the trees of pride-第15章

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t　that　this　wild　reception　was　a　novelty　and　almost　an　anticlimax；　but　he　had　no　time　for　analysis　when　he　and　the　whole　pack　had　to　follow　in　the　hunt；　even　Treherne　bringing　up　the　rear　with　a　renewed　curiosity　and　energy。

The　fugitive　collided　with　one　of　the　policemen　who　ran　to　head　him　off；　sending　him　sprawling　down　the　slope；　indeed；　the　fugitive　seemed　inspired　with　the　strength　of　a　wild　ape。　　He　cleared　at　a　bound　the　rampart　of　flowers；　over　which　Barbara　had　once　leaned　to　look　at　her　future　lover；　and　tumbled　with　blinding　speed　down　the　steep　path　up　which　that　troubadour　had　climbed。　　Racing　with　the　rushing　wind　they　all　streamed　across　the　garden　after　him；　down　the　path；　and　finally　on　to　the　seashore　by　the　fisher's　cot；　and　the　pierced　crags　and　caverns　the　American　had　admired　when　he　first　landed。　The　runaway　did　not；　however；　make　for　the　house　he　had　long　inhabited；　but　rather　for　the　pier；　as　if　with　a　mind　to　seize　the　boat　or　to　swim。　Only　when　he　reached　the　other　end　of　the　small　stone　jetty　did　he　turn；　and　show　them　the　pale　face　with　the　spectacles；　and　they　saw　that　it　was　still　smiling。

〃I'm　rather　glad　of　this；〃　said　Treherne；　with　a　great　sigh。　〃The　man　is　mad。〃

Nevertheless；　the　naturalness　of　the　doctor's　voice；　when　he　spoke；　startled　them　as　much　as　a　shriek。

〃Gentleman；〃　he　said；　〃I　won't　protract　your　painful　duties　by　asking　you　what　you　want；　but　I　will　ask　at　once　for　a　small　favor；　which　will　not　prejudice　those　duties　in　any　way。　I　came　down　here　rather　in　a　hurry　perhaps；　but　the　truth　is　I　thought　I　was　late　for　an　appointment。〃　　He　looked　dispassionately　at　his　watch。　　〃I　find　there　is　still　some　fifteen　minutes。　Will　you　wait　with　me　here　for　that　short　time；　after　which　I　am　quite　at　your　service。〃

There　was　a　bewildered　silence；　and　then　Paynter　said：　〃For　my　part；　I　feel　as　if　it　would　really　be　better　to　humor　him。〃

〃Ashe；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　a　new　note　of　seriousness；　〃for　old　friendship；　grant　me　this　last　little　indulgence。　It　will　make　no　difference；　I　have　no　arms　or　means　of　escape；　you。　can　search　me　if　you　like。　　I　know　you　think　you　are　doing　right；　and　I　also　know　you　will　do　it　as　fairly　as　you　can。　　Well；　after　all；　you　get　friends　to　help　you；　look　at　our　friend　with　the　beard；　or　the　remains　of　the　beard。　　Why　shouldn't　I　have　a　friend　to　help　me？　A　man　will　be　here　in　a　few　minutes　in　whom　I　put　some　confidence；　a　great　authority　on　these　things。　　Why　not；　if　only　out　of　curiosity；　wait　and　hear　his　view　of　the　case？〃

〃This　seems　all　moonshine；〃　said　Ashe；　〃but　on　the　chance　of　any　light　on　thingswell；　from　the　moonI　don't　mind　waiting　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Who　is　this　friend；　I　wonder；　some　amateur　detective；　I　suppose。〃

〃I　thank　you；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　some　dignity。　〃I　think　you　will　trust　him　when　you　have　talked　to　him　a　little。　And　now；〃　he　added　with　an　air　of　amiably　relaxing　into　lighter　matters；　〃let　us　talk　about　the　murder。

〃This　case；〃　he　said　in　a　detached　manner；　〃will　be　found；　I　suspect；　to　be　rather　unique。　　There　is　a　very　clear　and　conclusive　combination　of　evidence　against　Thomas　Burton　Brown；　otherwise　myself。　　But　there　is　one　peculiarity　about　that　evidence；　which　you　may　perhaps　have　noticed。　It　all　comes　ultimately　from　one　source；　and　that　a　rather　unusual　one。　Thus；　the　woodcutter　says　I　had　his　ax；　but　what　makes　him　think　so？　He　says　I　told　him　I　had　his　ax；　that　I　told　him　so　again　and　again。　Once　more；　Mr。　Paynter　here　pulled　up　the　ax　out　of　the　well；　but　how？　I　think　Mr。　Paynter　will　testify　that　I　brought　him　the　tackle　for　fishing　it　up；　tackle　he　might　never　have　got　in　any　other　way。　Curious；　is　it　not？　　Again；　the　ax　is　found　to　be　wrapped　in　lint　that　was　in　my　possession；　according　to　the　fisherman。　　But　who　showed　the　lint　to　the　fisherman？　　I　did。　　Who　marked　it　with　large　letters　as　mine？　　I　did。　　Who　wrapped　it　round　the　handle　at　all？　　I　did。　Rather　a　singular　thing　to　do；　has　anyone　ever　explained　it？〃

His　words；　which　had　been　heard　at　first　with　painful　coldness　were　beginning　to　hold　more　and　more　of　their　attention。

〃Then　there　is　the　well　itself；〃　proceeded　the　doctor；　with　the　same　air　of　insane　calm。　　〃I　suppose　some　of　you　by　this　time　know　at　least　the　secret　of　that。　The　secret　of　the　well　is　simply　that　it　is　not　a　well。　It　is　purposely　shaped　at　the　top　so　as　to　look　like　one；　but　it　is　really　a　sort　of　chimney　opening　from　the　roof　of　one　of　those　caves　over　there；　a　cave　that　runs　inland　just　under　the　wood；　and　indeed　IS　connected　by　tunnels　and　secret　passages　with　other　openings　miles　and　miles　away。　　It　is　a　sort　of　labyrinth　used　by　smugglers　and　such　people　for　ages　past。　This　doubtless　explains　many　of　those　disappearances　we　have　heard　of。　But　to　return　to　the　well　that　is　not　a　well；　in　case　some　of　you　still　don't　know　about　it。　　When　the　sea　rises　very　high　at　certain　seasons　it　fills　the　low　cave；　and　even　rises　a　little　way　in　the　funnel　above；　making　it　look　more　like　a　well　than　ever。　The　noise　Mr。　Paynter　heard　was　the　natural　eddy　of　a　breaker　from　outside；　and　the　whole　experience　depended　on　something　so　elementary　as　the　tide。〃

The　American　was　startled　into　ordinary　speech。

〃The　tide！〃　he　said。　　〃And　I　never　even　thought　of　it！　I　guess　that　comes　of　living　by　the　Mediterranean。〃

〃The　next　step　will　be　obvious　enough；〃　continued　the　speaker；　〃to　a　logical　mind　like　that　of　Mr。　Ashe；　for　instance。　　If　it　be　asked　why；　even　so；　the　tide　did　not　wash　away　the　Squire's　remains　that　had　lain　there　since　his　disappearance；　there　is　only　one　possible　answer。　The　remains　had　NOT　lain　there　since　his　disappearance。　　The　remains　had　been　deliberately　put　there　in　the　cavern　under　the　wood；　and　put　there　AFTER　Mr。　Paynter　had　made　his　first　investigation。　　They　were　put　there；　in　short；　after　the　sea　had　retreated　and　the　cave　was　again　dry。　That　is　why　they　were　dry；　of　course；　much　drier　than　the　cave。　Who　put　them　there；　I　wonder？〃

He　was　gazing　gravely　through　his　spectacles　over　their　heads　into　vacancy；　and　suddenly　he　smiled。

〃Ah；〃　he　cried；　jumping　up　from。　　the　rock　with　alacrity；　〃here　is　the　amateur　detective　at　last！〃

Ashe　turned　his　head　over　his　shoulder；　and　for　a　few　seconds　did　not　move　it　again；　but　stood　as　if　with　a　stiff　neck。　In　the　cliff　just　behind　him　was　one　of　the　clefts　or　cracks　into　which　it　was　everywhere　cloven。　　Advancing　from　this　into　the　sunshine；　as　if　from　a　narrow　door；　was　Squire　Vane；　with　a　broad　smile　on　his　face。

The　wind　was　tearing　from　the　top　of　the　high　cliff　out　to　sea；　passing　over　their　heads；　and　they　had　the　sensation　that　everything　was　passing　over　their　heads　and　out　of　their　control。　Paynter　felt　as　if　his　head　had　been　blown　off　like　a　hat。　But　none　of　this　gale　of　unreason　seemed　to　stir　a　hair　on　the　white　head　of　the　Squire；　whose　bearing；　though　self…important　and　bordering　on　a　swagger；　seemed　if　anything　more　comfortable　than　in　the　old　days。　His　red　face　was；　however；　burnt　like　a　sailor's；　and　his　light　clothes　had　a　foreign　look。

〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　genially；　〃so　this　is　the　end　of　the　legend　of　the　peacock　trees。　　Sorry　to　spoil　that　delightful　traveler's　tale；　Mr。　Paynter；　but　the　joke　couldn't　be　kept　up　forever。　　Sorry　to　put　a　stop　to　your　best　poem；　Mr。　Treherne；　but　I　thought　all　this　poetry　had　been　going　a　little　too　far。　So　Doctor　Brown　and　I　fixed　up　a　little　surprise　for　you。　And　I　must　say；　without　vanity；　that　you　look　a　little　surprised。〃

〃What　on　earth；〃　asked　Ashe　at　last；　〃is　the　meaning　of　all　this？〃

The　Squire　laughed　pleasantly；　and　even　a　little　apologetically；

〃I'm　afraid　I'm　fond　of　practical　jokes；〃　he　said；　〃and　this　I　suppose　is　my　last　grand　practical　joke。　　But　I　want　you　to　understand　that　the　joke　is　really　practical。　　I　flatter　myself　it　will　be　of　very　practical　use　to　the　cause　of　progress　and　common　sense；　and　the　killing　of　such　superstitions　everywhere。　The　best　part　of　it；　I　admit；　was　the　doctor's　idea　and　not　mine。　All　I　meant　to　do　was　to　pass　a　night　in　the　trees；　and　then　turn　up　as　fresh　as　paint　to　tell　you　what　fools　you　were。　But　Doctor　Brown　here　followed　me　into　the　wood；　and　we　had　a　little　talk　which