第 14 节
作者:悟来悟去      更新:2021-02-20 15:46      字数:9321
  The magistrate now considered it his duty to send a couple of constables
  to search the chamber of the accused in the house of his uncle。 From this
  search they almost immediately returned with the well…known steel…bound;
  russet leather pocket…book which the old gentleman had been in the habit
  of carrying for years。 Its valuable contents; however; had been
  abstracted; and the magistrate in vain endeavored to extort from the
  prisoner the use which had been made of them; or the place of their
  concealment。 Indeed; he obstinately denied all knowledge of the matter。
  The constables; also; discovered; between the bed and sacking of the
  unhappy man; a shirt and neck…handkerchief both marked with the initials
  of his name; and both hideously besmeared with the blood of the victim。
  At this juncture; it was announced that the horse of the murdered man had
  just expired in the stable from the effects of the wound he had received;
  and it was proposed by Mr。 Goodfellow that a post mortem examination of
  the beast should be immediately made; with the view; if possible; of
  discovering the ball。 This was accordingly done; and; as if to demonstrate
  beyond a question the guilt of the accused; Mr。 Goodfellow; after
  considerable searching in the cavity of the chest was enabled to detect
  and to pull forth a bullet of very extraordinary size; which; upon trial;
  was found to be exactly adapted to the bore of Mr。 Pennifeather's rifle;
  while it was far too large for that of any other person in the borough or
  its vicinity。 To render the matter even surer yet; however; this bullet
  was discovered to have a flaw or seam at right angles to the usual suture;
  and upon examination; this seam corresponded precisely with an accidental
  ridge or elevation in a pair of moulds acknowledged by the accused himself
  to be his own property。 Upon finding of this bullet; the examining
  magistrate refused to listen to any farther testimony; and immediately
  committed the prisoner for trial…declining resolutely to take any bail in
  the case; although against this severity Mr。 Goodfellow very warmly
  remonstrated; and offered to become surety in whatever amount might be
  required。 This generosity on the part of 〃Old Charley〃 was only in
  accordance with the whole tenour of his amiable and chivalrous conduct
  during the entire period of his sojourn in the borough of Rattle。 In the
  present instance the worthy man was so entirely carried away by the
  excessive warmth of his sympathy; that he seemed to have quite forgotten;
  when he offered to go bail for his young friend; that he himself (Mr。
  Goodfellow) did not possess a single dollar's worth of property upon the
  face of the earth。
  The result of the committal may be readily foreseen。 Mr。 Pennifeather;
  amid the loud execrations of all Rattleborough; was brought to trial at
  the next criminal sessions; when the chain of circumstantial evidence
  (strengthened as it was by some additional damning facts; which Mr。
  Goodfellow's sensitive conscientiousness forbade him to withhold from the
  court) was considered so unbroken and so thoroughly conclusive; that the
  jury; without leaving their seats; returned an immediate verdict of
  〃Guilty of murder in the first degree。〃 Soon afterward the unhappy wretch
  received sentence of death; and was remanded to the county jail to await
  the inexorable vengeance of the law。
  In the meantime; the noble behavior of 〃Old Charley Goodfellow; had doubly
  endeared him to the honest citizens of the borough。 He became ten times a
  greater favorite than ever; and; as a natural result of the hospitality
  with which he was treated; he relaxed; as it were; perforce; the extremely
  parsimonious habits which his poverty had hitherto impelled him to
  observe; and very frequently had little reunions at his own house; when
  wit and jollity reigned supreme…dampened a little; of course; by the
  occasional remembrance of the untoward and melancholy fate which impended
  over the nephew of the late lamented bosom friend of the generous host。
  One fine day; this magnanimous old gentleman was agreeably surprised at
  the receipt of the following letter:…
  Charles Goodfellow; Esq。; Rattleborough
  From H。F。B。 & Co。
  Chat。 Mar。 A  No。 1。 6 doz。 bottles (1/2 Gross)
  {The above inscription lies vertically to the left of the following letter
  in the print version Ed。}
  _〃Charles Goodfellow; Esquire。_
  _〃Dear Sir  In conformity with an order transmitted to our firm about
  two months since; by our esteemed correspondent; Mr。 Barnabus
  Shuttleworthy; we have the honor of forwarding this morning; to your
  address; a double box of Chateau…Margaux of the antelope brand; violet
  seal。 Box numbered and marked as per margin。_
  _〃We remain; sir_; _
  _        _〃Your most ob'nt ser'ts;
  _               _ _〃HOGGS; FROGS; BOGS; & CO。
  〃City of ; June 21; 18。
  _〃P。S。  The box will reach you by wagon; on the day after your receipt
  of this letter。 Our respects to Mr。 Shuttleworthy。_
  〃H。; F。; B。; & CO。〃
  The fact is; that Mr。 Goodfellow had; since the death of Mr。
  Shuttleworthy; given over all expectation of ever receiving the promised
  Chateau…Margaux; and he; therefore; looked upon it now as a sort of
  especial dispensation of Providence in his behalf。 He was highly
  delighted; of course; and in the exuberance of his joy invited a large
  party of friends to a petit souper on the morrow; for the purpose of
  broaching the good old Mr。 Shuttleworthy's present。 Not that he said any
  thing about 〃the good old Mr。 Shuttleworthy〃 when he issued the
  invitations。 The fact is; he thought much and concluded to say nothing at
  all。 He did not mention to any one  if I remember aright  that he had
  received a present of Chateau…Margaux。 He merely asked his friends to come
  and help him drink some; of a remarkable fine quality and rich flavour;
  that he had ordered up from the city a couple of months ago; and of which
  he would be in the receipt upon the morrow。 I have often puzzled myself to
  imagine why it was that 〃Old Charley〃 came to the conclusion to say
  nothing about having received the wine from his old friend; but I could
  never precisely understand his reason for the silence; although he had
  some excellent and very magnanimous reason; no doubt。
  The morrow at length arrived; and with it a very large and highly
  respectable company at Mr。 Goodfellow's house。 Indeed; half the borough
  was there;  I myself among the number;  but; much to the vexation of
  the host; the Chateau…Margaux did not arrive until a late hour; and when
  the sumptuous supper supplied by 〃Old Charley〃 had been done very ample
  justice by the guests。 It came at length; however;  a monstrously big
  box of it there was; too  and as the whole party were in excessively
  good humor; it was decided; nem。 con。; that it should be lifted upon the
  table and its contents disembowelled forthwith。
  No sooner said than done。 I lent a helping hand; and; in a trice we had
  the box upon the table; in the midst of all the bottles and glasses; not a
  few of which were demolished in the scuffle。 〃Old Charley;〃 who was pretty
  much intoxicated; and excessively red in the face; now took a seat; with
  an air of mock dignity; at the head of the board; and thumped furiously
  upon it with a decanter; calling upon the company to keep order 〃during
  the ceremony of disinterring the treasure。〃
  After some vociferation; quiet was at length fully restored; and; as very
  often happens in similar cases; a profound and remarkable silence ensued。
  Being then requested to force open the lid; I complied; of course; 〃with
  an infinite deal of pleasure。〃 I inserted a chisel; and giving it a few
  slight taps with a hammer; the top of the box flew suddenly off; and at
  the same instant; there sprang up into a sitting position; directly facing
  the host; the bruised; bloody; and nearly putrid corpse of the murdered
  Mr。 Shuttleworthy himself。 It gazed for a few seconds; fixedly and
  sorrowfully; with its decaying and lack…lustre eyes; full into the
  countenance of Mr。 Goodfellow; uttered slowly; but clearly and
  impressively; the words  〃Thou art the man!〃 and then; falling over the
  side of the chest as if thoroughly satisfied; stretched out its limbs
  quiveringly upon the table。
  The scene that ensued is altogether beyond description。 The rush for the
  doors and windows was terrific; and many of the most robust men in the
  room fainted outright through sheer horror。 But after the first wild;
  shrieking burst of affright; all eyes were directed to Mr。 Goodfellow。 If
  I live a thousand years; I can never forget the more than mortal agony
  which was depicted in that ghastly face of his; so lately rubicund with
  triumph and wine。 For several minutes he sat rigidly as a statue of
  marble; his eyes seeming; in the intense vacancy of their gaze; to be
  turned inward and absorbed in the contemplation of his own miserable;
  murderous soul。 At length their expression appeared to flash suddenly out
  into the external world; when; with a quick leap; he sprang from his
  chair; and falling heavily with his head and shoulders upon the table; and
  in contact with the corpse; poured out rapidly and vehemently a detailed
  confession of the hideous crime for which