小说园

花园血案之谜 the ecret garden（第2页）

“NotMr。Brayne，”saidtheDuchessofMontSt。Michel，lookinground。

“No，”saidLordGallowayinahoarse，harshvoice。“AndnotMr。NeilOBrien，Ifancy。Isawthatgentlemanwalkinginthegardenwhenthecorsewasstillwarm。”

“Ivan，”saidthedetective，“goandfetchCommandantO‘BrienandMr。Brayne。Mr。Brayne，Iknow，isfnishingacigarinthedining-room；CommandantO’Brien，Ithink，iswalkinguanddowntheconservatory。Iamnotsure。”

Thefaithfulattendantfashedfromtheroom，andbeforeanyonecouldstirorseakValentinwentonwiththesamesoldierlyswiftnessofexosition。

“Everyonehereknowsthatadeadmanhasbeenfoundinthegarden，hisheadcutcleanfromhisbody。Dr。Simon，youhaveexaminedit。Doyouthinkthattocutamansthroatlikethatwouldneedgreatforce?Or，erhas，onlyaverysharknife?”

“Ishouldsaythatitcouldnotbedonewithaknifeatall，”saidthealedoctor。

“Haveyouanythought，”resumedValentin，“ofatoolwithwhichitcouldbedone?”

“Seakingwithinmodernrobabilities，Ireallyhavent，”saidthedoctor，archinghisainfulbrows。“It‘snoteasytohackaneckthroughevenclumsily，andthiswasaverycleancut。Itcouldbedonewithabattle-axeoranoldheadsman’saxe，oranoldtwo-handedsword。”

“But，goodheavens！”criedtheDuchess，almostinhysterics，“therearentanytwo-handedswordsandbattle-axesroundhere。”

Valentinwasstillbusywiththeaerinfrontofhim。“Tellme，”hesaid，stillwritingraidly，“couldithavebeendonewithalongFrenchcavalrysabre?”

Alowknockingcameatthedoor，which，forsomeunreasonablereason，curdledeveryonesbloodliketheknockinginMacbeth。AmidthatfrozensilenceDr。Simonmanagedtosay：“Asabre-yes，Isuoseitcould。”

“Thankyou，”saidValentin。“Comein，Ivan。”

TheconfidentialIvanoenedthedoorandusheredinCommandantNeilOBrien，whomhehadfoundatlastacingthegardenagain。

TheIrishoffcerstoodudisorderedanddefantonthethreshold。“Whatdoyouwantwithme?”hecried。

“Pleasesitdown，”saidValentininleasant，leveltones。“Why，youarentwearingyoursword。Whereisit?”

“Ileftitonthelibrarytable，”saidOBrien，hisbroguedeeeninginhisdisturbedmood。“Itwasanuisance，itwasgetting-”

“Ivan，”saidValentin，“leasegoandgettheCommandantsswordfromthelibrary。”Then，astheservantvanished，“LordGallowaysayshesawyouleavingthegardenjustbeforehefoundthecorse。Whatwereyoudoinginthegarden?”

TheCommandantfunghimselfrecklesslyintoachair。“Oh，”hecriedinureIrish，“admiringthemoon。CommuningwithNature，me?”

Aheavysilencesankandendured，andattheendofitcameagainthattrivialandterribleknocking。Ivanreaeared，carryinganemtysteelscabbard。“ThisisallIcanfnd，”hesaid。

“Putitonthetable，”saidValentin，withoutlookingu。

Therewasaninhumansilenceintheroom，likethatseaofinhumansilenceroundthedockofthecondemnedmurderer。TheDuchess‘sweakexclamationshadlongagodiedaway。LordGalloway’sswollenhatredwassatisfedandevensobered。Thevoicethatcamewasquiteunexected。

“IthinkIcantellyou，”criedLadyMargaret，inthatclear，quiveringvoicewithwhichacourageouswomanseaksublicly。“IcantellyouwhatMr。OBrienwasdoinginthegarden，sinceheisboundtosilence。Hewasaskingmetomarryhim。Irefused；IsaidinmyfamilycircumstancesIcouldgivehimnothingbutmyresect。Hewasalittleangryatthat，hedidnotseemtothinkmuchofmyresect。Iwonder，”sheadded，withratherawansmile，“ifhewillcareatallforitnow。ForIofferithimnow。Iwillswearanywherethatheneverdidathinglikethis。”

LordGallowayhadedgedutohisdaughter，andwasintimidatingherinwhatheimaginedtobeanundertone。“Holdyourtongue，Maggie，”hesaidinathunderouswhiser。“Whyshouldyoushieldthefellow?Where‘shissword?Where’shisconfoundedcavalry-”

Hestoedbecauseofthesingularstarewithwhichhisdaughterwasregardinghim，alookthatwasindeedaluridmagnetforthewholegrou。

“Youoldfool！”shesaidinalowvoicewithoutretenceofiety，“whatdoyousuoseyouaretryingtorove?Itellyouthismanwasinnocentwhilewithme。Butifhewasntinnocent，hewasstillwithme。Ifhemurderedamaninthegarden，whowasitwhomusthaveseen-whomustatleasthaveknown?DoyouhateNeilsomuchastoutyourowndaughter-”

LadyGallowayscreamed。Everyoneelsesattinglingatthetouchofthosesatanictragediesthathavebeenbetweenloversbeforenow。Theysawtheroud，whitefaceoftheScotcharistocratandherlover，theIrishadventurer，likeoldortraitsinadarkhouse。Thelongsilencewasfullofformlesshistoricalmemoriesofmurderedhusbandsandoisonousaramours。

Inthecentreofthismorbidsilenceaninnocentvoicesaid：“Wasitaverylongcigar?”

Thechangeofthoughtwassosharthattheyhadtolookroundtoseewhohadsoken。

“Imean，”saidlittleFatherBrown，fromthecorneroftheroom，“ImeanthatcigarMr。Brayneisfnishing。Itseemsnearlyaslongasawalking-stick。”

DesitetheirrelevancetherewasassentaswellasirritationinValentinsfaceasheliftedhishead。

“Quiteright，”heremarkedsharly。“Ivan，goandseeaboutMr。Brayneagain，andbringhimhereatonce。”

Theinstantthefactotumhadclosedthedoor，Valentinaddressedthegirlwithanentirelynewearnestness。

“LadyMargaret，”hesaid，“weallfeel，Iamsure，bothgratitudeandadmirationforyouractinrisingaboveyourlowerdignityandexlainingtheCommandantsconduct。Butthereisahiatusstill。LordGalloway，Iunderstand，metyouassingfromthestudytothedrawing-room，anditwasonlysomeminutesafterwardsthathefoundthegardenandtheCommandantstillwalkingthere。”

“Youhavetoremember，”reliedMargaret，withafaintironyinhervoice，“thatIhadjustrefusedhim，soweshouldscarcelyhavecomebackarminarm。Heisagentleman，anyhow，andheloiteredbehind-andsogotchargedwithmurder。”

“Inthosefewmoments，”saidValentingravely，“hemightreally-”

Theknockcameagain，andIvanutinhisscarredface。

“Begardon，sir，”hesaid，“butMr。Braynehasleftthehouse。”