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CHAPTER IV. Accused of Murder.
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I thought of the other wrong accusation1 of murder. Now, perhaps, it would happen again. I finally decided2 to call for help. An officer stepped up. When he saw his fellow-officer lying as I have said, apparently3 dead, he at once accused me.

“What have you done to this man?”

“I am innocent of any harm to that man. I did not even see him fall.”

“What were you doing that you did not see him fall?”

“I, sir, was doing what he told me to do—loading those pieces of iron on the truck. I heard deep breathing and turned to look, and found him as you see him now.”

“Well, I do not believe one word you have told me, and more, no sane4 man would ask another to do what it would require three or four strong men to do.”

“I was not only asked to do so, but I was doing it. I had moved the iron to the distance you see, from the remainder.”

[51]

“Now you come along. I will send the hospital word about him.”

Again I was taken to the office. I wondered what would be done now. As I had no way of proving that I did not commit the deed, I could not make them understand that I had not harmed the guard.

The officer said: “I will tell you. I found the guard lying on the floor. I do not know if he is dead or in a faint. I do know that he looks very much like a dead man.”

“What! Do you mean to tell me that this man has committed another murder?”

“I am not a murderer, and I did not harm this man. I did not, I say, and God is my judge.”

“We shall have to take some unusual proceedings5 with you. I am sure that when we find out the truth, which I hope and pray to do, and we will if this man is not dead and he tells the story of how he was harmed, we will be able to at least see what and why so much mystery surrounds you.”

“I hope he may live and be able to tell the story, for I am anxious to find out how he happened to be in the condition found.”

[52]

“Are you quite sure that you do not already know?”

“I do not, sir.”

“I am at a loss to know what to do with you and where next to place you. Do you think that you could prove to us that you did move the iron?”

“I do not know, sir. I am quite sure that it moved, and I did not see anyone near, and that is why I stopped when I heard the moaning—to see what was wrong, and I saw my guard lying on the floor.”

“You tell a very plain story, but can we believe it? I can not, and will try you out again on the same work.”

To the other guard he said: “You may take him back and see if what he has been telling is true.”

“Oh! I beg you not to try my strength on what would require three times the amount of strength I have, and perhaps cause another circumstantial evidence of murder, if the guard should be found dead, after reaching the hospital.”

“I shall not expect you to do so much. I want you to substantiate6 the story you are[53] telling us. And now you may go back to the shipping7 quarters.”

I was taken, this time accompanied by the officer to whom I was talking and who was giving orders to place me where I should be given the work.

I thought, on the way back, that I should fall with fear and weakness. I could not see how I could have courage to try to move the unreasonable8 load again.

We are shown no mercy in prison—at least, I was not. Instead, I was bidden to do work which it was impossible for me to do, outside of prison walls. We accomplish a great many feats9 through fear. I am sure that I could not accomplish many which I did except through fear.

“Now, sir,” said the officer, “you say that you moved that iron that distance?”

“I did, sir.”

“Well, you may now show if you can move it as far, again, and I shall see that while you are moving it you do not move me too, as you did the other, to the hospital.”

At that moment I could not speak. Instead I could hear someone speak to me, and the words were:

[54]

“I will help you. Take hold.”

I did so. As I bent10 over I could see several trying to get hold of the anvils11. I felt that my strength was greater than ever before, and I could see the anvils move along, apparently with ease. After I had moved them to where we wished them to be, I raised up and found that I was all alone. I looked around for the officer and guard, but they were not to be seen.

As I was standing12 meditating13 as to what I should do, a prisoner all alone with no guard in sight, I wondered if I should call for a guard, or try to move another mass of iron.

At that moment a voice called to me. Turning to look, I was confronted by a new guard, whom I had never before seen. We could readily tell the guards by their uniforms.

“How does it come,” he said, “that you are outside of your rank and here doing nothing with no guard near?”

“Sir, I am here working and had a guard with me.”

“Well, where is he now?”

“I do not know, sir. While I was lifting these anvils and placing them where we could load them for shipment, he disappeared.”

[55]

“Go on! What are you giving me? You alone lifting these anvils?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you know that you are not strong enough to lift one end of any one of them, not even the smallest-sized one there?”

“Well, I do not understand, myself, how I did it, but I did.”

“I think that I shall have to take you to ‘the carpet.’ You are astray from work in some part of this prison.”

Dear, oh, dear! Back to “the carpet”! On the way I could hear a hearty14 laughing, and I felt that I was being ridiculed15 by my fellow-men, because I was taken so often to the so-called “carpet.” As we knew, usually when an officer was taking a prisoner to the office many times, he was sent for as a punishment for disobeying. In another moment I thought I could not have heard the prisoners laugh, as that was against the rules. Then what did I hear?

We at last reached the office, only to find the superintendent16 gone, the door locked, and no way of getting in, as the door of the office leads inside of the prison walls. Therefore it is necessary to have locked doors at all times.

[56]

The next thing to do with me was to lock me in my cell, as I could not make the officer believe that I was working when he found me.

After some time in my cell I was again sent for, this time by a new guard, and was told to go to the office with him.

As we entered I saw several men whom I had never before seen in the office. I noticed that they were officers of the prison. They seemed to be very much excited, and I must say that I too was excited. I did not know what next they would or could do with me.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 accusation GJpyf     
n.控告,指责,谴责
参考例句:
  • I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
  • She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。
2 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
3 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
4 sane 9YZxB     
adj.心智健全的,神志清醒的,明智的,稳健的
参考例句:
  • He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
  • He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。
5 proceedings Wk2zvX     
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报
参考例句:
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
6 substantiate PsRwu     
v.证实;证明...有根据
参考例句:
  • There is little scientific evidence to substantiate the claims.这些主张几乎找不到科学依据来证实。
  • These theories are used to substantiate the relationship between the phenomenons of the universe.这些学说是用来证实宇宙现象之间的关系。
7 shipping WESyg     
n.船运(发货,运输,乘船)
参考例句:
  • We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
  • There's a shipping charge of £5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。
8 unreasonable tjLwm     
adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的
参考例句:
  • I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
  • They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。
9 feats 8b538e09d25672d5e6ed5058f2318d51     
功绩,伟业,技艺( feat的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance. 过去,他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
  • His heroic feats made him a legend in his own time. 他的英雄业绩使他成了他那个时代的传奇人物。
10 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
11 anvils bd00446d0777d957f7cdfb2835dbf08a     
n.(铁)砧( anvil的名词复数 );砧骨
参考例句:
12 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
13 meditating hoKzDp     
a.沉思的,冥想的
参考例句:
  • They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
14 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
参考例句:
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
15 ridiculed 81e89e8e17fcf40595c6663a61115a91     
v.嘲笑,嘲弄,奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Biosphere 2 was ultimately ridiculed as a research debade, as exfravagant pseudoscience. 生物圈2号最终被讥讽为科研上的大失败,代价是昂贵的伪科学。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She ridiculed his insatiable greed. 她嘲笑他的贪得无厌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人,主管,总监;(英国)警务长
参考例句:
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。


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