First published in The Saturday Evening Post (Jan. 28, 1911) and then in The Innocence of Father Brown collection (1911). This edition: The Complete Father Brown Mysteries (Carousel Books, 2021). SPOILERS AHEAD?
"... putting her elegant elbows on the table..."
This one is all about equal parts perspective and perception. This one too is the quite fablest fancifulest entry into the Father Brown collection as of then yet. As to the opening quote, an elegant lady simply does not sit with her elbows plopped upon a table. But then again, nor does a 'Christian air' generally follow one from an inn stocked with weirdos and hinted-at degenerates--although the first Christian well may beg to differ. You see, my own perspective is that of a Hebrew-American.
Nevertheless, two suitor men are scorned by the woman with the elbows and are sent upon their way to make and prove their literal worldly worth. That's the tale she tells John Turnaball Angus, he of the probably skewed perspective and who also wants her for his. Insofar as perception, this one features faceless robots, a bodiless mail carrier (unless when looked at with the correct perspective), and something like a dwarf. Not to mention a man with a horrid squint--but then I mention that fellow twice.
Father Brown naturally stays quite his humble self and securely-rooted in reality. Whereas the also-returning Flambeau comes unhinged via superstition (or something more stupid). I feel that within these tetherless confines, the tethered Brown becomes all the more admirable and, truly, loveable. I also feel that Flambeau was a far better Collasus of Crime than a private investigator. He seems to acknowledge that tho, as he turns easily and often to his little priest friend for professional advice.
His goodness puts me in mind of a quote from the martial artist Yukiyoshi Takamura -- "A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable to make a choice between violence and non-violence. A true pacifist is able to kill or maim in the blink of an eye, but at the moment of impending destruction of the enemy, he chooses non-violence. He chooses peace." I'll allow you to draw the correlation on your own, between this and our Paul Bunyan/Tarzan reformed criminal Frenchman's good guy short-comings.
I feel I air the coming grievance a lot. Yes, it's my perennial Shawshank Redemption gripe. The idea that no one looks at shoes becomes here, "Nobody ever notices postmen somehow." In all fairness, though, perhaps their then plain brown sacks and lacks of now white particular-looking trucks with flashy lights all play roles. Of secondary theme is roles. The roles of the lesser class and how they might be better-replaced by robots who neither imbibe nor flirt. What tedious non-living lives they must lead.
There is a lot packed into this one flighty escapade and its star, 'A mentally invisible man.' (Who is described, curiously.) And it offers some good food for thought. I had a certain someone read this, thinking there was so much, indeed, as to warrant a decent conversation. They replied that it was just a nice little story. I read it again and now believe we are both right. Deceptively deep does not mean per se deep, but the freely-flowing poetic quality of Chesterton's whimsical writing does total more than 'nice.'
I suppose as to evaluations I deem my own to be only slightly more right, then. I really want you to read this one--in the same way that I want you to smoke a cigar that impresses me in a certain sometimes almost invisible way.
Previously: Thoughts on The Flying Stars from The Innocence of Father Brown by GK Chesterton
Next: Thoughts on The Honour of Israel Gow from The Innocence of Father Brown by GK Chesterton
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