the golden chersonese and the way thither-第14部分

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with　misery；　and　into　a　smaller　one；　nearly　as　bad；　where　fifteen　women
were　incarcerated；　some　of　them　with　infants　devoured　by　cutaneous
diseases。　Several　of　them　said　that　they　are　there　for　kidnapping；　but
others　are　hostages　for　criminal　relations　who　have　not　yet　been
captured。　This　imprisonment　of　hostages　is　in　accordance　with　a　law
which　authorizes　the　seizure　and　detention　of　persons　or　families
belonging　to　criminals　who　have　fled　or　are　in　concealment。　Such　are
imprisoned　till　the　guilty　relative　is　brought　to　justice；　for　months；
years；　or　even　for　a　lifetime。　Two　of　these　women　told　us　that　they　had
been　there　for　twenty　years。

There　are　likewise　some　single　cellshovels　clustering　under　a　wall；
in　which　criminals　who　can　afford　to　pay　the　jailer　for　them　may　enjoy
the　luxury　of　solitude。　In　each　ward　there　is　a　single　unfettered
manalways　a　felonwho　by　reason　either　of　bribery　or　good　conduct；
is　appointed　to　the　place　of　watchman　or　spy　among　his　fellows　in
crime。　　There　is　a　turnkey　for　each　ward；　and　these　men；　with　the
unchained　felons　who　act　as　watchmen；　torture　new　arrivals　in　order　to
force　money　from　them；　and　under　this　process　some　die。

In　the　outer　wall　of　the　prison　there　is　a　port…hole；　just　large　enough
to　allow　of　a　body　being　pushed　through　it；　for　no　malefactor's　corpse
must　be　carried　through　the　prison　entrance；　lest　it　should　defile　the
〃Gate　of　Righteousness。〃　There　is　also　a　hovel　called　a　deadhouse；　into
which　these　bodies　are　conveyed　till　a　grave　has　been　dug　in　some
〃accursed　place；〃　by　members　of　an　〃accursed〃　class。

In　addition　to　the　large　mortality　arising　from　poor　living　and　its
concomitant　diseases；　and　the　exhaustion　produced　by　repeated　torture；
epidemics　frequently　break　out　in　the　hot　weather　in　those　dark　and
fetid　dens；　and　oftentimes　nearly　clear　out　the　prison。　On　such
occasions　as　many　as　four　hundred　have　succumbed　in　a　month。　The　number
of　criminals　who　are　executed　from　this　prison；　either　as　sentenced　to
death；　or　as　unable　to　bribe　the　officials　any　further；　is　supposed　to
be　about　five　hundred　annually；　and　it　is　further　supposed　that　half
this　number　die　annually　from　starvation　and　torture。　Sometimes　one
hundred　criminals　are　beheaded　in　an　hour；　as　it　is　feared　may　be　the
case　on　the　Governor　going　out　of　office；　when　it　is　not　unusual　to
make　a　jail　delivery　in　this　fashion。

In　numerous　cases；　when　there　is　a　press　of　business　before　the
judgment…seat　and　a　dead…lock　occurs；　accusers　and　witnesses　are
huddled　indiscriminately　into　the　Naam…Hoi　prison；　sometimes　for
months；　and　as　the　Governor　or　magistrate　takes　no　measures　to　provide
for　them　during　the　interval；　some　of　the　poorer　ones　who　have　no
friends　to　bribe　the　jailer　on　their　behalf；　perish　speedily。

At　night；　in　the　dens　which　I　have　described；　the　hands　of　the
prisoners　are　chained　to　their　necks；　and　even　in　the　daytime　only　one
hand　is　liberated。　I　thought　that　many　of　the　faces　looked　quite
imbecile。　The　jailer；　as　we　went　out；　kept　holding　out　his　long…clawed；
lean；　brown　hand；　muttering　about　his　promised　kum…sha；　very　fearful
lest　the　other　turnkeys；　who　were　still　lying　on　their　beds　smoking
opium；　should　come　in　for　any　share　of　it。

Mr。　Henry；*　my　host　and　very　able　cicerone；　is　an　American　missionary；
and　as　such　carries　with　him　the　gospel　of　peace　on　earth　and　good　will
to　men。　Surely　if　the　knowledge　of　Him　who　came　〃to　preach　liberty　to
the　captive；　and　the　opening　of　the　prison　to　them　that　are　bound；〃
were　diffused　and　received　here；　and　were　spread　with　no　niggard　hand；
the　prison　of　the　Naam…Hoi　magistrate；　with　its　unspeakable　horrors；
would　go　the　way　of　all　our　dungeons　and　bedlams。　　
＇*I　cannot　forbear　adding　a　note　on　the　extent　of　Mr。　　Henry's　work　in
1881。　He　preached　190　times　in　Chinese；　and　five　times　in　English；　held
fifty…two　Bible…class　meetings；　and　thirteen　communion　services；
baptized　forty…five　adults　and　eight　children；　traveled　on　mission　work
by　boat　2；540　miles；　by　chair；　eighty　miles；　and　on　foot　670　miles；
visited　280　different　towns　and　villages；　and　distributed　14；000　books；
receiving　assistance　in　the　latter　work　only　on　one　short　journey。　His
life　is　a　happy　combination　of　American　energy　and　Christian　zeal。＇

But　this　is　not　all。　From　the　prison　it　is　only　a　short　distance　to　the
judgment…seat；　and　passing　once　more　through　the　〃Gate　of
Righteousness；〃　we　crossed　a　large　court　infested　by　gamblers　and
fortune…tellers；　and　presented　ourselves　at　a　porch　with　great　figures
painted　on　both　its　doors；　and　gay　with　the　red　insignia　of
mandarinism；　which　is　the　entrance　to　the　stately　residence　of　the
Naam…Hoi　magistrate；　one　of　the　subordinate　dignitaries　of　Canton。　　In
the　porch；　as　might　have　been　in　that　of　Pilate　or　Herod；　were　a　number
of　official　palanquins；　and　many　officials　and　servants　of　the　mandarin
with　red…crowned　hats　turned　up　from　their　faces；　and　privates　of　the
city　guard；　mean　and　shabby　persons。　One　of　these；　for　a　kum…sha　of
course；　took　us；　not　through　the　closed　and　curtained　doors；　but　along
some　passages；　from　which　we　passed　through　a　circular　brickwork　tunnel
to　the　front　of　the　judgment　seat　at　which　all　the　inmates　of　the
Naam…Hoi　prison　may　expect　sooner　or　later　to　be　tried。　My　nerves　were
rather　shaken　with　what　I　had　seen；　and　I　trembled　as　a　criminal　might
on　entering　this　chamber　of　horror。

In　brief；　the　judgment…seat　is　a　square　hall；　open　at　one　end；　with　a
roof　supported　on　three　columns。　In　the　plan　which　I　send；　No。　1　is　the
three　pillars；　No。　2；　the　instruments　of　torture　ranged　against　the
wall；　No。　3；　four　accused　men　wearing　heavy　chains；　and　kneeling　with
their　foreheads　one　inch　from　the　ground；　but　not　allowed　to　touch　it。
These　men　are　undergoing　the　mildest　form　of　tortureprotracted
kneeling　without　support　in　one　position；　with　coarse　sand　under　the
bare　knees。　No。　4　is　a　very　old　and　feeble　man；　also　kneeling；　a
claimant　in　an　ancient　civil　suit。　No。　6　indicates　a　motley　group　of
notaries；　servants；　attendants；　lictors；　alas！　The　table　（No。　5）　is　of
dark　wood；　covered　with　a　shabby　red　cloth。　　On　it　are　keys；　petitions；
note…books；　pens　and　ink；　an　official　seal；　and　some　small　cups
containing　tallies；　which　are　thrown　down　to　indicate　the　number　of
blows　which　a　culprit　is　to　receive。　This　was　all。

In　a　high…backed　ebony　arm…chair；　such　as　might　be　seen　in　any　English
hall；　sat　the　man　who　has　the　awful　power　of　life　and　death　in　his
hands。　It　is　almost　needless　to　say　that　the　judge；　who　was　on　the　left
of　the　table；　and　who　never　once　turned　to　the　accused；　or　indeed　to
anyone；　was　the　only　seated　person。　He　was　a　young　man；　with　fine
features；　a　good　complexion；　and　a　high　intellectual　brow；　and　had　I
seen　him　under　other　circumstances；　I　should　have　thought　him　decidedly
prepossessing　looking。　He　wore　a　black　satin　hat；　a　rich；　blue　brocade
robe；　almost　concealing　his　blue　brocade　trousers；　and　over　this　a
sleeved　cloak　of　dark　blue　satin；　lined　with　ermine　fur。　A　look　of
singular　coldness　and　hauteur　sat　permanently　on　his　face；　over　which　a
flush　of　indescribable　impatience　sometimes　passed。　He　is　not　of　the
people；　this　lordly　magistrate。　He　is　one　of　the　privileged　literati。
His　literary　degrees　are　high　and　numerous。　He　has　both　place　and
power。　Little　risk　does　he　run　of　a　review　of　his　decisions　or　of　an
appeal　to　the　Emperor　at　Pekin。　He　spoke　loud　and　with　much　rapidity
and　emphasis；　and　often　beat　impatiently　on　the　floor　with　his　foot。　He
used　the　mandarin　tongue；　and　whether　cognizant　of　the　dialect　of　the
prisoners　or　not；　he　put　all　his　questions　through　an　interpreter；　who
stood　at　his　left；　a　handsomely　dressed　old　man；　who　wore　a　gold　chain
with　a　dependent　ivory　comb；　with　which　while　he　spoke　he　frequently
combed　a　small　and　scanty　gray　mustache。

Notaries；　attendants　with　scarlet…crowned　hats；　and　a　rabble　of　men　and
boys；　in　front　of　whom　we　placed　ourselves；　stood　down　each　side。　The
open　hall；　though　lofty；　is　shabby　and　extremely　dirty；　with　an　unswept
broken　pavement；　littered　at　one　side　with　potsherds；　and　disfigured　by
a　number　of　more　or　less　broken　black　pots　as　well　as　other　rubbish；
making　it　look　rather　like　a　shed　in　an　untidy　nursery　garden　than　an
imperial　judgment…hall。　On　the　pillars　there　are　certain　classical
inscriptions；　one　of　which　is　said　to　be　an　exhortation　to　mercy。
Pieces　of　bamboo　of　different　sizes　are　ranged　against　the　south　wall。
These　are　used　for　the　bastinado；　and　there　were　various　instruments
ranged　against　the　same　wall；　at　which　I　could　only　look　fitfully　and
with　a　shudder；　for　they　are　used　in　〃The　Question　by　Torture；〃　which
rapid　method　of　gaining　a　desired　end　appears　to　be　practised　on
witnesses　as　well　as　criminals。

The　yard；　or　uncovered　part　of　this　place；　has　a　pavement　in　the
middle；　and　on　one　side　of　this　the　most　loathsome　trench　I　ever
beheld；　such　a　one　as　I　think　could　not　be　found　in　the　foulest　slum　of
the　dirtiest　city　in　Europe；　not　only　loathsome　to　the　eye；　but
emitting　a　stench　which　even　on　that　cool　day　might　produce　vertigo；
and　this　under　the　very　eye　of　the　magistrate；　and　not　more　than　thirty
feet　from　the　judgment…seat。

On　the　other　side　by　which　we　entered；　and　which　also　has　an　entrance
direct　from　the　prison；　is　a　slimy；　green　ditch；　at　the　back　of　which
some　guards　were　lounging；　with　a　heap　of　felons　in　chains　attached　to
heavy　stones　at　their　feet。　　Above；　the　sky　was　very　blue；　and　the　sun
of　our　Father　which　is　in　heaven　shone　upon　〃the　just　and　the　unjust。〃

The　civil　case　took　a　long　time；　and　was　adjourned；　and　the　aged
claimant　was　so　exhausted　with　kneeling　before　the　judge；　that　he　was
obliged　to　be　assisted　away　by　two　men。　　Then　another　man　knelt　and
presented　a　petition；　which　was　taken　to　〃avizandum。〃　Then　a　guard　led
in　by　a　chain　a　prisoner；　heavily　manacled；　and　with　a　heavy　stone
attached　to　his　neck；　who　knelt　with　his　forehead　touching　the　ground。
After　some　speaking；　a　boy　who　was　standing　dangling　a　number　of　keys
came　forward；　and；　after　much　ado；　unlocked　the　rusty　padlock　which
fastened　the　chain　round　the　man's　neck；　and　he　was　l