the man who knew too much-第22节

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igure　was　buttoned　up　in　a　tight…waisted　fashion　that　rather　accentuated　his　potential　bulk；　and　he　wore　a　red　flower　in　his　buttonhole。　Of　the　two　men　walking　behind　one　was　also　bald；　but　in　a　more　partial　and　also　a　more　premature　fashion；　for　his　drooping　mustache　was　still　yellow；　and　if　his　eyes　were　somewhat　heavy　it　was　with　languor　and　not　with　age。　It　was　Horne　Fisher；　and　he　was　talking　as　easily　and　idly　about　everything　as　he　always　did。　His　always　did。　His　companion　was　a　more　striking；　and　even　more　　companion　was　a　more　striking；　and　even　more　sinister；　figure；　and　he　had　the　added　importance　of　being　Lord　Bulmer's　oldest　and　most　intimate　friend。　He　was　generally　known　with　a　severe　simplicity　as　Mr。　Brain；　but　it　was　understood　that　he　had　been　a　judge　and　police　official　in　India；　and　that　he　had　enemies；　who　had　represented　his　measures　against　crime　as　themselves　almost　criminal。　He　was　a　brown　skeleton　of　a　man　with　dark；　deep；　sunken　eyes　and　a　black　mustache　that　hid　the　meaning　of　his　mouth。　Though　he　had　the　look　of　one　wasted　by　some　tropical　disease；　his　movements　were　much　more　alert　than　those　of　his　lounging　companion。

〃It's　all　settled；〃　announced　the　lady；　with　great　animation；　when　they　came　within　hailing　distance。　〃You've　all　got　to　put　on　masquerade　things　and　very　likely　skates　as　well；　though　the　prince　says　they　don't　go　with　it；　but　we　don't　care　about　that。　It's　freezing　already；　and　we　don't　often　get　such　a　chance　in　England。〃

〃Even　in　India　we　don't　exactly　skate　all　the　year　round；〃　observed　Mr。　Brain。

〃And　even　Italy　is　not　primarily　associated　with　ice；〃　said　the　Italian。

〃Italy　is　primarily　associated　with　ices；〃　remarked　Mr。　Horne　Fisher。　〃I　mean　with　ice　cream　men。　Most　people　in　this　country　imagine　that　Italy　is　entirely　populated　with　ice　cream　men　and　organ　grinders。　There　certainly　are　a　lot　of　them；　perhaps　they're　an　invading　army　in　disguise。〃

〃How　do　you　know　they　are　not　the　secret　emissaries　of　our　diplomacy？〃　asked　the　prince；　with　a　slightly　scornful　smile。　〃An　army　of　organ　grinders　might　pick　up　hints；　and　their　monkeys　might　pick　up　all　sort　of　things。〃

〃The　organs　are　organized　in　fact；〃　said　the　flippant　Mr。　Fisher。　〃Well；　I've　known　it　pretty　cold　before　now　in　Italy　and　even　in　India；　up　on　the　Himalayan　slopes。　The　ice　on　our　own　little　round　pond　will　be　quite　cozy　by　comparison。〃

Juliet　Bray　was　an　attractive　lady　with　dark　hair　and　eyebrows　and　dancing　eyes；　and　there　was　a　geniality　and　even　generosity　in　her　rather　imperious　ways。　In　most　matters　she　could　command　her　brother；　though　that　nobleman；　like　many　other　men　of　vague　ideas；　was　not　without　a　touch　of　the　bully　when　he　was　at　bay。　She　could　certainly　command　her　guests；　even　to　the　extent　of　decking　out　the　most　respectable　and　reluctant　of　them　with　her　mediaeval　masquerade。　And　it　really　seemed　as　if　she　could　command　the　elements　also；　like　a　witch。　For　the　weather　steadily　hardened　and　sharpened；　that　night　the　ice　of　the　lake；　glimmering　in　the　moonlight；　was　like　a　marble　floor；　and　they　had　begun　to　dance　and　skate　on　it　before　it　was　dark。

Prior's　Park；　or；　more　properly；　the　surrounding　district　of　Holinwall；　was　a　country　seat　that　had　become　a　suburb；　having　once　had　only　a　dependent　village　at　its　doors；　it　now　found　outside　all　its　doors　the　signals　of　the　expansion　of　London。　Mr。　Haddow；　who　was　engaged　in　historical　researches　both　in　the　library　and　the　locality；　could　find　little　assistance　in　the　latter。　He　had　already　realized；　from　the　documents；　that　Prior's　Park　had　originally　been　something　like　Prior's　Farm；　named　after　some　local　figure；　but　the　new　social　conditions　were　all　against　his　tracing　the　story　by　its　traditions。　Had　any　of　the　real　rustics　remained；　he　would　probably　have　found　some　lingering　legend　of　Mr。　Prior；　however　remote　he　might　be。　But　the　new　nomadic　population　of　clerks　and　artisans；　constantly　shifting　their　homes　from　one　suburb　to　another；　or　their　children　from　one　school　to　another；　could　have　no　corporate　continuity。　They　had　all　that　forgetfulness　of　history　that　goes　everywhere　with　the　extension　of　education。

Nevertheless；　when　he　came　out　of　the　library　next　morning　and　saw　the　wintry　trees　standing　round　the　frozen　pond　like　a　black　forest；　he　felt　he　might　well　have　been　far　in　the　depths　of　the　country。　The　old　wall　running　round　the　park　kept　that　inclosure　itself　still　entirely　rural　and　romantic；　and　one　could　easily　imagine　that　the　depths　of　that　dark　forest　faded　away　indefinitely　into　distant　vales　and　hills。　The　gray　and　black　and　silver　of　the　wintry　wood　were　all　the　more　severe　or　somber　as　a　contrast　to　the　colored　carnival　groups　that　already　stood　on　and　around　the　frozen　pool。　For　the　house　party　had　already　flung　themselves　impatiently　into　fancy　dress；　and　the　lawyer；　with　his　neat　black　suit　and　red　hair；　was　the　only　modern　figure　among　them。

〃Aren't　you　going　to　dress　up？〃　asked　Juliet；　indignantly　shaking　at　him　a　horned　and　towering　blue　headdress　of　the　fourteenth　century　which　framed　her　face　very　becomingly；　fantastic　as　it　was。　〃Everybody　here　has　to　be　in　the　Middle　Ages。　Even　Mr。　Brain　has　put　on　a　sort　of　brown　dressing　gown　and　says　he's　a　monk；　and　Mr。　Fisher　got　hold　of　some　old　potato　sacks　in　the　kitchen　and　sewed　them　together；　he's　supposed　to　be　a　monk；　too。　As　to　the　prince；　he's　perfectly　glorious；　in　great　crimson　robes　as　a　cardinal。　He　looks　as　if　he　could　poison　everybody。　You　simply　must　be　something。〃

〃I　will　be　something　later　in　the　day；〃　he　replied。　〃At　present　I　am　nothing　but　an　antiquary　and　an　attorney。　I　have　to　see　your　brother　presently；　about　some　legal　business　and　also　some　local　investigations　he　asked　me　to　make。　I　must　look　a　little　like　a　steward　when　I　give　an　account　of　my　stewardship。〃

〃Oh；　but　my　brother　has　dressed　up！〃　cried　the　girl。　〃Very　much　so。　No　end；　if　I　may　say　so。　Why　he's　bearing　down　on　you　now　in　all　his　glory。〃

The　noble　lord　was　indeed　marching　toward　them　in　a　magnificent　sixteenth…century　costume　of　purple　and　gold；　with　a　gold…hilted　sword　and　a　plumed　cap；　and　manners　to　match。　Indeed；　there　was　something　more　than　his　usual　expansiveness　of　bodily　action　in　his　appearance　at　that　moment。　It　almost　seemed；　so　to　speak；　that　the　plumes　on　his　hat　had　gone　to　his　head。　He　flapped　his　great；　gold…lined　cloak　like　the　wings　of　a　fairy　king　in　a　pantomime；　he　even　drew　his　sword　with　a　flourish　and　waved　it　about　as　he　did　his　walking　stick。　In　the　light　of　after　events　there　seemed　to　be　something　monstrous　and　ominous　about　that　exuberance；　something　of　the　spirit　that　is　called　fey。　At　the　time　it　merely　crossed　a　few　people's　minds　that　he　might　possibly　be　drunk。

As　he　strode　toward　his　sister　the　first　figure　he　passed　was　that　of　Leonard　Crane；　clad　in　Lincoln　green；　with　the　horn　and　baldrick　and　sword　appropriate　to　Robin　Hood；　for　he　was　standing　nearest　to　the　lady；　where；　indeed；　he　might　have　been　found　during　a　disproportionate　part　of　the　time。　He　had　displayed　one　of　his　buried　talents　in　the　matter　of　skating；　and　now　that　the　skating　was　over　seemed　disposed　to　prolong　the　partnership。　The　boisterous　Bulmer　playfully　made　a　pass　at　him　with　his　drawn　sword；　going　forward　with　the　lunge　in　the　proper　fencing　fashion；　and　making　a　somewhat　too　familiar　Shakespearean　quotation　about　a　rodent　and　a　Venetian　coin。

Probably　in　Crane　also　there　was　a　subdued　excitement　just　then；　anyhow；　in　one　flash　he　had　drawn　his　own　sword　and　parried；　and　then　suddenly；　to　the　surprise　of　everyone；　Bulmer's　weapon　seemed　to　spring　out　of　his　hand　into　the　air　and　rolled　away　on　the　ringing　ice。

〃Well；　I　never！〃　said　the　lady；　as　if　with　justifiable　indignation。　〃You　never　told　me　you　could　fence；　too。〃

Bulmer　put　up　his　sword　with　an　air　rather　bewildered　than　annoyed；　which　increased　the　impression　of　something　irresponsible　in　his　mood　at　the　moment；　then　he　turned　rather　abruptly　to　his　lawyer；　saying：

〃We　can　settle　up　about　the　estate　after　dinner；　I've　missed　nearly　all　the　skating　as　it　is；　and　I　doubt　if　the　ice　will　hold　till　to…morrow　night。　I　think　I　shall　get　up　early　and　have　a　spin　by　myself。〃

〃You　won't　be　disturbed　with　my　company；〃　said　Horne　Fisher；　in　his　weary　fashion。　〃If　I　have　to　begin　the　day　with　ice；　in　the　American　fashion；　I　prefer　it　in　smaller　quantities。　But　no　early　hours　for　me　in　December。　The　early　bird　catches　the　cold。〃

〃Oh；　I　sha'n't　die　of　catching　a　cold；〃　answered　Bulmer；　and　laughed。


A　considerable　group　of　the　skating　party　had　consisted　of　the　guests　staying　at　the　house；　and　the　rest　had　tailed　off　in　twos　and　threes　some　time　before　most　of　the　guests　began　to　retire　for　the　night。　Neighbors；　always　invited　to　Prior's　Park　on　such　occasions；　went　back　to　their　own　houses　in　motors　or　on　foot；　the　legal　and　archeoological　gentleman　had　returned　to　the　Inns　of　Court　by　a　late　train；　to　get　a　paper　called　for　during　his　consultation　with　his　client；　and　most　of　the　other　guests　were　drifting　and　lingering　at　various　stages　on　their　way　up　to　bed。　Horne　Fisher；　as　if　to　deprive　himself　of　any　excuse　for　his　refusal　of　early　rising；　had　been　the　first　to　retire