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！
was favourable to the prisoner。〃
〃It might be understood so；〃 replied the American doctor；
〃but； really； it was difficult to understand at all。
In fact； we sent it back to him。〃
〃You have no longer； then； any statement signed by the Warden of Brakespeare。〃
〃No。〃
〃I only ask；〃 said Michael quietly； 〃because we have。
To conclude my case I will ask my junior； Mr。 Inglewood；
to read a statement of the true storya statement attested
as true by the signature of the Warden himself。〃
Arthur Inglewood rose with several papers in his hand； and though
he looked somewhat refined and self…effacing； as he always did；
the spectators were surprised to feel that his presence was；
upon the whole； more efficient and sufficing than his leader's。 He was；
in truth； one of those modest men who cannot speak until they are told
to speak； and then can speak well。 Moon was entirely the opposite。
His own impudences amused him in private； but they slightly
embarrassed him in public； he felt a fool while he was speaking；
whereas Inglewood felt a fool only because he could not speak。
The moment he had anything to say he could speak；
and the moment he could speak； speaking seemed quite natural。
Nothing in this universe seemed quite natural to Michael Moon。
〃As my colleague has just explained；〃 said Inglewood； 〃there are
two enigmas or inconsistencies on which we base the defence。
The first is a plain physical fact。 By the admission of everybody；
by the very evidence adduced by the prosecution； it is clear
that the accused was celebrated as a specially good shot。
Yet on both the occasions complained of he shot from a distance of four
or five feet； and shot at him four or five times； and never hit him once。
That is the first startling circumstance on which we base our argument。
The second； as my colleague has urged； is the curious fact that we cannot
find a single victim of these alleged outrages to speak for himself。
Subordinates speak for him。 Porters climb up ladders to him。
But he himself is silent。 Ladies and gentlemen； I propose to explain
on the spot both the riddle of the shots and the riddle of the silence。
I will first of all read the covering letter in which the true account
of the Cambridge incident is contained； and then that document itself。
When you have heard both； there will be no doubt about your decision。
The covering letter runs as follows：
〃Dear Sir；The following is a very exact and even vivid account of the
incident as it really happened at Brakespeare College。 We； the undersigned；
do not see any particular reason why we should refer it to any
isolated authorship。 The truth is； it has been a composite production；
and we have even had some difference of opinion about the adjectives。
But every word of it is true。We are； yours faithfully；
〃Wilfred Emerson Eames；
〃Warden of Brakespeare College； Cambridge。
〃Innocent Smith。
〃The enclosed statement；〃 continued Inglewood； 〃runs as follows：
〃A celebrated English university backs so abruptly on the river；
that it has； so to speak； to be propped up and patched
with all sorts of bridges and semi…detached buildings。
The river splits itself into several small streams and canals；
so that in one or two corners the place has almost the look
of Venice。 It was so especially in the case with which we
are concerned； in which a few flying buttresses or airy ribs of stone
sprang across a strip of water to connect Brakespeare College
with the house of the Warden of Brakespeare。
〃The country around these colleges is flat； but it does not
seem flat when one is thus in the midst of the colleges。
For in these flat fens there are always wandering lakes and lingering
rivers of water。 And these always change what might have been
a scheme of horizontal lines into a scheme of vertical lines。
Wherever there is water the height of high buildings is doubled；
and a British brick house becomes a Babylonian tower。
In that shining unshaken surface the houses hang head
downwards exactly to their highest or lowest chimney。
The coral…coloured cloud seen in that abyss is as far
below the world as its original appears above it。
Every scrap of water is not only a window but a skylight。
Earth splits under men's feet into precipitous aerial perspectives；
into which a bird could as easily wing its way as〃
Dr。 Cyrus Pym rose in protest。 The documents he had put
in evidence had been confined to cold affirmation of fact。
The defence； in a general way； had an indubitable right to put
their case in their own way； but all this landscape gardening
seemed to him （Dr。 Cyrus Pym） to be not up to the business。
〃Will the leader of the defence tell me；〃 he asked； 〃how it can
possibly affect this case； that a cloud was cor'l…coloured；
or that a bird could have winged itself anywhere？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 said Michael； lifting himself lazily；
〃you see； you don't know yet what our defence is。
Till you know that； don't you see； anything may be relevant。
Why； suppose；〃 he said suddenly； as if an idea had struck him；
〃suppose we wanted to prove the old Warden colour…blind。
Suppose he was shot by a black man with white hair； when he
thought he was being shot by a white man with yellow hair！
To ascertain if that cloud was really and truly coral…coloured
might be of the most massive importance。〃
He paused with a seriousness which was hardly generally shared；
and continued with the same fluence： 〃Or suppose we wanted to
maintain that the Warden committed suicidethat he just got Smith
to hold the pistol as Brutus's slave held the sword。 Why； it would
make all the difference whether the Warden could see himself plain
in still water。 Still water has made hundreds of suicides：
one sees oneself so verywell； so very plain。〃
〃Do you； perhaps；〃 inquired Pym with austere irony； 〃maintain that your client
was a bird of some sortsay； a flamingo？〃
〃In the matter of his being a flamingo；〃 said Moon with sudden severity；
〃my client reserves his defence。〃
No one quite knowing what to make of this； Mr。 Moon resumed his seat
and Inglewood resumed the reading of his document：
〃There is something pleasing to a mystic in such a land of mirrors。
For a mystic is one who holds that two worlds are better than one。
In the highest sense； indeed； all thought is reflection。
〃This is the real truth； in the saying that second thoughts are best。
Animals have no second thoughts； man alone is able to see his own
thought double； as a drunkard sees a lamp…post； man alone is able
to see his own thought upside down as one sees a house in a puddle。
This duplication of mentality； as in a mirror； is （we repeat）
the inmost thing of human philosophy。 There is a mystical； even a
monstrous truth； in the statement that two heads are better than one。
But they ought both to grow on the same body。'〃
〃I know it's a little transcendental at first；〃 interposed Inglewood；
beaming round with a broad apology； 〃but you see this document was written
in collaboration by a don and a〃
〃Drunkard； eh？〃 suggested Moses Gould； beginning to enjoy hi