justice-第7部分

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as　been　set　up。　　The　alternative　would　have　been　to　plead　guilty。　　Now；　gentlemen；　if　the　prisoner　had　pleaded　guilty　my　friend　would　have　had　to　rely　on　a　simple　appeal　to　his　lordship。　　Instead　of　that；　he　has　gone　into　the　byways　and　hedges　and　found　thiserpeculiar　plea；　which　has　enabled　him　to　show　you　the　proverbial　woman；　to　put　her　in　the　boxto　give；　in　fact；　a　romantic　glow　to　this　affair。　　I　compliment　my　friend；　I　think　it　highly　ingenious　of　him。　　By　these　means；　he　hasto　a　certain　extentgot　round　the　Law。　　He　has　brought　the　whole　story　of　motive　and　stress　out　in　court；　at　first　hand；　in　a　way　that　he　would　not　otherwise　have　been　able　to　do。　　But　when　you　have　once　grasped　that　fact；　gentlemen；　you　have　grasped　everything。　　＇With　good…humoured　contempt＇　　For　look　at　this　plea　of　insanity；　we　can't　put　it　lower　than　that。　　You　have　heard　the　woman。　　She　has　every　reason　to　favour　the　prisoner；　but　what　did　she　say？　　She　said　that　the　prisoner　was　not　insane　when　she　left　him　in　the　morning。　　If　he　were　going　out　of　his　mind　through　distress；　that　was　obviously　the　moment　when　insanity　would　have　shown　itself。　　You　have　heard　the　managing　clerk；　another　witness　for　the　defence。　　With　some　difficulty　I　elicited　from　him　the　admission　that　the　prisoner；　though　jumpy　＇a　word　that　he　seemed　to　think　you　would　understand；　gentlemen；　and　I'm　sure　I　hope　you　do＇；　was　not　mad　when　the　cheque　was　handed　to　Davis。　　I　agree　with　my　friend　that　it's　unfortunate　that　we　have　not　got　Davis　here；　but　the　prisoner　has　told　you　the　words　with　which　Davis　in　turn　handed　him　the　cheque；　he　obviously；　therefore；　was　not　mad　when　he　received　it；　or　he　would　not　have　remembered　those　words。　　The　cashier　has　told　you　that　he　was　certainly　in　his　senses　when　he　cashed　it。　　We　have　therefore　the　plea　that　a　man　who　is　sane　at　ten　minutes　past　one；　and　sane　at　fifteen　minutes　past；　may；　for　the　purposes　of　avoiding　the　consequences　of　a　crime；　call　himself　insane　between　those　points　of　time。　　Really；　gentlemen；　this　is　so　peculiar　a　proposition　that　I　am　not　disposed　to　weary　you　with　further　argument。　　You　will　form　your　own　opinion　of　its　value。　　My　friend　has　adopted　this　way　of　saying　a　great　deal　to　youand　very　eloquentlyon　the　score　of　youth；　temptation；　and　the　like。　　I　might　point　out；　however；　that　the　offence　with　which　the　prisoner　is　charged　is　one　of　the　most　serious　known　to　our　law；　and　there　are　certain　features　in　this　case；　such　as　the　suspicion　which　he　allowed　to　rest　on　his　innocent　fellow…　clerk；　and　his　relations　with　this　married　woman；　which　will　render　it　difficult　for　you　to　attach　too　much　importance　to　such　pleading。　I　ask　you；　in　short；　gentlemen；　for　that　verdict　of　guilty　which；　in　the　circumstances；　I　regard　you　as；　unfortunately；　bound　to　record。

　　　　　Letting　his　eyes　travel　from　the　JUDGE　and　the　jury　to　FROME；　he　　　　　　sits　down。

THE　JUDGE。　　＇Bending　a　little　towards　the　jury；　and　speaking　in　a　business…like　voice＇　　Gentlemen；　you　have　heard　the　evidence；　and　the　comments　on　it。　　My　only　business　is　to　make　clear　to　you　the　issues　you　have　to　try。　　The　facts　are　admitted；　so　far　as　the　alteration　of　this　cheque　and　counterfoil　by　the　prisoner。　　The　defence　set　up　is　that　he　was　not　in　a　responsible　condition　when　he　committed　the　crime。　　Well；　you　have　heard　the　prisoner's　story；　and　the　evidence　of　the　other　witnessesso　far　as　it　bears　on　the　point　of　insanity。　If　you　think　that　what　you　have　heard　establishes　the　fact　that　the　prisoner　was　insane　at　the　time　of　the　forgery；　you　will　find　him　guilty；　but　insane。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　you　conclude　from　what　you　have　seen　and　heard　that　the　prisoner　was　saneand　nothing　short　of　insanity　will　countyou　will　find　him　guilty。　　In　reviewing　the　testimony　as　to　his　mental　condition　you　must　bear　in　mind　very　carefully　the　evidence　as　to　his　demeanour　and　conduct　both　before　and　after　the　act　of　forgerythe　evidence　of　the　prisoner　himself；　of　the　woman；　of　the　witnesserCOKESON；　anderof　the　cashier。　And　in　regard　to　that　I　especially　direct　your　attention　to　the　prisoner's　admission　that　the　idea　of　adding　the　'ty'　and　the　nought　did　come　into　his　mind　at　the　moment　when　the　cheque　was　handed　to　him；　and　also　to　the　alteration　of　the　counterfoil；　and　to　his　subsequent　conduct　generally。　　The　bearing　of　all　this　on　the　question　of　premeditation　＇and　premeditation　will　imply　sanity＇　is　very　obvious。　　You　must　not　allow　any　considerations　of　age　or　temptation　to　weigh　with　you　in　the　finding　of　your　verdict。　　Before　you　can　come　to　a　verdict　of　guilty　but　insane　you　must　be　well　and　thoroughly　convinced　that　the　condition　of　his　mind　was　such　as　would　have　qualified　him　at　the　moment　for　a　lunatic　asylum。　　＇He　pauses；　then；　seeing　that　the　jury　are　doubtful　whether　to　retire　or　no；　adds：＇　You　may　retire；　gentlemen；　if　you　wish　to　do　so。

　　　　　The　jury　retire　by　a　door　behind　the　JUDGE。　　The　JUDGE　bends　　　　　　over　his　notes。　　FALDER；　leaning　from　the　dock；　speaks　excitedly　　　　　　to　his　solicitor；　pointing　dawn　at　RUTH。　　The　solicitor　in　turn　　　　　　speaks　to　FROME。

FROME。　　＇Rising＇　My　lord。　　The　prisoner　is　very　anxious　that　I　should　ask　you　if　your　lordship　would　kindly　request　the　reporters　not　to　disclose　the　name　of　the　woman　witness　in　the　Press　reports　of　these　proceedings。　　Your　lordship　will　understand　that　the　consequences　might　be　extremely　serious　to　her。

THE　JUDGE。　　＇Pointedlywith　the　suspicion　of　a　smile＇　　well；　Mr。　Frome；　you　deliberately　took　this　course　which　involved　bringing　her　here。

FROME。　＇With　an　ironic　bow＇　　If　your　lordship　thinks　I　could　have　brought　out　the　full　facts　in　any　other　way？

THE　JUDGE。　　H'm！　　Well。

FROME。　　There　is　very　real　danger　to　her；　your　lordship。

THE　JUDGE。　　You　see；　I　have　to　take　your　word　for　all　that。

FROME。　　If　your　lordship　would　be　so　kind。　　I　can　assure　your　lordship　that　I　am　not　exaggerating。

THE　JUDGE。　　It　goes　very　much　against　the　grain　with　me　that　the　name　of　a　witness　should　ever　be　suppressed。　　＇With　a　glance　at　FALDER；　who　is　gripping　and　clasping　his　hands　before　him；　and　then　at　RUTH；　who　is　sitting　perfectly　rigid　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　FALDER＇　　I'll　consider　your　application。　　It　must　depend。　　I　have　to　remember　that　she　may　have　come　here　to　commit　perjury　on　the　prisoner's　behalf。

FROME。　　Your　lordship；　I　really

THE　JUDGE。　　Yes；　yesI　don't　suggest　anything　of　the　sort；　Mr。　Frome。　　Leave　it　at　that　for　the　moment。

　　　　　As　he　finishes　speaking；　the　jury　return；　and　file　back　into　the　　　　　　box。

CLERK　of　ASSIZE。　　Gentlemen；　are　you　agreed　on　your　verdict？

FOREMAN。　　We　are。

CLERK　of　ASSIZE。　　Is　it　Guilty；　or　Guilty　but　insane？

FOREMAN。　　Guilty。

　　　　　The　JUDGE　nods；　then；　gathering　up　his　notes；　sits　looking　at　　　　　　FALDER；　who　stands　motionless。

FROME。　　＇Rising＇　If　your　lordship　would　allow　me　to　address　you　in　mitigation　of　sentence。　　I　don't　know　if　your　lordship　thinks　I　can　add　anything　to　what　I　have　said　to　the　jury　on　the　score　of　the　prisoner's　youth；　and　the　great　stress　under　which　he　acted。

THE　JUDGE。　　I　don't　think　you　can；　Mr。　Frome。

FROME。　　If　your　lordship　says　soI　do　most　earnestly　beg　your　lordship　to　give　the　utmost　weight　to　my　plea。　　＇He　sits　down。＇

THE　JUDGE。　　＇To　the　CLERK＇　Call　upon　him。

THE　CLERK。　　Prisoner　at　the　bar；　you　stand　convicted　of　felony。　　Have　you　anything　to　say　for　yourself；　why　the　Court　should　not　give　you　judgment　according　to　law？　　＇FALDER　shakes　his　head＇

THE　JUDGE。　　William　Falder；　you　have　been　given　fair　trial　and　found　guilty；　in　my　opinion　rightly　found　guilty；　of　forgery。　　＇He　pauses；　then；　consulting　his　notes；　goes　on＇　　The　defence　was　set　up　that　you　were　not　responsible　for　your　actions　at　the　moment　of　committing　this　crime。　　There　is　no；　doubt；　I　think；　that　this　was　a　device　to　bring　out　at　first　hand　the　nature　of　the　temptation　to　which　you　succumbed。　　For　throughout　the　trial　your　counsel　was　in　reality　making　an　appeal　for　mercy。　　The　setting　up　of　this　defence　of　course　enabled　him　to　put　in　some　evidence　that　might　weigh　in　that　direction。　　Whether　he　was　well　advised　to　so　is　another　matter。　　He　claimed　that　you　should　be　treated　rather　as　a　patient　than　as　a　criminal。　　And　this　plea　of　his；　which　in　the　end　amounted　to　a　passionate　appeal；　he　based　in　effect　on　an　indictment　of　the　march　of　Justice；　which　he　practically　accused　of　confirming　and　completing　the　process　of　criminality。　　Now；　in　considering　how　far　I　should　allow　weight　to　his　appeal；　I　have　a　number　of　factors　to　take　into　account。　　I　have　to　consider　on　the　one　hand　the　grave　nature　of　your　offence；　the　deliberate　way　in　which　you　subsequently　altered　the　counterfoil；　the　danger　you　caused　to　an　innocent　manand　that；　to　my　mind；　is　a　very　grave　pointand　finally　I　have　to　consider　the　necessity　of　deterring　others　from　following　your　example。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　have　to　bear　in　mind　that　you　are　young；　that　you　have　hitherto　borne　a　good　character；　that　you　were；　if　I　am　to　believe　your　evidence　and　that　of　your　witnesses；　in　a　state　of　some　emotional　excitement　when　you　committed　this　crime。　　I　have　every　wish；　consistently　with　my　dutynot　only　to　you；　but　to　the　communityto　treat　you　with　leniency。　　And　this　brings　me　to　what　are　the　determining　factors　in　my　mind　in　my　consideration　of　your　case。　　You　are　a　clerk　in　a　lawyer's　officethat　is　a　very　serious　element　in　this　case；　there　can　be　no　possible　excuse　made　for　you　on　the　ground　that　you　were　not　fully　conversant　with　the　nature　of　the　crime　you　were　committing；　and　the　penalties　that　attach　to　it。　　It　is　said；　however；　that　you　were　carried　away　by　your　emotions。　　The　story　has　been　told　here　to…day　of　your　relations　with　thiserMrs。　Honeywill；　on　that　story　both　the　defence　and　the　plea　for　mercy　were　in　effect　based。　　Now　what　is　that　story？　　It　is　that　you；　a　young　man；　and　she；　a　young　woman；　unhappily　married；　had　formed　an　attachment；　which　you　both　saywith　what　truth　I　am　unable　to　gauge…　…had　not　yet　resulted　in　immoral　relations；　but　which　you　both　admit　was　about　to　result　in　such　relationship。　　Your　counsel　has　made　an　attempt　to　palliate　this；　on　the　ground　that　the　woman　is　in　what　he　describes；　I　think；　as　〃a　hopeless　position。〃　　As　to　that　I　can