the innocence of father brown by gk chesterton

He had not troubled much about the prince then, beyond ascertaining that he had been a brilliant and fashionable figure in southern Italy. That trick of yours of getting one detective to arrest the other was the most splendid scene in French history.” On the front of the card was engraved in the formal fashion, “Prince Saradine, Reed House, Reed Island, Norfolk.” I want to meet you, for I have met all the other great men of my time. On the back of the card was written in French and in green ink: “If you ever retire and become respectable, come and see me.

It consisted simply of a visiting-card, in an envelope with an English postmark. Years ago, when he had been a king of thieves and the most famous figure in Paris, he had often received wild communications of approval, denunciation, or even love but one had, somehow, stuck in his memory. He had a sort of half purpose, which he took just so seriously that its success would crown the holiday, but just so lightly that its failure would not spoil it. Like a true philosopher, Flambeau had no aim in his holiday but, like a true philosopher, he had an excuse. With this light luggage he crawled down the little Norfolk rivers, intending to reach the Broads at last, but meanwhile delighting in the over-hanging gardens and meadows, the mirrored mansions or villages, lingering to fish in the pools and corners, and in some sense hugging the shore. They reduced themselves, apparently, to four essentials: tins of salmon, if he should want to eat loaded revolvers, if he should want to fight a bottle of brandy, presumably in case he should faint and a priest, presumably in case he should die. The vessel was just comfortable for two people there was room only for necessities, and Flambeau had stocked it with such things as his special philosophy considered necessary.

He took it, moreover, in little rivers in the Eastern counties, rivers so small that the boat looked like a magic boat, sailing on land through meadows and cornfields. When Flambeau took his month’s holiday from his office in Westminster he took it in a small sailing-boat, so small that it passed much of its time as a rowing-boat. Logos Virtual Library: Chesterton: The Innocence of Father Brown, VIII G.

The innocence of father brown by gk chesterton