the queen of hearts-第79章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nearest　to　the　house。　They　all　sat　together　on　one　side　of　the
justice…room。　Opposite　to　them　and　close　at　the　side　of　a　door；
stood　my　old　acquaintance；　Mr。　Dark；　with　his　big　snuff…box；　his
jolly　face；　and　his　winking　eye。　He　nodded　to　me；　when　I　looked
at　him；　as　jauntily　as　if　we　were　meeting　at　a　party　of　pleasure。
The　quadroon　woman；　who　had　been　summoned　to　the　examination；　had
a　chair　placed　opposite　to　the　witness…box；　and　in　a　line　with
the　seat　occupied　by　my　poor　mistress；　whose　looks；　as　I　was
grieved　to　see；　were　not　altered　for　the　better。　The　lawyer　from
London　was　with　her；　and　I　stood　behind　her　chair。

We　were　all　quietly　disposed　in　the　room　in　this　way；　when　the
justice；　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson；　came　in　with　his　brother。　It　might
have　been　only　fancy；　but　I　thought　I　could　see　in　both　their
faces　that　something　remarkable　had　happened　since　we　had　met　at
the　last　examination。

The　deposition　of　Josephine　Durand　was　read　over　by　the　clerk；
and　she　was　asked　if　she　had　anything　to　add　to　it。　She　replied
in　the　negative。　The　justice　then　appealed　to　my　mistress's
relation；　the　lawyer；　to　know　if　he　could　produce　any　evidence
relating　to　the　charge　against　his　clients。

〃I　have　evidence；〃　answered　the　lawyer；　getting　briskly　on　his
legs；　〃which　I　believe；　sir；　will　justify　me　in　asking　for　their
discharge。〃

〃Where　are　your　witnesses？〃　inquired　the　justice；　looking　hard　at
Josephine　while　he　spoke。

〃One　of　them　is　in　waiting；　your　worship；〃　said　Mr。　Dark；　opening
the　door　near　which　he　was　standing。

He　went　out　of　the　room；　remained　away　about　a　minute；　and
returned　with　his　witness　at　his　heels。

My　heart　gave　a　bound　as　if　it　would　jump　out　of　my　body。　There；
with　his　long　hair　cut　short；　and　his　bushy　whiskers　shaved
offthere；　in　his　own　proper　person；　safe　and　sound　as　ever；　was
Mr。　James　Smith！

The　quadroon's　iron　nature　resisted　the　shock　of　his　unexpected
presence　on　the　scene　with　a　steadiness　that　was　nothing　short　of
marvelous。　Her　thin　lips　closed　together　convulsively；　and　there
was　a　slight　movement　in　the　muscles　of　her　throat。　But　not　a
word；　not　a　sign　betrayed　her。　Even　the　yellow　tinge　of　her
complexion　remained　unchanged。

〃It　is　not　necessary；　sir；　that　I　should　waste　time　and　words　in
referring　to　the　wicked　and　preposterous　charge　against　my
clients；〃　said　the　lawyer；　addressing　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson。　〃The
one　sufficient　justification　for　discharging　them　immediately　is
before　you　at　this　moment　in　the　person　of　that　gentleman。　There；
sir；　stands　the　murdered　Mr。　James　Smith；　of　Darrock　Hall；　alive
and　well；　to　answer　for　himself。〃

〃That　is　not　the　man！〃　cried　Josephine；　her　shrill　voice　just　as
high；　clear；　and　steady　as　ever；　〃I　denounce　that　man　as　an
impostor。　Of　my　own　knowledge；　I　deny　that　he　is　Mr。　James
Smith。〃

〃No　doubt　you　do；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃but　we　will　prove　his
identity　for　all　that。〃

The　first　witness　called　was　Mr。　Philip　Nicholson。　He　could　swear
that　he　had　seen　Mr。　James　Smith；　and　spoken　　to　him　at　least　a
dozen　times。　The　person　now　before　h　im　was　Mr。　James　Smith；
altered　as　to　personal　appearance　by　having　his　hair　cut　short
and　his　whiskers　shaved　off；　but　still　unmistakably　the　man　he
assumed　to　be。

〃Conspiracy！〃　interrupted　the　prisoner；　hissing　the　word　out
viciously　between　her　teeth。

〃If　you　are　not　silent；〃　said　Mr。　Robert　Nicholson；　〃you　will　be
removed　from　the　room。　It　will　sooner　meet　the　ends　of　justice；〃
he　went　on；　addressing　the　lawyer；　〃if　you　prove　the　question　of
identity　by　witnesses　who　have　been　in　habits　of　daily
communication　with　Mr。　James　Smith。〃

Upon　this；　one　of　the　servants　from　the　Hall　was　placed　in　the
box。

The　alteration　in　his　master's　appearance　evidently　puzzled　the
man。　Besides　the　perplexing　change　already　adverted　to；　there　was
also　a　change　in　Mr。　James　Smith's　expression　and　manner。　Rascal
as　he　was；　I　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　he　looked
startled　and　ashamed　when　he　first　caught　sight　of　his
unfortunate　wife。　The　servant；　who　was　used　to　be　eyed
tyrannically　by　him；　and　ordered　about　roughly；　seeing　him　now
for　the　first　time　abashed　and　silent；　stammered　and　hesitated　on
being　asked　to　swear　to　his　identity。

〃I　can　hardly　say　for　certain；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　addressing　the
justice　in　a　bewildered　manner。　〃He　is　like　my　master；　and　yet　he
isn't。　If　he　wore　whiskers　and　had　his　hair　long；　and　if　he　was；
saying　your　presence；　sir；　a　little　more　rough　and　ready　in　his
way；　I　could　swear　to　him　anywhere　with　a　safe　conscience。〃

Fortunately　for　us；　at　this　moment　Mr。　James　Smith's　feeling　of
uneasiness　at　the　situation　in　which　he　was　placed　changed　to　a
feeling　of　irritation　at　being　coolly　surveyed　and　then　stupidly
doubted　in　the　matter　of　his　identity　by　one　of　his　own　servants。

〃Can't　you　say　in　plain　words；　you　idiot；　whether　you　know　me　or
whether　you　don't？〃　he　called　out；　angrily。

〃That's　his　voice！〃　cried　the　servant；　starting　in　the　box。
〃Whiskers　or　no　whiskers；　that's　him！〃

〃If　there's　any　difficulty；　your　worship；　about　the　gentleman's
hair；〃　said　Mr。　Dark；　coming　forward　with　a　grin；　〃here's　a　small
parcel　which；　I　may　make　so　bold　as　to　say；　will　remove　it。〃
Saying　that；　he　opened　the　parcel；　took　some　locks　of　hair　out　of
it；　and　held　them　up　close　to　Mr。　James　Smith's　head。　〃A　pretty
good　match；　your　worship；〃　continued　Mr。　Dark。　〃I　have　no　doubt
the　gentleman's　head　feels　cooler　now　it's　off。　We　can't　put　the
whiskers　on；　I'm　afraid；　but　they　match　the　hair；　and　they　are　in
the　paper　（if　one　may　say　such　a　thing　of　whiskers）　to　speak　for
themselves。〃

〃Lies！　lies！　lies！〃　screamed　Josephine；　losing　her　wicked
self…control　at　this　stage　of　the　proceedings。

The　justice　made　a　sign　to　two　of　the　constables　present　as　she
burst　out　with　those　exclamations；　and　the　men　removed　her　to　an
adjoining　room。

The　second　servant　from　the　Hall　was　then　put　in　the　box；　and　was
followed　by　one　of　the　tenants。　After　what　they　had　heard　and
seen；　neither　of　these　men　had　any　hesitation　in　swearing
positively　to　their　master's　identity。

〃It　is　quite　unnecessary；〃　said　the　justice；　as　soon　as　the　box
was　empty　again；　〃to　examine　any　more　witnesses　as　to　the
question　of　identity。　All　the　legal　formalities　are　accomplished；
and　the　charge　against　the　prisoners　falls　to　the　ground。　I　have
great　pleasure　in　ordering　the　immediate　discharge　of　both　the
accused　persons；　and　in　declaring　from　this　place　that　they　leave
the　court　without　the　slightest　stain　on　their　characters。〃

He　bowed　low　to　my　mistress　as　he　said　that；　paused　a　moment；　and
then　looked　inquiringly　at　Mr。　James　Smith。

〃I　have　hitherto　abstained　from　making　any　remark　unconnected
with　the　immediate　matter　in　hand；〃　he　went　on。　〃But；　now　that　my
duty　is　done；　I　cannot　leave　this　chair　without　expressing　my
strong　sense　of　disapprobation　of　the　conduct　of　Mr。　James
Smithconduct　which；　whatever　may　be　the　motives　that　occasioned
it；　has　given　a　false　color　of　probability　to　a　most　horrible
charge　against　a　lady　of　unspotted　reputation；　and　against　a
person　in　a　lower　rank　of　life　whose　good　character　ought　not　to
have　been　imperiled　even　for　a　moment。　Mr。　Smith　may　or　may　not
choose　to　explain　his　mysterious　disappearance　from　Darrock　Hall；
and　the　equally　unaccountable　change　which　he　has　chosen　to　make
in　his　personal　appearance。　There　is　no　legal　charge　against　him；
but；　speaking　morally；　I　should　be　unworthy　of　the　place　I　hold
if　I　hesitated　to　declare　my　present　conviction　that　his　conduct
has　been　deceitful；　inconsiderate；　and　unfeeling　in　the　highest
degree。〃

To　this　sharp　reprimand　Mr。　James　Smith　（evidently　tutored
beforehand　as　to　what　he　was　to　say）　replied　that；　in　attending
before　the　justice；　he　wished　to　perform　a　plain　duty　and　to　keep
himself　strictly　within　the　letter　of　the　law。　He　apprehended
that　the　only　legal　obligation　laid　on　him　was　to　attend　in　that
court　to　declare　himself；　and　to　enable　competent　witnesses　to
prove　his　identity。　This　duty　accomplished；　he　had　merely　to　add
that　he　preferred　submitting　to　a　reprimand　from　the　bench　to
entering　into　explanations