three ghost stories-第15章

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a　completed　shape　before　us；　our　discussion　was　more　animated　and

serious。　　Among　our　number　was　a　vestryman；the　densest　idiot　I

have　ever　seen　at　large；who　met　the　plainest　evidence　with　the

most　preposterous　objections；　and　who　was　sided　with　by　two　flabby

parochial　parasites；　all　the　three　impanelled　from　a　district　so

delivered　over　to　Fever　that　they　ought　to　have　been　upon　their　own

trial　for　five　hundred　Murders。　　When　these　mischievous　blockheads

were　at　their　loudest；　which　was　towards　midnight；　while　some　of　us

were　already　preparing　for　bed；　I　again　saw　the　murdered　man。　　He

stood　grimly　behind　them；　beckoning　to　me。　　On　my　going　towards

them；　and　striking　into　the　conversation；　he　immediately　retired。

This　was　the　beginning　of　a　separate　series　of　appearances；　confined

to　that　long　room　in　which　we　were　confined。　　Whenever　a　knot　of　my

brother　jurymen　laid　their　heads　together；　I　saw　the　head　of　the

murdered　man　among　theirs。　　Whenever　their　comparison　of　notes　was

going　against　him；　he　would　solemnly　and　irresistibly　beckon　to　me。



It　will　be　borne　in　mind　that　down　to　the　production　of　the

miniature；　on　the　fifth　day　of　the　trial；　I　had　never　seen　the

Appearance　in　Court。　　Three　changes　occurred　now　that　we　entered　on

the　case　for　the　defence。　　Two　of　them　I　will　mention　together；

first。　　The　figure　was　now　in　Court　continually；　and　it　never　there

addressed　itself　to　me；　but　always　to　the　person　who　was　speaking　at

the　time。　　For　instance：　　the　throat　of　the　murdered　man　had　been

cut　straight　across。　　In　the　opening　speech　for　the　defence；　it　was

suggested　that　the　deceased　might　have　cut　his　own　throat。　　At　that

very　moment；　the　figure；　with　its　throat　in　the　dreadful　condition

referred　to　（this　it　had　concealed　before）；　stood　at　the　speaker's

elbow；　motioning　across　and　across　its　windpipe；　now　with　the　right

hand；　now　with　the　left；　vigorously　suggesting　to　the　speaker

himself　the　impossibility　of　such　a　wound　having　been　self…inflicted

by　either　hand。　　For　another　instance：　　a　witness　to　character；　a

woman；　deposed　to　the　prisoner's　being　the　most　amiable　of　mankind。

The　figure　at　that　instant　stood　on　the　floor　before　her；　looking

her　full　in　the　face；　and　pointing　out　the　prisoner's　evil

countenance　with　an　extended　arm　and　an　outstretched　finger。



The　third　change　now　to　be　added　impressed　me　strongly　as　the　most

marked　and　striking　of　all。　　I　do　not　theorise　upon　it；　I　accurately

state　it；　and　there　leave　it。　　Although　the　Appearance　was　not

itself　perceived　by　those　whom　it　addressed；　its　coming　close　to

such　persons　was　invariably　attended　by　some　trepidation　or

disturbance　on　their　part。　　It　seemed　to　me　as　if　it　were　prevented；

by　laws　to　which　I　was　not　amenable；　from　fully　revealing　itself　to

others；　and　yet　as　if　it　could　invisibly；　dumbly；　and　darkly

overshadow　their　minds。　　When　the　leading　counsel　for　the　defence

suggested　that　hypothesis　of　suicide；　and　the　figure　stood　at　the

learned　gentleman's　elbow；　frightfully　sawing　at　its　severed　throat；

it　is　undeniable　that　the　counsel　faltered　in　his　speech；　lost　for　a

few　seconds　the　thread　of　his　ingenious　discourse；　wiped　his

forehead　with　his　handkerchief；　and　turned　extremely　pale。　　When　the

witness　to　character　was　confronted　by　the　Appearance；　her　eyes　most

certainly　did　follow　the　direction　of　its　pointed　finger；　and　rest

in　great　hesitation　and　trouble　upon　the　prisoner's　face。　　Two

additional　illustrations　will　suffice。　　On　the　eighth　day　of　the

trial；　after　the　pause　which　was　every　day　made　early　in　the

afternoon　for　a　few　minutes'　rest　and　refreshment；　I　came　back　into

Court　with　the　rest　of　the　Jury　some　little　time　before　the　return

of　the　Judges。　　Standing　up　in　the　box　and　looking　about　me；　I

thought　the　figure　was　not　there；　until；　chancing　to　raise　my　eyes

to　the　gallery；　I　saw　it　bending　forward；　and　leaning　over　a　very

decent　woman；　as　if　to　assure　itself　whether　the　Judges　had　resumed

their　seats　or　not。　　Immediately　afterwards　that　woman　screamed；

fainted；　and　was　carried　out。　　So　with　the　venerable；　sagacious；　and

patient　Judge　who　conducted　the　trial。　　When　the　case　was　over；　and

he　settled　himself　and　his　papers　to　sum　up；　the　murdered　man；

entering　by　the　Judges'　door；　advanced　to　his　Lordship's　desk；　and

looked　eagerly　over　his　shoulder　at　the　pages　of　his　notes　which　he

was　turning。　　A　change　came　over　his　Lordship's　face；　his　hand

stopped；　the　peculiar　shiver；　that　I　knew　so　well；　passed　over　him；

he　faltered；　〃Excuse　me；　gentlemen；　for　a　few　moments。　　I　am

somewhat　oppressed　by　the　vitiated　air；〃　and　did　not　recover　until

he　had　drunk　a　glass　of　water。



Through　all　the　monotony　of　six　of　those　interminable　ten　days；the

same　Judges　and　others　on　the　bench；　the　same　Murderer　in　the　dock；

the　same　lawyers　at　the　table；　the　same　tones　of　question　and　answer

rising　to　the　roof　of　the　court；　the　same　scratching　of　the　Judge's

pen；　the　same　ushers　going　in　and　out；　the　same　lights　kindled　at

the　same　hour　when　there　had　been　any　natural　light　of　day；　the　same

foggy　curtain　outside　the　great　windows　when　it　was　foggy；　the　same

rain　pattering　and　dripping　when　it　was　rainy；　the　same　footmarks　of

turnkeys　and　prisoner　day　after　day　on　the　same　sawdust；　the　same

keys　locking　and　unlocking　the　same　heavy　doors；through　all　the

wearisome　monotony　which　made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　been　Foreman　of

the　Jury　for　a　vast　cried　of　time；　and　Piccadilly　had　flourished

coevally　with　Babylon；　the　murdered　man　never　lost　one　trace　of　his

distinctness　in　my　eyes；　nor　was　he　at　any　moment　less　distinct　than

anybody　else。　　I　must　not　omit；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　that　I　never

once　saw　the　Appearance　which　I　call　by　the　name　of　the　murdered　man

look　at　the　Murderer。　　Again　and　again　I　wondered；　〃Why　does　he

not？〃　　But　he　never　did。



Nor　did　he　look　at　me；　after　the　production　of　the　miniature；　until

the　last　closing　minutes　of　the　trial　arrived。　　We　retired　to

consider；　at　seven　minutes　before　ten　at　night。　　The　idiotic

vestryman　and　his　two　parochial　parasites　gave　us　so　much　trouble

that　we　twice　returned　into　Court　to　beg　to　have　certain　extracts

from　the　Judge's　notes　re…read。　　Nine　of　us　had　not　the　smallest

doubt　about　those　passages；　neither；　I　believe；　had　any　one　in　the

Court；　the　dunder…headed　triumvirate；　having　no　idea　but

obstruction；　disputed　them　for　that　very　reason。　　At　length　we

prevailed；　and　finally　the　Jury　returned　into　Court　at　ten　minutes

past　twelve。



The　murdered　man　at　that　time　stood　directly　opposite　the　Jury…box；

on　the　other　side　of　the　Court。　　As　I　took　my　place；　his　eyes　rested

on　me　with　great　attention；　he　seemed　satisfied；　and　slowly　shook　a

great　gray　veil；　which　he　carried　on　his　arm　for　the　first　time；

over　his　head　and　whole　form。　　As　I　gave　in　our　verdict；　〃Guilty；〃

the　veil　collapsed；　all　was　gone；　and　his　place　was　empty。



The　Murderer；　being　asked　by　the　Judge；　according　to　usage；　whether

he　had　anything　to　say　before　sentence　of　Death　should　be　passed

upon　him；　indistinctly　muttered　something　which　was　described　in　the

leading　newspapers　of　the　following　day　as　〃a　few　rambling；

incoherent；　and　half…audible　words；　in　which　he　was　understood　to

complain　that　he　had　not　had　a　fair　trial；　because　the　Foreman　of

the　Jury　was　prepossessed　against　him。〃　　The　remarkable　declaration

that　he　really　made　was　this：　　〃MY　LORD；　I　KNEW　I　WAS　A　DOOMED　MAN；

WHEN　THE　FOREMAN　OF　MY　JURY　CAME　INTO　THE　BOX。　　MY　LORD；　I　KNEW　HE

WOULD　NEVER　LET　ME　OFF；　BECAUSE；　BEFORE　I　WAS　TAKEN；　HE　SOMEHOW　GOT

TO　MY　BEDSIDE　IN　THE　NIGHT；　WOKE　ME；　AND　PUT　A　ROPE　ROUND　MY　NECK。〃











End