the trees of pride-第11节

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She　was　smiling；　but　with　blazing　eyes；　and　Ashe　got　to　his　feet　with　an　involuntary　laugh　of　surrender。

〃Well；　we　must…be　going；〃　he　said。　　〃May　I　say　that　a　tribute　is　really　due　to　your　new　transcendental　training？　If　I　may　say　so；　I　always　knew　you　had　brains；　and　you've　been　learning　to　use　them。〃

The　two　amateur　detectives　went　back　to　the　wood　for　the　moment；　that　Ashe　might　consider　the　removal　of　the　unhappy　Squire's　remains。　As　he　pointed　out；　it　was　now　legally　possible　to　have　an　inquest；　and；　even　at　that　early　stage　of　investigations；　he　was　in　favor　of　having　it　at　once。

〃I　shall　be　the　coroner；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　think　it　will　be　a　case　of　'some　person　or　persons　unknown。'　　Don't　be　surprised；　it　is　often　done　to　give　the　guilty　a　false　security。　This　is　not　the　first　time　the　police　have　found　it　convenient　to　have　the　inquest　first　and　the　inquiry　afterward。〃

But　Paynter　had　paid　little　attention　to　the　point；　for　his　great　gift　of　enthusiasm；　long　wasted　on　arts　and　affectations；　was　lifted　to　inspiration　by　the　romance　of　real　life　into　which　he　had　just　walked。　He　was　really　a　great　critic；　he　had　a　genius　for　admiration；　and　his　admiration　varied　fittingly　with　everything　he　admired。

〃A　splendid　girl　and　a　splendid　story；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　in　love　again　myself；　not　so　much　with　her　as　with　Eve　or　Helen　of　Troy；　or　some　such　tower　of　beauty　in　the　morning　of　the　world。　Don't　you　love　all　heroic　things；　that　gravity　and　great　candor；　and　the　way　she　took　one　step　from　a　sort　of　throne　to　stand　in　a　wilderness　with　a　vagabond？　　Oh；　believe　me；　it　is　she　who　is　the　poet；　she　has　the　higher　reason；　and　honor　and　valor　are　at　rest　in　her　soul。〃

〃In　short；　she　is　uncommonly　pretty；〃　replied　Ashe；　with　some　cynicism。　〃I　knew　a　murderess　rather　well　who　was　very　much　like　her；　and　had　just　that　colored　hair。〃

〃You　talk　as　if　a　murderer　could　be　caught　red…haired　instead　of　red…handed；〃　retorted　Paynter。　　〃Why；　at　this　very　minute；　you　could　be　caught　red…haired　yourself。　　Are　you　a　murderer；　by　any　chance？〃

Ashe　looked　up　quickly；　and　then　smiled。

〃I'm　afraid　I'm　a　connoisseur　in　murderers；　as　you　are　in　poets；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　assure　you　they　are　of　all　colors　in　hair　as　well　as　temperament。　　I　suppose　it's　inhumane；　but　mine　is　a　monstrously　interesting　trade；　even　in　a　little　place　like　this。　As　for　that　girl；　of　course　I've　known　her　all　her　life；　andBut　but　that　is　just　the　question。　　Have　I　known　her　all　her　life？　Have　I　known　her　at　all？　　Was　she　even　there　to　be　known？　You　admire　her　for　telling　the　truth；　and　so　she　did；　by　God；　when　she　said　that　some　people　wake　up　late；　who　have　never　lived　before。　Do　we　know　what　they　might　dowe；　who　have　only　seen　them　asleep？〃

〃Great　heavens！〃　cried　Paynter。　　〃You　don't　dare　suggest　that　she〃

〃No；　I　don't；〃　said　the　lawyer；　with　composure；　〃but　there　are　other　reasons。　。　。　。　I　don't　suggest　anything　fully；　till　we've　had　our　interview　with　this　poet　of　yours。　I　think　I　know　where　to　find　him。〃

They　found　him；　in　fact；　before　they　expected　him；　sitting　on　the　bench　outside　the　Vane　Arms；　drinking　a　mug　of　cider　and　waiting　for　the　return　of　his　American　friend；　so　it　was　not　difficult　to　open　conversation　with　him。　Nor　did　he　in　any　way　avoid　the　subject　of　the　tragedy；　and　the　lawyer；　seating　himself　also　on　the　long　bench　that　fronted　the　little　market　place；　was　soon　putting　the　last　developments　as　lucidly　as　he　had　put　them　to　Barbara。

〃Well；〃　said　Treherne　at　last；　leaning　back　and　frowning　at　the　signboard；　with　the　colored　birds　and　dolphins；　just　about　his　head；　〃suppose　somebody　did　kill　the　Squire。　　He'd　killed　a　good　many　people　with　his　hygiene　and　his　enlightened　landlordism。〃

Paynter　was　considerably　uneasy　at　this　alarming　opening；　but　the　poet　went　on　quite　coolly；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　feet　thrust　out　into　the　street。

〃When　a　man　has　the　power　of　a　Sultan　in　Turkey；　and　uses　it　with　the　ideas　of　a　spinster　in　Tooting；　I　often　wonder　that　nobody　puts　a　knife　in　him。　　I　wish　there　were　more　sympathy　for　murderers；　somehow。　I'm　very　sorry　the　poor　old　fellow's　gone　myself；　but　you　gentlemen　always　seem　to　forget　there　are　any　other　people　in　the　world。　He's　all　right；　he　was　a　good　fellow；　and　his　soul；　I　fancy；　has　gone　to　the　happiest　paradise　of　all。〃

The　anxious　American　could　read　nothing　of　the　effect　of　this　in　the　dark　Napoleonic　face　of　the　lawyer；　who　merely　said：　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　fool's　paradise；〃　said　Treherne；　and　drained　his　pot　of　cider。

The　lawyer　rose。　　He　did　not　look　at　Treherne；　or　speak　to　him；　but　looked　and　spoke　straight　across　him　to　the　American；　who　found　the　utterance　not　a　little　unexpected。

〃Mr。　Paynter；〃　said　Ashe；　〃you　thought　it　rather　morbid　of　me　to　collect　murderers；　but　it's　fortunate　for　your　own　view　of　the　case　that　I　do。　　It　may　surprise　you　to　know　that　Mr。　Treherne　has　now；　in　my　eyes；　entirely　cleared　himself　of　suspicion。　I　have　been　intimate　with　several　assassins；　as　I　remarked；　but　there's　one　thing　none　of　them　ever　did。　　I　never　knew　a　murderer　to　talk　about　the　murder；　and　then　at　once　deny　it　and　defend　it。　　No；　if　a　man　is　concealing　his　crime；　why　should　he　go　out　of　his　way　to　apologize　for　it？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Paynter；　with　his　ready　appreciation；　〃I　always　said　you　were　a　remarkable　man；　and　that's　certainly　a　remarkable　idea。〃

〃Do　I　understand；〃　asked　the　poet；　kicking　his　heels　on　the　cobbles；　〃that　both　you　gentlemen　have　been　kindly　directing　me　toward　the　gallows？〃

〃No；〃　said　Paynter　thoughtfully。　　〃I　never　thought　you　guilty；　and　even　supposing　I　had；　if　you　understand　me；　I　should　never　have　thought　it　quite　so　guilty　to　be　guilty。　It　would　not　have　been　for　money　or　any　mean　thing；　but　for　something　a　little　wilder　and　worthier　of　a　man　of　genius。　　After　all；　I　suppose；　the　poet　has　passions　like　great　unearthly　appetites；　and　the　world　has　always　judged　more　gently　of　his　sins。　But　now　that　Mr。　Ashe　admits　your　innocence；　I　can　honestly　say　I　have　always　affirmed　it。〃

The　poet　rose　also。　　〃Well；　I　am　innocent；　oddly　enough；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　I　can　make　a　guess　about　your　vanishing　well；　but　of　the　death　and　dry　bones　I　know　no　more　than　the　deadif　so　much。　And；　by　the　way；　my　dear　Paynter〃and　he　turned　two　bright　eyes　on　the　art　critic〃I　will　excuse　you　from　excusing　me　for　all　the　things　I　haven't　done；　and　you；　I　hope；　will　excuse　me　if　I　differ　from　you　altogether　about　the　morality　of　poets。　As　you　suggest；　it　is　a　fashionable　view；　but　I　think　it　is　a　fallacy。　No　man　has　less　right　to　be　lawless　than　a　man　of　imagination。　For　he　has　spiritual　adventures；　and　can　take　his　holidays　when　he　likes。　I　could　picture　the　poor　Squire　carried　off　to　elfland　whenever　I　wanted　him　carried　off；　and　that　wood　needed　no　crime　to　make　it　wicked　for　me。　That　red　sunset　the　other　night　was　all　that　a　murder　would　have　been　to　many　men。　　No；　Mr。　Ashe；　show；　when　next　you　sit　in　judgment；　a　little　mercy　to　some　wretched　man　who　drinks　and　robs　because　he　must　drink　beer　to　taste　it；　and　take　it　to　drink　it。　Have　compassion　on　the　next　batch　of　poor　thieves；　who　have　to　hold　things　in　order　to　have　them。　　But　if　ever　you　find　ME　stealing　one　small　farthing；　when　I　can　shut　my　eyes　and　see　the　city　of　El　Dorado；　then〃and　he　lifted　his　head　like　a　falcon〃show　me　no　mercy；　for　I　shall　deserve　none。〃

〃Well；〃　remarked　Ashe；　after　a　pause；　〃I　must　go　and　fix　things　up　for　the　inquest。　　Mr。　Treherne；　your　attitude　is　singularly　interesting；　I　really　almost　wish　I　could　add　you　to　my　collection　of　murderers。　They　are　a　varied　and　extraordinary　set。〃

〃Has　it　ever　occurred　to　you；〃　asked　Paynter；　〃that　perhaps　the　men　who　have　never　comitted　murder　are　a　varied　and　very　extraordinary　set？　Perhaps　every　plain　man's　life　holds　the　real　mystery；　the　secret　of　sins　avoided。〃

〃Possibly；〃　replied　Ashe。　　〃It　would　be　a　long　business　to　stop　the　next　man　in　the　street　and　ask　him　what　crimes　he　never　committed　and　why　not。　And　I　happen　to　be　busy；　so　you'll　excuse　me。〃

〃What；〃　asked　the　American；　when　he　and　the　poet　were　alone；　〃is　this　guess　of　yours　about　the　vanishing　water？〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　sure　I'll　tell　you　yet；〃　answered　Treherne；　something　of　the　old　mischief　coming　back　into　his　dark　eyes。　〃But　I'll　tell　you　something　else；　which　may　be　connected　with　it；　something　I　couldn't　tell　until　my　wife　had　told　you　about　our　meeting　in　the　wood。〃　　His　face　had　grown　grave　again；　and　he　resumed　after　a　pause：

〃When　my　wife　started　to　follow　her　father　I　advised　her　to　go　back　first　to　the　house；　to　leave　it　by　another　door　and　to　meet　me　in　the　wood　in　half　an　hour。　　We　often　made　these　assignations；　of　course；　and　generally　thought　them　great　fun；　but　this　time　the　question　was　serious；　and　I　didn't　want　the　wrong　thing　done　in　a　hurry。　It　was　a　question　whether　anything　could　be　done　to　undo　an　experiment　we　both　vaguely　felt　to　be　dangerous；　and　she　especially　thought；　after　reflection；　that　interference　would　make　things　worse。　She　thought　the　old　sportsman；　having　been　dared　to　do　something；　would　certainly　not　be　dissuaded　by　the　very　man　who　had　dared　him　or　by　a　woman　whom　he　regarded　as　a　child。