manalive-第31章
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And at other times he would play the stranger exactly in the opposite sense；
and would enter by another way； so as to feel like a thief and a robber。
He would break and violate his own home； as he had done with me that night。
It was near morning before I could tear myself from this queer confidence
of the Man Who Would Not Die； and as I shook hands with him on the doorstep
the last load of fog was lifting； and rifts of daylight revealed the stairway
of irregular street levels that looked like the end of the world。
〃It will be enough for many to say that I had passed a night with a maniac。
What other term； it will be said； could be applied to such a being？
A man who reminds himself that he is married by pretending not to be married！
A man who tries to covet his own goods instead of his neighbor's！ On
this I have but one word to say； and I feel it of my honour to say it；
though no one understands。 I believe the maniac was one of those who
do not merely come； but are sent； sent like a great gale upon ships
by Him who made His angels winds and His messengers a flaming fire。
This； at least； I know for certain。 Whether such men have laughed
or wept； we have laughed at their laughter as much as at their weeping。
Whether they cursed or blessed the world； they have never fitted it。
It is true that men have shrunk from the sting of a great satirist
as if from the sting of an adder。 But it is equally true that men flee
from the embrace of a great optimist as from the embrace of a bear。
Nothing brings down more curses than a real benediction。
For the goodness of good things； like the badness of bad things；
is a prodigy past speech； it is to be pictured rather than spoken。
We shall have gone deeper than the deeps of heaven and grown older than
the oldest angels before we feel； even in its first faint vibrations；
the everlasting violence of that double passion with which God hates
and loves the world。I am； yours faithfully；
〃Raymond Percy。〃
〃Oh； 'oly； 'oly； 'oly！〃 said Mr。 Moses Gould。
The instant he had spoken all the rest knew they had been
in an almost religious state of submission and assent。
Something had bound them together； something in the sacred tradition
of the last two words of the letter； something also in the touching
and boyish embarrassment with which Inglewood had read them
for he had all the thin…skinned reverence of the agnostic。
Moses Gould was as good a fellow in his way as ever lived；
far kinder to his family than more refined men of pleasure；
simple and steadfast in his admiration； a thoroughly wholesome
animal and a thoroughly genuine character。 But wherever there
is conflict； crises come in which any soul； personal or racial；
unconsciously turns on the world the most hateful of its hundred faces。
English reverence； Irish mysticism； American idealism；
looked up and saw on the face of Moses a certain smile。
It was that smile of the Cynic Triumphant； which has been the tocsin
for many a cruel riot in Russian villages or mediaeval towns。
〃Oh； 'oly； 'oly； 'oly！〃 said Moses Gould。
Finding that this was not well received； he explained further；
exuberance deepening on his dark exuberant features。
〃Always fun to see a bloke swallow a wasp when 'e's corfin' up a fly；〃
he said pleasantly。 〃Don't you see you've bunged up old Smith anyhow。
If this parson's tale's O。K。why； Smith is 'ot。 'E's pretty 'ot。
We find him elopin' with Miss Gray （best respects！） in a cab。
Well； what abart this Mrs。 Smith the curate talks of； with her
blarsted shynesstransmigogrified into a blighted sharpness？
Miss Gray ain't been very sharp； but I reckon she'll be pretty shy。〃
〃Don't be a brute；〃 growled Michael Moon。
None could lift their eyes to look at Mary； but Inglewood sent a glance
along the table at Innocent Smith。 He was still bowed above his paper toys；
and a wrinkle was on his forehead that might have been worry or shame。
He carefully plucked out one corner of a complicated paper and tucked it
in elsewhere； then the wrinkle vanished and he looked relieved。
Chapter III
The Round Road；
or； the Desertion Charge
Pym rose with sincere embarrassment； for he was an American；
and his respect for ladies was real； and not at all scientific。
〃Ignoring；〃 he said； 〃the delicate and considerable knightly protests
that have been called forth by my colleague's native sense of oration；
and apologizing to all for whom our wild search for truth seems unsuitable
to the grand ruins of a feudal land； I still think my colleague's question
by no means devoid of rel'vancy。 The last charge against the accused was
one of burglary； the next charge on the paper is of bigamy and desertion。
It does without question appear that the defence； in aspiring to rebut
this last charge； have really admitted the next。 Either Innocent Smith
is still under a charge of attempted burglary； or else that is exploded；
but he is pretty well fixed for attempted bigamy。 It all depends on
what view we take of the alleged letter from Curate Percy。 Under these
conditions I feel justified in claiming my right to questions。
May I ask how the defence got hold of the letter from Curate Percy？ Did it
come direct from the prisoner？〃
〃We have had nothing direct from the prisoner；〃 said Moon quietly。
〃The few documents which the defence guarantees came to us
from another quarter。〃
〃From what quarter？〃 asked Dr。 Pym。
〃If you insist；〃 answered Moon； 〃we had them from Miss Gray。
〃Dr。 Cyrus Pym quite forgot to close his eyes； and； instead；
opened them very wide。
〃Do you really mean to say；〃 he said； 〃that Miss Gray was in possession
of this document testifying to a previous Mrs。 Smith？〃
〃Quite so；〃 said Inglewood； and sat down。
The doctor said something about infatuation in a low and painful voice；
and then with visible difficulty continued his opening remarks。
〃Unfortunately the tragic truth revealed by Curate Percy's narrative
is only too crushingly confirmed by other and shocking documents
in our own possession。 Of these the principal and most certain is
the testimony of Innocent Smith's gardener； who was present at the most
dramatic and eye…opening of his many acts of marital infidelity。
Mr。 Gould； the gardener； please。〃
Mr。 Gould； with his tireless cheerfulness； arose to present the gardener。
That functionary explained that he had served Mr。 and Mrs。 Innocent Smith when
they had a little house on the edge of Croydon。 From the gardener's tale；
with its many small allusions； Inglewood grew certain he had seen the place。
It was one of those corners of town or country that one does not forget；
for it looked like a frontier。 The garden hung very high above
the lane； and its end was steep and sharp； like a fortress。
Beyond was a roll of real country； with a white path sprawling across it；
and the roots； boles； and branches of great gray trees writhing and twisting
against the sky。 But as if to assert that the lane itself was suburban；
were sharply relieved against that gray and tossing upland a lamp…post
that stood exactly at the corner。 Inglewood was sure of the place；
he had passed it twenty times in his constitutionals on the bicycle；
he had always dimly felt it was a place where something might occur。
But it gave him quite a shiver to feel that the face of his frightful friend
or enemy Smith might at any time have appeared over the garden bushes above。
The gardener's account； unlike like the curate's； was quite free
from decorative adjectives； however many he may have uttered privately
when writing it。 He simply said that on a particular morning Mr。 Smith
came out and began to play about with a rake； as he often did。
Sometimes he would tickle the nose of his eldest child （he had two children）；
sometimes he would hook the rake on to the branch of a tree；
and hoist himself up with horrible gymnastic jerks； like those of
a giant frog in its final agony。 Never； apparently； did he think
of putting the rake to any of its proper uses； and the gardener；
in consequence； treated his actions with coldness and brevity。
But t
