the man who knew too much-第28节

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individual　with　humor；　two　political　arts　that　seemed　to　come　to　him　naturally。　He　certainly　knew　much　more　about　rural　problems　than　either　Hughes；　the　Reform　candidate；　or　Verner；　the　Constitutional　candidate。　And　he　probed　those　problems　with　a　human　curiosity；　and　went　below　the　surface　in　a　way　that　neither　of　them　dreamed　of　doing。　He　soon　became　the　voice　of　popular　feelings　that　are　never　found　in　the　popular　press。　New　angles　of　criticism；　arguments　that　had　never　before　been　uttered　by　an　educated　voice；　tests　and　comparisons　that　had　been　made　only　in　dialect　by　men　drinking　in　the　little　local　public　houses；　crafts　half　forgotten　that　had　come　down　by　sign　of　hand　and　tongue　from　remote　ages　when　their　fathers　were　free　all　this　created　a　curious　and　double　excitement。　It　startled　the　well　informed　by　being　a　new　and　fantastic　idea　they　had　never　encountered。　It　startled　the　ignorant　by　being　an　old　and　familiar　idea　they　never　thought　to　have　seen　revived。　Men　saw　things　in　a　new　light；　and　knew　not　even　whether　it　was　the　sunset　or　the　dawn。

Practical　grievances　were　there　to　make　the　movement　formidable。　As　Fisher　went　to　and　fro　among　the　cottages　and　country　inns；　it　was　borne　in　on　him　without　difficulty　that　Sir　Francis　Verner　was　a　very　bad　landlord。　Nor　was　the　story　of　his　acquisition　of　the　land　any　more　ancient　and　dignified　than　he　had　supposed；　the　story　was　well　known　in　the　county　and　in　most　respects　was　obvious　enough。　Hawker；　the　old　squire；　had　been　a　loose；　unsatisfactory　sort　of　person；　had　been　on　bad　terms　with　his　first　wife　（who　died；　as　some　said；　of　neglect）；　and　had　then　married　a　flashy　South　American　Jewess　with　a　fortune。　But　he　must　have　worked　his　way　through　this　fortune　also　with　marvelous　rapidity；　for　he　had　been　compelled　to　sell　the　estate　to　Verner　and　had　gone　to　live　in　South　America；　possibly　on　his　wife's　estates。　But　Fisher　noticed　that　the　laxity　of　the　old　squire　was　far　less　hated　than　the　efficiency　of　the　new　squire。　Verner's　history　seemed　to　be　full　of　smart　bargains　and　financial　flutters　that　left　other　people　short　of　money　and　temper。　But　though　he　heard　a　great　deal　about　Verner；　there　was　one　thing　that　continually　eluded　him；　something　that　nobody　knew；　that　even　Saltoun　had　not　known。　He　could　not　find　out　how　Verner　had　originally　made　his　money。

〃He　must　have　kept　it　specially　dark；〃　said　Horne　Fisher　to　himself。　〃It　must　be　something　he's　really　ashamed　of。　Hang　it　all！　what　IS　a　man　ashamed　of　nowadays？〃

And　as　he　pondered　on　the　possibilities　they　grew　darker　and　more　distorted　in　his　mind；　he　thought　vaguely　of　things　remote　and　repulsive；　strange　forms　of　slavery　or　sorcery；　and　then　of　ugly　things　yet　more　unnatural　but　nearer　home。　The　figure　of　Verner　seemed　to　be　blackened　and　transfigured　in　his　imagination；　and　to　stand　against　varied　backgrounds　and　strange　skies。

As　he　strode　up　a　village　street；　brooding　thus；　his　eyes　encountered　a　complete　contrast　in　the　face　of　his　other　rival；　the　Reform　candidate。　Eric　Hughes；　with　his　blown　blond　hair　and　eager　undergraduate　face；　was　just　getting　into　his　motor　car　and　saying　a　few　final　words　to　his　agent；　a　sturdy；　grizzled　man　named　Gryce。　Eric　Hughes　waved　his　hand　in　a　friendly　fashion；　but　Gryce　eyed　him　with　some　hostility。　Eric　Hughes　was　a　young　man　with　genuine　political　enthusiasms；；　but　he　knew　that　political　opponents　are　people　with　whom　one　may　have　to　dine　any　day。　But　Mr。　Gryce　was　a　grim　little　local　Radical；　a　champion　of　the　chapel；　and　one　of　those　happy　people　whose　work　is　also　their　hobby。　He　turned　his　back　as　the　motor　car　drove　away；　and　walked　briskly　up　the　sunlit　high　street　of　the　little　town；　whistling；　with　political　papers　sticking　out　of　his　pocket。

Fisher　looked　pensively　after　the　resolute　figure　for　a　moment；　and　then；　as　if　by　an　impulse；　began　to　follow　it。　Through　the　busy　market　place；　amid　the　baskets　and　barrows　of　market　day；　under　the　painted　wooden　sign　of　the　Green　Dragon；　up　a　dark　side　entry；　under　an　arch；　and　through　a　tangle　of　crooked　cobbled　streets　the　two　threaded　their　way；　the　square；　strutting　figure　in　front　and　the　lean；　lounging　figure　behind　him；　like　his　shadow　in　the　sunshine。　At　length　they　came　to　a　brown　brick　house　with　a　brass　plate；　on　which　was　Mr。　Gryce's　name；　and　that　individual　turned　and　beheld　　his　pursuer　with　a　stare。

〃Could　I　have　a　word　with　you；　sir？〃　asked　Horne　Fisher；　politely。　The　agent　stared　still　more；　but　assented　civilly；　and　led　the　other　into　an　office　littered　with　leaflets　and　hung　all　round　with　highly　colored　posters　which　linked　the　name　of　Hughes　with　all　the　higher　interests　of　humanity。

〃Mr。　Horne　Fisher；　I　believe；〃　said　Mr。　Gryce。　〃Much　honored　by　the　call；　of　course。　Can't　pretend　to　congratulate　you　on　entering　the　contest；　I'm　afraid；　you　won't　expect　that。　Here　we've　been　keeping　the　old　flag　flying　for　freedom　and　reform；　and　you　come　in　and　break　the　battle　line。〃

For　Mr。　Elijah　Gryce　abounded　in　military　metaphors　and　in　denunciations　of　militarism。　He　was　a　square…jawed；　blunt…featured　man　with　a　pugnacious　cock　of　the　eyebrow。　He　had　been　pickled　in　the　politics　of　that　countryside　from　　boyhood；　he　knew　everybody's　secrets；　and　electioneering　was　the　romance　of　his　life。

〃I　suppose　you　think　I'm　devoured　with　ambition；〃　said　Horne　Fisher；　in　his　rather　listless　voice；　〃aiming　at　a　dictatorship　and　all　that。　Well；　I　think　I　can　clear　myself　of　the　charge　of　mere　selfish　ambition。　I　only　want　certain　things　done。　I　don't　want　to　do　them。　I　very　seldom　want　to　do　anything。　And　I've　come　here　to　say　that　I'm　quite　willing　to　retire　from　the　contest　if　you　can　convince　me　that　we　really　want　to　do　the　same　thing。〃

The　agent　of　the　Reform　party　looked　at　him　with　an　odd　and　slightly　puzzled　expression；　and　before　he　could　reply；　Fisher　went　on　in　the　same　level　tones：

〃You'd　hardly　believe　it；　but　I　keep　a　conscience　concealed　about　me；　and　I　am　in　doubt　about　several　things。　For　instance；　we　both　want　to　turn　Verner　out　of　Parliament；　but　what　weapon　are　we　to　use？　I've　heard　a　lot　of　gossip　against　him；　but　is　it　right　to　act　on　mere　gossip？　Just　as　I　want　to　be　fair　to　you；　so　I　want　to　be　fair　to　him。　If　some　of　the　things　I've　heard　are　true　he　ought　to　be　turned　out　of　Parliament　and　every　other　club　in　London。　But　I　don't　want　to　turn　him　out　of　Parliament　if　they　aren't　true。〃

At　this　point　the　light　of　battle　sprang　into　Mr。　Gryce's　eyes　and　he　became　voluble；　not　to　say　violent。　He；　at　any　rate；　had　no　doubt　that　the　stories　were　true；　he　could　testify；　to　his　own　knowledge；　that　they　were　true。　Verner　was　not　only　a　hard　landlord；　but　a　mean　landlord；　a　robber　as　well　as　a　rackrenter；　any　gentleman　would　be　justified　in　hounding　him　out。　He　had　cheated　old　Wilkins　out　of　his　freehold　by　a　trick　fit　for　a　pickpocket；　he　had　driven　old　Mother　Biddle　to　the　workhouse；　he　had　stretched　the　law　against　Long　Adam；　the　poacher；　till　all　the　magistrates　were　ashamed　of　him。

〃So　if　you'll　serve　under　the　old　banner；〃　concluded　Mr。　Gryce；　more　genially；　〃and　turn　out　a　swindling　tyrant　like　that；　I'm　sure　you'll　never　regret　it。〃

〃And　if　that　is　the　truth；〃　said　Horne　Fisher；　〃are　you　going　to　tell　it？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　Tell　the　truth？〃　demanded　Gryce。

〃I　mean　you　are　going　to　tell　the　truth　as　you　have　just　told　it；〃　replied　Fisher。　〃You　are　going　to　placard　this　town　with　the　wickedness　done　to　old　Wilkins。　You　are　going　to　fill　the　newspapers　with　the　infamous　story　of　Mrs。　Biddle。　You　are　going　to　denounce　Verner　from　a　public　platform；　naming　him　for　what　he　did　and　naming　the　poacher　he　did　it　to。　And　you're　going　to　find　out　by　what　trade　this　man　made　the　money　with　which　he　bought　the　estate；　and　when　you　know　the　truth；　as　I　said　before；　of　course　you　are　going　to　tell　it。　Upon　those　terms　I　come　under　the　old　flag；　as　you　call　it；　and　haul　down　my　little　pennon。〃

The　agent　was　eying　him　with　a　curious　expression；　surly　but　not　entirely　unsympathetic。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃you　have　to　do　these　things　in　a　regular　way；　you　know；　or　people　don't　understand。　I've　had　a　lot　of　experience；　and　I'm　afraid　what　you　say　wouldn't　do。　People　understand　slanging　squires　in　a　general　way；　but　those　personalities　aren't　considered　fair　play。　Looks　like　hitting　below　the　belt。〃

〃Old　Wilkins　hasn't　got　a　belt；　I　suppose；〃　replied　Horne　Fisher。　〃Verner　can　hit　him　anyhow；　and　nobody　must　say　a　word。　It's　evidently　very　important　to　have　a　belt。　But　apparently　you　have　to　be　rather　high　up　in　society　to　have　one。　Possibly；〃　he　added；　thoughtfully〃possibly　the　explanation　of　the　phrase　'a　belted　earl；'　the　meaning　of　which　has　always　escaped　me。〃

〃I　mean　those　personalities　won't　do；〃　returned　Gryce；　frowning　at　the　table。

〃And　Mother　Biddle　and　Long　Adam；　the　poacher；　are　not　personalities；〃　said　Fisher；　〃and　suppose　we　mustn't　ask　how　Verner　made　all　the　money　that　enabled　him　to　becomea　personality。〃

Gryce　was　still　looking　at　him　under　lowering　brows；　but　the　singular　light　in　his　eyes　had　　brightened。　At　last　he　said；　in　another　and　much　quieter　voice：

〃Look　here；　sir。　I　like　you；　if　you　don't　mind　my　saying　so。　I　think　you　are　really