第 12 节
作者:人生几何      更新:2021-08-28 17:14      字数:9321
  of the man who followed him was of the colour of impure wax。
  I am a bachelor; and my valet and his wife constitute my whole
  establishment。  My occupation is in a certain Branch Bank; and I
  wish that my duties as head of a Department were as light as they
  are popularly supposed to be。  They kept me in town that autumn;
  when I stood in need of change。  I was not ill; but I was not well。
  My reader is to make the most that can be reasonably made of my
  feeling jaded; having a depressing sense upon me of a monotonous
  life; and being 〃slightly dyspeptic。〃  I am assured by my renowned
  doctor that my real state of health at that time justifies no
  stronger description; and I quote his own from his written answer to
  my request for it。
  As the circumstances of the murder; gradually unravelling; took
  stronger and stronger possession of the public mind; I kept them
  away from mine by knowing as little about them as was possible in
  the midst of the universal excitement。  But I knew that a verdict of
  Wilful Murder had been found against the suspected murderer; and
  that he had been committed to Newgate for trial。  I also knew that
  his trial had been postponed over one Sessions of the Central
  Criminal Court; on the ground of general prejudice and want of time
  for the preparation of the defence。  I may further have known; but I
  believe I did not; when; or about when; the Sessions to which his
  trial stood postponed would come on。
  My sitting…room; bedroom; and dressing…room; are all on one floor。
  With the last there is no communication but through the bedroom。
  True; there is a door in it; once communicating with the staircase;
  but a part of the fitting of my bath has beenand had then been for
  some yearsfixed across it。  At the same period; and as a part of
  the same arrangement;the door had been nailed up and canvased
  over。
  I was standing in my bedroom late one night; giving some directions
  to my servant before he went to bed。  My face was towards the only
  available door of communication with the dressing…room; and it was
  closed。  My servant's back was towards that door。  While I was
  speaking to him; I saw it open; and a man look in; who very
  earnestly and mysteriously beckoned to me。  That man was the man who
  had gone second of the two along Piccadilly; and whose face was of
  the colour of impure wax。
  The figure; having beckoned; drew back; and closed the door。  With
  no longer pause than was made by my crossing the bedroom; I opened
  the dressing…room door; and looked in。  I had a lighted candle
  already in my hand。  I felt no inward expectation of seeing the
  figure in the dressing…room; and I did not see it there。
  Conscious that my servant stood amazed; I turned round to him; and
  said:  〃Derrick; could you believe that in my cool senses I fancied
  I saw a〃  As I there laid my hand upon his breast; with a sudden
  start he trembled violently; and said; 〃O Lord; yes; sir!  A dead
  man beckoning!〃
  Now I do not believe that this John Derrick; my trusty and attached
  servant for more than twenty years; had any impression whatever of
  having seen any such figure; until I touched him。  The change in him
  was so startling; when I touched him; that I fully believe he
  derived his impression in some occult manner from me at that
  instant。
  I bade John Derrick bring some brandy; and I gave him a dram; and
  was glad to take one myself。  Of what had preceded that night's
  phenomenon; I told him not a single word。  Reflecting on it; I was
  absolutely certain that I had never seen that face before; except on
  the one occasion in Piccadilly。  Comparing its expression when
  beckoning at the door with its expression when it had stared up at
  me as I stood at my window; I came to the conclusion that on the
  first occasion it had sought to fasten itself upon my memory; and
  that on the second occasion it had made sure of being immediately
  remembered。
  I was not very comfortable that night; though I felt a certainty;
  difficult to explain; that the figure would not return。  At daylight
  I fell into a heavy sleep; from which I was awakened by John
  Derrick's coming to my bedside with a paper in his hand。
  This paper; it appeared; had been the subject of an altercation at
  the door between its bearer and my servant。  It was a summons to me
  to serve upon a Jury at the forthcoming Sessions of the Central
  Criminal Court at the Old Bailey。  I had never before been summoned
  on such a Jury; as John Derrick well knew。  He believedI am not
  certain at this hour whether with reason or otherwisethat that
  class of Jurors were customarily chosen on a lower qualification
  than mine; and he had at first refused to accept the summons。  The
  man who served it had taken the matter very coolly。  He had said
  that my attendance or non…attendance was nothing to him; there the
  summons was; and I should deal with it at my own peril; and not at
  his。
  For a day or two I was undecided whether to respond to this call; or
  take no notice of it。  I was not conscious of the slightest
  mysterious bias; influence; or attraction; one way or other。  Of
  that I am as strictly sure as of every other statement that I make
  here。  Ultimately I decided; as a break in the monotony of my life;
  that I would go。
  The appointed morning was a raw morning in the month of November。
  There was a dense brown fog in Piccadilly; and it became positively
  black and in the last degree oppressive East of Temple Bar。  I found
  the passages and staircases of the Court…House flaringly lighted
  with gas; and the Court itself similarly illuminated。  I THINK that;
  until I was conducted by officers into the Old Court and saw its
  crowded state; I did not know that the Murderer was to be tried that
  day。  I THINK that; until I was so helped into the Old Court with
  considerable difficulty; I did not know into which of the two Courts
  sitting my summons would take me。  But this must not be received as
  a positive assertion; for I am not completely satisfied in my mind
  on either point。
  I took my seat in the place appropriated to Jurors in waiting; and I
  looked about the Court as well as I could through the cloud of fog
  and breath that was heavy in it。  I noticed the black vapour hanging
  like a murky curtain outside the great windows; and I noticed the
  stifled sound of wheels on the straw or tan that was littered in the
  street; also; the hum of the people gathered there; which a shrill
  whistle; or a louder song or hail than the rest; occasionally
  pierced。  Soon afterwards the Judges; two in number; entered; and
  took their seats。  The buzz in the Court was awfully hushed。  The
  direction was given to put the Murderer to the bar。  He appeared
  there。  And in that same instant I recognised in him the first of
  the two men who had gone down Piccadilly。
  If my name had been called then; I doubt if I could have answered to
  it audibly。  But it was called about sixth or eighth in the panel;
  and I was by that time able to say; 〃Here!〃  Now; observe。  As I
  stepped into the box; the prisoner; who had been looking on
  attentively; but with no sign of concern; became violently agitated;
  and beckoned to his attorney。  The prisoner's wish to challenge me
  was so manifest; that it occasioned a pause; during which the
  attorney; with his hand upon the dock; whispered with his client;
  and shook his head。  I afterwards had it from that gentleman; that
  the prisoner's first affrighted words to him were; 〃AT ALL HAZARDS;
  CHALLENGE THAT MAN!〃  But that; as he would give no reason for it;
  and admitted that he had not even known my name until he heard it
  called and I appeared; it was not done。
  Both on the ground already explained; that I wish to avoid reviving
  the unwholesome memory of that Murderer; and also because a detailed
  account of his long trial is by no means indispensable to my
  narrative; I shall confine myself closely to such incidents in the
  ten days and nights during which we; the Jury; were kept together;
  as directly bear on my own curious personal experience。  It is in
  that; and not in the Murderer; that I seek to interest my reader。
  It is to that; and not to a page of the Newgate Calendar; that I beg
  attention。
  I was chosen Foreman of the Jury。  On the second morning of the
  trial; after evidence had been taken for two hours (I heard the
  church clocks strike); happening to cast my eyes over my brother
  jurymen; I found an inexplicable difficulty in counting them。  I
  counted them several times; yet always with the same difficulty。  In
  short; I made them one too many。
  I touched the brother jurymen whose place was next me; and I
  whispered to him; 〃Oblige me by counting us。〃  He looked surprised
  by the request; but turned his head and counted。 〃Why;〃 says he;
  suddenly; 〃we are Thirt…; but no; it's not possible。  No。  We are
  twelve。〃
  According to my counting that day; we were always right in detail;
  but in the gross