You said you had a second reason forthinking him
innocent.
It means being an ass, but its the
onlyway.
I tell you of all these measly, meddlesome
blighters, he began. Even remaining a child is not a disease; dont you sometimes
wish wecould all remain children? Tallboys was still alive and even,in a modified
manner, kicking. Well, he said cheerfully, you can only half hang me because Im
onlyhalf a murderer.
I wonder it hasnt happened hundredsof times before.
I poundedalong after him along the path, but he had too long a start.
Hume held up one hand in an arresting gesture,
almost like a publicspeaker.
Tallboys is no fool, said John Hume; he has
guessed.
Nobody indeed had ever planted this particular
garden tree.
Ithink he is a loose, lying, vicious braggart and
humbug; a selfish,sensual mountebank.
Believe me, its not theimaginative people who
become insane. No, no, said Hume, with a sort of hasty solemnity. They succeeded at
least in arousingthis large and slow person to a sort of animation.
Even remaining a child is not a disease; dont you
sometimes wish wecould all remain children? It just showedabove the long garden wall
in sharp outline like a shape in a shadowpantomime. The clergymans invitation had
evidently been acomprehensive one. But I saw what surprised me; that the rifle-range
wasalready set up.
Theres the gun in the garden and the position of
the sycamore.
His familyfelt that they had never liked him so
much before.
I am sorry to appear punctilious, said Hume
calmly.
Believe me, its not theimaginative people who
become insane.
Toms high, crowing voice was suddenly heard above
the crowd.
Colonel Hayter cocked a shrewd eye at the speaker
and spoke himself forthe first time.
His face in repose was calm and classic and might
have beenthe stone mask of Jove rather than Pan.
This alone would nothave provoked the preposterous
events narrated here.
They parted withthe utmost formality; and that
night neither of them slept.
London, in a manner of speaking, had been planted
round it.
It was one of the best planned things I ever knew,
he said. Toms high, crowing voice was suddenly heard above the crowd. Her sister
hadsaid, Is there not something the matter with all of us? There may be something in
that, said Hayter, though the man might havehad another glass, of
course.
This gun has two barrels and one is still
undischarged. He was stillstaring before him in a rather strange fashion.