"Youoldfool!" shesaidinalowvoicewithoutpretenceofpiety, "whatdoyousupposeyouaretryingtoprove? ' tinnocent, , whowasitwhomusthaveseen—whomustatleasthaveknown? DoyouhateNeilsomuchastoputyourowndaughter—"
, whitefaceoftheScotcharistocratandherlover, theIrishadventurer, .
Inthecentreofthismorbidsilenceaninnocentvoicesaid: "Wasitaverylongcigar? "
Thechangeofthoughtwassosharpthattheyhadtolookroundtoseewhohadspoken.
"Imean, " saidlittleFatherBrown, fromthecorneroftheroom, "-stick."
DespitetheirrelevancetherewasassentaswellasirritationinValentin'sfaceasheliftedhishead.
"Quiteright, " heremarkedsharply."Ivan, , andbringhimhereatonce."
Theinstantthefactotumhadclosedthedoor, Valentinaddressedthegirlwithanentirelynewearnestness.
"LadyMargaret, " hesaid, "weallfeel, Iamsure, bothgratitudeandadmirationforyouractinrisingaboveyourlowerdignityandexplainingtheCommandant' , Iunderstand, metyoupassingfromthestudytothedrawing-room, anditwasonlysomeminutesafterwardsthathefoundthegardenandtheCommandantstillwalkingthere."
"Youhavetoremember, " repliedMargaret, withafaintironyinhervoice, "thatIhadjustrefusedhim, , anyhow; andheloiteredbehind—andsogotchargedwithmurder."
"Inthosefewmoments, " saidValentingravely, "hemightreally— "
Theknockcameagain, andIvanputinhisscarredface.
"Begpardon, sir, " hesaid, "."
"Left!" criedValentin, androseforthefirsttimetohisfeet.
", " repliedIvaninhumorousFrench."Hishatandcoataregone, too, andI' , andIfoundone, andabigtrace, too."
"Whatdoyoumean? " askedValentin.
"I' llshowyou, " saidhisservant, andreappearedwithaflashingnakedcavalrysabre, ; buttheexperiencedIvanwentonquitequietly:
"Ifoundthis, " hesaid, ", ."
Therewasagainasilence, , examinedit, reflectedwithunaffectedconcentrationofthought, andthenturnedarespectfulfacetoO' Brien."Commandant, " hesaid, ", " headded, slappingthesteelbackintheringingscabbard, "letmereturnyouyoursword."
Atthemilitarysymbolismoftheactiontheaudiencecouldhardlyrefrainfromapplause.
ForNeilO' Brien, indeed, ; , , awomanatleast, andhadperhapsgivenhimsomethingbetterthananapology, , forthoughtheriddleofthedeathremained, theloadofsuspicionwasliftedoffthemall, andsentflyingofftoPariswiththestrangemillionaire——hehadcasthimselfout.
Still, theriddleremained; andwhenO' , ' Brien, whosethoughtswereonpleasanterthings.
"Ican' tsayitinterestsmemuch, " saidtheIrishmanfrankly, "; luredhimintothegarden, , , ' s, ' tseeanydifficultiesaboutthebusiness."
"Therearefivecolossaldifficulties, " saidthedoctorquietly; "' ' tdoubtthatBraynedidit; hisflight, Ifancy, : Whyshouldamankillanothermanwithagreathulkingsabre, whenhecanalmostkillhimwithapocketknifeandputitbackinhispocket? Seconddifficulty: Whywastherenonoiseoroutcry? Doesamancommonlyseeanothercomeupwavingascimitarandoffernoremarks? Thirddifficulty: Aservantwatchedthefrontdooralltheevening; andaratcannotgetintoValentin' ? Fourthdifficulty: Giventhesameconditions, howdidBraynegetoutofthegarden? "
