花園血案之謎 The Secret Garden (第1/15頁)

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.切斯特頓

G.K.Chesterton

G.K.切斯特頓（G.K.Chesterton，1874—1936），英國作家。出生於倫敦一個小資產階級家庭。在校期間，喜歡寫詩，並獲得彌爾頓獎金。1900年，切斯特頓的第一部詩集《野騎士》出版。後來還出版了《新詩集》（1929），詩意清新雋永，其中以《飛的旅舍》（1914）的《祝酒歌》最爲著名。另外，偵探小說集《布朗神父的純樸》（1911）、《布朗神父的智慧》（1914）、《布朗神父的祕密》（1927）、《布朗神父的醜行》（1935）等，也深受讀者歡迎。

AristideValentin,ChiefoftheParisPolice,waslateforhisdinner,andsomeofhisguestsbegantoarrivebeforehim.Thesewere,however,reassuredbyhisconfdentialservant,Ivan,theoldmanwithascar,andafacealmostasgreyashismoustaches,whoalwayssatatatableintheentrancehall-ahallhungwithweaons.Valentinshousewaserhasaseculiarandcelebratedasitsmaster.Itwasanoldhouse,withhighwallsandtallolarsalmostoverhangingtheSeine；buttheoddity-anderhastheolicevalueofitsarchitecturewasthis：thattherewasnoultimateexitatallexcetthroughthisfrontdoor,whichwasguardedbyIvanandthearmoury.Thegardenwaslargeandelaborate,andthereweremanyexitsfromthehouseintothegarden.Buttherewasnoexitfromthegardenintotheworldoutside；allrounditranatall,smooth,unscalablewallwithsecialsikesattheto；nobadgarden,erhas,foramantorefectinwhomsomehundredcriminalshadsworntokill.

AsIvanexlainedtotheguests,theirhosthadtelehonedthathewasdetainedfortenminutes.Hewas,intruth,makingsomelastarrangementsaboutexecutionsandsuchuglythings；andthoughthesedutieswererootedlyreulsivetohim,healwayserformedthemwithrecision.Ruthlessintheursuitofcriminals,hewasverymildabouttheirunishment.SincehehadbeensuremeoverFrench-andlargelyoverEuroean-olicialmethods,hisgreatinfuencehadbeenhonourablyusedforthemitigationofsentencesandtheurifcationofrisons.HewasoneofthegreathumanitarianFrenchfreethinkers；andtheonlythingwrongwiththemisthattheymakemercyevencolderthanjustice.

WhenValentinarrivedhewasalreadydressedinblackclothesandtheredrosette-anelegantfigure,hisdarkbeardalreadystreakedwithgrey.Hewentstraightthroughhishousetohisstudy,whichoenedonthegroundsbehind.Thegardendoorofitwasoen,andafterhehadcarefullylockedhisboxinitsoffciallace,hestoodforafewsecondsattheoendoorlookingoutuonthegarden.Asharmoonwasfghtingwiththefyingragsandtattersofastorm,andValentinregardeditwithawistfulnessunusualinsuchscientifcnaturesashis.Perhassuchscientifcnatureshavesomesychicrevisionofthemosttremendousroblemoftheirlives.Fromanysuchoccultmood,atleast,hequicklyrecovered,forheknewhewaslate,andthathisguestshadalreadybeguntoarrive.

Aglanceathisdrawing-roomwhenheentereditwasenoughtomakecertainthathisrincialguestwasnotthere,atanyrate.Hesawalltheotherillarsofthelittlearty；hesawLordGalloway,theEnglishAmbassador-acholericoldmanwitharussetfacelikeanale,wearingtheblueribbonoftheGarter.HesawLadyGalloway,slimandthreadlike,withsilverhairandafacesensitiveandsuerior.Hesawherdaughter,LadyMargaretGraham,aaleandrettygirlwithanelfshfaceandcoer-colouredhair.HesawtheDuchessofMontSt.Michel,black-eyedandoulent,andwithherhertwodaughters,black-eyedandoulentalso.HesawDr.Simon,atyicalFrenchscientist,withglasses,aointedbrownbeard,andaforeheadbarredwiththosearallelwrinkleswhicharetheenaltyofsuerciliousness,sincetheycomethroughconstantlyelevatingtheeyebrows.HesawFatherBrown,ofCobhole,inEssex,whomhehadrecentlymetinEngland.

Hesaw-erhaswithmoreinterestthananyofthese-atallmaninuniform,whohadbowedtotheGallowayswithoutreceivinganyveryheartyacknowledgment,andwhonowadvancedalonetoayhisresectstohishost.ThiswasCommandantO‘Brien,oftheFrenchForeignLegion.Hewasaslimyetsomewhatswaggeringfigure,clean-shaven,dark-haired,andblue-eyed,and,asseemednaturalinanoffcerofthatfamousregimentofvictoriousfailuresandsuccessfulsuicides,hehadanairatoncedashingandmelancholy.HewasbybirthanIrishgentleman,andinboyhoodhadknowntheGalloways-eseciallyMargaretGraham.Hehadlefthiscountryaftersomecrashofdebts,andnowexressedhiscomletefreedomfromBritishetiquettebyswingingaboutinuniform,sabreandsurs.WhenhebowedtotheAmbassador’sfamily,LordandLadyGallowaybentstiffy,andLadyMargaretlookedaway.

Butforwhateveroldcausessucheolemightbeinterestedineachother,theirdistinguishedhostwasnotseciallyinterestedinthem.Nooneofthematleastwasinhiseyestheguestoftheevening.Valentinwasexecting,forsecialreasons,amanofworld-widefame,whosefriendshihehadsecuredduringsomeofhisgreatdetectivetoursandtriumhsintheUnitedStates.HewasexectingJuliusK.Brayne,thatmulti-millionairewhosecolossalandevencrushingendowmentsofsmallreligionshaveoccasionedsomucheasysuortandeasiersolemnityfortheAmericanandEnglishaers.NobodycouldquitemakeoutwhetherMr.BraynewasanatheistoraMormonoraChristianScientist；buthewasreadytoourmoneyintoanyintellectualvessel,solongasitwasanuntriedvessel.OneofhishobbieswastowaitfortheAmericanShakeseare-ahobbymoreatientthanangling.HeadmiredWaltWhitman,butthoughtthatLukeP.Tanner,ofParis,Pa.，wasmore“rogressive”thanWhitmananyday.Helikedanythingthathethought“rogressive.”HethoughtValentin“rogressive，”therebydoinghimagraveinjustice.

ThesolidaearanceofJuliusK.Brayneintheroomwasasdecisiveasadinnerbell.Hehadthisgreatquality,whichveryfewofuscanclaim,thathisresencewasasbigashisabsence.