the illustrious prince- 第48部分

They　reached　St。　James'　Square　in　a　few　minutes。　There　were　no　signs　of　disturbance。　The　door　flew　open　at　their　approach。　The　same　solemn…faced；　quietly　moving　butler　admitted　them。　The　Prince　led　the　way　into　the　room　upon　the　ground　floor　which　he　called　his　library。

〃It　is　a　fancy　of　mine；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃to　say　goodbye　to　you　all　here。　You　see　that　there　is　nothing　in　this　room　which　is　not　really　the　product　of　Japan。　Here　I　feel；　indeed；　as　though　I　had　crossed　the　seas　and　were　back　under　the　shadow　of　my　own　mountains。　Here　I　feel；　indeed；　your　host；　especially　as　I　am　going　to　distribute　my　treasures。〃

He　took　a　picture　from　the　wall　and　turned　with　it　to　the　Duke。

〃Duke；〃　he　said；　〃this　engraving　is　a　rude　thing；　but　the　hand　which　guided　the　steel　has　been　withered　for　two　hundred　years；　and　no　other　example　remains　of　its　cunning。　Mr。　Haviland；〃　he　added；　stepping　to　his　writing　table；　〃this　lacquered　shrine；　with　its　pagoda　roof；　has　been　attributed　to　Kobo…Daishi；　and　has　stood　upon　the　writing　table　of　seven　emperors。　Sir　Edward；　this　sword；　notwithstanding　its　strange　shape　and　gilded　chasing；　was　wielded　with　marvellous　effect；　if　history　tells　the　truth；　a　hundred　and　thirty　years　ago　by　my　great…grandfather　when　he　fought　his　way　to　the　throne。　Sir　Charles；　you　are　to　go　into　Parliament。　Some　day　you　will　become　a　diplomat。　Some　day；　perhaps；　you　will　understand　our　language。　Just　now　I　am　afraid；〃　he　concluded；　〃this　will　seem　to　you　but　a　bundle　of　purple　velvet　and　vellum；　but　it　is　really　a　manuscript　of　great　curiosity　which　comes　from　the　oldest　monastery　in　Asia；　the　Monastery　of　Koya…San。〃

He　turned　to　the　Duchess。

〃Duchess；〃　he　said；　〃you　see　that　my　tapestries　have　already　gone。　They　left　yesterday　for　Devenham　Castle。　I　hope　that　you　will　find　a　place　there　where　you　may　hang　them。　They　are　a　little　older　than　your　French　ones；　and　time；　as　you　may　remember；　has　been　kind　to　them。　It　may　interest　you　to　know　that　they　were　executed　some　thirteen　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　and　are　of　a　design　which；　alas；　we　borrowed　from　the　Chinese。〃

The　Prince　paused　for　a　moment。　All　were　trying　to　express　their　thanks；　but　no　one　was　wholly　successful。　He　waved　their　words　gently　aside。

〃Lady　Grace；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　statuette　of　Buddha　in　a　corner　of　the　room　and　taking　from　its　neck　a　string　of　strange　blue　stones；　〃I　will　not　ask　you　to　wear　these；　for　they　have　adorned　the　necks　of　idols　for　many　centuries；　but　if　you　will　keep　them　for　my　sake；　they　may　remind　you　sometimes　of　the　color　of　our　skies。〃

Once　more　he　went　to　his　writing　table。　From　it　he　lifted；　almost　reverently；　a　small　bronze　figure；the　figure　of　a　woman；　strongly　built；　almost　squat；　without　grace；　whose　eyes　and　head　and　arms　reached　upwards。

〃Miss　Penelope；〃　he　said；　〃to　you　I　make　my　one　worthless　offering。　This　statuette　has　no　grace；　no　shapeliness；　according　to　the　canons　of　your　wonderful　Western　art。　Yet　for　five　generations　of　my　family　it　has　been　the　symbol　of　our　lives。　We　are　not　idol　worshippers　in　Japan；　yet　one　by　one　the　men　of　my　race　have　bent　their　knee　before　this　figure　and　have　left　their　homes　to　fight　for　the　thing　which　she　represents。　She　is　not　beautiful；　she　does　not　stand　for　the　joys　and　the　great　gifts　of　life；　but　she　represents　the　country　which　to　us　stands　side　by　side　with　our　God；　our　parents；　and　our　Emperor。　Nothing　in　life　has　been　dearer　to　me　than　this；　Miss　Penelope。　To　no　other　person　would　I　part　with　it。〃

She　took　it　with　a　sudden　hysterical　sob；　which　seemed　to　ring　out　like　a　strange　note　upon　the　unnatural　stillness　of　the　room。　And　then　there　came　a　thing　which　happened　before　its　time。　The　door　was　opened。　Inspector　Jacks　came　in。　With　him　were　Dr。　Spencer　Whiles　and　the　man　who　a　few　days　ago　had　been　discharged　from　St。　Thomas'　Hospital。　Of　the　very　distinguished　company　who　were　gathered　there；　Inspector　Jacks　took　little　notice。　His　eyes　lit　upon　the　form　of　the　Prince；　and　he　drew　a　sigh　of　relief。　The　door　was　closed　behind　him；　and　he　saw　no　way　by　which　he　could　be　cheated　of　his　victory。　He　took　a　step　forward；　and　the　Prince　advanced　courteously；　as　though　to　meet　him。　The　others；　for　those　few　seconds；　seemed　as　though　they　had　lost　the　power　of　speech　or　movement。　Then　before　a　word　could　be　uttered　by　either　the　Inspector　or　the　Prince；　the　door　was　opened　from　the　outside；　and　a　man　came　running　in；a　man　dressed　in　a　shabby　blue　serge　suit；　dark　and　thin。　He　ran　past　the　Inspector　and　his　companions；　and　he　fell　on　his　knees　before　his　master。

〃I　confess！〃　he　cried。　〃It　was　I　who　climbed　on　to　the　railway　car！　It　was　I　who　stabbed　the　American　man　in　the　tunnel　and　robbed　him　of　his　papers！　The　others　are　innocent。　Marki；　who　brought　the　car　for　me；　knew　nothing。　Those　who　saw　me　return　to　this　house　knew　nothing。　No　man　was　my　confidant。　I　alone　am　guilty！　I　thought　they　could　not　discover　the　truth；　but　they　have　hunted　me　down。　He　is　therethe　doctor　who　bandaged　my　knee。　I　told　him　that　it　was　a　bicycle　accident。　Listen！　It　was　I　who　killed　the　young　American　Vanderpole。　I　followed　him　from　the　Savoy　Hotel。　I　dressed　myself　in　the　likeness　of　my　master；　and　I　entered　his　taxi　as　a　pleasant　jest。　Then　I　strangled　him　and　I　robbed　him　too！　He　saw　methat　man！〃　Soto　cried；　pointing　to　the　youth　who　stood　at　the　Inspector's　left　hand。　〃He　was　on　his　bicycle。　He　skidded　and　fell　through　watching　me。　I　told　my　master　that　I　was　in　trouble；　and　he　has　tried　to　shield　me；　but　he　did　not　know　the　truth。　If　he　had；　he　would　have　given　me　over　as　I　give　myself　now。　What　I　did　I　did　because　I　love　Japan　and　because　I　hate　America！〃

His　speech　ended　in　a　fit　of　breathlessness。　He　lay　there；　gasping。　The　doctor　bent　forward；　looking　at　him　first　in　perplexity　and　afterwards　in　amazement。　Then　very　slowly；　and　with　the　remnants　of　doubt　still　in　his　tone；　he　answered　Inspector　Jacks'　unspoken　question。

〃He　is　the　image　of　the　man　who　came　to　me　that　night；〃　he　declared。　〃He　is　wearing　the　same　clothes；　too。〃

〃What　do　you　say？〃　the　Inspector　whispered　hoarsely　to　the　youth　on　his　other　side。　〃Don't　hurry。　Look　at　him　carefully。〃

The　young　man　hesitated。

〃He　is　the　same　height　and　figure　as　the　man　I　saw　enter　the　taxi；〃　he　said。　〃I　believe　that　it　is　he。〃

Inspector　Jacks　stepped　forward；　but　the　Prince　held　out　his　hand。

〃Wait！〃　he　ordered；　and　his　voice　was　sterner　than　any　there　had　ever　heard　him　use。　There　was　a　fire　in　his　eyes　from　which　the　man　at　his　feet　appeared　to　shrink。

〃Soto；〃　the　Prince　said；　and　he　spoke　in　his　own　language；　so　that　no　person　in　that　room　understood　him　save　the　one　whom　he　addressed；〃why　have　you　done　this？〃

The　man　lay　there；　resting　now　upon　his　side；　and　supporting　himself　by　the　palm　of　his　right　hand。　His　upturned　face　seemed　to　have　in　it　all　the　passionate　pleading　of　a　dumb　animal。

〃Illustrious　Prince；〃　he　answered；　speaking　also　in　his　own　tongue；　〃I　did　it　for　Japan！　Who　are　you　to　blame　me；　who　have　offered　his　own　life　so　freely？　I　have　no　weight　in　the　world。　For　you　the　future　is　big。　You　will　go　back　to　Japan；　you　will　sit　at　the　right　hand　of　the　emperor。　You　will　tell　him　of　the　follies　and　the　wisdom　of　these　strange　countries。　You　will　guide　him　in　difficulties。　Your　hand　will　be　upon　his　as　he　writes　across　the　sheets　of　time；　for　the　glory　of　the　Motherland。　Banzai；　illustrious　Prince！　I；　too；　am　of　the　immortals！〃

He　suddenly　collapsed。　The　doctor　bent　over　him；　but　the　Prince　shook　his　head　slowly。

〃It　is　useless；〃　he　said。　〃The　man　has　confessed　his　crime。　He　has　told　me　the　whole　truth。　He　has　taken　poison。〃

Lady　Grace　began　to　cry　softly。　The　air　of　the　room　seemed　heavy　with　pent…up　emotions。　The　Prince　moved　slowly　toward　the　door　and　threw　it　open。　He　turned　towards　them　all。

〃Will　you　leave　me？〃　he　asked。　〃I　wish　to　be　alone。〃

His　eyes　were　like　the　eyes　of　a　blind　man。

One　by　one　they　left　the　room；　Inspector　Jacks　amongst　them。　The　only　person　who　spoke；　even　in　the　hall；　was　the　Inspector。

〃It　was　the　Prince　who　brought　the　doctor　here；〃　he　muttered。　〃He　must　have　known！　At　least　he　must　have　known！〃

Mr。　Haviland　touched　him　on　the　arm。

〃Inspector　Jacks！〃　he　whispered。

Inspector　Jacks　saluted。

〃The　murderer　is　dead；〃　he　continued；　speaking　still　under　his　breath。　〃Silence　is　a　wonderful　gift；　Mr。　Jacks。　Sometimes　its　reward　is　greater　even　than　the　reward　of　action。〃

They　passed　from　the　house；　and　once　more　its　air　of　deep　silence　was　unbroken。　The　Prince　stood　in　the　middle　of　that　strange　room；　whose　furnishings　and　atmosphere　seemed；　indeed；　so　marvellously　reminiscent　of　some　far　distant　land。　He　looked　down　upon　the　now　lifeless　figure；　raised　the　still；　white　fingers　in　his　for　a　moment；　and　laid　them　reverently　down。　Then　his　head　went　upward；　and　his　eyes　seemed　to　be　seeking　the　heavens。

〃So　do　the　great　die；〃　he　murmured。　〃Already　the　Gods　of　our　fathers　are　calling　you　Soto　the　Faithful。　Banzai！〃




End