those extraordinary twins-第9节

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Mrs。　Patsy　Cooper　may　be　sent　for。　　Take　the　stand；　Mr。　Buckstone。〃

Buckstone　took　the　oath；　and　then　testified　that　on　the　previous　evening
the　Count　Angelo　Capello　had　protested　against　going　to　the　hall；　and　had
called　all　present　to　witness　that　he　was　going　by　compulsion　and　would
not　go　if　he　could　help　himself。　　Also；　that　the　Count　Luigi　had　replied
sharply　that　he　would　go；　just　the　same；　and　that　he；　Count　Luigi；　would
see　to　that　himself。　　Also；　that　upon　Count　Angelo's　complaining　about
being　kept　on　his　legs　so　long；　Count　Luigi　retorted　with　apparent
surprise；　〃Your　legs！I　like　your　impudence！〃

〃Now　we　are　getting　at　the　kernel　of　the　thing；〃　observed　the　judge；　with
grave　and　earnest　satisfaction。　　〃It　looks　as　if　the　Count　Luigi　was　in
possession　of　the　battery　at　the　time　of　the　assault。〃

Nothing　further　was　elicited　from　Mr。　Buckstone　on　direct　examination。
Mr。　Wilson　took　the　witness。

〃Mr。　Buckstone；　about　what　time　was　it　that　that　conversation　took
place？〃

〃Toward　nine　yesterday　evening；　sir。〃

〃Did　you　then　proceed　directly　to　the　hall？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃How　long　did　it　take　you　to　go　there？〃

〃Well；　we　walked；　and　as　it　was　from　the　extreme　edge　of　the　town；　and
there　was　no　hurry；　I　judge　it　took　us　about　twenty　minutes；　maybe　a
trifle　more。〃

〃About　what　hour　was　the　kick　delivered？〃

〃About　thirteen　minutes　and　a　half　to　ten。〃

〃Admirable！　　You　are　a　pattern　witness；　Mr。　Buckstone。　　How　did　you
happen　to　look　at　your　watch　at　that　particular　moment？〃

〃I　always　do　it　when　I　see　an　assault。　　It's　likely　I　shall　be　called　as
a　witness；　and　it's　a　good　point　to　have。〃

〃It　would　be　well　if　others　were　as　thoughtful。　　Was　anything　said；
between　the　conversation　at　my　house　and　the　assault；　upon　the　detail
which　we　are　now　examining　into？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃If　power　over　the　mutual　legs　was　in　the　possession　of　one　brother　at
nine；　and　passed　into　the　possession　of　the　other　one　during　the　next
thirty　or　forty　minutes；　do　you　think　you　could　have　detected　the
change？〃

〃By　no　means！〃

〃That　is　all；　Mr。　　Buckstone。〃

Mrs。　Patsy　Cooper　was　called。　　The　crowd　made　way　for　her；　and　she　came
smiling　and　bowing　through　the　narrow　human　lane；　with　Betsy　Hale；　as
escort　and　support；　smiling　and　bowing　in　her　wake；　the　audience　breaking
into　welcoming　cheers　as　the　old　favorites　filed　along。　　The　judge　did
not　check　this　kindly　demonstration　of　homage　and　affection；　but　let　it
run　its　course　unrebuked。

The　old　ladies　stopped　and　shook　hands　with　the　twins　with　effusion；　then
gave　the　judge　a　friendly　nod；　and　bustled　into　the　seats　provided　for
them。　　They　immediately　began　to　deliver　a　volley　of　eager　questions　at
the　friends　around　them：　〃What　is　this　thing　for？〃　　〃What　is　that　thing
for？〃　　〃Who　is　that　young　man　that's　writing　at　the　desk？　　Why；　I
declare；　it's　Jack　Bunce！　　I　thought　he　was　sick。〃　　〃Which　is　the　jury？
Why；　is　that　the　jury？　　Billy　Price　and　Job　Turner；　and　Jack　Lounsbury；
andwell；　I　never！〃　　〃Now　who　would　ever　'a'　thought〃

But　they　were　gently　called　to　order　at　this　point；　and　asked　not　to　talk
in　court。　　Their　tongues　fell　silent；　but　the　radiant　interest　in　their
faces　remained；　and　their　gratitude　for　the　blessing　of　a　new　sensation
and　a　novel　experience　still　beamed　undimmed　from　their　eyes。　　Aunt　Patsy
stood　up　and　took　the　oath；　and　Mr。　Allen　explained　the　point　in　issue；
and　asked　her　to　go　on　now；　in　her　own　way；　and　throw　as　much　light　upon
it　as　she　could。　　She　toyed　with　her　reticule　a　moment　or　two；　as　if
considering　where　to　begin；　then　she　said：

〃Well；　the　way　of　it　is　this。　　They　are　Luigi's　legs　a　week　at　a　time；
and　then　they　are　Angelo's；　and　he　can　do　whatever　he　wants　to　with
them。〃

〃You　are　making　a　mistake；　Aunt　Patsy　Cooper；〃　said　the　judge。　　〃You
shouldn't　state　that　as　a　fact；　because　you　don't　know　it　to　be　a　fact。〃

〃What's　the　reason　I　don't？〃　said　Aunt　Patsy；　bridling　a　little。

〃What　is　the　reason　that　you　do　know　it？〃

〃The　best　in　the　world　because　they　told　me。〃

〃That　isn't　a　reason。〃

〃Well；　for　the　land's　sake！　　Betsy　Hale；　do　you　hear　that？〃

〃Hear　it？　　I　should　think　so；〃　said　Aunt　Betsy；　rising　and　facing　the
court。　　〃Why；　Judge；　I　was　there　and　heard　it　myself。　　Luigi　says　to
Angelono；　it　was　Angelo　said　it　to〃

〃Come；　come；　Mrs。　　Hale；　pray　sit　down；　and〃

〃Certainly；　it's　all　right；　I'm　going　to　sit　down　presently；　but　not
until　I've〃

〃But　you　must　sit　down！〃

〃Must！　　Well；　upon　my　word　if　things　ain't　getting　to　a　pretty　pass
when〃

The　house　broke　into　laughter；　but　was　promptly　brought　to　order；　and
meantime　Mr。　Allen　persuaded　the　old　lady　to　take　her　seat。　　Aunt　Patsy
continued：

〃Yes；　they　told　me　that；　and　I　know　it's　true。　　They're　Luigi's　legs　this
week；　but〃

〃Ah；　they　told　you　that；　did　they？〃　said　the　Justice；　with　interest。

〃Well；　no；　I　don't　know　that　they　told　me；　but　that's　neither　here　nor
there。　　I　know；　without　that；　that　at　dinner　yesterday；　Angelo　was　as
tired　as　a　dog；　and　yet　Luigi　wouldn't　lend　him　the　legs　to　go　up…stairs
and　take　a　nap　with。〃

〃Did　he　ask　for　them？〃

〃Let　me　seeit　seems　to　me；　somehow；　thatthatAunt　Betsy；　do　you
remember　whether　he〃

〃Never　mind　about　what　Aunt　Betsy　remembers　she　is　not　a　witness；　we
only　want　to　know　what　you　remember　yourself；〃　said　the　judge。

〃Well；　it　does　seem　to；　me　that　you　are　most　cantankerously　particular
about　a　little　thing；　Sim　Robinson。　　Why；　when　I　can't　remember　a　thing
myself；　I　always〃


〃Ah；　please　go　on！〃

〃Now　how　can　she　when　you　keep　fussing　at　her　all　the　time？〃　said　Aunt
Betsy。　　〃Why；　with　a　person　pecking　at　me　that　way；　I　should　get　that
fuzzled　and　fuddled　that〃

She　was　on　her　feet　again；　but　Allen　coaxed　her　into　her　seat　once　more；
while　the　court　squelched　the　mirth　of　the　house。　　Then　the　judge　said：

〃Madam；　do　you　knowdo　you　absolutely　know；　independently　of　anything
these　gentlemen　have　told　youthat　the　power　over　their　legs　passes　from
the　one　to　the　other　regularly　every　week？〃

〃Regularly？　　Bless　your　heart；　regularly　ain't　any　name　for　the　exactness
of　it！　　All　the　big　cities　in　Europe　used　to　set　the　clocks　by　it。〃
（Laughter；　suppressed　by　the　court。）

〃How　do　you　know？　　That　is　the　question。　　Please　answer　it　plainly　and
squarely。〃

〃Don't　you　talk　to　me　like　that；　Sim　RobinsonI　won't　have　it。　　How　do
I　know；　indeed！　　How　do　you　know　what　you　know？　　Because　somebody　told
you。　　You　didn't　invent　it　out　of　your　own　head；　did　you？　　Why；　these
twins　are　the　truthfulest　people　in　the　world；　and　I　don't　think　it
becomes　you　to　sit　up　there　and　throw　slurs　at　them　when　they　haven't
been　doing　anything　to　you。　　And　they　are　orphans　besidesboth　of　them。
All〃

But　Aunt　Betsy　was　up　again　now；　and　both　old　ladies　were　talking　at　once
and　with　all　their　might；　but　as　the　house　was　weltering　in　a　storm　of
laughter；　and　the　judge　was　hammering　his　desk　with　an　iron　paper…weight；
one　could　only　see　them　talk；　not　hear　them。　　At　last；　when　quiet　was
restored；　the　court　said：

〃Let　the　ladies　retire。〃

〃But；　your　honor；　I　have　the　right；　in　the　interest　of　my　clients；to
cross…exam〃

〃You'll　not　need　to　exercise　it；　Mr。　Wilsonthe　evidence　is　thrown　out。〃

〃Thrown　out！〃　said　Aunt　Patsy；　ruffled；　〃and　what's　it　thrown　out　for；
I'd　like　to　know。〃

〃And　so　would　I；　Patsy　Cooper。　　It　seems　to　me　that　if　we　can　save　these
poor　persecuted　strangers；　it　is　our　bounden　duty　to　stand　up　here　and
talk　for　them　till〃

〃There；　there；　there；　do　sit　down！〃

It　cost　some　trouble　and　a　good　deal　of　coaxing；　but　they　were　got　into
their　seats　at　last。　　The　trial　was　soon　ended　now。　　The　twins　themselves
became　witnesses　in　their　own　defense。　　They　established　the　fact；　upon
oath；　that　the　leg…power　passed　from　one　to　the　other　every　Saturday
night　at　twelve　o'clock　sharp。　　But　or　cross…examination　their　counsel
would　not　allow　them　to　tell　whose　week　of　power　the　current　week　was。
The　judge　insisted　upon　their　answering；　and　proposed　to　compel　them；　but
even　the　prosecution　took　fright　and　came　to　the　rescue　then；　and　helped
stay　the　sturdy　jurist's　revolutionary　hand。　　So　the　case　had　to　go　to
the　jury　with　that　important　point　hanging　in　the　air。　　They　were　out　an
hour　and　brought　in　this　verdict：

〃We　the　jury　do　find：　　1；　that　an　assault　was　committed；　as　charged；
2；　that　it　was　committed　by　one　of　the　persons　accused；　he　having　been
seen　to　do　it　by　several　credible　witnesses；　3；　but　that　his　identity　is
so　merged　in　his　brother's　that　we　have　not　been　able　to　tell　which　was
him。　　We　cannot　convict　both；　for　only　one　is　guilty。　　We　cannot　acquit
both；　for　only　one　is　innocent。　　Our　verdict　is　that　justice　has　been
defeated　by　the　dispensation　of　God；　and　ask　to　be　discharged　from
further　duty。〃

This　was　read　aloud　in　court　and　brought　out　a　burst　of　hearty　applause。
The　old　ladies　made　a　spring　at　the　twins；　to　shake　and　congratulate；　but
were　gently　disengaged　by　Mr。　Wilson　and　softly　crowded　back　into　their
places。

The　judge　rose　in　his　little　tribune；　laid　aside　his　silver…bowed
spectacles；　roached　his　gray　hair　up　with　his　fingers；　and　said；　with
dignity　and　solemni