manalive-第37章
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such a type； when freed from the gigantic embraces of a female Patagonian；
will often evolve from its own imaginative instinct the consoling figure of
an Eskimo。 To such a type there can be no doubt that the prisoner belongs。
If blind doom and unbearable temptation constitute any slight excuse
for a man； there is no doubt that he has these excuses。
〃Earlier in the inquiry the defence showed real chivalric
ideality in admitting half of our story without further dispute。
We should like to acknowledge and imitate so eminently large…hearted
a style by conceding also that the story told by Curate Percy about
the canoe； the weir； and the young wife seems to be substantially true。
Apparently Smith did marry a young woman he had nearly run down in a boat；
it only remains to be considered whether it would not have been
kinder of him to have murdered her instead of marrying her。
In confirmation of this fact I can now con…cede to the defence
an unquestionable record of such a marriage。〃
So saying； he handed across to Michael a cutting from the
〃Maidenhead Gazette〃 which distinctly recorded the marriage
of the daughter of a 〃coach；〃 a tutor well known in the place；
to Mr。 Innocent Smith； late of Brakespeare College； Cambridge。
When Dr。 Pym resumed it was realized that his face had grown
at once both tragic and triumphant。
〃I pause upon this pre…liminary fact；〃 he said seriously；
〃because this fact alone would give us the victory；
were we aspiring after victory and not after truth。
As far as the personal and domestic problem holds us；
that problem is solved。 Dr。 Warner and I entered this house at
an instant of highly emotional diff'culty。 England's Warner has
entered many houses to save human kind from sickness； this time
he entered to save an innocent lady from a walking pestilence。
Smith was just about to carry away a young girl from this house；
his cab and bag were at the very door。 He had told her she was
going to await the marriage license at the house of his aunt。
That aunt；〃 continued Cyrus Pym； his face darkening grandly〃that
visionary aunt had been the dancing will…o'…the…wisp
who had led many a high…souled maiden to her doom。
Into how many virginal ears has he whispered that holy word？
When he said ‘aunt' there glowed about her all the merriment
and high morality of the Anglo…Saxon home。 Kettles began to hum；
pussy cats to purr； in that very wild cab that was being
driven to destruction。〃
Inglewood looked up； to find； to his astonishment （as many another
denizen of the eastern hemisphere has found）； that the American was
not only perfectly serious； but was really eloquent and affecting
when the difference of the hemispheres was adjusted。
〃It is therefore atrociously evident that the man Smith has at
least represented himself to one innocent female of this house
as an eligible bachelor； being； in fact； a married man。 I agree with
my colleague； Mr。 Gould； that no other crime could approximate to this。
As to whether what our ancestors called purity has any ultimate ethical
value indeed； science hesitates with a high； proud hesitation。
But what hesitation can there be about the baseness of a citizen
who ventures； by brutal experiments upon living females； to anticipate
the verdict of science on such a point？
〃The woman mentioned by Curate Percy as living with Smith
in Highbury may or may not be the same as the lady he married
in Maidenhead。 If one short sweet spell of constancy and heart
repose interrupted the plunging torrent of his profligate life；
we will not deprive him of that long past possibility。
After that conjectural date； alas； he seems to have plunged deeper
and deeper into the shaking quagmires of infidelity and shame。〃
Dr。 Pym closed his eyes； but the unfortunate fact that there was no more
light left this familiar signal without its full and proper moral effect。
After a pause； which almost partook of the character of prayer； he continued。
〃The first instance of the accused's repeated and irregular nuptials；〃
he exclaimed； 〃comes from Lady Bullingdon； who expresses herself
with the high haughtiness which must be excused in those who look
out upon all mankind from the turrets of a Norman and ancestral keep。
The communication she has sent to us runs as follows：
〃Lady Bullingdon recalls the painful incident to which reference
is made； and has no desire to deal with it in detail。
The girl Polly Green was a perfectly adequate dressmaker；
and lived in the village for about two years。 Her unattached
condition was bad for her as well as for the general morality
of the village。 Lady Bullingdon； therefore； allowed it to be
understood that she favoured the marriage of the young woman。
The villagers； naturally wishing to oblige Lady Bullingdon；
came forward in several cases； and all would have been well had it
not been for the deplorable eccentricity or depravity of the girl
Green herself。 Lady Bullingdon supposes that where there is
a village there must be a village idiot； and in her village；
it seems； there was one of these wretched creatures。
Lady Bullingdon only saw him once； and she is quite aware
that it is really difficult to distinguish between actual
idiots and the ordinary heavy type of the rural lower classes。
She noticed； however； the startling smallness of his head
in comparison to the rest of his body； and； indeed； the fact
of his having appeared upon election day wearing the rosette
of both the two opposing parties appears to Lady Bullingdon
to put the matter quite beyond doubt。 Lady Bullingdon was
astounded to learn that this afflicted being had put himself
forward as one of the suitors of the girl in question。
Lady Bullingdon's nephew interviewed the wretch upon the point；
telling him that he was a ‘donkey' to dream of such a thing；
and actually received； along with an imbecile grin；
the answer that donkeys generally go after carrots。
But Lady Bullingdon was yet further amazed to find the unhappy
girl inclined to accept this monstrous proposal； though she
was actually asked in marriage by Garth； the undertaker； a man
in a far superior position to her own。 Lady Bullingdon could not；
of course； countenance such an arrangement for a moment；
and the two unhappy persons escaped for a clandestine marriage。
Lady Bullingdon cannot exactly recall the man's name；
but thinks it was Smith。 He was always called in the village
the Innocent。 Later； Lady Bullingdon believes he murdered
Green in a mental outbreak。〃
〃The next communication；〃 proceeded Pym； 〃is more conspicuous for brevity；
but I am of the opinion that it will adequately convey the upshot。
It is dated from the offices of Messrs。 Hanbury and Bootle； publishers；
and is as follows：
〃Sir；Yrs。 rcd。 and conts。 noted。 Rumour re typewriter possibly refers
to a Miss Blake or similar name； left here nine years ago to marry an
organ…grinder。 Case was undoubtedly curious； and attracted police attention。
Girl worked excellently till about Oct。 1907； when apparently went mad。
Record was written at the time； part of which I enclose。
Yrs。； etc。； W。 Trip。〃
〃The fuller statement runs as follows：
〃On October 12 a letter was sent from this office to Messrs。
Bernard and Juke； bookbinders。 Opened by Mr。 Juke； it was found
to contain the following： ‘Sir； our Mr。 Trip will call at 3；
as we wish to know whether it is really decided 00000073bb！！！！！xy。'
To this Mr。 Juke； a person of a playful mind； returned the answer：
‘Sir； I am in a position to give it as my most decided opinion
that it is not really decided that 00000073bb！！！！！xy。' Yrs。； etc。；
‘J。 Juke。'
〃On receiving this extraordinary reply； our Mr。 Trip asked for the original
letter sent from him； and found that the typewriter had indeed substituted
these demented hieroglyphics for the sentences really dictated to her。
Our Mr。 Trip interviewed the girl； fearing that she was in an
unbalanced state； and was not much reassured when she merely remarked
that she always went like that when she heard the barrel organ。
Becoming yet more hysterical and extravagant； she made a series of most
improbable statementsas；
