chronicles of the canongate-第49节

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rs；　which　displayed　itself　in　a　general　AH！　　drawn　through　clenched　teeth　and　half…shut　lips；　Robin　Oig　removed　the　cloth；　and　gazed　with　a　mournful　but　steady　eye　on　the　lifeless　visage；　which　had　been　so　lately　animated　that　the　smile　of　good…　humoured　confidence　in　his　own　strength；　of　conciliation　at　once　and　contempt　towards　his　enemy；　still　curled　his　lip。　　While　those　present　expected　that　the　wound；　which　had　so　lately　flooded　the　apartment　with　gore；　would　send　forth　fresh　streams　at　the　touch　of　the　homicide；　Robin　Oig　replaced　the　covering　with　the　brief　exclamation；　〃He　was　a　pretty　man！〃

My　story　is　nearly　ended。　　The　unfortunate　Highlander　stood　his　trial　at　Carlisle。　　I　was　myself　present；　and　as　a　young　Scottish　lawyer；　or　barrister　at　least；　and　reputed　a　man　of　some　quality；　the　politeness　of　the　Sheriff　of　Cumberland　offered　me　a　place　on　the　bench。　　The　facts　of　the　case　were　proved　in　the　manner　I　have　related　them；　and　whatever　might　be　at　first　the　prejudice　of　the　audience　against　a　crime　so　un…English　as　that　of　assassination　from　revenge；　yet　when　the　rooted　national　prejudices　of　the　prisoner　had　been　explained；　which　made　him　consider　himself　as　stained　with　indelible　dishonour；　when　subjected　to　personal　violencewhen　his　previous　patience；　moderation；　and　endurance　were　consideredthe　generosity　of　the　English　audience　was　inclined　to　regard　his　crime　as　the　wayward　aberration　of　a　false　idea　of　honour　rather　than　as　flowing　from　a　heart　naturally　savage；　or　perverted　by　habitual　vice。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　charge　of　the　venerable　judge　to　the　jury；　although　not　at　that　time　liable　to　be　much　affected　either　by　that　which　was　eloquent　or　pathetic。

〃We　have　had；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　previous　part　of　our　duty〃　（alluding　to　some　former　trials）；　〃to　discuss　crimes　which　infer　disgust　and　abhorrence；　while　they　call　down　the　well…merited　vengeance　of　the　law。　　It　is　now　our　still　more　melancholy　task　to　apply　its　salutary　though　severe　enactments　to　a　case　of　a　very　singular　character；　in　which　the　crime　（for　a　crime　it　is；　and　a　deep　one）　arose　less　out　of　the　malevolence　of　the　heart；　than　the　error　of　the　understandingless　from　any　idea　of　committing　wrong；　than　from　an　unhappily　perverted　notion　of　that　which　is　right。　　Here　we　have　two　men；　highly　esteemed；　it　has　been　stated；　in　their　rank　of　life；　and　attached；　it　seems；　to　each　other　as　friends；　one　of　whose　lives　has　been　already　sacrificed　to　a　punctilio；　and　the　other　is　about　to　prove　the　vengeance　of　the　offended　laws；　and　yet　both　may　claim　our　commiseration　at　least；　as　men　acting　in　ignorance　of　each　other's　national　prejudices；　and　unhappily　misguided　rather　than　voluntarily　erring　from　the　path　of　right　conduct。

〃In　the　original　cause　of　the　misunderstanding；　we　must　in　justice　give　the　right　to　the　prisoner　at　the　bar。　　He　had　acquired　possession　of　the　enclosure；　which　was　the　object　of　competition；　by　a　legal　contract　with　the　proprietor；　Mr。　Ireby；　and　yet；　when　accosted　with　reproaches　undeserved　in　themselves；　and　galling；　doubtless；　to　a　temper　at　least　sufficiently　susceptible　of　passion；　he　offered　notwithstanding；　to　yield　up　half　his　acquisition；　for　the　sake　of　peace　and　good　neighbourhood；　and　his　amicable　proposal　was　rejected　with　scorn。　Then　follows　the　scene　at　Mr。　Heskett　the　publican's；　and　you　will　observe　how　the　stranger　was　treated　by　the　deceased；　and；　I　am　sorry　to　observe；　by　those　around；　who　seem　to　have　urged　him　in　a　manner　which　was　aggravating　in　the　highest　degree。　　While　he　asked　for　peace　and　for　composition；　and　offered　submission　to　a　magistrate；　or　to　a　mutual　arbiter；　the　prisoner　was　insulted　by　a　whole　company；　who　seem　on　this　occasion　to　have　forgotten　the　national　maxim　of　'fair　play；'　and　while　attempting　to　escape　from　the　place　in　peace；　he　was　intercepted；　struck　down；　and　beaten　to　the　effusion　of　his　blood。

〃Gentlemen　of　the　jury；　it　was　with　some　impatience　that　I　heard　my　learned　brother　who　opened　the　case　for　the　crown　give　an　unfavourable　turn　to　the　prisoner's　conduct　on　this　occasion。　　He　said　the　prisoner　was　afraid　to　encounter　his　antagonist　in　fair　fight；　or　to　submit　to　the　laws　of　the　ring；　and　that　therefore；　like　a　cowardly　Italian；　he　had　recourse　to　his　fatal　stiletto；　to　murder　the　man　whom　he　dared　not　meet　in　manly　encounter。　　I　observed　the　prisoner　shrink　from　this　part　of　the　accusation　with　the　abhorrence　natural　to　a　brave　man；　and　as　I　would　wish　to　make　my　words　impressive　when　I　point　his　real　crime；　I　must　secure　his　opinion　of　my　impartiality　by　rebutting　everything　that　seems　to　me　a　false　accusation。　　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　prisoner　is　a　man　of　resolutiontoo　much　resolution。　　I　wish　to　Heaven　that　he　had　lessor；　rather　that　he　had　had　a　better　education　to　regulate　it。

〃Gentlemen；　as　to　the　laws　my　brother　talks　of；　they　may　be　known　in　the　bull…ring；　or　the　bear…garden；　or　the　cock…pit；　but　they　are　not　known　here。　　Or；　if　they　should　be　so　far　admitted　as　furnishing　a　species　of　proof　that　no　malice　was　intended　in　this　sort　of　combat；　from　which　fatal　accidents　do　sometimes　arise；　it　can　only　be　so　admitted　when　both　parties　are　IN　PARI　CASU；　equally　acquainted　with；　and　equally　willing　to　refer　themselves　to；　that　species　of　arbitrament。　　But　will　it　be　contended　that　a　man　of　superior　rank　and　education　is　to　be　subjected；　or　is　obliged　to　subject　himself；　to　this　coarse　and　brutal　strife；　perhaps　in　opposition　to　a　younger；　stronger；　or　more　skilful　opponent？　　Certainly　even　the　pugilistic　code；　if　founded　upon　the　fair　play　of　Merry　Old　England；　as　my　brother　alleges　it　to　be；　can　contain　nothing　so　preposterous。　　And；　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　if　the　laws　would　support　an　English　gentleman；　wearing；　we　will　suppose；　his　sword；　in　defending　himself　by　force　against　a　violent　personal　aggression　of　the　nature　offered　to　this　prisoner；　they　will　not　less　protect　a　foreigner　and　a　stranger；　involved　in　the　same　unpleasing　circumstances。　　If；　therefore；　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　when　thus　pressed　by　a　VIS　MAJOR；　the　object　of　obloquy　to　a　whole　company；　and　of　direct　violence　from　one　at　least；　and；　as　he　might　reasonably　apprehend；　from　more；　the　panel　had　produced　the　weapon　which　his　countrymen；　as　we　are　informed；　generally　carry　about　their　persons；　and　the　same　unhappy　circumstance　had　ensued　which　you　have　heard　detailed　in　evidence；　I　could　not　in　my　conscience　have　asked　from　you　a　verdict　of　murder。　　The　prisoner's　personal　defence　might　indeed；　even　in　that　case；　have　gone　more　or　less　beyond　the　MODERAMEN　INCULPATAE　TUTELAE；　spoken　of　by　lawyers；　but　the　punishment　incurred　would　have　been　that　of　manslaughter；　not　of　murder。　　I　beg　leave　to　add　that　I　should　have　thought　this　milder　species　of　charge　was　demanded　in　the　case　supposed；　notwithstanding　the　statute　of　James　I。　cap。　8；　which　takes　the　case　of　slaughter　by　stabbing　with　a　short　weapon；　even　without　MALICE　PREPENSE；　out　of　the　benefit　of　clergy。　　For　this　statute　of　stabbing；　as　it　is　termed；　arose　out　of　a　temporary　cause；　and　as　the　real　guilt　is　the　same；　whether　the　slaughter　be　committed　by　the　dagger；　or　by　sword　or　pistol；　the　benignity　of　the　modern　law　places　them　all　on　the　same；　or　nearly　the　same；　footing。

〃But；　gentlemen　of　the　jury；　the　pinch　of　the　case　lies　in　the　interval　of　two　hours　interposed　betwixt　the　reception　of　the　injury　and　the　fatal　retaliation。　　In　the　heat　of　affray　and　CHAUDE　MELEE；　law；　compassionating　the　infirmities　of　humanity；　makes　allowance　for　the　passions　which　rule　such　a　stormy　moment　for　the　sense　of　present　pain；　for　the　apprehension　of　further　injury；　for　the　difficulty　of　ascertaining　with　due　accuracy　the　precise　degree　of　violence　which　is　necessary　to　protect　the　person　of　the　individual；　without　annoying　or　injuring　the　assailant　more　than　is　absolutely　necessary。　　But　the　time　necessary　to　walk　twelve　miles；　however　speedily　performed；　was　an　interval　sufficient　for　the　prisoner　to　have　recollected　himself；　and　the　violence　with　which　he　carried　his　purpose　into　effect；　with　so　many　circumstances　of　deliberate　determination；　could　neither　be　induced　by　the　passion　of　anger；　nor　that　of　fear。　　It　was　the　purpose　and　the　act　of　predetermined　revenge；　for　which　law　neither　can；　will；　nor　ought　to　have　sympathy　or　allowance。

〃It　is　true；　we　may　repeat　to　ourselves；　in　alleviation　of　this　poor　man's　unhappy　action；　that　his　case　is　a　very　peculiar　one。　The　country　which　he　inhabits　was；　in　the　days　of　many　now　alive；　inaccessible　to　the　laws；　not　only　of　England；　which　have　not　even　yet　penetrated　thither；　but　to　those　to　which　our　neighbours　of　Scotland　are　subjected；　and　which　must　be　supposed　to　be；　and　no　doubt　actually　are；　founded　upon　the　general　principles　of　justice　and　equity　which　pervade　every　civilized　country。　Amongst　their　mountains；　as　among　the　North　American　Indians；　the　various　tribes　were　wont　to　make　war　upon　each　other；　so　that　each　man　was　obliged　to　go　armed　for　his　own　protection。　　These　men；　from　the　ideas　which　they　entertained　of　their　own　descent　and　of　their　own　consequence；　regarded　themselves　as　so　many　cavaliers　or　men…at…arms；　rather　than　as　the　peasantry　of　a　peaceful　country。　　Those　law