manalive-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


whereas　Inglewood　felt　a　fool　only　because　he　could　not　speak。
The　moment　he　had　anything　to　say　he　could　speak；
and　the　moment　he　could　speak；　speaking　seemed　quite　natural。
Nothing　in　this　universe　seemed　quite　natural　to　Michael　Moon。

〃As　my　colleague　has　just　explained；〃　said　Inglewood；　〃there　are
two　enigmas　or　inconsistencies　on　which　we　base　the　defence。
The　first　is　a　plain　physical　fact。　　By　the　admission　of　everybody；
by　the　very　evidence　adduced　by　the　prosecution；　it　is　clear
that　the　accused　was　celebrated　as　a　specially　good　shot。
Yet　on　both　the　occasions　complained　of　he　shot　from　a　distance　of　four
or　five　feet；　and　shot　at　him　four　or　five　times；　and　never　hit　him　once。
That　is　the　first　startling　circumstance　on　which　we　base　our　argument。
The　second；　as　my　colleague　has　urged；　is　the　curious　fact　that　we　cannot
find　a　single　victim　of　these　alleged　outrages　to　speak　for　himself。
Subordinates　speak　for　him。　　Porters　climb　up　ladders　to　him。
But　he　himself　is　silent。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　propose　to　explain
on　the　spot　both　the　riddle　of　the　shots　and　the　riddle　of　the　silence。
I　will　first　of　all　read　the　covering　letter　in　which　the　true　account
of　the　Cambridge　incident　is　contained；　and　then　that　document　itself。
When　you　have　heard　both；　there　will　be　no　doubt　about　your　decision。
The　covering　letter　runs　as　follows：


〃Dear　Sir；The　following　is　a　very　exact　and　even　vivid　account　of　the
incident　as　it　really　happened　at　Brakespeare　College。　　We；　the　undersigned；
do　not　see　any　particular　reason　why　we　should　refer　it　to　any
isolated　authorship。　　The　truth　is；　it　has　been　a　composite　production；
and　we　have　even　had　some　difference　of　opinion　about　the　adjectives。
But　every　word　of　it　is　true。We　are；　yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Wilfred　Emerson　Eames；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Warden　of　Brakespeare　College；　Cambridge。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Innocent　Smith。


〃The　enclosed　statement；〃　continued　Inglewood；　〃runs　as　follows：


〃A　celebrated　English　university　backs　so　abruptly　on　the　river；
that　it　has；　so　to　speak；　to　be　propped　up　and　patched
with　all　sorts　of　bridges　and　semi…detached　buildings。
The　river　splits　itself　into　several　small　streams　and　canals；
so　that　in　one　or　two　corners　the　place　has　almost　the　look
of　Venice。　　It　was　so　especially　in　the　case　with　which　we
are　concerned；　in　which　a　few　flying　buttresses　or　airy　ribs　of　stone
sprang　across　a　strip　of　water　to　connect　Brakespeare　College
with　the　house　of　the　Warden　of　Brakespeare。

〃The　country　around　these　colleges　is　flat；　but　it　does　not
seem　flat　when　one　is　thus　in　the　midst　of　the　colleges。
For　in　these　flat　fens　there　are　always　wandering　lakes　and　lingering
rivers　of　water。　　And　these　always　change　what　might　have　been
a　scheme　of　horizontal　lines　into　a　scheme　of　vertical　lines。
Wherever　there　is　water　the　height　of　high　buildings　is　doubled；
and　a　British　brick　house　becomes　a　Babylonian　tower。
In　that　shining　unshaken　surface　the　houses　hang　head
downwards　exactly　to　their　highest　or　lowest　chimney。
The　coral…coloured　cloud　seen　in　that　abyss　is　as　far
below　the　world　as　its　original　appears　above　it。
Every　scrap　of　water　is　not　only　a　window　but　a　skylight。
Earth　splits　under　men's　feet　into　precipitous　aerial　perspectives；
into　which　a　bird　could　as　easily　wing　its　way　as〃

Dr。　Cyrus　Pym　rose　in　protest。　　The　documents　he　had　put
in　evidence　had　been　confined　to　cold　affirmation　of　fact。
The　defence；　in　a　general　way；　had　an　indubitable　right　to　put
their　case　in　their　own　way；　but　all　this　landscape　gardening
seemed　to　him　（Dr。　Cyrus　Pym）　to　be　not　up　to　the　business。
〃Will　the　leader　of　the　defence　tell　me；〃　he　asked；　〃how　it　can
possibly　affect　this　case；　that　a　cloud　was　cor'l…coloured；
or　that　a　bird　could　have　winged　itself　anywhere？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Michael；　lifting　himself　lazily；
〃you　see；　you　don't　know　yet　what　our　defence　is。
Till　you　know　that；　don't　you　see；　anything　may　be　relevant。
Why；　suppose；〃　he　said　suddenly；　as　if　an　idea　had　struck　him；
〃suppose　we　wanted　to　prove　the　old　Warden　colour…blind。
Suppose　he　was　shot　by　a　black　man　with　white　hair；　when　he
thought　he　was　being　shot　by　a　white　man　with　yellow　hair！
To　ascertain　if　that　cloud　was　really　and　truly　coral…coloured
might　be　of　the　most　massive　importance。〃

He　paused　with　a　seriousness　which　was　hardly　generally　shared；
and　continued　with　the　same　fluence：　　〃Or　suppose　we　wanted　to
maintain　that　the　Warden　committed　suicidethat　he　just　got　Smith
to　hold　the　pistol　as　Brutus's　slave　held　the　sword。　　Why；　it　would
make　all　the　difference　whether　the　Warden　could　see　himself　plain
in　still　water。　　Still　water　has　made　hundreds　of　suicides：
one　sees　oneself　so　verywell；　so　very　plain。〃

〃Do　you；　perhaps；〃　inquired　Pym　with　austere　irony；　〃maintain　that　your　client
was　a　bird　of　some　sortsay；　a　flamingo？〃

〃In　the　matter　of　his　being　a　flamingo；〃　said　Moon　with　sudden　severity；
〃my　client　reserves　his　defence。〃

No　one　quite　knowing　what　to　make　of　this；　Mr。　Moon　resumed　his　seat
and　Inglewood　resumed　the　reading　of　his　document：


〃There　is　something　pleasing　to　a　mystic　in　such　a　land　of　mirrors。
For　a　mystic　is　one　who　holds　that　two　worlds　are　better　than　one。
In　the　highest　sense；　indeed；　all　thought　is　reflection。

〃This　is　the　real　truth；　in　the　saying　that　second　thoughts　are　best。
Animals　have　no　second　thoughts；　man　alone　is　able　to　see　his　own
thought　double；　as　a　drunkard　sees　a　lamp…post；　man　alone　is　able
to　see　his　own　thought　upside　down　as　one　sees　a　house　in　a　puddle。
This　duplication　of　mentality；　as　in　a　mirror；　is　（we　repeat）
the　inmost　thing　of　human　philosophy。　　There　is　a　mystical；　even　a
monstrous　truth；　in　the　statement　that　two　heads　are　better　than　one。
But　they　ought　both　to　grow　on　the　same　body。'〃


〃I　know　it's　a　little　transcendental　at　first；〃　interposed　Inglewood；
beaming　round　with　a　broad　apology；　〃but　you　see　this　document　was　written
in　collaboration　by　a　don　and　a〃

〃Drunkard；　eh？〃　suggested　Moses　Gould；　beginning　to　enjoy　himself。

〃I　rather　think；〃　proceeded　Inglewood　with　an　unruffled
and　critical　air；　〃that　this　part　was　written　by　the　don。
I　merely　warn　the　Court　that　the　statement；　though　indubitably　accurate；
bears　here　and　there　the　trace　of　coming　from　two　authors。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　said　Dr。　Pym；　leaning　back　and　sniffing；
〃I　cannot　agree　with　them　that　two　heads　are　better　than　one。〃


〃The　undersigned　persons　think　it　needless　to　touch　on　a　kindred
problem　so　often　discussed　at　committees　for　University　Reform：
the　question　of　whether　dons　see　double　because　they　are　drunk；
or　get　drunk　because　they　see　double。　　It　is　enough　for　them
（the　undersigned　persons）　if　they　are　able　to　pursue　their　own　peculiar
and　profitable　themewhich　is　puddles。　　What　（the　undersigned
persons　ask　themselves）　is　a　puddle？　　A　puddle　repeats　infinity；
and　is　full　of　light；　nevertheless；　if　analyzed　objectively；
a　puddle　is　a　piece　of　dirty　water　spread　very　thin　on　mud。
The　two　great　historic　universities　of　England　have　all　this　large
and　level　and　reflective　brilliance。　　Nevertheless；　or；　rather；　on　the
other　hand；　they　are　puddlespuddles；　puddles；　puddles；　puddles。
The　undersigned　persons　ask　you　to　excuse　an　emphasis　inseparable
from　strong　conviction。〃


Inglewood　ignored　a　somewhat　wild　expression　on　the　faces　of　some　present；
and　continued　with　eminent　cheerfulness：


〃Such　were　the　thoughts　that　failed　to　cross　the　mind　of
the　undergraduate　Smith　as　he　picked　his　way　among　the　stripes
of　canal　and　the　glittering　rainy　gutters　into　which　the　water
broke　up　round　the　back　of　Brakespeare　College。　　Had　these　thoughts
crossed　his　mind　he　would　have　been　much　happier　than　he　was。
Unfortunately　he　did　not　know　that　his　puzzles　were　puddles。
He　did　not　know　that　the　academic　mind　reflects　infinity　and　is　full
of　light　by　the　simple　process　of　being　shallow　and　standing　still。
In　his　case；　therefore；　there　was　something　solemn；　and　even　evil
about　the　infinity　implied。　　It　was　half…way　through　a　starry
night　of　bewildering　brilliancy；　stars　were　both　above　and　below。
To　young　Smith's　sullen　fancy　the　skies　below　seemed　even　hollower
than　the　skies　above；　he　had　a　horrible　idea　that　if　he　counted
the　stars　he　would　find　one　too　many　in　the　pool。

〃In　crossing　the　little　paths　and　bridges　he　felt　like　one　stepping
on　the　black　and　slender　ribs　of　some　cosmic　Eiffel　Tower。　　For　to　him；
and　nearly　all　the　educated　youth　of　that　epoch；　the　stars　were　cruel　things。
Though　they　glowed　in　the　great　dome　every　night；　they　were　an　enormous
and　ugly　secret；　they　uncovered　the　nakedness　of　nature；　they　were　a　glimpse
of　the　iron　wheels　and　pulleys　behind　the　scenes。　　For　the　young　men
of　that　sad　time　thought　that　the　god　always　comes　from　the　machine。
They　did　not　know　that　in　reality　the　machine　only　comes　from　the　god。
IN　short；　they　were　all　pessimists；　and　starlight　was　atrocious　to　them
atrocious　because　it　was　true。　　All　their　universe　was　black　with　white　spots。

〃Smith　looked　up　with　relief　from　the　glittering