justice-第4部分

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　actually　goes　in　terror　of　her　life。　　I　am　not；　of　course；　saying　that　it's　either　right　or　desirable　for　a　young　man　to　fall　in　love　with　a　married　woman；　or　that　it's　his　business　to　rescue　her　from　an　ogre…like　husband。　　I'm　not　saying　anything　of　the　sort。　　But　we　all　know　the　power　of　the　passion　of　love；　and　I　would　ask　you　to　remember；　gentlemen；　in　listening　to　her　evidence；　that；　married　to　a　drunken　and　violent　husband；　she　has　no　power　to　get　rid　of　him；　for；　as　you　know；　another　offence　besides　violence　is　necessary　to　enable　a　woman　to　obtain　a　divorce；　and　of　this　offence　it　does　not　appear　that　her　husband　is　guilty。

JUDGE。　　Is　this　relevant；　Mr。　Frome？

FROME。　　My　lord；　I　submit；　extremelyI　shall　be　able　to　show　your　lordship　that　directly。

JUDGE。　　Very　well。

FROME。　　In　these　circumstances；　what　alternatives　were　left　to　her？　She　could　either　go　on　living　with　this　drunkard；　in　terror　of　her　life；　or　she　could　apply　to　the　Court　for　a　separation　order。　　Well；　gentlemen；　my　experience　of　such　cases　assures　me　that　this　would　have　given　her　very　insufficient　protection　from　the　violence　of　such　a　man；　and　even　if　effectual　would　very　likely　have　reduced　her　either　to　the　workhouse　or　the　streetsfor　it's　not　easy；　as　she　is　now　finding；　for　an　unskilled　woman　without　means　of　livelihood　to　support　herself　and　her　children　without　resorting　either　to　the　Poor　Law　orto　speak　quite　plainlyto　the　sale　of　her　body。

JUDGE。　　You　are　ranging　rather　far；　Mr。　Frome。

FROME。　　I　shall　fire　point…blank　in　a　minute；　my　lord。

JUDGE。　　Let　us　hope　so。

FROME。　　Now；　gentlemen；　markand　this　is　what　I　have　been　leading　up　tothis　woman　will　tell　you；　and　the　prisoner　will　confirm　her；　that；　confronted　with　such　alternatives；　she　set　her　whole　hopes　on　himself；　knowing　the　feeling　with　which　she　had　inspired　him。　　She　saw　a　way　out　of　her　misery　by　going　with　him　to　a　new　country；　where　they　would　both　be　unknown；　and　might　pass　as　husband　and　wife。　　This　was　a　desperate　and；　as　my　friend　Mr。　Cleaver　will　no　doubt　call　it；　an　immoral　resolution；　but；　as　a　fact；　the　minds　of　both　of　them　were　constantly　turned　towards　it。　　One　wrong　is　no　excuse　for　another；　and　those　who　are　never　likely　to　be　faced　by　such　a　situation　possibly　have　the　right　to　hold　up　their　handsas　to　that　I　prefer　to　say　nothing。　　But　whatever　view　you　take；　gentlemen；　of　this　part　of　the　prisoner's　storywhatever　opinion　you　form　of　the　right　of　these　two　young　people　under　such　circumstances　to　take　the　law　into　their　own　handsthe　fact　remains　that　this　young　woman　in　her　distress；　and　this　young　man；　little　more　than　a　boy；　who　was　so　devotedly　attached　to　her；　did　conceive　thisif　you　like　reprehensible　design　of　going　away　together。　　Now；　for　that；　of　course；　they　required　money；　andthey　had　none。　　As　to　the　actual　events　of　the　morning　of　July　7th；　on　which　this　cheque　was　altered；　the　events　on　which　I　rely　to　prove　the　defendant's　irresponsibility　I　shall　allow　those　events　to　speak　for　themselves；　through　the　lips　of　my　witness。　　Robert　Cokeson。　　＇He　turns；　looks　round；　takes　up　a　sheet　of　paper；　and　waits。＇

　　　　　COKESON　is　summoned　into　court；　and　goes　into　the　witness…box；　　　　　　holding　his　hat　before　him。　　The　oath　is　administered　to　him。

FROME。　　What　is　your　name？

COKESON。　　Robert　Cokeson。

FROME。　　Are　you　managing　clerk　to　the　firm　of　solicitors　who　employ　the　prisoner？

COKESON。　　Ye…es。

FROME。　　How　long　had　the　prisoner　been　in　their　employ？

COKESON。　　Two　years。　　No；　I'm　wrong　thereall　but　seventeen　days。

FROME。　　Had　you　him　under　your　eye　all　that　time？

COKESON。　　Except　Sundays　and　holidays。

FROME。　　Quite　so。　　Let　us　hear；　please；　what　you　have　to　say　about　his　general　character　during　those　two　years。

COKESON。　　＇Confidentially　to　the　jury；　and　as　if　a　little　surprised　at　being　asked＇　　He　was　a　nice；　pleasant…spoken　young　man。　　I'd　no　fault　to　find　with　himquite　the　contrary。　　It　was　a　great　surprise　to　me　when　he　did　a　thing　like　that。

FROME。　　Did　he　ever　give　you　reason　to　suspect　his　honesty？

COKESON。　　No！　　To　have　dishonesty　in　our　office；　that'd　never　do。

FROME。　　I'm　sure　the　jury　fully　appreciate　that；　Mr。　Cokeson。

COKESON。　　Every　man　of　business　knows　that　honesty's　'the　sign　qua　non'。

FROME。　　Do　you　give　him　a　good　character　all　round；　or　do　you　not？

COKESON。　　＇Turning　to　the　JUDGE＇　　Certainly。　　We　were　all　very　jolly　and　pleasant　together；　until　this　happened。　　Quite　upset　me。

FROME。　　Now；　coming　to　the　morning　of　the　7th　of　July；　the　morning　on　which　the　cheque　was　altered。　　What　have　you　to　say　about　his　demeanour　that　morning？

COKESON。　　＇To　the　jury＇　　If　you　ask　me；　I　don't　think　he　was　quite　compos　when　he　did　it。

THE　JUDGE。　　＇Sharply＇　　Are　you　suggesting　that　he　was　insane？

COKESON。　　Not　compos。

THE　JUDGE。　　A　little　more　precision；　please。

FROME。　　＇Smoothly＇　　Just　tell　us；　Mr。　Cokeson。

COKESON。　　＇Somewhat　outraged＇　　Well；　in　my　opinion＇looking　at　the　JUDGE＇such　as　it　ishe　was　jumpy　at　the　time。　　The　jury　will　understand　my　meaning。

FROME。　　Will　you　tell　us　how　you　came　to　that　conclusion？

COKESON。　　Ye…es；　I　will。　　I　have　my　lunch　in　from　the　restaurant；　a　chop　and　a　potatosaves　time。　　That　day　it　happened　to　come　just　as　Mr。　Walter　How　handed　me　the　cheque。　　Well；　I　like　it　hot；　so　I　went　into　the　clerks'　office　and　I　handed　the　cheque　to　Davis；　the　other　clerk；　and　told　him　to　get　change。　　I　noticed　young　Falder　walking　up　and　down。　　I　said　to　him：　〃This　is　not　the　Zoological　Gardens；　Falder。〃

FROME。　　Do　you　remember　what　he　answered？

COKESON。　　Ye…es：　〃I　wish　to　God　it　were！〃　　Struck　me　as　funny。

FROME。　　Did　you　notice　anything　else　peculiar？

COKESON。　　I　did。

FROME。　　What　was　that？

COKESON。　　His　collar　was　unbuttoned。　　Now；　I　like　a　young　man　to　be　neat。　　I　said　to　him：　〃Your　collar's　unbuttoned。〃

FROME。　　And　what　did　he　answer？

COKESON。　　Stared　at　me。　　It　wasn't　nice。

THE　JUDGE。　　Stared　at　you？　　Isn't　that　a　very　common　practice？

COKESON。　　Ye…es；　but　it　was　the　look　in　his　eyes。　　I　can't　explain　my　meaningit　was　funny。

FROME。　　Had　you　ever　seen　such　a　look　in　his　eyes　before？

COKESON。　　No。　　If　I　had　I　should　have　spoken　to　the　partners。　　We　can't　have　anything　eccentric　in　our　profession。

THE　JUDGE。　　Did　you　speak　to　them　on　that　occasion？

COKESON。　　＇Confidentially＇　　Well；　I　didn't　like　to　trouble　them　about　prime　facey　evidence。

FROME。　　But　it　made　a　very　distinct　impression　on　your　mind？

COKESON。　　Ye…es。　　The　clerk　Davis　could　have　told　you　the　same。

FROME。　　Quite　so。　　It's　very　unfortunate　that　we've　not　got　him　here。　Now　can　you　tell　me　of　the　morning　on　which　the　discovery　of　the　forgery　was　made？　　That　would　be　the　18th。　　Did　anything　happen　that　morning？

COKESON。　　＇With　his　hand　to　his　ear＇　　I'm　a　little　deaf。

FROME。　　Was　there　anything　in　the　course　of　that　morningI　mean　before　the　discoverythat　caught　your　attention？

COKESON。　　Ye…esa　woman。

THE　JUDGE。　　How　is　this　relevant；　Mr。　Frome？

FROME。　　I　am　trying　to　establish　the　state　of　mind　in　which　the　prisoner　committed　this　act；　my　lord。

THE　JUDGE。　　I　quite　appreciate　that。　　But　this　was　long　after　the　act。

FROME。　　Yes；　my　lord；　but　it　contributes　to　my　contention。

THE　JUDGE。　　Well！

FROME。　　You　say　a　woman。　　Do　you　mean　that　she　came　to　the　office？

COKESON。　　Ye…es。

FROME。　　What　for？

COKESON。　　Asked　to　see　young　Falder；　he　was　out　at　the　moment。

FROME。　　Did　you　see　her？

COKESON。　　I　did。

FROME。　　Did　she　come　alone？

COKESON。　　＇Confidentially＇　　Well；　there　you　put　me　in　a　difficulty。　I　mustn't　tell　you　what　the　office…boy　told　me。

FROME。　　Quite　so；　Mr。　Cokeson；　quite　so

COKESON。　　＇Breaking　in　with　an　air　of　〃You　are　youngleave　it　to　me〃＇　　But　I　think　we　can　get　round　it。　　In　answer　to　a　question　put　to　her　by　a　third　party　the　woman　said　to　me：　〃They're　mine；　sir。〃

THE　JUDGE。　　What　are？　　What　were？

COKESON。　　Her　children。　　They　were　outside。

THE　JUDGE。　　HOW　do　you　know？

COKESON。　　Your　lordship　mustn't　ask　me　that；　or　I　shall　have　to　tell　you　what　I　was　toldand　that'd　never　do。

THE　JUDGE。　　＇Smiling＇　　The　office…boy　made　a　statement。

COKESON。　　Egg…zactly。

FROME。　　What　I　want　to　ask　you；　Mr。　Cokeson；　is　this。　　In　the　course　of　her　appeal　to　see　Falder；　did　the　woman　say　anything　that　you　specially　remember？

COKESON。　　＇Looking　at　him　as　if　to　encourage　him　to　complete　the　sentence＇　　A　leetle　more；　sir。

FROME。　　Or　did　she　not？

COKESON。　　She　did。　　I　shouldn't　like　you　to　have　led　me　to　the　answer。

FROME。　　＇With　an　irritated　smile＇　　Will　you　tell　the　jury　what　it　was？

COKESON。　　〃It's　a　matter　of　life　and　death。〃

FOREMAN　OF　THE　JURY。　　Do　you　mean　the　woman　said　that？

COKESON。　　＇Nodding＇　　It's　not　the　sort　of　thing　you　like　to　have　said　to　you。

FROME。　　＇A　little　impatiently＇　　Did　Falder　come　in　while　she　was　there？　　＇COKESON　nods＇　　And　she　saw　him；　and　went　away？

COKESON。　　Ah！　　there　I　can't　follow　you。　　I　didn't　see　her　go。

FROME。　　Well；　is　she　there　now？

COKESON。　　＇With　an　indulgent　smile＇　　No！

FROME。　　Thank　you；　Mr。　Cokeson。　　＇He　sits　down。＇

CLEAVER。　　＇Rising＇　You　say　that　on　the　morning　of　the　forgery　the　prisoner　was　jumpy。　　Well；　now；　sir；　what　precisely　do　you　mean　by　that　word？

COKESON。　　＇Indulgently＇　　I　want　you　to　understand。　　Have　you　ever　seen　a　dog　that's　lost　its　master？　　He　was　kind　of　everywhere　at　once　with　his　eyes。

CLEAVER。　　Thank　you；　I　was　coming　to　his　eyes。　　You　called　them　〃funny。〃　　What　are　we　to　understand　by　that？　　Strange；　or　what？

COKESON。　　Ye…es；　funny。

COKESON。　　＇Sharply＇　　Yes；　sir；　but　what　may　be　funny　to　you　may　not　be　funny　to　me；　or　to　the　jury。　　Did　they　look　frightened；　or　shy；　or　fierce；　or　what？

COKESON。　　You　make　it　very　hard　for　me。　　I　give　you　the　word；　and　you　want　me　to　give　you　another。

CLEAVER。　　＇Rapping　his　desk＇　Does　〃funny〃　mean　mad？

CLEAVER。　　Not　mad；　fun

CLEAVER。　　Very　well！　　Now　you　say　he　had　his　collar　unbuttoned？　　Was　it　a　hot　day？

COKESON。　　Ye…es；　I　think　it　was。

CLEAVER。　　And　did　he　button　it　when　you　called　his　attention　to　it？

COKESON。　　Ye…es；　I　think　he　did。

CLEAVER。　　Would　you　say　that　that　denoted　insanity？

　　　　　He　sits　downs。　　COKESON；　who　has　opened