stories by modern american authors-第12部分

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profit　of　desperate　crimes　and　yet　not　be　crimes　before　the　law？



We　are　prone　to　forget　that　the　law　is　no　perfect　structure；　that

it　is　simply　the　result　of　human　labor　and　human　genius；　and　that

whatever　laws　human　ingenuity　can　create　for　the　protection　of　men；

those　same　laws　human　ingenuity　can　evade。　　The　Spirit　of　Evil　is

no　dwarf；　he　has　developed　equally　with　the　Spirit　of　Good。



All　wrongs　are　not　crimes。　　Indeed　only　those　wrongs　are　crimes　in

which　certain　technical　elements　are　present。　　The　law　provides　a

Procrustean　standard　for　all　crimes。　　Thus　a　wrong；　to　become

criminal；　must　fit　exactly　into　the　measure　laid　down　by　the　law；

else　it　is　no　crime；　if　it　varies　never　so　little　from　the　legal

measure；　the　law　must；　and　will；　refuse　to　regard　it　as　criminal；

no　matter　how　injurious　a　wrong　it　may　be。　　There　is　no　measure　of

morality；　or　equity；　or　common　right　that　can　be　applied　to　the

individual　case。　　The　gauge　of　the　law　is　iron…bound。　　The　wrong

measured　by　this　gauge　is　either　a　crime　or　it　is　not。　　There　is　no

middle　ground。



Hence　is　it；　that　if　one　knows　well　the　technicalities　of　the　law；

one　may　commit　horrible　wrongs　that　will　yield　all　the　gain　and　all

the　resulting　effect　of　the　highest　crimes；　and　yet　the　wrongs

perpetrated　will　constitute　no　one　of　the　crimes　described　by　the

law。　　Thus　the　highest　crimes；　even　murder；　may　be　committed　in

such　manner　that　although　the　criminal　is　known　and　the　law　holds

him　in　custody；　yet　it　cannot　punish　him。　　So　it　happens　that　in

this　year　of　our　Lord　of　the　nineteenth　century；　the　skillful

attorney　marvels　at　the　stupidity　of　the　rogue　who；　committing

crimes　by　the　ordinary　methods；　subjects　himself　to　unnecessary

peril；　when　the　result　which　he　seeks　can　easily　be　attained　by

other　methods；　equally　expeditious　and　without　danger　of　liability

in　any　criminal　tribunal。　　This　is　the　field　into　which　the　author

has　ventured；　and　he　believes　it　to　be　new　and　full　of　interest。



It　may　be　objected　that　the　writer　has　prepared　here　a　text…book

for　the　shrewd　knave。　　To　this　it　is　answered　that；　if　he　instructs

the　enemies；　he　also　warns　the　friends　of　law　and　order；　and　that

Evil　has　never　yet　been　stronger　because　the　sun　shone　on　it。





＇See　Lord　Hale's　Rule；　Russell　on　Crimes。　　For　the　law　in　New　York

see　18th　N。　Y。　Reports；　179；　also　N。　Y。　Reports；　49；　page　137。　　The

doctrine　there　laid　down　obtains　in　almost　every　State；　with　the

possible　exception　of　a　few　Western　States；　where　the　decisions　are

muddy。＇







The　Corpus　Delicti





I





〃That　man　Mason；〃　said　Samuel　Walcott；　〃is　the　mysterious　member　of

this　club。　　He　is　more　than　that；　he　is　the　mysterious　man　of　New

York。〃



〃I　was　much　surprised　to　see　him；〃　answered　his　companion；　Marshall

St。　Clair；　of　the　great　law　firm　of　Seward；　St。　Clair　&　De　Muth。

〃I　had　lost　track　of　him　since　he　went　to　Paris　as　counsel　for　the

American　stockholders　of　the　Canal　Company。　　When　did　he　come　back

to　the　States？〃



〃He　turned　up　suddenly　in　his　ancient　haunts　about　four　months

ago；〃　said　Walcott；　〃as　grand；　gloomy；　and　peculiar　as　Napoleon

ever　was　in　his　palmiest　days。　　The　younger　members　of　the　club

call　him　'Zanona　Redivivus。'　　He　wanders　through　the　house　usually

late　at　night；　apparently　without　noticing　anything　or　anybody。

His　mind　seems　to　be　deeply　and　busily　at　work；　leaving　his　bodily

self　to　wander　as　it　may　happen。　　Naturally；　strange　stories　are

told　of　him；　indeed；　his　individuality　and　his　habit　of　doing　some

unexpected　thing；　and　doing　it　in　such　a　marvelously　original

manner　that　men　who　are　experts　at　it　look　on　in　wonder；　cannot

fail　to　make　him　an　object　of　interest。



〃He　has　never　been　known　to　play　at　any　game　whatever；　and　yet　one

night　he　sat　down　to　the　chess　table　with　old　Admiral　Du　Brey。　　You

know　the　Admiral　is　the　great　champion　since　he　beat　the　French　and

English　officers　in　the　tournament　last　winter。　　Well；　you　also

know　that　the　conventional　openings　at　chess　are　scientifically　and

accurately　determined。　　To　the　utter　disgust　of　Du　Brey；　Mason

opened　the　game　with　an　unheard…of　attack　from　the　extremes　of　the

board。　　The　old　Admiral　stopped　and；　in　a　kindly　patronizing　way；

pointed　out　the　weak　and　absurd　folly　of　his　move　and　asked　him　to

begin　again　with　some　one　of　the　safe　openings。　　Mason　smiled　and

answered　that　if　one　had　a　head　that　he　could　trust　he　should　use

it；　if　not；　then　it　was　the　part　of　wisdom　to　follow　blindly　the

dead　forms　of　some　man　who　had　a　head。　　Du　Brey　was　naturally　angry

and　set　himself　to　demolish　Mason　as　quickly　as　possible。　　The　game

was　rapid　for　a　few　moments。　　Mason　lost　piece　after　piece。　　His

opening　was　broken　and　destroyed　and　its　utter　folly　apparent　to

the　lookers…on。　　The　Admiral　smiled　and　the　game　seemed　all　one…

sided；　when；　suddenly；　to　his　utter　horror；　Du　Brey　found　that　his

king　was　in　a　trap。　　The　foolish　opening　had　been　only　a　piece　of

shrewd　strategy。　　The　old　Admiral　fought　and　cursed　and　sacrificed

his　pieces；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　　He　was　gone。　　Mason　checkmated

him　in　two　moves　and　arose　wearily。



〃'Where　in　Heaven's　name；　man；'　said　the　old　Admiral；

thunderstruck；　'did　you　learn　that　masterpiece？'



〃'Just　here；'　replied　Mason。　　'To　play　chess；　one　should　know　his

opponent。　　How　could　the　dead　masters　lay　down　rules　by　which　you

could　be　beaten；　sir？　　They　had　never　seen　you'；　and　thereupon　he

turned　and　left　the　room。　　Of　course；　St。　Clair；　such　a　strange　man

would　soon　become　an　object　of　all　kinds　of　mysterious　rumors。

Some　are　true　and　some　are　not。　　At　any　rate；　I　know　that　Mason　is

an　unusual　man　with　a　gigantic　intellect。　　Of　late　he　seems　to　have

taken　a　strange　fancy　to　me。　　In　fact；　I　seem　to　be　the　only　member

of　the　club　that　he　will　talk　with；　and　I　confess　that　he　startles

and　fascinates　me。　　He　is　an　original　genius；　St。　Clair；　of　an

unusual　order。〃



〃I　recall　vividly；〃　said　the　younger　man；　〃that　before　Mason　went

to　Paris　he　was　considered　one　of　the　greatest　lawyers　of　this　city

and　he　was　feared　and　hated　by　the　bar　at　large。　　He　came　here；　I

believe；　from　Virginia　and　began　with　the　high…grade　criminal

practice。　　He　soon　became　famous　for　his　powerful　and　ingenious

defenses。　　He　found　holes　in　the　law　through　which　his　clients

escaped；　holes　that　by　the　profession　at　large　were　not　suspected

to　exist；　and　that　frequently　astonished　the　judges。　　His　ability

caught　the　attention　of　the　great　corporations。　　They　tested　him

and　found　in　him　learning　and　unlimited　resources。　　He　pointed　out

methods　by　which　they　could　evade　obnoxious　statutes；　by　which　they

could　comply　with　the　apparent　letter　of　the　law　and　yet　violate

its　spirit；　and　advised　them　well　in　that　most　important　of　all

things；　just　how　far　they　could　bend　the　law　without　breaking　it。

At　the　time　he　left　for　Paris　he　had　a　vast　clientage　and　was　in

the　midst　of　a　brilliant　career。　　The　day　he　took　passage　from　New

York；　the　bar　lost　sight　of　him。　　No　matter　how　great　a　man　may　be；

the　wave　soon　closes　over　him　in　a　city　like　this。　　In　a　few　years

Mason　was　forgotten。　　Now　only　the　older　practitioners　would　recall

him；　and　they　would　do　so　with　hatred　and　bitterness。　　He　was　a

tireless；　savage；　uncompromising　fighter；　always　a　recluse。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Walcott；　〃he　reminds　me　of　a　great　world…weary　cynic；

transplanted　from　some　ancient　mysterious　empire。　　When　I　come　into

the　man's　presence　I　feel　instinctively　the　grip　of　his　intellect。

I　tell　you；　St。　Clair；　Randolph　Mason　is　the　mysterious　man　of　New

York。〃



At　this　moment　a　messenger　boy　came　into　the　room　and　handed　Mr。

Walcott　a　telegram。　　〃St。　Clair；〃　said　that　gentleman；　rising；　〃the

directors　of　the　Elevated　are　in　session；　and　we　must　hurry。〃　　The

two　men　put　on　their　coats　and　left　the　house。



Samuel　Walcott　was　not　a　club　man　after　the　manner　of　the　Smart

Set；　and　yet　he　was　in　fact　a　club　man。　　He　was　a　bachelor　in　the

latter　thirties；　and　resided　in　a　great　silent　house　on　the　avenue。

On　the　street　he　was　a　man　of　substance；　shrewd　and　progressive；

backed　by　great　wealth。　　He　had　various　corporate　interests　in　the

larger　syndicates；　but　the　basis　and　foundation　of　his　fortune　was

real　estate。　　His　houses　on　the　avenue　were　the　best　possible

property；　and　his　elevator　row　in　the　importers'　quarter　was　indeed

a　literal　gold　mine。　　It　was　known　that；　many　years　before；　his

grandfather　had　died　and　left　him　the　property；　which；　at　that

time；　was　of　no　great　value。　　Young　Walcott　had　gone　out　into　the

gold…fields　and　had　been　lost　sight　of　and　forgotten。　　Ten　years

afterwards　he　had　turned　up　suddenly　in　New　York　and　taken

possession　of　his　property；　then　vastly　increased　in　value。　　His

speculations　were　almost　phenomenally　successful；　and；　backed　by

the　now　enormous　value　of　his　real　property；　he　was　soon　on　a　level

with　the　merchant　princes。　　His　judgment　was　considered　sound；　and

he　had　the　full　confidence　of　his　business　associates　for　safety

and　caution。　　Fortune　heaped　up　riches　around　him　with　a　lavish

hand。　　He　was　unmarried　and　the　halo　of　his　wealth　caught　the　keen

eye　of　the　matron　with　marriageable　daughters。　　He　was　invited　out；

caught　by　the　whirl　of　society；　and　tossed　into　its　maelstrom。　　In

a　measure　he　reciprocated。　　He　kept　horses　and　a　yacht。　　His

dinners　at　Delmonico's　and　the　club　were　above　reproach。　　But　with

all　he　was　a　silent　man　with　a　shadow　deep　in　his　eyes；　and　seemed

to　court　the　society　of　his　fellows；　not　because　he　loved　them；　but

because　he　either　hated　or　feared　solitude。　　For　years　the　strategy

of　the　match…maker　had　gone　gracefully　afield；　but　Fate　is

relentless。　　If　she　shields　the　victim　from　the　traps　of　men；　it　is

not　because　she　wishes　him　to　escape；　but　because　she　is　pleased　to

reserve　him　for　her　own　trap。　　So　it　happened　that；　when　Virginia