criminal psychology-第80章

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arrel　without　some　share　in　it。　But　even　if　the　latter　case　should　occur；　it　is　necessary；　first　of　all；　to　hear　every　detail　so　as　to　get　the　woman's　attitude　clearly　in　mind。　The　evidence　of　the　woman's　mode　of　conception　is　of　more　importance　than　the　evidence　concerning　the　fact　itself。　And　finding　the　former　is　easy　enough　if　the　woman　is　for　a　short　time　allowed　to　speak　generally。　When　her　attitude　is　known；　the　standard　for　adjusting　her　excuses　of　one　and　accusations　of　another；　is　easily　discovered。

The　same　is　true　in　purely　individual　cases。　In　the　eyes　of　woman　the　same　crime　committed　by　one　man　is　black　as　hell；　committed　by　another；　it　is　in　all　respects　excusable。　All　that　is　necessary　for　this　attitude　is　the　play　of　sympathies　and　antipathies　generated　from　whatever　source。　Just　as　the　woman　reader　of　romances　favors　one　hero　and　hates　another；　so　the　woman　witness　behaves　toward　her　figures。　And　it　may　happen　that　she　finds　one　of　them　to　have　murdered　with　such　‘‘exciting　excellence；''　and　the　victim　to　have　been　‘‘such　a　boresome　Philistine；''　that　she　excuses　the　crime。　Caution　is　here　the　most　necessary　thing。　Of　course　women　are　not　alone　in　taking　such　attitudes；　but　they　are　never　so　clear；　so　typical；　nor　so　determined　as　when　taken　by　women。


Section　72。　2。　Judgment。

Avenarius　tells　of　an　English　couple　who　were　speaking　about　angels'　wings。　It　was　the　man's　opinion　that　this　angelic　possession　was　doubtful；　the　woman's　that　it　could　not　be。　Many　a　woman　　witness　has　reminded　me　of　this　story；　and　I　have　been　able　to　explain　by　use　of　it　many　an　event。　Woman　says；　‘‘that　must　be''　when　she　knows　of　no　reason；　‘‘that　must　be''　when　her　own　arguments　bore　her；　‘‘that　must　be''　when　she　is　confused；　when　she　does　not　understand　the　evidence　of　her　opponent；　and　particularly　when　she　desires　something。　Unfortunately；　she　hides　this　attitude　under　many　words；　and　one　often　wishes　for　the　simple　assertion　of　the　English　woman；　‘‘that　must　be。''　In　consequence；　when　we　want　to　learn　their　ratio　sciendi　from　women；　we　get　into　difficulties。　They　offer　us　a　collection　of　frequently　astonishing　and　important　things；　but　when　we　ask　for　the　source　of　this　collection　we　get　‘‘that　must　be；''　in　variations；　from　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　to　a　flood　of　words。　The　inexperienced　judge　may　be　deceived　by　the　positiveness　of　such　expressions　and　believe　that　such　certainty　must　be　based　on　something　which　the　witness　can　not　utter　through　lack　of　skill。　If；　now；　the　judge　is　going　to　help　the　‘‘unaided''　witness　with　‘‘of　course　you　mean　because；''　or　‘‘perhaps　because；''　etc。；　the　witness；　if　she　is　not　a　fool；　will　say　‘‘yes。''　Thus　we　get　apparently　well…founded　assertions　which　are　really　founded　on　nothing　more　than　‘‘that　must　be。''

Cases　dealing　with　divisions；　distinctions　and　analysis　rarely　contain　ungrounded　assertions　by　women。　Women　are　well　able　to　analyse　and　explain　data；　and　what　one　is　capable　of　and　understands；　one　succeeds　in　justifying。　Their　difficulty　is　in　synthetic　work；　in　progressive　movement；　and　there　they　simply　assert。　The　few　observations　of　this　characteristic　confirm　this　statement。　For　example；　Lafitte　says　that　at　medical　examinations　women　are　unable　to　do　anything　which　requires　synthetic　power。　Women's　judgments　of　men　further　confirm　this　position；　for　they　are　said　to　be　more　impressed　with　a　minimal　success；　than　with　a　most　magnificent　effort。　Now　there　is　no　injustice；　no　superficiality　in　this　observation；　its　object　is　simply　parallel　to　their　incapacity　for　synthesis。　Inasmuch　as　they　are　able　to　follow　particular　things　they　will　understand　a　single　success；　but　the　growth　of　efficiency　toward　the　future　requires　composition　and　wide　horizon；　hence　they　can　not　understand　it。　Hence；　also；　the　curious　contradictions　in　women's　statements　as　suspicion　rises　and　falls。　A　woman；　who　to…day　knows　of　a　hundred　reasons　for　the　guilt　of　some　much…　compromised　prisoner；　tries　to　turn　everything　the　other　way　when　she　later　learns　that　the　prisoner　has　succeeded　in　producing　some　apparent　alibi。　So　again；　if　the　prosecution　seems　to　be　successful；　　the　women　witnesses　for　the　defence　often　become　the　most　dangerous　for　the　defenders。

But　here；　also；　women　find　a　limit；　perhaps　because　like　all　weaklings　they　are　afraid　to　draw　the　ultimate　conclusions。　As　Leroux　says　in　‘‘De　l'Humanit