奇书网

第57章 花园血案之谜 2（第1页）

第57章花园血案之谜（2）

Butforwhateveroldcausessuightbeiediher，theirdistieterestedinthem。hematleastwasiheguestoftheeveiing，forspeanofworld-widefame，whosefriendshiphehadsecuredduringsomeofhisgreatdetectivetoursandtriumphsiedStates。HeegJuliusK。Braymulti-millionairewhosecolossalandevengesionshaveoucheasysupportandeasiersolemnityfortheAmeriglishpapers。NobodycouldquitemakeoutwhetherMr。BraynewasaoraMormonoraStist;butheourmooaualvessel，solongasitwasanuntriedvessel。OneofhishobbieswastowaitfortheAmeriShakespeare—ahobbymorepatientthanangling。HeadmiredWaltWhitman，butthoughtthatLukeP。Tanner，ofParis，Pa。，wasmore&quressive"thanWhitmananyday。Helikedanythi&quressive。"HethoughtValentin&quressive，&quhimagraveinjustice。

ThesolidappearanceofJuliusK。Brayheroomwasasdecisiveasadinnerbell。Hehadthisgreatquality，whichveryfewofusclaim，thathispresencewasasbigashisabsence。

Hewasahugefellow，asfatashewastall，pleteeveningblauchreliefasawat。HishairwaswhiteandwellbrushedbacklikeaGerman's;hisfacewasred，fierdcherubiedarktuftuhelowerlipthatthrewupthatotherwiseinfantilevisagewitharideveophelean。NotlohatsaloareatthecelebratedAmeri;hislatenesshadalreadybeesti，aeedintothedining-roomwithLadyGallowayonhisarm。

&oheGallenialandough。SolongasLadyMargaretdidhearmofthatadventurerO'Brieherwasquitesatisfied;adoneso，shehaddecohDr。Simoheless，allowaywasrestlessandalmostrude。

Helomatidiwhehecigars，threeoftheyouhedoctor，BrowhedetrimentalO'Brien，（theexileinafnuniform）—allmeltedawaytomixwiththeladiesorsmokeintheservatory，thentheEnglishdiplomatistgrewveryundiplomatideed。Hewasstuysedswiththethoughtthatthescamphtbesignallingtaretsomehow;hedidoimagioverthecoffeewithBrayhehoaryYankeewhobelievedinallreligions，ahegrizzledFrenwhobelievediheycuewitheachother，buthercouldappealtohim。Afteratimethis&quressive"logomachyhadreacheda;Lalloalsoandsoughtthedrawing-room。Helosthiswayinlongpassagesforshtmiillheheardthehigh-pitched，didacticvoiceofthedodthenthedullvoiceofthepriest，followedbygenerallaughter。Theyalso，hethoughtwithacurse，wereprabout"sdreligion。"Buttheihesalondoorhesawohiwasnotthere。HesawthatandantO'BriehatLadyMargaretwasabsenttoo。

Risilyfr-room，ashehadfromthedining-room，hestampedalongthepassageoihisdaughterfrerianer-do-weelhadbeethiralandevenmadinhismiowardsthebackofthehouse，wherewasValentin'sstudy，herisedtomeethisdaughter，whosweptpastwithawhite，sfulface，whichwasasea。IfshehadbeenwithO'Brien，wherewasO'BriebeenwithO'Brien，wherehadshebeen?Withasortofsenileandpassionatesuspihegropedhiswaytothedarkbaansiouallyfous'eopeothegardehherscimitarhadnowrippedupandrolledawayallthestorm-wrack。Theargentlightlitupallfourersofthegarden。AtallfigureiridingacrossthelawntowardsthestudydlintofmoonlitsilveronhisfagspimandantO'Brien。

HevahroughtheFrendowsintothehouse，leavingLallowayinanindescribabletemper，atoaheblue-and-silvergarden，likeasatheatre，seemedtotaunthimwithallthattyranniessagainstwhichhisworldlyauthoritywasatwar。ThelengthaheIrishman&#edhimasifhewerearivalinsteadofafather;themoonlightmaddenedhim。Heedasifbymagitoagardenoftroubadours，aWatteaufairyland;and，willingtoshakeoffsubecilitiesbyspeech，hesteppedbrisklyafterhisenemy。Ashedidsohetrippedoversometreeorstohegrass;lookeddownatitfirstwithirritationandtheimewithcuriosity。Theantthemooallpoplarslookedatanunusualsight—anelderlyEnglishdiplhardandgorbellowingasheran。