manalive-第15部分

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〃Who　is　there？〃　shouted　Arthur。　　〃Who　are　you？　　Are　you　Innocent？〃

〃Not　quite；〃　answered　an　obscure　voice　among　the　leaves。
〃I　cheated　you　once　about　a　penknife。〃

The　wind　in　the　garden　had　gathered　strength；　and　was　throwing　the　tree
backwards　and　forwards　with　the　man　in　the　thick　of　it；　just　as　it
had　on　the　gay　and　golden　afternoon　when　he　had　first　arrived。

〃But　are　you　Smith？〃　asked　Inglewood　as　in　an　agony。

〃Very　nearly；〃　said　the　voice　out　of　the　tossing　tree。

〃But　you　must　have　some　real　names；〃　shrieked　Inglewood　in　despair。
〃You　must　call　yourself　something。〃

〃Call　myself　something；〃　thundered　the　obscure　voice；　shaking　the　tree
so　that　all　its　ten　thousand　leaves　seemed　to　be　talking　at　once。
〃I　call　myself　Roland　Oliver　Isaiah　Charlemagne　Arthur　Hildebrand
Homer　Danton　Michaelangelo　Shakespeare　Brakespeare〃

〃But；　manalive！〃　began　Inglewood　in　exasperation。

〃That's　right！　that's　right！〃　came　with　a　roar　out　of　the　rocking　tree；
〃that's　my　real　name。〃　　And　he　broke　a　branch；　and　one　or　two　autumn
leaves　fluttered　away　across　the　moon。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Part　II

　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Explanations　of　Innocent　Smith




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　I

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Eye　of　Death；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　or；　the　Murder　Charge


The　dining…room　of　the　Dukes　had　been　set　out　for　the　Court
of　Beacon　with　a　certain　impromptu　pomposity　that　seemed　somehow
to　increase　its　cosiness。　　The　big　room　was；　as　it　were；
cut　up　into　small　rooms；　with　walls　only　waist　highthe　sort
of　separation　that　children　make　when　they　are　playing　at　shops。
This　had　been　done　by　Moses　Gould　and　Michael　Moon
（the　two　most　active　members　of　this　remarkable　inquiry）
with　the　ordinary　furniture　of　the　place。　　At　one　end　of　the　long
mahogany　table　was　set　the　one　enormous　garden　chair；　which　was
surmounted　by　the　old　torn　tent　or　umbrella　which　Smith　himself
had　suggested　as　a　coronation　canopy。　　Inside　this　erection
could　be　perceived　the　dumpy　form　of　Mrs。　Duke；　with　cushions
and　a　form　of　countenance　that　already　threatened　slumber。
At　the　other　end　sat　the　accused　Smith；　in　a　kind　of　dock；
for　he　was　carefully　fenced　in　with　a　quadrilateral　of　light
bedroom　chairs；　any　of　which　he　could　have　tossed　out　the　window
with　his　big　toe。　　He　had　been　provided　with　pens　and　paper；
out　of　the　latter　of　which　he　made　paper　boats；　paper　darts；
and　paper　dolls　contentedly　throughout　the　whole　proceedings。
He　never　spoke　or　even　looked　up；　but　seemed　as　unconscious
as　a　child　on　the　floor　of　an　empty　nursery。

On　a　row　of　chairs　raised　high　on　the　top　of　a　long　settee　sat
the　three　young　ladies　with　their　backs　up　against　the　window；
and　Mary　Gray　in　the　middle；　it　was　something　between　a　jury
box　and　the　stall　of　the　Queen　of　Beauty　at　a　tournament。
Down　the　centre　of　the　long　table　Moon　had　built　a　low　barrier
out　of　eight　bound　volumes　of　〃Good　Words〃　to　express　the　moral
wall　that　divided　the　conflicting　parties。　　On　the　right　side
sat　the　two　advocates　of　the　prosecution；　Dr。　Pym　and　Mr。　Gould；
behind　a　barricade　of　books　and　documents；　chiefly　（in　the　case
of　Dr。　Pym）　solid　volumes　of　criminology。　　On　the　other　side；
Moon　and　Inglewood；　for　the　defence；　were　also　fortified
with　books　and　papers；　but　as　these　included　several　old　yellow
volumes　by　Ouida　and　Wilkie　Collins；　the　hand　of　Mr。　Moon
seemed　to　have　been　somewhat　careless　and　comprehensive。
As　for　the　victim　and　prosecutor；　Dr。　Warner；　Moon　wanted　at　first
to　have　him　kept　entirely　behind　a　high　screen　in　the　court；
urging　the　indelicacy　of　his　appearance　in　court；　but　privately
assuring　him　of　an　unofficial　permission　to　peep　over　the　top
now　and　then。　　Dr。　Warner；　however；　failed　to　rise　to　the　chivalry
of　such　a　course；　and　after　some　little　disturbance　and　discussion
he　was　accommodated　with　a　seat　on　the　right　side　of　the　table
in　a　line　with　his　legal　advisers。

It　was　before　this　solidly…established　tribunal　that　Dr。　Cyrus　Pym；
after　passing　a　hand　through　the　honey…coloured　hair　over　each　ear；
rose　to　open　the　case。　　His　statement　was　clear　and　even　restrained；
and　such　flights　of　imagery　as　occurred　in　it　only　attracted　attention
by　a　certain　indescribable　abruptness；　not　uncommon　in　the　flowers
of　American　speech。

He　planted　the　points　of　his　ten　frail　fingers　on　the　mahogany；
closed　his　eyes；　and　opened　his　mouth。　　〃The　time　has　gone　by；〃
he　said；　〃when　murder　could　be　regarded　as　a　moral　and　individual　act；
important　perhaps　to　the　murderer；　perhaps　to　the　murdered。
Science　has　profoundly。。。〃　here　he　paused；　poising　his　compressed
finger　and　thumb　in　the　air　as　if　he　were　holding　an　elusive　idea
very　tight　by　its　tail；　then　he　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　said
〃modified；〃　and　let　it　go〃has　profoundly　Modified　our　view　of　death。
In　superstitious　ages　it　was　regarded　as　the　termination　of　life；
catastrophic；　and　even　tragic；　and　was　often　surrounded　by　solemnity。
Brighter　days；　however；　have　dawned；　and　we　now　see　death　as　universal
and　inevitable；　as　part　of　that　great　soul…stirring　and　heart…upholding
average　which　we　call　for　convenience　the　order　of　nature。
In　the　same　way　we　have　come　to　consider　murder　socially。
Rising　above　the　mere　private　feelings　of　a　man　while　being　forcibly
deprived　of　life；　we　are　privileged　to　behold　murder　as　a　mighty　whole；
to　see　the　rich　rotation　of　the　cosmos；　bringing；　as　it　brings
the　golden　harvests　and　the　golden…bearded　harvesters；　the　return
for　ever　of　the　slayers　and　the　slain。〃

He　looked　down；　somewhat　affected　with　his　own　eloquence；　coughed　slightly；
putting　up　four　of　his　pointed　fingers　with　the　excellent　manners
of　Boston；　and　continued：　　〃There　is　but　one　result　of　this　happier
and　humaner　outlook　which　concerns　the　wretched　man　before　us。
It　is　that　thoroughly　elucidated　by　a　Milwaukee　doctor；
our　great　secret…guessing　Sonnenschein；　in　his　great　work；
‘The　Destructive　Type。'　　We　do　not　denounce　Smith　as　a　murderer；
but　rather　as　a　murderous　man。　　The　type　is　such　that　its　very　life
I　might　say　its　very　healthis　in　killing。　　Some　hold　that　it　is
not　properly　an　aberration；　but　a　newer　and　even　a　higher　creature。
My　dear　old　friend　Dr。　Bulger；　who　kept　ferrets〃　（here　Moon
suddenly　ejaculated　a　loud　〃hurrah！〃　but　so　instantaneously
resumed　his　tragic　expression　that　Mrs。　Duke　looked　everywhere
else　for　the　sound）；　Dr。　Pym　continued　somewhat　sternly〃who；
in　the　interests　of　knowledge；　kept　ferrets；　felt　that　the　creature's
ferocity　is　not　utilitarian；　but　absolutely　an　end　in　itself。
However　this　may　be　with　ferrets；　it　is　certainly　so　with　the　prisoner。
In　his　other　iniquities　you　may　find　the　cunning　of　the　maniac；
but　his　acts　of　blood　have　almost　the　simplicity　of　sanity。
But　it　is　the　awful　sanity　of　the　sun　and　the　elementsa　cruel；
an　evil　sanity。　　As　soon　stay　the　iris…leapt　cataracts　of　our　virgin
West　as　stay　the　natural　force　that　sends　him　forth　to　slay。
No　environment；　however　scientific；　could　have　softened　him。
Place　that　man　in　the　silver…silent　purity　of　the　palest　cloister；
and　there　will　be　some　deed　of　violence　done　with　the　crozier　or　the　alb。
Rear　him　in　a　happy　nursery；　amid　our　brave…browed　Anglo…Saxon　infancy；
and　he　will　find　some　way　to　strangle　with　the　skipping…rope
or　brain　with　the　brick。　　Circumstances　may　be　favourable；
training　may　be　admirable；　hopes　may　be　high；　but　the　huge　elemental
hunger　of　Innocent　Smith　for　blood　will　in　its　appointed　season
burst　like　a　well…timed　bomb。〃

Arthur　Inglewood　glanced　curiously　for　an　instant　at　the　huge　creature
at　the　foot　of　the　table；　who　was　fitting　a　paper　figure　with　a　cocked　hat；
and　then　looked　back　at　Dr。　Pym；　who　was　concluding　in　a　quieter　tone。

〃It　only　remains　for　us；〃　he　said；　〃to　bring　forward　actual　evidence
of　his　previous　attempts。　　By　an　agreement　already　made　with　the　Court
and　the　leaders　of　the　defence；　we　are　permitted　to　put　in　evidence　authentic
letters　from　witnesses　to　these　scenes；　which　the　defence　is　free　to　examine。
Out　of　several　cases　of　such　outrages　we　have　decided　to　select　one
the　clearest　and　most　scandalous。　　I　will　therefore；　without　further　delay；
call　on　my　junior；　Mr。　Gould；　to　read　two　lettersone　from　the　Sub…Warden　and
the　other　from　the　porter　of　Brakespeare　College；　in　Cambridge　University。〃

Gould　jumped　up　with　a　jerk　like　a　jack…in…the…box；　an　academic…looking
paper　in　his　hand　and　a　fever　of　importance　on　his　face。
He　began　in　a　loud；　high；　cockney　voice　that　was　as　abrupt
as　a　cock…crow：


〃Sir；Hi　am　the　Sub…Warden　of　Brikespeare　College；　Cambridge〃


〃Lord　have　mercy　on　us；〃　muttered　Moon；　making　a　backward　movement　as　men
do　when　a　gun　goes　off。


〃Sir；Hi　am　the　Sub…Warden　of　Brikespeare　College；　Cambridge；〃
proclaimed　the　uncompromising　Moses；　〃and　I　can　endorse　the　description
you　gave　of　the　un'appy　Smith。　　It　was　not　alone　my　unfortunate　duty
to　rebuke　many　of　the　lesser　violences　of　his　undergraduate　period；
but　I　was　actually　a　witness　to　the　last　iniquity　which　terminated
that　period。　　Hi　happened　to　passing　under　the　house　of　my　friend
the　Warden　of　Brikespeare；　which　is　semi…detached　from　the　College
and　connected　with　it　by　two　or　three　very　ancient　arches　or　props；
like　bridges；　across　a　small　strip　of　water　connected　with　the　river。
To　my　grave　astonishment　I　be'eld　my　eminent　friend　suspended　in　mid…air
and　clinging　to　one　of　these　pieces　of　masonry；　his　appearance　and
attitude　indicatin'　that　he　suffered　from　the　grivest　apprehensions。
After　a　short　time　I　heard　two　very　loud　shots；　and　distinctly　perceived
the　unfortunate　undergraduate　Smith　leaning　far　out　of　the　Warden's
window　and　aiming　at　the　Warden　repeatedly　with　a　revolver。
Upon　seeing　me；　Smith　burst　into　a　loud　laugh　（in　which
impertinence　was　mingled　with　insanity）；　and　appeared　to　desist。
I　sent　the　college　porter　for　a　ladder；　and　he　succeeded　in　detaching
the　Warden　from　his　painful　position。　　Smith　was　sent　down。
The　photograph　I　enclose　is　from　the　group　of　the　University　Rifle　Club
prizemen；　and　represents　him　as　he　was　when　at　the　College。Hi　am；
your　obedient　servant；　Amos　Boulter。〃


〃The　other　letter；〃　continued　Gould　in　a　glow