manalive-第13节

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very　distant　object。

〃Mary；　Mary；〃　cried　Rosamund；　almost　breaking　down；　〃I'm　so　sorry　about　it；
but　the　thing　can't　be　at　all。　　Wewe　have　found　out　all　about　Mr。　Smith。〃

〃All？〃　repeated　Mary；　with　a　low　and　curious　intonation；
〃why；　that　must　be　awfully　exciting。〃

There　was　no　noise　for　an　instant　and　no　motion　except　that
the　silent　Michael　Moon；　leaning　on　the　gate；　lifted　his　head；
as　it　might　be　to　listen。　　Then　Rosamund　remaining　speechless；
Dr。　Pym　came　to　her　rescue　in　a　definite　way。

〃To　begin　with；〃　he　said；　〃this　man　Smith　is　constantly　attempting　murder。
The　Warden　of　Brakespeare　College〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Mary；　with　a　vague　but　radiant　smile。
〃Innocent　told　me。〃

〃I　can't　say　what　he　told　you；〃　replied　Pym　quickly；　〃but　I'm　very　much
afraid　it　wasn't　true。　　The　plain　truth　is　that　the　man's　stained
with　every　known　human　crime。　　I　assure　you　I　have　all　the　documents。
I　have　evidence　of　his　committing　burglary；　signed　by　a　most　eminent
English　curate。　　I　have〃

〃Oh；　but　there　were　two　curates；〃　cried　Mary；　with　a　certain　gentle　eagerness；
〃that　was　what　made　it　so　much　funnier。〃

The　darkened　glass　doors　of　the　house　opened　once　more；
and　Inglewood　appeared　for　an　instant；　making　a　sort　of　signal。
The　American　doctor　bowed；　the　English　doctor　did　not；
but　they　both　set　out　stolidly　towards　the　house。
No　one　else　moved；　not　even　Michael　hanging　on　the　gate；
but　the　back　of　his　head　and　shoulders　had　still　an　indescribable
indication　that　he　was　listening　to　every　word。

〃But　don't　you　understand；　Mary；〃　cried　Rosamund　in　despair；　〃don't　you
know　that　awful　things　have　happened　even　before　our　very　eyes。
I　should　have　thought　you　would　have　heard　the　revolver　shots　upstairs。〃

〃Yes；　I　heard　the　shots；〃　said　Mary　almost　brightly；　〃but　I　was　busy　packing
just　then。　　And　Innocent　had　told　me　he　was　going　to　shoot　at　Dr。　Warner；
so　it　wasn't　worth　while　to　come　down。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　understand　what　you　mean；〃　cried　Rosamund　Hunt；
stamping；　〃but　you　must　and　shall　understand　what　I　mean。
I　don't　care　how　cruelly　I　put　it；　if　only　I　can　save　you。
I　mean　that　your　Innocent　Smith　is　the　most　awfully　wicked
man　in　the　world。　　He　has　sent　bullets　at　lots　of　other　men
and　gone　off　in　cabs　with　lots　of　other　women。　　And　he　seems
to　have　killed　the　women　too；　for　nobody　can　find　them。〃

〃He　is　really　rather　naughty　sometimes；〃　said　Mary　Gray；
laughing　softly　as　she　buttoned　her　old　gray　gloves。

〃Oh；　this　is　really　mesmerism；　or　something；〃　said　Rosamund；
and　burst　into　tears。

At　the　same　moment　the　two　black…clad　doctors　appeared　out
of　the　house　with　their　great　green…clad　captive　between　them。
He　made　no　resistance；　but　was　still　laughing　in　a　groggy
and　half…witted　style。　　Arthur　Inglewood　followed　in　the　rear；
a　dark　and　red　study　in　the　last　shades　of　distress　and　shame。
In　this　black；　funereal；　and　painfully　realistic　style　the　exit
from　Beacon　House　was　made　by　a　man　whose　entrance　a　day　before
had　been　effected　by　the　happy　leaping　of　a　wall　and　the　hilarious
climbing　of　a　tree。　　No　one　moved　of　the　groups　in　the　garden
except　Mary　Gray；　who　stepped　forward　quite　naturally；
calling　out；　〃Are　you　ready；　Innocent？　　Our　cab's　been　waiting
such　a　long　time。〃

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　Dr。　Warner　firmly；　〃I　must　insist　on　asking
this　lady　to　stand　aside。　　We　shall　have　trouble　enough　as　it　is；
with　the　three　of　us　in　a　cab。〃

〃But　it　IS　our　cab；〃　persisted　Mary。　　〃Why；　there's　Innocent's　yellow
bag　on　the　top　of　it。〃

〃Stand　aside；〃　repeated　Warner　roughly。　　〃And　you；　Mr。　Moon；
please　be　so　obliging　as　to　move　a　moment。　　Come；　come！　the　sooner
this　ugly　business　is　over　the　betterand　how　can　we　open　the　gate
if　you　will　keep　leaning　on　it？〃

Michael　Moon　looked　at　his　long　lean　forefinger；　and　seemed
to　consider　and　reconsider　this　argument。　　〃Yes；　he　said　at　last；
〃but　how　can　I　lean　on　this　gate　if　you　keep　on　opening　it？〃

〃Oh；　get　out　of　the　way！〃　cried　Warner；　almost　good…humouredly。
〃You　can　lean　on　the　gate　any　time。〃

〃No；〃　said　Moon　reflectively。　　〃Seldom　the　time　and　the　place
and　the　blue　gate　altogether；　and　it　all　depends　whether　you
come　of　an　old　country　family。　　My　ancestors　leaned　on　gates
before　any　one　had　discovered　how　to　open　them。〃

〃Michael！〃　cried　Arthur　Inglewood　in　a　kind　of　agony；　〃are　you　going　to　get
out　of　the　way？〃

〃Why；　no；　I　think　not；〃　said　Michael；　after　some　meditation；
and　swung　himself　slowly　round；　so　that　he　confronted　the　company；
while　still；　in　a　lounging　attitude；　occupying　the　path。

〃Hullo！〃　he　called　out　suddenly；　〃what　are　you　doing　to　Mr。　Smith？〃

〃Taking　him　away；〃　answered　Warner　shortly；　〃to　be　examined。〃

〃Matriculation？〃　asked　Moon　brightly。

〃By　a　magistrate；〃　said　the　other　curtly。

〃And　what　other　magistrate；〃　cried　Michael；　raising　his　voice；
〃dares　to　try　what　befell　on　this　free　soil；　save　only　the　ancient
and　independent　Dukes　of　Beacon？　　What　other　court　dares　to　try
one　of　our　company；　save　only　the　High　Court　of　Beacon？　　Have　you
forgotten　that　only　this　afternoon　we　flew　the　flag　of　independence
and　severed　ourselves　from　all　the　nations　of　the　earth？〃

〃Michael；〃　cried　Rosamund；　wringing　her　hands；　〃how　can　you　stand
there　talking　nonsense？　　Why；　you　saw　the　dreadful　thing　yourself。
You　were　there　when　he　went　mad。　　It　was　you　that　helped　the　doctor
up　when　he　fell　over　the　flower…pot。〃

〃And　the　High　Court　of　Beacon；〃　replied　Moon　with　hauteur；
〃has　special　powers　in　all　cases　concerning　lunatics；
flower…pots；　and　doctors　who　fall　down　in　gardens。
It's　in　our　very　first　charter　from　Edward　I：　　‘Si　medicus
quisquam　in　horto　prostratus'〃

〃Out　of　the　way！〃　cried　Warner　with　sudden　fury；　〃or　we　will　force
you　out　of　it。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Michael　Moon；　with　a　cry　of　hilarious　fierceness。
〃Shall　I　die　in　defence　of　this　sacred　pale？　　Will　you　paint
these　blue　railings　red　with　my　gore？〃　and　he　laid　hold　of　one
of　the　blue　spikes　behind　him。　　As　Inglewood　had　noticed　earlier
in　the　evening；　the　railing　was　loose　and　crooked　at　this　place；
and　the　painted　iron　staff　and　spearhead　came　away　in　Michael's
hand　as　he　shook　it。

〃See！〃　he　cried；　brandishing　this　broken　javelin　in　the　air；
〃the　very　lances　round　Beacon　Tower　leap　from　their　places　to　defend　it。
Ah；　in　such　a　place　and　hour　it　is　a　fine　thing　to　die　alone！〃
And　in　a　voice　like　a　drum　he　rolled　the　noble　lines　of　Ronsard

〃Ou　pour　l'honneur　de　Dieu；　ou　pour　le　droit　de　mon　prince；　Navre；
poitrine　ouverte；　au　bord　de　mon　province。〃


〃Sakes　alive！〃　said　the　American　gentleman；　almost　in　an　awed　tone。
Then　he　added；　〃Are　there　two　maniacs　here？〃

〃No；　there　are　five；〃　thundered　Moon。　　〃Smith　and　I　are　the　only
sane　people　left。〃

〃Michael！〃　cried　Rosamund；　〃Michael；　what　does　it　mean？〃

〃It　means　bosh！〃　roared　Michael；　and　slung　his　painted　spear
hurtling　to　the　other　end　of　the　garden。　　〃It　means　that　doctors
are　bosh；　and　criminology　is　bosh；　and　Americans　are　bosh
much　more　bosh　than　our　Court　of　Beacon。　　It　means；　you　fatheads；
that　Innocent　Smith　is　no　more　mad　or　bad　than　the　bird
on　that　tree。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Moon；〃　began　Inglewood　in　his　modest　manner；　〃these　gentlemen〃

〃On　the　word　of　two　doctors；〃　exploded　Moon　again；
without　listening　to　anybody　else；　〃shut　up　in　a　private　hell
on　the　word　of　two　doctors！　　And　such　doctors！　　Oh；　my　hat！
Look　at　'em！do　just　look　at　'em！　　Would　you　read　a　book；
or　buy　a　dog；　or　go　to　a　hotel　on　the　advice　of　twenty　such？
My　people　came　from　Ireland；　and　were　Catholics。　　What　would
you　say　if　I　called　a　man　wicked　on　the　word　of　two　priests？〃

〃But　it　isn't　only　their　word；　Michael；〃　reasoned　Rosamund；
〃they've　got　evidence　too。〃

〃Have　you　looked　at　it？〃　asked　Moon。

〃No；〃　said　Rosamund；　with　a　sort　of　faint　surprise；　〃these　gentlemen
are　in　charge　of　it。〃

〃And　of　everything　else；　it　seems　to　me；〃　said　Michael。　　〃Why；　you
haven't　even　had　the　decency　to　consult　Mrs。　Duke。〃

〃Oh；　that's　no　use；〃　said　Diana　in　an　undertone　to　Rosamund；　〃Auntie　can't
say　‘Bo！'　to　a　goose。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　answered　Michael；　〃for　with　such　a　flock　of　geese
to　say　it　to；　the　horrid　expletive　might　be　constantly　on　her　lips。
For　my　part；　I　simply　refuse　to　let　things　be　done　in　this　light
and　airy　style。　　I　appeal　to　Mrs。　Dukeit's　her　house。〃

〃Mrs。　Duke？〃　repeated　Inglewood　doubtfully。

〃Yes；　Mrs。　Duke；〃　said　Michael　firmly；　〃commonly　called　the　Iron　Duke。〃

〃If　you　ask　Auntie；〃　said　Diana　quietly；　〃she'll　only　be　for　doing　nothing
at　all。　　Her　only　idea　is　to　hush　things　up　or　to　let　things　slide。
That　just　suits　her。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Michael　Moon；　〃and；　as　it　happens；　it　just　suits
all　of　us。　　You　are　impatient　with　your　elders；　Miss　Duke；
but　when　you　are　as　old　yourself　you　will　know　what　Napoleon　knew
that　half　one's　letters　answer　themselves　if　you　can　only　refrain
from　the　fleshly　appetite　of　answering　them。〃

He　was　still　lounging　in　the　same　absurd　attitude；　with　his　elbow
on　the　grate；　but　his　voice　had　altered　abruptly　for　the　third　time；
just　as　it　had　changed　from　the　mock　heroic　to　the　humanly　indignant；
it　now　changed　to　the　airy　incisiveness　of　a　lawyer　giving
good