three ghost stories-第14节

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rising　to　the　roof　of　the　court；　the　same　scratching　of　the　Judge's

pen；　the　same　ushers　going　in　and　out；　the　same　lights　kindled　at

the　same　hour　when　there　had　been　any　natural　light　of　day；　the　same

foggy　curtain　outside　the　great　windows　when　it　was　foggy；　the　same

rain　pattering　and　dripping　when　it　was　rainy；　the　same　footmarks　of

turnkeys　and　prisoner　day　after　day　on　the　same　sawdust；　the　same

keys　locking　and　unlocking　the　same　heavy　doors；through　all　the

wearisome　monotony　which　made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　been　Foreman　of

the　Jury　for　a　vast　cried　of　time；　and　Piccadilly　had　flourished

coevally　with　Babylon；　the　murdered　man　never　lost　one　trace　of　his

distinctness　in　my　eyes；　nor　was　he　at　any　moment　less　distinct　than

anybody　else。　　I　must　not　omit；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　that　I　never

once　saw　the　Appearance　which　I　call　by　the　name　of　the　murdered　man

look　at　the　Murderer。　　Again　and　again　I　wondered；　〃Why　does　he

not？〃　　But　he　never　did。



Nor　did　he　look　at　me；　after　the　production　of　the　miniature；　until

the　last　closing　minutes　of　the　trial　arrived。　　We　retired　to

consider；　at　seven　minutes　before　ten　at　night。　　The　idiotic

vestryman　and　his　two　parochial　parasites　gave　us　so　much　trouble

that　we　twice　returned　into　Court　to　beg　to　have　certain　extracts

from　the　Judge's　notes　re…read。　　Nine　of　us　had　not　the　smallest

doubt　about　those　passages；　neither；　I　believe；　had　any　one　in　the

Court；　the　dunder…headed　triumvirate；　having　no　idea　but

obstruction；　disputed　them　for　that　very　reason。　　At　length　we

prevailed；　and　finally　the　Jury　returned　into　Court　at　ten　minutes

past　twelve。



The　murdered　man　at　that　time　stood　directly　opposite　the　Jury…box；

on　the　other　side　of　the　Court。　　As　I　took　my　place；　his　eyes　rested

on　me　with　great　attention；　he　seemed　satisfied；　and　slowly　shook　a

great　gray　veil；　which　he　carried　on　his　arm　for　the　first　time；

over　his　head　and　whole　form。　　As　I　gave　in　our　verdict；　〃Guilty；〃

the　veil　collapsed；　all　was　gone；　and　his　place　was　empty。



The　Murderer；　being　asked　by　the　Judge；　according　to　usage；　whether

he　had　anything　to　say　before　sentence　of　Death　should　be　passed

upon　him；　indistinctly　muttered　something　which　was　described　in　the

leading　newspapers　of　the　following　day　as　〃a　few　rambling；

incoherent；　and　half…audible　words；　in　which　he　was　understood　to

complain　that　he　had　not　had　a　fair　trial；　because　the　Foreman　of

the　Jury　was　prepossessed　against　him。〃　　The　remarkable　declaration

that　he　really　made　was　this：　　〃MY　LORD；　I　KNEW　I　WAS　A　DOOMED　MAN；

WHEN　THE　FOREMAN　OF　MY　JURY　CAME　INTO　THE　BOX。　　MY　LORD；　I　KNEW　HE

WOULD　NEVER　LET　ME　OFF；　BECAUSE；　BEFORE　I　WAS　TAKEN；　HE　SOMEHOW　GOT

TO　MY　BEDSIDE　IN　THE　NIGHT；　WOKE　ME；　AND　PUT　A　ROPE　ROUND　MY　NECK。〃











End