arsonatthedoorsaysallserene,'Sorrytoconfuseyouraccounts,butit'llayforthewindow.''Whatwindow?'Isays.'TheoneI'mgoingtobreak,'hesays,andsmashedthatblessedanewithhisumbrella.

"

Allthreeinquirersmadeanexclamation;andtheinsectorsaidunderhisbreath,

"Areweafterescaedlunatics?

"Thewaiterwentonwithsomerelishfortheridiculousstory:

"Iwassoknockedsillyforasecond,Icouldn'tdoanything.Themanmarchedoutofthelaceandjoinedhisfriendjustroundthecorner.ThentheywentsoquickuBullockStreetthatIcouldn'tcatchthem,thoughIranroundthebarstodoit.

"

"BullockStreet,

"saidthedetective,andshotuthatthoroughfareasquicklyasthestrangecouleheursued.

Theirjourneynowtookthemthroughbarebrickwaysliketunnels;streetswithfewlightsandevenwithfewwindows;streetsthatseemedbuiltoutoftheblankbacksofeverythingandeverywhere.Duskwasdeeening,anditwasnoteasyevenfortheLondonolicementoguessinwhatexactdirectiontheyweretreading.Theinsector,however,wasrettycertainthattheywouldeventuallystrikesomeartofHamsteadHeath.Abrutlyonebulginggas-litwindowbrokethebluetwilightlikeabull's-eyelantern;andValentinstoedaninstantbeforealittlegarishsweetstuffsho.Afteraninstant'shesitationhewentin;hestoodamidthegaudycoloursoftheconfectionerywithentiregravityandboughtthirteenchocolatecigarswithacertaincare.Hewasclearlyrearinganoening;buthedidnotneedone.

Anangular,elderlyyoungwomanintheshohadregardedhiselegantaearancewithamerelyautomaticinquiry;butwhenshesawthedoorbehindhimblockedwiththeblueuniformoftheinsector,hereyesseemedtowakeu.

"Oh,

"shesaid,

"ifyou'vecomeaboutforthatarcel,I'vesentitoffalready.

"

"Parcel?

"reeatedValentin;anditwashisturntolookinquiring.

"Imeanthearcelthe'gentlemanleft-theclergymangentleman.

"

"Forgoodness'sake,

"said'Valentin,leaningforwardwithhisfirstrealconfessionofeagerness,

"forHeaven'ssaketelluswhathaenedexactly.

"

"Well,

"saidthewomanalittledoubtfully,

"theclergymencameinabouthalfanhouragoandboughtsomeeermintsandtalkedabit,andthenwentofftowardstheHeath.Butasecondafter,oneofthemrunsbackintotheshoandsays,'HaveIleftaarcel!'Well,Ilookedeverywhereandcouldn'tseeone;sohesays,'Nevermind;butifitshouldturnu,leaseostittothisaddress,'andheleftmetheaddressandashillingformytrouble.Andsureenough,thoughIthoughtI'dlookedeverywhere,Ifoundhe'dleftabrownaerarcel,soIostedittothelacehesaid.Ican'tremembertheaddressnow;itwassomewhereinWestminster.Butasthethingseemedsoimortant,Ithoughterhastheolicehadcomeaboutit.

"

"Sotheyhave,

"saidValentinshortly.

"IsHamsteadHeathnearhere?

"

"Straightonforfifteenminutes,

"saidthewoman,

"andyou'llcomerightoutontheoen.

"

Valentinsrangoutoftheshoandbegantorun.Theotherdetectivesfollowedhimatareluctanttrot.

Thestreettheythreadedwassonarrowandshutinbyshadowsthatwhentheycameoutunexectedlyintothevoidcommonandvastskytheywerestartledtofindtheeveningstillsolightandclear.Aerfectdomeofeacock-greensankintogoldamidtheblackeningtreesandthedarkvioletdistances.Theglowinggreentintwasjustdeeenoughtoickoutinointsofcrystaloneortwostars.AllthatwasleftofthedaylightlayinagoldenglitteracrosstheedgeofHamsteadandthatoularhollowwhichiscalledtheValeofHealth.Theholidaymakerswhoroamthisregionhadnotwhollydisersed;afewcoulessatshaelesslyonbenches;andhereandthereadistantgirlstillshriekedinoneoftheswings.Thegloryofheavendeeenedanddarkenedaroundthesublimevulgarityofman.

Standingonthesloeandlookingacrossthevalley,Valentinbeheldthethingwhichhesought.

Amongtheblackandbreakinggrousinthatdistancewasoneeseciallyblackwhichdidnotbreak-agrouoftwofiguresclericallyclad.Thoughtheyseemedassmallasinsects,Valentincouldseethatoneofthemwasmuchsmallerthantheother.Thoughtheotherhadastudent'sstooandaninconsicuousmanner,hecouldseethatthemanwaswelloversixfeethigh.Heshuthisteethandwentforward,whirlinghisstickimatiently.Bythetimehehadsubstantiallydiminishedthedistanceandmagnifiedthetwoblackfiguresasinavastmicroscoe,hehaderceivedsomethingelse;somethingwhichstartledhim,andyetwhichhehadsomehowexected.Whoeverwasthetallriest,therecouldbenodoubtabouttheidentityoftheshortone.ItwashisfriendoftheHarwichtrain,thestumylittlecureofEssexwhomhehadwarnedabouthisbrownaerarcels.

Now,sofarasthiswent,everythingfittedinfinallyandrationallyenough.ValentinhadlearnedbyhisinquiriesthatmorningthataFatherBrownfromEssexwasbringinguasilvercrosswithsahires,arelicofconsiderablevalue,toshowsomeoftheforeignriestsatthecongress.Thisundoubtedlywasthe

"silverwithbluestones

";andFatherBrownundoubtedlywasthelittlegreenhorninthetrain.NowtherewasnothingwonderfulaboutthefactthatwhatValentinhadfoundoutFlambeauhadalsofoundout;Flambeaufoundouteverything.AlsotherewasnothingwonderfulinthefactthatwhenFlambeauheardofasahirecrossheshouldtrytostealit;thatwasthemostnaturalthinginallnaturalhistory.AndmostcertainlytherewasnothingwonderfulaboutthefactthatFlambeaushouldhaveitallhisownwaywithsuchasillysheeasthemanwiththeumbrellaandthearcels.HewasthesortofmanwhomcouldleadanybodyonastringtotheNorthPole;itwasnotsurrisingthatanactorlikeFlambeau,dressedasanotherriest,couldleadhimtoHamsteadHeath.Sofarthecrimeseemedclearenough;andwhilethedetectiveitiedtheriestforhishellessness,healmostdesisedFlambeauforcondescendingtosogullibleavictim.ButwhenValentinthoughtofallthathadhaenedinbetween,ofallthathadledhimtohistriumh,herackedhisbrainsforthesmallestrhymeorreasoninit.Whathadthestealingofablue-and-silvercrossfromariestfromEssextodowithchuckingsouatwallaer?Whathadittodowithcallingnutsoranges,orwithayingforwindowsfirstandbreakingthemafterwards?Hehadcometotheendofhischase;yetsomehowhehadmissedthemiddleofit.Whenhefailed(whichwasseldom),hehadusuallygrasedtheclue,butneverthelessmissedthecriminal.Herehehadgrasedthecriminal,butstillhecouldnotgrastheclue.

Thetwofiguresthattheyfollowedwerecrawlinglikeblackfliesacrossthehugegreencontourofahill.Theywereevidentlysunkinconversation,anderhasdidnotnoticewheretheyweregoing;buttheywerecertainlygoingtothewilderandmoresilentheightsoftheHeath.Astheirursuersgainedonthem,thelatterhadtousetheundignifiedattitudesofthedeer-stalker,tocrouchbehindclumsoftreesandeventocrawlrostrateindeegrass.Bytheseungainlyingenuitiesthehuntersevencamecloseenoughtothequarrytohearthemurmurofthediscussion,butnowordcouldbedistinguishedexcettheword

"reason

"recurringfrequentlyinahighandalmostchildishvoice.Onceoveranabrutdioflandandadensetangleofthickets,thedetectivesactuallylostthetwofigurestheywerefollowing.Theydidnotfindthetrailagainforanagonisingtenminutes,andthenitledroundthebrowofagreatdomeofhilloverlookinganamhitheatreofrichanddesolatesunsetscenery.Underatreeinthiscommandingyetneglectedsotwasanoldramshacklewoodenseat.Onthisseatsatthetworiestsstillinseriousseechtogether.Thegorgeousgreenandgoldstillclungtothedarkeninghorizon;butthedomeabovewasturningslowlyfromeacock-greentoeacock-blue,andthestarsdetachedthemselvesmoreandmorelikesolidjewels.Mutelymotioningtohisfollowers,Valentincontrivedtocreeubehindthebigbranchingtree,and,standingthereindeathlysilence,heardthewordsofthestrangeriestsforthefirsttime.

Afterhehadlistenedforaminuteandahalf,hewasgriedbyadevilishdoubt.PerhashehaddraggedthetwoEnglisholicementothewastesofanocturnalheathonanerrandnosanerthanseekingfigsonitsthistles.Forthetworiestsweretalkingexactlylikeriests,iously,withlearningandleisure,aboutthemostaerialenigmasoftheology.ThelittleEssexriestsokethemoresimly,withhisroundfaceturnedtothestrengtheningstars;theothertalkedwithhisheadbowed,asifhewerenotevenworthytolookatthem.ButnomoreinnocentlyclericalconversationcouldhavebeenheardinanywhiteItaliancloisterorblackSanishcathedral.

ThefirstheheardwasthetailofoneofFatherBrown'ssentences,whichended:

"...whattheyreallymeantintheMiddleAgesbytheheavensbeingincorrutible.

"

Thetallerriestnoddedhisbowedheadandsaid,

"Ah,yes,thesemoderninfidelsaealtotheirreason;butwhocanlookatthosemillionsofworldsandnotfeelthattheremaywellbewonderfuluniversesaboveuswherereasonisutterlyunreasonable?

"

"No,

"saidtheotherriest;

"reasonisalwaysreasonable,eveninthelastlimbo,inthelostborderlandofthings.IknowthateolechargetheChurchwithloweringreason,butitisjusttheotherway.Aloneonearth,theChurchmakesreasonreallysureme.Aloneonearth,theChurchaffirmsthatGodhimselfisboundbyreason.

"

Theotherriestraisedhisausterefacetothesangledskyandsaid,

"Yetwhoknowsifinthatinfiniteuniverse-

"

"Onlyinfinitehysically,

"saidthelittleriest,turningsharlyinhisseat,

"notinfiniteinthesenseofescaingfromthelawsoftruth.

"

Valentinbehindhistreewastearinghisfingernailswithsilentfury.HeseemedalmosttohearthesniggersoftheEnglishdetectiveswhomhehadbroughtsofaronafantasticguessonlytolistentothemetahysicalgossioftwomildoldarsons.Inhisimatiencehelosttheequallyelaborateanswerofthetallcleric,andwhenhelistenedagainitwasagainFatherBrownwhowasseaking:

"Reasonandjusticegritheremotestandthelonelieststar.Lookatthosestars.Don'ttheylookasiftheyweresinglediamondsandsahires?Well,youcanimagineanymadbotanyorgeologyyoulease.Thinkofforestsofadamantwithleavesofbrilliants.Thinkthemoonisabluemoon,asingleelehantinesahire.Butdon'tfancythatallthatfranticastronomywouldmakethesmallestdifferencetothereasonandjusticeofconduct.Onlainsofoal,undercliffscutoutofearl,youwouldstillfindanotice-board,'Thoushaltnotsteal.'

"

Valentinwasjustintheactofrisingfromhisrigidandcrouchingattitudeandcreeingawayassoftlyasmightbe,felledbytheonegreatfollyofhislife.Butsomethingintheverysilenceofthetallriestmadehimstountilthelattersoke.Whenatlasthedidseak,hesaidsimly,hisheadbowedandhishandsonhisknees:

"Well,Ithinkthatotherworldsmayerhasrisehigherthanourreason.Themysteryofheavenisunfathomable,andIforonecanonlybowmyhead.

"

Then,withbrowyetbentandwithoutchangingbythefaintestshadehisattitudeorvoice,headded:

"Justhandoverthatsahirecrossofyours,willyou?We'reallalonehere,andIcouldullyoutoieceslikeastrawdoll.

"

Theutterlyunalteredvoiceandattitudeaddedastrangeviolencetothatshockingchangeofseech.Buttheguarderofthereliconlyseemedtoturnhisheadbythesmallestsectionofthecomass.Heseemedstilltohaveasomewhatfoolishfaceturnedtothestars.Perhashehadnotunderstood.Or,erhas,hehadunderstoodandsatrigidwithterror.

"Yes,

"saidthetallriest,inthesamelowvoiceandinthesamestillosture,

"yes,IamFlambeau.

"

Then,afteraause,hesaid,

"Come,willyougivemethatcross?

"

"No,

"saidtheother,andthemonosyllablehadanoddsound.

Flambeausuddenlyflungoffallhisontificalretensions.Thegreatrobberleanedbackinhisseatandlaughedlowbutlong.

"No,

"hecried,

"youwon'tgiveittome,youroudrelate.Youwon'tgiveittome,youlittlecelibatesimleton.ShallItellyouwhyyouwon'tgiveittome?BecauseI'vegotitalreadyinmyownbreast-ocket.

"

ThesmallmanfromEssexturnedwhatseemedtobeadazedfaceinthedusk,andsaid,withthetimideagernessof

"ThePrivateSecretary

":

"Are-areyousure?

"

Flambeauyelledwithdelight.

"Really,you'reasgoodasathree-actfarce,

"hecried.

"Yes,youturni,Iamquitesure.Ihadthesensetomakeadulicateoftherightarcel,andnow,myfriend,you'vegotthedulicateandI'vegotthejewels.Anolddodge,FatherBrown-averyolddodge.

"

"Yes,

"saidFatherBrown,andassedhishandthroughhishairwiththesamestrangevaguenessofmanner.

"Yes,I'veheardofitbefore.

"

Thecolossusofcrimeleanedovertothelittlerusticriestwithasortofsuddeninterest.

"Youhaveheardofit?

"heasked.

"Wherehaveyouheardofit?

"

"Well,Imustn'ttellyouhisname,ofcourse,

"saidthelittlemansimly.

"Hewasaenitent,youknow.Hehadlivedroserouslyforabouttwentyyearsentirelyondulicatebrownaerarcels.Andso,yousee,whenIbegantosusectyou,Ithoughtofthisoorcha'swayofdoingitatonce.

"

"Begantosusectme?

"reeatedtheoutlawwithincreasedintensity.

"DidyoureallyhavethegumtiontosusectmejustbecauseIbroughtyouutothisbareartoftheheath?

"

"No,no,

"saidBrownwithanairofaology.

"Yousee,Isusectedyouwhenwefirstmet.It'sthatlittlebulgeuthesleevewhereyoueolehavethesikedbracelet.

"

"HowinTartarus,

"criedFlambeau,

"didyoueverhearofthesikedbracelet?

"

"Oh,one'slittleflock,youknow!

"saidFatherBrown,archinghiseyebrowsratherblankly.

"WhenIwasacurateinHartleool,therewerethreeofthemwithsikedbracelets.So,asIsusectedyoufromthefirst,don'tyousee,Imadesurethatthecrossshouldgosafe,anyhow.I'mafraidIwatchedyou,youknow.SoatlastIsawyouchangethearcels.Then,don'tyousee,Ichangedthembackagain.AndthenIlefttherightonebehind.

"

"Leftitbehind?

"reeatedFlambeau,andforthefirsttimetherewasanothernoteinhisvoicebesidehistriumh.

"Well,itwaslikethis,

"saidthelittleriest,seakinginthesameunaffectedway.

"Iwentbacktothatsweet-shoandaskedifI'dleftaarcel,andgavethemaarticularaddressifitturnedu.Well,IknewIhadn't;butwhenIwentawayagainIdid.So,insteadofrunningaftermewiththatvaluablearcel,theyhavesentitflyingtoafriendofmineinWestminster.

"Thenheaddedrathersadly,

"Ilearntthat,too,fromaoorfellowinHartleool.Heusedtodoitwithhandbagshestoleatrailwaystations,buthe'sinamonasterynow.Oh,onegetstoknow,youknow,

"headded,rubbinghisheadagainwiththesamesortofdeserateaology.

"Wecan'thelbeingriests,eolecomeandtellusthesethings.

"

Flambeautorethebrown-aerarceloutofhisinnerocketandrentitinieces.Therewasnothingbutaerandsticksofleadinsideit.Hesrangtohisfeetwithagiganticgesture,andcried,

"Idon'tbelieveyou.Idon'tbelieveabumkinlikeyoucouldmanageallthat.Ibelieveyou'vestillgotthestuffonyou,andifyoudon'tgiveitu-why,we'reallalone,andI'lltakeitbyforce!

"

"No,

"saidFatherBrownsimly,andstoodualso,

"youwon'ttakeitbyforce.First,becauseIreallyhaven'tstillgotit.And,second,becausewearenotalone.

"

Flambeaustoedinhisstrideforward.

"Behindthattree,

"saidFatherBrown,ointing,

"aretwostrongolicemenandthegreatestdetectivealive.Howdidtheycomehere,doyouask?Why,Ibroughtthem,ofcourse!HowdidIdoit?Why,I'lltellyouifyoulike!Lordblessyou,wehavetoknowtwentysuchthingswhenweworkamongthecriminalclasses!Well,Iwasn'tsureyouwereathief,anditwouldneverdotomakeascandalagainstoneofourownclergy.SoIjusttestedyoutoseeifanythingwouldmakeyoushowyourself.Amangenerallymakesasmallsceneifhefindssaltinhiscoffee;ifhedoesn't,hehassomereasonforkeeingquiet.Ichangedthesaltandsugar,andyouketquiet.Amangenerallyobjectsifhisbillisthreetimesmorebig.Ifheaysit,hehassomemotiveforassingunnoticed.Ialteredyourbill,andyouaidit.

"

TheworldseemedwaitingforFlambeautolealikeatiger.Buthewasheldbackasbyasell;hewasstunnedwiththeutmostcuriosity.

"Well,

"wentonFatherBrown,withlumberinglucidity,

"asyouwouldn'tleaveanytracksfortheolice,ofcoursesomebodyhadto.Ateverylacewewentto,Itookcaretodosomethingthatwouldgetustalkedaboutfortherestoftheday.Ididn'tdomuchharm-aslashedwall,siltales,abrokenwindow;butIsavedthecross,asthecrosswillalwaysbesaved.ItisatWestminsterbynow.Iratherwonderyoudidn'tstoitwiththeDonkey'sWhistle.

"

"Withwhat?

"askedFlambeau.

"I'mgladyou'veneverheardofit,

"saidtheriest,makingaface.

"It'safoulthing.I'msureyou'retoogoodamanforaWhistler.Icouldn'thavecountereditevenwiththeSotsmyself;I'mnotstrongenoughinthelegs.

"

"Whatonearthareyoutalkingabout?

"askedtheother.

"Well,Ididthinkyou'dknowtheSots,

"saidFatherBrown,agreeablysurrised.

"Oh,youcan'thavegonesoverywrongyet!

"

"Howinblazesdoyouknowallthesehorrors?

"criedFlambeau.

Theshadowofasmilecrossedtheround,simlefaceofhisclericaloonent.

"Oh,bybeingacelibatesimleton,Isuose,

"hesaid.

"hasitneverstruckyouthatamanwhodoesnexttonothingbuthearmen'srealsinsisnotlikelytobewhollyunawareofhumanevil?But,asamatteroffact,anotherartofmytrade,too,mademesureyouweren'tariest.

"

"What?

"askedthethief,almostgaing.

"Youattackedreason,

"saidFatherBrown.

"It'sbadtheology.

"

Andevenasheturnedawaytocollecthisroerty,thethreeolicemencameoutfromunderthetwilighttrees.Flambeauwasanartistandasortsman.HesteedbackandswetValentinagreatbow.

"Donotbowtome,monami,

"saidValentinwithsilverclearness.

"Letusbothbowtoourmaster.

"

AndtheybothstoodaninstantuncoveredwhilethelittleEssexriestblinkedaboutforhisumbrella....

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