round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第38章
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Warner had been wanted by the law； and by nobody else； for many
years。 Desperado； murderer； train robber and road agent； he was a man
beyond the pale of human pity。 He had deserved a dozen deaths； and the
Los Amigos folk grudged him so gaudy a one as that。 He seemed to feel
himself to be unworthy of it； for he made two frenzied attempts at escape。
He was a powerful； muscular man； with a lion head； tangled black locks；
and a sweeping beard which covered his broad chest。 When he was tried；
there was no finer head in all the crowded court。 It's no new thing to find
the best face looking from the dock。 But his good looks could not
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balance his bad deeds。 His advocate did all he knew； but the cards lay
against him； and Duncan Warner was handed over to the mercy of the big
Los Amigos dynamos。
I was there at the committee meeting when the matter was discussed。
The town council had chosen four experts to look after the arrangements。
Three of them were admirable。 There was Joseph M‘Conner； the very
man who had designed the dynamos； and there was Joshua Westmacott；
the chairman of the Los Amigos Electrical Supply Company； Limited。
Then there was myself as the chief medical man； and lastly an old German
of the name of Peter Stulpnagel。 The Germans were a strong body at Los
Amigos； and they all voted for their man。 That was how he got on the
committee。 It was said that he had been a wonderful electrician at home；
and he was eternally working with wires and insulators and Leyden jars；
but； as he never seemed to get any further； or to have any results worth
publishing he came at last to be regarded as a harmless crank； who had
made science his hobby。 We three practical men smiled when we heard
that he had been elected as our colleague； and at the meeting we fixed it all
up very nicely among ourselves without much thought of the old fellow
who sat with his ears scooped forward in his hands； for he was a trifle hard
of hearing； taking no more part in the proceedings than the gentlemen of
the press who scribbled their notes on the back benches。
We did not take long to settle it all。 In New York a strength of some
two thousand volts had been used； and death had not been instantaneous。
Evidently their shock had been too weak。 Los Amigos should not fall
into that error。 The charge should be six times greater； and therefore； of
course； it would be six times more effective。 Nothing could possibly be
more logical。 The whole concentrated force of the great dynamos should
be employed on Duncan Warner。
So we three settled it； and had already risen to break up the meeting；
when our silent companion opened his month for the first time。
〃Gentlemen；〃 said he； 〃you appear to me to show an extraordinary
ignorance upon the subject of electricity。 You have not mastered the first
principles of its actions upon a human being。〃
The committee was about to break into an angry reply to this brusque
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comment； but the chairman of the Electrical Company tapped his forehead
to claim its indulgence for the crankiness of the speaker。
〃Pray tell us； sir；〃 said he； with an ironical smile； 〃what is there in our
conclusions with which you find fault？〃
〃With your assumption that a large dose of electricity will merely
increase the effect of a small dose。 Do you not think it possible that it
might have an entirely different result？ Do you know anything； by actual
experiment； of the effect of such powerful shocks？〃
〃We know it by analogy；〃 said the chairman； pompously。 〃All drugs
increase their effect when they increase their dose； for examplefor
example〃
〃Whisky；〃 said Joseph M‘Connor。
〃Quite so。 Whisky。 You see it there。〃
Peter Stulpnagel smiled and shook his head。
〃Your argument is not very good；〃 said he。 〃When I used to take
whisky； I used to find that one glass would excite me； but that six would
send me to sleep； which is just the opposite。 Now； suppose that
electricity were to act in just the opposite way also； what then？〃
We three practical men burst out laughing。 We had known that our
colleague was queer； but we never had thought that he would be as queer
as this。
〃What then？〃 repeated Philip Stulpnagel。
〃We'll take our chances；〃 said the chairman。
〃Pray consider；〃 said Peter； 〃that workmen who have touched the wires；
and who have received shocks of only a few hundred volts； have died
instantly。 The fact is well known。 And yet when a much greater force
was used upon a criminal at New York； the man struggled for some little
time。 Do you not clearly see that the smaller dose is the more deadly？〃
〃I think； gentlemen； that this discussion has been carried on quite long
enough；〃 said the chairman； rising again。 〃The point； I take it； has
already been decided by the majority of the committee； and Duncan
Warner shall be electrocuted on Tuesday by the full strength of the Los
Amigos dynamos。 Is it not so？〃
〃I agree；〃 said Joseph M‘Connor。
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〃I agree；〃 said I。
〃And I protest；〃 said Peter Stulpnagel。
〃Then the motion is carried； and your protest will be duly entered in
the minutes；〃 said the chairman； and so the sitting was dissolved。
The attendance at the electrocution was a very small one。 We four
members of the committee were； of course； present with the executioner；
who was to act under their orders。 The others were the United States
Marshal； the governor of the gaol； the chaplain； and three members of the
press。 The room was a small brick chamber； forming an outhouse to the
Central Electrical station。 It had been used as a laundry； and had an oven
and copper at one side； but no other furniture save a single chair for the
condemned man。 A metal plate for his feet was placed in front of it； to
which ran a thick； insulated wire。 Above； another wire depended from
the ceiling； which could be connected with a small metallic rod projecting
from a cap which was to be placed upon his head。 When this connection
was established Duncan Warner's hour was come。
There was a solemn hush as we waited for the coming of the prisoner。
The practical engineers looked a little pale； and fidgeted nervously with
the wires。 Even the hardened Marshal was ill at ease； for a mere hanging
was one thing； and this blasting of flesh and blood a very different one。
As to the pressmen； their faces were whiter than the sheets which lay
before them。 The only man who appeared to feel none of the influence of
these preparations was the little German crank； who strolled from one to
the other with a smile on his lips and mischief in his eyes。 More than
once he even went so far as to burst into a shout of laughter； until the
chaplain sternly rebuked him for his ill…timed levity。
〃How can you so far forget yourself； Mr。 Stulpnagel；〃 said he； 〃as to
jest in the presence of death？〃
But the German was quite unabashed。
〃If I were in the presence of death I should not jest；〃 said he； 〃but since
I am not I may do what I choose。〃
This flippant reply was about to draw another and a sterner reproof
from the chaplain； when the door was swung open and two warders
entered leading Duncan Warner between them。 He glanced round him
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with a set face； stepped resolutely forward； and seated himself upon the
chair。
〃Touch her off！〃 said he。
It was barbarous to keep him in suspense。 The chaplain murmured a
few words in his ear； the attendant placed the cap upon his head； and then；
while we all held our breath； the wire and the metal were brought in
contact。
〃Great Scott！〃 shouted Duncan Warner。
He had bounded in his chair as the frightful shock crashed through his
system。 But he was not dead。 On the contrary； his eyes gleamed far
more brightly than they had done before。 There was only one change；
but it was a singular one。 The black had passed from his hair and beard
as the shadow passes from a landscape。 They were both as white as
snow。 And yet there was no other sign of decay。 His skin was smooth
and plump and lustrous as a child's。
The Marshal looked at the committee with a reproachful eye。
〃There seems to be some hitch here； gentle… men；〃 said he。
We three practical men looked at each other。
Peter Stulpnagel smiled pensively。
〃I think that another one should do it；〃 said I。
Again the connection was made； and again Duncan Warner sprang in
his chair and shouted； but； indeed； were it not that he still remained in the
chair none of us would have recognised him。 His hair and his beard had
shredded off in an instant； and the room looked like a barber's shop on a
Saturday night。 There he sat； his eyes still shining； his skin radiant with
the glow of perfect health； but with a scalp as bald as a Dutch cheese； and
a chin without so much as a trace of down。 He began to revolve one of
his arms； slowly and doubtfully at first； but with more confidence as he
went on。
〃That jint；〃 said he； 〃has puzzled half the doctors on the Pacific Slope。
It's as good as new； and as limber as a hickory twig。〃
〃You are feeling pretty well？〃 asked the old German。
〃Never better in my life；〃 said Duncan Warner cheerily。
The situation was a painful one。 The Marshal gla
