into　heaven；　it　is　a　sign。　　Mortals　climb　up　and　they　fall　down；　but　it　is　only　gods　and　goddesses　who　can　fall　upwards。〃

　　　　　And　indeed　she　rose　out　of　the　sea　of　colours　so　beautiful　and　happy　a　vision　that　the　priest　felt　his　suspicion　shaken　and　shifted。　　〃After　all；〃　he　thought；　〃perhaps　the　poison　isn't　hers；　perhaps　it's　one　of　Muscari's　melodramatic　tricks。〃

　　　　　Muscari　set　the　lady　lightly　on　her　feet；　made　her　an　absurdly　theatrical　bow；　and　then；　drawing　his　cutlass；　hacked　hard　at　the　taut　reins　of　the　horses；　so　that　they　scrambled　to　their　feet　and　stood　in　the　grass　trembling。　　When　he　had　done　so；　a　most　remarkable　thing　occurred。　　A　very　quiet　man；　very　poorly　dressed　and　extremely　sunburnt；　came　out　of　the　bushes　and　took　hold　of　the　horses'　heads。　　He　had　a　queer…shaped　knife；　very　broad　and　crooked；　buckled　on　his　belt；　there　was　nothing　else　remarkable　about　him；　except　his　sudden　and　silent　appearance。　　The　poet　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　he　did　not　answer。

　　　　　Looking　around　him　at　the　confused　and　startled　group　in　the　hollow；　Muscari　then　perceived　that　another　tanned　and　tattered　man；　with　a　short　gun　under　his　arm；　was　looking　at　them　from　the　ledge　just　below；　leaning　his　elbows　on　the　edge　of　the　turf。　　Then　he　looked　up　at　the　road　from　which　they　had　fallen　and　saw；　looking　down　on　them；　the　muzzles　of　four　other　carbines　and　four　other　brown　faces　with　bright　but　quite　motionless　eyes。

　　　　　〃The　brigands！〃　cried　Muscari；　with　a　kind　of　monstrous　gaiety。　　〃This　was　a　trap。　　Ezza；　if　you　will　oblige　me　by　shooting　the　coachman　first；　we　can　cut　our　way　out　yet。　　There　are　only　six　of　them。〃

　　　　　〃The　coachman；〃　said　Ezza；　who　was　standing　grimly　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　〃happens　to　be　a　servant　of　Mr　Harrogate's。〃

　　　　　〃Then　shoot　him　all　the　more；〃　cried　the　poet　impatiently；　〃he　was　bribed　to　upset　his　master。　　Then　put　the　lady　in　the　middle；　and　we　will　break　the　line　up　therewith　a　rush。〃

　　　　　And；　wading　in　wild　grass　and　flowers；　he　advanced　fearlessly　on　the　four　carbines；　but　finding　that　no　one　followed　except　young　Harrogate；　he　turned；　brandishing　his　cutlass　to　wave　the　others　on。　　He　beheld　the　courier　still　standing　slightly　astride　in　the　centre　of　the　grassy　ring；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　his　lean；　ironical　Italian　face　seemed　to　grow　longer　and　longer　in　the　evening　light。

　　　　　〃You　thought；　Muscari；　I　was　the　failure　among　our　schoolfellows；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　thought　you　were　the　success。　　But　I　have　succeeded　more　than　you　and　fill　a　bigger　place　in　history。　　I　have　been　acting　epics　while　you　have　been　writing　them。〃

　　　　　〃Come　on；　I　tell　you！〃　thundered　Muscari　from　above。　　〃Will　you　stand　there　talking　nonsense　about　yourself　with　a　woman　to　save　and　three　strong　men　to　help　you？　　What　do　you　call　yourself？〃

　　　　　〃I　call　myself　Montano；〃　cried　the　strange　courier　in　a　voice　equally　loud　and　full。　　〃I　am　the　King　of　Thieves；　and　I　welcome　you　all　to　my　summer　palace。〃

　　　　　And　even　as　he　spoke　five　more　silent　men　with　weapons　ready　came　out　of　the　bushes；　and　looked　towards　him　for　their　orders。　　One　of　them　held　a　large　paper　in　his　hand。

　　　　　〃This　pretty　little　nest　where　we　are　all　picnicking；〃　went　on　the　courier…brigand；　with　the　same　easy　yet　sinister　smile；　〃is；　together　with　some　caves　underneath　it；　known　by　the　name　of　the　Paradise　of　Thieves。　　It　is　my　principal　stronghold　on　these　hills；　for　（as　you　have　doubtless　noticed）　the　eyrie　is　invisible　both　from　the　road　above　and　from　the　valley　below。　　It　is　something　better　than　impregnable；　it　is　unnoticeable。　　Here　I　mostly　live；　and　here　I　shall　certainly　die；　if　the　gendarmes　ever　track　me　here。　　I　am　not　the　kind　of　criminal　that　‘reserves　his　defence；'　but　the　better　kind　that　reserves　his　last　bullet。〃

　　　　　All　were　staring　at　him　thunderstruck　and　still；　except　Father　Brown；　who　heaved　a　huge　sigh　as　of　relief　and　fingered　the　little　phial　in　his　pocket。　　〃Thank　God！〃　he　muttered；　〃that's　much　more　probable。　　The　poison　belongs　to　this　robber…chief；　of　course。　　He　carries　it　so　that　he　may　never　be　captured；　like　Cato。〃

　　　　　The　King　of　Thieves　was；　however；　continuing　his　address　with　the　same　kind　of　dangerous　politeness。　　〃It　only　remains　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃to　explain　to　my　guests　the　social　conditions　upon　which　I　have　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　them。　　I　need　not　expound　the　quaint　old　ritual　of　ransom；　which　it　is　incumbent　upon　me　to　keep　up；　and　even　this　only　applies　to　a　part　of　the　company。　　The　Reverend　Father　Brown　and　the　celebrated　Signor　Muscari　I　shall　release　tomorrow　at　dawn　and　escort　to　my　outposts。　　Poets　and　priests；　if　you　will　pardon　my　simplicity　of　speech；　never　have　any　money。　　And　so　（since　it　is　impossible　to　get　anything　out　of　them）；　let　us；　seize　the　opportunity　to　show　our　admiration　for　classic　literature　and　our　reverence　for　Holy　Church。〃

　　　　　He　paused　with　an　unpleasing　smile；　and　Father　Brown　blinked　repeatedly　at　him；　and　seemed　suddenly　to　be　listening　with　great　attention。　　The　brigand　captain　took　the　large　paper　from　the　attendant　brigand　and；　glancing　over　it；　continued：　〃My　other　intentions　are　clearly　set　forth　in　this　public　document；　which　I　will　hand　round　in　a　moment；　and　which　after　that　will　be　posted　on　a　tree　by　every　village　in　the　valley；　and　every　cross…road　in　the　hills。　　I　will　not　weary　you　with　the　verbalism；　since　you　will　be　able　to　check　it；　the　substance　of　my　proclamation　is　this：　　I　announce　first　that　I　have　captured　the　English　millionaire；　the　colossus　of　finance；　Mr　Samuel　Harrogate。　　I　next　announce　that　I　have　found　on　his　person　notes　and　bonds　for　two　thousand　pounds；　which　he　has　given　up　to　me。　　Now　since　it　would　be　really　immoral　to　announce　such　a　thing　to　a　credulous　public　if　it　had　not　occurred；　I　suggest　it　should　occur　without　further　delay。　　I　suggest　that　Mr　Harrogate　senior　should　now　give　me　the　two　thousand　pounds　in　his　pocket。〃

　　　　　The　banker　looked　at　him　under　lowering　brows；　red…faced　and　sulky；　but　seemingly　cowed。　　That　leap　from　the　failing　carriage　seemed　to　have　used　up　his　last　virility。　　He　had　held　back　in　a　hang…dog　style　when　his　son　and　Muscari　had　made　a　bold　movement　to　break　out　of　the　brigand　trap。　　And　now　his　red　and　trembling　hand　went　reluctantly　to　his　breast…pocket；　and　passed　a　bundle　of　papers　and　envelopes　to　the　brigand。

　　　　　〃Excellent！〃　cried　that　outlaw　gaily；　〃so　far　we　are　all　cosy。　　I　resume　the　point