justice-第6部分

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ng　as　to　thoroughly　deceive　the　cashier？

FALDER。　　It　was　an　accident。

CLEAVER。　　＇Cheerfully＇　　Queer　sort　of　accident；　wasn't　it？　　On　which　day　did　you　alter　the　counterfoil？

FALDER。　　＇Hanging　his　head＇　　On　the　Wednesday　morning。

CLEAVER。　　Was　that　an　accident　too？

FALDER。　　＇Faintly＇　　No。

CLEAVER。　　To　do　that　you　had　to　watch　your　opportunity；　I　suppose？

FALDER。　　＇Almost　inaudibly＇　Yes。

CLEAVER。　　You　don't　suggest　that　you　were　suffering　under　great　excitement　when　you　did　that？

FALDER。　　I　was　haunted。

CLEAVER。　　With　the　fear　of　being　found　out？

FALDER。　　＇Very　low＇　Yes。

THE　JUDGE。　　Didn't　it　occur　to　you　that　the　only　thing　for　you　to　do　was　to　confess　to　your　employers；　and　restore　the　money？

FALDER。　　I　was　afraid。　＇There　is　silence＇

CLEAVER。　　You　desired；　too；　no　doubt；　to　complete　your　design　of　taking　this　woman　away？

FALDER。　　When　I　found　I'd　done　a　thing　like　that；　to　do　it　for　nothing　seemed　so　dreadful。　　I　might　just　as　well　have　chucked　myself　into　the　river。

CLEAVER。　　You　knew　that　the　clerk　Davis　was　about　to　leave　England　didn't　it　occur　to　you　when　you　altered　this　cheque　that　suspicion　would　fall　on　him？

FALDER。　　It　was　all　done　in　a　moment。　　I　thought　of　it　afterwards。

CLEAVER。　　And　that　didn't　lead　you　to　avow　what　you'd　done？

FALDER。　　＇Sullenly＇　　I　meant　to　write　when　I　got　out　thereI　would　have　repaid　the　money。

THE　JUDGE。　　But　in　the　meantime　your　innocent　fellow　clerk　might　have　been　prosecuted。

FALDER。　　I　knew　he　was　a　long　way　off；　your　lordship。　　I　thought　there'd　be　time。　　I　didn't　think　they'd　find　it　out　so　soon。

FROME。　　I　might　remind　your　lordship　that　as　Mr。　Walter　How　had　the　cheque…book　in　his　pocket　till　after　Davis　had　sailed；　if　the　discovery　had　been　made　only　one　day　later　Falder　himself　would　have　left；　and　suspicion　would　have　attached　to　him；　and　not　to　Davis；　from　the　beginning。

THE　JUDGE。　　The　question　is　whether　the　prisoner　knew　that　suspicion　would　light　on　himself；　and　not　on　Davis。　　＇To　FALDER　sharply＇　Did　you　know　that　Mr。　Walter　How　had　the　cheque…book　till　after　Davis　had　sailed？

FALDER。　　IIthoughthe

THE　JUDGE。　　Now　speak　the　truth…yes　or　no！

FALDER。　　＇Very　low＇　　No；　my　lord。　　I　had　no　means　of　knowing。

THE　JUDGE。　　That　disposes　of　your　point；　Mr。　Frome。

　　　　　＇FROME　bows　to　the　JUDGE＇

CLEAVER。　　Has　any　aberration　of　this　nature　ever　attacked　you　before？

FALDER。　　＇Faintly＇　　No；　sir。

CLEAVER。　　You　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　go　back　to　your　work　that　afternoon？

FALDER。　　Yes；　I　had　to　take　the　money　back。

CLEAVER。　　You　mean　the　nine　pounds。　　Your　wits　were　sufficiently　keen　for　you　to　remember　that？　　And　you　still　persist　in　saying　you　don't　remember　altering　this　cheque。　　＇He　sits　down＇

FALDER。　　If　I　hadn't　been　mad　I　should　never　have　had　the　courage。

FROME。　　＇Rising＇　　Did　you　have　your　lunch　before　going　back？

FALDER。　　I　never　ate　a　thing　all　day；　and　at　night　I　couldn't　sleep。

FROME。　　Now；　as　to　the　four　minutes　that　elapsed　between　Davis's　going　out　and　your　cashing　the　cheque：　do　you　say　that　you　recollect　nothing　during　those　four　minutes？

FALDER。　　＇After　a　moment＇　I　remember　thinking　of　Mr。　Cokeson's　face。

FROME。　　Of　Mr。　Cokeson's　face！　　Had　that　any　connection　with　what　you　were　doing？

FALDER。　　No；　Sir。

FROME。　　Was　that　in　the　office；　before　you　ran　out？

FALDER。　　Yes；　and　while　I　was　running。

FROME。　　And　that　lasted　till　the　cashier　said：　〃Will　you　have　gold　or　notes？〃

FALDER。　　Yes；　and　then　I　seemed　to　come　to　myselfand　it　was　too　late。

FROME。　　Thank　you。　　That　closes　the　evidence　for　the　defence；　my　lord。

　　　　　The　JUDGE　nods；　and　FALDER　goes　back　to　his　seat　in　the　dock。

FROME。　　＇Gathering　up　notes＇　　If　it　please　your　lordshipGentlemen　of　the　Jury；My　friend　in　cross…examination　has　shown　a　disposition　to　sneer　at　the　defence　which　has　been　set　up　in　this　case；　and　I　am　free　to　admit　that　nothing　I　can　say　will　move　you；　if　the　evidence　has　not　already　convinced　you　that　the　prisoner　committed　this　act　in　a　moment　when　to　all　practical　intents　and　purposes　he　was　not　responsible　for　his　actions；　a　moment　of　such　mental　and　moral　vacuity；　arising　from　the　violent　emotional　agitation　under　which　he　had　been　suffering；　as　to　amount　to　temporary　madness。　　My　friend　has　alluded　to　the　〃romantic　glamour〃　with　which　I　have　sought　to　invest　this　case。　　Gentlemen；　I　have　done　nothing　of　the　kind。　　I　have　merely　shown　you　the　background　of　〃life〃that　palpitating　life　which；　believe　mewhatever　my　friend　may　sayalways　lies　behind　the　commission　of　a　crime。　　Now　gentlemen；　we　live　in　a　highly；　civilized　age；　and　the　sight　of　brutal　violence　disturbs　us　in　a　very　strange　way；　even　when　we　have　no　personal　interest　in　the　matter。　　But　when　we　see　it　inflicted　on　a　woman　whom　we　lovewhat　then？　　Just　think　of　what　your　own　feelings　would　have　been；　each　of　you；　at　the　prisoner's　age；　and　then　look　at　him。　　Well！　　he　is　hardly　the　comfortable；　shall　we　say　bucolic；　person　likely　to　contemplate　with　equanimity　marks　of　gross　violence　on　a　woman　to　whom　he　was　devotedly　attached。　　Yes；　gentlemen；　look　at　him！　　He　has　not　a　strong　face；　but　neither　has　he　a　vicious　face。　　He　is　just　the　sort　of　man　who　would　easily　become　the　prey　of　his　emotions。　　You　have　heard　the　description　of　his　eyes。　　My　friend　may　laugh　at　the　word　〃funny〃I　think　it　better　describes　the　peculiar　uncanny　look　of　those　who　are　strained　to　breaking…point　than　any　other　word　which　could　have　been　used。　　I　don't　pretend；　mind　Vou；　that　his　mental　irresponsibilitywas　more　than　a　flash　of　darkness；　in　which　all　sense　of　proportion　became　lost；　but　to　contend；　that；　just　as　a　man　who　destroys　himself　at　such　a　moment　may　be；　and　often　is；　absolved　from　the　stigma　attaching　to　the　crime　of　self…murder；　so　he　may；　and　frequently　does；　commit　other　crimes　while　in　this　irresponsible　condition；　and　that　he　may　as　justly　be　acquitted　of　criminal　intent　and　treated　as　a　patient。　　I　admit　that　this　is　a　plea　which　might　well　be　abused。　　It　is　a　matter　for　discretion。　　But　here　you　have　a　case　in　which　there　is　every　reason　to　give　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　You　heard　me　ask　the　prisoner　what　he　thought　of　during　those　four　fatal　minutes。　　What　was　his　answer？　　〃I　thought　of　Mr。　Cokeson's　face！〃　　Gentlemen；　no　man　could　invent　an　answer　like　that；　it　is　absolutely　stamped　with　truth。　　You　have　seen　the　great　affection　＇legitimate　or　not＇　existing　between　him　and　this　woman；　who　came　here　to　give　evidence　for　him　at　the　risk　of　her　life。　　It　is　impossible　for　you　to　doubt　his　distress　on　the　morning　when　he　committed　this　act。　　We　well　know　what　terrible　havoc　such　distress　can　make　in　weak　and　highly　nervous　people。　　It　was　all　the　work　of　a　moment。　　The　rest　has　followed；　as　death　follows　a　stab　to　the　heart；　or　water　drops　if　you　hold　up　a　jug　to　empty　it。　　Believe　me；　gentlemen；　there　is　nothing　more　tragic　in　life　than　the　utter　impossibility　of　changing　what　you　have　done。　　Once　this　cheque　was　altered　and　presented；　the　work　of　four　minutesfour　mad　minutes　the　rest　has　been　silence。　　But　in　those　four　minutes　the　boy　before　you　has　slipped　through　a　door；　hardly　opened；　into　that　great　cage　which　never　again　quite　lets　a　man　gothe　cage　of　the　Law。　　His　further　acts；　his　failure　to　confess；　the　alteration　of　the　counterfoil；　his　preparations　for　flight；　are　all　evidencenot　of　deliberate　and　guilty　intention　when　he　committed　the　prime　act　from　which　these　subsequent　acts　arose；　nothey　are　merely　evidence　of　the　weak　character　which　is　clearly　enough　his　misfortune。　　But　is　a　man　to　be　lost　because　he　is　bred　and　born　with　a　weak　character？　Gentlemen；　men　like　the　prisoner　are　destroyed　daily　under　our　law　for　want　of　that　human　insight　which　sees　them　as　they　are；　patients；　and　not　criminals。　　If　the　prisoner　be　found　guilty；　and　treated　as　though　he　were　a　criminal　type；　he　will；　as　all　experience　shows；　in　all　probability　become　one。　　I　beg　you　not　to　return　a　verdict　that　may　thrust　him　back　into　prison　and　brand　him　for　ever。　　Gentlemen；　Justice　is　a　machine　that；　when　some　one　has　once　given　it　the　starting　push；　rolls　on　of　itself。　　Is　this　young　man　to　be　ground　to　pieces　under　this　machine　for　an　act　which　at　the　worst　was　one　of　weakness？　　Is　he　to　become　a　member　of　the　luckless　crews　that　man　those　dark；　ill…starred　ships　called　prisons？　　Is　that　to　be　his　voyage…from　which　so　few　return？　　Or　is　he　to　have　another　chance；　to　be　still　looked　on　as　one　who　has　gone　a　little　astray；　but　who　will　come　back？　　I　urge　you；　gentlemen；　do　not　ruin　this　young　man！　　For；　as　a　result　of　those　four　minutes；　ruin；　utter　and　irretrievable；　stares　him　in　the　face。　　He　can　be　saved　now。　　Imprison　him　as　a　criminal；　and　I　affirm　to　you　that　he　will　be　lost。　　He　has　neither　the　face　nor　the　manner　of　one　who　can　survive　that　terrible　ordeal。　Weigh　in　the　scales　his　criminality　and　the　suffering　he　has　undergone。　　The　latter　is　ten　times　heavier　already。　　He　has　lain　in　prison　under　this　charge　for　more　than　two　months。　　Is　he　likely　ever　to　forget　that？　　Imagine　the　anguish　of　his　mind　during　that　time。　He　has　had　his　punishment；　gentlemen；　you　may　depend。　　The　rolling　of　the　chariot…wheels　of　Justice　over　this　boy　began　when　it　was　decided　to　prosecute　him。　　We　are　now　already　at　the　second　stage。　　If　you　permit　it　to　go　on　to　the　third　I　would　not　givethat　for　him。

　　　　　He　holds　up　finger　and　thumb　in　the　form　of　a　circle；　drops　his　　　　　　hand；　and　sits　dozen。

The　jury　stir；　and　consult　each　other's　faces；　then　they　turn　towards　the　counsel　for　the　Crown；　who　rises；　and；　fixing　his　eyes　on　a　spot　that　seems　to　give　him　satisfaction；　slides　them　every　now　and　then　towards　the　jury。

CLEAVER。　　May　it　please　your　lordship＇Rising　on　his　toes＇　Gentlemen　of　the　Jury；The　facts　in　this　case　are　not　disputed；　and　the　defence；　if　my　friend　will　allow　me　to　say　so；　is　so　thin　that　I　don't　propose　to　waste　the　time　of　the　Court　by　taking　you　over　the　evidence。　　The　plea　is　one　of　temporary　insanity。　　Well；　gentlemen；　I　daresay　it　is　clearer　to　me　than　it　is　to　you　why　this　ratherwhat　shall　we　call　it？bizarre　defence　has　been　set　up。　　The　alternative　would　have　been　to　plead　guilty。　　Now；　gentlemen；　if　the　prisoner　h