the innocence of father brown-第43章

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lli　wants　to　be　hanged；　and　his　mother's　fainted；　and　I；　for　one；　don't　know　whether　I'm　in　this　world　or　the　next。　　But；　thank　God；　you're　in　the　same　one。〃　　And　he　took　the　bewildered　Flambeau's　arm。　　　　　As　they　turned　from　the　landing…stage　they　came　under　the　eaves　of　the　low　bamboo　house；　and　looked　in　through　one　of　the　windows；　as　they　had　done　on　their　first　arrival。　　They　beheld　a　lamp…lit　interior　well　calculated　to　arrest　their　eyes。　　The　table　in　the　long　dining…room　had　been　laid　for　dinner　when　Saradine's　destroyer　had　fallen　like　a　stormbolt　on　the　island。　　And　the　dinner　was　now　in　placid　progress；　for　Mrs。　Anthony　sat　somewhat　sullenly　at　the　foot　of　the　table；　while　at　the　head　of　it　was　Mr。　Paul；　the　major　domo；　eating　and　drinking　of　the　best；　his　bleared；　bluish　eyes　standing　queerly　out　of　his　face；　his　gaunt　countenance　inscrutable；　but　by　no　means　devoid　of　satisfaction。　　　　　With　a　gesture　of　powerful　impatience；　Flambeau　rattled　at　the　window；　wrenched　it　open；　and　put　an　indignant　head　into　the　lamp…lit　room。　　　　　〃Well；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　can　understand　you　may　need　some　refreshment；　but　really　to　steal　your　master's　dinner　while　he　lies　murdered　in　the　garden〃　　　　　〃I　have　stolen　a　great　many　things　in　a　long　and　pleasant　life；〃　replied　the　strange　old　gentleman　placidly；　〃this　dinner　is　one　of　the　few　things　I　have　not　stolen。　　This　dinner　and　this　house　and　garden　happen　to　belong　to　me。〃　　　　　A　thought　flashed　across　Flambeau's　face。　　〃You　mean　to　say；〃　he　began；　〃that　the　will　of　Prince　Saradine〃　　　　　〃I　am　Prince　Saradine；〃　said　the　old　man；　munching　a　salted　almond。　　　　　Father　Brown；　who　was　looking　at　the　birds　outside；　jumped　as　if　he　were　shot；　and　put　in　at　the　window　a　pale　face　like　a　turnip。　　　　　〃You　are　what？〃　he　repeated　in　a　shrill　voice。　　　　　〃Paul；　Prince　Saradine；　A　vos　ordres；〃　said　the　venerable　person　politely；　lifting　a　glass　of　sherry。　　〃I　live　here　very　quietly；　being　a　domestic　kind　of　fellow；　and　for　the　sake　of　modesty　I　am　called　Mr。　Paul；　to　distinguish　me　from　my　unfortunate　brother　Mr。　Stephen。　　He　died；　I　hear；　recentlyin　the　garden。　　Of　course；　it　is　not　my　fault　if　enemies　pursue　him　to　this　place。　　It　is　owing　to　the　regrettable　irregularity　of　his　life。　　He　was　not　a　domestic　character。〃　　　　　He　relapsed　into　silence；　and　continued　to　gaze　at　the　opposite　wall　just　above　the　bowed　and　sombre　head　of　the　woman。　They　saw　plainly　the　family　likeness　that　had　haunted　them　in　the　dead　man。　　Then　his　old　shoulders　began　to　heave　and　shake　a　little；　as　if　he　were　choking；　but　his　face　did　not　alter。　　　　　〃My　God！〃　cried　Flambeau　after　a　pause；　〃he's　laughing！〃　　　　　〃Come　away；〃　said　Father　Brown；　who　was　quite　white。　　〃Come　away　from　this　house　of　hell。　　Let　us　get　into　an　honest　boat　again。〃　　　　　Night　had　sunk　on　rushes　and　river　by　the　time　they　had　pushed　off　from　the　island；　and　they　went　down…stream　in　the　dark；　warming　themselves　with　two　big　cigars　that　glowed　like　crimson　ships'　lanterns。　　Father　Brown　took　his　cigar　out　of　his　mouth　and　said：　　　　　〃I　suppose　you　can　guess　the　whole　story　now？　　After　all；　it's　a　primitive　story。　　A　man　had　two　enemies。　　He　was　a　wise　man。　And　so　he　discovered　that　two　enemies　are　better　than　one。〃　　　　　〃I　do　not　follow　that；〃　answered　Flambeau。　　　　　〃Oh；　it's　really　simple；〃　rejoined　his　friend。　　〃Simple；　though　anything　but　innocent。　　Both　the　Saradines　were　scamps；　but　the　prince；　the　elder；　was　the　sort　of　scamp　that　gets　to　the　top；　and　the　younger；　the　captain；　was　the　sort　that　sinks　to　the　bottom。　　This　squalid　officer　fell　from　beggar　to　blackmailer；　and　one　ugly　day　he　got　his　hold　upon　his　brother；　the　prince。　Obviously　it　was　for　no　light　matter；　for　Prince　Paul　Saradine　was　frankly　‘fast；'　and　had　no　reputation　to　lose　as　to　the　mere　sins　of　society。　　In　plain　fact；　it　was　a　hanging　matter；　and　Stephen　literally　had　a　rope　round　his　brother's　neck。　　He　had　somehow　discovered　the　truth　about　the　Sicilian　affair；　and　could　prove　that　Paul　murdered　old　Antonelli　in　the　mountains。　　The　captain　raked　in　the　hush　money　heavily　for　ten　years；　until　even　the　prince's　splendid　fortune　began　to　look　a　little　foolish。　　　　　〃But　Prince　Saradine　bore　another　burden　besides　his　blood…sucking　brother。　　He　knew　that　the　son　of　Antonelli；　a　mere　child　at　the　time　of　the　murder；　had　been　trained　in　savage　Sicilian　loyalty；　and　lived　only　to　avenge　his　father；　not　with　the　gibbet　（for　he　lacked　Stephen's　legal　proof）；　but　with　the　old　weapons　of　vendetta。　　The　boy　had　practised　arms　with　a　deadly　perfection；　and　about　the　time　that　he　was　old　enough　to　use　them　Prince　Saradine　began；　as　the　society　papers　said；　to　travel。　　The　fact　is　that　he　began　to　flee　for　his　life；　passing　from　place　to　place　like　a　hunted　criminal；　but　with　one　relentless　man　upon　his　trail。　　That　was　Prince　Paul's　position；　and　by　no　means　a　pretty　one。　　The　more　money　he　spent　on　eluding　Antonelli　the　less　he　had　to　silence　Stephen。　　The　more　he　gave　to　silence　Stephen　the　less　chance　there　was　of　finally　escaping　Antonelli。　　Then　it　was　that　he　showed　himself　a　great　mana　genius　like　Napoleon。　　　　　〃Instead　of　resisting　his　two　antagonists；　he　surrendered　suddenly　to　both　of　them。　　He　gave　way　like　a　Japanese　wrestler；　and　his　foes　fell　prostrate　before　him。　　He　gave　up　the　race　round　the　world；　and　he　gave　up　his　address　to　young　Antonelli；　then　he　gave　up　everything　to　his　brother。　　He　sent　Stephen　money　enough　for　smart　clothes　and　easy　travel；　with　a　letter　saying　roughly：　‘This　is　all　I　have　left。　　You　have　cleaned　me　out。　　I　still　have　a　little　house　in　Norfolk；　with　servants　and　a　cellar；　and　if　you　want　more　from　me　you　must　take　that。　　Come　and　take　possession　if　you　like；　and　I　will　live　there　quietly　as　your　friend　or　agent　or　anything。'　　He　knew　that　the　Sicilian　had　never　seen　the　Saradine　brothers　save；　perhaps；　in　pictures；　he　knew　they　were　somewhat　alike；　both　having　grey；　pointed　beards。　　Then　he　shaved　his　own　face　and　waited。　　The　trap　worked。　　The　unhappy　captain；　in　his　new　clothes；　entered　the　house　in　triumph　as　a　prince；　and　walked　upon　the　Sicilian's　sword。　　　　　〃There　was　one　hitch；　and　it　is　to　the　honour　of　human　nature。　Evil　spirits　like　Saradine　often　blunder　by　never　expecting　the　virtues　of　mankind。　　He　took　it　for　granted　that　the　Italian's　blow；　when　it　came；　would　be　dark；　violent　and　nameless；　like　the　blow　it　avenged；　that　the　victim　would　be　knifed　at　night；　or　shot　from　behind　a　hedge；　and　so　die　without　speech。　　It　was　a　bad　minute　for　Prince　Paul　when　Antonelli's　chivalry　proposed　a　formal　duel；　with　all　its　possible　explanations。　　It　was　then　that　I　found　him　putting　off　in　his　boat　with　wild　eyes。　　He　was　fleeing；　bareheaded；　in　an　open　boat　before　Antonelli　should　learn　who　he　was。　　　　　〃But；　however　agitated；　he　was　not　hopeless。　　He　knew　the　adventurer　and　he　knew　the　fanatic。　　It　was　quite　probable　that　Stephen；　the　adventurer；　would　hold　his　tongue；　through　his　mere　histrionic　pleasure　in　playing　a　part；　his　lust　for　clinging　to　his　new　cosy　quarters；　his　rascal's　trust　in　luck；　and　his　fine　fencing。　　It　was　certain　that　Antonelli；　the　fanatic；　would　hold　his　tongue；　and　be　hanged　without　telling　tales　of　his　family。　Paul　hung　about　o