hard cash-第118章

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！


w　that　rowed　a　midshipman　from　the　_Vulture_　alongside　a　merchant　ship　to　search　for　David　Dodd。　He　heard　the　name　and　circumstance　mentioned　in　the　boat；　but　the　very　name　was　new　to　him。　He　remembered　it；　but　only　from　that　hour；　and　told　his　loving　tyrant；　Georgie　White；　they　had　been　overhauling　a　merchant　ship　and　looking　for　one　David　Dodd。

It　was　about　Midsummer　the　_Vulture_　anchored　off　one　of　the　South　Sea　islands；　and　sent　a　boat　ashore　for　fruit。　Billy　and　his　dearly　beloved　little　tyrant；　Georgie　White；　were　among　the　crew。　Off　goes　Georgie　to　bathe；　and　Billy　sits　down　on　the　beach　with　a　loving　eye　upon　him。　The　water　was　calm：　but　the　boy　with　the　heedlessness　of　youth　stayed　in　it　nearly　an　hour：　he　was　seized　with　cramp　and　screamed　to　his　comrades。　They　ran；　but　they　were　half　a　mile　from　the　boat。　Billy　dashed　into　the　water　and　came　up　with　Georgie　just　as　he　was　sinking　for　the　last　time；　the　boy　gripped　him；　but　by　his　great　strength　he　disentangled　himself　and　got　Georgie　on　his　shoulders；　and　swam　for　the　shore。　Meantime　the　sailors　got　into　the　boat；　and　rowed　hastily　towards　them。

Now　Billy　was　undermost　and　his　head　under　water　at　times；　and　Georgie；　some　thought；　had　helped　strangle　him　by　gripping　his　neck　with　both　arms。　Anyway；　by　the　boy's　account；　just　as　they　were　getting　into　shallow　water；　Billy　gave　a　great　shriek　and　turned　over　on　his　back；　and　Georgie　paddled　with　his　hands；　but　Billy　soon　after　this　sunk　like　a　dead　body　while　the　boat　was　yet　fifty　yards　off。　And　Georgie　screamed　and　pointed　to　the　place；　and　the　boat　came　up　and　took　Georgie　in；　and　the　water　was　so　clear　that　the　sailors　saw　Billy　lie　motionless　at　the　bottom；　and　hooked　him　with　a　boat　hook　and　drew　him　up；　but　his　face　came　up　alongside　a　deadly　white；　with　staring　eyes；　and　they　shuddered　and　feared　it　was　too　late。

They　took　him　into　a　house　and　stripped　him；　and　rubbed　him；　and　wrapped　him　in　blankets；　and　put　him　by　the　hot　fire。　But　all　would　not　do。

Then；　having　dried　his　clothes；　they　dressed　the　body　again　and　laid　him　in　the　boat；　and　cast　the　Union　Jack　over　him；　and　rowed　slowly　and　unwillingly　back　to　the　ship；　Georgie　sobbing　and　screaming　over　the　body；　and　not　a　dry　eye　in　the　boat。

The　body　was　carried　up　the　side；　and　uncovered；　just　as　Mrs。　Dodd　saw　in　her　dream。　The　surgeon　was　sent　for　and　examined　the　body：　and　then　the　grim　routine　of　a　man…of…war　dealt　swiftly　with　the　poor　skipper。　He　was　carried　below　to　be　prepared　for　a　sailor's　grave。　Then　the　surgeon　walked　aft　and　reported　formally　to　the　officer　of　the　watch　the　death　by　drowning　of　William　Thompson。　The　officer　of　the　watch　went　instantly　to　the　captain　in　his　cabin　and　reported　the　death。　The　captain　gave　the　stereotyped　order　to　bury　him　at　noon　next　day；　and　the　body　was　stripped　that　night　and　sewed　up　in　his　hammock；　with　a　portion　of　his　clothes　and　bedding　to　conceal　the　outline　of　the　corpse；　and　two　cannon　balls　at　his　feet；　and　so　the　poor　skipper　was　laid　out　for　a　watery　grave；　and　covered　by　the　Union　Jack。


I　don't　know　whether　any　of　my　amorous　young　readers　are　much　affected　by　the　catastrophe　I　have　just　related。　If　not；　I　will　just　remind　them　that　even　Edward　Dodd　was　prepared　to　oppose　the　marriage　of　Julia　and　Alfred；　if　any　serious　ill　should　befall　his　father　at　sea；　owing　to　Alfred's　imprudent　interference　in　rescuing　him　from　Drayton　House。




CHAPTER　L

　　　　　LAW

MINUTE　study　of　my　fellow…creatures　has　revealed　to　me　that　there　are　many　intelligent　persons　who　think　that　a　suit　at　law　commences　in　court。　This　is　not　so。　Many　suits　are　fought　and　decided　by　the　special　pleaders；　and　so　never　come　into　court；　and；　as　a　stiff　encounter　of　this　kind　actually　took　place　in　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie；　a　word　of　prefatory　explanation　may　be　proper。　Suitors　come　into　court　only　to　try　an　issue：　an　issue　is　a　mutual　lie　direct：　and　towards　this　both　parties　are　driven　upon　paper　by　the　laws　of　pleading；　which　may　be　thus　summed：　1。　Every　statement　of　the　adversary　must　either　be　contradicted　flat；　or　confessed　and　avoided：　〃avoided〃　means　neutralised　by　fresh　matter。　2。　Nothing　must　be　advanced　by　plaintiff　which　does　not　disclose　a　ground　of　action　at　law。　3。　Nothing　advanced　by　defendant；　which；　if　true；　would　not　be　a　defence　to　the　action。　These　rules　exclude　in　a　vast　degree　the　pitiable　defects　and　vices　that　mark　all　the　unprofessional　arguments　one　ever　hears；　for　on　a　breach　of　any　one　of　the　said　rules　the　other　party　can　demur；　the　demurrer　is　argued　before　the　judges　in　Banco；　and；　if　successfully；　the　faulty　plaint　or　faulty　plea　is　dismissed；　and　often　of　course　the　cause　won　or　lost　thereby；　and　the　country　saved　the　trouble；　and　the　suitors　the　expense　of　trying　an　issue。

So　the　writ　being　served　by　Plt。's　attorney；　and　an　appearance　put　in　by　Deft。's；　the　paper　battle　began　by　Alfred　Hardie；　through　his　attorney；　serving　on　Deft。's　attorney　〃THE　DECLARATION。〃　This　was　drawn　by　his　junior　counsel；　Garrow；　and　ran　thus；　after　specifying　the　court　and　the　date：

_Middlesex　to　wit_　Alfred　Hardie　by　John　Compton　his　attorney　sues　Thomas　Hardie　For　that　the　Deft；　assaulted　Plt。　gave　him　into　custody　to　a　certain　person　and　caused　him　to　be　imprisoned　for　a　long　space　of　time　in　a　certain　place　to　wit　a　Lunatic　Asylum　whereby　the　Plt。　was　much　inconvenienced　and　suffered　much　anguish　and　pain　in　mind　and　body　and　was　unable　to　attend　to　his　affairs　and　was　injured　in　his　credit　and　circumstances。

And　the　Plt。　claims　L。　5000。

Mr。　Compton　conveyed　a　copy　of　this　to　Alfred；　and　said　it　was　a　sweet　〃declaration。〃　〃What；〃　said　Alfred；　〃is　that　all　I　have　suffered　at　these　miscreants'　hands？　Why；　it　is　written　with　an　icicle。〃

Mr。　Compton　explained　that　this　was　the　outline：　〃Counsel　will　lay　the　colours　on　in　court　as　thick　as　you　like。〃

The　defendant　replied　to　the　above　declaration　by　three　pleas。

By　statute　8　&　9　Vic。；　c。　100；　s。　105。

1。　The　Deft。　by　Joseph　Heathfield　his　attorney　　says　he　is　not　guilty。　2。　And　for　a　further　Plea　the　Deft；　says　that　before　and　at　the　time　of　the　alleged　imprisonment　Plt；　was　a　person　of　unsound　mind　and　incompetent　to　take　care　of　himself　and　a　proper　person　to　be　taken　care　of　and　detained　and　it　was　unfit　unsafe　improper　and　dangerous　that　he　should　be　at　large　thereupon　the　Deft；　being　the　uncle　of　the　Plt。　and　a　proper　person　to　cause　the　Plt。　to　be　taken　charge　of　under　due　care　and　treatment　in　that　behalf　did　cause　the　Plt。　to　be　so　taken　charge　of　and　detained　under　due　care　and　treatment；　&c。　&c。

The　third　plea　was　the　stinger；　but　too　long　to　cite　_verbatim；_　it　went　to　this　tune；　that　the　plaintiff　at　and　before　the　time　&c。　had　conducted　himself　like　a　person　of　unsound　mind　&c。　and　two　certificates　that　he　was　insane　had　been　given　by　two　persons　duly　authorised　under　the　statute　to　sign　such　certificates；　and　the　defendant　had　believed　and　did　_bona　fide_　believe　these　certificates　to　be　true；　&c。　&c。

The　first　of　these　pleas　was　a　mere　formal　plea；　under　the　statute。

The　second　raised　the　very　issue　at　common　law　the　plaintiff　wished　to　try。

The　third　made　John　Compton　knit　his　brows　with　perplexity。　〃This　is　a　very　nasty　plea；〃　said　he　to　Alfred：　〃a　regular　trap。　If　we　join　issue　on　it　we　must　be　defeated；　for　how　can　we　deny　the　certificates　were　in　form；　and　yet　the　plaguy　thing　is　not　loose　enough　to　be　demurred　to？　Colls；　who　drew　these　pleas　for　them？〃

〃Mr。　Colvin；　sir。〃

〃Make　a　note　to　employ　him　in　our　next　stiff　pleading。〃

Alfred　was　staggered。　He　had　thought　to　ride　rough…shod　over　defendanta　common　expectation　of　plaintiffs；　but　seldom　realised。　Lawyers　fight　hard。　The　pleas　were　taken　to　Garrow；　he　said　there　was　but　one　course；　to　demur　to　No。　3。　So　the　plaintiff　〃joined　issue　on　all　the　defendant's　pleas；　and　as　to　the　last　plea　the　plaintiff　said　the　same　was　bad　in　substance。〃　Defendant　rejoined　that　the　same　was　good　in　substance；　and　thus　Hardie　_v。_　Hardie　divided　itself　into　two　cases；　a　question　of　law　for　the　judges；　and　an　issue　for　the　mixed　tribunal　loosely　called　a　jury。　And　I　need　hardly　say　that　should　the　defendant　win　either　of　them　he　would　gain　the　cause。

Postponing　the　history　of　the　legal　_question；_　I　shall　show　how　Messrs。　Heathfield　fought　off　the　_issue；_　and　cooled　the　ardent　Alfred　and　sickened　him　of　law。

In　theory　every　Englishman　has　a　right　to　be　tried　by　his　peers：　but　in　fact　there　are　five　gentlemen　in　every　court；　each　of　whom　has　by　precedent　the　power　to　refuse　him　a　jury；　by　simply　postponing　the　trial　term　after　term；　until　the　death　of　one　of　the　parties；　when　the　action；　if　a　personal　one；　dies　too；　and；　by　a　singular　anomaly　of　judicial　practice；　if　a　slippery　Deft。　can't　persuade　A。　or　B。；　judges　of　the　common　law　court；　to　connive　at　what　I　venture　to　call

　　　　　THE　POSTPONEMENT　SWINDLE；

he　can　actually　go　to　C。；　D。；　and　B。；　one　after　another；　with　his　rejected　application；　and　the　previous　refusal　of　the　other　judges　to　delay　and　baffle　justice　goes　for　little　or　nothing；　so　that　the　postponing　swindler　has　five　to　one　in　his　favour。

Messrs。　Heathfield　began　this　game　unluckily。　They　applied　to　a　judge　in　chambers　for　a　month　to　plead。　Mr。　Compton　opposed　in　person；　and　showed　that　this　was　absurd。　The　judge　allowed　them　only　four　days　to　plead。　Issue　being　joined；　Mr。　Compton　pushed　on　for　trial；　and　the　cause　was　set　down　for　the　November　term。　Towards　the　end　of　the　term　Messrs。　Heathfield　applied　to　one　of　the　puisne　judges　for　a　postponement；　on　the　ground　that　a　principal　witness　could　not　attend。　Application　was　supported　by　the　attorney's　affidavit；　to　the　effect　that　Mr。　Speers　was　in　Boulogne；　and　had　written　to　him　to　say　that　he　had　met　with　a　railway　accident；　and　feared　he　could　not　possibly　come　to　England　in　less　than　a　month。　A　respectable　French　doctor　confirmed　this　by　certificate。　Compton　opposed；　but　the　judge　would　hardly　hear　him；　and　postponed　the　trial　as　a　matter　of　course；　this　carried　it　over　the　sittings　into　next　term。　Alfred　groaned；　but　bore　it　patiently；　not　so　Dr。　Sampson：　he　raged　against　secret　tribunals：　〃See　how　men　deteriorate　the　moment　they　get　out　of　the　full　light　of　publeecity。　What　English　judge；　sitting　in　the　light　of　Shorthand；　would　admit　'Jack　swears　that　Gill　says'　for　legal　evidence。　Speers　has　sworn　to　no　facks。　Heathfield　has　sworn　to　no　facks　but　th'　existence　of　Speer's　hearsay。　They　are　a　couple　o'　lyres。　I'll　bet　ye　ten　pounds　t'　a　shilling　Speers　is　as　well　as　I'm。〃

Mr。　Compton　quietly　reminded　him　there　was　a　direct　statementthe　French　doctor's　certificate。

〃A　medical　certificut！〃　shrieked　Sampson；　amazed。　〃Maidearrsirr；　a　medical　certificut　is　just　an　article　o'　commerce　like　an　attorney's　conscience。　Gimme　a　guinea　and　I'll　get　you　sworn　sick；　diseased；　disabled；　or　dead　this　minute；　whichever　you　like　best。〃

〃Come；　doctor；　don't　fly　off：　you　said　you'd　bet　ten　pounds　to　a　shilling　Speers　is　not　an　invalid　at　all。　I　say　done。〃

〃Done。〃

〃How　will　you　find　out？〃

〃How？　Why　set　the　thief…takers　on　um；　to　be　sure。〃

He　wrote　off　to　the　prefect　of　police　at　Boulogne；　and　in　four　days　received　an　answer　headed　〃Information　in　the　interest　of　families。〃　The　prefect　informed