the man who knew too much-第12章

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tle　boys　in　the　street。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　his　friend。　〃I　never　knew　you　taken　like　this　before。〃

〃I'm　ashamed　of　myself；〃　replied　Fisher。　〃I've　just　been　throwing　cold　water　on　the　enthusiasms　of　a　boy。〃

〃Even　that　explanation　is　hardly　exhaustive；〃　observed　the　criminal　expert。

〃Damned　newspaper　nonsense　the　enthusiasms　were；　of　course；〃　continued　Fisher；　〃but　I　ought　to　know　that　at　that　age　illusions　can　be　ideals。　And　they're　better　than　the　reality；　anyhow。　But　there　is　one　very　ugly　responsibility　about　jolting　a　young　man　out　of　the　rut　of　the　most　rotten　ideal。〃

〃And　what　may　that　be？〃　inquired　his　friend。

〃It's　very　apt　to　set　him　off　with　the　same　energy　in　a　much　worse　direction；〃　answered　Fisher；　〃a　pretty　endless　sort　of　direction；　a　bottomless　pit　as　deep　as　the　bottomless　well。〃

Fisher　did　not　see　his　friend　until　a　fortnight　later；　when　he　found　himself　in　the　garden　at　the　back　of　the　clubhouse　on　the　opposite　side　from　the　links；　a　garden　heavily　colored　and　scented　with　sweet　semitropical　plants　in　the　glow　of　a　desert　sunset。　Two　other　men　were　with　him；　the　third　being　the　now　celebrated　second　in　command；　familiar　to　everybody　as　Tom　Travers；　a　lean；　dark　man；　who　looked　older　than　his　years；　with　a　furrow　in　his　brow　and　something　morose　about　the　very　shape　of　his　black　mustache。　They　had　just　been　served　with　black　coffee　by　the　Arab　now　officiating　as　the　temporary　servant　of　the　club；　though　he　was　a　figure　already　familiar；　and　even　famous；　as　the　old　servant　of　the　general。　He　went　by　the　name　of　Said；　and　was　notable　among　other　Semites　for　that　unnatural　length　of　his　yellow　face　and　height　of　his　narrow　forehead　which　is　sometimes　seen　among　them；　and　gave　an　irrational　impression　of　something　sinister；　in　spite　of　his　agreeable　smile。

〃I　never　feel　as　if　I　could　quite　trust　that　fellow；〃　said　Grayne；　when　the　man　had　gone　away。　〃It's　very　unjust；　I　take　it；　for　he　was　certainly　devoted　to　Hastings；　and　saved　his　life；　they　say。　But　Arabs　are　often　like　that；　loyal　to　one　man。　I　can't　help　feeling　he　might　cut　anybody　else's　throat；　and　even　do　it　treacherously。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Travers；　with　a　rather　sour　smile；　〃so　　long　as　he　leaves　Hastings　alone　the　world　won't　mind　much。〃

There　was　a　rather　embarrassing　silence；　full　of　memories　of　the　great　battle；　and　then　Horne　Fisher　said；　quietly：

〃The　newspapers　aren't　the　world；　Tom。　Don't　you　worry　about　them。　Everybody　in　your　world　knows　the　truth　well　enough。〃

〃I　think　we'd　better　not　talk　about　the　general　just　now；〃　remarked　Grayne；　〃for　he's　just　coming　out　of　the　club。〃

〃He's　not　coming　here；〃　said　Fisher。　〃He's　only　seeing　his　wife　to　the　car。〃

As　he　spoke；　indeed；　the　lady　came　out　on　the　steps　of　the　club；　followed　by　her　husband；　who　then　went　swiftly　in　front　of　her　to　open　the　garden　gate。　As　he　did　so　she　turned　back　and　spoke　for　a　moment　to　a　solitary　man　still　sitting　in　a　cane　chair　in　the　shadow　of　the　doorway；　the　only　man　left　in　the　deserted　club　save　for　the　three　that　lingered　in　the　garden。　Fisher　peered　for　a　moment　into　the　shadow；　and　saw　that　it　was　Captain　Boyle。

The　next　moment；　rather　to　their　surprise；　the　general　reappeared　and；　remounting　the　steps；　spoke　a　word　or　two　to　Boyle　in　his　turn。　Then　he　signaled　to　Said；　who　hurried　up　with　two　cups　of　coffee；　and　the　two　men　re…entered　the　club；　each　carrying　his　cup　in　his　hand。　The　next　moment　a　gleam　of　white　light　in　the　growing　darkness　showed　that　the　electric　lamps　had　been　turned　on　in　the　library　beyond。

〃Coffee　and　scientific　researches；〃　said　Travers；　grimly。　〃All　the　luxuries　of　learning　and　theoretical　research。　Well；　I　must　be　going；　for　I　have　my　work　to　do　as　well。〃　And　he　got　up　rather　stiffly；　saluted　his　companions；　and　strode　away　into　the　dusk。

〃I　only　hope　Boyle　is　sticking　to　scientific　researches；〃　said　Horne　Fisher。　〃I'm　not　very　comfortable　about　him　myself。　But　let's　talk　about　something　else。〃

They　talked　about　something　else　longer　than　they　probably　imagined；　until　the　tropical　night　had　come　and　a　splendid　moon　painted　the　whole　scene　with　silver；　but　before　it　was　bright　enough　to　see　by　Fisher　had　already　noted　that　the　lights　in　the　library　had　been　abruptly　extinguished。　He　waited　for　the　two　men　to　come　out　by　the　garden　entrance；　but　nobody　came。

〃They　must　have　gone　for　a　stroll　on　the　links；〃　he　said。

〃Very　possibly；〃　replied　Grayne。　〃It's　going　to　be　a　beautiful　night。〃

A　moment　or　two　after　he　had　spoken　they　heard　a　voice　hailing　them　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　clubhouse；　and　were　astonished　to　perceive　Travers　hurrying　toward　them；　calling　out　as　he　came：

〃I　shall　want　your　help；　you　fellows；〃　he　cried。　〃There's　something　pretty　bad　out　on　the　links。〃

They　found　themselves　plunging　through　the　club　smoking　room　and　the　library　beyond；　in　complete　darkness；　mental　as　well　as　material。　But　Horne　Fisher；　in　spite　of　his　affectation　of　indifference；　was　a　person　of　a　curious　and　almost　transcendental　sensibility　to　atmospheres；　and　he　already　felt　the　presence　of　something　more　than　an　accident。　He　collided　with　a　piece　of　furniture　in　the　library；　and　almost　shuddered　with　the　shock；　for　the　thing　moved　as　he　could　never　have　fancied　a　piece　of　furniture　moving。　It　seemed　to　move　like　a　living　thing；　yielding　and　yet　striking　back。　The　next　moment　Grayne　had　turned　on　the　lights；　and　he　saw　he　had　only　stumbled　against　one　of　the　revolving　bookstands　that　had　swung　round　and　struck　him；　but　his　involuntary　recoil　had　revealed　to　him　his　own　subconscious　sense　of　something　mysterious　and　monstrous。　There　were　several　of　these　revolving　bookcases　standing　here　and　there　about　the　library；　on　one　of　them　stood　the　two　cups　of　coffee；　and　on　another　a　large　open　book。　It　was　Budge's　book　on　Egyptian　hieroglyphics；　with　colored　plates　of　strange　birds　and　gods；　and　even　as　he　rushed　past；　he　was　conscious　of　something　odd　about　the　fact　that　this；　and　not　any　work　of　military　science；　should　be　open　in　that　place　at　that　moment。　He　was　even　conscious　of　the　gap　in　the　well…lined　bookshelf　from　which　it　had　been　taken；　and　it　seemed　almost　to　gape　at　him　in　an　ugly　fashion；　like　a　gap　in　the　teeth　of　some　sinister　face。

A　run　brought　them　in　a　few　minutes　to　the　other　side　of　the　ground　in　front　of　the　bottomless　well；　and　a　few　yards　from　it；　in　a　moonlight　almost　as　broad　as　daylight；　they　saw　what　they　had　come　to　see。

The　great　Lord　Hastings　lay　prone　on　his　face；　in　a　posture　in　which　there　was　a　touch　of　something　strange　and　stiff；　with　one　elbow　erect　above　his　body；　the　arm　being　doubled；　and　his　big；　bony　hand　clutching　the　rank　and　ragged　grass。　A　few　feet　away　was　Boyle；　almost　as　motionless；　but　supported　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　staring　at　the　body。　It　might　have　been　no　more　than　shock　and　accident；　but　there　was　something　ungainly　and　unnatural　about　the　quadrupedal　posture　and　the　gaping　face。　It　was　as　if　his　reason　had　fled　from　him。　Behind；　there　was　nothing　but　the　clear　blue　southern　sky；　and　the　beginning　of　the　desert；　except　for　the　two　great　broken　stones　in　front　of　the　well。　And　it　was　in　such　a　light　and　atmosphere　that　men　could　fancy　they　traced　in　them　enormous　and　evil　faces；　looking　down。

Horne　Fisher　stooped　and　touched　the　strong　hand　that　was　still　clutching　the　grass；　and　it　was　as　cold　as　a　stone。　He　knelt　by　the　body　and　was　busy　for　a　moment　applying　other　tests；　then　he　rose　again；　and　said；　with　a　sort　of　confident　despair：

〃Lord　Hastings　is　dead。〃

There　was　a　stony　silence；　and　then　Travers　remarked；　gruffly：　〃This　is　your　department；　Grayne；　I　will　leave　you　to　question　Captain　Boyle。　I　can　make　no　sense　of　what　he　says。〃

Boyle　had　pulled　himself　together　and　risen　to　his　feet；　but　his　face　still　wore　an　awful　expression；　making　it　like　a　new　mask　or　the　face　of　another　man。

〃I　was　looking　at　the　well；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　I　turned　he　had　fallen　down。〃

Grayne's　face　was　very　dark。　〃As　you　say；　this　is　my　affair；〃　he　said。　〃I　must　first　ask　you　to　help　me　carry　him　to　the　library　and　let　me　examine　things　thoroughly。〃

When　they　had　deposited　the　body　in　the　library；　Grayne　turned　to　Fisher　and　said；　in　a　voice　that　had　recovered　its　fullness　and　confidence；　〃I　am　going　to　lock　myself　in　and　make　a　thorough　examination　first。　I　look　to　you　to　keep　in　touch　with　the　others　and　make　a　preliminary　examination　of　Boyle。　I　will　talk　to　him　later。　And　just　telephone　to　headquarters　for　a　policeman；　and　let　him　come　here　at　once　and　stand　by　till　I　want　him。〃

Without　more　words　the　great　criminal　investigator　went　into　the　lighted　library；　shutting　the　door　behind　him；　and　Fisher；　without　replying；　turned　and　began　to　talk　quietly　to　Travers。　〃It　is　curious；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　thing　should　happen　just　in　front　of　that　place。〃

〃It　would　certainly　be　very　curious；〃　replied　Travers；　〃if　the　place　played　any　part　in　it。〃

〃I　think；〃　replied　Fisher；　〃that　the　part　it　didn't　play　is　more　curious　still。〃

And　with　these　apparently　meaningless　words　he　turned　to　the　shaken　Boyle　and；　taking　his　arm；　began　to　walk　him　up　and　down　in　the　moonlight；　talking　in　low　tones。

Dawn　had　begun　to　break　abrupt　and　white　when　Cuthbert　Grayne　turned　out　the　lights　in　the　library　and　came　out　on　to　the　links。　Fisher　was　lounging　about　alone；　in　his　listless　fashion；　but　the　police　messenger　for　whom　he　had　sent　was　standing　at　attention　in　the　background。

〃I　sent　Boyle　off　with　Travers；〃　observed　Fisher；　carelessly；　〃he'll　look　after　him；　and　he'd　better　have　some　sleep；　anyhow。〃

〃Did　you　get　anything　out　of　him？〃　asked　Grayne。　〃Did　he　tell　you　what　he　and　Hastings　were　doing？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Fisher；　〃he　gave　me　a　pretty　clear　account；　after　all。　He　said　that　after　Lady　Hastings　went　off　in　the　car　the　general　asked　him　to　take　coffee　with　him　in　the　library　and　look　up　a　point　about　local　antiquities。　He　himself　was　beginning　to　look　for　Budge's　book　in　one　of　the　revolving　bookstands　when　the　general　found　it　in　one　of　the　bookshelves　on　the　wall。　After　looking　at　some　of　the　plates　they　went　out；　it　would　seem；　rather　abruptly；　on　to　the　links；　and　walked　toward　the　old　well；　and　while　Boyle　was　looking　into　it　he　heard　a　thud　behind　him；　and　turned　round　to　find　the　general　lying　as　we　found　him。　He　himself　dropped　on　his　knees　to　examine　the　body；　and　then　was　paralyzed　with　a　sort　of　terror　and　could　not　come　nearer　to　it　or　touch　it。　But　I　think　very　little　of　that；　people　caught　in　a　real　shock　of　surprise　are　sometimes　found　in　the　queerest　postures。〃

Grayne　wore　a　grim　smile　of　attention；　and　said；　after　a　short　silence：

〃Well；　he　hasn't　told　you　many　lies。　It's　really　a　creditably　clear　and　consistent　account　of　what　happened；　with　everything　of　importance　left　out。〃

〃Have　you　discovered　anything　in　there？〃　asked　Fisher。

〃I　have　discovered　everything；〃　answered　Grayne。

Fisher　maintained　a　somewhat　gloomy　silence；　as　the　other　resumed　his　explanation　in　quiet　and　assured　tones。

〃You　were　quite　right；　Fisher；　when　you　said　that　young　fellow　was　in　danger　of　going　down　dark　ways　toward　the　pit。　Whether　or　no；　as　you　fancied；　the　jolt　you　gave　to　his　view　of　the　gen