those extraordinary twins-第10节

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spectacles；　roached　his　gray　hair　up　with　his　fingers；　and　said；　with
dignity　and　solemnity；　and　even　with　a　certain　pathos：

〃In　all　my　experience　on　the　bench；　I　have　not　seen　justice　bow　her　head
in　shame　in　this　court　until　this　day。　　You　little　realize　what　far…
reaching　harm　has　just　been　wrought　here　under　the　fickle　forms　of　law。
Imitation　is　the　bane　of　courtsI　thank　God　that　this　one　is　free　from
the　contamination　of　that　viceand　in　no　long　time　you　will　see　the
fatal　work　of　this　hour　seized　upon　by　profligate　so…called　guardians　of
justice　in　all　the　wide　circumstance　of　this　planet　and　perpetuated　in
their　pernicious　decisions。　　I　wash　my　hands　of　this　iniquity。　　I　would
have　compelled　these　culprits　to　expose　their　guilt；　but　support　failed
me　where　I　had　most　right　to　expect　aid　and　encouragement。　　And　I　was
confronted　by　a　law　made　in　the　interest　of　crime；　which　protects　the
criminal　from　testifying　against　himself。　　Yet　I　had　precedents　of　my　own
whereby　I　had　set　aside　that　law　on　two　different　occasions　and　thus
succeeded　in　convicting　criminals　to　whose　crimes　there　were　no　witnesses
but　themselves。　　What　have　you　accomplished　this　day？　　Do　you　realize　it？
You　have　set　adrift；　unadmonished；　in　this　community；　two　men　endowed
with　an　awful　and　mysterious　gift；　a　hidden　and　grisly　power　for　evil
a　power　by　which　each　in　his　turn　may　commit　crime　after　crime　of　the
most　heinous　character；　and　no　man　be　able　to　tell　which　is　the　guilty　or
which　the　innocent　party　in　any　case　of　them　all。　　Look　to　your　homes
look　to　your　property　look　to　your　lives　for　you　have　need！

〃Prisoners　at　the　bar；　stand　up。　　Through　suppression　of　evidence；　a　jury
of　yourourcountrymen　have　been　obliged　to　deliver　a　verdict
concerning　your　case　which　stinks　to　heaven　with　the　rankness　of　its
injustice。　　By　its　terms　you；　the　guilty　one；　go　free　with　the　innocent。
Depart　in　peace；　and　come　no　more！　　The　costs　devolve　upon　the　outraged
plaintiffanother　iniquity。　　The　court　stands　dissolved。〃

Almost　everybody　crowded　forward　to　overwhelm　the　twins　and　their　counsel
with　congratulations；　but　presently　the　two　old　aunties　dug　the
duplicates　out　and　bore　them　away　in　triumph　through　the　hurrahing　crowd；
while　lots　of　new　friends　carried　Pudd'nhead　Wilson　off　tavernward　to
feast　him　and　〃wet　down〃　his　great　and　victorious　entry　into　the　legal
arena。　　To　Wilson；　so　long　familiar　with　neglect　and　depreciation；　this
strange　new　incense　of　popularity　and　admiration　was　as　a　fragrance　blown
from　the　fields　of　paradise。　　A　happy　man　was　Wilson。




CHAPTER　VI

THE　AMAZING　DUEL

　　　　　A　deputation　came　in　the　evening　and　conferred　upon　Wilson　the
　　　　　welcome　honor　of　a　nomination　for　mayor；　for　the　village　has　just
　　　　　been　converted　into　a　city　by　charter。　　Tom　skulks　out　of
　　　　　challenging　the　twins。　　Judge　Driscoll　thereupon　challenges　Angelo
　　　　　（accused　by　Tom　of　doing　the　kicking）；　he　declines；　but　Luigi
　　　　　accepts　in　his　place　against　Angelo's　timid　protest。

It　was　late　Saturday　night　nearing　eleven。

The　judge　and　his　second　found　the　rest　of　the　war　party　at　the　further
end　of　the　vacant　ground；　near　the　haunted　house。　　Pudd'nhead　Wilson
advanced　to　meet　them；　and　said　anxiously：

〃I　must　say　a　word　in　behalf　of　my　principal's　proxy；　Count　Luigi；　to
whom　you　have　kindly　granted　the　privilege　of　fighting　my　principal's
battle　for　him。　　It　is　growing　late；　and　Count　Luigi　is　in　great　trouble
lest　midnight　shall　strike　before　the　finish。〃

〃It　is　another　testimony；〃　said　Howard；　approvingly。　　〃That　young　man　is
fine　all　through。　　He　wishes　to　save　his　brother　the　sorrow　of　fighting
on　the　Sabbath；　and　he　is　right；　it　is　the　right　and　manly　feeling　and
does　him　credit。　　We　will　make　all　possible　haste。〃

Wilson　said：　〃There　is　also　another　reasona　consideration；　in　fact；
which　deeply　concerns　Count　Luigi　himself。　　These　twins　have　command　of
their　mutual　legs　turn　about。　　Count　Luigi　is　in　command　now；　but　at
midnight；　possession　will　pass　to　my　principal；　Count　Angelo；　andwell；
you　can　foresee　what　will　happen。　　He　will　march　straight　off　the　field；
and　carry　Luigi　with　him。〃

〃Why！　sure　enough！〃　cried　the　judge；　〃we　have　heard　something　about　that
extraordinary　law　of　their　being；　alreadynothing　very　definite；　it　is
true；　as　regards　dates　and　durations　of　power；　but　I　see　it　is　definite
enough　as　regards　to…night。　　Of　course　we　must　give　Luigi　every　chance。
Omit　all　the　ceremonial　possible；　gentlemen；　and　place　us　in　position。〃

The　seconds　at　once　tossed　up　a　coin；　Howard　won　the　choice。　　He　placed
the　judge　sixty　feet　from　the　haunted　house　and　facing　it；　Wilson　placed
the　twins　within　fifteen　feet　of　the　house　and　facing　the　judge
necessarily。　　The　pistol…case　was　opened　and　the　long　slim　tubes　taken
out；　when　the　moonlight　glinted　from　them　a　shiver　went　through　Angelo。
The　doctor　was　a　fool；　but　a　thoroughly　well…meaning　one；　with　a　kind
heart　and　a　sincere　disposition　to　oblige；　but　along　with　it　an　absence
of　tact　which　often　hurt　its　effectiveness。　　He　brought　his　box　of　lint
and　bandages；　and　asked　Angelo　to　feel　and　see　how　soft　and　comfortable
they　were。　　Angelo's　head　fell　over　against　Luigi's　in　a　faint；　and
precious　time　was　lost　in　bringing　him　to；　which　provoked　Luigi　into
expressing　his　mind　to　the　doctor　with　a　good　deal　of　vigor　and
frankness。　　After　Angelo　came　to　he　was　still　so　weak　that　Luigi　was
obliged　to　drink　a　stiff　horn　of　brandy　to　brace　him　up。

The　seconds　now　stepped　at　once　to　their　posts；　halfway　between　the
combatants；　one　of　them　on　each　side　of　the　line　of　fire。　　Wilson　was　to
count；　very　deliberately；　〃　One…two…three…fire！stop　！〃　and　the　duelists
could　bang　away　at　any　time　they　chose　during　that　recitation；　but　not
after　the　last　word。　　Angelo　grew　very　nervous　when　he　saw　Wilson's　hand
rising　slowly　into　the　air　as　a　sign　to　make　ready；　and　he　leaned　his
head　against　Luigi's　and　said：

〃Oh；　please　take　me　away　from　here；　I　can't　stay；　I　know　I　can't！〃

〃What　in　the　world　are　you　doing？　　Straighten　up！　　What's　the　matter　with
you？you're　in　no　dangernobody's　going　to　shoot　at　you。　　Straighten
up；　I　tell　you！〃

Angelo　obeyed；　just　in　time　to　hear：

〃One！〃

〃Bang！〃　　Just　one　report；　and　a　little　tuft　of　white　hair　floated　slowly
to　the　judge's　feet　in　the　moonlight。　　The　judge　did　not　swerve；　he　still
stood　erect　and　motionless；　like　a　statue；　with　his　pistol…arm　hanging
straight　down　at　his　side。　　He　was　reserving　his　fire。

〃Two！〃

〃Three〃！

〃Fire！〃

Up　came　the　pistol…arm　instantly…Angelo　dodged　with　the　report。　　He　said
〃Ouch！〃　and　fainted　again。

The　doctor　examined　and　bandaged　the　wound。

It　was　of　no　consequence；　he　saidbullet　through　fleshy　part　of　armno
bones　broken　the　gentleman　was　still　able　to　fight　let　the　duel　proceed。

Next　time　Angelo　jumped　just　as　Luigi　fired；　which　disordered　his　aim　and
caused　him　to　cut　a　chip　off　of　Howard's　ear。　　The　judge　took　his　time
again；　and　when　he　fired　Angelo　jumped　and　got　a　knuckle　skinned。　　The
doctor　inspected　and　dressed　the　wounds。　　Angelo　now　spoke　out　and　said
he　was　content　with　the　satisfaction　he　had　got；　and　if　the　judgebut
Luigi　shut　him　roughly　up；　and　asked　him　not　to　make　an　ass　of　himself；
adding：

〃And　I　want　you　to　stop　dodging。　　You　take　a　great　deal　too　prominent　a
part　in　this　thing　for　a　person　who　has　got　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　You
should　remember　that　you　are　here　only　by　courtesy；　and　are　without
official　recognition；　officially　you　are　not　here　at　all；　officially　you
do　not　even　exist。　　To　all　intents　and　purposes　you　are　absent　from　this
place；　and　you　ought　for　your　own　modesty's　sake　to　reflect　that　it
cannot　become　a　person　who　is　not　present　here　to　be　taking　this　sort　of
public　and　indecent　prominence　in　a　matter　in　which　he　is　not　in　the
slightest　degree　concerned。　　Now；　don't　dodge　again；　the　bullets　are　not
for　you；　they　are　for　me；　if　I　want　them　dodged　I　will　attend　to　it
myself。　　I　never　saw　a　person　act　so。〃

Angelo　saw　the　reasonableness　of　what　his　brother　had　said；　and　he　did
try　to　reform；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　both　pistols　went　off　at　the　same
instant；　and　he　jumped　once　more；　he　got　a　sharp　scrape　along　his　cheek
from　the　judge's　bullet；　and　so　deflected　Luigi's　aim　that　his　ball　went
wide　and　chipped　flake　of　skin　from　Pudd'nhead　Wilson's　chin。　　The　doctor
attended　to　the　wounded。

By　the　terms；　the　duel　was　over。　　But　Luigi　was　entirely　out　of　patience；
and　begged　for　one　exchange　of　shots；　insisting　that　he　had　had　no　fair
chance；　on　account　of　his　brother's　indelicate　behavior。　　Howard　was
opposed　to　granting　so　unusual　a　privilege；　but　the　judge　took　Luigi's
part；　and　added　that　indeed　he　himself　might　fairly　be　considered
entitled　to　another　trial；　because　although　the　proxy　on　the　other　side
was　in　no　way　to　blame　for　his　（the　judge's）　humiliatingly　resultless
work；　the　gentleman　with　whom　he　was　fighting　this　duel　was　to　blame　for
it；　since　if　he　had　played　no　advantages　and　had　held　his　head　still；　his
proxy　would　have　been　disposed　of　early。　　He　added：

〃Count　Luigi's　request　for　another　exchange　is　another　proof　that　he　is　a
brave　a