manalive- 第14部分

〃Well；　Innocent　must　have　his　bag；　you　know；〃　said　Mary　with　a　smile。
〃I　dare　say　the　cabman　would　get　it　down　for　us。〃

〃I'll　get　the　bag；〃　said　Smith；　speaking　for　the　first　time　in　hours；
his　voice　sounded　remote　and　rude；　like　the　voice　of　a　statue。

Those　who　had　so　long　danced　and　disputed　round　his　immobility
were　left　breathless　by　his　precipitance。　　With　a　run　and　spring
he　was　out　of　the　garden　into　the　street；　with　a　spring　and
one　quivering　kick　he　was　actually　on　the　roof　of　the　cab。
The　cabman　happened　to　be　standing　by　the　horse's　head；　having　just
removed　its　emptied　nose…bag。　Smith　seemed　for　an　instant　to　be
rolling　about　on　the　cab's　back　in　the　embraces　of　his　Gladstone　bag。
The　next　instant；　however；　he　had　rolled；　as　if　by　a　royal　luck；
into　the　high　seat　behind；　and　with　a　shriek　of　piercing　and
appalling　suddenness　had　sent　the　horse　flying　and　scampering
down　the　street。

His　evanescence　was　so　violent　and　swift；　that　this　time　it
was　all　the　other　people　who　were　turned　into　garden　statues。
Mr。　Moses　Gould；　however；　being　ill…adapted　both　physically　and　morally
for　the　purposes　of　permanent　sculpture；　came　to　life　some　time　before
the　rest；　and；　turning　to　Moon；　remarked；　like　a　man　starting　chattily
with　a　stranger　on　an　omnibus；　〃Tile　loose；　eh？　　Cab　loose　anyhow。〃
There　followed　a　fatal　silence；　and　then　Dr。　Warner　said；　with　a　sneer
like　a　club　of　stone；

〃This　is　what　comes　of　the　Court　of　Beacon；　Mr。　Moon。　　You　have　let
loose　a　maniac　on　the　whole　metropolis。〃

Beacon　House　stood；　as　has　been　said；　at　the　end　of　a　long　crescent
of　continuous　houses。　　The　little　garden　that　shut　it　in　ran　out　into
a　sharp　point　like　a　green　cape　pushed　out　into　the　sea　of　two　streets。
Smith　and　his　cab　shot　up　one　side　of　the　triangle；　and　certainly
most　of　those　standing　inside　of　it　never　expected　to　see　him　again。
At　the　apex；　however；　he　turned　the　horse　sharply　round　and　drove　with　equal
violence　up　the　other　side　of　the　garden；　visible　to　all　those　in　the　group。
With　a　common　impulse　the　little　crowd　ran　across　the　lawn　as　if　to　stop　him；
but　they　soon　had　reason　to　duck　and　recoil。　　Even　as　he　vanished　up
street　for　the　second　time；　he　let　the　big　yellow　bag　fly　from　his　hand；
so　that　it　fell　in　the　centre　of　the　garden；　scattering　the　company
like　a　bomb；　and　nearly　damaging　Dr。　Warner's　hat　for　the　third　time。
Long　before　they　had　collected　themselves；　the　cab　had　shot　away　with　a
shriek　that　went　into　a　whisper。

〃Well；〃　said　Michael　Moon；　with　a　queer　note　in　his　voice；
〃you　may　as　well　all　go　inside　anyhow。　　We've　got　two　relics
of　Mr。　Smith　at　least；　his　fiancee　and　his　trunk。〃

〃Why　do　you　want　us　to　go　inside？〃　asked　Arthur　Inglewood；
in　whose　red　brow　and　rough　brown　hair　botheration　seemed
to　have　reached　its　limit。

〃I　want　the　rest　to　go　in；〃　said　Michael　in　a　clear　voice；
〃because　I　want　the　whole　of　this　garden　in　which　to　talk　to　you。〃

There　was　an　atmosphere　of　irrational　doubt；　it　was　really　getting　colder；
and　a　night　wind　had　begun　to　wave　the　one　or　two　trees　in　the　twilight。
Dr。　Warner；　however；　spoke　in　a　voice　devoid　of　indecision。

〃I　refuse　to　listen　to　any　such　proposal；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　lost
this　ruffian；　and　I　must　find　him。〃

〃I　don't　ask　you　to　listen　to　any　proposal；〃　answered　Moon　quietly；
〃I　only　ask　you　to　listen。〃

He　made　a　silencing　movement　with　his　hand；　and　immediately
the　whistling　noise　that　had　been　lost　in　the　dark　streets　on　one　side
of　the　house　could　be　heard　from　quite　a　new　quarter　on　the　other　side。
Through　the　night…maze　of　streets　the　noise　increased　with　incredible
rapidity；　and　the　next　moment　the　flying　hoofs　and　flashing　wheels　had
swept　up　to　the　blue…railed　gate　at　which　they　had　originally　stood。
Mr。　Smith　got　down　from　his　perch　with　an　air　of　absent…mindedness；
and　coming　back　into　the　garden　stood　in　the　same　elephantine
attitude　as　before。

〃Get　inside！　get　inside！〃　cried　Moon　hilariously；　with　the　air
of　one　shooing　a　company　of　cats。　　〃Come；　come；　be　quick　about　it！
Didn't　I　tell　you　I　wanted　to　talk　to　Inglewood？〃

How　they　were　all　really　driven　into　the　house　again　it　would
have　been　difficult　afterwards　to　say。　　They　had　reached　the　point
of　being　exhausted　with　incongruities；　as　people　at　a　farce
are　ill　with　laughing；　and　the　brisk　growth　of　the　storm　among
the　trees　seemed　like　a　final　gesture　of　things　in　general。
Inglewood　lingered　behind　them；　saying　with　a　certain　amicable
exasperation；　〃I　say；　do　you　really　want　to　speak　to　me？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　Michael；　〃very　much。〃

Nigh　had　come　as　it　generally　does；　quicker　than　the　twilight　had　seemed
to　promise。　　While　the　human　eye　still　felt　the　sky　as　light　gray；　a　very
large　and　lustrous　moon　appearing　abruptly　above　a　bulk　of　roofs　and　trees；
proved　by　contrast　that　the　sky　was　already　a　very　dark　gray　indeed。
A　drift　of　barren　leaves　across　the　lawn；　a　drift　of　riven　clouds　across
the　sky；　seemed　to　be　lifted　on　the　same　strong　and　yet　laborious　wind。

〃Arthur；〃　said　Michael；　〃I　began　with　an　intuition；　but　now　I　am　sure。
You　and　I　are　going　to　defend　this　friend　of　yours　before　the　blessed　Court
of　Beacon；　and　to　clear　him　tooclear　him　of　both　crime　and　lunacy。
Just　listen　to　me　while　I　preach　to　you　for　a　bit。〃　　They　walked　up
and　down　the　darkening　garden　together　as　Michael　Moon　went　on。

〃Can　you；〃　asked　Michael；　〃shut　your　eyes　and　see　some　of　those　queer　old
hieroglyphics　they　stuck　up　on　white　walls　in　the　old　hot　countries。
How　stiff　they　were　in　shape　and　yet　how　gaudy　in　colour。
Think　of　some　alphabet　of　arbitrary　figures　picked　out　in　black　and　red；
or　white　and　green；　with　some　old　Semitic　crowd　of　Nosey　Gould's
ancestors　staring　at　it；　and　try　to　think　why　the　people　put　it
up　at　all。〃

Inglewood's　first　instinct　was　to　think　that　his　perplexing　friend
had　really　gone　off　his　head　at　last；　there　seemed　so　reckless
a　flight　of　irrelevancy　from　the　tropic…pictured　walls　he　was
asked　to　imagine　to　the　gray；　wind…swept；　and　somewhat　chilly
suburban　garden　in　which　he　was　actually　kicking　his　heels。
How　he　could　be　more　happy　in　one　by　imagining　the　other　he　could
not　conceive。　　Both　（in　themselves）　were　unpleasant。

〃Why　does　everybody　repeat　riddles；〃　went　on　Moon　abruptly；
〃even　if　they've　forgotten　the　answers？　　Riddles　are　easy　to　remember
because　they　are　hard　to　guess。　　So　were　those　stiff　old　symbols
in　black；　red；　or　green　easy　to　remember　because　they　had　been　hard
to　guess。　　Their　colours　were　plain。　　Their　shapes　were　plain。
Everything　was　plain　except　the　meaning。〃

Inglewood　was　about　to　open　his　mouth　in　an　amiable　protest；　but　Moon
went　on；　plunging　quicker　and　quicker　up　and　down　the　garden　and　smoking
faster　and　faster。　　〃Dances；　too；〃　he　said；　〃dances　were　not　frivolous。
Dances　were　harder　to　understand　than　inscriptions　and　texts。
The　old　dances　were　stiff；　ceremonial；　highly　coloured　but　silent。
Have　you　noticed　anything　odd　about　Smith？〃

〃Well；　really；〃　cried　Inglewood；　left　behind　in　a　collapse　of　humour；
〃have　I　noticed　anything　else？〃

〃Have　you　noticed　this　about　him；〃　asked　Moon；　with　unshaken　persistency；
〃that　he　has　done　so　much　and　said　so　little？　　When　first　he　came　he　talked；
but　in　a　gasping；　irregular　sort　of　way；　as　if　he　wasn't　used　to　it。
All　he　really　did　was　actionspainting　red　flowers　on　black　gowns　or　throwing
yellow　bags　on　to　the　grass。　　I　tell　you　that　big　green　figure　is　figurative
like　any　green　figure　capering　on　some　white　Eastern　wall。〃

〃My　dear　Michael；〃　cried　Inglewood；　in　a　rising　irritation　which　increased
with　the　rising　wind；　〃you　are　getting　absurdly　fanciful。〃

〃I　think　of　what　has　just　happened；〃　said　Michael　steadily。
〃The　man　has　not　spoken　for　hours；　and　yet　he　has　been　speaking
all　the　time。　　He　fired　three　shots　from　a　six…shooter　and　then
gave　it　up　to　us；　when　he　might　have　shot　us　dead　in　our　boots。
How　could　he　express　his　trust　in　us　better　than　that？
He　wanted　to　be　tried　by　us。　　How　could　he　have　shown　it　better
than　by　standing　quite　still　and　letting　us　discuss　it？
He　wanted　to　show　that　he　stood　there　willingly；
and　could　escape　if　he　liked。　　How　could　he　have　shown　it
better　than　by　escaping　in　the　cab　and　coming　back　again？
Innocent　Smith　is　not　a　madmanhe　is　a　ritualist。　　He　wants　to
express　himself；　not　with　his　tongue；　but　with　his　arms　and　legs
with　my　body　I　thee　worship；　as　it　says　in　the　marriage　service。
I　begin　to　understand　the　old　plays　and　pageants。　　I　see　why
the　mutes　at　a　funeral　were　mute。　　I　see　why　the　mummers　were　mum。
They　MEANT　something；　and　Smith　means　something　too。
All　other　jokes　have　to　be　noisylike　little　Nosey　Gould's　jokes；
for　instance。　　The　only　silent　jokes　are　the　practical　jokes。
Poor　Smith；　properly　considered；　is　an　allegorical　practical　joker。
What　he　has　really　done　in　this　house　has　been　as　frantic
as　a　war…dance；　but　as　silent　as　a　picture。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean；〃　said　the　other　dubiously；　〃that　we　have　got　to　find　out
what　all　these　crimes　meant；　as　if　they　were　so　many　coloured　picture…puzzles。
But　even　supposing　that　they　do　mean　somethingwhy；　Lord　bless　my　soul！〃

Taking　the　turn　of　the　garden　quite　naturally；　he　had　lifted
his　eyes　to　the　moon；　by　this　time　risen　big　and　luminous；
and　had　seen　a　huge；　half…human　figure　sitting　on　the　garden　wall。
It　was　outlined　so　sharply　against　the　moon　that　for　the　first　flash
it　was　hard　to　be　certain　even　that　it　was　human：　　the　hunched
shoulders　and　outstanding　hair　had　rather　the　air　of　a　colossal　cat。
It　resembled　a　cat　also　in　the　fact　that　when　first　startled　it
sprang　up　and　ran　with　easy　activity　along　the　top　of　the　wall。
As　it　ran；　however；　its　heavy　shoulders　and　small　stooping　head
rather　suggested　a　baboon。　　The　instant　it　came　within　reach
of　a　tree　it　made　an　ape…like　leap　and　was　lost　in　the　branches。
The　gale；　which　by　this　time　was　shaking　every　shrub　in　the　garden；
made　the　identification　yet　more　difficult；　since　it　melted
the　moving　limbs　of　the　fugitive　in　the　multitudinous　moving
limbs　of　the　tree。

〃Who　is　there？〃　shouted　Arthur。　　〃Who　are　you？　　Are　you　Innocent？〃

〃Not　quite；〃　answered　an　obscure　voice　among　the　leaves