manalive-第20章

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would　have　gravely　affected　my　equilibrium　upon　the　wall。
As　it　was；　in　the　wildness　of　the　moment；　I　put　it　in　my
waistcoat　pocket；　and；　picking　my　way　back　by　wall　and　ladder；
landed　in　the　respectable　streets　once　more。　　Not　before；　however；
I　had　seen　with　my　own　eyes　the　two　awful　and　lamentable　facts
that　the　burglar　was　climbing　up　a　slanting　roof　towards
the　chimneys；　and　that　Raymond　Percy　（a　priest　of　God　and；
what　was　worse；　a　gentleman）　was　crawling　up　after　him。
I　have　never　seen　either　of　them　since　that　day。

〃In　consequence　of　this　soul…searching　experience　I　severed
my　connection　with　the　wild　set。　　I　am　far　from　saying　that
every　member　of　the　Christian　Social　Union　must　necessarily
be　a　burglar。　　I　have　no　right　to　bring　any　such　charge。
But　it　gave　me　a　hint　of　what　courses　may　lead　to　in　many　cases；
and　I　saw　them　no　more。

〃I　have　only　to　add　that　the　photograph　you　enclose；　taken　by　a
Mr。　Inglewood；　is　undoubtedly　that　of　the　burglar　in　question。
When　I　got　home　that　night　I　looked　at　his　card；　and　he　was　inscribed
there　under　the　name　of　Innocent　Smith。Yours　faithfully；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃John　Clement　Hawkins。〃


Moon　merely　went　through　the　form　of　glancing　at　the　paper。　　He　knew　that
the　prosecutors　could　not　have　invented　so　heavy　a　document；　that　Moses　Gould
（for　one）　could　no　more　write　like　a　canon　than　he　could　read　like　one。
After　handing　it　back　he　rose　to　open　the　defence　on　the　burglary　charge。

〃We　wish；〃　said　Michael；　〃to　give　all　reasonable　facilities　to
the　prosecution；　especially　as　it　will　save　the　time　of　the　whole　court。
The　latter　object　I　shall　once　again　pursue　by　passing　over　all
those　points　of　theory　which　are　so　dear　to　Dr。　Pym。　　I　know　how　they
are　made。　　Perjury　is　a　variety　of　aphasia；　leading　a　man　to　say
one　thing　instead　of　another。　　Forgery　is　a　kind　of　writer's　cramp；
forcing　a　man　to　write　his　uncle's　name　instead　of　his　own。
Piracy　on　the　high　seas　is　probably　a　form　of　sea…sickness。　But　it　is
unnecessary　for　us　to　inquire　into　the　causes　of　a　fact　which　we　deny。
Innocent　Smith　never　did　commit　burglary　at　all。

〃I　should　like　to　claim　the　power　permitted　by　our　previous　arrangement；
and　ask　the　prosecution　two　or　three　questions。〃

Dr。　Cyrus　Pym　closed　his　eyes　to　indicate　a　courteous　assent。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　continued　Moon；　〃have　you　the　date　of　Canon　Hawkins's
last　glimpse　of　Smith　and　Percy　climbing　up　the　walls　and　roofs？〃

〃Ho；　yus！〃　called　out　Gould　smartly。　　〃November　thirteen；　eighteen　ninety…one。〃

〃Have　you；〃　continued　Moon；　〃identified　the　houses　in　Hoxton　up
which　they　climbed？〃

〃Must　have　been　Ladysmith　Terrace　out　of　the　highroad；〃
answered　Gould　with　the　same　clockwork　readiness。

〃Well；〃　said　Michael；　cocking　an　eyebrow　at　him；　〃was　there　any　burglary
in　that　terrace　that　night？　　Surely　you　could　find　that　out。〃

〃There　may　well　have　been；〃　said　the　doctor　primly；　after　a　pause；
〃an　unsuccessful　one　that　led　to　no　legalities。〃

〃Another　question；〃　proceeded　Michael。　　〃Canon　Hawkins；　in　his
blood…and…thunder　boyish　way；　left　off　at　the　exciting　moment。
Why　don't　you　produce　the　evidence　of　the　other　clergyman；
who　actually　followed　the　burglar　and　presumably　was　present
at　the　crime？〃

Dr。　Pym　rose　and　planted　the　points　of　his　fingers　on　the　table；
as　he　did　when　he　was　specially　confident　of　the　clearness
of　his　reply。

〃We　have　entirely　failed；〃　he　said；　〃to　track　the　other　clergyman；
who　seems　to　have　melted　into　the　ether　after　Canon　Hawkins　had
seen　him　as…cending　the　gutters　and　the　leads。　　I　am　fully　aware
that　this　may　strike　many　as　sing'lar；　yet；　upon　reflection；
I　think　it　will　appear　pretty　natural　to　a　bright　thinker。
This　Mr。　Raymond　Percy　is　admittedly；　by　the　canon's　evidence；
a　minister　of　eccentric　ways。　　His　con…nection　with　England's　proudest
and　fairest　does　not　seemingly　prevent　a　taste　for　the　society
of　the　real　low…down。　On　the　other　hand；　the　prisoner　Smith　is；
by　general　agreement；　a　man　of　irr'sistible　fascination。
I　entertain　no　doubt　that　Smith　led　the　Revered　Percy　into　the　crime
and　forced　him　to　hide　his　head　in　the　real　crim'nal　class。
That　would　fully　account　for　his　non…appearance；　and　the　failure
of　all　attempts　to　trace　him。〃

〃It　is　impossible；　then；　to　trace　him？〃　asked　Moon。

〃Impossible；〃　repeated　the　specialist；　shutting　his　eyes。

〃You　are　sure　it's　impossible？〃

〃Oh　dry　up；　Michael；〃　cried　Gould；　irritably。　　〃We'd　'have
found　'im　if　we　could；　for　you　bet　'e　saw　the　burglary。
Look　for　your　own　'ead　in　the　dustbin。　　You'll　find　that
after　a　bit；〃　and　his　voice　died　away　in　grumbling。

〃Arthur；〃　directed　Michael　Moon；　sitting　down；　〃kindly　read
Mr。　Raymond　Percy's　letter　to　the　court。〃

〃Wishing；　as　Mr。　Moon　has　said；　to　shorten　the　proceedings　as　much
as　possible；〃　began　Inglewood；　〃I　will　not　read　the　first　part
of　the　letter　sent　to　us。　　It　is　only　fair　to　the　prosecution
to　admit　the　account　given　by　the　second　clergyman　fully　ratifies；
as　far　as　the　facts　are　concerned；　that　given　by　the　first　clergyman。
We　concede；　then；　the　canon's　story　so　far　as　it　goes。　　This　must
necessarily　be　valuable　to　the　prosecutor　and　also　convenient　to　the　court。
I　begin　Mr。　Percy's　letter；　then；　at　the　point　when　all　three　men
were　standing　on　the　garden　wall：


〃As　I　watched　Hawkins　wavering　on　the　wall；　I　made　up　my　own　mind
not　to　waver。　　A　cloud　of　wrath　was　on　my　brain；　like　the　cloud
of　copper　fog　on　the　houses　and　gardens　round。　　My　decision　was
violent　and　simple；　yet　the　thoughts　that　led　up　to　it　were　so
complicated　and　contradictory　that　I　could　not　retrace　them　now。
I　knew　Hawkins　was　a　kind；　innocent　gentleman；　and　I　would　have
given　ten　pounds　for　the　pleasure　of　kicking　him　down　the　road。
That　God　should　allow　good　people　to　be　as　bestially　stupid　as　that
rose　against　me　like　a　towering　blasphemy。

〃At　Oxford；　I　fear；　I　had　the　artistic　temperament　rather　badly；
and　artists　love　to　be　limited。　　I　liked　the　church　as　a　pretty　pattern；
discipline　was　mere　decoration。　　I　delighted　in　mere　divisions　of　time；
I　liked　eating　fish　on　Friday。　　But　then　I　like　fish；　and　the　fast
was　made　for　men　who　like　meat。　　Then　I　came　to　Hoxton　and　found　men
who　had　fasted　for　five　hundred　years；　men　who　had　to　gnaw　fish　because
they　could　not　get　meatand　fish…bones　when　they　could　not　get　fish。
As　too　many　British　officers　treat　the　army　as　a　review；　so　I　had　treated
the　Church　Militant　as　if　it　were　the　Church　Pageant。　　Hoxton　cures　that。
Then　I　realized　that　for　eighteen　hundred　years　the　Church　Militant
had　not　been　a　pageant；　but　a　riotand　a　suppressed　riot。
There；　still　living　patiently　in　Hoxton；　were　the　people　to　whom
the　tremendous　promises　had　been　made。　　In　the　face　of　that　I　had
to　become　a　revolutionary　if　I　was　to　continue　to　be　religious。
In　Hoxton　one　cannot　be　a　conservative　without　being　also　an　atheist
and　a　pessimist。　　Nobody　but　the　devil　could　want　to　conserve　Hoxton。

〃On　the　top　of　all　this　comes　Hawkins。　　If　he　had　cursed　all　the　Hoxton　men；
excommunicated　them；　and　told　them　they　were　going　to　hell；　I　should
have　rather　admired　him。　　If　he　had　ordered　them　all　to　be　burned
in　the　market…place；　I　should　still　have　had　that　patience　that　all
good　Christians　have　with　the　wrongs　inflicted　on　other　people。
But　there　is　no　priestcraft　about　Hawkinsnor　any　other　kind　of　craft。
He　is　as　perfectly　incapable　of　being　a　priest　as　he　is　of　being　a　carpenter
or　a　cabman　or　a　gardener　or　a　plasterer。　　He　is　a　perfect　gentleman；
that　is　his　complaint。　　He　does　not　impose　his　creed；　but　simply　his　class。
He　never　said　a　word　of　religion　in　the　whole　of　his　damnable　address。
He　simply　said　all　the　things　his　brother；　the　major；　would　have　said。
A　voice　from　heaven　assures　me　that　he　has　a　brother；　and　that　this
brother　is　a　major。

〃When　this　helpless　aristocrat　had　praised　cleanliness　in　the　body
and　convention　in　the　soul　to　people　who　could　hardly　keep　body
and　soul　together；　the　stampede　against　our　platform　began。
I　took　part　in　his　undeserved　rescue；　I　followed　his
obscure　deliverer；　until　（as　I　have　said）　we　stood　together
on　the　wall　above　the　dim　gardens；　already　clouding　with　fog。
Then　I　looked　at　the　curate　and　at　the　burglar；　and　decided；　in　a　spasm
of　inspiration；　that　the　burglar　was　the　better　man　of　the　two。
The　burglar　seemed　quite　as　kind　and　human　as　the　curate　was
and　he　was　also　brave　and　self…reliant；　which　the　curate　was　not。
I　knew　there　was　no　virtue　in　the　upper　class；　for　I　belong　to
it　myself；　I　knew　there　was　not　so　very　much　in　the　lower　class；
for　I　had　lived　with　it　a　long　time。　　Many　old　texts　about
the　despised　and　persecuted　came　back　to　my　mind；　and　I　thought
that　the　saints　might　well　be　hidden　in　the　criminal　class。
About　the　time　Hawkins　let　himself　down　the　ladder　I　was　crawling
up　a　low；　sloping；　blue…slate　roof　after　the　large　man；　who　went
leaping　in　front　of　me　like　a　gorilla。

〃This　upward　scramble　was　short；　and　we　soon　found
ourselves　tramping　along　a　broad　road　of　flat　roofs；
broader　than　many　big　thoroughfares；　with　chimney…pots　here
and　there　that　seemed　in　the　haze　as　bulky　as　small　forts。
The　asphyxiation　of　the　fog　seemed　to　increase　the　somewhat
swollen　and　morbid　anger　under　which　my　brain　and　body　laboured。
The　sky　and　all　those　things　that　are　commonly　clear　seemed
overpowered　by　sinister　spirits。　　Tall　spectres　with　turbans　of　vapour
seemed　to　stand　higher　than　the　sun　or　moon；　eclipsing　both。
I　thought　dimly　of　illustrations　to　the　‘Arabian　Nights'
on　brown　paper　with　rich　but　sombre　tints；　showing　genii
gathering　round　the　Seal　of　Solomon。　　By　the　way；　what　was
the　Seal　of　Solomon？　　Nothing　to　do　with　sealing…wax　really；
I　suppose；　but　my　muddled　fancy　felt　the　thick　clouds　as　being
of　that　heavy　and　clinging　substance；　of　strong　opaque　colour；
poured　out　of　boiling　pots　and　stamped　into　monstrous　emblems。

〃The　first　effect　of　the　tall　turbaned　vapours　was　that　discoloured
look　of　pea…soup　or　coffee　brown　of　which　Londoners　commonly　speak。
But　the　scene　grew　subtler　with　familiarity。　　We　stood　above　the　average
of　the　housetops　and　saw　something　of　that　thing　called　smoke；　which　in
great　cities　creates　the　strange　thing　called　fog。　　Beneath　us　rose
a　forest　of　chimney…pots。　And　there　stood　in　every　chimney…pot；　as　if　it
were　a　flower…pot；　a　brief　shrub　or　a　tall　tree　of　coloured　vapour。
The　colours　of　the　smoke　were　various；　for　some　chimneys　were　from
firesides　and　some　from　factories；　and　some　again　from　mere　rubbish　heaps。
And　yet；　though　the　tints　were　all　varied；　they　all　seemed　unnatural；
like　fumes　from　a　witch's　pot。　　It　was　as　if　the　shameful　and　ugly
shapes　growing　shapeless　in　the　cauldron　sent　up　each　its　separate
spurt　of　steam；　coloured　according　to　the　fish　or　flesh　consumed。
Here；　aglow　from　underneath；　were　dark　red　clouds；　such　as　might　drift
from　dark　jars　of　sacrificial　blood；　there　the　vapour　was　dark　indigo　gray；
like　the　long　hair　of　witches　steeped　in　the　hell…broth。　In　another
place　the　smoke　was　of　an　awful　opaque　ivory　yellow；　such　as　might
be　the　disembodiment　of　one　of　their　old；　leprous　waxen　images。
But　right　across　it