appendix-c-第1节
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APPENDIX C
The College Prison
It seems that the student may break a good many of the public
laws without having to answer to the public authorities。
His case must come before the University for trial
and punishment。 If a policeman catches him in an unlawful
act and proceeds to arrest him； the offender proclaims that
he is a student； and perhaps shows his matriculation card；
whereupon the officer asks for his address； then goes
his way； and reports the matter at headquarters。 If the
offense is one over which the city has no jurisdiction；
the authorities report the case officially to the University；
and give themselves no further concern about it。
The University court send for the student； listen to
the evidence； and pronounce judgment。 The punishment
usually inflicted is imprisonment in the University prison。
As I understand it； a student's case is often tried
without his being present at all。 Then something
like this happens： A constable in the service of the
University visits the lodgings of the said student；
knocks； is invited to come in； does so； and says politely
〃If you please； I am here to conduct you to prison。〃
〃Ah；〃 says the student； 〃I was not expecting it。
What have I been doing？〃
〃Two weeks ago the public peace had the honor to be
disturbed by you。〃
〃It is true； I had forgotten it。 Very well： I have been
complained of； tried； and found guiltyis that it？〃
〃Exactly。 You are sentenced to two days' solitary confinement
in the College prison； and I am sent to fetch you。〃
STUDENT。 〃O； I can't go today。〃
OFFICER。 〃If you pleasewhy？〃
STUDENT。 〃Because I've got an engagement。〃
OFFICER。 〃Tomorrow； then； perhaps？〃
STUDENT。 〃No； I am going to the opera； tomorrow。〃
OFFICER。 〃Could you come Friday？〃
STUDENT。 （Reflectively。） 〃Let me seeFridayFriday。
I don't seem to have anything on hand Friday。〃
OFFICER。 〃Then； if you please； I will expect you on Friday。〃
STUDENT。 〃All right； I'll come around Friday。〃
OFFICER。 〃Thank you。 Good day； sir。〃
STUDENT。 〃Good day。〃
So on Friday the student goes to the prison of his
own accord； and is admitted。
It is questionable if the world's criminal history can
show a custom more odd than this。 Nobody knows； now；
how it originated。 There have always been many noblemen
among the students； and it is presumed that all students
are gentlemen； in the old times it was usual to mar
the convenience of such folk as little as possible；
perhaps this indulgent custom owes its origin to this。
One day I was listening to some conversation upon this
subject when an American student said that for some time he
had been under sentence for a slight breach of the peace
and had promised the constable that he would presently
find an unoccupied day and betake himself to prison。
I asked the young gentleman to do me the kindness to go
to jail as soon as he conveniently could； so that I might
try to get in there and visit him； and see what college
captivity was like。 He said he would appoint the very
first day he could spare。
His confinement was to endure twenty…four hours。 He shortly
chose his day； and sent me word。 I started immediately。
When I reached the University Place； I saw two gentlemen
talking together； and； as they had portfolios under
their arms； I judged they were tutors or elderly students；
so I asked them in English to show me the college jail。
I had learned to take it for granted that anybody in Germany
who knows anything； knows English； so I had stopped
afflicting people with my German。 These gentlemen seemed
a trifle amusedand a trifle confused； toobut one
of them said he would walk around the corner with me
and show me the place。 He asked me why I wanted to get
in there； and I said to see a friendand for curiosity。
He doubted if I would be admitted； but volunteered to put
in a word or two for me with the custodian。
He rang the bell； a door opened； and we stepped into a paved
way and then up into a small living…room； where we were
received by a hearty and good…natured German woman of fifty。
She threw up her hands with a surprised 〃ACH GOTT；
HERR PROFESSOR！〃 and exhibited a mighty deference for my
new acquaintance。 By the sparkle in her eye I judged
she was a good deal amused； too。 The 〃Herr Professor〃
talked to her in German； and I understood enough of it
to know that he was bringing very plausible reasons to bear
for admitting me。 They were successful。 So the Herr
Professor received my earnest thanks and departed。
The old dame got her keys； took me up two or three flights
of stairs； unlocked a door； and we stood in the presence
of the criminal。 Then she went into a jolly and eager
description of all that had occurred downstairs； and what
the Herr Professor had said； and so forth and so on。
Plainly； she regarded it as quite a superior joke that I had
waylaid a Professor and employed him in so odd a service。
But I wouldn't have done it if I had known he was a Professor；
therefore my conscience was not disturbed。
Now the dame left us to ourselves。 The cell was not a roomy one；
still it was a little larger than an ordinary prison cell。
It had a window of good size； iron…grated； a small stove；
two wooden chairs； two oaken tables； very old and
most elaborately carved with names； mottoes； faces；
armorial bearings； etc。the work of several generations
of imprisoned students； and a narrow wooden bedstead
with a villainous straw mattress； but no sheets； pillows；
blankets； or coverletsfor these the student must furnish
at his own cost if he wants them。 There was no carpet； of
course。
The ceiling was completely covered with names； dates；
and monograms； done with candle…smoke。 The walls were
thickly covered with pictures and portraits （in profile）；
some done with ink； some with soot； some with a pencil；
and some with red； blue； and green chalks； and whenever
an inch or two of space had remained between the pictures；
the captives had written plaintive verses； or names
and dates。 I do not think I was ever in a more elaborately
frescoed apartment。
Against the wall hung a placard containing the prison laws。
I made a note of one or two of these。 For instance：
The prisoner must pay； for the 〃privilege〃 of entering；
a sum equivalent to 20 cents of our money； for the privilege
of leaving； when his term had expired； 20 cents； for every
day spent in the prison； 12 cents； for fire and light；
12 cents a day。 The jailer furnishes coffee； mornings；
for a small sum； dinners and suppers may be ordered
from outside if the prisoner choosesand he is allowed
to pay for them； too。
Here and there； on the walls； appeared the names
of American students； and in one place the American
arms and motto were displayed in colored chalks。
With the help of my friend I translated many of the inscriptions。
Some of them were cheerful； others the reverse。
I will give the reader a few specimens：
〃In my tenth semester （my best one）； I am cast here
through the complaints of others。 Let those who follow
me take warning。〃
〃III TAGE OHNE GRUND ANGEBLICH AUS NEUGIERDE。〃 Which is to say；
he had a curiosity to know what prison life was like；
so he made a breach in some law and got three days for it。
It is more than likely that he never had the same
curiosity again。
（TRANSLATION。） 〃E。 Glinicke； four days for being too eager
a spectator of a row。〃
〃F。 Graf Bismarck27…29； II； '74。〃 Which means that
Count Bismarck； son of the great statesman； was a prisoner
two days in 1874。
（TRANSLATION。） 〃R。 Diergandtfor Love4 days。〃
Many people in this world have caught it heavier than
for the same indiscretion。
This one is terse。 I translate：
〃Four weeks for MISINTERPRETED GALLANTRY。〃 I wish
the sufferer had explained a little more fully。
A four…week term is a rather serious matter。
There were many uncomplimentary references； on the walls；
to a certain unpopular dignitary。 One sufferer had got
three days for not saluting him。 Another had 〃here two days
slept and three nights lain awake；〃 on account of this
same 〃Dr。 K。〃 In one place was a picture of Dr。 K。 hanging
on a gallows。
Here and there； lonesome prisoners had eased the heavy time
by altering the records left by predecessors。 Leaving the
name standing； and the date and length of the captivity；
they had erased the description of the misdemeanor；
and written in its place； in staring capitals； 〃FOR THEFT！〃
or 〃FOR MURDER！〃 or some other gaudy crime。 In one place；
all by itself； stood this blood…curdling word：
〃Rache！〃 ＇1＇
1。 〃Revenge！〃
There was no name signed； and no date。 It was an
inscription well calculated to pique curiosity。
One would greatly like to know the nature of the wrong
that had been done；
