按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and there will be some deed of violence done with the crozier or the alb。
Rear him in a happy nursery； amid our brave…browed Anglo…Saxon infancy；
and he will find some way to strangle with the skipping…rope
or brain with the brick。 Circumstances may be favourable；
training may be admirable； hopes may be high； but the huge elemental
hunger of Innocent Smith for blood will in its appointed season
burst like a well…timed bomb。〃
Arthur Inglewood glanced curiously for an instant at the huge creature
at the foot of the table； who was fitting a paper figure with a cocked hat；
and then looked back at Dr。 Pym； who was concluding in a quieter tone。
〃It only remains for us；〃 he said； 〃to bring forward actual evidence
of his previous attempts。 By an agreement already made with the Court
and the leaders of the defence； we are permitted to put in evidence authentic
letters from witnesses to these scenes； which the defence is free to examine。
Out of several cases of such outrages we have decided to select one
the clearest and most scandalous。 I will therefore； without further delay；
call on my junior； Mr。 Gould； to read two lettersone from the Sub…Warden and
the other from the porter of Brakespeare College； in Cambridge University。〃
Gould jumped up with a jerk like a jack…in…the…box； an academic…looking
paper in his hand and a fever of importance on his face。
He began in a loud； high； cockney voice that was as abrupt
as a cock…crow：
〃Sir；Hi am the Sub…Warden of Brikespeare College； Cambridge〃
〃Lord have mercy on us；〃 muttered Moon； making a backward movement as men
do when a gun goes off。
〃Sir；Hi am the Sub…Warden of Brikespeare College； Cambridge；〃
proclaimed the uncompromising Moses； 〃and I can endorse the description
you gave of the un'appy Smith。 It was not alone my unfortunate duty
to rebuke many of the lesser violences of his undergraduate period；
but I was actually a witness to the last iniquity which terminated
that period。 Hi happened to passing under the house of my friend
the Warden of Brikespeare； which is semi…detached from the College
and connected with it by two or three very ancient arches or props；
like bridges； across a small strip of water connected with the river。
To my grave astonishment I be'eld my eminent friend suspended in mid…air
and clinging to one of these pieces of masonry； his appearance and
attitude indicatin' that he suffered from the grivest apprehensions。
After a short time I heard two very loud shots； and distinctly perceived
the unfortunate undergraduate Smith leaning far out of the Warden's
window and aiming at the Warden repeatedly with a revolver。
Upon seeing me； Smith burst into a loud laugh （in which
impertinence was mingled with insanity）； and appeared to desist。
I sent the college porter for a ladder； and he succeeded in detaching
the Warden from his painful position。 Smith was sent down。
The photograph I enclose is from the group of the University Rifle Club
prizemen； and represents him as he was when at the College。Hi am；
your obedient servant； Amos Boulter。〃
〃The other letter；〃 continued Gould in a glow of triumph； 〃is from the porter；
and won't take long to read。
〃Dear Sir；It is quite true that I am the porter of Brikespeare College；
and that I 'elped the Warden down when the young man was shooting at him；
as Mr。 Boulter has said in his letter。 The young man who was shooting at
him was Mr。 Smith； the same that is in the photograph Mr。 Boulter sends。
Yours respectfully； Samuel Barker。〃
Gould handed the two letters across to Moon； who examined them。
But for the vocal divergences in the matter of h's and a's；
the Sub…Warden's letter was exactly as Gould had rendered it；
and both that and the porter's letter were plainly genuine。
Moon handed them to Inglewood； who handed them back in silence
to Moses Gould。
〃So far as this first charge of continual attempted murder is concerned；〃
said Dr。 Pym； standing up for the last time； 〃that is my case。〃
Michael Moon rose for the defence with an air of depression which gave
little hope at the outset to the sympathizers with the prisoner。
He did not； he said； propose to follow the doctor into doctor
into the abstract questions。 〃I do not know enough to be
an agnostic；〃 he said； rather wearily； 〃and I can only master
the known and admitted elements in such controversies。
As for science and religion； the known and admitted facts
are plain enough。 All that the parsons say is unproved。
All that the doctors say is disproved。 That's the only difference
between science and religion there's ever been； or will be。
Yet these new discoveries touch me； somehow；〃 he said；
looking down sorrowfully at his boots。 〃They remind me of a dear
old great…aunt of mine who used to enjoy them in her youth。
It brings tears to my eyes。 I can see the old bucket by the garden
fence and the line of shimmering poplars behind〃
〃Hi！ here； stop the 'bus a bit；〃 cried Mr。 Moses Gould； rising in a sort
of perspiration。 〃We want to give the defence a fair runlike gents；
you know； but any gent would draw the line at shimmering poplars。〃
〃Well； hang it all；〃 said Moon； in an injured manner； 〃if Dr。 Pym
may have an old friend with ferrets； why mayn't I have an old
aunt with poplars？〃
〃I am sure；〃 said Mrs。 Duke； bridling； with something almost
like a shaky authority； 〃Mr。 Moon may have what aunts he likes。〃
〃Why； as to liking her；〃 began Moon； 〃Ibut perhaps；
as you say； she is scarcely the core of the question。
I repeat that I do not mean to follow the abstract speculation。
For； indeed； my answer to Dr。 Pym is simple and severely concrete。
Dr。 Pym has only treated one side of the psychology of murder。
If it is true that there is a kind of man who has a natural
tendency to murder； is it not equally true〃here he lowered
his voice and spoke with a crushing quietude and earnestness〃is
it not equally true that there is a kind of man who has
a natural tendency to get murdered？ Is it not at least
a hypothesis holding the field that Dr。 Warner is such a man？
I do not speak without the book； any more than my learned friend。
The whole matter is expounded in Dr。 Moonenschein's monumental work；
‘The Destructible Doctor；' with diagrams； showing the various ways
in which such a person as Dr。 Warner may be resolved into his elements。
In the light of these facts〃
〃Hi； stop the 'bus！ stop the 'bus！〃 cried Moses； jumping up and down and
gesticulating in great excitement。 〃My principal's got something to say！
My principal wants to do a bit of talkin'。〃
Dr。 Pym was indeed on his feet； looking pallid and rather vicious。
〃I have strictly CON…fined myself；〃 he said nasally；
〃to books to which immediate reference can be made。
I have Sonnenschein's ‘Destructive Type' here on the table；
if the defence wish to see it。 Where is this wonderful work
on Destructability Mr。 Moon is talking about？ Does it exist？
Can he produce it？〃
〃Produce it！〃 cried the Irishman with a rich scorn。
〃I'll produce it in a week if you'll pay for the ink and paper。〃
〃Would it have much authority？〃 asked Pym； sitting down。
〃Oh； authority！〃 said Moon lightly； 〃that depends on a f