the wisdom of father brown-第26节

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h　the　words：


　　　　　I　have　made　an　astounding　discovery。　　I　freely　confess　it　is　quite　different　from　anything　I　expected　to　discover；　and　will　give　a　much　more　practical　shock　to　the　public。　　I　venture　to　say；　without　any　vanity；　that　the　words　I　now　write　will　be　read　all　over　Europe；　and　certainly　all　over　America　and　the　Colonies。　　And　yet　I　heard　all　I　have　to　tell　before　I　left　this　same　little　wooden　table　in　this　same　little　wood　of　apple…trees。

　　　　　I　owe　it　all　to　the　small　priest　Brown；　he　is　an　extraordinary　man。　　The　big　librarian　had　left　the　table；　perhaps　ashamed　of　his　long　tongue；　perhaps　anxious　about　the　storm　in　which　his　mysterious　master　had　vanished：　　anyway；　he　betook　himself　heavily　in　the　Duke's　tracks　through　the　trees。　　Father　Brown　had　picked　up　one　of　the　lemons　and　was　eyeing　it　with　an　odd　pleasure。

　　　　　〃What　a　lovely　colour　a　lemon　is！〃　he　said。　　〃There's　one　thing　I　don't　like　about　the　Duke's　wigthe　colour。〃

　　　　　〃I　don't　think　I　understand；〃　I　answered。

　　　　　〃I　dare　say　he's　got　good　reason　to　cover　his　ears；　like　King　Midas；〃　went　on　the　priest；　with　a　cheerful　simplicity　which　somehow　seemed　rather　flippant　under　the　circumstances。　　〃I　can　quite　understand　that　it's　nicer　to　cover　them　with　hair　than　with　brass　plates　or　leather　flaps。　　But　if　he　wants　to　use　hair；　why　doesn't　he　make　it　look　like　hair？　　There　never　was　hair　of　that　colour　in　this　world。　　It　looks　more　like　a　sunset…cloud　coming　through　the　wood。　　Why　doesn't　he　conceal　the　family　curse　better；　if　he's　really　so　ashamed　of　it？　　Shall　I　tell　you？　　It's　because　he　isn't　ashamed　of　it。　　He's　proud　of　it〃

　　　　　〃It's　an　ugly　wig　to　be　proud　ofand　an　ugly　story；〃　I　said。

　　　　　〃Consider；〃　replied　this　curious　little　man；　〃how　you　yourself　really　feel　about　such　things。　　I　don't　suggest　you're　either　more　snobbish　or　more　morbid　than　the　rest　of　us：　　but　don't　you　feel　in　a　vague　way　that　a　genuine　old　family　curse　is　rather　a　fine　thing　to　have？　　Would　you　be　ashamed；　wouldn't　you　be　a　little　proud；　if　the　heir　of　the　Glamis　horror　called　you　his　friend？　or　if　Byron's　family　had　confided；　to　you　only；　the　evil　adventures　of　their　race？　Don't　be　too　hard　on　the　aristocrats　themselves　if　their　heads　are　as　weak　as　ours　would　be；　and　they　are　snobs　about　their　own　sorrows。〃

　　　　　〃By　Jove！〃　I　cried；　〃and　that's　true　enough。　　My　own　mother's　family　had　a　banshee；　and；　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　it　has　comforted　me　in　many　a　cold　hour。〃

　　　　　〃And　think；〃　he　went　on；　〃of　that　stream　of　blood　and　poison　that　spurted　from　his　thin　lips　the　instant　you　so　much　as　mentioned　his　ancestors。　　Why　should　he　show　every　stranger　over　such　a　Chamber　of　Horrors　unless　he　is　proud　of　it？　　He　doesn't　conceal　his　wig；　he　doesn't　conceal　his　blood；　he　doesn't　conceal　his　family　curse；　he　doesn't　conceal　the　family　crimesbut〃

　　　　　The　little　man's　voice　changed　so　suddenly；　he　shut　his　hand　so　sharply；　and　his　eyes　so　rapidly　grew　rounder　and　brighter　like　a　waking　owl's；　that　it　had　all　the　abruptness　of　a　small　explosion　on　the　table。

　　　　　〃But；〃　he　ended；　〃he　does　really　conceal　his　toilet。〃

　　　　　It　somehow　completed　the　thrill　of　my　fanciful　nerves　that　at　that　instant　the　Duke　appeared　again　silently　among　the　glimmering　trees；　with　his　soft　foot　and　sunset…hued　hair；　coming　round　the　corner　of　the　house　in　company　with　his　librarian。　　Before　he　came　within　earshot；　Father　Brown　had　added　quite　composedly；　〃Why　does　he　really　hide　the　secret　of　what　he　does　with　the　purple　wig？　　Because　it　isn't　the　sort　of　secret　we　suppose。〃

　　　　　The　Duke　came　round　the　corner　and　resumed　his　seat　at　the　head　of　the　table　with　all　his　native　dignity。　　The　embarrassment　of　the　librarian　left　him　hovering　on　his　hind　legs；　like　a　huge　bear。　　The　Duke　addressed　the　priest　with　great　seriousness。　　〃Father　Brown；〃　he　said；　〃Doctor　Mull　informs　me　that　you　have　come　here　to　make　a　request。　　I　no　longer　profess　an　observance　of　the　religion　of　my　fathers；　but　for　their　sakes；　and　for　the　sake　of　the　days　when　we　met　before；　I　am　very　willing　to　hear　you。　　But　I　presume　you　would　rather　be　heard　in　private。〃

　　　　　Whatever　I　retain　of　the　gentleman　made　me　stand　up。　　Whatever　I　have　attained　of　the　journalist　made　me　stand　still。　　Before　this　paralysis　could　pass；　the　priest　had　made　a　momentarily　detaining　motion。　　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃your　Grace　will　permit　me　my　real　petition；　or　if　I　retain　any　right　to　advise　you；　I　would　urge　that　as　many　people　as　possible　should　be　present。　　All　over　this　country　I　have　found　hundreds；　even　of　my　own　faith　and　flock；　whose　imaginations　are　poisoned　by　the　spell　which　I　implore　you　to　break。　　I　wish　we　could　have　all　Devonshire　here　to　see　you　do　it。〃

　　　　　〃To　see　me　do　what？〃　asked　the　Duke；　arching　his　eyebrows。

　　　　　〃To　see　you　take　off　your　wig；〃　said　Father　Brown。

　　　　　The　Duke's　face　did　not　move；　but　he　looked　at　his　petitioner　with　a　glassy　stare　which　was　the　most　awful　expression　I　have　ever　seen　on　a　human　face。　　I　could　see　the　librarian's　great　legs　wavering　under　him　like　the　shadows　of　stems　in　a　pool；　and　I　could　not　banish　from　my　own　brain　the　fancy　that　the　trees　all　around　us　were　filling　softly　in　the　silence　with　devils　instead　of　birds。

　　　　　〃I　spare　you；〃　said　the　Duke　in　a　voice　of　inhuman　pity。　　〃I　refuse。　　If　I　gave　you　the　faintest　hint　of　the　load　of　horror　I　have　to　bear　alone；　you　would　lie　shrieking　at　these　feet　of　mine　and　begging　to　know　no　more。　　I　will　spare　you　the　hint。　　You　shall　not　spell　the　first　letter　of　what　is　written　on　the　altar　of　the　Unknown　God。〃

　　　　　〃I　know　the　Unknown　God；〃　said　the　little　priest；　with　an　unconscious　grandeur　of　certitude　that　stood　up　like　a　granite　tower。　　〃I　know　his　name；　it　is　Satan。　　The　true　God　was　made　flesh　and　dwelt　among　us。　　And　I　say　to　you；　wherever　you　find　men　ruled　merely　by　mystery；　it　is　the　mystery　of　iniquity。　　If　the　devil　tells　you　something　is　too　fearful　to　look　at；　look　at　it。　　If　he　says　something　is　too　terrible　to　hear；　hear　it。　　If　you　think　some　truth　unbearable；　bear　it。　　I　entreat　your　Grace　to　end　this　nightmare　now　and　here　at　this　table。〃

　　　　　〃If　I　did；〃　said　the　Duke　in　a　low　voice；　〃you　and　all　you　believe；　and　all　by　which　alone　you　live；　would　be　the　first　to　shrivel　and　perish。　　You　would　have　an　instant　to　know　the　great　Nothing　before　you　died。〃

　　　　　〃The　Cross　of　Christ　be　between　me　and　harm；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃Take　off　your　wig。〃

　　　　　I　was　leaning　over　the　table　in　ungovernable　excitement；　in　listening　to　this　extraordinary　duel　half　a　thought　had　come　into　my　head。　　〃Your　Grace；〃　I　cried；　〃I　call　your　bluff。　　Take　off　that　wig　or　I　will　knock　it　off。〃

　　　　　I　suppose　I　can　be　prosecuted　for　assault；　but　I　am　very　glad　I　did　it。　　When　he　said；　in　the　same　voice　of　stone；　〃I　refuse；〃　I　simply　sprang　on　him。　　For　three　long　instants　he　strained　against　me　as　if　he　had　all　hell　to　help　him；　but　I　forced　his　head　until　the　hairy　cap　fell　off　it。　　I　admit　that；　whilst　wrestling；　I　shut　my　eyes　as　it　fell。

　　　　　I　was　awakened　by　a　cry　from　Mull；　who　was　also　by　this　time　at　the　Duke's　side。　　His　head　and　mine　were　both　bending　over　the　bald　head　of　the　wigless　Duke。　　Then　the　silence　was　snapped　by　the　librarian　exclaiming：　　〃What　can　it　mean？　　Why；　the　man　had　nothing　to　hide。　　His　ears　are　just　like　everybody　else's。〃

　　　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Father　Brown；　〃that　is　what　he　had　to　hide。〃

　　　　　The　priest　walked　straight　up　to　him；　but　strangely　enough　did　not　even　glance　at　his　ears。　　He　stared　with　an　almost　comical　seriousness　at　his　bald　forehead；　and　pointed　to　a　three…cornered　cicatrice；　long　healed；　but　still　discernible。　　〃Mr　Green；　I　think。〃　he　said　politely；　〃and　he　did　get　the　whole　estate　after　all。〃

　　　　　And　now　let　me　tell　the　readers　of　the　Daily　Reformer　what　I　think　the　most　remarkable　thing　in　the　whole　affair。　　This　transformation　scene；　which　will　seem　to　you　as　wild　and　purple　as　a　Persian　fairy…tale；　has　been　（except　for　my　technical　assault）　strictly　legal　and　constitutional　from　its　first　beginnings。　　This　man　with　the　odd　scar　and　the　ordinary　ears　is　not　an　impostor。　　Though　（in　one　sense）　he　wears　another　man's　wig　and　claims　another　man's　ear；　he　has　not　stolen　another　man's　coronet。　　He　really　is　the　one　and　only　Duke　of　Exmoor。　　What　happened　was　this。　　The　old　Duke　really　had　a　slight　malformation　of　the　ear；　which　really　was　more　or　less　hereditary。　　He　really　was　morbid　about　it；　and　it　is　likely　enough　that　he　did　invoke　it　as　a　kind　of　curse　in　the　violent　scene　（which　undoubtedly　happened）　in　which　he　struck　Green　with　the　decanter。　　But　the　contest　ended　very　differently。　　Green　pressed　his　claim　and　got　the　estates；　the　dispossessed　nobleman　shot　himself　and　died　without　issue。　　After　a　decent　interval　the　beautiful　English　Government　revived　the　〃extinct〃　peerage　of　Exmoor；　and　bestowed　it；　as　is　usual；　on　the　most　important　person；　the　person　who　had　got　the　property。

　　　　　This　man　used　the　old　feudal　fablesproperly；　in　his　snobbish　soul；　really　envied　and　admired　them。　　So　that　thousands　of　poor　English　people　trembled　before　a　mysterious　chieftain　with　an　ancient　destiny　and　a　diadem　of　evil　starswhen　they　are　really