双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第17部分

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ilt　of　his　business　might　have　remained　undiscovered。　That　Providence；　however；　had　put　it　into　the　heart　of　a　person　who　was　beyond　fear　and　beyond　reproach；　to　ferret　out　the　nature　of　the　prisoner's　schemes；　and；　struck　with　horror；　to　disclose　them　to　his　Majesty's　Chief　Secretary　of　State　and　most　honourable　Privy　Council。　That；　this　patriot　would　be　produced　before　them。　That；　his　position　and　attitude　were；　on　the　whole；　sublime。　That；　he　had　been　the　prisoner's　friend；　but；　at　once　in　an　auspicious　and　an　evil　hour　detecting　his　infamy；　had　resolved　to　immolate　the　traitor　he　could　no　longer　cherish　in　his　bosom；　on　the　sacred　altar　of　his　country。　That；　if　statues　were　decreed　in　Britain；　as　in　ancient　Greece　and　Rome；　to　public　benefactors；　this　shining　citizen　would　assuredly　have　had　one。　That；　as　they　were　not　so　decreed；　he　probably　would　not　have　one。　That；　Virtue；　as　had　been　observed　by　the　poets　（in　many　passages　which　he　well　knew　the　jury　would　have；　word　for　word；　at　the　tips　of　their　tongues；　whereat　the　jury's　countenances　displayed　a　guilty　consciousness　that　they　knew　nothing　about　the　passages）；　was　in　a　manner　contagious；　more　especially　the　bright　virtue　known　as　patriotism；　or　love　of　country。　That；　the　lofty　example　of　this　immaculate　and　unimpeachable　witness　for　the　Crown；　to　refer　to　whom　however　unworthily　was　an　honour；　had　municated　itself　to　the　prisoner's　servant；　and　had　engendered　in　him　a　holy　determination　to　examine　his　master's　table…drawers　and　pockets；　and　secrete　his　papers。　That；　he　（Mr。　Attorney…General）　was　prepared　to　hear　some　disparagement　attempted　of　this　admirable　servant；　but　that；　in　a　general　way；　he　preferred　him　to　his　（Mr。　Attorney…General's）　brothers　and　sisters；　and　honoured　him　more　than　his　（Mr。　Attorney…General's）　father　and　mother。　That；　he　called　with　confidence　on　the　jury　to　e　and　do　likewise。　That；　the　evidence　of　these　two　witnesses；　coupled　with　the　documents　of　their　discovering　that　would　be　produced；　would　show　the　prisoner　to　have　been　furnished　with　lists　of　his　Majesty's　forces；　and　of　their　disposition　and　preparation；　both　by　sea　and　land；　and　would　leave　no　doubt　that　he　had　habitually　conveyed　such　information　to　a　hostile　power。　That；　these　lists　could　not　be　proved　to　be　in　the　prisoner's　handwriting；　but　that　it　was　all　the　same；　that；　indeed；　it　was　rather　the　better　for　the　prosecution；　as　showing　the　prisoner　to　be　artful　in　his　precautions。　That；　the　proof　would　go　back　five　years；　and　would　show　the　prisoner　already　engaged　in　these　pernicious　missions；　within　a　few　weeks　before　the　date　of　the　very　first　action　fought　between　the　British　troops　and　the　Americans。　That；　for　these　reasons；　the　jury；　being　a　loyal　jury　（as　he　knew　they　were）；　and　being　a　responsible　jury　（as　they　knew　they　were）；　must　positively　find　the　prisoner　Guilty；　and　make　an　end　of　him；　whether　they　liked　it　or　not。　That；　they　never　could　lay　their　heads　upon　their　pillows；　that；　they　never　could　tolerate　the　idea　of　their　wives　laying　their　heads　upon　their　pillows；　that；　they　never　could　endure　the　notion　of　their　children　laying　their　heads　upon　their　pillows；　in　short；　that　there　never　more　could　be；　for　them　or　theirs；　any　laying　of　heads　upon　pillows　at　all；　unless　the　prisoner's　head　was　taken　off。　That　head　Mr。　Attorney…General　concluded　by　demanding　of　them；　in　the　name　of　everything　he　could　think　of　with　a　round　turn　in　it；　and　on　the　faith　of　his　solemn　asseveration　that　he　already　considered　the　prisoner　as　good　as　dead　and　gone。
When　the　Attorney…General　ceased；　a　buzz　arose　in　the　court　as　if　a　cloud　of　great　blue…flies　were　swarming　about　the　prisoner；　in　anticipation　of　what　he　was　soon　to　bee。　When　toned　down　again；　the　unimpeachable　patriot　appeared　in　the　witness…box。
Mr。　Solicitor…General　then；　following　his　leader's　lead；　examined　the　patriot：　John　Barsad；　gentleman；　by　name。　The　story　of　his　pure　soul　was　exactly　what　Mr。　Attorney…General　had　described　it　to　be…perhaps；　if　it　had　a　fault；　a　little　too　exactly。　Having　released　his　noble　bosom　of　its　burden；　he　would　have　modestly　withdrawn　himself；　but　that　the　wigged　gentleman　with　the　papers　before　him；　sitting　not　far　from　Mr。　Lorry；　begged　to　ask　him　a　few　questions。　The　wigged　gentleman　sitting　opposite；　still　looking　at　the　ceiling　of　the　court。
Had　he　ever　been　a　spy　himself？　No；　he　scorned　the　base　insinuation。　What　did　he　live　upon？　His　property。　Where　was　his　property？　He　didn't　precisely　remember　where　it　was。　What　was　it？　No　business　of　anybody's。　Had　he　inherited　it？　Yes；　he　had。　From　whom？　Distant　relation。　Very　distant？　Rather。　Ever　been　in　prison？　Certainly　not。　Never　in　a　debtors'　prison？　Didn't　see　what　that　had　to　do　with　it。　Never　in　a　debtors'　prison？……e；　once　again。　Never？　Yes。　How　many　times？　Two　or　three　times。　Not　five　or　six？　Perhaps。　Of　what　profession？　Gentleman。　Ever　been　kicked？　Might　have　been。　Frequently？　No。　Ever　kicked　down…stairs？　Decidedly　not；　once　received　a　kick　on　the　top　of　a　staircase；　and　fell　down…stairs　of　his　own　accord。　Kicked　on　that　occasion　for　cheating　at　dice？　Something　to　that　effect　was　said　by　the　intoxicated　liar　who　mitted　the　assault；　but　it　was　not　true。　Swear　it　was　not　true？　Positively。　Ever　live　by　cheating　at　play？　Never。　Ever　live　by　play？　Not　more　than　other　gentlemen　do。　Ever　borrow　money　of　the　prisoner？　Yes。　Ever　pay　him？　No。　Was　not　this　intimacy　with　the　prisoner；　in　reality　a　very　slight　one；　forced　upon　the　prisoner　in　coaches；　inns；　and　packets？　No。　Sure　he　saw　the　prisoner　with　these　lists？　Certain。　Knew　no　more　about　the　lists？　No。　Had　not　procured　them　himself；　for　instance？　No。　Expect　to　get　anything　by　this　evidence？　No。　Not　in　regular　government　pay　and　employment；　to　lay　traps？　Oh　dear　no。　Or　to　do　anything？　Oh　dear　no。　Swear　that？　Over　and　over　again。　No　motives　but　motives　of　sheer　patriotism？　None　whatever。
The　virtuous　servant；　Roger　Cly；　swore　his　way　through　the　case　at　a　great　rate。　He　had　taken　service　with　the　prisoner；　in　good　faith　and　simplicity；　four　years　ago。　He　had　asked　the　prisoner；　aboard　the　Calais　packet；　if　he　wanted　a　handy　fellow；　and　the　prisoner　had　engaged　him。　He　had　not　asked　the　prisoner　to　take　the　handy　fellow　as　an　act　of　charity……never　thought　of　such　a　thing。　He　began　to　have　suspicions　of　the　prisoner；　and　to　keep　an　eye　upon　him；　soon　afterwards。　In　arranging　his　clothes；　while　travelling；　he　had　seen　similar　lists　to　these　in　the　prisoner's　pockets；　over　and　over　again。　He　had　taken　these　lists　from　the　drawer　of　the　prisoner's　desk。　He　had　not　put　them　there　first。　He　had　seen　the　prisoner　show　these　identical　lists　to　French　gentlemen　at　Calais；　and　similar　lists　to　French　gentlemen；　both　at　Calais　and　Boulogne。　He　loved　his　country；　and　couldn't　bear　it；　and　had　given　information。　He　had　never　been　suspected　of　stealing　a　silver　tea…pot；　he　had　been　maligned　respecting　a　mustard…pot；　but　it　turned　out　to　be　only　a　plated　one。　He　had　known　the　last　witness　seven　or　eight　years；　that　was　merely　a　coincidence。　He　didn't　call　it　a　particularly　curious　coincidence；　most　coincidences　were　curious。　Neither　did　he　call　it　a　curious　coincidence　that　true　patriotism　was　his　only　motive　too。　He　was　a　true　Briton；　and　hoped　there　were　many　like　him。
The　blue…flies　buzzed　again；　and　Mr。　Attorney…General　called　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry。
‘Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry；　are　you　a　clerk　in　Tellson's　bank？'
‘I　am。'
‘On　a　certain　Friday　night　in　November　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　seventy…five；　did　business　occasion　you　to　travel　between　London　and　Dover　by　the　mail？'
‘It　did。'
‘Were　there　any　other　passengers　in　the　mail？'
‘Two。'
‘Did　they　alight　on　the　road　in　the　course　of　the　night？'
‘They　did。'
‘Mr。　Lorry；　look　upon　the　prisoner。　Was　he　one　of　those　two　passengers？
‘I　cannot　undertake　to　say　that　he　was。'
‘Does　he　resemble　either　of　these　two　passengers？'
‘Both　were　so　wrapped　up；　and　the　night　was　so　dark；　and　we　were　all　so　reserved；　that　I　cannot　undertake　to　say　even　that。'
‘Mr。　Lorry；　look　again　upon　the　prisoner。　Supposing　him　wrapped　up　as　those　two　passengers　were；　is　there　anything　in　his　bulk　and　stature　to　render　it　unlikely　that　he　was　one　of　them？'
‘No。'
‘You　will　not　swear；　Mr。