下载辰思小说免费APP
Whenwemetoncemoreattheendoftheexamination，Roberttoldmethattheprisonerneverspokeandneverchangedhisposition。
Hewaseitherfortifiedbythecruelcomposureofasavage，orhisfacultieshadnotyetthoroughlyrecoveredfromthediseasethathadsolatelyshakenthem。Themagistrateseemedtodoubtifhewasinhisrightmind；buttheevidenceofthemedicalmanrelievedthisuncertainty，andtheprisonerwascommittedfortrialonachargeofmanslaughter。
Whynotonachargeofmurder？RobertexplainedthelawtomewhenIaskedthatquestion。Iacceptedtheexplanation，butitdidnotsatisfyme。MaryMallinsonwaskilledbyablowfromthehandofNoahTruscott。ThatismurderinthesightofGod。Whynotmurderinthesightofthelawalso？
June18th。To—morrowisthedayappointedforthetrialattheOldBailey。
BeforesunsetthiseveningIwenttolookatMary’sgrave。TheturfhasgrownsogreensinceIsawitlast，andtheflowersarespringingupsoprettily。Abirdwaspercheddressinghisfeathersonthelowwhiteheadstonethatbearstheinscriptionofhernameandage。Ididnotgonearenoughtodisturbthelittlecreature。Helookedinnocentandprettyonthegrave，asMaryherselfwasinherlifetime。WhenheflewawayIwentandsatforalittlebytheheadstone，andreadthemournfullinesonit。Oh，mylove！mylove！whatharmorwronghadyoueverdoneinthisworld，thatyoushoulddieateighteenbyablowfromadrunkard’shand？
June19th。Thetrial。Myexperienceofwhathappenedatitislimited，likemyexperienceoftheexaminationatthepolice—office，tothetimeoccupiedingivingmyownevidence。
TheymademesaymuchmorethanIsaidbeforethemagistrate。
Betweenexaminationandcross—examination，IhadtogointoalmostalltheparticularsaboutpoorMaryandherfuneralthatI
havewritteninthisjournal；thejurylisteningtoeverywordI
spokewiththemostanxiousattention。Attheend，thejudgesaidafewwordstomeapprovingofmyconduct，andthentherewasaclappingofhandsamongthepeopleincourt。IwassoagitatedandexcitedthatItrembledalloverwhentheyletmegooutintotheairagain。
IlookedattheprisonerbothwhenIenteredthewitness—boxandwhenIleftit。Theloweringbrutalityofhisfacewasunchanged，buthisfacultiesseemedtobemorealiveandobservantthantheywereatthepolice—office。Afrightfulbluechangepassedoverhisface，andhedrewhisbreathsoheavilythatthegaspsweredistinctlyaudiblewhileImentionedMarybynameanddescribedthemarkortheblowonhertemple。WhentheyaskedmeifIknewanythingoftheprisoner，andIansweredthatIonlyknewwhatMaryherselfhadtoldmeabouthishavingbeenherfather’sruin，hegaveakindofgroan，andstruckbothhishandsheavilyonthedock。AndwhenIpassedbeneathhimonmywayoutofcourt，heleanedoversuddenly，whethertospeaktomeortostrikemeI
can’tsay，forhewasimmediatelymadetostanduprightagainbytheturnkeysoneithersideofhim。Whiletheevidenceproceeded（asRobertdescribedittome），thesignsthathewassufferingundersuperstitiousterrorbecamemoreandmoreapparent；until，atlast，justasthelawyerappointedtodefendhimwasrisingtospeak，hesuddenlycriedout，inavoicethatstartledeveryone，uptotheveryjudgeonthebench："Stop！"
Therewasapause，andalleyeslookedathim。Theperspirationwaspouringoverhisfacelikewater，andhemadestrange，uncouthsignswithhishandstothejudgeopposite。"Stopallthis！"hecriedagain；"I’vebeentheruinofthefatherandthedeathofthechild。HangmebeforeIdomoreharm！Hangme，forGod’ssake，outoftheway！"Assoonastheshockproducedbythisextraordinaryinterruptionhadsubsided，hewasremoved，andtherefollowedalongdiscussionaboutwhetherhewasofsoundmindornot。Thematterwaslefttothejurytodecidebytheirverdict。Theyfoundhimguiltyofthechargeofmanslaughter，withouttheexcuseofinsanity。Hewasbroughtupagain，andcondemnedtotransportationforlife。Allhedid，onhearingthedreadfulsentence，wastoreiteratehisdesperatewords："HangmebeforeIdomoreharm！Hangme，forGod’ssake，outoftheway！"
June20th。Imadeyesterday’sentryinsadnessofheart，andI
havenotbeenbetterinmyspiritsto—day。Itissomethingtohavebroughtthemurderertothepunishmentthathedeserves。Buttheknowledgethatthismostrighteousactofretributionisaccomplishedbringsnoconsolationwithit。ThelawdoesindeedpunishNoahTruscottforhiscrime，butcanitraiseupMaryMallinsonfromherlastresting—placeinthechurchyard？
Whilewritingofthelaw，IoughttorecordthattheheartlesswretchwhoallowedMarytobestruckdowninhispresencewithoutmakinganattempttodefendherisnotlikelytoescapewithperfectimpunity。Thepolicemanwholookedafterhimtoinsurehisattendanceatthetrialdiscoveredthathehadcommittedpastoffenses，forwhichthelawcanmakehimanswer。Asummonswasexecuteduponhim，andhewastakenbeforethemagistratethemomentheleftthecourtaftergivinghisevidence。
Ihadjustwrittenthesefewlines，andwasclosingmyjournal，whentherecameaknockatthedoor。Iansweredit，thinkingthatRoberthadcalledonhiswayhometosaygood—night，andfoundmyselffacetofacewithastrangegentleman，whoimmediatelyaskedforAnneRodway。OnhearingthatIwasthepersoninquiredfor，herequestedfiveminutes’conversationwithme。Ishowedhimintothelittleemptyroomatthebackofthehouse，andwaited，rathersurprisedandfluttered，tohearwhathehadtosay。
Hewasadarkman，withaseriousmanner，andashort，sternwayofspeakingIwascertainthathewasastranger，andyetthereseemedsomethinginhisfacenotunfamiliartome。Hebeganbytakinganewspaperfromhispocket，andaskingmeifIwasthepersonwhohadgivenevidenceatthetrialofNoahTruscottonachargeofmanslaughter。IansweredimmediatelythatIwas。
"IhavebeenfornearlytwoyearsinLondonseekingMaryMallinson，andalwaysseekingherinvain，"hesaid。"ThefirstandonlynewsIhavehadofherIfoundinthenewspaperreportofthetrialyesterday。"
Hestillspokecalmly，buttherewassomethinginthelookofhiseyeswhichshowedmethathewassufferinginspirit。Asuddennervousnessovercameme，andIwasobligedtositdown。
"YouknewMaryMallinson，sir？"Iasked，asquietlyasIcould。
"Iamherbrother。"
Iclaspedmyhandsandhidmyfaceindespair。Oh，thebitternessofheartwithwhichIheardhimsaythosesimplewords！
"Youwereverykindtoher，"saidthecalm，tearlessman。"Inhernameandforhersake，Ithankyou。"
"Oh，sir，"Isaid，"whydidyouneverwritetoherwhenyouwereinforeignparts？"
"Iwroteoften，"heanswered；"buteachofmyletterscontainedaremittanceofmoney。DidMarytellyoushehadastepmother？Ifshedid，youmayguesswhynoneofmyletterswereallowedtoreachher。Inowknowthatthiswomanrobbedmysister。HassheliedintellingmethatshewasneverinformedofMary’splaceofabode？"
IrememberedthatMaryhadnevercommunicatedwithherstepmotheraftertheseparation，andcouldthereforeassurehimthatthewomanhadspokenthetruth。
Hepausedforamomentaftert
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