the wisdom of father brown-第8章

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　brigand。

　　　　　〃Excellent！〃　cried　that　outlaw　gaily；　〃so　far　we　are　all　cosy。　　I　resume　the　points　of　my　proclamation；　so　soon　to　be　published　to　all　Italy。　　The　third　item　is　that　of　ransom。　　I　am　asking　from　the　friends　of　the　Harrogate　family　a　ransom　of　three　thousand　pounds；　which　I　am　sure　is　almost　insulting　to　that　family　in　its　moderate　estimate　of　their　importance。　　Who　would　not　pay　triple　this　sum　for　another　day's　association　with　such　a　domestic　circle？　　I　will　not　conceal　from　you　that　the　document　ends　with　certain　legal　phrases　about　the　unpleasant　things　that　may　happen　if　the　money　is　not　paid；　but　meanwhile；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　let　me　assure　you　that　I　am　comfortably　off　here　for　accommodation；　wine　and　cigars；　and　bid　you　for　the　present　a　sportsman…like　welcome　to　the　luxuries　of　the　Paradise　of　Thieves。〃

　　　　　All　the　time　that　he　had　been　speaking；　the　dubious…looking　men　with　carbines　and　dirty　slouch　hats　had　been　gathering　silently　in　such　preponderating　numbers　that　even　Muscari　was　compelled　to　recognize　his　sally　with　the　sword　as　hopeless。　　He　glanced　around　him；　but　the　girl　had　already　gone　over　to　soothe　and　comfort　her　father；　for　her　natural　affection　for　his　person　was　as　strong　or　stronger　than　her　somewhat　snobbish　pride　in　his　success。　　Muscari；　with　the　illogicality　of　a　lover；　admired　this　filial　devotion；　and　yet　was　irritated　by　it。　　He　slapped　his　sword　back　in　the　scabbard　and　went　and　flung　himself　somewhat　sulkily　on　one　of　the　green　banks。　　The　priest　sat　down　within　a　yard　or　two；　and　Muscari　turned　his　aquiline　nose　on　him　in　an　instantaneous　irritation。

　　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　poet　tartly；　〃do　people　still　think　me　too　romantic？　　Are　there；　I　wonder；　any　brigands　left　in　the　mountains？〃

　　　　　〃There　may　be；〃　said　Father　Brown　agnostically。

　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

　　　　　〃I　mean　I　am　puzzled；〃　replied　the　priest。　　〃I　am　puzzled　about　Ezza　or　Montano；　or　whatever　his　name　is。　　He　seems　to　me　much　more　inexplicable　as　a　brigand　even　than　he　was　as　a　courier。〃

　　　　　〃But　in　what　way？〃　persisted　his　companion。　　〃Santa　Maria！　I　should　have　thought　the　brigand　was　plain　enough。〃

　　　　　〃I　find　three　curious　difficulties；〃　said　the　priest　in　a　quiet　voice。　　〃I　should　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　them。　　First　of　all　I　must　tell　you　I　was　lunching　in　that　restaurant　at　the　seaside。　　As　four　of　you　left　the　room；　you　and　Miss　Harrogate　went　ahead；　talking　and　laughing；　the　banker　and　the　courier　came　behind；　speaking　sparely　and　rather　low。　　But　I　could　not　help　hearing　Ezza　say　these　words‘Well；　let　her　have　a　little　fun；　you　know　the　blow　may　smash　her　any　minute。'　　Mr　Harrogate　answered　nothing；　so　the　words　must　have　had　some　meaning。　　On　the　impulse　of　the　moment　I　warned　her　brother　that　she　might　be　in　peril；　I　said　nothing　of　its　nature；　for　I　did　not　know。　　But　if　it　meant　this　capture　in　the　hills；　the　thing　is　nonsense。　　Why　should　the　brigand…courier　warn　his　patron；　even　by　a　hint；　when　it　was　his　whole　purpose　to　lure　him　into　the　mountain…mousetrap？　　It　could　not　have　meant　that。　　But　if　not；　what　is　this　disaster；　known　both　to　courier　and　banker；　which　hangs　over　Miss　Harrogate's　head？〃

　　　　　〃Disaster　to　Miss　Harrogate！〃　ejaculated　the　poet；　sitting　up　with　some　ferocity。　　〃Explain　yourself；　go　on。〃

　　　　　〃All　my　riddles；　however；　revolve　round　our　bandit　chief；〃　resumed　the　priest　reflectively。　　〃And　here　is　the　second　of　them。　　Why　did　he　put　so　prominently　in　his　demand　for　ransom　the　fact　that　he　had　taken　two　thousand　pounds　from　his　victim　on　the　spot？　　It　had　no　faintest　tendency　to　evoke　the　ransom。　　Quite　the　other　way；　in　fact。　　Harrogate's　friends　would　be　far　likelier　to　fear　for　his　fate　if　they　thought　the　thieves　were　poor　and　desperate。　　Yet　the　spoliation　on　the　spot　was　emphasized　and　even　put　first　in　the　demand。　　Why　should　Ezza　Montano　want　so　specially　to　tell　all　Europe　that　he　had　picked　the　pocket　before　he　levied　the　blackmail？〃

　　　　　〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　said　Muscari；　rubbing　up　his　black　hair　for　once　with　an　unaffected　gesture。　　〃You　may　think　you　enlighten　me；　but　you　are　leading　me　deeper　in　the　dark。　　What　may　be　the　third　objection　to　the　King　of　the　Thieves？〃　　〃The　third　objection；〃　said　Father　Brown；　still　in　meditation；　〃is　this　bank　we　are　sitting　on。　　Why　does　our　brigand…courier　call　this　his　chief　fortress　and　the　Paradise　of　Thieves？　　It　is　certainly　a　soft　spot　to　fall　on　and　a　sweet　spot　to　look　at。　　It　is　also　quite　true；　as　he　says；　that　it　is　invisible　from　valley　and　peak；　and　is　therefore　a　hiding…place。　　But　it　is　not　a　fortress。　　It　never　could　be　a　fortress。　　I　think　it　would　be　the　worst　fortress　in　the　world。　　For　it　is　actually　commanded　from　above　by　the　common　high…road　across　the　mountains　the　very　place　where　the　police　would　most　probably　pass。　　Why；　five　shabby　short　guns　held　us　helpless　here　about　half　an　hour　ago。　　The　quarter　of　a　company　of　any　kind　of　soldiers　could　have　blown　us　over　the　precipice。　　Whatever　is　the　meaning　of　this　odd　little　nook　of　grass　and　flowers；　it　is　not　an　entrenched　position。　　It　is　something　else；　it　has　some　other　strange　sort　of　importance；　some　value　that　I　do　not　understand。　　It　is　more　like　an　accidental　theatre　or　a　natural　green…room；　it　is　like　the　scene　for　some　romantic　comedy；　it　is　like。。。。〃

　　　　　As　the　little　priest's　words　lengthened　and　lost　themselves　in　a　dull　and　dreamy　sincerity；　Muscari；　whose　animal　senses　were　alert　and　impatient；　heard　a　new　noise　in　the　mountains。　　Even　for　him　the　sound　was　as　yet　very　small　and　faint；　but　he　could　have　sworn　the　evening　breeze　bore　with　it　something　like　the　pulsation　of　horses'　hoofs　and　a　distant　hallooing。

　　　　　At　the　same　moment；　and　long　before　the　vibration　had　touched　the　less…experienced　English　ears；　Montano　the　brigand　ran　up　the　bank　above　them　and　stood　in　the　broken　hedge；　steadying　himself　against　a　tree　and　peering　down　the　road。　　He　was　a　strange　figure　as　he　stood　there；　for　he　had　assumed　a　flapped　fantastic　hat　and　swinging　baldric　and　cutlass　in　his　capacity　of　bandit　king；　but　the　bright　prosaic　tweed　of　the　courier　showed　through　in　patches　all　over　him。

　　　　　The　next　moment　he　turned　his　olive；　sneering　face　and　made　a　movement　with　his　hand。　　The　brigands　scattered　at　the　signal；　not　in　confusion；　but　in　what　was　evidently　a　kind　of　guerrilla　discipline。　　Instead　of　occupying　the　road　along　the　ridge；　they　sprinkled　themselves　along　the　side　of　it　behind　the　trees　and　the　hedge；　as　if　watching　unseen　for　an　enemy。　　The　noise　beyond　grew　stronger；　beginning　to　shake　the　mountain　road；　and　a　voice　could　be　clearly　heard　calling　out　orders。　　The　brigands　swayed　and　huddled；　cursing　and　whispering；　and　the　evening　air　was　full　of　little　metallic　noises　as　they　cocked　their　pistols；　or　loosened　their　knives；　or　trailed　their　scabbards　over　the　stones。　　Then　the　noises　from　both　quarters　seemed　to　meet　on　the　road　above；　branches　broke；　horses　neighed；　men　cried　out。

　　　　　〃A　rescue！〃　cried　Muscari；　springing　to　his　feet　and　waving　his　hat；　〃the　gendarmes　are　on　them！　　Now　for　freedom　and　a　blow　for　it！　　Now　to　be　rebels　against　robbers！　　Come；　don't　let　us　leave　everything　to　the　police；　that　is　so　dreadfully　modern。　　Fall　on　the　rear　of　these　ruffians。　　The　gendarmes　are　rescuing　us；　come；　friends；　let　us　rescue　the　gendarmes！〃

　　　　　And　throwing　his　hat　over　the　trees；　he　drew　his　cutlass　once　more　and　began　to　escalade　the　slope　up　to　the　road。　　Frank　Harrogate　jumped　up　and　ran　across　to　help　him；　revolver　in　hand；　but　was　astounded　to　hear　himself　imperatively　recalled　by　the　raucous　voice　of　his　father；　who　seemed　to　be　in　great　agitation。

　　　　　〃I　won't　have　it；〃　said　the　banker　in　a　choking　voice；　〃I　command　you　not　to　interfere。〃

　　　　　〃But；　father；〃　said　Frank　very　warmly；　〃an　Italian　gentleman　has　led　the　way。　　You　wouldn't　have　it　said　that　the　English　hung　back。〃

　　　　　〃It　is　useless；〃　said　the　older　man；　who　was　trembling　violently；　〃it　is　useless。　　We　must　submit　to　our　lot。〃

　　　　　Father　Brown　looked　at　the　banker；　then　he　put　his　hand　instinctively　as　if　on　his　heart；　but　really　on　the　little　bottle　of　poison；　and　a　great