the innocence of father brown- 第15部分

　changing　on　the　way。　　We　can　act　it　in　this　very　hall；　the　audience　sitting　on　those　broad　stairs　opposite；　one　row　above　another。　　These　front　doors　can　be　the　back　scene；　either　open　or　shut。　　Shut；　you　see　an　English　interior。　　Open；　a　moonlit　garden。　　It　all　goes　by　magic。〃　　And　snatching　a　chance　piece　of　billiard　chalk　from　his　pocket；　he　ran　it　across　the　hall　floor；　half…way　between　the　front　door　and　the　staircase；　to　mark　the　line　of　the　footlights。　　　　　How　even　such　a　banquet　of　bosh　was　got　ready　in　the　time　remained　a　riddle。　　But　they　went　at　it　with　that　mixture　of　recklessness　and　industry　that　lives　when　youth　is　in　a　house；　and　youth　was　in　that　house　that　night；　though　not　all　may　have　isolated　the　two　faces　and　hearts　from　which　it　flamed。　　As　always　happens；　the　invention　grew　wilder　and　wilder　through　the　very　tameness　of　the　bourgeois　conventions　from　which　it　had　to　create。　The　columbine　looked　charming　in　an　outstanding　skirt　that　strangely　resembled　the　large　lamp…shade　in　the　drawing…room。　　The　clown　and　pantaloon　made　themselves　white　with　flour　from　the　cook；　and　red　with　rouge　from　some　other　domestic；　who　remained　（like　all　true　Christian　benefactors）　anonymous。　　The　harlequin；　already　clad　in　silver　paper　out　of　cigar　boxes；　was；　with　difficulty；　prevented　from　smashing　the　old　Victorian　lustre　chandeliers；　that　he　might　cover　himself　with　resplendent　crystals。　　In　fact　he　would　certainly　have　done　so；　had　not　Ruby　unearthed　some　old　pantomime　paste　jewels　she　had　worn　at　a　fancy　dress　party　as　the　Queen　of　Diamonds。　　Indeed；　her　uncle；　James　Blount；　was　getting　almost　out　of　hand　in　his　excitement；　he　was　like　a　schoolboy。　　He　put　a　paper　donkey's　head　unexpectedly　on　Father　Brown；　who　bore　it　patiently；　and　even　found　some　private　manner　of　moving　his　ears。　　He　even　essayed　to　put　the　paper　donkey's　tail　to　the　coat…tails　of　Sir　Leopold　Fischer。　　This；　however；　was　frowned　down。　　〃Uncle　is　too　absurd；〃　cried　Ruby　to　Crook；　round　whose　shoulders　she　had　seriously　placed　a　string　of　sausages。　　〃Why　is　he　so　wild？〃　　　　　〃He　is　harlequin　to　your　columbine；〃　said　Crook。　　〃I　am　only　the　clown　who　makes　the　old　jokes。〃　　　　　〃I　wish　you　were　the　harlequin；〃　she　said；　and　left　the　string　of　sausages　swinging。　　　　　Father　Brown；　though　he　knew　every　detail　done　behind　the　scenes；　and　had　even　evoked　applause　by　his　transformation　of　a　pillow　into　a　pantomime　baby；　went　round　to　the　front　and　sat　among　the　audience　with　all　the　solemn　expectation　of　a　child　at　his　first　matinee。　　The　spectators　were　few；　relations；　one　or　two　local　friends；　and　the　servants；　Sir　Leopold　sat　in　the　front　seat；　his　full　and　still　fur…collared　figure　largely　obscuring　the　view　of　the　little　cleric　behind　him；　but　it　has　never　been　settled　by　artistic　authorities　whether　the　cleric　lost　much。　　The　pantomime　was　utterly　chaotic；　yet　not　contemptible；　there　ran　through　it　a　rage　of　improvisation　which　came　chiefly　from　Crook　the　clown。　　Commonly　he　was　a　clever　man；　and　he　was　inspired　tonight　with　a　wild　omniscience；　a　folly　wiser　than　the　world；　that　which　comes　to　a　young　man　who　has　seen　for　an　instant　a　particular　expression　on　a　particular　face。　　He　was　supposed　to　be　the　clown；　but　he　was　really　almost　everything　else；　the　author　（so　far　as　there　was　an　author）；　the　prompter；　the　scene…painter；　the　scene…shifter；　and；　above　all；　the　orchestra。　　At　abrupt　intervals　in　the　outrageous　performance　he　would　hurl　himself　in　full　costume　at　the　piano　and　bang　out　some　popular　music　equally　absurd　and　appropriate。　　　　　The　climax　　of　this；　as　of　all　else；　was　the　moment　when　the　two　front　doors　at　the　back　of　the　scene　flew　open；　showing　the　lovely　moonlit　garden；　but　showing　more　prominently　the　famous　professional　guest；　the　great　Florian；　dressed　up　as　a　policeman。　The　clown　at　the　piano　played　the　constabulary　chorus　in　the　〃Pirates　of　Penzance；〃　but　it　was　drowned　in　the　deafening　applause；　for　every　gesture　of　the　great　comic　actor　was　an　admirable　though　restrained　version　of　the　carriage　and　manner　of　the　police。　　The　harlequin　leapt　upon　him　and　hit　him　over　the　helmet；　the　pianist　playing　〃Where　did　you　get　that　hat？〃　he　faced　about　in　admirably　simulated　astonishment；　and　then　the　leaping　harlequin　hit　him　again　（the　pianist　suggesting　a　few　bars　of　〃Then　we　had　another　one〃）。　　Then　the　harlequin　rushed　right　into　the　arms　of　the　policeman　and　fell　on　top　of　him；　amid　a　roar　of　applause。　　Then　it　was　that　the　strange　actor　gave　that　celebrated　imitation　of　a　dead　man；　of　which　the　fame　still　lingers　round　Putney。　　It　was　almost　impossible　to　believe　that　a　living　person　could　appear　so　limp。　　　　　The　athletic　harlequin　swung　him　about　like　a　sack　or　twisted　or　tossed　him　like　an　Indian　club；　all　the　time　to　the　most　maddeningly　ludicrous　tunes　from　the　piano。　　When　the　harlequin　heaved　the　comic　constable　heavily　off　the　floor　the　clown　played　〃I　arise　from　dreams　of　thee。〃　　When　he　shuffled　him　across　his　back；　〃With　my　bundle　on　my　shoulder；〃　and　when　the　harlequin　finally　let　fall　the　policeman　with　a　most　convincing　thud；　the　lunatic　at　the　instrument　struck　into　a　jingling　measure　with　some　words　which　are　still　believed　to　have　been；　〃I　sent　a　letter　to　my　love　and　on　the　way　I　dropped　it。〃　　　　　At　about　this　limit　of　mental　anarchy　Father　Brown's　view　was　obscured　altogether；　for　the　City　magnate　in　front　of　him　rose　to　his　full　height　and　thrust　his　hands　savagely　into　all　his　pockets。　Then　he　sat　down　nervously；　still　fumbling；　and　then　stood　up　again。　　For　an　instant　it　seemed　seriously　likely　that　he　would　stride　across　the　footlights；　then　he　turned　a　glare　at　the　clown　playing　the　piano；　and　then　he　burst　in　silence　out　of　the　room。　　　　　The　priest　had　only　watched　for　a　few　more　minutes　the　absurd　but　not　inelegant　dance　of　the　amateur　harlequin　over　his　splendidly　unconscious　foe。　　With　real　though　rude　art；　the　harlequin　danced　slowly　backwards　out　of　the　door　into　the　garden；　which　was　full　of　moonlight　and　stillness。　　The　vamped　dress　of　silver　paper　and　paste；　which　had　been　too　glaring　in　the　footlights；　looked　more　and　more　magical　and　silvery　as　it　danced　away　under　a　brilliant　moon。　　The　audience　was　closing　in　with　a　cataract　of　applause；　when　Brown　felt　his　arm　abruptly　touched；　and　he　was　asked　in　a　whisper　to　come　into　the　colonel's　study。　　　　　He　followed　his　summoner　with　increasing　doubt；　which　was　not　dispelled　by　a　solemn　comicality　in　the　scene　of　the　study。　　There　sat　Colonel　Adams；　still　unaffectedly　dressed　as　a　pantaloon；　with　the　knobbed　whalebone　nodding　above　his　brow；　but　with　his　poor　old　eyes　sad　enough　to　have　sobered　a　Saturnalia。　　Sir　Leopold　Fischer　was　leaning　against　the　mantelpiece　and　heaving　with　all　the　importance　of　panic。　　　　　〃This　is　a　very　painful　matter；　Father　Brown；〃　said　Adams。　〃The　truth　is；　those　diamonds　we　all　saw　this　afternoon　seem　to　have　vanished　from　my　friend's　tail…coat　pocket。　　And　as　you〃　　　　　〃As　I；〃　supplemented　Father　Brown；　with　a　broad　grin；　〃was　sitting　just　behind　him〃　　　　　〃Nothing　of　the　sort　shall　be　suggested；〃　said　Colonel　Adams；　with　a　firm　look　at　Fischer；　which　rather　implied　that　some　such　thing　had　been　suggested。　　〃I　only　ask　you　to　give　me　the　assistance　that　any　gentleman　might　give。〃　　　　　〃Which　is　turning　out　his　pockets；〃　said　Father　Brown；　and　proceeded　to　do　so；　displaying　seven　and　sixpence；　a　return　ticket；　a　small　silver　crucifix；　a　small　breviary；　and　a　stick　of　chocolate。　　　　　The　colonel　looked　at　him　long；　and　then　said；　〃Do　you　know；　I　should　like　to　see　the　inside　of　your　head　more　than　the　inside　of　your　pockets。　　My　daughter　is　one　of　your　people；　I　know；　well；　she　has　lately〃　and　he　stopped。　　　　　〃She　has　lately；〃　cried　out　old　Fischer；　〃opened　her　father's　house　to　a　cut…throat　Socialist；　who　says　openly　he　would　steal　anything　from　a　richer　man。　　This　is　the　end　of　it。　　Here　is　the　richer　manand　none　the　richer。〃　　　　　〃If　you　want　the　inside　of　my　head　you　can　have　it；〃　said　Brown　rather　wearily。　　〃What　it's　worth　you　can　say　afterwards。　But　the　first　thing　I　find　in　that　disused　pocket　is　this：　that　men　who　mean　to　steal　diamonds　don't　talk　Socialism。　　They　are　more　likely；〃　he　added　demurely；　〃to　denounce　it。〃　　　　　Both　the　others　shifted　sharply　and　the　priest　went　on：　　　　　〃You　see；　we　know　these　people；　more　or　less。　　That　Socialist　would　no　more　steal　a　diamond　than　a　Pyramid。　　We　ought　to　look　at　once　to　the　one　man　we　don't　know。　　The　fellow　acting　the　policeman　Florian。　　Where　is　he　exactly　at　this　minute；　I　wonder。〃　　　　　The　pantaloon　sprang　erect　and　strode　out　of　the　room。　　An　interlude　ensued；　during　which　the　millionaire　stared　at　the　priest；　and　the　priest　at　his　breviary；　then　the　pantaloon　returned　and　said；　with　staccato　gravity；　〃The　policeman　is　still　lying　on　the　stage。　　The　curtain　has　gone　up　and　down　six　times；　he　is　still　lying　there。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　dropped　his　book　and　stood　staring　with　a　look　of　blank　mental　ruin。　　Very　slowly　a　light　began　to　creep　in　his　grey　eyes；　and　then　he　made　the　scarcely　obvious　answer。　　　　　〃Please　forgive　me；　colonel；　but　when　did　your　wife　die？〃　　　　　〃Wife！〃　replied　the　staring　soldier；　〃she　died　this　year　two　months。　　Her　brother　James　arrived　just　a　week　too　late　to　see　her。〃　　　　　The　little　priest　bounded　like　a　rabbit　shot。　　〃Come　on！〃　he　cried　in　quite　unusual　excitement。　　〃Come　on！　　We've　got　to　go　and　look　at　that　policeman！〃　　　　　They　rushed　on　to　the　now　curtained　stage；　breaking　rudely　past　the　columbine　and　clown　（who　seemed　whispering　quite　contentedly）；　and　Father　Brown　bent　over　the　prostrate　comic　policeman。　　　　　〃Chloroform；〃　he　said　as　he　rose；　〃I　only　guessed　it　just　now。〃　　　　　There　was　a　startled　stillness；　and　then　the　colonel　said　slowly；　〃Please　say　seriously　what　all　this　means。〃　　　　　Father　Brown　suddenly　shouted　with　laughter；　then　stopped；　and　only　struggled　with　it　for　instants　during　the　rest　of　his　speech。　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　gasped；　〃there's　not　much　time　to　talk。　　I　must　run　after　the　criminal。　　But　this　great　French　actor　who　played　the　policemanthis　clever　corpse　the　harlequin　waltzed　with　and　dandled　and　threw　abouthe　was〃　　His　voice　again　failed　him；　and　he　turned　his　back　to　run。　　　　　〃He　was？〃　called　Fischer　inquiringly。　　　　　〃A　real　policeman；〃　said　Fat