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第14节

the night-born-第14节

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Attorney。



〃Also you will have to prosecute this Patsy Horan;〃 Watson

advised; 〃for I shall now have him arrested for assault and

battery。〃



〃You'd better shake and make up;〃 the Prosecuting Attorney

repeated; and this time there was almost a threat in his voice。



The trials of both men were set for a week later; on the same

morning; in Police Judge Witberg's court。



〃You have no chance;〃 Watson was told by an old friend of his

boyhood; the retired manager of the biggest paper in the city。

〃Everybody knows you were beaten up by this man。 His reputation

is most unsavory。 But it won't help you in the least。 Both

cases will be dismissed。 This will be because you are you。 Any

ordinary man would be convicted。〃



〃But I do not understand;〃 objected the perplexed sociologist。

〃Without warning I was attacked by this man; and badly beaten。

I did not strike a blow。 I〃



〃That has nothing to do with it;〃 the other cut him off。



〃Then what is there that has anything to do with it?〃



〃I'll tell you。 You are now up against the local police and

political machine。 Who are you? You are not even a legal

resident in this town。 You live up in the country。 You haven't

a vote of your own here。 Much less do you swing any votes。 This

dive proprietor swings a string of votes in his precinctsa

mighty long string。〃



〃Do you mean to tell me that this Judge Witberg will violate

the sacredness of his office and oath by letting this brute

off?〃 Watson demanded。



〃Watch him;〃 was the grim reply。 〃Oh; he'll do it nicely

enough。 He will give an extra…legal; extra…judicial decision;

abounding in every word in the dictionary that stands for

fairness and right。〃



〃But there are the newspapers;〃 Watson cried。



〃They are not fighting the administration at present。 They'll

give it to you hard。 You see what they have already done to

you。〃



〃Then these snips of boys on the police detail won't write the

truth?〃



〃They will write something so near like the truth that the

public will believe it。 They write their stories under

instruction; you know。 They have their orders to twist and

color; and there won't be much left of you when they get done。

Better drop the whole thing right now。 You are in bad。〃



〃But the trials are set。〃



〃Give the word and they'll drop them now。 A man can't fight a

machine unless he has a machine behind him。〃



III



But Carter Watson was stubborn。 He was convinced that the

machine would beat him; but all his days he had sought social

experience; and this was certainly something new。



The morning of the trial the Prosecuting Attorney made another

attempt to patch up the affair。



〃If you feel that way; I should like to get a lawyer to

prosecute the case;〃 said Watson。



〃No; you don't;〃 said the Prosecuting Attorney。 〃I am paid by

the People to prosecute; and prosecute I will。 But let me tell

you。 You have no chance。 We shall lump both cases into one; and

you watch out。〃



Judge Witberg looked good to Watson。 A fairly young man; short;

comfortably stout; smooth…shaven and with an intelligent face;

he seemed a very nice man indeed。 This good impression was

added to by the smiling lips and the wrinkles of laughter in

the corners of his black eyes。 Looking at him and studying him;

Watson felt almost sure that his old friend's prognostication

was wrong。



But Watson was soon to learn。 Patsy Horan and two of his

satellites testified to a most colossal aggregation of

perjuries。 Watson could not have believed it possible without

having experienced it。 They denied the existence of the other

four men。 And of the two that testified; one claimed to have

been in the kitchen; a witness to Watson's unprovoked assault

on Patsy; while the other; remaining in the bar; had witnessed

Watson's second and third rushes into the place as he attempted

to annihilate the unoffending Patsy。 The vile language ascribed

to Watson was so voluminously and unspeakably vile; that he

felt they were injuring their own case。 It was so impossible

that he should utter such things。 But when they described the

brutal blows he had rained on poor Patsy's face; and the chair

he demolished when he vainly attempted to kick Patsy; Watson

waxed secretly hilarious and at the same time sad。 The trial

was a farce; but such lowness of life was depressing to

contemplate when he considered the long upward climb humanity

must make。



Watson could not recognize himself; nor could his worst enemy

have recognized him; in the swashbuckling; rough…housing

picture that was painted of him。 But; as in all cases of

complicated perjury; rifts and contradictions in the various

stories appeared。 The Judge somehow failed to notice them;

while the Prosecuting Attorney and Patsy's attorney shied off

from them gracefully。 Watson had not bothered to get a lawyer

for himself; and he was now glad that he had not。



Still; he retained a semblance of faith in Judge Witberg when

he went himself on the stand and started to tell his story。



〃I was strolling casually along the street; your Honor;〃 Watson

began; but was interrupted by the Judge。



〃We are not here to consider your previous actions;〃 bellowed

Judge Witberg。 〃Who struck the first blow?〃



〃Your Honor;〃 Watson pleaded; 〃I have no witnesses of the

actual fray; and the truth of my story can only be brought out

by telling the story fully〃



Again he was interrupted。



〃We do not care to publish any magazines here;〃 Judge Witberg

roared; looking at him so fiercely and malevolently that Watson

could scarcely bring himself to believe that this was same man

he had studied a few minutes previously。



〃Who struck the first blow?〃 Patsy's attorney asked。



The Prosecuting Attorney interposed; demanding to know which of

the two cases lumped together was; and by what right Patsy's

lawyer; at that stage of the proceedings; should take the

witness。 Patsy's attorney fought back。 Judge Witberg

interfered; professing no knowledge of any two cases being

lumped together。 All this had to be explained。 Battle royal

raged; terminating in both attorneys apologizing to the Court

and to each other。 And so it went; and to Watson it had the

seeming of a group of pickpockets ruffling and bustling an

honest man as they took his purse。 The machine was working;

that was all。



〃Why did you enter this place of unsavory reputations?〃 was

asked him。



〃It has been my custom for many years; as a student of

economics and sociology; to acquaint myself〃



But this was as far as Watson got。



〃We want none of your ologies here;〃 snarled Judge Witberg。 〃It

is a plain question。 Answer it plainly。 Is it true or not true

that you were drunk? That is the gist of the question。〃



When Watson attempted to tell how Patsy had injured his face in

his attempts to bat with his head; Watson was openly scouted

and flouted; and Judge Witberg again took him in hand。



〃Are you aware of the solemnity of the oath you took to testify

to nothing but the truth on this witness stand?〃 the Judge

demanded。 〃This is a fairy story you are telling。 It is not

reasonable that a man would so injure himself; and continue to

injure himself; by striking the soft and sensitive parts of his

face against your head。 You are a sensible man。 It is

unreasonable; is it not?〃



〃Men are unreasonable when they are angry;〃 Watson answered

meekly。



Then it was that Judge Witberg was deeply outraged and

righteously wrathful。



〃What right have you to say that?〃 he cried。 〃It is gratuitous。

It has no bearing on the case。 You are here as a witness; sir;

of events that have transpired。 The Court does not wish to hear

any expressions of opinion from you at all。〃



〃I but answered your question; your Honor;〃 Watson protested

humbly。



〃You did nothing of the sort;〃 was the next blast。 〃And let me

warn you; sir; let me warn you; that you are laying yourself

liable to contempt by such insolence。 And I will have you know

that we know how to observe the law and the rules of courtesy

down here in this little courtroom。 I am ashamed of you。〃



And; while the next punctilious legal wrangle between the

attorneys interrupted his tale of what happened in the Vendome;

Carter Watson; without bitterness; amused and at the same time

sad; saw rise before him the machine; large and small; that

dominated his country; the unpunished and shameless grafts of a

thousand cities perpetrated by the spidery and vermin…like

creatures of the machines。 Here it was before him; a courtroom

and a judge; bowed down in subservience by the machine to a

dive…keeper who swung a string of votes。 Petty and sordid as it

was; it was one face of the many…faced machine that loomed

colossally; in every city and state; in a thousand guises

overshadowing the land。



A familiar phrase rang in his ears: 〃It is to laugh。〃 At t

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