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第59章 花园血案之谜 4（第1页）

第59章花园血案之谜（4）

&hisspiritofthespokeiinhewasobeyedlikeabugle。Dr。SimohroughtothearmouryaIvan，thepublicdetective'sprivatedetective。Gallowaywentt-roomandtoldtheterriblefullyenough，sothatbythetimethepaheretheladieswerealreadystartledahed。Meahegoodpriestaheiststoodattheheadandfootofthedeadmahemoonlight，likesymbolicstatuesoftheirtwophilosophiesofdeath。

Ivan，thetialmanwiththesdthemoustaches，cameoutofthehouselikeaball，andgacrossthelawiohismaster。Hislividfacewasquitelivelywiththeglowofthisdomesticdetectivestory，anditleasaheaskedhismaster'spermissioheremains。

"Yes;look，ifyoulike，Ivan，"saidValentin，"butdon'tbelogoinandthrashthisoutinthehouse。"

Ivahehead，aletitdrop。

"Why，"hegasped，"it's—no，itisn't;it'tbe。Doyouknowthisman，sir?"

"No，"saidValentily;"wehadbettergoi;

&heycarriedthecorpsetoasofaiudy，andtheheirwayt-room。

&ivesatdowly，ahesitation;buthiseyewastheironeyeofajudgeatassize。Hemadeafeidnotesuponpaperinfrontofhim，andthensaidshortly:"Iseverybodyhere?"

"NotMr。Bray;saidtheDuontSt。Michel，lookinground。

"No，"saidLallowayinahoarse，harshvoice。"AndnotMr。NeilO'Brien，Ifancy。Isawthatgentlemanwalkinginthegardehecorpsewasstillwarm。"

"Ivan，"saidthedetective，"goaandantO'BrienandMr。Brayne。Mr。Brayne，Iknow，isfinishingathedining-room;andantO'Brien，Ithink，isanddownthe;

&hfulattendaheroom，andbeforeairorspeakValehthesamesoldierlyswiftion。

"Everyohatadeadmanhasbeenfoundinthegardehisbody。Dr。Simon，youhaveexami。Doyouthinkthatto'sthroatlikethatwouldforce?Or，perhaps，onlyaverysharpk;

"Ishouldsaythatitotbedohakall，"saidthepaledoctor。

"Haveyouanythought，"resumedValentin，"ofatoolwithwhichitcouldbedo;

"Speakingwithinmodernprobabilities，Ireallyhaven't，"saidthedhispainfulbrows。"It'sohaeckthroughevenclumsily，andthiswasaverycut。Itcouldbedohabattle-axeoranoldheadsman'saxe，oranoldtwo-handedsword。"

"But，goodheavens!"criedtheDuchess，almostinhysterics，"therearen'tanytwo-handedswordsandbattle-axesrou;

&inwasstillbusywiththepaperinfrontofhim。"Tellme，"hesaid，stillidly，"couldithavebeehalongFrenchcavalrysabre?"

Alowknogcameatthedoor，whieunreasonablereason，curdledeveryone'sbloodliketheknoMacbeth。AmidthatfrozensilenceDr。Simoosay:"Asabre—yes，Isupposeitcould。"

"Thankyou，"saidValentin。"ein，Ivan。"

ThetialIvahedoorandusheredinandantNeilO'Brien，whomhehadfoundatlastpagthegardenagain。

TheIrishofficerstoodupdisorderedaohreshold。"Whatdoyouwa;hecried。

"Pleasesitdown，"saidValenti，levelto;Why，youaren'twearingyoursword。Whereisit?"

"Ileftitonthelibrarytable，"saidO'Brien，hisbroguedeepeninginhisdisturbedmood。"Itwasawasgetting—"

"Ivan，"saidValentin，"pleasegoaheandant'sswordfromthelibrary。"Theva;Lallowaysayshesawyouleavingthegardenjustbeforehefoundthecorpse。Whatwereyoudoinginthegarden?"

Theandantflunghimselfrecklesslyintoachair。"Oh，"hepureIrish，&quthemoon。uningwith;

Aheavysilendetheendofitthattrivialandterribleknog。Ivanreappeared，gaeelscabbard。"ThisisallId，"hesaid。

"Putitoable，"saidValentin，withoutlookingup。

Therewasaninhumaheroom，likethatseaofinhumahedockoftheurderer。TheDuchess'sweakexshadlongagodiedaway。Lalloway'sswolleisfiedandevehevoicethatcamewasquiteued。

"IthinkItellyou，"criedLadyMargaret，inthatclear，quiverihwhichaanspeakspublicly。"ItellyouwhatMr。O'Brienwasdoinginthegarden，sinceheisboundtosilence。Hewasaskiomarryhim。Irefused;IsaidinmyfamilycesIcouldgivehimnothingbutmyrespect。Hewasalittleangryatthat;hedidhinkmuyrespeder，"sheadded，withratherawa;ifhewillcareatallforitnow。ForIofferithimnoearahehihis。"

Lallowayhadedgeduptohisdaughter，andwasintimidatiheimagiobeao;Hue，Maggie，"hesaidinathunderouswhisper。"Whyshouldyoushieldthefellow?Where'shissword?Where'shisdedcavalry—"

&oppedbecauseofthesingularstarewithwhichhisdaughterwasregardinghim，alookthatwasindeedaluridmaghewholegroup。