the man who knew too much-第13章

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〃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　general　had　anything　to　do　with　it；　he　has　not　been　treating　the　general　well　for　some　time。　It's　an　unpleasant　business；　and　I　don't　want　to　dwell　on　it；　but　it's　pretty　plain　that　his　wife　was　not　treating　him　well；　either。　I　don't　know　how　far　it　went；　but　it　went　as　far　as　concealment；　anyhow；　for　when　Lady　Hastings　spoke　to　Boyle　it　was　to　tell　him　she　had　hidden　a　note　in　the　Budge　book　in　the　library。　The　general　overheard；　or　came　somehow　to　know；　and　he　went　straight　to　the　book　and　found　it。　He　confronted　Boyle　with　it；　and　they　had　a　scene；　of　course。　And　Boyle　was　confronted　with　something　else；　he　was　confronted　with　an　awful　alternative；　in　which　the　life　of　one　old　man　meant　ruin　and　his　death　meant　triumph　and　even　happiness。〃

〃Well；〃　observed　Fisher；　at　last；　〃I　don't　blame　him　for　not　telling　you　the　woman's　part　of　the　story。　But　how　do　you　know　about　the　letter？〃

〃I　found　it　on　the　general's　body；〃　answered　Grayne；　〃but　I　found　worse　things　than　that。　The　body　had　stiffened　in　the　way　rather　peculiar　to　poisons　of　a　certain　Asiatic　sort。　Then　I　examined　the　coffee　cups；　and　I　knew　enough　chemistry　to　find　poison　in　the　dregs　of　one　of　them。　Now；　the　General　went　straight　to　the　bookcase；　leaving　his　cup　of　coffee　on　the　bookstand　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　While　his　back　was　turned；　and　Boyle　was　pretending　to　examine　the　bookstand；　he　was　left　alone　with　the　coffee　cup。　The　poison　takes　about　ten　minutes　to　act；　and　ten　minutes'　walk　would　bring　them　to　the　bottomless　well。〃

〃Yes；〃　remarked　Fisher；　〃and　what　about　the　bottomless　well？〃

〃What　has　the　bottomless　well　got　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　his　friend。

〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　replied　Fisher。　〃That　is　what　I　find　utterly　confounding　and　incredible。〃

〃And　why　should　that　particular　hole　in　the　ground　have　anything　to　do　with　it？〃

〃It　is　a　particular　hole　in　your　case；〃　said　Fisher。　〃But　I　won't　insist　on　that　just　now。　By　the　way；　there　is　another　thing　I　ought　to　tell　you。　I　said　I　sent　Boyle　away　in　charge　of　Travers。　It　would　be　just　as　true　to　say　I　sent　Travers　in　charge　of　Boyle。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you　suspect　Tom　Travers？〃　cried　the　other。　her。

〃He　was　a　deal　bitterer　against　the　general　than　Boyle　ever　was；〃　observed　Horne　Fisher；　with　a　curious　indifference。

〃Man；　you're　not　saying　what　you　mean；〃　cried　Grayne。　〃I　tell　you　I　found　the　poison　in　one　of　the　coffee　cups。〃

〃There　was　always　Said；　of　course；〃　added　Fisher；　〃either　for　hatred　or　hire。　We　agreed　he　was　capable　of　almost　anything。〃

〃And　we　agreed　he　was　incapable　of　hurting　his　master；〃　retorted　Grayne。

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Fisher；　amiably；　〃I　dare　say　you　are　right；　but　I　should　just　like　to　have　a　look　at　the　library　and　the　coffee　cups。〃

He　passed　inside；　while　Grayne　turned　to　the　policeman　in　attendance　and　handed　him　a　scribbled　note；　to　be　telegraphed　from　headquarters。　The　man　saluted　and　hurried　off；　and　Grayne；　following　his　friend　into　the　library；　found　him　beside　the　bookstand　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　on　which　were　the　empty　cups。

〃This　is　where　Boyle　looked　for　Budge；　or　pretended　to　look　for　him；　according　to　your　account；〃　he　said。

As　Fisher　spoke　he　bent　down　in　a　half…crouching　attitude；　to　look　at　the　volumes　in　the　low；　revolving　shelf；　for　the　whole　bookstand　was　not　much　higher　than　an　ordinary　table。　The　next　moment　he　sprang　up　as　if　he　had　been　stung。

〃Oh；　my　God！〃　he　cried。

Very　few　people；　if　any；　had　ever　seen　Mr。　Horne　Fisher　behave　as　he　behaved　just　then。　He　flashed　a　glance　at　the　door；　saw　that　the　open　window　was　nearer；　went　out　of　it　with　a　flying　leap；　as　if　over　a　hurdle；　and　went　racing　across　the　turf；　in　the　track　of　the　disappearing　policeman。　Grayne；　who　stood　staring　after　him；　soon　saw　his　tall；　loose　figure；　returning；　restored　to　all　its　normal　limpness　and　air　of　leisure。　He　was　fanning　himself　slowly　with　a　piece　of　paper；　the　telegram　he　had　so　violently　intercepted。

〃Lucky　I　stopped　that；〃　he　observed。　〃We　must　keep　this　affair　as　quiet　as　death。　Hastings　must　die　of　apoplexy　or　heart　disease。〃

〃What　on　earth　is　the　trouble？〃　demanded　the　other　investigator。

〃The　trouble　is；〃　said　Fisher；　〃that　in　a　few　days　we　should　have　had　a　very　agreeable　alternativeof　hanging　an　innocent　man　or　knocking　the　British　Empire　to　hell。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；〃　asked　Grayne；　〃that　this　infernal　crime　is　not　to　be　punished？〃

Fisher　looked　at　him　steadily。

〃It　is　already　punished；〃　he　said。

After　a　moment's　pause　he　went　on。　〃You　reconstructed　the　crime　with　admirable　skill；　old　chap；　and　nearly　all　you　said　was　true。　Two　men　with　two　coffee　cups　did　go　into　the　library　and　did　put　their　cups　on　the　bookstand　and　did　go　together　to　the　well；　and　one　of　them　was　a　murderer　and　had　put　poison　in　the　other's　cup。　But　it　was　not　done　while　Boyle　was　looking　at　the　revolving　bookcase。　He　did　look　at　it；　though；　searching　for　the　Budge　book　with　the　note　in　it；　but　I　fancy　that　Hastings　had　already　moved　it　to　the　shelves　on　the　wall。　It　was　part　of　that　grim　game　that　he　should　find　it　first。

〃Now；　how　does　a　man　search　a　revolving　bookcase？　He　does　not　generally　hop　all　round　it　in　a　squatting　attitude；　like　a　frog。　He　simply　gives　it　a　touch　and　makes　it　revolve。〃

He　was　frowning　at　the　floor　as　he　spoke；　and　there　was　a　light　under　his　heavy　lids　that　was　not　often　seen　there。　The　mysticism　that　was　buried　deep　under　all　the　cynicism　of　his　experience　was　awake　and　moving　in　the　depths。　His　voice　took　unexpected　turns　and　inflections；　almost　as　if　two　men　were　speaking。

〃That　was　what　Boyle　did；　he　barely　touched　the　thing；　and　it　went　round　as　elasily　as　the　world　goes　round。　Yes；　very　much　as　the　world　goes　round；　for　the　hand　that　turned　it　was　not　his。　God；　who　turns　the　wheel　of　all　the　stars；　touched　that　wheel　and　brought　it　full　circle；　that　His　dreadful　justice　might　return。〃

〃I　am　beginning；〃　said　Grayne；　slowly；　〃to　have　some　hazy　and　horrible　idea　of　what　you　mean。〃

〃It　is　very　simple；〃　said　Fisher；　〃when　Boyle　straightened　himself　from　his　stooping　posture；　something　had　happened　which　he　had　not　noticed；　which　his　enemy　had　not　noticed；　which　nobody　had　noticed。　The　two　coffee　cups　had　exactly　changed　places。〃

The　rocky　face　of　Grayne　seemed　to　have　sustained　a　shock　in　silence；　not　a　line　of　it　altered；　but　his　voice　when　it　came　was　unexpectedly　weakened。

〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　he　said；　〃and；　as　you　say；　the　less　said　about　it　the　better。　It　was　not　the　lover　who　tried　to　get　rid　of　the　husband；　butthe　other　thing。　And　a　tale　like　that　about　a　man　like　that　would　ruin　us　here。　Had　you　any　guess　of　this　at　the　start？〃

〃The　bottomless　well；　as　I　told　you；〃　answered　Fisher；　quietly；　〃that　was　what　stumped　me　from　the　start。　Not　because　it　had　anything　to　do　with　it；　because　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　as　if　choosing　an　approach；　and　then　went　on：　〃When　a　man　knows　his　enemy　will　be　dead　in　ten　minutes；　and　takes　him　to　the　edge　of　an　unfathomable　pit；　he　means　to　throw　his　body　into　it。　What　else　should　he　do？　A　born　fool　would　have　the　sense　to　do　it；　and　Boyle　is　not　a　born　fool。　Well；　why　did　not　Boyle　do　it？　The　more　I　thought　of　it　the　more　I　suspected　there　was　some　mistake　in　the　murder；　so　to　speak。　Somebody　had　taken　somebody　there　to　throw　him　in；　and　yet　he　was　not　thrown　in。　I　had　already　an　ugly；　unformed　idea　of　some　substitution　or　reversal　of　parts；　then　I　stooped　to　turn　the　bookstand　myself；　by　accident；　and　I　instantly　knew　everything；　for　I　saw　the　two　cups　revolve　once　more；　like　moons　in　the　sky。〃

After　a　pause；　Cuthbert　Grayne　said；　〃And　what　are　we　to　say　to　the　newspapers？〃

〃My　friend；　Harold　March；　is　coming　along　from　Cairo　to…day；〃　said　Fisher。　〃He　is　a　very　brilliant　and　successful　journalist。　But　for　all　that　he's　a　thoroughly　honorable　man；　so　you　must　not　tell　him　the　truth。〃

Half　an　hour　later　Fisher　was　again　walking　to　and　fro　in　front　of　the　clubhouse；　with　Captain　Boyle；　the　latter　by　this　time　with　a　very　buffeted　and　bewildered　air；　perhaps　a　sadder　and　a　wiser　man。

〃What　about　me；　then？〃　he　was　saying。　〃Am　I　cleared？　Am　I　not　going　to　be　cleared？〃

〃I　believe　and　hope；〃　answered　Fisher；　〃that　you　are　not　going　to　be　suspected。　But　you　are　certainly　not　going　to　be　cleared。　There　must　be　no　suspicion　against　him；　and　therefore　no　suspicion　against　you。　Any　suspicion　against　him；　let　alone　such　a　story　against　him；　would　knock　us　endways　from　Malta　to　Mandalay。　He　was　a　hero　as　well　as　a　holy　terror　among　the　Moslems。　Indeed；　you　might　almost　call　him　a　Moslem　hero　in　the　English　service。　Of　course　he　got　on　with　them　partly　because　of　his　own　little　dose　of　Eastern　blood；　he　got　it　from　his　mother；　the　dancer　from　Damascus；　everybody　knows　that。〃

〃Oh；〃　repeated　Boyle；　mechanically；　staring　at　him　with　round　eyes；　〃everybody　knows　that。〃

〃I　dare　say　there　was　a　touch　of　it　in　his　jealousy　and　ferocious　vengeance；〃　went　on　Fisher。　〃But；　for　all　that；　the　crime　would　ruin　us　among　the　Arabs；　all　the　more　because　it　was　something　like　a　crime　against　hospitality。　It's　been　hateful　for　you　and　it's　pretty　horrid　for　me。　But　there　are　some　things　that　damned　well　can't　be　done；　and　while　I'm　alive　that's　one　of　them。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Boyle；　glancing　at　him　curiously。　〃Why　should　you；　of　all　people；　be　so　passionate　about　it？〃

Horne　Fisher　looked　at　the　young　man　with　a　baffling　expression。

〃I　suppose；〃　he　said；　〃it's　because　I'm　a　Little　Englander。〃

〃I　can　never　make　out　what　you　mean　by　that　sort　of　thing；〃　answered　Boyle；　doubtfully。

〃Do　you　think　England　is　so　little　as　all　that？〃　said　Fisher；　with　a　warmth　in　his　cold　voice；　〃that　it　can't　hold　a　man　across　a　few　thousand　miles。　You　lectured　me　with　a　lot　of　ideal　patriotism；　my　young　friend；　but　it's　practical　patriotism　now　for　you　and　me；　and　with　no　lies　to　help　it。　You　talked　as　if　everything　always　went　right　with　us　all　over　the　world；　in　a　triumphant　crescendo　culminating　in　Hastings。　I　tell　you　everything　has　gone　wrong　with　us　here；　except　Hastings。　He　was　the　one　name　we　had　left　to　conjure　with；　and　that　mustn't　go　as　well；　no；　by　God！　It's　bad　enough　that　a　gang　of　infernal　Jews　should　plant　us　here；　where　there's　no　earthly　English　interest　to　serve；　and　all　hell　beating　up　against　us；　simply　because　Nosey　Zimmern　has　lent　money　to　half　the　Cabinet。　It's　bad　enough　that　an　old　pawnbroker　from　Bagdad　should　make　us　fight　his　battles；　we　can't　fight　with　our　right　hand　cut　off。　Our　one　score　was　Hastings　and　his　victory；　which　was　really　somebody　else's　victory。　Tom　Travers　has　to　suffer；　and　so　have　you。〃

Then；　after　a　moment's　silence；　he　pointed　toward　the　bottomless　well　and　said；　in　a　quieter　tone：

〃I　told　you　that　I　didn't　believe　in　the　philosophy　of　the　Tower　of　Aladdin。　I　don't　believe　in　the　Empire　growing　until　it　reaches　the　sky；　I　don't　believe　in　the　Union　Jack　going　up　and　up　eternally　like　the　Tower。　But　if　you　think　I　am　going　to　let　the　Union　Jack　go　down　and　down　eternally；　like　the　b