hard cash-第124章

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。　Maxley　was　powerfully　defended；　and　it　was　proved　that　his　wife　had　died；　and　he　had　been　driven　mad　for　a　time；　by　her　father's　bank　breaking。　The　jury　_would_　bring　in　a　verdict　that　was　no　verdict　at　all；　as　I　took　the　liberty　to　tell　them　at　the　time。　The　judges　dismissed　it；　and　Maxley　was　eventually　discharged。〃

_Colt。_No　doubt　that　was　the　case；　my　lord。　To　the　witness。Did　Jane　Hardie　know　she　was　dying？

〃Oh　yes；　sir。　She　told　us　all　so。〃

〃To　whom　did　she　give　this　letter？〃

〃To　my　sister。〃

〃Oh；　to　your　sister？　To　Miss　Julia　Dodd？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　But　not　for　herself。　It　was　to　give　to　Alfred　Hardie。〃

〃Can　you　read　the　letter？　It　is　rather　faintly　written。　It　is　written　in　pencil；　my　lord。〃

〃I　_could_　read　it；　sir；　but　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me。　She　that　wrote　it　was　very；　very　dear　to　me。〃

The　young　man's　full　voice　faltered　as　he　uttered　these　words；　and　he　turned　his　lion…like　eyes　soft　and　imploring　on　the　judge。　That　venerable　and　shrewd　old　man；　learned　in　human　nature　as　well　as　in　law；　comprehended　in　a　moment；　and　said　kindly；　〃You　misunderstand　him。　Witnesses　do　not　read　letters　_out_　in　court。　Let　the　letter　be　handed　up　to　me。〃　This　was　fortunate；　for　the　court　cuckoo；　who　intones　most　letters；　would　have　read　all　the　sense　and　pathos　out　of　this；　with　his　monotonous　sing…song。

The　judge　read　it　carefully　to　himself　with　his　glasses；　and　told　the　jury　it　seemed　a　genuine　document：　then　the　crier　cried　〃Silence　in　the　court；〃　and　his　lordship　turned　towards　the　jury　and　read　the　letter　slowly　and　solemnly：


_〃DEAR；　DEAR　BROTHER；Your　poor　little　Jane　lies　dying；　suddenly　but　not　painfully；　and　my　last　earthly　thoughts　are　for　my　darling　brother。　Some　wicked　person　has　said　you　are　insane。　I　deny　this　with　my　dying　breath　and　my　dying　hand。　You　came　to　me　the　night　before　the　wedding　that　was　to　be；　and　talked　to　me　most　calmly；　rationally　and　kindly；　so　that　I　could　not　resist　your　reasons；　and　went　to　your　wedding；　which；　till　then；　I　did　not　intend。　Show　these　words　to　your　slanderers　when　I　am　no　more。　But　oh！　Alfred；　even　this　is　of　little　moment　compared　with　the　world　to　come。　By　all　our　affection；　grant　me　one　request。　Battered；　wounded；　dying　in　my　prime；　what　would　be　my　condition　but　for　the　Saviour；　whom　I　have　loved；　and　with　whom　I　hope　soon　to　be。　He　smoothes　the　bed　of　death　for　me；　He　lights　the　dark　valley；　I　rejoice　to　die　and　be　with　Him。　Oh；　turn　to　Him；　dear　brother；　without　one　hour's　delay；　and　then　how　short　will　be　this　parting。　This　is　your　dying　sister's　one　request；　who　loves　you　dearly。_〃


With　the　exception　of　Julia's　sobs；　not　a　sound　was　heard　as　the　judge　read　it。　Many　eyes　were　wet：　and　the　judge　himself　was　visibly　affected；　and　pressed　his　handkerchief　a　moment　to　his　eyes。　〃These　are　the　words　of　a　Christian　woman；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。　And　there　was　silence。　A　girl's　hand　seemed　to　have　risen　from　the　grave　to　defend　her　brother　and　rend　the　veil　from　falsehood。

Mr。　Colt；　out　of　pure　tact；　subdued　his　voice　to　the　key　of　the　sentiment　thus　awakened；　and　said　impressively；　〃Gentlemen　of　the　jury；　that　is　our　case：〃　and　so　sat　down。


CHAPTER　LIII

SERGEANT　SAUNDERS　thought　it　prudent　to　let　the　emotion　subside　before　opening　the　defendant's　case：　so　he　disarranged　his　papers；　and　then　rearranged　them　as　before：　and；　during　this；　a　person　employed　by　Richard　Hardie　went　out　and　told　him　this　last　untoward　piece　of　evidence。　He　winced：　but　all　was　overbalanced　by　this；　that　Skinner　had　not　come　to　bear　witness　for　the　Plaintiff。

Sergeant　Saunders　rose　with　perfect　dignity　and　confidence；。　and　delivered　a　masterly　address。　In　less　than　ten　minutes　the　whole　affair　took　another　colour　under　that　plausible　tongue。　The　tactician　began　by　declaring　that　the　plaintiff　was　perfectly　sane；　and　his　convalescence　was　a　matter　of　such　joy　to　the　defendant；　that　not　even　the　cruel　misinterpretation　of　facts　and　motives；　to　which　his　amiable　client　had　been　exposed；　could　rob　him　of　that　sacred　delight　〃Our　case；　gentlemen；　is；　that　the　plaintiff　is　sane；　and　that　he　owes　his　sanity　to　those　prompt；　wise；　and　benevolent　measures；　which　we　took　eighteen　months　ago；　at　an　unhappy　crisis　of　his　mind；　to　preserve　his　understanding　and　his　property。　Yes；　his　property；　gentlemen；　that　property　which　in　a　paroxysm　of　mania；　he　was　going　to　throw　away；　as　I　shall　show　you　by　an　unanswerable　document。　He　comes　here　to　slander　us　and　mulet　us　out　of　five　thousand　pounds；　but　I　shall　show　you　he　is　already　ten　thousand　pounds　the　richer　for　that　act　of　ours；　for　which　he　debits　us　five　thousand　pounds　instead　of　crediting　us　twice　the　sum。　Gentlemen；　I　cannot；　like　my　learned　friend；　call　witnesses　from　the　clouds；　from　the　United　States；　and　from　the　grave；　for　it　has　not　occurred　to　my　client　strong　in　the　sense　of　his　kindly　and　honourable　intentions；　to　engage　gentlemen　from　foreign　parts；　with　woolly　locks　and　nasal　twangs；　to　drop　in　accidentally；　and　eke　out　the　fatal　gaps　in　evidence。　The　class　of　testimony　we　stand　upon　is　less　romantic；　it　does　not　seduce　the　imagination　nor　play　upon　the　passions；　but　it　is　of　a　much　higher　character　in　sober　men's　eyes；　especially　in　a　court　of　law。　I　rely；　not　on　witnesses　dropped　from　the　clouds；　and　the　stars；　and　the　stripesto　order；　nor　even　on　the　prejudiced　statements　of　friends　and　sweethearts；　who　always　swear　from　the　heart　rather　than　from　the　head　and　the　conscience；　but　on　the　calm　testimony　of　indifferent　men；　and　on　written　documents　furnished　by　the　plaintiff'；　and　on　contemporaneous　entries　in　the　books　of　the　asylum；　which　entries　formally　describe　the　plaintiff's　acts；　and　were　put　down　at　the　timeat　the　time；　gentlemenwith　no　idea　of　a　trial　at　law　to　come；　but　in　compliance　with　the　very　proper　provisions　of　a　wise　and　salutary　Act。　I　shall　also　lay　before　you　the　evidence　of　the　medical　witnesses　who　signed　the　certificates；　men　of　probity　and　honour；　and　who　have　made　these　subtle　maladies　of　the　mind　the　special　study　of　their　whole　life。　I　shall　also　call　the　family　doctor；　who　has　known　the　plaintiff　and　his　ailments；　bodily　and　mental；　for　many　years；　and　communicated　his　suspicions　to　one　of　the　first　psychological　physicians　of　the　age；　declining；　with　a　modesty　which　we；　who　know　less　of　insanity　than　he　does；　would　do　well　to　imitatedeclining；　I　say；　to　pronounce　a　positive　opinion　unfavourable　to　the　plaintiff；　till　he　should　have　compared　notes　with　this　learned　man；　and　profited　by　his　vast　experience。

In　this　strain　he　continued　for　a　good　hour；　until　the　defendants　case　seemed　to　be　a　thing　of　granite。　His　oration　ended；　he　called　a　string　of　witnesses：　every　one　of　whom　bore　the　learned　counsel　out　by　his　evidence　in　chief。

But　here　came　the　grand　distinction　between　the　defendants　case　and　the　plaintiff's。　Cross…examination　had　hardly　shaken　the　plaintiff's　witnesses：　it　literally　dissolved　the　defendant's。　Osmond　was　called；　and　proved　Alfred's　headaches　and　pallor；　and　his　own　suspicions。　But　then　Colt　forced　him　to　admit　that　many　young　people　had　headaches　without　going　mad；　and　were　pale　when　thwarted　in　love；　without　going　mad：　and　that　as　to　the　L。　14；000　and　the　phantom；　he　_knew_　nothing；　but　had　taken　all　that　for　granted　on　Mr。　Richard　Hardie's　word。

Dr。　Wycherley　deposed　to　Alfred's　being　insane　and　abnormally　irritable；　and　under　a　pecuniary　illusion；　as　stated　in　his　certificate：　and　to　his　own　vast　experience。　But　the　fire　of　cross…examination　melted　all　his　polysyllables　into　guesswork　and　hearsay。　It　melted　out　of　him　that　he；　a　stranger；　had　intruded　on　the　young　man's　privacy；　and　had　burst　into　a　most　delicate　topic；　his　disagreement　with　his　father；　and　so　had　himself　created　the　very　irritation　he　had　set　down　to　madness。　He　also　had　to　admit　that　he　knew　nothing　about　the　L。　14；000　or　the　phantom；　but　had　taken　for　granted　the　young　man's　own　father；　who　consulted　him；　was　not　telling　him　a　deliberate　and　wicked　falsehood。

_Colt。_In　short；　sir；　you　were　retained　to　make　the　man　out　insane；　just　as　my　learned　friend　there　is　retained。

_Wycherley。_I　think；　sir；　it　would　not　be　consistent　with　the　dignity　of　my　profession　to　notice　that　comparison。

_Colt。_I　leave　defendant's　counsel　to　thank　you　for　that。　Come；　never　mind　_dignity；_　let　us　have　a　little　_truth。_　Is　it　consistent　with　your　dignity　to　tell　us　whether　the　keepers　of　private　asylums　pay　you　a　commission　for　all　the　patients　you　consign　to　durance　vile　by　your　certificates？

Dr。　Wycherley　fenced　with　this　question；　but　the　remorseless　Colt　only　kept　him　longer　under　torture；　and　dragged　out　of　him　that　he　received　fifteen　per　cent。　from　the　asylum　keepers　for　every　patient　he　wrote　insane；　and　that　he　had　an　income　of　eight　hundred　pounds　a　year　from　that　source　alone。　This；　of　course；　was　the　very　thing　to　prejudice　a　jury　against　the　defence：　and　Colt's　art　was　to　keep　to　their　level。

Speers；　cross…examined；　failed　to　conceal　that　he　was　a　mere　tool　of　Wycherley's；　and　had　signed　in　manifest　collusion；　adhering　to　the　letter　of　the　statute；　but　violating　its　spirit　for　certainly；　the　Act　never　intended　by　〃separate　examination；〃　that　two　doctors　should　come　into　the　passage；　and　walk　into　the　room　alternately；　then　reunite；　and　do　the　signing　as　agreed　before　they　ever　saw　the　patient。　As　to　the　illusion　about　the　fourteen　thousand　pounds；　Speers　owned　that　the　plaintiff　had　not　uttered　a　word　about　the　subject；　but　had　peremptorily　declined　it。　He　had　to　confess；　too；　that　he　had　taken　for　granted　Dr。　Wycherley　was　correctly　informed　about　the　said　illusion。

〃In　short；〃　said　the　judge；　interposing；　〃Dr。　Wycherley　took　the　very　thing　for　granted　which　it　was　his　duty　to　ascertain；　and　you；　sir；　not　to　be　behind　Dr。　Wycherley；　took　the　thing　for　granted　at　second　hand。〃　And　when　Speers　had　left　the　box；　he　said　to　Serjeant　Saunders；　〃If　this　case　is　to　be　defended　seriously；　you　had　better　call　Mr。　Richard　Hardie　without　further　delay。〃

〃It　is　my　wish；　my　lud；　but　I　am　sorry　to　say　he　is　in　the　country　very　ill；　and　I　have　no　hope　of　seeing　him　here　before　to…morrow。〃

〃Oh；　well；　so　that　you　_do_　call　him。　I　shall　not　lay　hearsay　before　the　jury：　hearsay　gathered　from　Mr。　Richard　Hardiewhom　you　will　call　in　person　if　the　reports　he　has　circulated　have　any　basis　whatever　in　truth。〃

Mr。　Saunders　said　coolly；　〃Mr。　Richard　Hardie　is　not　the　defendant；〃　and　flowed　on；　nor　would　any　but　a　lawyer　have　suspected　what　a　terrible　stab　the　judge　had　given　him　so　quietly。

The　surgeon　of　Silverton　House　was　then　sworn；　and　produced　the　case　book；　and　there　stood　the　entries　which　had　been　so　fatal　to　Alfred　with　the　visiting　justices。　Suicide；　homicide；　self…starvation。　But　the　plaintiff　got　to　Mr。　Colt　with　a　piece　of　paper；　on　which　he　had　written　his　view　of　all　this；　and　cross…examination　dissolved　the　suicide　and　homicide　into　a　spirited　attempt　to　escape　and　resist　a　false　imprisonment　As　for　the　self…starvation；　Colt　elicited　that　Alfred　had　eaten　at　six　o'clock　though　not　at　two。　〃And　pray；　sir；〃　said　he；　contemptuously；　to　the　witness；　〃do　you　never　stir　out　of　a　madhouse？　Do　you　imagine　that　gentlemen　in　their　senses　dine　at　two　o'clock　in　the　nineteenth　century？〃

〃No。　I　don