the trees of pride-第9节

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ts　bore　fruit　at　last；　if　anything　so　hard　and　meager　and　forlorn　can　be　called　a　fruit。　It　weighed　loosely　in　the　net　as　it　was　lifted；　and　rolled　out　on　the　grassy　edge　of　the　well；　it　was　a　bone。

Ashe　picked　it　up　and　stood　with　it　in　his　hand；　frowning。

〃We　want　Doctor　Brown　here；〃　he　said。　　〃This　may　be　the　bone　of　some　animal。　　Any　dog　or　sheep　might　fall　into　a　hidden　well。〃　Then　he　broke　off；　for　his　companion　was　already　detaching　a　second　bone　from　the　net。

After　another　half　hour's　effort　Paynter　had　occasion　to　remark；　〃It　must　have　been　rather　a　large　dog。〃　　There　were　already　a　heap　of　such　white　fragments　at　his　feet。

〃I　have　seen　nothing　yet；〃　said　Ashe；　speaking　more　plainly。　〃That　is　certainly　a　human　bone。〃　　〃I　fancy　this　must　be　a　human　bone；〃　said　the　American。

And　he　turned　away　a　little　as　he　handed　the　other　a　skull。

There　was　no　doubt　of　what　sort　of　skull；　there　was　the　one　unique　curve　that　holds　the　mystery　of　reason；　and　underneath　it　the　two　black　holes　that　had　held　human　eyes。　But　just　above　that　on　the　left　was　another　and　smaller　black　hole；　which　was　not　an　eye。

Then　the　lawyer　said；　with　something　like　an　effort：　〃We　may　admit　it　is　a　man　without　admitting　it　isany　particular　man。　There　may　be　something；　after　all；　in　that　yarn　about　the　drunkard；　he　may　have　tumbled　into　the　well。　　Under　certain　conditions；　after　certain　natural　processes；　I　fancy；　the　bones　might　be　stripped　in　this　way；　even　without　the　skill　of　any　assassin。　We　want　the　doctor　again。〃

Then　he　added　suddenly；　and　the　very　sound　of　his　voice　suggested　that　he　hardly　believed　his　own　words。

〃Haven't　you　got　poor　Vane's　hat　there？〃

He　took　it　from　the　silent　American's　hand；　and　with　a　sort　of　hurry　fitted　it　on　the　bony　head。

〃Don't！〃　said　the　other　involuntarily。

The　lawyer　had　put　his　finger；　as　the　doctor　had　done；　through　the　hole　in　the　hat；　and　it　lay　exactly　over　the　hole　in　the　skull。

〃I　have　the　better　right　to　shrink；〃　he　said　steadily；　but　in　a　vibrant　voice。　　〃I　think　I　am　the　older　friend。〃

Paynter　nodded　without　speech；　accepting　the　final　identification。　The　last　doubt；　or　hope；　had　departed；　and　he　turned　to　the　dragging　apparatus；　and　did　not　speak　till　he　had　made　his　last　find。

The　singing　of　the　birds　seemed　to　grow　louder　about　them；　and　the　dance　of　the　green　summer　leaves　was　repeated　beyond　in　the　dance　of　the　green　summer　sea。　　Only　the　great　roots　of　the　mysterious　trees　could　be　seen；　the　rest　being　far　aloft；　and　all　round　it　was　a　wood　of　little；　lively　and　happy　things。　They　might　have　been　two　innocent　naturalists；　or　even　two　children　fishing　for　eels　or　tittlebats　on　that　summer　holiday　when　Paynter　pulled　up　something　that　weighed　in　the　net　more　heavily　than　any　bone。　it　nearly　broke　the　meshes；　and　fell　against　a　mossy　stone　with　a　clang。

〃Truth　lies　at　the　bottom　of　a　well；〃　cried　the　American；　with　lift　in　his　voice。　　〃The　woodman's　ax。〃

It　lay；　indeed；　flat　and　gleaming　in　the　grasses　by　the　well　in　the　wood；　just　as　it　had　lain　in　the　thicket　where　the　woodman　threw　it　in　the　beginning　of　all　these　things。　But　on　one　corner　of　the　bright　blade　was　a　dull　brown　stain。

〃I　see；〃　said　Ashe；　〃the　woodman's　ax；　and　therefore　the　Woodman。　　Your　deductions　are　rapid。〃

〃My　deductions　are　reasonable；〃　said　Paynter；　〃Look　here；　Mr。　Ashe；　I　know　what　you're　thinking。　　I　know　you　distrust　Treherne；　but　I'm　sure　you　will　be　just　for　all　that。　　To　begin　with；　surely　the　first　assumption　is　that　the　woodman's　ax　is　used　by　the　Woodman。　　What　have　you　to　say　to　it？〃

〃I　say　'No'　to　it；〃　replied　the　lawyer。　　〃The　last　weapon　a　woodman　would　use　would　be　a　woodman's　ax；　that　is　if　he　is　a　sane　man。〃

〃He　isn't；〃　said　Paynter　quietly；　〃you　said　you　wanted　the　doctor's　opinion　just　now。　　The　doctor's　opinion　on　this　point　is　the　same　as　my　own。　　We　both　found　him　meandering　about　outside　there；　it's　obvious　this　business　has　gone　to　his　head；　at　any　rate。　If　the　murderer　were　a　man　of　business　like　yourself；　what　you　say　might　be　sound。　　But　this　murderer　is　a　mystic。　He　was　driven　by　some　fanatical　fad　about　the　trees。　It's　quite　likely　he　thought　there　was　something　solemn　and　sacrificial　about　the　ax；　and　would　have　liked　to　cut　off　Vane's　head　before　a　crowd；　like　Charles　I's。　He's　looking　for　the　ax　still；　and　probably　thinks　it　a　holy　relic。〃

〃For　which　reason；〃　said　Ashe；　smiling；　〃he　instantly　chucked　it　down　a　well。〃

Paynter　laughed。

〃You　have　me　there　certainly；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　think　you　have　something　else　in　your　mind。　　You'll　say；　I　suppose；　that　we　were　all　watching　the　wood；　but　were　we？　　Frankly；　I　could　almost　fancy　the　peacock　trees　did　strike　me　with　a　sort　of　sickness　a　sleeping　sickness。〃

〃Well；〃　admitted　Ashe；　〃you　have　me　there　too。　　I'm　afraid　I　couldn't　swear　I　was　awake　all　the　time；　but　I　don't　put　it　down　to　magic　treesonly　to　a　private　hobby　of　going　to　bed　at　night。　But　look　here；　Mr。　Paynter；　there's　another　and　better　argument　against　any　outsider　from　the　village　or　countryside　having　committed　the　crime。　　Granted　he　might　have　slipped　past　us　somehow；　and　gone　for　the　Squire。　　But　why　should　he　go　for　him　in　the　wood？　How　did　he　know　he　was　in　the　wood？　　You　remember　how　suddenly　the　poor　old　boy　bolted　into　it；　on　what　a　momentary　impulse。　'It's　the　last　place　where　one　would　normally　look　for　such　a　man；　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　　No；　it's　an　ugly　thing　to　say；　but　we；　the　group　round　that　garden　table；　were　the　only　people　who　knew。　Which　brings　me　back　to　the　one　point　in　your　remarks　which　I　happen　to　think　perfectly　true。〃

〃What　was　that？〃　inquired　the　other。

〃That　the　murderer　was　a　mystic；〃　said　Ashe。　　〃But　a　cleverer　mystic　than　poor　old　Martin。〃

Paynter　made　a　murmur　of　protest；　and　then　fell　silent。

〃Let　us　talk　plainly；〃　resumed　the　lawyer。　　〃Treherne　had　all　those　mad　motives　you　yourself　admit　against　the　woodcutter。　He　had　the　knowledge　of　Vane's　whereabouts；　which　nobody　can　possibly　attribute　to　the　woodcutter。　　But　he　had　much　more。　Who　taunted　and　goaded　the　Squire　to　go　into　the　wood　at　all？　　Treherne。　　Who　practically　prophesied；　like　an　infernal　quack　astrologer；　that　something　would　happen　to　him　if　he　did　go　into　the　wood？　　Treherne。　　Who　was；　for　some　reason；　no　matter　what；　obviously　burning　with　rage　and　restlessness　all　that　night；　kicking　his　legs　impatiently　to　and　fro　on　the　cliff；　and　breaking　out　with　wild　words　about　it　being　all　over　soon？　　Treherne。　　And　on　top　of　all　this；　when　I　walked　closer　to　the　wood；　whom　did　I　see　slip　out　of　it　swiftly　and　silently　like　a　shadow；　but　turning　his　face　once　to　the　moon？　On　my　oath　and　on　my　honorTreherne。〃

〃It　is　awful；〃　said　Paynter；　like　a　man　stunned。　〃What　you　say　is　simply　awful。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ashe　seriously；　〃very　awful；　but　very　simple。　Treherne　knew　where　the　ax　was　originally　thrown。　　I　saw　him；　on　that　day　he　lunched　here　first；　watching　it　like　a　wolf；　while　Miss　Vane　was　talking　to　him。　　On　that　dreadful　night　he　could　easily　have　picked　it　up　as　he　went　into　the　wood。　He　knew　about　the　well；　no　doubt；　who　was　so　likely　to　know　any　old　traditions　about　the　peacock　trees？　　He　hid　the　hat　in　the　trees；　where　perhaps　he　hoped　（though　the　point　is　unimportant）　that　nobody　would　dare　to　look。　　Anyhow；　he　hid　it；　simply　because　it　was　the　one　thing　that　would　not　sink　in　the　well。　　Mr。　Paynter；　do　you　think　I　would　say　this　of　any　man　in　mere　mean　dislike？　Could　any　man。　　say　it　of　any　man　unless　the　case　was　complete；　as　this　is　complete？〃

〃It　is　complete；〃　said　Paynter；　very　pale。　　〃I　have　nothing　left　against　it　but　a　faint；　irrational　feeling；　a　feeling　that；　somehow　or　other；　if　poor　Vane　could　stand　alive　before　us　at　this　moment　he　might　tell　some　other　and　even　more　incredible　tale。〃

Ashe　made　a　mournful　gesture。

〃Can　these　dry　bones　live？〃　he　said。

〃Lord　Thou　knowest；〃　answered　the　other　mechanically。　〃Even　these　dry　bones〃

And　he　stopped　suddenly　with　his　mouth　open；　a　blinding　light　of　wonder　in　his　pale　eyes。

〃See　here；〃　he　said　hoarsely　and　hastily。　　〃You　have　said　the　word。　What　does　it　mean？　　What　can　it　mean？　　Dry？　　Why　are　these　bones　dry？〃

The　lawyer　started　and　stared　down　at　the　heap。

〃Your　case　complete！〃　cried　Paynter；　in　mounting　excitement。　〃Where　is　the　water　in　the　well？　　The　water　I　saw　leap　like　a　flame？　Why　did　it　leap？　　Where　is　it　gone　to？　　Complete！　　We　are　buried　under　riddles。〃

Ashe　stooped；　picked　up　a　bone　and　looked　at　it。

〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　and　shaken　voice：　〃this　bone　is　as　dryas　a　bone。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　right；〃　replied　Cyprian。　　〃And　your　mystic　is　still　as　mysterious　as　a　mystic。〃

There　was　a　long　silence。　　Ashe　laid　down　the　bone；　picked　up　the　ax　and　studied　it　more　closely。　　Beyond　the　dull　stain　at　the　corner　of　the　steel　there　was　nothing　unusual　about　it　save　a　broad　white　rag　wrapped　round　the　handle；　perhaps　to　give　a　better　grip。　　The　lawyer　thought　it　worth；　noting；　however；　that　the　rag　was　certainly　newer　and　cleaner　than　the　chopper。　But　both　were　quite　dry。

〃Mr。　Paynter；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　admit　you　have　scored；　in　the　spirit　if　not　in　the　letter。　　In　strict　logic；　this　greater　puzzle　is　not　a　reply　to　my