Standin　fact；　only　hidden　by　one　of　the　lower　doors　being　pushed　back。〃
  〃That　is　queer；〃　assented　Flambeau。　　〃But　it　rather　confirms　my　view　that　such　pleasure　places　look　awfully　lonely　out　of　season；　or　the　man　wouldn't　have　been　murdered　there。〃
  〃I'm　not　so　sure　he〃　began　Brown；　and　stopped。
  〃Not　so　sure　he　was　murdered？〃　queried　his　companion。
  〃Not　so　sure　he　was　murdered　out　of　the　season；〃　answered　the　little　priest；　with　simplicity。　　〃Don't　you　think　there's　something　rather　tricky　about　this　solitude；　Flambeau？　　Do　you　feel　sure　a　wise　murderer　would　always　want　the　spot　to　be　lonely？　It's　very；　very　seldom　a　man　is　quite　alone。　　And；　short　of　that；　the　more　alone　he　is；　the　more　certain　he　is　to　be　seen。　　No；　I　think　there　must　be　some　otherWhy；　here　we　are　at　the　Pavilion　or　Palace；　or　whatever　they　call　it。〃
  They　had　emerged　on　a　small　square；　brilliantly　lighted；　of　which　the　principal　building　was　gay　with　gilding；　gaudy　with　posters；　and　flanked　with　two　giant　photographs　of　Malvoli　and　Nigger　Ned。
  〃Hallo！〃　cried　Flambeau　in　great　surprise；　as　his　clerical　friend　stumped　straight　up　the　broad　steps。　　〃I　didn't　know　pugilism　was　your　latest　hobby。　　Are　you　going　to　see　the　fight？〃
  〃I　don't　think　there　will　be　any　fight；〃　replied　Father　Brown。
  They　passed　rapidly　through　ante…rooms　and　inner　rooms；　they　passed　through　the　hall　of　combat　itself；　raised；　roped；　and　padded　with　innumerable　seats　and　boxes；　and　still　the　cleric　did　not　look　round　or　pause　till　he　came　to　a　clerk　at　a　desk　outside　a　door　marked　〃Committee〃。　　There　he　stopped　and　asked　to　see　Lord　Pooley。
  The　attendant　observed　that　his　lordship　was　very　busy；　as　the　fight　was　coming　on　soon；　but　Father　Brown　had　a　good…tempered　tedium　of　reiteration　for　which　the　official　mind　is　generally　not　prepared。　　In　a　few　moments　the　rather　baffled　Flambeau　found　himself　in　the　presence　of　a　man　who　was　still　shouting　directions　to　another　man　going　out　of　the　room。　　〃Be　careful；　you　know；　about　the　ropes　after　the　fourth　Well；　and　what　do　you　want；　I　wonder！〃
  Lord　Pooley　was　a　gentleman；　and；　like　most　of　the　few　remaining　to　our　race；　was　worriedespecially　about　money。　　He　was　half　grey　and　half　flaxen；　and　he　had　the　eyes　of　fever　and　a　high…bridged；　frost…bitten　nose。
  〃Only　a　word；〃　said　Father　Brown。　　〃I　have　come　to　prevent　a　man　being　killed。〃
  Lord　Pooley　bounded　off　his　chair　as　if　a　spring　had　flung　him　from　it。　　〃I'm　damned　if　I'll　stand　any　more　of　this！〃　he　cried。　　〃You　and　your　committees　and　parsons　and　petitions！　Weren't　there　parsons　in　the　old　days；　when　they　fought　without　gloves？　　Now　they're　fighting　with　the　regulation　gloves；　and　there's　not　the　rag　of　a　possibility　of　either　of　the　boxers　being　killed。〃
  〃I　didn't　mean　either　of　the　boxers；〃　said　the　little　priest。
  〃Well；　well；　well！〃　said　the　nobleman；　with　a　touch　of　frosty　humour。　　〃Who's　going　to　be　killed？　　The　referee？〃
  〃I　don't　know　who's　going　to　be　killed；〃　replied　Father　Brown；　with　a　reflective　stare。　　〃If　I　did　I　shouldn't　have　to　spoil　your　pleasure。　　I　could　simply　get　him　to　escape。　　I　never　could　see　anything　wrong　about　prize…fights。　　As　it　is；　I　must　ask　you　to　announce　that　the　fight　is　off　for　the　present。〃
  〃Anything　else？〃　jeered　the　gentleman　with　feverish　eyes。　　〃And　what　do　you　say　to　the　two　thousand　people　who　have　come　to　see　it？〃
  〃I　say　there　will　be　one　thousand　nine…hundred　and　ninety…nine　of　them　left　alive　when　they　have　seen　it；〃　said　Father　Brown。
  Lord　Pooley　looked　at　Flambeau。　　〃Is　your　friend　mad？〃　he　asked。
  〃Far　from　it；〃　was　the　reply。
  〃And　took　here；〃　resumed　Pooley　in　his　restless　way；　〃it's　worse　than　that。　　A　whole　pack　of　Italians　have　turned　up　to　back　Malvoliswarthy；　savage　fellows　of　some　country；　anyhow。　　You　know　what　these　Mediterranean　races　are　like。　　If　I　send　out　word　that　it's　off　we　shall　have　Malvoli　storming　in　here　at　the　head　of　a　whole　Corsican　clan。〃
  〃My　lord；　it　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃Ring　your　bell。　　Give　your　message。　　And　see　whether　it　is　Malvoli　who　answers。〃
  The　nobleman　struck　the　bell　on　the　table　with　an　odd　air　of　new　curiosity。　　He　said　to　the　clerk　who　appeared　almost　instantly　in　the　doorway：　　〃I　have　a　serious　announcement　to　make　to　the　audience　shortly。　　Meanwhile；　would　you　kindly　tell　the　two　champions　that　the　fight　will　have　to　be　put　off。〃
  The　clerk　stared　for　some　seconds　as　if　at　a　demon　and　vanished。
  〃What　authority　have　you　for　what　you　say？〃　asked　Lord　Pooley　abruptly。　　〃Whom　did　you　consult？〃
  〃I　consulted　a　bandstand；〃　said　Father　Brown；　scratching　his　head。　　〃But；　no；　I'm　wrong；　I　consulted　a　book；　too。　　I　　picked　it　up　on　a　bookstall　in　Londonvery　cheap；　too。〃
  He　had　taken　out　of　his　pocket　a　small；　stout；　leather…bound　volume；　and　Flambeau；　looking　over　his　shoulder；　could　see　that　it　was　some　book　of　old　travels；　and　had　a　leaf　turned　down　for　reference。
  〃‘The　only　form　in　which　Voodoo'〃　began　Father　Brown；　reading　aloud。
  〃In　which　what？〃　inquired　his　lordship。
  〃‘In　which　Voodoo；'〃　repeated　the　reader；　almost　with　relish；　〃‘is　widely　organized　outside　Jamaica　itself　is　in　the　form　known　as　the　Monkey；　or　the　God　of　the　Gongs；　which　is　powerful　in　many　parts　of　the　two　American　continents；　especially　among　half…breeds；　many　of　whom　look　exactly　like　white　men。　　It　differs　from　most　other　forms　of　devil…worship　and　human　sacrifice　in　the　fact　that　the　blood　is　not　shed　formally　on　the　altar；　but　by　a　sort　of　assassination　among　the　crowd。　　The　gongs　beat　with　a　deafening　din　as　the　doors　of　the　shrine　open　and　the　monkey…god　is　revealed；　almost　the　whole　congregation　rivet　ecstatic　eyes　on　him。　　But　after'〃
  The　door　of　the　room　was　flung　open；　and　the　fashionable　negro　stood　framed　in　it；　his　eyeballs　rolling；　his　silk　hat　still　insolently　tilted　on　his　head。　　〃Huh！〃　he　cried；　showing　his　apish　teeth。　　〃What　this？　　Huh！　　Huh！　　You　steal　a　coloured　gentleman's　prize　prize　his　alreadyyo'　think　yo'　jes'　save　that　white　'Talian　trash〃
  〃The　matter　is　only　deferred；〃　said　the　nobleman　quietly。　　〃I　will　be　with　you　to　explain　in　a　minute　or　two。〃
  〃Who　you　to〃　shouted　Nigger　Ned；　beginning　to　storm。
  〃My　name　is　Pooley；〃　replied　the　other；　with　a　creditable　coolness。　　〃I　am　the　organizing　secretary；　and　I　advise　you　just　now　to　leave　the　room。〃
  〃Who　this　fellow？〃　demanded　the　dark　champion；　pointing　to　the　priest　disdainfully。
  〃My　name　is　Brown；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃And　I　advise　you　just　now　to　leave　the　country。〃
  The　prize…fighter　stood　glaring　for　a　few　seconds；　and　then；　rather　to　the　surprise　of　Flambeau　and　the　others；　strode　out；　sending　the　door　to　with　a　crash　behind　him。
  〃Well；〃　asked　Father　Brown　rubbing　his　dusty　hair　up；　〃what　do　you　think　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci？　　A　beautiful　Italian　head。〃
  〃Look　here；〃　said　Lord　Pooley；　〃I've　taken　a　considerable　responsibility；　on　your　bare　word。　　I　think　you　ought　to　tell　me　more　about　this。〃
  〃You　are　quite　right；　my　lord；〃　answered　Brown。　　〃And　it　won't　take　long　to　tell。〃　He　put　the　little　leather　book　in　his　overcoat　pocket。　　〃I　think　we　know　all　that　this　can　tell　us；　but　you　shall　look　at　it　to　see　if　I'm　right。　　That　negro　who　has　just　swaggered　out　is　one　of　the　most　dangerous　men　on　earth；　for　he　has　the　brains　of　a　European；　with　the　instincts　of　a　cannibal。　　He　has　turned　what　was　clean；　common…sense　butchery　among　his　fellow…barbarians　into　a　very　modern　and　scientific　secret　society　of　assassins。　　He　doesn't　know　I　know　it；　nor；　for　the　matter　of　that；　that　I　can't　prove　it。〃
  There　was　a　silence；　and　the　little　man　went　on。
  〃But　if　I　want　to　murder　somebody；　will　it　really　be　the　best　plan　to　make　sure　I'm　alone　with　him？〃
  Lord　Pooley's　eyes　recovered　their　frosty　twinkle　as　he　looked　at　the　little　clergyman。　　He　only　said：　　〃If　you　want　to　murder　somebody；　I　should　advise　it。〃
  Father　Brown　shook　his　head；　like　a　murderer　of　much　riper　experience。　　〃So　Flambeau　said；〃　he　replied；　with　a　sigh。　　〃But　consider。　　The　more　a　man　feels　lonely　the　less　he　can　be　sure　he　is　alone。　　It　must　mean　empty　spaces　round　him；　and　they　are　just　what　make　him　obvious。　　Have　you　never　seen　one　ploughman　from　the　heights；　or　one　shepherd　from　the　valleys？　Have　you　never　walked　along　a　cliff；　and　seen　one　man　walking　along　the　sands？　　Didn't　you　know　when　he's　killed　a　crab；　and　wouldn't　you　have　known　if　it　had　been　a　creditor？　　No！　No！　No！　　For　an　intelligent　murderer；　such　as　you　or　I　might　be；　it　is　an　impossible　plan　to　make　sure　that　nobody　is　looking　at　you。〃
  〃But　what　other　plan　is　there？〃
  〃There　is　only　one；〃　said　the　priest。　　〃To　make　sure　that　everybody　is　looking　at　something　else。　　A　man　is　throttled　close　by　the　big　stand　at　Epsom。　　Anybody　might　have　seen　it　done　while　the　stand　stood　emptyany　tramp　under　the　hedges　or　motorist　among　the　hills。　　But　nobody　would　have　seen　it　when　the　stand　was　crowded　and　the　whole　ring　roaring；　when　the　favourite　was　coming　in　firstor　wasn't。　　The　twisting