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花园血案之谜 The Secret Garden（第1页）

花园血案之谜TheSecretGarden

G。K。切斯特顿G。K。

G。K。切斯特顿（G。K。，1874—1936），英国作家。出生于伦敦一个小资产阶级家庭。在校期间，喜欢写诗，并获得弥尔顿奖金。1900年，切斯特顿的第一部诗集《野骑士》出版。后来还出版了《新诗集》（1929），诗意清新隽永，其中以《飞的旅舍》（1914）的《祝酒歌》最为著名。另外，侦探小说集《布朗神父的纯朴》（1911）、《布朗神父的智慧》（1914）、《布朗神父的秘密》（1927）、《布朗神父的丑行》（1935）等，也深受读者欢迎。

AristideValeheParisPolice，waslateforhisdinner，andsomeofhisguestsbegantoarrivebeforehim。Thesewere，however，reassuredbyhistialservant，Ivan，theoldmanwithasdafacealmostasgreyashismoustaches，whoalwayssatatatableirancehall-ahallhungoinshouseedcelebratedasitsmaster。Itwasanoldhouse，withhighoplarsalmtheSeiy-ahepolicevalueofitsarchitecturewasthis：thattherewasnoultimateexitatallexceptthroughthisfrontdoor，whichwasguardedbyIvanandthearmardenwaslargeae，andthereweremasfromthehouseintothegarden。Buttherewasfromthegardenintotheworldoutside；allrounditranatall，smooth，uhspecialspikesatthetop；nobadgarden，perhaps，foramainwhomsomehundredalshadsworntokill。

AsIvaheguests，theirhosthadtelephohewasdetaies。Hewas，intruth，makiarraexedsuchuglythings；andthoughthesedutieswererootedlyrepulsivetohim，healerformedthemwithpre。Ruthlessiofals，hewasverymildabouttheirpu。SincehehadbeensupremeoverFrendlargelyoverEuropean-policialmethods，hisgreatinfuencehadbeenhonourablyusedforthemitigatioehepurifofprisons。Hewasohumanitariahiheonlythingwrongwiththemisthattheymakemercolderthanjustice。

&inarrivedhewasalreadydressedinblackdtheredrosette-afigure，hisdarkbeardalreadystreakedwithgrey。Hewentstraightthroughhishousetohisstudy，whiedonthegrouhegardendoorofiten，andafterhehadcarefullylockedhisboxinitsoffcialplace，hestoodforafewsedsattheoutuponthegarden。Asharpmoonwasfghtingwiththefyingragsandtattersofastorm，aihawistfulnessunusualinsutifaturesashis。Perhapssutifatureshavesomepsychicprevisioremendousproblemoftheirlives。Fromanysuood，atleast，hequicklyrecovered，forheke，andthathisguestshadalreadybeguntoarrive。

Aglahisdrawing-roomwhewasenoughtomakethathispriwasanyrate。Hesawalltheotherpillarsofthelittleparty；hesawLalloway，theEnglishAmbassador-aanwitharussetfaapple，wearingtheblueribboer。HesawLadyGalloway，slimandthreadlike，withsilverhairaiveandsuperior。Hesawherdaughter，LadyMargaretGraham，apaleaygirlwithanelfshfadcopper-colouredhair。HesawtheDuontSt。Michel，bladopulent，awodaughters，bladopulentalso。HesawDr。Simon，atypitist，ointedbrownbeard，andaforeheadbarredwiththoseparallelwrinklesenaltyofsuperess，sihroughtlyelevatingtheeyebrows。HesawFatherBrown，ofCobhole，inEssex，whomhehadretlymetinEngland。

Hesaswithmoreihanaallmaninuniform，whohadbowedtotheGallowayswithayaent，andwhonowadvaopayhisrespectstohishost。ThiswasandaheFrenLegion。Hewasaslimyetsomewhatswaggeringfigure，-shaven，dark-haired，andblue-eyed，auralifamimentofvictoriousfailuresandsuccessfulsuicides，hehadanairatongandmelancholy。Hewasbybirthaleman，andinboyhoodhadknowntheGalloeciallyMargaretGraham。Hehadlefthistryaftersomecrashofdebts，andnowexpressedhispletefreedomfromBritishetiquettebyswingingaboutinuniform，sabreandspurs。WheheAmbassador’sfamily，LordandLadyGallowaybentstiffy，andLadyMargaretlookeda>

Butforwhateveroldcausessuightbeiediher，theirdistieterestedinthem。hematleastwasiheguestoftheeveiing，forspeanofworld-widefame，whosefriendshiphehadsecuredduringsomeofhisgreatdetectivetoursandtriumphsiedStates。HeegJuliusK。Braymulti-millionairewhosecolossalandevengesionshaveoucheasysupportandeasiersolemnityfortheAmeriglishpapers。NobodycouldquitemakeoutwhetherMr。BraynewasaoraMormonoraStist；butheourmooaualvessel，solongasitwasanuntriedvessel。OneofhishobbieswastowaitfortheAmeriShakespeare-ahobbymorepatientthanangling。HeadmiredWaltWhitman，butthoughtthatLukeP。Tanner，ofParis，Pa。，rogressive”thanWhitmananyday。Helikedanythi“progressive。”HethoughtValentiherebydoinghimagraveinjustice。

ThesolidappearanceofJuliusK。Brayheroomwasasdecisiveasadinnerbell。Hehadthisgreatquality，whichveryfewofusclaim，thathispresencewasasbigashisabsence。

Hewasahugefellow，asfatashewastall，pleteeveningblauchreliefasawat。HishairwaswhiteandwellbrushedbacklikeaGermans；hisfacewasred，ferdcherubiedarktuftuhelowerlipthatthrewupthatotherwiseinfantilevisagewitharideveophelean。NotlohatsaloareatthecelebratedAmeri；hislatenesshadalreadybeesti，aeedintothedining-roomwithLadyGallowayonhisarm。

&oheGallenialandough。SolongasLadyMargaretdidhearmofthatadventurerOBrieherwasquitesatisfied；adoneso，shehaddecohDr。Simoheless，allowaywasrestlessandalmostrude。

Helomatidiwhehecigars，threeoftheyouhedoctor，BrowhedetrimentalO‘Brien，（theexileinafnuniform）-allmeltedawaytomixwiththeladiesorsmokeintheservatory，thentheEnglishdiplomatistgrewveryundiplomatideed。Hewasstuysedswiththethoughtthatthesightbesignallingtaretsomehow；hedidoimagioverthecoffeewithBrayhehoaryYankeewhobelievedinallreligions，ahegrizzledFrenwhobelievediheycuewitheachother，buthercouldappealtohim。Afteratimethis“progressive”logomachyhadreacheda；Lalloalsoandsoughtthedrawing-room。Helosthiswayinlongpassagesforshtmiillheheardthehigh-pitched，didacticvoiceofthedodthenthedullvoiceofthepriest，followedbygenerallaughter。Theyalso，hethoughtwithacurse，wereprabout“sdreligioheopehesalondoorhesawohiwasnotthere。HesawthatandantOBriehatLadyMargaretwasabsenttoo。

Risilyfr-room，ashehadfromthedining-room，hestampedalongthepassageoihisdaughterfrerianer-do-weelhadbeethiralandevenmadinhismiowardsthebackofthehouse，wherewasValentin‘sstudy，herisedtomeethisdaughter，whosweptpastwithawhite，sfulface，whichwasasea。IfshehadbeenwithO’Brien，wherewasO‘BriebeenwithO’Brien，wherehadshebeen?Withasortofsenileandpassionatesuspihegropedhiswaytothedarkbaansiouallyfous‘eopehegardehherscimitarhadnowrippedupandrolledawayallthestorm-wrack。Theargentlightlitupallfourersofthegarden。AtallfgureiridingacrossthelawntowardsthestudydlintofmoonlitsilveronhisfagspimandantO’Brien。

HevahroughtheFrendowsintothehouse，leavingLallowayinanindescribabletemper，atoaheblue-and-silvergarden，likeasatheatre，seemedtotaunthimwithallthattyranniessagainstwhichhisworldlyauthoritywasatwar。ThelengthaheIrishmansstrideenragedhimasifhewerearivalinsteadofafather；themoonlightmaddenedhim。Heedasifbymagitoagardenoftroubadours，aWatteaufairyland；and，willingtoshakeoffsubecilitiesbyspeech，hesteppedbrisklyafterhisenemy。Ashedidsohetrippedoversometreeorstohegrass；lookeddownatitfrstwithirritationandtheimewithcuriosity。Theantthemooallpoplarslookedatanunusualsight-anelderlyEnglishdiplhardandgorbellowingasheran。

Hishoarseshhtapalefacetothestudydoor，thebeamingglassesandworriedbrowofDr。Simoheclearwallowaywasg：“Athegrass-ablood-stainedcorpse。”OBrienatlasthadgoofhismind。

&ellValentihedotheotherhadbrokenlydescribedallthathehaddaredtoexamiisfortuheishere”；andevehegreatdeteteredthestudy，attractedbythecry。Itwasalmostamusiypisformation；hehadewiththeonofahostalemahatsomeguestorservantastoldthegoryfact，heturhallhisgravityinstantlybrightandbusihis，hotandawful，washisbusiness。

“Stralemen，”hesaidastheyhurriedoutintothegarden，“thatIshouldhavehueriesallovertheearth，andnowotlesinmyownback-yard。Butwhereistheplace?”Theycrossedthelawnlesseasily，asaslightmisthadbeguheriver；butuheguidaheshakenGallowaytheyfoundthebodysunkehebodyofaverytallandbroad-shoulderedman。Helayfawards，sotheylyseethathisbigshoulderswereblackdthathisbigheadtforanhairthatgtohisskulllikewetseaweed。Ascarletserpentofbloodcrawledfromunderhisfallenface。

“Atleast，”saidSimon，andsingularintonation，“heisnoneofourparty。”

“Examinehim，doctor，”criedValentinrathersharply。“Hemaynotbedead。”

&orbentdowquitecold，butIamafraidheisdeadenough，”heahelpmetolifthimup。”

&edhimcarefullyanintheground，andalldoubtsastohisbeingreallydeadweresettledatondfrightfully。Theheadfellaway。Ithadbeeirelysuhebody；whoeverhadcuthisthroathadmaosevertheneckaswell。Eveinwasslightlyshocked。“Hemusthavebeenasstrongasagorilla，”hemuttered。

Notwithoutashiver，thoughhewasusedtoanatomicalabortions，Dr。Simohehead。Itwasslightlyslashedaboutthenedjaw，butthefacewassubstantiallyunhurt。Itonderous，yellowfaahahawk-likenoseandheavylids-afaceofawiperor，with，perhaps，adistanttouchofaeseemperor。Allpreseolookatitwiththecoldesteyeofighingelseotedaboutthema，astheyhadliftedhisbody，theyhadseehewhitegleamofashirt-froharedgleamofblood。AsDr。Simonsaid，themanhadheirparty。Buthemightverywellhavebeentryingtojoinit，forhehadedressedforsuo。

&downonhishandsandkneesahhisclosestprofessiohegrassandgroundforsometwentyyardsroundthebody，inwhichhewasassistedlessskillfullybythedodquitevaguelybytheEnglishlord。heirgrovelliafewtedortoverysmalllengths，whitinliftedforaniioosseda>

“Twigs，”hesaidgravely，“twigs，andaterwithhisheadcutoff；thatisallthereisonthislawn。”

TherewasanalmostcreepystillhentheunnervedGallowaycalledoutsharply：“Who‘sthat！Who’sthatovertherebythegarden>

Asmallfgurewithafoolishlylargeheaddrewwaverihemihaze；lookedforaninstantlikeagoblin，butturobetheharmlesslittlepriestwhomtheyhadleftinthedrawing-room。

“Isay，”hesaidmeekly，“therearehisgarden，doyouknow。”

&insblackbrowshadetogethersomewhatcrossly，astheydidonprihesightofthecassock。Buthewasfartoojustamaherelevaheremark。“Yht，”hesaid。“Beforewefndouthowhecametobekilled，wemayhavetofndouthowhecametobehere。ome，geewithoutprejudiypositionandduty，weshallallagreethatdistinguishedwellbekeptoutofthis。Thereareladies，gehereisafnambassador。Ifwemustmarkitdownasacrime，thenitmustbefollowedupasacrime。ButtillthenIusemyowion。Iamtheheadofthepolice；IamsopublicthatIaffordtobeprivate。PleaseHeaven，IwillcleareveryoneofmyowsbeforeImymentolookforalemen，uponyourhonour，youwillnoneofyouleavethehousetilltomorrowatnoon；therearebedroomsforall。Simon，Ithinkyoukofndmyman，Ivahall；heisatialmaoleaveaonguardaalloway，youarelythebestpersoheladiesened，aapanic。Theyalsomuststay。FatherBrownandIwillremainwiththebody。”

&hisspiritofthespokeiinhewasobeyedlikeabugle。Dr。SimohroughtothearmouryaIvan，thepublicdetectivesprivatedetective。Gallowaywentt-roomandtoldtheterriblefullyenough，sothatbythetimethepaheretheladieswerealreadystartledahed。Meahegoodpriestaheiststoodattheheadandfootofthedeadmahemoonlight，likesymbolicstatuesoftheirtwophilosophiesofdeath。

Ivan，thetialmanwiththesdthemoustaches，cameoutofthehouselikeaball，andgacrossthelawiohismaster。Hislividfacewasquitelivelywiththeglowofthisdomesticdetectivestory，anditleasaheaskedhismasterspermissioheremains。

“Yes，look，ifyoulike，Ivan，”saidValentin，“butdontbelogoinandthrashthisoutinthehouse。”

Ivahehead，aletitdrop。

“ed，“it‘s-no，itisn’t；ittbe。Doyouknowthisman，sir?”

“No，”saidValentily；“wehadbettergoinside。”

&heycarriedthecorpsetoasofaiudy，andtheheirwayt-room。