those extraordinary twins-第8节

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Mr。　Allen　jumped　up　and　exclaimed：　〃I　protest　against　these　foolish
irrelevancies。　　What　have　they　to　do　with　the　case？〃

Wilson　said：　〃Calm　yourself；　brother；　it　was　only　an　experiment。　　Now；
Mr。　Wakeman；　if　one　of　these　gentlemen　chooses　to　join　an　association　and
the　other　doesn't；　and　if　one　of　them　enjoys　whisky　and　the　other
doesn't；　but　sets　it　aside　and　leaves　it　unprotected〃　（titter　from　the
audience）；　〃it　seems　to　show　that　they　have　independent　minds；　and
tastes；　and　preferences；　and　that　one　of　them　is　able　to　approve　of　a
thing　at　the　very　moment　that　the　other　is　heartily　disapproving　of　it。
Doesn't　it　seem　so　to　you？〃

〃Certainly　it　does。　　It's　perfectly　plain。〃

〃Now；　then；　it　might　beI　only　say　it　might　bethat　one　of　these
brothers　wanted　to　kick　the　plaintiff　last　night；　and　that　the　other
didn't　want　that　humiliating　punishment　inflicted　upon　him　in　that　public
way　and　before　all　those　people。　　Isn't　that　possible？〃

〃Of　course　it　is。　　It's　more　than　possible。　　I　don't　believe　the　blond
one　would　kick　anybody。　　It　was　the　other　one　that〃

〃Silence！〃　shouted　the　plaintiff's　counsel；　and　went　on　with　an　angry
sentence　which　was　lost　in　the　wave　of　laughter　that　swept　the　house。

〃That　will　do；　Mr。　　Wakeman；〃　said　Wilson；　〃you　may　stand　down。〃

The　third　witness　was　called。　　He　had　seen　the　twins　kick　the　plaintiff。
Mr。　Wilson　took　the　witness。

〃Mr。　Rogers；　you　say　you　saw　these　accused　gentlemen　kick　the　plaintiff？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Both　of　them？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Which　of　them　kicked　him　first？〃

〃Whytheythey　both　kicked　him　at　the　same　time。

〃Are　you　perfectly　sure　of　that？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃What　makes　you　sure　of　it？〃

〃Why；　I　stood　right　behind　them；　and　saw　them　do　it。〃

〃How　many　kicks　were　delivered？〃

〃Only　one。〃

〃If　two　men　kick；　the　result　should　be　two　kicks；　shouldn't　it？〃

〃Whywhy　yes；　as　a　rule。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　think　went　with　the　other　kick？〃

〃Iwellthe　fact　is；　I　wasn't　thinking　of　two　being　necessary；　this
time。〃

〃What　do　you　think　now？〃

〃Well；　II'm　sure　I　don't　quite　know　what　to　think；　but　I　reckon　that
one　of　them　did　half　of　the　kick　and　the　other　one　did　the　other　half。〃

Somebody　in　the　crowd　sung　out：　〃It's　the　first　sane　thing　that　any　of
them　has　said。〃

The　audience　applauded。　　The　judge　said：　〃Silence！　or　I　will　clear　the
court。〃

Mr。　Allen　looked　pleased；　but　Wilson　did　not　seem　disturbed。　　He　said：

〃Mr。　Rogers；　you　have　favored　us　with　what　you　think　and　what　you　reckon；
but　as　thinking　and　reckoning　are　not　evidence；　I　will　now　give　you　a
chance　to　come　out　with　something　positive；　one　way　or　the　other；　and
shall　require　you　to　produce　it。　　I　will　ask　the　accused　to　stand　up　and
repeat　the　phenomenal　kick　of　last　night。〃　　The　twins　stood　up。　　〃Now；
Mr。　Rogers；　please　stand　behind　them。〃

A　Voice：　〃No；　stand　in　front！〃　（Laughter。　　Silenced　by　the　court。）
Another　Voice：　　〃No；　give　Tommy　another　highst！〃　　（Laughter。　　Sharply
rebuked　by　the　court。）

〃Now；　then；　Mr。　Rogers；　two　kicks　shall　be　delivered；　one　after　the
other；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that　at　least　one　of　the　two　shall　be
delivered　by　one　of　the　twins　alone；　without　the　slightest　assistance
from　his　brother。　　Watch　sharply；　for　you　have　of　to　render　a　decision
without　any　if's　and　ands　it。〃　　Rogers　bent　himself　behind　the　twins　with
palms　just　above　his　knees；　in　the　modern　attitude　of　the　catcher　at　a
baseball　match；　and　riveted　eyes　on　the　pair　of　legs　in　front　of　him。

〃Are　you　ready；　Mr。　　Rogers？〃

〃Ready　sir。〃

The　kick；　launched。

〃Have　you　got　that　one　classified；　Mr。　　Rogers？〃

〃Let　me　study　a　minute；　sir。〃

〃Take　as　much　time　as　you　please。　　Let　me　know　when　you　are　ready。〃

For　as　much　as　a　minute　Rogers　pondered；　with　all　eyes　and　a　breathless
interest　fastened　upon　him。　　Then　he　gave　the　word：　〃Ready；　sir。〃

〃Kick！〃

The　kick　that　followed　was　an　exact　duplicate　of　the　first　one。

〃Now；　then；　Mr。　　Rogers；　one　of　those　kicks　was　an　individual　kick；　not　a
mutual　one。　　You　will　now　state　positively　which　was　the　mutual　one。〃

The　witness　said；　with　a　crestfallen　look：

〃I've　got　to　give　it　up。　　There　ain't　any　man　in　the　world　that　could
tell　t'other　from　which；　sir。〃

〃Do　you　still　assert　that　last　night's　kick　was　a　mutual　kick？〃

〃Indeed；　I　don't；　sir。〃

〃That　will　do；　Mr。　　Rogers。　　If　my　brother　Allen　desires　to　address　the
court；　your　honor；　very　well；　but　as　far　as　I　am　concerned　I　am　ready　to
let　the　case　be　at　once　delivered　into　the　hands　of　this　intelligent　jury
without　comment。〃

Mr。　　Justice　Robinson　had　been　in　office　only　two　months；　and　in　that
short　time　had　not　had　many　cases　to　try；　of　course。　　He　had　no　knowledge
of　laws　and　courts　except　what　he　had　picked　up　since　he　came　into
office。　　He　was　a　sore　trouble　to　the　lawyers；　for　his　rulings　were
pretty　eccentric　sometimes；　and　he　stood　by　them　with　Roman　simplicity
and　fortitude；　but　the　people　were　well　satisfied　with　him；　for　they　saw
that　his　intentions　were　always　right；　that　he　was　entirely　impartial；
and　that　he　usually　made　up　in　good　sense　what　he　lacked　in　technique；
so　to　speak。　　He　now　perceived　that　there　was　likely　to　be　a　miscarriage
of　justice　here；　and　he　rose　to　the　occasion。

〃Wait　a　moment；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　plain　that　an　assault　has
been　committed　it　is　plain　to　anybody；　but　the　way　things　are　going；　the
guilty　will　certainly　escape　conviction。　　I　can　not　allow　this。　　Now…〃

〃But；　your　honor！〃　said　Wilson；　interrupting　him；　earnestly　but
respectfully；　〃you　are　deciding　the　case　yourself；　whereas　the　jury〃

〃Never　mind　the　jury；　Mr。　Wilson；　the　jury　will　have　a　chance　when　there
is　a　reasonable　doubt　for　them　to　take　hold　ofwhich　there　isn't；
so　far。　　There　is　no　doubt　whatever　that　an　assault　has　been　committed。
The　attempt　to　show　that　both　of　the　accused　committed　it　has　failed。
Are　they　both　to　escape　justice　on　that　account？　　Not　in　this　court；
if　I　can　prevent　it。　　It　appears　to　have　been　a　mistake　to　bring　the
charge　against　them　as　a　corporation；　each　should　have　been　charged　in
his　capacity　as　an　individual；　and〃

〃But；　your　honor！〃　said　Wilson；　〃in　fairness　to　my　clients　I　must　insist
that　inasmuch　as　the　prosecution　'd　not　separate　the〃

〃No　wrong　will　be　done　your　clients；　sirthey　will　be　protected；
also　the　public　and　the　offended　laws。　　Mr。　Allen；　you　will　amend　your
pleadings；　and　put　one　of　the　accused　on　trial　at　a　time。〃

Wilson　broke　in：　〃But；　your　honor！　this　is　wholly　unprecedented！
To　imperil　an　accused　person　by　arbitrarily　altering　and　widening　the
charge　against　him　in　order　to　compass　his　conviction　when　the　charge　as
originally　brought　promises　to　fail　to　convict；　is　a　thing　unheard　of
before。〃

〃Unheard　of　where？〃

〃In　the　courts　of　this　or　any　other　state。〃

The　judge　said　with　dignity：　〃I　am　not　acquainted　with　the　customs　of
other　courts；　and　am　not　concerned　to　know　what　they　are。　　I　am
responsible　for　this　court；　and　I　cannot　conscientiously　allow　my
judgment　to　be　warped　and　my　judicial　liberty　hampered　by　trying　to
conform　to　the　caprices　of　other　courts；　be　they〃

〃But；　your　honor；　the　oldest　and　highest　courts　in　Europe〃

〃This　court　is　not　run　on　the　European　plan；　Mr。　Wilson；　it　is　not　run　on
any　plan　but　its　own。　　It　has　a　plan　of　its　own；　and　that　plan　is；
to　find　justice　for　both　State　and　accused；　no　matter　what　happens　to　be
practice　and　custom　in　Europe　or　anywhere　else。〃　　（Great　applause。）
〃Silence！　　It　has　not　been　the　custom　of　this　court　to　imitate　other
courts；　it　has　not　been　the　custom　of　this　court　to　take　shelter　behind
the　decisions　of　other　courts；　and　we　will　not　begin　now。　　We　will　do　the
best　we　can　by　the　light　that　God　has　given　us；　and　while　this　'court
continues　to　have　His　approval；　it　will　remain　indifferent　to　what　other
organizations　may　think　of　it。〃　　（Applause。）　〃Gentlemen；　I　must　have
order！quiet　yourselves！　　Mr。　Allen；　you　will　now　proceed　against　the
prisoners　one　at　a　time。　　Go　on　with　the　case。〃

Allen　was　not　at　his　ease。　　However；　after　whispering　a　moment　with　his
client　and　with　one　or　two　other　people；　he　rose　and　said：

〃Your　honor；　I　find　it　to　be　reported　and　believed　that　the　accused　are
able　to　act　independently　in　many　ways；　but　that　this　independence　does
not　extend　to　their　legs；　authority　over　their　legs　being　vested
exclusively　in　the　one　brother　during　a　specific　term　of　days；　and　then
passing　to　the　other　brother　for　a　like　term；　and　so　on；　by　regular
alternation。　　I　could　call　witnesses　who　would　prove　that　the　accused　had
revealed　to　them　the　existence　of　this　extraordinary　fact；　and　had　also
made　known　which　of　them　was　in　possession　of　the　legs　yesterdayand
this　would；　of　course；　indicate　where　the　guilt　of　the　assault　belongs
but　as　this　would　be　mere　hearsay　evidence；　these　revelations　not　having
been　made　under　oath〃

〃Never　mind　about　that；　Mr。　Allen。　　It　may　not　all　be　hearsay。　　We　shall
see。　　It　may　at　least　help　to　put　us　on　the　right　track。　　Call　the
witnesses。〃

〃Then　I　will　call　Mr。　John　Buckstone；　who　is　now　present；　and　I　beg　that
Mrs。　Patsy　Cooper　may　be　sent　for。　　Take　the　stand；　Mr。　Buckstone。〃

Bucks