the wisdom of father brown-第21节

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everything；〃　said　the　red…haired　girl　doggedly；　〃except　why　I　am　telling　you；　and　that　I　don't　know。〃

　　　　　She　picked　at　the　darned　table…cloth　and　went　on：　　〃You　look　as　if　you　knew　what　isn't　snobbery　as　well　as　what　is；　and　when　I　say　that　ours　is　a　good　old　family；　you'll　understand　it　is　a　necessary　part　of　the　story；　indeed；　my　chief　danger　is　in　my　brother's　high…and…dry　notions；　noblesse　oblige　and　all　that。　　Well；　my　name　is　Christabel　Carstairs；　and　my　father　was　that　Colonel　Carstairs　you've　probably　heard　of；　who　made　the　famous　Carstairs　Collection　of　Roman　coins。　　I　could　never　describe　my　father　to　you；　the　nearest　I　can　say　is　that　he　was　very　like　a　Roman　coin　himself。　　He　was　as　handsome　and　as　genuine　and　as　valuable　and　as　metallic　and　as　out…of…date。　　He　was　prouder　of　his　Collection　than　of　his　coat…of…arms　nobody　could　say　more　than　that。　　His　extraordinary　character　came　out　most　in　his　will。　　He　had　two　sons　and　one　daughter。　　He　quarrelled　with　one　son；　my　brother　Giles；　and　sent　him　to　Australia　on　a　small　allowance。　　He　then　made　a　will　leaving　the　Carstairs　Collection；　actually　with　a　yet　smaller　allowance；　to　my　brother　Arthur。　　He　meant　it　as　a　reward；　as　the　highest　honour　he　could　offer；　in　acknowledgement　of　Arthur's　loyalty　and　rectitude　and　the　distinctions　he　had　already　gained　in　mathematics　and　economics　at　Cambridge。　　He　left　me　practically　all　his　pretty　large　fortune；　and　I　am　sure　he　meant　it　in　contempt。

　　　　　〃Arthur；　you　may　say；　might　well　complain　of　this；　but　Arthur　is　my　father　over　again。　　Though　he　had　some　differences　with　my　father　in　early　youth；　no　sooner　had　he　taken　over　the　Collection　than　he　became　like　a　pagan　priest　dedicated　to　a　temple。　　He　mixed　up　these　Roman　halfpence　with　the　honour　of　the　Carstairs　family　in　the　same　stiff；　idolatrous　way　as　his　father　before　him。　　He　acted　as　if　Roman　money　must　be　guarded　by　all　the　Roman　virtues。　　He　took　no　pleasures；　he　spent　nothing　on　himself；　he　lived　for　the　Collection。　　Often　he　would　not　trouble　to　dress　for　his　simple　meals；　but　pattered　about　among　the　corded　brown…paper　parcels　（which　no　one　else　was　allowed　to　touch）　in　an　old　brown　dressing…gown。　　With　its　rope　and　tassel　and　his　pale；　thin；　refined　face；　it　made　him　look　like　an　old　ascetic　monk。　　Every　now　and　then；　though；　he　would　appear　dressed　like　a　decidedly　fashionable　gentleman；　but　that　was　only　when　he　went　up　to　the　London　sales　or　shops　to　make　an　addition　to　the　Carstairs　Collection。

　　　　　〃Now；　if　you've　known　any　young　people；　you　won't　be　shocked　if　I　say　that　I　got　into　rather　a　low　frame　of　mind　with　all　this；　the　frame　of　mind　in　which　one　begins　to　say　that　the　Ancient　Romans　were　all　very　well　in　their　way。　　I'm　not　like　my　brother　Arthur；　I　can't　help　enjoying　enjoyment。　　I　got　a　lot　of　romance　and　rubbish　where　I　got　my　red　hair；　from　the　other　side　of　the　family。　　Poor　Giles　was　the　same；　and　I　think　the　atmosphere　of　coins　might　count　in　excuse　for　him；　though　he　really　did　wrong　and　nearly　went　to　prison。　　But　he　didn't　behave　any　worse　than　I　did；　as　you　shall　hear。

　　　　　〃I　come　now　to　the　silly　part　of　the　story。　　I　think　a　man　as　clever　as　you　can　guess　the　sort　of　thing　that　would　begin　to　relieve　the　monotony　for　an　unruly　girl　of　seventeen　placed　in　such　a　position。　　But　I　am　so　rattled　with　more　dreadful　things　that　I　can　hardly　read　my　own　feeling；　and　don't　know　whether　I　despise　it　now　as　a　flirtation　or　bear　it　as　a　broken　heart。　　We　lived　then　at　a　little　seaside　watering…place　in　South　Wales；　and　a　retired　sea…captain　living　a　few　doors　off　had　a　son　about　five　years　older　than　myself；　who　had　been　a　friend　of　Giles　before　he　went　to　the　Colonies。　　His　name　does　not　affect　my　tale；　but　I　tell　you　it　was　Philip　Hawker；　because　I　am　telling　you　everything。　　We　used　to　go　shrimping　together；　and　said　and　thought　we　were　in　love　with　each　other；　at　least　he　certainly　said　he　was；　and　I　certainly　thought　I　was。　　If　I　tell　you　he　had　bronzed　curly　hair　and　a　falconish　sort　of　face；　bronzed　by　the　sea　also；　it's　not　for　his　sake；　I　assure　you；　but　for　the　story；　for　it　was　the　cause　of　a　very　curious　coincidence。

　　　　　〃One　summer　afternoon；　when　I　had　promised　to　go　shrimping　along　the　sands　with　Philip；　I　was　waiting　rather　impatiently　in　the　front　drawing…room；　watching　Arthur　handle　some　packets　of　coins　he　had　just　purchased　and　slowly　shunt　them；　one　or　two　at　a　time；　into　his　own　dark　study　and　museum　which　was　at　the　back　of　the　house。　　As　soon　as　I　heard　the　heavy　door　close　on　him　finally；　I　made　a　bolt　for　my　shrimping…net　and　tam…o'…shanter　and　was　just　going　to　slip　out；　when　I　saw　that　my　brother　had　left　behind　him　one　coin　that　lay　gleaming　on　the　long　bench　by　the　window。　　It　was　a　bronze　coin；　and　the　colour；　combined　with　the　exact　curve　of　the　Roman　nose　and　something　in　the　very　lift　of　the　long；　wiry　neck；　made　the　head　of　Caesar　on　it　the　almost　precise　portrait　of　Philip　Hawker。　　Then　I　suddenly　remembered　Giles　telling　Philip　of　a　coin　that　was　like　him；　and　Philip　wishing　he　had　it。　　Perhaps　you　can　fancy　the　wild；　foolish　thoughts　with　which　my　head　went　round；　I　felt　as　if　I　had　had　a　gift　from　the　fairies。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　if　I　could　only　run　away　with　this；　and　give　it　to　Philip　like　a　wild　sort　of　wedding…ring；　it　would　be　a　bond　between　us　for　ever；　I　felt　a　thousand　such　things　at　once。　　Then　there　yawned　under　me；　like　the　pit；　the　enormous；　awful　notion　of　what　I　was　doing；　above　all；　the　unbearable　thought；　which　was　like　touching　hot　iron；　of　what　Arthur　would　think　of　it。　　A　Carstairs　a　thief；　and　a　thief　of　the　Carstairs　treasure！　　I　believe　my　brother　could　see　me　burned　like　a　witch　for　such　a　thing；　But　then；　the　very　thought　of　such　fanatical　cruelty　heightened　my　old　hatred　of　his　dingy　old　antiquarian　fussiness　and　my　longing　for　the　youth　and　liberty　that　called　to　me　from　the　sea。　　Outside　was　strong　sunlight　with　a　wind；　and　a　yellow　head　of　some　broom　or　gorse　in　the　garden　rapped　against　the　glass　of　the　window。　　I　thought　of　that　living　and　growing　gold　calling　to　me　from　all　the　heaths　of　the　worldand　then　of　that　dead；　dull　gold　and　bronze　and　brass　of　my　brother's　growing　dustier　and　dustier　as　life　went　by。　　Nature　and　the　Carstairs　Collection　had　come　to　grips　at　last。

　　　　　〃Nature　is　older　than　the　Carstairs　Collection。　　As　I　ran　down　the　streets　to　the　sea；　the　coin　clenched　tight　in　my　fist；　I　felt　all　the　Roman　Empire　on　my　back　as　well　as　the　Carstairs　pedigree。　　It　was　not　only　the　old　lion　argent　that　was　roaring　in　my　ear；　but　all　the　eagles　of　the　Caesars　seemed　flapping　and　screaming　in　pursuit　of　me。　　And　yet　my　heart　rose　higher　and　higher　like　a　child's　kite；　until　I　came　over　the　loose；　dry　sand…hills　and　to　the　flat；　wet　sands；　where　Philip　stood　already　up　to　his　ankles　in　the　shallow　shining　water；　some　hundred　yards　out　to　sea。　　There　was　a　great　red　sunset；　and　the　long　stretch　of　low　water；　hardly　rising　over　the　ankle　for　half　a　mile；　was　like　a　lake　of　ruby　flame。　　It　was　not　till　I　had　torn　off　my　shoes　and　stockings　and　waded　to　where　he　stood；　which　was　well　away　from　the　dry　land；　that　I　turned　and　looked　round。　　We　were　quite　alone　in　a　circle　of　sea…water　and　wet　sand；　and　I　gave　him　the　head　of　Caesar。

　　　　　〃At　the　very　instant　I　had　a　shock　of　fancy：　　that　a　man　far　away　on　the　sand…hills　was　looking　at　me　intently。　　I　must　have　felt　immediately　after　that　it　was　a　mere　leap　of　unreasonable　nerves；　for　the　man　was　only　a　dark　dot　in　the　distance；　and　I　could　only　just　see　that　he　was　standing　quite　still　and　gazing；　with　his　head　a　little　on　one　side。　　There　was　no　earthly　logical　evidence　that　he　was　looking　at　me；　he　might　have　been　looking　at　a　ship；　or　the　sunset；　or　the　sea…gulls；　or　at　any　of　the　people　who　still　strayed　here　and　there　on　the　shore　between　us。　　Nevertheless；　whatever　my　start　sprang　from　was　prophetic；　for；　as　I　gazed；　he　started　walking　briskly　in　a　bee…line　towards　us　across　the　wide　wet　sands。　　As　he　drew　nearer　and　nearer　I　saw　that　he　was　dark　and　bearded；　and　that　his　eyes　were　marked　with　dark　spectacles。　　He　was　dressed　poorly　but　respectably　in　black；　from　the　old　black　top　hat　on　his　head　to　the　solid　black　boots　on　his　feet。　　In　spite　of　these　he　walked　straight　into　the　sea　without　a　flash　of　hesitation；　and　came　on　at　me　with　the　steadiness　of　a　travelling　bullet。

　　　　　〃I　can't　tell　you　the　sense　of　monstrosity　and　miracle　I　had　when　he　thus　silently　burst　the　barrier　between　land　and　water。　　It　was　as　if　he　had　walked　straight　off　a　cliff　and　still　marched　steadily　in　mid…air。　　It　was　as　if　a　house　had　flown　up　into　the　sky　or　a　man's　head　had　fallen　off。　　He　was　only　wetting　his　boots；　but　he　seemed　to　be　a　demon　disregarding　a　law　of　Nature。　　If　he　had　hesitated　an　instant　at　the　water's　edge　it　would　have　been　nothing。　　As　it　was；　he　seemed　to　look　so　much　at　me　alone　as　not　to　notice　the　ocean。　　Philip　was　some　yards　away　with　his　back　to　me；　bending　over　his　net。　　The　stranger　came　on　till　he　stood　within　two　yards　of　me；　the　water　washing　half…way　up　to　his　knees。　　Then　he　said；　with　a　clearly　modulated　and　rather　mincing　articulation：　　‘Would　it　discommode　you　to　contribute　elsewhere　a