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第7章 花园血案之谜4（第2页）

"

Asmallfigurewithafoolishlylargeheaddrewwaveringlyneartheminthemoonlithaze;lookedforaninstantlikeagoblin，butturnedouttobetheharmlesslittleriestwhomtheyhadleftinthedrawing-room。

"Isay，

"hesaidmeekly，

"therearenogatestothisgarden，doyouknow。

"

Valentinsblackbrowshadcometogethersomewhatcrossly，astheydidonrincileatthesightofthecassock。Buthewasfartoojustamantodenytherelevanceoftheremark。

"Youareright，

"hesaid。

"Beforewefindouthowhecametobekilled，wemayhavetofindouthowhecametobehere。Nowlistentome，gentlemen。Ifitcanbedonewithoutrejudicetomyositionandduty，weshallallagreethatcertaindistinguishednamesmightwellbeketoutofthis。Thereareladies，gentlemen，andthereisaforeignambassador。Ifwemustmarkitdownasacrime，thenitmustbefolloweduasacrime。ButtillthenIcanusemyowndiscretion。Iamtheheadoftheolice;IamsoublicthatIcanaffordtoberivate。PleaseHeaven，IwillcleareveryoneofmyownguestsbeforeIcallinmymentolookforanybodyelse。Gentlemen，uonyourhonour，youwillnoneofyouleavethehousetilltomorrowatnoon;therearebedroomsforall。Simon，Ithinkyouknowwheretofindmyman，Ivan，inthefronthall;heisaconfidentialman。Tellhimtoleaveanotherservantonguardandcometomeatonce。LordGalloway，youarecertainlythebestersontotelltheladieswhathashaened，andreventaanic。Theyalsomuststay。FatherBrownandIwillremainwiththebody。

"

WhenthissiritofthecatainsokeinValentinhewasobeyedlikeabugle。DrSimonwentthroughtothearmouryandroutedoutIvan，theublicdetectivesrivatedetective。Gallowaywenttothedrawing-roomandtoldtheterriblenewstactfullyenough，sothatbythetimethecomanyassembledtheretheladieswerealreadystartledandalreadysoothed。Meanwhilethegoodriestandthegoodatheiststoodattheheadandfootofthedeadmanmotionlessinthemoonlight，likesymbolicstatuesoftheirtwohilosohiesofdeath。

Ivan，theconfidentialmanwiththescarandthemoustaches，cameoutofthehouselikeacannonball，andcameracingacrossthelawntoValentinlikeadogtohismaster。Hislividfacewasquitelivelywiththeglowofthisdomesticdetectivestory，anditwaswithalmostunleasanteagernessthatheaskedhismastersermissiontoexaminetheremains。

"Yes，look，ifyoulike，Ivan，

"saidValentin，

"butdontbelong。Wemustgoinandthrashthisoutinthehouse。

"

Ivanliftedthehead，andthenalmostletitdro。

"Why，

"hegased，

"its-no，itisnt;itcantbe。Doyouknowthisman，sir?

"

"No，

"saidValentinindifferently，

"wehadbettergoinside。

"

Betweenthemtheycarriedthecorsetoasofainthestudy，andthenallmadetheirwaytothedrawing-room。

Thedetectivesatdownatadeskquietly，andevenwithouthesitation;buthiseyewastheironeyeofajudgeatassize。Hemadeafewraidnotesuonaerinfrontofhim，andthensaidshortly:

"Iseverybodyhere?

"

"NotMrBrayne，

"saidtheDuchessofMontSt。Michel，lookinground。

"No。

"saidLordGallowayinahoarse，harshvoice。

"AndnotMrNeilOBrien，Ifancy。Isawthatgentlemanwalkinginthegardenwhenthecorsewasstillwarm。