花園血案之謎 The Secret Garden (第3/15頁)

常青藤語言教學中心編譯提示您：看後求收藏（貓撲小說www.mpzw.tw），接着再看更方便。

Thedoctorbentdown.“Heisnotquitecold,butIamafraidheisdeadenough，”heanswered.“Justhelmetolifthimu.”

Theyliftedhimcarefullyaninchfromtheground,andalldoubtsastohisbeingreallydeadweresettledatonceandfrightfully.Theheadfellaway.Ithadbeenentirelysunderedfromthebody；whoeverhadcuthisthroathadmanagedtosevertheneckaswell.EvenValentinwasslightlyshocked.“Hemusthavebeenasstrongasagorilla，”hemuttered.

Notwithoutashiver,thoughhewasusedtoanatomicalabortions,Dr.Simonliftedthehead.Itwasslightlyslashedabouttheneckandjaw,butthefacewassubstantiallyunhurt.Itwasaonderous,yellowface,atoncesunkenandswollen,withahawk-likenoseandheavylids-afaceofawickedRomanemeror,with,erhas,adistanttouchofaChineseemeror.Allresentseemedtolookatitwiththecoldesteyeofignorance.Nothingelsecouldbenotedaboutthemanexcetthat,astheyhadliftedhisbody,theyhadseenunderneathitthewhitegleamofashirt-frontdefacedwitharedgleamofblood.AsDr.Simonsaid,themanhadneverbeenoftheirarty.Buthemightverywellhavebeentryingtojoinit,forhehadcomedressedforsuchanoccasion.

Valentinwentdownonhishandsandkneesandexaminedwithhisclosestrofessionalattentionthegrassandgroundforsometwentyyardsroundthebody,inwhichhewasassistedlessskillfullybythedoctor,andquitevaguelybytheEnglishlord.Nothingrewardedtheirgrovellingsexcetafewtwigs,snaedorchoedintoverysmalllengths,whichValentinliftedforaninstantsexaminationandthentossedaway.

“Twigs，”hesaidgravely，“twigs,andatotalstrangerwithhisheadcutoff；thatisallthereisonthislawn.”

Therewasanalmostcreeystillness,andthentheunnervedGallowaycalledoutsharly：“Who‘sthat！Who’sthatovertherebythegardenwall！”

Asmallfgurewithafoolishlylargeheaddrewwaveringlyneartheminthemoonlithaze；lookedforaninstantlikeagoblin,butturnedouttobetheharmlesslittleriestwhomtheyhadleftinthedrawing-room.

“Isay，”hesaidmeekly，“therearenogatestothisgarden,doyouknow.”

Valentinsblackbrowshadcometogethersomewhatcrossly,astheydidonrincileatthesightofthecassock.Buthewasfartoojustamantodenytherelevanceoftheremark.“Youareright，”hesaid.“Beforewefndouthowhecametobekilled,wemayhavetofndouthowhecametobehere.Nowlistentome,gentlemen.Ifitcanbedonewithoutrejudicetomyositionandduty,weshallallagreethatcertaindistinguishednamesmightwellbeketoutofthis.Thereareladies,gentlemen,andthereisaforeignambassador.Ifwemustmarkitdownasacrime,thenitmustbefolloweduasacrime.ButtillthenIcanusemyowndiscretion.Iamtheheadoftheolice；IamsoublicthatIcanaffordtoberivate.PleaseHeaven,IwillcleareveryoneofmyownguestsbeforeIcallinmymentolookforanybodyelse.Gentlemen,uonyourhonour,youwillnoneofyouleavethehousetilltomorrowatnoon；therearebedroomsforall.Simon,Ithinkyouknowwheretofndmyman,Ivan,inthefronthall；heisaconfdentialman.Tellhimtoleaveanotherservantonguardandcometomeatonce.LordGalloway,youarecertainlythebestersontotelltheladieswhathashaened,andreventaanic.Theyalsomuststay.FatherBrownandIwillremainwiththebody.”

WhenthissiritofthecatainsokeinValentinhewasobeyedlikeabugle.Dr.SimonwentthroughtothearmouryandroutedoutIvan,theublicdetectivesrivatedetective.Gallowaywenttothedrawing-roomandtoldtheterriblenewstactfullyenough,sothatbythetimethecomanyassembledtheretheladieswerealreadystartledandalreadysoothed.Meanwhilethegoodriestandthegoodatheiststoodattheheadandfootofthedeadmanmotionlessinthemoonlight,likesymbolicstatuesoftheirtwohilosohiesofdeath.