the innocence of father brown-第13章

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erally；　and　especially　in　such　gorgeous　scenes；　they　stand　or　sit　in　constrained　attitudes。　　No；　that　heavy　yet　springy　step；　with　a　kind　of　careless　emphasis；　not　specially　noisy；　yet　not　caring　what　noise　it　made；　belonged　to　only　one　of　the　animals　of　this　earth。　　It　was　a　gentleman　of　western　Europe；　and　probably　one　who　had　never　worked　for　his　living。　　　　　Just　as　he　came　to　this　solid　certainty；　the　step　changed　to　the　quicker　one；　and　ran　past　the　door　as　feverishly　as　a　rat。　The　listener　remarked　that　though　this　step　was　much　swifter　it　was　also　much　more　noiseless；　almost　as　if　the　man　were　walking　on　tiptoe。　　Yet　it　was　not　associated　in　his　mind　with　secrecy；　but　with　something　elsesomething　that　he　could　not　remember。　　He　was　maddened　by　one　of　those　half…memories　that　make　a　man　feel　half…witted。　　Surely　he　had　heard　that　strange；　swift　walking　somewhere。　　Suddenly　he　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　new　idea　in　his　head；　and　walked　to　the　door。　　His　room　had　no　direct　outlet　on　the　passage；　but　let　on　one　side　into　the　glass　office；　and　on　the　other　into　the　cloak　room　beyond。　　He　tried　the　door　into　the　office；　and　found　it　locked。　　Then　he　looked　at　the　window；　now　a　square　pane　full　of　purple　cloud　cleft　by　livid　sunset；　and　for　an　instant　he　smelt　evil　as　a　dog　smells　rats。　　　　　The　rational　part　of　him　（whether　the　wiser　or　not）　regained　its　supremacy。　　He　remembered　that　the　proprietor　had　told　him　that　he　should　lock　the　door；　and　would　come　later　to　release　him。　He　told　himself　that　twenty　things　he　had　not　thought　of　might　explain　the　eccentric　sounds　outside；　he　reminded　himself　that　there　was　just　enough　light　left　to　finish　his　own　proper　work。　Bringing　his　paper　to　the　window　so　as　to　catch　the　last　stormy　evening　light；　he　resolutely　plunged　once　more　into　the　almost　completed　record。　　He　had　written　for　about　twenty　minutes；　bending　closer　and　closer　to　his　paper　in　the　lessening　light；　then　suddenly　he　sat　upright。　　He　had　heard　the　strange　feet　once　more。　　　　　This　time　they　had　a　third　oddity。　　Previously　the　unknown　man　had　walked；　with　levity　indeed　and　lightning　quickness；　but　he　had　walked。　　This　time　he　ran。　　One　could　hear　the　swift；　soft；　bounding　steps　coming　along　the　corridor；　like　the　pads　of　a　fleeing　and　leaping　panther。　　Whoever　was　coming　was　a　very　strong；　active　man；　in　still　yet　tearing　excitement。　　Yet；　when　the　sound　had　swept　up　to　the　office　like　a　sort　of　whispering　whirlwind；　it　suddenly　changed　again　to　the　old　slow；　swaggering　stamp。　　　　　Father　Brown　flung　down　his　paper；　and；　knowing　the　office　door　to　be　locked；　went　at　once　into　the　cloak　room　on　the　other　side。　The　attendant　of　this　place　was　temporarily　absent；　probably　because　the　only　guests　were　at　dinner　and　his　office　was　a　sinecure。　　After　groping　through　a　grey　forest　of　overcoats；　he　found　that　the　dim　cloak　room　opened　on　the　lighted　corridor　in　the　form　of　a　sort　of　counter　or　half…door；　like　most　of　the　counters　across　which　we　have　all　handed　umbrellas　and　received　tickets。　　There　was　a　light　immediately　above　the　semicircular　arch　of　this　opening。　　It　threw　little　illumination　on　Father　Brown　himself；　who　seemed　a　mere　dark　outline　against　the　dim　sunset　window　behind　him。　　But　it　threw　an　almost　theatrical　light　on　the　man　who　stood　outside　the　cloak　room　in　the　corridor。　　　　　He　was　an　elegant　man　in　very　plain　evening　dress；　tall；　but　with　an　air　of　not　taking　up　much　room；　one　felt　that　he　could　have　slid　along　like　a　shadow　where　many　smaller　men　would　have　been　obvious　and　obstructive。　　His　face；　now　flung　back　in　the　lamplight；　was　swarthy　and　vivacious；　the　face　of　a　foreigner。　His　figure　was　good；　his　manners　good　humoured　and　confident；　a　critic　could　only　say　that　his　black　coat　was　a　shade　below　his　figure　and　manners；　and　even　bulged　and　bagged　in　an　odd　way。　　The　moment　he　caught　sight　of　Brown's　black　silhouette　against　the　sunset；　he　tossed　down　a　scrap　of　paper　with　a　number　and　called　out　with　amiable　authority：　〃I　want　my　hat　and　coat；　please；　I　find　I　have　to　go　away　at　once。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　took　the　paper　without　a　word；　and　obediently　went　to　look　for　the　coat；　it　was　not　the　first　menial　work　he　had　done　in　his　life。　　He　brought　it　and　laid　it　on　the　counter；　meanwhile；　the　strange　gentleman　who　had　been　feeling　in　his　waistcoat　pocket；　said　laughing：　〃I　haven't　got　any　silver；　you　can　keep　this。〃　　And　he　threw　down　half　a　sovereign；　and　caught　up　his　coat。　　　　　Father　Brown's　figure　remained　quite　dark　and　still；　but　in　that　instant　he　had　lost　his　head。　　His　head　was　always　most　valuable　when　he　had　lost　it。　　In　such　moments　he　put　two　and　two　together　and　made　four　million。　　Often　the　Catholic　Church　（which　is　wedded　to　common　sense）　did　not　approve　of　it。　　Often　he　did　not　approve　of　it　himself。　　But　it　was　real　inspirationimportant　at　rare　criseswhen　whosoever　shall　lose　his　head　the　same　shall　save　it。　　　　　〃I　think；　sir；〃　he　said　civilly；　〃that　you　have　some　silver　in　your　pocket。〃　　　　　The　tall　gentleman　stared。　　〃Hang　it；〃　he　cried；　〃if　I　choose　to　give　you　gold；　why　should　you　complain？〃　　　　　〃Because　silver　is　sometimes　more　valuable　than　gold；〃　said　the　priest　mildly；　〃that　is；　in　large　quantities。〃　　　　　The　stranger　looked　at　him　curiously。　　Then　he　looked　still　more　curiously　up　the　passage　towards　the　main　entrance。　　Then　he　looked　back　at　Brown　again；　and　then　he　looked　very　carefully　at　the　window　beyond　Brown's　head；　still　coloured　with　the　after…glow　of　the　storm。　　Then　he　seemed　to　make　up　his　mind。　　He　put　one　hand　on　the　counter；　vaulted　over　as　easily　as　an　acrobat　and　towered　above　the　priest；　putting　one　tremendous　hand　upon　his　collar。　　　　　〃Stand　still；〃　he　said；　in　a　hacking　whisper。　　〃I　don't　want　to　threaten　you；　but〃　　　　　〃I　do　want　to　threaten　you；〃　said　Father　Brown；　in　a　voice　like　a　rolling　drum；　〃I　want　to　threaten　you　with　the　worm　that　dieth　not；　and　the　fire　that　is　not　quenched。〃　　　　　〃You're　a　rum　sort　of　cloak…room　clerk；〃　said　the　other。　　　　　〃I　am　a　priest；　Monsieur　Flambeau；〃　said　Brown；　〃and　I　am　ready　to　hear　your　confession。〃　　　　　The　other　stood　gasping　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　staggered　back　into　a　chair。　　　　　The　first　two　courses　of　the　dinner　of　The　Twelve　True　Fishermen　had　proceeded　with　placid　success。　　I　do　not　possess　a　copy　of　the　menu；　and　if　I　did　it　would　not　convey　anything　to　anybody。　　It　was　written　in　a　sort　of　super…French　employed　by　cooks；　but　quite　unintelligible　to　Frenchmen。　　There　was　a　tradition　in　the　club　that　the　hors　d'oeuvres　should　be　various　and　manifold　to　the　point　of　madness。　　They　were　taken　seriously　because　they　were　avowedly　useless　extras；　like　the　whole　dinner　and　the　whole　club。　　There　was　also　a　tradition　that　the　soup　course　should　be　light　and　unpretendinga　sort　of　simple　and　austere　vigil　for　the　feast　of　fish　that　was　to　come。　　The　talk　was　that　strange；　slight　talk　which　governs　the　British　Empire；　which　governs　it　in　secret；　and　yet　would　scarcely　enlighten　an　ordinary　Englishman　even　if　he　could　overhear　it。　　Cabinet　ministers　on　both　sides　were　alluded　to　by　their　Christian　names　with　a　sort　of　bored　benignity。　　The　Radical　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　whom　the　whole　Tory　party　was　supposed　to　be　cursing　for　his　extortions；　was　praised　for　his　minor　poetry；　or　his　saddle　in　the　hunting　field。　　The　Tory　leader；　whom　all　Liberals　were　supposed　to　hate　as　a　tyrant；　was　discussed　and；　on　the　whole；　praisedas　a　Liberal。　　It　seemed　somehow　that　politicians　were　very　important。　　And　yet；　anything　seemed　important　about　them　except　their　politics。　　Mr。　Audley；　the　chairman；　was　an　amiable；　elderly　man　who　still　wore　Gladstone　collars；　he　was　a　kind　of　symbol　of　all　that　phantasmal　and　yet　fixed　society。　　He　had　never　done　anythingnot　even　anything　wrong。　　He　was　not　fast；　he　was　not　even　particularly　rich。　　He　was　simply　in　the　thing；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it。　　No　party　could　ignore　him；　and　if　he　had　wished　to　be　in　the　Cabinet　he　certainly　would　have　been　put　there。　　The　Duke　of　Chester；　the　vice…president；　was　a　young　and　rising　politician。　　That　is　to　say；　he　was　a　pleasant　youth；　with　flat；　fair　hair　and　a　freckled　face；　with　moderate　intelligence　and　enormous　estates。　　In　public　his　appearances　were　alwa