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The Club of Queer Trades | Gilbert K. Chesterton | |
The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown |
Page 9 of 15 |
"But what the deuce else can the letter be but criminal?" "We have eternity to stretch our legs in," replied the mystic. "It can be an infinity of things. I haven't seen any of them--I've only seen the letter. I look at that, and say it's not criminal." "Then what's the origin of it?" "I haven't the vaguest idea." "Then why don't you accept the ordinary explanation?" Basil continued for a little to glare at the coals, and seemed collecting his thoughts in a humble and even painful way. Then he said: "Suppose you went out into the moonlight. Suppose you passed through silent, silvery streets and squares until you came into an open and deserted space, set with a few monuments, and you beheld one dressed as a ballet girl dancing in the argent glimmer. And suppose you looked, and saw it was a man disguised. And suppose you looked again, and saw it was Lord Kitchener. What would you think?" He paused a moment, and went on: "You could not adopt the ordinary explanation. The ordinary explanation of putting on singular clothes is that you look nice in them; you would not think that Lord Kitchener dressed up like a ballet girl out of ordinary personal vanity. You would think it much more likely that he inherited a dancing madness from a great grandmother; or had been hypnotised at a seance; or threatened by a secret society with death if he refused the ordeal. With Baden-Powell, say, it might be a bet--but not with Kitchener. I should know all that, because in my public days I knew him quite well. So I know that letter quite well, and criminals quite well. It's not a criminal's letter. It's all atmospheres." And he closed his eyes and passed his hand over his forehead. |
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The Club of Queer Trades Gilbert K. Chesterton |
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