hard cash-第151节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　brank　of　England。　（A　howl。）　De　captan　said　he　take　de　money　to　dis　yer　branker；　and　den　hab　no　more　trouble　wid　it。　Den　it　off　my　stomach；　de　captan　say；　and　dis　child　heerd　him。　Yah！〃

The　plaintiff's　case　being　apparently　concluded；　the　judge　retired　for　a　few　minutes。

In　the　buzz　that　followed；　a　note　was　handed　to　Mr。　Compton；　_〃Skinner！_　On　a　hot　scent。　Sure　to　find　him　to…day。_N。B。_　He　is　wanted　by　another　party。　There　is　something　curious　a…foot。〃

Compton　wrote　on　a　slip；　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　bring　him　directly。　In　half　an　hour　it　will　be　too　late。〃

Green　hurried　out　and　nearly　ran　against　Mr。　Richard　Hardie；　who　was　moodily　pacing　Westminster　Hall　at　the　climax　of　his　own　anxiety。　To　him　all　turned　on　Skinner。　Five　minutes　passed；　ten；　fifteen；　twenty：　all　the　plaintiff's　party　had　their　eyes　on　the　door；　but　Green　did　not　return；　and　the　judge　did。　Then　to　gain　a　few　minutes　more；　Mr。　Colt；　instructed　by　Compton；　rose　and　said　with　great　solemnity；　〃We　are　about　to　call　our　last　witness：　the　living　have　testified　to　my　client's　sanity；　and　now　we　shall　read　you　the　testimony　of　the　dead。〃

_Saunders。_That　I　object　to；　of　course。

_Colt。_Does　my　learned　friend　mean　to　say　he　objects　at　random？

_Saunders。_Nothing　of　the　kind。　I　object　on　the　law　of　evidencea　matter　on　which　my　learned　friend　seems　to　be　under　a　hallucination　as　complete　as　his　client's　about　that　L。　14；000。

　　　　　_Colt。_There's　none　ever　feared　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　the　truth　should　he　heard　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　But　they　whom　the　truth　would　indict。

_Saunders。_A　court　of　justice　is　not　the　place　for　old　songs；　and　new　law。

_Colt。_Really；　my　learned　friend　is　the　objective　case　incarnate。　（To　Compton。I　can't　keep　this　nonsense　up　for　ever。　Is　Skinner　come？）　He　has　a　Mania　for　objection；　and　with　your　lordship's　permission　I'll　buy　a　couple　of　doctors　and　lock　him　up　in　an　asylum　as　he　leaves　the　court　this　afternoon。　（Laughter。）

_The　judge。_A　very　good　plan：　then　you'll　no　longer　feel　the　weight　of　his　abilities。　I　conclude；　Mr。　Colt；　you　intend　to　call　a　witness　who　will　swear　to　the　deceased　person's　hand…writing　and　that　it　was　written　in　the　knowledge　Death　was　at　hand。

_Colt。_Certainly；　my　lord。　I　can　call　Miss　Julia　Dodd。

_Saunders。_That　I　need　not　take　the　trouble　of　objecting　to。

_The　judge_　（with　some　surprise）。No；　Mr。　Colt。　That　will　never　do。　You　have　examined　her；　and　re…examined　her。

I　need　hardly　say　Mr。　Colt　knew　very　well　he　could　not　call　Julia　Dodd。　But　he　was　fighting　for　seconds　now；　to　get　in　Skinner。　〃Call　Edward　Dodd。〃

Edward　was　sworn；　and　asked　if　he　knew　the　late　Jane　Hardie。

〃I　knew　her　well；〃　said　he。

〃Is　that　her　handwriting？〃

〃It　is。〃

〃Where　was　it　written？〃

〃In　my　mother's　house　at　Barkington。〃

〃Under　what　circumstances？〃

〃She　was　dyingof　a　blow　given　her　by　a　maniac　called　Maxley。〃

〃Maxley！〃　said　the　judge　to　counsel。　〃I　remember　the　Queen　_v。_　Maxley。　I　tried　him　myself　at　the　assizes：　it　was　for　striking　a　young　lady　with　a　bludgeon；　of　which　she　died。　Maxley　was　powerfully　defended；　and　it　was　proved　that　his　wife　had　died；　and　he　had　been　driven　mad　for　a　time；　by　her　father's　bank　breaking。　The　jury　_would_　bring　in　a　verdict　that　was　no　verdict　at　all；　as　I　took　the　liberty　to　tell　them　at　the　time。　The　judges　dismissed　it；　and　Maxley　was　eventually　discharged。〃

_Colt。_No　doubt　that　was　the　case；　my　lord。　To　the　witness。Did　Jane　Hardie　know　she　was　dying？

〃Oh　yes；　sir。　She　told　us　all　so。〃

〃To　whom　did　she　give　this　letter？〃

〃To　my　sister。〃

〃Oh；　to　your　sister？　To　Miss　Julia　Dodd？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　But　not　for　herself。　It　was　to　give　to　Alfred　Hardie。〃

〃Can　you　read　the　letter？　It　is　rather　faintly　written。　It　is　written　in　pencil；　my　lord。〃

〃I　_could_　read　it；　sir；　but　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me。　She　that　wrote　it　was　very；　very　dear　to　me。〃

The　young　man's　full　voice　faltered　as　he　uttered　these　words；　and　he　turned　his　lion…like　eyes　soft　and　imploring　on　the　judge。　That　venerable　and　shrewd　old　man；　learned　in　human　nature　as　well　as　in　law；　comprehended　in　a　moment；　and　said　kindly；　〃You　misunderstand　him。　Witnesses　do　not　read　letters　_out_　in　court。　Let　the　letter　be　handed　up　to　me。〃　This　was　fortunate；　for　the　court　cuckoo；　who　intones　most　letters；　would　have　read　all　the　sense　and　pathos　out　of　this；　with　his　monotonous　sing…song。

The　judge　read　it　carefully　to　himself　with　his　glasses；　and　told　the　jury　it　seemed　a　genuine　document：　then　the　crier　cried　〃Silence　in　the　court；〃　and　his　lordship　turned　towards　the　jury　and　read　the　letter　slowly　and　solemnly：


_〃DEAR；　DEAR　BROTHER；Your　poor　little　Jane　lies　dying；　suddenly　but　not　painfully；　and　my　last　earthly　thoughts　are　for　my　darling　brother。　Some　wicked　person　has　said　you　are　insane。　I　deny　this　with　my　dying　breath　and　my　dying　hand。　You　came　to　me　the　night　before　the　wedding　that　was　to　be；　and　talked　to　me　most　calmly；　rationally　and　kindly；　so　that　I　could　not　resist　your　reasons；　and　went　to　your　wedding；　which；　till　then；　I　did　not　intend。　Show　these　words　to　your　slanderers　when　I　am　no　more。　But　oh！　Alfred；　even　this　is　of　little　moment　compared　with　the　world　to　come。　By　all　our　affection；　grant　me　one　request。　Battered；　wounded；　dying　in　my　prime；　what　would　be　my　condition　but　for　the　Saviour；　whom　I　have　loved；　and　with　whom　I　hope　soon　to　be。　He　smoothes　the　bed　of　death　for　me；　He　lights　the　dark　valley；　I　rejoice　to　die　and　be　with　Him。　Oh；　turn　to　Him；　dear　brother；　without　one　hour's　delay；　and　then　how　short　will　be　this　parting。　This　is　your　dying　sister's　one　request；　who　loves　you　dearly。_〃


With　the　exception　of　Julia's　sobs；　not　a　sound　was　heard　as　the　judge　read　it。　Many　eyes　were　wet：　and　the　judge　himself　was　visibly　affected；　and　pressed　his　handkerchief　a　moment　to　his　eyes。　〃These　are　the　words　of　a　Christian　woman；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。　And　there　was　silence。　A　girl's　hand　seemed　to　have　risen　from　the　grave　to　defend　her　brother　and　rend　the　veil　from　falsehood。

Mr。　Colt；　out　of　pure　tact；　subdued　his　voice　to　the　key　of　the　sentiment　thus　awakened；　and　said　impressively；　〃Gentlemen　of　the　jury；　that　is　our　case：〃　and　so　sat　down。


CHAPTER　LIII

SERGEANT　SAUNDERS　thought　it　prudent　to　let　the　emotion　subside　before　opening　the　defendant's　case：　so　he　disarranged　his　papers；　and　then　rearranged　them　as　before：　and；　during　this；　a　person　employed　by　Richard　Hardie　went　out　and　told　him　this　last　untoward　piece　of　evidence。　He　winced：　but　all　was　overbalanced　by　this；　that　Skinner　had　not　come　to　bear　witness　for　the　Plaintiff。

Sergeant　Saunders　rose　with　perfect　dignity　and　confidence；。　and　delivered　a　masterly　address。　In　less　than　ten　minutes　the　whole　affair　took　another　colour　under　that　plausible　tongue。　The　tactician　began　by　declaring　that　the　plaintiff　was　perfectly　sane；　and　his　convalescence　was　a　matter　of　such　joy　to　the　defendant；　that　not　even　the　cruel　misinterpretation　of　facts　and　motives；　to　which　his　amiable　client　had　been　exposed；　could　rob　him　of　that　sacred　delight　〃Our　case；　gentlemen；　is；　that　the　plaintiff　is　sane；　and　that　he　owes　his　sanity　to　those　prompt；　wise；　and　benevolent　measures；　which　we　took　eighteen　months　ago；　at　an　unhappy　crisis　of　his　mind；　to　preserve　his　understanding　and　his　property。　Yes；　his　property；　gentlemen；　that　property　which　in　a　paroxysm　of　mania；　he　was　going　to　throw　away；　as　I　shall　show　you　by　an　unanswerable　document。　He　comes　here　to　slander　us　and　mulet　us　out　of　five　thousand　pounds；　but　I　shall　show　you　he　is　already　ten　thousand　pounds　the　richer　for　that　act　of　ours；　for　which　he　debits　us　five　thousand　pounds　instead　of　crediting　us　twice　the　sum。　Gentlemen；　I　cannot；　like　my　learned　friend；　call　witnesses　from　the　clouds；　from　the　United　States；　and　from　the　grave；　for　it　has　not　occurred　to　my　client　strong　in　the　sense　of　his　kindly　and　honourable　intentions；　to　engage　gentlemen　from　foreign　parts；　with　woolly　locks　and　nasal　twangs；　to　drop　in　accidentally；　and　eke　out　the　fatal　gaps　in　evidence。　The　class　of　testimony　we　stand　upon　is　less　romantic；　it　does　not　seduce　the　imagination　nor　play　upon　the　passions；　but　it　is　of　a　much　higher　character　in　sober　men's　eyes；　especially　in　a　court　of　law。　I　rely；　not　on　witnesses　dropped　from　the　clouds；　and　the　stars；　and　the　stripesto　order；　nor　even　on　the　prejudiced　statements　of　friends　and　sweethearts；　who　always　swear　from　the　heart　rather　than　from　the　head　and　the　conscience；　but　on　the　calm　testimony　of　indifferent　men；　and　on　written　documents　furnished　by　the　plaintiff'；　and　on　contemporaneous　entries　in　the　books　of　the　asylum；　which　entries　formally　describe　the　plaintiff's　acts；　and　were　put　down　at　the　timeat　the　time；　gentlemenwith　no　idea　of　a　trial　at　law　to　come；　but　in　compliance　with　the　very　proper　provisions　of　a　wise　and　salutary　Act。　I　shall　also　lay　before　you　the　evidence　of　the　medical　witnesses　who　signed　the　certificates；　men　of　probity　and　honour；　and　who　have　made　these　subtle　maladies　of　the　mind　the　special　study　of　their　whole　life。　I　shall　also　call　the　family　doctor；　who　has　known　the　plaintiff　and　his　ailments；　bodily　and　mental；　for　many　years；　and　communicated　his　suspicions　t