manalive-第17节

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rose　to　open　the　case。　　His　statement　was　clear　and　even　restrained；
and　such　flights　of　imagery　as　occurred　in　it　only　attracted　attention
by　a　certain　indescribable　abruptness；　not　uncommon　in　the　flowers
of　American　speech。

He　planted　the　points　of　his　ten　frail　fingers　on　the　mahogany；
closed　his　eyes；　and　opened　his　mouth。　　〃The　time　has　gone　by；〃
he　said；　〃when　murder　could　be　regarded　as　a　moral　and　individual　act；
important　perhaps　to　the　murderer；　perhaps　to　the　murdered。
Science　has　profoundly。。。〃　here　he　paused；　poising　his　compressed
finger　and　thumb　in　the　air　as　if　he　were　holding　an　elusive　idea
very　tight　by　its　tail；　then　he　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　said
〃modified；〃　and　let　it　go〃has　profoundly　Modified　our　view　of　death。
In　superstitious　ages　it　was　regarded　as　the　termination　of　life；
catastrophic；　and　even　tragic；　and　was　often　surrounded　by　solemnity。
Brighter　days；　however；　have　dawned；　and　we　now　see　death　as　universal
and　inevitable；　as　part　of　that　great　soul…stirring　and　heart…upholding
average　which　we　call　for　convenience　the　order　of　nature。
In　the　same　way　we　have　come　to　consider　murder　socially。
Rising　above　the　mere　private　feelings　of　a　man　while　being　forcibly
deprived　of　life；　we　are　privileged　to　behold　murder　as　a　mighty　whole；
to　see　the　rich　rotation　of　the　cosmos；　bringing；　as　it　brings
the　golden　harvests　and　the　golden…bearded　harvesters；　the　return
for　ever　of　the　slayers　and　the　slain。〃

He　looked　down；　somewhat　affected　with　his　own　eloquence；　coughed　slightly；
putting　up　four　of　his　pointed　fingers　with　the　excellent　manners
of　Boston；　and　continued：　　〃There　is　but　one　result　of　this　happier
and　humaner　outlook　which　concerns　the　wretched　man　before　us。
It　is　that　thoroughly　elucidated　by　a　Milwaukee　doctor；
our　great　secret…guessing　Sonnenschein；　in　his　great　work；
‘The　Destructive　Type。'　　We　do　not　denounce　Smith　as　a　murderer；
but　rather　as　a　murderous　man。　　The　type　is　such　that　its　very　life
I　might　say　its　very　healthis　in　killing。　　Some　hold　that　it　is
not　properly　an　aberration；　but　a　newer　and　even　a　higher　creature。
My　dear　old　friend　Dr。　Bulger；　who　kept　ferrets〃　（here　Moon
suddenly　ejaculated　a　loud　〃hurrah！〃　but　so　instantaneously
resumed　his　tragic　expression　that　Mrs。　Duke　looked　everywhere
else　for　the　sound）；　Dr。　Pym　continued　somewhat　sternly〃who；
in　the　interests　of　knowledge；　kept　ferrets；　felt　that　the　creature's
ferocity　is　not　utilitarian；　but　absolutely　an　end　in　itself。
However　this　may　be　with　ferrets；　it　is　certainly　so　with　the　prisoner。
In　his　other　iniquities　you　may　find　the　cunning　of　the　maniac；
but　his　acts　of　blood　have　almost　the　simplicity　of　sanity。
But　it　is　the　awful　sanity　of　the　sun　and　the　elementsa　cruel；
an　evil　sanity。　　As　soon　stay　the　iris…leapt　cataracts　of　our　virgin
West　as　stay　the　natural　force　that　sends　him　forth　to　slay。
No　environment；　however　scientific；　could　have　softened　him。
Place　that　man　in　the　silver…silent　purity　of　the　palest　cloister；
and　there　will　be　some　deed　of　violence　done　with　the　crozier　or　the　alb。
Rear　him　in　a　happy　nursery；　amid　our　brave…browed　Anglo…Saxon　infancy；
and　he　will　find　some　way　to　strangle　with　the　skipping…rope
or　brain　with　the　brick。　　Circumstances　may　be　favourable；
training　may　be　admirable；　hopes　may　be　high；　but　the　huge　elemental
hunger　of　Innocent　Smith　for　blood　will　in　its　appointed　season
burst　like　a　well…timed　bomb。〃

Arthur　Inglewood　glanced　curiously　for　an　instant　at　the　huge　creature
at　the　foot　of　the　table；　who　was　fitting　a　paper　figure　with　a　cocked　hat；
and　then　looked　back　at　Dr。　Pym；　who　was　concluding　in　a　quieter　tone。

〃It　only　remains　for　us；〃　he　said；　〃to　bring　forward　actual　evidence
of　his　previous　attempts。　　By　an　agreement　already　made　with　the　Court
and　the　leaders　of　the　defence；　we　are　permitted　to　put　in　evidence　authentic
letters　from　witnesses　to　these　scenes；　which　the　defence　is　free　to　examine。
Out　of　several　cases　of　such　outrages　we　have　decided　to　select　one
the　clearest　and　most　scandalous。　　I　will　therefore；　without　further　delay；
call　on　my　junior；　Mr。　Gould；　to　read　two　lettersone　from　the　Sub…Warden　and
the　other　from　the　porter　of　Brakespeare　College；　in　Cambridge　University。〃

Gould　jumped　up　with　a　jerk　like　a　jack…in…the…box；　an　academic…looking
paper　in　his　hand　and　a　fever　of　importance　on　his　face。
He　began　in　a　loud；　high；　cockney　voice　that　was　as　abrupt
as　a　cock…crow：


〃Sir；Hi　am　the　Sub…Warden　of　Brikespeare　College；　Cambridge〃


〃Lord　have　mercy　on　us；〃　muttered　Moon；　making　a　backward　movement　as　men
do　when　a　gun　goes　off。


〃Sir；Hi　am　the　Sub…Warden　of　Brikespeare　College；　Cambridge；〃
proclaimed　the　uncompromising　Moses；　〃and　I　can　endorse　the　description
you　gave　of　the　un'appy　Smith。　　It　was　not　alone　my　unfortunate　duty
to　rebuke　many　of　the　lesser　violences　of　his　undergraduate　period；
but　I　was　actually　a　witness　to　the　last　iniquity　which　terminated
that　period。　　Hi　happened　to　passing　under　the　house　of　my　friend
the　Warden　of　Brikespeare；　which　is　semi…detached　from　the　College
and　connected　with　it　by　two　or　three　very　ancient　arches　or　props；
like　bridges；　across　a　small　strip　of　water　connected　with　the　river。
To　my　grave　astonishment　I　be'eld　my　eminent　friend　suspended　in　mid…air
and　clinging　to　one　of　these　pieces　of　masonry；　his　appearance　and
attitude　indicatin'　that　he　suffered　from　the　grivest　apprehensions。
After　a　short　time　I　heard　two　very　loud　shots；　and　distinctly　perceived
the　unfortunate　undergraduate　Smith　leaning　far　out　of　the　Warden's
window　and　aiming　at　the　Warden　repeatedly　with　a　revolver。
Upon　seeing　me；　Smith　burst　into　a　loud　laugh　（in　which
impertinence　was　mingled　with　insanity）；　and　appeared　to　desist。
I　sent　the　college　porter　for　a　ladder；　and　he　succeeded　in　detaching
the　Warden　from　his　painful　position。　　Smith　was　sent　down。
The　photograph　I　enclose　is　from　the　group　of　the　University　Rifle　Club
prizemen；　and　represents　him　as　he　was　when　at　the　College。Hi　am；
your　obedient　servant；　Amos　Boulter。〃


〃The　other　letter；〃　continued　Gould　in　a　glow　of　triumph；　〃is　from　the　porter；
and　won't　take　long　to　read。


〃Dear　Sir；It　is　quite　true　that　I　am　the　porter　of　Brikespeare　College；
and　that　I　'elped　the　Warden　down　when　the　young　man　was　shooting　at　him；
as　Mr。　Boulter　has　said　in　his　letter。　　The　young　man　who　was　shooting　at
him　was　Mr。　Smith；　the　same　that　is　in　the　photograph　Mr。　Boulter　sends。
Yours　respectfully；　Samuel　Barker。〃


Gould　handed　the　two　letters　across　to　Moon；　who　examined　them。
But　for　the　vocal　divergences　in　the　matter　of　h's　and　a's；
the　Sub…Warden's　letter　was　exactly　as　Gould　had　rendered　it；
and　both　that　and　the　porter's　letter　were　plainly　genuine。
Moon　handed　them　to　Inglewood；　who　handed　them　back　in　silence
to　Moses　Gould。

〃So　far　as　this　first　charge　of　continual　attempted　murder　is　concerned；〃
said　Dr。　Pym；　standing　up　for　the　last　time；　〃that　is　my　case。〃

Michael　Moon　rose　for　the　defence　with　an　air　of　depression　which　gave
little　hope　at　the　outset　to　the　sympathizers　with　the　prisoner。
He　did　not；　he　said；　propose　to　follow　the　doctor　into　doctor
into　the　abstract　questions。　　〃I　do　not　know　enough　to　be
an　agnostic；〃　he　said；　rather　wearily；　〃and　I　can　only　master
the　known　and　admitted　elements　in　such　controversies。
As　for　science　and　religion；　the　known　and　admitted　facts
are　plain　enough。　　All　that　the　parsons　say　is　unproved。
All　that　the　doctors　say　is　disproved。　　That's　the　only　difference
between　science　and　religion　there's　ever　been；　or　will　be。
Yet　these　new　discoveries　touch　me；　somehow；〃　he　said；
looking　down　sorrowfully　at　his　boots。　　〃They　remind　me　of　a　dear
old　great…aunt　of　mine　who　used　to　enjoy　them　in　her　youth。
It　brings　tears　to　my　eyes。　　I　can　see　the　old　bucket　by　the　garden
fence　and　the　line　of　shimmering　poplars　behind〃

〃Hi！　here；　stop　the　'bus　a　bit；〃　cried　Mr。　Moses　Gould；　rising　in　a　sort
of　perspiration。　　〃We　want　to　give　the　defence　a　fair　runlike　gents；
you　know；　but　any　gent　would　draw　the　line　at　shimmering　poplars。〃

〃Well；　hang　it　all；〃　said　Moon；　in　an　injured　manner；　〃if　Dr。　Pym
may　have　an　old　friend　with　ferrets；　why　mayn't　I　have　an　old
aunt　with　poplars？〃

〃I　am　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Duke；　bridling；　with　something　almost
like　a　shaky　authority；　〃Mr。　Moon　may　have　what　aunts　he　likes。〃

〃Why；　as　to　liking　her；〃　began　Moon；　〃Ibut　perhaps；
as　you　say；　she　is　scarcely　the　core　of　the　question。
I　repeat　that　I　do　not　mean　to　follow　the　abstract　speculation。
For；　indeed；　my　answer　to　Dr。　Pym　is　simple　and　severely　concrete。
Dr。　Pym　has　only　treated　one　side　of　the　psychology　of　murder。
If　it　is　true　that　there　is　a　kind　of　man　who　has　a　natural
tendency　to　murder；　is　it　not　equally　true〃here　he　lowered
his　voice　and　spoke　with　a　crushing　quietude　and　earnestness〃is
it　not　equally　true　that　there　is　a　kind　of　man　who　has
a　natural　tendency　to　get　murdered？　　Is　it　not　at　least
a　hypothesis　holding　the　field　that　Dr。　Warner　is　such　a　man？
I　do　not　speak　without　the　book；　any　more　than　my　learned　friend。
The　whole　matter　is　expounded　in　Dr。　Moonenschein's　monum