criminal psychology-第112章

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Even　her　simplest　affirmation　or　denial　is　not　honest。　Her　‘‘no''　is　not　definite；　e。　g。；　her　‘‘no''　to　a　man's　demands。　Still　further；　when　a　man　affirms　or　denies　and　there　is　some　limitation　to　his　assertion。　He　either　announces　it　expressly　or　the　more　trained　ear　　recognizes　its　presence　in　the　failure　to　conclude；　in　a　hesitation　of　the　tone。　But　the　woman　says　‘‘yes''　and　‘‘no；''　even　when　only　a　small　portion　of　one　or　the　other　asserts　a　truth　behind　which　she　can　hide　herself；　and　this　is　a　matter　to　keep　in　mind　in　the　courtroom。

Also　the　art　of　deception　or　concealment　depends　on　dishonesty　rather　than　on　pure　deceit；　because　it　consists　much　more　in　the　use　of　whatever　is　at　hand；　and　in　suppression　of　material；　than　on　direct　lies。　So；　when　the　proverb　says　that　a　woman　was　ill　only　three　times　during　the　course　of　the　year；　but　each　time　for　four　months；　it　will　be　unjust　to　say　that　she　intentionally　denies　a　year…　long　illness。　She　does　not；　but　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　is　ill　at　least　thirteen　times　a　year；　and　besides；　her　weak　physique　causes　her　to　feel　frequently　unwell。　So　she　does　not　lie　about　her　illness。　But　then　she　does　not　immediately　announce　her　recovery　and　permits　people　to　nurse　and　protect　her　even　when　she　has　no　need　of　it。　Perhaps　she　does　so　because；　in　the　course　of　the　centuries；　she　found　it　necessary　to　magnify　her　little　troubles　in　order　to　protect　herself　against　brutal　men；　and　had；　therefore；　to　forge　the　weapon　of　dishonesty。　So　Schopenhauer　agrees：　‘‘Nature　has　given　women　only　one　means　of　protection　and　defencehypocrisy；　this　is　congenital　with　them；　and　the　use　of　it　is　as　natural　as　the　animal's　use　of　its　claws。　Women　feel　they　have　a　certain　degree　of　justification　for　their　hypocrisy。''

With　this　hypocrisy　we　have；　as　lawyers；　to　wage　a　constant　battle。　Quite　apart　from　the　various　ills　and　diseases　which　women　assume　before　the　judge；　everything　else　is　pretended；　innocence；　love　of　children；　spouses；　and　parents；　pain　at　loss　and　despair　at　reproaches；　a　breaking　heart　at　separation；　and　piety；in　short；　whatever　may　be　useful。　This　subjects　the　examining　justice　to　the　dangers　and　difficulties　of　being　either　too　harsh；　or　being　fooled。　He　can　save　himself　much　trouble　by　remembering　that　in　this　simulation　there　is　much　dishonesty　and　few　lies。　The　simulation　is　rarely　thorough…going；　it　is　an　intensification　of　something　actually　there。

And　now　think　of　the　tears　which　are　wept　before　every　man；　and　not　least；　before　the　criminal　judge。　Popular　proverbs　tend　to　undervalue；　often　to　distrust　tearful　women。　Mantegazza＇1＇　points　out　that　every　man　over　thirty　can　recall　scenes　in　which　it　was　difficult　to　determine　how　much　of　a　woman's　tears　meant　real　　pain；　and　how　much　was　voluntarily　shed。　In　the　notion　that　tears　represent　a　mixture　of　poetry　and　truth；　we　shall　find　the　correct　solution。　It　would　be　interesting　to　question　female　virtuosos　in　tears　（when　women　see　that　they　can　really　teach　they　are　quite　often　honest）　about　the　matter。　The　questioner　would　inevitably　learn　that　it　is　impossible　to　weep　at　will　and　without　reason。　Only　a　child　can　do　that。　Tears　require　a　definite　reason　and　a　certain　amount　of　time　which　may　be　reduced　by　great　practice　to　a　minimum；　but　even　that　minimum　requires　some　duration。　Stories　in　novels　and　comic　papers　in　which　women　weep　bitterly　about　a　denied　new　coat；　are　fairy　tales；　in　point　of　fact　the　lady　begins　by　feeling　hurt　because　her　husband　refused　to　buy　her　the　thing；　then　she　thinks　that　he　has　recently　refused　to　buy　her　a　dress；　and　to　take　her　to　the　theatre；　that　at　the　same　time　he　looks　unfriendly　and　walks　away　to　the　window；　that　indeed；　she　is　really　a　pitiful；　misunderstood；　immeasurably　unhappy　woman；　and　after　this　crescendo；　which　often　occurs　presto　prestissimo；　the　stream　of　tears　breaks　through。　Some　tiny　reason；　a　little　time；　a　little　auto…　suggestion；　and　a　little　imagination；these　can　keep　every　woman　weeping　eternally；　and　these　tears　can　always　leave　us　cold。　Beware；　however；　of　the　silent　tears　of　real　pain；　especially　of　hurt　innocence。　These　must　not　be　mistaken　for　the　first。　If　they　are；　much　harm　may　be　done；　for　these　tears；　if　they　do　not　represent　penitence　for　guilt；　are　real　evidences　of　innocence。　I　once　believed　that　the　surest　mark　of　such　tears　was　the　deceiving　attempt　to　beat　down　and　suppress　them；　an　attempt　which　is　made　with　elementary　vigor。　But　even　this　attempt　to　fight　them　off　is　frequently　not　quite　real。


＇1＇　Fisiologia　del　dolore。　Firenze　1880。


As　with　tears；　so　with　fainting。　The　greater　number　of　fainting　fits　are　either　altogether　false；　or　something　between　fainting　and　wakefulness。　Women　certainly；　whether　as　prisoners　or　witnesses；　are　often　very　uncomfortable　in　court；　and　if　the　discomfort　is　followed　immediately　by　illness；　dizziness；　and　great　fear；　fainting　is　natural。　If　only　a　little　exaggeration；　auto…suggestion；　relaxation；　and　the　attempt　to　dodge　the　unpleasant　circumstance　are　added；　then　the　fainting　fit　is　ready　to　order；　and　the　effect　is　generally　in　favor　of　the　fainter。　Although　it　is　wrong　to　assume　beforehand　that　fainting　is　a　comedy；　it　is　necessary　to　beware　of　deception。

An　interesting　question；　which；　thank　heaven；　does　not　concern　the　criminal　justice；　is　whether　women　can　keep　their　word。　When　a　criminalist　permits　a　woman　to　promise　not　to　tell　anybody　else　　of　her　testimony；　or　some　similar　navet