the queen of hearts-第96章

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it　the　Horrors。

Hearing　these　things；　Robert　determined　to　see　if　he　could　not
find　out　something　more　for　himself　by　going　and　inquiring　at　the
public　house；　in　the　character　of　one　of　the　friends　of　the　sick
man　in　bed　upstairs。　He　made　two　important　discoveries。　First；　he
found　out　the　name　and　address　of　the　doctor　in　attendance。
Secondly；　he　entrapped　the　barman　into　mentioning　the　murderous
wretch　by　his　name。　This　last　discovery　adds　an　unspeakably
fearful　interest　to　the　dreadful　misfortune　of　Mary's　death。　Noah
Truscott；　as　she　told　me　herself　in　the　last　conversation　I　ever
had　with　her；　was　the　name　of　the　man　whose　drunken　example
ruined　her　father；　and　Noah　Truscott　is　also　the　name　of　the　man
whose　drunken　fury　killed　her。　There　is　something　that　makes　one
shudder；　something　supernatural　in　this　awful　fact。　Robert　agrees
with　me　that　the　hand　of　Providence　must　have　guided　my　steps　to
that　shop　from　which　all　the　discoveries　since　made　took　their
rise。　He　says　he　believes　we　are　the　instruments　of　effecting　a
righteous　retribution；　and；　if　he　spends　his　last　farthing；　he
will　have　the　investigation　brought　to　its　full　end　in　a　court　of
justice。


May　4th。　Robert　went　to…day　to　consult　a　lawyer　whom　he　knew　in
former　times　The　lawyer　was　much　interested；　though　not　so
seriously　impressed　as　he　ought　to　have　been　by　the　story　of
Mary's　death　and　of　the　events　that　have　followed　it。　He　gave
Robert　a　confidential　letter　to　take　to　the　doctor　in　attendance
on　the　double…dyed　villain　at　the　Red　Lion。　Robert　left　the
letter；　and　called　again　and　saw　the　doctor；　who　said　his　patient
was　getting　better；　and　would　most　likely　be　up　again　in　ten　days
or　a　fortnight。　This　statement　Robert　communicated　to　the　lawyer；
and　the　lawyer　has　undertaken　to　have　the　public　house　properly
watched；　and　the　hunchback　（who　is　the　most　important　witness）
sharply　looked　after　for　the　next　fortnight；　or　longer　if
necessary。　Here；　then；　the　progress　of　this　dreadful　business
stops　for　a　while。


May　5th。　Robert　has　got　a　little　temporary　employment　in
copying　for　his　friend　the　lawyer。　I　am　working　harder　than　ever
at　my　needle；　to　make　up　for　the　time　that　has　been　lost　lately。


May　6th。　To…day　was　Sunday；　and　Robert　proposed　that　we　should
go　and　look　at　Mary's　grave。　He；　who　forgets　nothing　where　a
kindness　is　to　be　done；　has　found　time　to　perform　the　promise　he
made　to　me　on　the　night　when　we　first　met。　The　grave　is　already；
by　his　orders；　covered　with　turf；　and　planted　round　with　shrubs。
Some　flowers；　and　a　low　headstone；　are　to　be　added；　to　make　the
place　look　worthier　of　my　poor　lost　darling　who　is　beneath　it。
Oh；　I　hope　I　shall　live　long　after　I　am　married　to　Robert！　I　want
so　much　time　to　show　him　all　my　gratitude！


May　20th。　A　hard　trial　to　my　courage　to…day。　I　have　given
evidence　at　the　police…office；　and　have　seen　the　monster　who
murdered　her。

I　could　only　look　at　him　once。　I　could　just　see　that　he　was　a
giant　in　size；　and　that　he　kept　his　dull；　lowering；　bestial　face
turned　toward　the　witness…box；　and　his　bloodshot；　vacant　eyes
staring　on　me。　For　an　instant　I　tried　to　confront　that　look；　for
an　instant　I　kept　my　attention　fixed　on　himon　his　blotched
faceon　the　short；　grizzled　hair　above　iton　his　knotty；
murderous　right　hand；　hanging　loose　over　the　bar　in　front　of　him；
like　the　paw　of　a　wild　beast　over　the　edge　of　its　den。　Then　the
horror　of　himthe　double　horror　of　confronting　him；　in　the　first
place；　and　afterward　of　seeing　that　he　was　an　old　manovercame
me；　and　I　turned　away；　faint；　sick；　and　shuddering。　I　never　faced
him　again；　and；　at　the　end　of　my　evidence；　Robert　considerately
took　me　out。

When　we　met　once　more　at　the　end　of　the　examination；　Robert　told
me　that　the　prisoner　never　spoke　and　never　changed　his　position。
He　was　either　fortified　by　the　cruel　composure　of　a　savage；　or
his　faculties　had　not　yet　thoroughly　recovered　from　the　disease
that　had　so　lately　shaken　them。　The　magistrate　seemed　to　doubt　if
he　was　in　his　right　mind；　but　the　evidence　of　the　medical　man
relieved　this　uncertainty；　and　the　prisoner　was　committed　for
trial　on　a　charge　of　manslaughter。

Why　not　on　a　charge　of　murder？　Robert　explained　the　law　to　me
when　I　asked　that　question。　I　accepted　the　explanation；　but　it
did　not　satisfy　me。　Mary　Mallinson　was　killed　by　a　blow　from　the
hand　of　Noah　Truscott。　That　is　murder　in　the　sight　of　God。　Why
not　murder　in　the　sight　of　the　law　also？

*　*　*　*　*　*　*

June　18th。　To…morrow　is　the　day　appointed　for　the　trial　at　the
Old　Bailey。

Before　sunset　this　evening　I　went　to　look　at　Mary's　grave。　The
turf　has　grown　so　green　since　I　saw　it　last；　and　the　flowers　are
springing　up　so　prettily。　A　bird　was　perched　dressing　his
feathers　on　the　low　white　headstone　that　bears　the　inscription　of
her　name　and　age。　I　did　not　go　near　enough　to　disturb　the　little
creature。　He　looked　innocent　and　pretty　on　the　grave；　as　Mary
herself　was　in　her　lifetime。　When　he　flew　away　I　went　and　sat　for
a　little　by　the　headstone；　and　read　the　mournful　lines　on　it。　Oh；
my　love！　my　love！　what　harm　or　wrong　had　you　ever　done　in　this
world；　that　you　should　die　at　eighteen　by　a　blow　from　a
drunkard's　hand？


June　19th。　The　trial。　My　experience　of　what　happened　at　it　is
limited；　like　my　experience　of　the　examination　at　the
police…office；　to　the　time　occupied　in　giving　my　own　evidence。
They　made　me　say　much　more　than　I　said　before　the　magistrate。
Between　examination　and　cross…examination；　I　had　to　go　into
almost　all　the　particulars　about　　poor　Mary　and　her　funeral　that　I
have　written　i　n　this　journal；　the　jury　listening　to　every　word　I
spoke　with　the　most　anxious　attention。　At　the　end；　the　judge　said
a　few　words　to　me　approving　of　my　conduct；　and　then　there　was　a
clapping　of　hands　among　the　people　in　court。　I　was　so　agitated
and　excited　that　I　trembled　all　over　when　they　let　me　go　out　into
the　air　again。

I　looked　at　the　prisoner　both　when　I　entered　the　witness…box　and
when　I　left　it。　The　lowering　brutality　of　his　face　was　unchanged；
but　his　faculties　seemed　to　be　more　alive　and　observant　than　they
were　at　the　police…office。　A　frightful　blue　change　passed　over
his　face；　and　he　drew　his　breath　so　heavily　that　the　gasps　were
distinctly　audible　while　I　mentioned　Mary　by　name　and　described
the　mark　or　the　blow　on　her　temple。　When　they　asked　me　if　I　knew
anything　of　the　prisoner；　and　I　answered　that　I　only　knew　what
Mary　herself　had　told　me　about　his　having　been　her　father's　ruin；
he　gave　a　kind　of　groan；　and　struck　both　his　hands　heavily　on　the
dock。　And　when　I　passed　beneath　him　on　my　way　out　of　court；　he
leaned　over　suddenly；　whether　to　speak　to　me　or　to　strike　me　I
can't　say；　for　he　was　immediately　made　to　stand　upright　again　by
the　turnkeys　on　either　side　of　him。　While　the　evidence　proceeded
（as　Robert　described　it　to　me）；　the　signs　that　he　was　suffering
under　superstitious　terror　became　more　and　more　apparent；　until；
at　last；　just　as　the　lawyer　appointed　to　defend　him　was　rising　to
speak；　he　suddenly　cried　out；　in　a　voice　that　startled　every　one；
up　to　the　very　judge　on　the　bench：　〃Stop！〃

There　was　a　pause；　and　all　eyes　looked　at　him。　The　perspiration
was　pouring　over　his　face　like　water；　and　he　made　strange；
uncouth　signs　with　his　hands　to　the　judge　opposite。　〃Stop　all
this！〃　he　cried　again；　〃I've　been　the　ruin　of　the　father　and　the
death　of　the　child。　Hang　me　before　I　do　more　harm！　Hang　me；　for
God's　sake；　out　of　the　way！〃　As　soon　as　the　shock　produced　by
this　extraordinary　interruption　had　subsided；　he　was　removed；　and
there　followed　a　long　discussion　about　whether　he　was　of　sound
mind　or　not。　The　matter　was　left　to　the　jury　to　decide　by　their
verdict。　They　found　him　guilty　of　the　charge　of　manslaughter；
without　the　excuse　of　insanity。　He　was　brought　up　again；　and
condemned　to　transportation　for　life。　All　he　did；　on　hearing　the
dreadful　sentence；　was　to　reiterate　his　desperate　words：　〃Hang　me
before　I　do　more　harm！　Hang　me；　for　God's　sake；　out　of　the　way！〃


June　20th。　I　made　yesterday's　entry　in　sadness　of　heart；　and　I
have　not　been　better　in　my　spirits　to…day。　It　is　something　to
have　brought　the　mu