the man who knew too much-第8章

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His　long；　large…featured　face　was　as　pale　as　a　moon；　and　it　was　easy　to　remember　that　he　was　the　only　Irishman　in　the　room。

〃Well；　I　know　that　banshee；〃　said　Wilson；　cheerfully；　〃ignorant　as　you　think　I　am　of　these　things。　I　talked　to　that　banshee　myself　an　hour　ago；　and　I　sent　that　banshee　up　to　the　tower　and　told　her　to　sing　out　like　that　if　she　could　get　a　glimpse　of　our　friend　writing　his　proclamation。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　girl　Bridget　Royce？〃　asked　Morton；　drawing　his　frosty　brows　together。　〃Has　she　turned　king's　evidence　to　that　extent？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Wilson。　〃I　know　very　little　of　these　local　things；　you　tell　me；　but　I　reckon　an　angry　woman　is　much　the　same　in　all　countries。〃

Nolan；　however；　seemed　still　moody　and　unlike　himself。　〃It's　an　ugly　noise　and　an　ugly　business　altogether；〃　he　said。　〃If　it's　really　the　end　of　Prince　Michael　it　may　well　be　the　end　of　other　things　as　well。　When　the　spirit　is　on　him　he　would　escape　by　a　ladder　of　dead　men；　and　wade　through　that　sea　if　it　were　made　of　blood。〃

〃Is　that　the　real　reason　of　your　pious　alarms？〃　asked　Wilson；　with　a　slight　sneer。

The　Irishman's　pale　face　blackened　with　a　new　passion。

〃I　have　faced　as　many　murderers　in　County　Clare　as　you　ever　fought　with　in　Clapham　junction；　Mr。　Cockney；〃　he　said。

〃Hush；　please；〃　said　Morton；　sharply。　〃Wilson；　you　have　no　kind　of　right　to　imply　doubt　of　your　superior's　conduct。　I　hope　you　will　prove　yourself　as　courageous　and　trustworthy　as　he　has　always　been。〃

The　pale　face　of　the　red…haired　man　seemed　a　shade　paler；　but　he　was　silent　and　composed；　and　Sir　Walter　went　up　to　Nolan　with　marked　courtesy；　saying；　〃Shall　we　go　outside　now；　and　get　this　business　done？〃

Dawn　had　lifted；　leaving　a　wide　chasm　of　white　between　a　great　gray　cloud　and　the　great　gray　moorland；　beyond　which　the　tower　was　outlined　against　the　daybreak　and　the　sea。

Something　in　its　plain　and　primitive　shape　vaguely　suggested　the　dawn　in　the　first　days　of　the　earth；　in　some　prehistoric　time　when　even　the　colors　were　hardly　created；　when　there　was　only　blank　daylight　between　cloud　and　clay。　These　dead　hues　were　relieved　only　by　one　spot　of　goldthe　spark　of　the　candle　alight　in　the　window　of　the　lonely　tower；　and　burning　on　into　the　broadening　daylight。　As　the　group　of　detectives；　followed　by　a　cordon　of　policemen；　spread　out　into　a　crescent　to　cut　off　all　escape；　the　light　in　the　tower　flashed　as　if　it　were　moved　for　a　moment；　and　then　went　out。　They　knew　the　man　inside　had　realized　the　daylight　and　blown　out　his　candle。

〃There　are　other　windows；　aren't　there？〃　asked　Morton；　〃and　a　door；　of　course；　somewhere　round　the　corner？　Only　a　round　tower　has　no　corners。〃

〃Another　example　of　my　small　suggestion；〃　observed　Wilson；　quietly。　〃That　queer　tower　was　the　first　thing　I　saw　when　I　came　to　these　parts；　and　I　can　tell　you　a　little　more　about　itor；　at　any　rate；　the　outside　of　it。　There　are　four　windows　altogether；　one　a　little　way　from　this　one；　but　just　out　of　sight。　Those　are　both　on　the　ground　floor；　and　so　is　the　third　on　the　other　side；　making　a　sort　of　triangle。　But　the　　fourth　is　just　above　the　third；　and　I　suppose　it　looks　on　an　upper　floor。〃

〃It's　only　a　sort　of　loft；　reached　by　a　ladder；　said　Nolan。　〃I've　played　in　the　place　when　I　was　a　child。　It's　no　more　than　an　empty　shell。〃　And　his　sad　face　grew　sadder；　thinking　perhaps　of　the　tragedy　of　his　country　and　the　part　that　he　played　in　it。

〃The　man　must　have　got　a　table　and　chair；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Wilson；　〃but　no　doubt　he　could　have　got　those　from　some　cottage。　If　I　might　make　a　suggestion；　sir；　I　think　we　ought　to　approach　all　the　five　entrances　at　once；　so　to　speak。　One　of　us　should　go　to　the　door　and　one　to　each　window；　Macbride　here　has　a　ladder　for　the　upper　window。〃

Mr。　Horne　Fisher　languidly　turned　to　his　distinguished　relative　and　spoke　for　the　first　time。

〃I　am　rather　a　convert　to　the　cockney　school　of　psychology；〃　he　said　in　an　almost　inaudible　voice。

The　others　seemed　to　feel　the　same　influence　in　different　ways；　for　the　group　began　to　break　up　in　the　manner　indicated。　Morton　moved　toward　the　window　immediately　in　front　of　them；　where　the　hidden　outlaw　had　just　snuffed　the　candle；　Nolan；　a　little　farther　westward　to　the　next　window；　while　Wilson；　followed　by　Macbride　with　the　ladder；　went　round　to　the　two　windows　at　the　back。　Sir　Walter　Carey　himself；　followed　by　his　secretary；　began　to　walk　round　toward　the　only　door；　to　demand　admittance　in　a　more　regular　fashion。

〃He　will　be　armed；　of　course；〃　remarked　Sir　Walter；　casually。

〃By　all　accounts；〃　replied　Horne　Fisher；　〃he　can　do　more　with　a　candlestick　than　most　men　with　a　pistol。　But　he　is　pretty　sure　to　have　the　pistol；　too。〃

Even　as　he　spoke　the　question　was　answered　with　a　tongue　of　thunder。　Morton　had　just　placed　himself　in　front　of　the　nearest　window；　his　broad　shoulders。　blocking　the　aperture。　For　an　instant　it　was　lit　from　within　as　with　red　fire；　followed　by　a　thundering　throng　of　echoes。　The　square　shoulders　seemed　to　alter　in　shape；　and　the　sturdy　figure　collapsed　among　the　tall；　rank　grasses　at　the　foot　of　the　tower。　A　puff　of　smoke　floated　from　the　window　like　a　little　cloud。　The　two　men　behind　rushed　to　the　spot　and　raised　him；　but　he　was　dead。

Sir　Walter　straightened　himself　and　called　out　something　that　was　lost　in　another　noise　of　firing；　it　was　possible　that　the　police　were　already　avenging　their　comrade　from　the　other　side。　Fisher　had　already　raced　round　to　the　next　window；　and　a　new　cry　of　astonishment　from　him　brought　his　patron　to　the　same　spot。　Nolan；　the　Irish　policeman；　had　also　fallen；　sprawling　all　his　great　length　in　the　grass；　and　it　was　red　with　his　blood。　He　was　still　alive　when　they　reached　him；　but　there　was　death　on　his　face；　and　he　was　only　able　to　make　a　final　gesture　telling　them　that　all　was　over；　and；　with　a　broken　word　and　a　heroic　effort；　motioning　them　on　to　where　his　other　comrades　were　besieging　the　back　of　the　tower。　Stunned　by　these　rapid　and　repeated　shocks；　the　two　men　could　only　vaguely　obey　the　gesture；　and；　finding　their　way　to　the　other　windows　at　the　back；　they　discovered　a　scene　equally　startling；　if　less　final　and　tragic。　The　other　two　officers　were　not　dead　or　mortally　wounded；　but　Macbride　lay　with　a　broken　leg　and　his　ladder　on　top　of　him；　evidently　thrown　down　from　the　top　window　of　the　tower；　while　Wilson　lay　on　his　face；　quite　still　as　if　stunned；　with　his　red　head　among　the　gray　and　silver　of　the　sea　holly。　In　him；　however；　the　impotence　was　but　momentary；　for　he　began　to　move　and　rise　as　the　others　came　round　the　tower。

〃My　God！　it's　like　an　explosion！〃　cried　Sir　Walter；　and　indeed　it　was　the　only　word　for　this　unearthly　energy；　by　which　one　man　had　been　able　to　deal　death　or　destruction　on　three　sides　of　the　same　small　triangle　at　the　same　instant。

Wilson　had　already　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　with　splendid　energy　flew　again　at　the　window；　revolver　in　hand。　He　fired　twice　into　the　opening　and　then　disappeared　in　his　own　smoke；　but　the　thud　of　his　feet　and　the　shock　of　a　falling　chair　told　them　that　the　intrepid　Londoner　had　managed　at　last　to　leap　into　the　room。　Then　followed　a　curious　silence；　and　Sir　Walter；　walking　to　the　window　through　the　thinning　smoke；　looked　into　the　hollow　shell　of　the　ancient　tower。　Except　for　Wilson；　staring　around　him；　there　was　nobody　there。

The　inside　of　the　tower　was　a　single　empty　room；　with　nothing　but　a　plain　wooden　chair　and　a　table　on　which　were　pens；　ink　and　paper；　and　the　candlestick。　Halfway　up　the　high　wall　there　was　a　rude　timber　platform　under　the　upper　window；　a　small　loft　which　was　more　like　a　large　shelf。　It　was　reached　only　by　a　ladder；　and　it　seemed　to　be　as　bare　as　the　bare　walls。　Wilson　completed　his　survey　of　the　place　and　then　went　and　stared　at　the　things　on　the　table。　Then　he　silently　pointed　with　his　lean　forefinger　at　the　open　page　of　the　large　notebook。　The　writer　had　suddenly　stopped　writing；　even　in　the　middle　of　a　word。

〃I　said　it　was　like　an　explosion；〃　said　Sir　Walter　Carey　at　last。　〃And　really　the　man　himself　seems　to　have　suddenly　exploded。　But　he　has　blown　himself　up　somehow　without　touching　the　tower。　He's　burst　more　like　a　bubble　than　a　bomb。〃

〃He　has　tou