In the same city are dignified4 magistrates5 — members of clubs and societies — who spend late hours, and often fail to arise in the morning in time to read the papers before the opening of court.
Also in New York are city editors, bilious7 of stomach, testy8 of speech, and inconsiderate of reporters’ feelings and professional pride. Such editors, when a reporter has failed, through no fault of his own, in successfully interviewing a celebrity9, will sometimes send him news-gathering in the police courts, where printable news is scarce.
On the morning following the arrest of John Rowland, three reporters, sent by three such editors, attended a hall of justice presided over by one of the late-rising magistrates mentioned above. In the anteroom of this court, ragged10, disfigured by his clubbing, and disheveled by his night in a cell, stood Rowland, with other unfortunates more or less guilty of offense11 against society. When his name was called, he was hustled12 through a door, along a line of policemen — each of whom added to his own usefulness by giving him a shove and into the dock, where the stern-faced and tired-looking magistrate6 glared at him. Seated in a corner of the court-room were the old gentleman of the day before, the young mother with little Myra in her lap, and a number of other ladies — all excited in demeanor13; and all but the young mother directing venomous glances at Rowland. Mrs. Selfridge, pale and hollow-eyed, but happy-faced, withal, allowed no wandering glance to rest on him.
The officer who had arrested Rowland was sworn, and testified that he had stopped the prisoner on Broadway while making off with the child, whose rich clothing had attracted his attention. Disdainful sniffs14 were heard in the corner with muttered remarks: “Rich indeed — the idea — the flimsiest prints.” Mr. Gaunt, the prosecuting15 witness, was called to testify.
“This man, your Honor,” he began, excitedly, “was once a gentleman and a frequent guest at my house. He asked for the hand of my daughter, and as his request was not granted, threatened revenge. Yes, sir. And out on the broad Atlantic, where he had followed my daughter in the guise16 of a sailor, he attempted to murder that child — my grandchild; but was discovered —”
“Wait,” interrupted the magistrate. “Confine your testimony17 to the present offense.”
“Yes, your Honor. Failing in this, he stole, or enticed18 the little one from its bed, and in less than five minutes the ship was wrecked19, and he must have escaped with the child in —”
“Were you a witness of this?”
“I was not there, your Honor; but we have it on the word of the first officer, a gentleman —”
“Step down, sir. That will do. Officer, was this offense committed in New York?”
“Yes, your Honor; I caught him meself.”
“Who did he steal the child from?”
“That lady over yonder.”
“Madam, will you take the stand?”
With her child in her arms, Mrs. Selfridge was sworn and in a low, quavering voice repeated what her father had said. Being a woman, she was allowed by the woman-wise magistrate to tell her story in her own way. When she spoke20 of the attempted murder at the taffrail, her manner became excited. Then she told of the captain’s promise to put the man in irons on her agreeing to testify against him — of the consequent decrease in her watchfulness21, and her missing the child just before the shipwreck22 — of her rescue by the gallant23 first officer, and his assertion that he had seen her child in the arms of this man — the only man on earth who would harm it — of the later news that a boat containing sailors and children had been picked up by a Mediterranean24 steamer — of the detectives sent over, and their report that a sailor answering this man’s description had refused to surrender a child to the consul25 at Gibraltar and had disappeared with it — of her joy at the news that Myra was alive, and despair of ever seeing her again until she had met her in this man’s arms on Broadway the day before. At this point, outraged26 maternity27 overcame her. With cheeks flushed, and eyes blazing scorn and anger, she pointed28 at Rowland and all but screamed: “And he has mutilated — tortured my baby. There are deep wounds in her little back, and the doctor said, only last night, that they were made by a sharp instrument. And be must have tried to warp29 and twist the mind of my child, or put her through frightful30 experiences; for he taught her to swear — horribly — and last night at bedtime, when I told her the story of Elisha and the bears and the children, she burst out into the most uncontrollable screaming and sobbing31.”
Here her testimony ended in a breakdown33 of hysterics, between sobs34 of which were frequent admonitions to the child not to say that bad word; for Myra had caught sight of Rowland and was calling his nickname.
“What shipwreck was this — where was it?” asked the puzzled magistrate of nobody in particular.
“The Titan,” called out half a dozen newspaper men across the room.
“The Titan,” repeated the magistrate. “Then this offense was committed on the high seas under the English flag. I cannot imagine why it is brought into this court. Prisoner, have you anything to say?”
“Nothing, your Honor.” The answer came in a kind of dry sob32.
The magistrate scanned the ashen-faced man in rags, and said to the clerk of the court: “Change this charge to vagrancy35 — eh —”
The clerk, instigated36 by the newspaper men, was at his elbow. He laid a morning paper before him, pointed to certain big letters and retired37. Then the business of the court suspended while the court read the news. After a moment or two the magistrate looked up.
“Prisoner,” he said, sharply, “take your left sleeve out of your breast!” Rowland obeyed mechanically, and it dangled38 at his side. The magistrate noticed, and read on. Then he folded the paper and said:
“You are the man who was rescued from an iceberg39, are you not?” The prisoner bowed his head.
“Discharged!” The word came forth40 in an unjudicial roar. “Madam,” added the magistrate, with a kindling41 light in his eye, “this man has merely saved your child’s life. If you will read of his defending it from a polar bear when you go home, I doubt that you will tell it any more bear stories. Sharp instrument — umph! “Which was equally unjudicial on the part of the court.
Mrs. Selfridge, with a mystified and rather aggrieved42 expression of face, left the court-room with her indignant father and friends, while Myra shouted profanely43 for Rowland, who had fallen into the hands of the reporters. They would have entertained him after the manner of the craft, but he would not be entertained — neither would he talk. He escaped and was swallowed up in the world without; and when the evening papers appeared that day, the events of the trial were all that could be added to the story of the morning.
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1
permeated
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| 弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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2
vibrations
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| n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动 | |
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3
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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4
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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5
magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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7
bilious
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| adj.胆汁过多的；易怒的 | |
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8
testy
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| adj.易怒的；暴躁的 | |
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9
celebrity
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| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
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10
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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11
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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12
hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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13
demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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14
sniffs
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的第三人称单数 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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15
prosecuting
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| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
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16
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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17
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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18
enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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20
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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21
watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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22
shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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23
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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24
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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25
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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26
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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27
maternity
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| n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的 | |
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28
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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29
warp
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| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
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30
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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31
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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32
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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33
breakdown
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| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
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34
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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35
vagrancy
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| （说话的，思想的）游移不定； 漂泊； 流浪； 离题 | |
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36
instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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38
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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39
iceberg
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| n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人 | |
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40
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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41
kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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42
aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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43
profanely
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| adv.渎神地，凡俗地 | |
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