花园血案之谜 The Secret Garden（第2页）

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

“NotMr。BrayheDuontSt。Michel，lookinground。

“No，”saidLallowayinahoarse，harshvoir。NeilOBrien，Ifancy。Isawthatgentlemanwalkinginthegardehecorpsewasstill>

“Ivan，”saidthedetective，“goaandantO‘BrienandMr。Brayne。Mr。Brayne，Iknow，isfnishingathedining-room；andahink，isanddownthenotsure。”

&hfulattendaheroom，andbeforeairorspeakValehthesamesoldierlyswiftion。

“Everyohatadeadmanhasbeenfoundinthegardehisbody。Dr。Simon，youhaveexami。Doyouthinkthattosthroatlikethatwouldforce?Or，perhaps，onlyaverysharpknife?”

“Ishouldsaythatitotbedohakall，”saidthepaledoctor。

“Haveyouanythought，”resumedValentin，“ofatoolwithwhichitcouldbedone?”

&hinmodernprobabilities，Ireallyhavent，”saidthedhispainfulbrows。“It‘sohaeckthroughevenclumsily，andthiswasaverycut。Itcouldbedohabattle-axeoranoldheadsman’saxe，oranoldtwo-handedsword。”

“But，goodheaveheDuchess，almostiherearentanytwo-handedswordsandbattle-axesroundhere。”

&inwasstillbusywiththepaperinfrontofhim。“Tellme，”hesaid，stillidly，“couldithavebeehalongFrenchcavalrysabre?”

Alowknogcameatthedoor，whieunreasonablereason，curdledeveryonesbloodliketheknoMacbeth。AmidthatfrozensilenceDr。Simoosay：“Asabre-yes，Isupposeitcould。”

“Thankyou，”saidValentin。“ein，Ivan。”

ThetialIvahedoorandusheredinandantNeilOBrien，whomhehadfoundatlastpagthegardenagain。

TheIrishoffcerstoodupdisorderedahethreshold。“Whatdoyouwantwithme?”hecried。

&down，”saidValenti，leveltones。“Why，youarentwearingyoursword。Whereisit?”

&onthelibrarytable，”saidOBrien，hisbroguedeepeninginhisdisturbedmood。“Itwasawasgetting-”

“Ivan，”saidValentin，“pleasegoaheandantsswordfromthelibrary。”Thevanished，“Lallowaysayshesawyouleavingthegardenjustbeforehefoundthecorpse。Whatwereyoudoinginthegarden?”

Theandantfunghimselfrecklesslyintoachair。“Oh，”hepureIrish，“admiringthemoon。uningwithNature，me?”

Aheavysilendetheendofitthattrivialandterribleknog。Ivanreappeared，gaeelscabbard。“ThisisallId，”hesaid。

“Putitoable，”saidValentin，withoutlookingup。

Therewasaninhumaheroom，likethatseaofinhumahedockoftheurderer。TheDuchess‘sweakexshadlongagodiedaway。Lalloway’sswolleisfedandevehevoicethatcamewasquiteued。

“IthinkItellyou，”criedLadyMargaret，inthatclear，quiverihwhichaanspeakspublitellyouwhatMr。OBrienwasdoinginthegarden，sinceheisboundtosilence。Hewasaskiomarryhim。Irefused；IsaidinmyfamilycesIcouldgivehimnothingbutmyrespect。Hewasalittleangryatthat，hedidhinkmuyrespeder，”sheadded，withratherawansmile，“ifhewillcareatallforitnow。ForIofferithimnoearahehihis。”

Lallowayhadedgeduptohisdaughter，andwasintimidatiheimagiobeaone。“Hue，Maggie，”hesaidinathunderouswhisper。“Whyshouldyoushieldthefellow?Where‘shissword?Where’shisdedcavalry-”

&oppedbecauseofthesingularstarewithwhichhisdaughterwasregardinghim，alookthatwasindeedaluridmaghewholegroup。

“Youoldfool！”shesaidinalowvoicewithoutpretedoyousupptoprove?Itellyouthismanwasiwhilewithme。Butifhewas，hewasstillwithme。Ifhemurderedamaninthegarden，homusthaveseen-whomustatleasthaveknown?DoyouhateNeilsomuchasthter-”

LadyGallowayscreamed。Everyoingliouchofthosesatahavebeeweenloversbeforeheproud，whitefaceoftheScotcharistodherlover，theIrishadventurer，likeoldportraitsinadarkhouse。Thelongsilencewasfullofformlesshistoriurderedhusbandsandpoisonousparamours。

Ihismorbidsilenotvoicesaid：“Wasitaverylongcigar?”

Thegeofthoughtthattheyhadtolookroundtoseeoken。

“Imean，”saidlittleFatherBrown，fromtheeroftheroom，“ImeanthatcigarMr。Brayneisfnishing。Itseemsnearlyaslongasawalking-stick。”

&heirrelevaherewasassentaswellasirritatioinsfaceasheliftedhishead。

“Quiteright，”heremarkedsharply。“Ivan，goaMr。Brayneagain，andbrionce。”

&thefahadclosedthedoor，Valehegirlwithairelyness。

“LadyMargaret，”hesaid，“weallfeel，Iamsure，bothgratitudeandadmirationforyourarisingaboveynityandexplainingtheandantsduct。Butthereisahiatusstill。Lalloway，Iuayoupassingfromthestudyt-room，anditwasoesafterwardsthathefoundthegardenandtheandantstillwalkingthere。”

“Youhavetoremember，”repliedMargaret，withafaintironyinhervoice，“thatIhadjustrefusedhim，soweshouldscarcelyhaveebaarm。Heisagentleman，anyhow，aeredbehind-andsedwithmurder。”

“Is，”saidValentingravely，“hemightreally-”

Theknock，andIvanputinhisscarredface。