miscellaneous papers(各种各样的文件)-第5章
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I； a common man； may kill my adversary； but he may kill me。 In a duel；
a gentleman may shoot his opponent through the head； but the opponent
may shoot him too； and this makes it fair。 Very well。 I take this man's
life for a reason I have； or choose to think I have； and the law takes mine。
The law says； and the clergyman says； there must be blood for blood and
life for life。 Here it is。 I pay the penalty。〃
A mind incapable； or confounded in its perceptionsand you must
argue with reference to such a mind； or you could not have such a murder…
…may not only establish on these grounds an idea of strict justice and fair
reparation； but a stubborn and dogged fortitude and foresight that satisfy it
hugely。 Whether the fact be really so； or not； is a question I would be
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content to rest； alone； on the number of cases of revengeful murder in
which this is well known； without dispute； to have been the prevailing
demeanour of the criminal： and in which such speeches and such absurd
reasoning have been constantly uppermost with him。 〃Blood for blood〃；
and 〃life for life〃； and such like balanced jingles； have passed current in
people's mouths； from legislators downwards； until they have been
corrupted into 〃tit for tat〃； and acted on。
Next； come the murders done； to sweep out of the way a dreaded or
detested object。 At the bottom of this class of crimes； there is a slow；
corroding； growing hate。 Violent quarrels are commonly found to have
taken place between the murdered person and the murderer： usually of
opposite sexes。 There are witnesses to old scenes of reproach and
recrimination； in which they were the actors； and the murderer has been
heard to say； in this or that coarse phrase； 〃that he wouldn't mind killing
her； though he should be hanged for it〃in these cases； the commonest
avowal。
It seems to me； that in this well…known scrap of evidence； there is a
deeper meaning than is usually attached to it。 I do not know； but it may
beI have a strong suspicion that it isa clue to the slow growth of the
crime； and its gradual development in the mind。 More than this； a clue to
the mental connection of the deed； with the punishment to which the doer
of that deed is liable； until the two； conjoined； give birth to monstrous and
misshapen Murder。
The idea of murder； in such a case； like that of self…destruction in the
great majority of instances； is not a new one。 It may have presented itself
to the disturbed mind in a dim shape and afar off； but it has been there。
After a quarrel； or with some strong sense upon him of irritation or
discomfort arising out of the continuance of this life in his path； the man
has brooded over the unformed desire to take it。 〃Though he should be
hanged for it。〃 With the entrance of the Punishment into his thoughts； the
shadow of the fatal beam begins to attendnot on himself； but on the
object of his hate。 At every new temptation； it is there； stronger and
blacker yet； trying to terrify him。 When she defies or threatens him； the
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scaffold seems to be her strength and 〃vantage ground〃。 Let her not be too
sure of that； 〃though he should be hanged for it〃。
Thus； he begins to raise up； in the contemplation of this death by
hanging； a new and violent enemy to brave。 The prospect of a slow and
solitary expiation would have no congeniality with his wicked thoughts；
but this throttling and strangling has。 There is always before him； an
ugly； bloody； scarecrow phantom； that champions her； as it were； and yet
shows him； in a ghastly way； the example of murder。 Is she very weak；
or very trustful in him； or infirm； or old？ It gives a hideous courage to
what would be mere slaughter otherwise； for there it is； a presence always
about her； darkly menacing him with that penalty whose murky secret has
a fascination for all secret and unwholesome thoughts。 And when he
struggles with his victim at the last； 〃though he should be hanged for it〃； it
is a merciless wrestle； not with one weak life only； but with that ever…
haunting； ever…beckoning shadow of the gallows； too； and with a fierce
defiance to it； after their long survey of each other； to come on and do its
worst。
Present this black idea of violence to a bad mind contemplating
violence； hold up before a man remotely compassing the death of another
person； the spectacle of his own ghastly and untimely death by man's
hands； and out of the depths of his own nature you shall assuredly raise up
that which lures and tempts him on。 The laws which regulate those
mysteries have not been studied or cared for； by the maintainers of this
law； but they are paramount and will always assert their power。
Out of one hundred and sixty…seven persons under sentence of Death
in England； questioned at different times； in the course of years； by an
English clergyman in the performance of his duty； there were only three
who had not been spectators of executions。
We come； now； to the consideration of those murders which are
committed； or attempted； with no other object than the attainment of an
infamous notoriety。 That this class of crimes has its origin in the
Punishment of Death； we cannot question； because （as we have already
seen； and shall presently establish by another proof） great notoriety and
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interest attach； and are generally understood to attach； only to those
criminals who are in danger of being executed。 One of the most
remarkable instances of murder originating in mad self…conceit； and of the
murderer's part in the repulsive drama； in which the law appears at such
great disadvantage to itself and to society； being acted almost to the last
with a self…complacency that would be horribly ludicrous if it were not
utterly revolting； is presented in the case of Hocker。
Here is an insolent； flippant； dissolute youth： aping the man of
intrigue and levity： over…dressed； over…confident； inordinately vain of his
personal appearance： distinguished as to his hair； cane； snuff…box； and
singing…voice： and unhappily the son of a working shoemaker。 Bent on
loftier flights than such a poor house… swallow as a teacher in a Sunday…
school can take； and having no truth； industry； perseverance； or other dull
work…a…day quality； to plume his wings withal； he casts about him； in his
jaunty way； for some mode of distinguishing himselfsome means of
getting that head of hair into the print…shops； of having something like
justice done to his singing…voice and fine intellect； of making the life and
adventures of Thomas Hocker remarkable； and of getting up some
excitement in connection with that slighted piece of biography。 The
Stage？ No。 Not feasible。 There has always been a conspiracy against
the Thomas Hockers； in that kind of effort。 It has been the same with
Authorship in prose and poetry。 Is there nothing else？ A Murder； now；
would make a noise in the papers！ There is the gallows to be sure； but
without that； it would be nothing。 Short of that； it wouldn't be fame。
Well！ We must all die at one time or other； and to die game； and have it
in print； is just the thing for a man of spirit。 They always die game at the
Minor Theatres and the Saloons； and the people like it very much。
Thurtell； too； died very game； and made a capital speech when he was
tried。 There's all about it in a book at the cigar…shop now。 Come； Tom；
get your name up！ Let it be a dashing murder that shall keep the wood…
engravers at it for the next two months。 You are the boy to go through
with it； and interest the town！
The miserable wretch； inflated by this lunatic conceit； arranges his
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whole plan for publication and effect。 It is quite an epitome of his
experience of the domestic melodrama or penny novel。 There is the
Victim Friend； the mysterious letter of the injured Female to the Victim
Friend； the romantic spot for the Death…Struggle by night； the unexpected
appearance of Thomas Hocker to the Policeman； the parlour of the Public
House； with Thomas Hocker reading the paper to a strange gentleman； the
Family Apartment； with a song by Thomas Hocker； the Inquest Room；
with Thomas Hocker boldly looking on； the interior of the Marylebone
Theatre； with Thomas Hocker taken into custody； the Police Office with
Thomas Hocker 〃affable〃 to the spectators； the interior of Newgate； with
Thomas Hocker preparing his defence； the Court； where Thomas Hocker；
with his dancing…master airs； is put upon his trial； and complimented by
the Judge； the Prosecution； the Defence； the Verdict； the Black Cap； the
Sentence each of them a line in any Playbill； and how bold a line in
Thomas Hocker's life！
It is worthy of remark； that the nearer he approaches to the gallows
the great last scene to which the whole of these effects have been working
upthe more the overweening conceit of the poor wretch shows itself； the
more he feels that he is the hero of the hour； the more audaciously and
recklessly he lies； in supporting the character。 In publicat the
condemned sermonhe deports himself as becomes the man
