the man who knew too much-第10节

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。　Let　us　change　the　subject　by　all　means；　if　you　like。　What　do　you　think　of　this　Burgundy？　It's　rather　a　discovery　of　mine；　like　the　restaurant　itself。〃

And　he　proceeded　to　talk　learnedly　and　luxuriantly　on　all　the　wines　of　the　world；　on　which　subject；　also；　some　moralists　would　consider　that　he　knew　too　much。



III。　THE　SOUL　OF　THE　SCHOOLBOY

A　large　map　of　London　would　be　needed　to　display　the　wild　and　zigzag　course　of　one　day's　journey　undertaken　by　an　uncle　and　his　nephew；　or；　to　speak　more　truly；　of　a　nephew　and　his　uncle。　For　the　nephew；　a　schoolboy　on　a　holiday；　was　in　theory　the　god　in　the　car；　or　in　the　cab；　tram；　tube；　and　so　on；　while　his　uncle　was　at　most　a　priest　dancing　before　him　and　offering　sacrifices。　To　put　it　more　soberly；　the　schoolboy　had　something　of　the　stolid　air　of　a　young　duke　doing　the　grand　tour；　while　his　elderly　relative　was　reduced　to　the　position　of　a　courier；　who　nevertheless　had　to　pay　for　everything　like　a　patron。　The　schoolboy　was　officially　known　as　Summers　Minor；　and　in　a　more　social　manner　as　Stinks；　the　only　public　tribute　to　his　career　as　an　amateur　photographer　and　electrician。　The　uncle　was　the　Rev。　Thomas　Twyford；　a　lean　and　lively　old　gentleman　with　a　red；　eager　face　and　white　hair。　He　was　in　the　ordinary　way　a　country　clergyman；　but　he　was　one　of　those　who　achieve　the　paradox　of　being　famous　in　an　obscure　way；　because　they　are　famous　in　an　obscure　world。　In　a　small　circle　of　ecclesiastical　archaeologists；　who　were　the　only　people　who　could　even　understand　one　another's　discoveries；　he　occupied　a　recognized　and　respectable　place。　And　a　critic　might　have　found　even　in　that　day's　journey　at　least　as　much　of　the　uncle's　hobby　as　of　the　nephew's　holiday。

His　original　purpose　had　been　wholly　paternal　and　festive。　But；　like　many　other　intelligent　people；　he　was　not　above　the　weakness　of　playing　with　a　toy　to　amuse　himself；　on　the　theory　that　it　would　amuse　a　child。　His　toys　were　crowns　and　miters　and　croziers　and　swords　of　state；　and　he　had　lingered　over　them；　telling　himself　that　the　boy　ought　to　see　all　the　sights　of　London。　And　at　the　end　of　the　day；　after　a　tremendous　tea；　he　rather　gave　the　game　away　by　winding　up　with　a　visit　in　which　hardly　any　human　boy　could　be　conceived　as　taking　an　interestan　underground　chamber　supposed　to　have　been　a　chapel；　recently　excavated　on　the　north　bank　of　the　Thames；　and　containing　literally　nothing　whatever　but　one　old　silver　coin。　But　the　coin；　to　those　who　knew；　was　more　solitary　and　splendid　than　the　Koh…i…noor。　It　was　Roman；　and　was　said　to　bear　the　head　of　St。　Paul；　and　round　it　raged　the　most　vital　controversies　about　the　ancient　British　Church。　It　could　hardly　be　denied；　however；　that　the　controversies　left　Summers　Minor　comparatively　cold。

Indeed；　the　things　that　interested　Summers　Minor；　and　the　things　that　did　not　interest　him；　had　mystified　and　amused　his　uncle　for　several　hours。　He　exhibited　the　English　schoolboy's　startling　ignorance　and　startling　knowledgeknowledge　of　some　special　classification　in　which　he　can　generally　correct　and　confound　his　elders。　He　considered　himself　entitled；　at　Hampton　Court　on　a　holiday；　to　forget　the　very　names　of　Cardinal　Wolsey　or　William　of　Orange；　but　he　could　hardly　be　dragged　from　some　details　about　the　arrangement　of　the　electric　bells　in　the　neighboring　hotel。　He　was　solidly　dazed　by　Westminster　Abbey；　which　is　not　so　unnatural　since　that　church　became　the　lumber　room　of　the　larger　and　less　successful　statuary　of　the　eighteenth　century。　But　he　had　a　magic　and　minute　knowledge　of　the　Westminster　omnibuses；　and　indeed　of　the　whole　omnibus　system　of　London；　the　colors　and　numbers　of　which　he　knew　as　a　herald　knows　heraldry。　He　would　cry　out　against　a　momentary　confusion　between　a　light…green　Paddington　and　a　dark…green　Bayswater　vehicle；　as　his　uncle　would　at　the　identification　of　a　Greek　ikon　and　a　Roman　image。

〃Do　you　collect　omnibuses　like　stamps？〃　asked　his　uncle。　〃They　must　need　a　rather　large　album。　Or　do　you　keep　them　in　your　locker？〃

〃I　keep　them　in　my　head；〃　replied　the　nephew；　with　legitimate　firmness。

〃It　does　you　credit；　I　admit；〃　replied　the　clergyman。　〃I　suppose　it　were　vain　to　ask　for　what　purpose　you　have　learned　that　out　of　a　thousand　things。　There　hardly　seems　to　be　a　career　in　it；　unless　you　could　be　permanently　on　the　pavement　to　prevent　old　ladies　getting　into　the　wrong　bus。　Well；　we　must　get　out　of　this　one；　for　this　is　our　place。　I　want　to　show　you　what　they　call　St。　Paul's　Penny。〃

〃Is　it　like　St。　Paul's　Cathedral？〃　asked　the　youth　with　resignation；　as　they　alighted。

At　the　entrance　their　eyes　were　arrested　by　a　singular　figure　evidently　hovering　there　with　a　similar　anxiety　to　enter。　It　was　that　of　a　dark；　thin　man　in　a　long　black　robe　rather　like　a　cassock；　but　the　black　cap　on　his　head　was　of　too　strange　a　shape　to　be　a　biretta。　It　suggested；　rather；　some　archaic　headdress　of　Persia　or　Babylon。　He　had　a　curious　black　beard　appearing　only　at　the　corners　of　his　chin；　and　his　large　eyes　were　oddly　set　in　his　face　like　the　flat　decorative　eyes　painted　in　old　Egyptian　profiles。　Before　they　had　gathered　more　than　a　general　impression　of　him；　he　had　dived　into　the　doorway　that　was　their　own　destination。

Nothing　could　be　seen　above　ground　of　the　sunken　sanctuary　except　a　strong　wooden　hut；　of　the　sort　recently　run　up　for　many　military　and　official　purposes；　the　wooden　floor　of　which　was　indeed　a　mere　platform　over　the　excavated　cavity　below。　A　soldier　stood　as　a　sentry　outside；　and　a　superior　soldier；　an　Anglo…Indian　officer　of　distinction；　sat　writing　at　the　desk　inside。　Indeed；　the　sightseers　soon　found　that　this　particular　sight　was　surrounded　with　the　most　extraordinary　precautions。　I　have　compared　the　silver　coin　to　the　Koh…i…noor；　and　in　one　sense　it　was　even　conventionally　comparable；　since　by　a　historical　accident　it　was　at　one　time　almost　counted　among　the　Crown　jewels；　or　at　least　the　Crown　relics；　until　one　of　the　royal　princes　publicly　restored　it　to　the　shrine　to　which　it　was　supposed　to　belong。　Other　causes　combined　to　concentrate　official　vigilance　upon　it；　there　had　been　a　scare　about　spies　carrying　explosives　in　small　objects；　and　one　of　those　experimental　orders　which　pass　like　waves　over　bureaucracy　had　decreed　first　that　all　visitors　should　change　their　clothes　for　a　sort　of　official　sackcloth；　and　then　（when　this　method　caused　some　murmurs）　that　they　should　at　least　turn　out　their　pockets。　Colonel　Morris；　the　officer　in　charge；　was　a　short；　active　man　with　a　grim　and　leathery　face；　but　a　lively　and　humorous　eyea　contradiction　borne　out　by　his　conduct；　for　he　at　once　derided　the　safeguards　and　yet　insisted　on　them。

〃I　don't　care　a　button　myself　for　Paul's　Penny；　or　such　things；〃　he　admitted　in　answer　to　some　antiquarian　openings　from　the　clergyman　who　was　slightly　acquainted　with　him；　〃but　I　wear　the　　King's　coat；　you　know；　and　it's　a　serious　thing　when　　the　King's　uncle　leaves　a　thing　here　with　his　own　　hands　under　my　charge。　But　as　for　saints　and　relics　　and　things；　I　fear　I'm　a　bit　of　a　Voltairian；　what　you　　would　call　a　skeptic。〃

〃I'm　not　sure　it's　even　skeptical　to　believe　in　the　royal　family　and　not　in　the　'Holy'　Family；〃　replied　Mr。　Twyford。　〃But；　of　course；　I　can　easily　empty　my　pockets；　to　show　I　don't　carry　a　bomb。〃

The　little　heap　of　the　parson's　possessions　which　he　left　on　the　table　consisted　chiefly　of　papers；　over　and　above　a　pipe　and　a　tobacco　pouch　and　some　Roman　and　Saxon　coins。　The　rest　were　catalogues　of　old　books；　and　pamphlets；　like　one　entitled　〃The　Use　of　Sarum；〃　one　glance　at　which　was　sufficient　both　for　the　colonel　and　the　schoolboy。　They　could　not　see　the　use　of　Sarum　at　all。　The　contents　of　the　boy's　pockets　naturally　made　a　larger　heap；　and　included　marbles；　a　ball　of　string；　an　electric　torch；　a　magnet；　a　small　catapult；　and；　of　course；　a　large　pocketknife；　almost　to　be　described　as　a　small　tool　box；　a　complex　apparatus　on　which　he　seemed　disposed　to　linger；　pointing　out　that　it　included　a　pair　of　nippers；　a　tool　for　punching　holes　in　wood；　and；　above　all；　an　instrument　for　taking　stones　out　of　a　horse's　hoof。　The　comparative　absence　of　any　horse　he　appeared　to　regard　as　irrelevant；　as　if　it　were　a　mere　appendage　easily　supplied。　But　when　the　turn　came　of　the　gentleman　in　the　black　gown；　he　did　not　turn　out　his　pockets；　but　merely　spread　out　his　hands。

〃I　have　no　possessions；〃　he　said。

〃I'm　afraid　I　must　ask　you　to　empty　your　pockets　and　make　sure；〃　observed　the　colonel；　gruffly。

〃I　have　no　pockets；〃　said　the　stranger。

Mr。　Twyford　was　looking　at　the　long　black　gown　with　a　learned　eye。

〃Are　you　a　monk？〃　he　asked；　in　a　puzzled　fashion。

〃I　am　a　magus；〃　replied　the　stranger。　〃You　have　heard　of　the　magi；　perhaps？　I　am　a　magician。〃

〃Oh；　I　say！〃　exclaimed　Summers　Minor；　with　prominent　eyes。

〃But　I　was　once　a　monk；〃　went　on　the　other。　〃I　am　what　you　would　call　an　escaped　monk。　Yes；　I　have　escaped　into　eternity。　But　the　monks　held　one　truth　at　least；　that　the　highest　life　should　be　without　possessions。　I　have　no　pocket　money　and　no　pockets；　and　all　the　stars　are　my　trinkets。〃

〃They　are　out　of　reach；　anyhow；〃　observed　Colonel　Morris；　in　a　tone　which　suggested　that　it　was　well　for　them。