按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
lord's inherent grossness or of the innocence of his inhumanity；
treading gingerly the ways of intercourse； like a lady gathering up her
skirts in a by…path。 If he made a mistake； and my lord began to abound
in matter of offence； Archie drew himself up； his brow grew dark； his
share of the talk expired； but my lord would faithfully and cheerfully
continue to pour out the worst of himself before his silent and offended
son。
〃Well； it's a poor hert that never rejoices！〃 he would say； at the
conclusion of such a nightmare interview。 〃But I must get to my plew…
stilts。〃 And he would seclude himself as usual in his back room； and
Archie go forth into the night and the city quivering with animosity and
scorn。
CHAPTER III … IN THE MATTER OF THE HANGING OF DUNCAN JOPP
IT chanced in the year 1813 that Archie strayed one day into the
Justiciary Court。 The macer made room for the son of the presiding
judge。 In the dock； the centre of men's eyes； there stood a whey…
coloured； misbegotten caitiff； Duncan Jopp； on trial for his life。 His
story； as it was raked out before him in that public scene； was one of
disgrace and vice and cowardice； the very nakedness of crime； and the
creature heard and it seemed at times as though he understood … as if at
times he forgot the horror of the place he stood in； and remembered the
shame of what had brought him there。 He kept his head bowed and his
hands clutched upon the rail； his hair dropped in his eyes and at times
he flung it back； and now he glanced about the audience in a sudden
fellness of terror； and now looked in the face of his judge and gulped。
There was pinned about his throat a piece of dingy flannel； and this it
was perhaps that turned the scale in Archie's mind between disgust and
pity。 The creature stood in a vanishing point； yet a little while； and
he was still a man； and had eyes and apprehension； yet a little longer；
and with a last sordid piece of pageantry； he would cease to be。 And
here； in the meantime； with a trait of human nature that caught at the
beholder's breath； he was tending a sore throat。
Over against him； my Lord Hermiston occupied the bench in the red robes
of criminal jurisdiction； his face framed in the white wig。 Honest all
through； he did not affect the virtue of impartiality； this was no case
for refinement； there was a man to be hanged； he would have said； and he
was hanging him。 Nor was it possible to see his lordship； and acquit
him of gusto in the task。 It was plain he gloried in the exercise of
his trained faculties； in the clear sight which pierced at once into the
joint of fact； in the rude； unvarnished gibes with which he demolished
every figment of defence。 He took his ease and jested； unbending in
that solemn place with some of the freedom of the tavern； and the rag of
man with the flannel round his neck was hunted gallowsward with jeers。
Duncan had a mistress； scarce less forlorn and greatly older than
himself； who came up； whimpering and curtseying； to add the weight of
her betrayal。 My lord gave her the oath in his most roaring voice； and
added an intolerant warning。
〃Mind what ye say now； Janet；〃 said he。 〃I have an e'e upon ye； I'm ill
to jest with。〃
Presently； after she was tremblingly embarked on her story； 〃And what
made ye do this； ye auld runt？〃 the Court interposed。 〃Do ye mean to
tell me ye was the panel's mistress？〃
〃If you please； ma loard；〃 whined the female。
〃Godsake！ ye made a bonny couple；〃 observed his lordship； and there was
something so formidable and ferocious in his scorn that not even the
galleries thought to laugh。
The summing up contained some jewels。
〃These two peetiable creatures seem to have made up thegither； it's not
for us to explain why。〃 … 〃The panel； who （whatever else he may be）
appears to be equally ill set…out in mind and boady。〃 … 〃Neither the
panel nor yet the old wife appears to have had so much common sense as
even to tell a lie when it was necessary。〃 And in the course of
sentencing； my lord had this OBITER DICTUM： 〃I have been the means；
under God； of haanging a great number； but never just such a disjaskit
rascal as yourself。〃 The words were strong in themselves； the light and
heat and detonation of their delivery； and the savage pleasure of the
speaker in his task； made them tingle in the ears。
When all was over； Archie came forth again into a changed world。 Had
there been the least redeeming greatness in the crime； any obscurity；
any dubiety； perhaps he might have understood。 But the culprit stood；
with his sore throat； in the sweat of his mortal agony； without defence
or excuse： a thing to cover up with blushes： a being so much sunk
beneath the zones of sympathy that pity might seem harmless。 And the
judge had pursued him with a monstrous； relishing gaiety； horrible to be
conceived； a trait for nightmares。 It is one thing to spear a tiger；
another to crush a toad； there are aesthetics even of the slaughter…
house； and the loathsomeness of Duncan Jopp enveloped and infected the
image of his judge。
Archie passed by his friends in the High Street with incoherent words
and gestures。 He saw Holyrood in a dream； remembrance of its romance
awoke in him and faded； he had a vision of the old radiant stories； of
Queen Mary and Prince Charlie； of the hooded stag； of the splendour and
crime； the velvet and bright iron of the past； and dismissed them with a
cry of pain。 He lay and moaned in the Hunter's Bog； and the heavens
were dark above him and the grass of the field an offence。 〃This is my
father；〃 he said。 〃I draw my life from him； the flesh upon my bones is
his； the bread I am fed with is the wages of these horrors。〃 He
recalled his mother； and ground his forehead in the earth。 He thought
of flight； and where was he to flee to？ of other lives； but was there
any life worth living in this den of savage and jeering animals？
The interval before the execution was like a violent dream。 He met his
father； he would not look at him； he could not speak to him。 It seemed
there was no living creature but must have been swift to recognise that
imminent animosity； but the hide of the Justice…Clerk remained
impenetrable。 Had my lord been talkative； the truce could never have
subsisted； but he was by fortune in one of his humours of sour silence；
and under the very guns of his broadside； Archie nursed the enthusiasm
of rebellion。 It seemed to him； from the top of his nineteen years'
experience； as if he were marked at birth to be the perpetrator of some
signal action； to set back fallen Mercy； to overthrow the usurping devil
that sat； horned and hoofed； on her throne。 Seductive Jacobin figments；
which he had often refuted at the Speculative； swam up in his mind and
startled him as with voices： and he seemed to himself to walk
accompanied by