CHAPTER V. Official Excitement.

I was told to be seated. As I turned to the empty chair I was not permitted to sit down. I could not do so. I tried as hard as I could, but I did not move. Again I was spoken to, and told to be seated. This time the voice that commanded me to be seated was gruff and harsh¹.

I replied: “I am trying to, sir, but I can not move.”

“You sit down. We are going to find out what is wrong with you. I have called in all the higher officers, and we intend to have your case thoroughly² investigated this day.”

All this time I did not move—I could not, and presently I heard a voice say:

“Do not sit down. We will not allow you to do so.”

Suddenly I was seized by the officer, and was again told to sit down.

I said: “I would obey if I could, but I can not move.”

“Well, I will move you.”

[58]

I could see that the officer made an effort to compel me to move, and I could feel myself grow rigid³. Presently I felt myself begin to move toward the door of the inside prison, and for a moment everything seemed dark. I felt a sickening feeling come over me. I began to lose consciousness⁴, and found myself sitting on the chair against the prison door. All the officers were lying on the floor. I cried out for help.

“Come to my rescue!” I cried. “I have not harmed anyone here.”

At that moment guards came from all directions, and shouted: “Open the door!” I could not and did not move.

Again they shouted, and I did not move. I did not look like a dead man, sitting there, but I must frankly⁵ say that I felt like one, and if wishes could have been granted, would have been one, for I was in prison for one murder, perhaps two, and from the surroundings it might be several, as these men all looked like corpses⁶ to me.

Presently “Bang!” went the door. The guards had gotten great heavy irons and were trying to force the door open. When they succeeded, I was the first one to be taken care of. As a matter of fact, the dead men, as they[59] thought them, could be gotten away in only one way, and that is carried. I could get away, but did not have a chance. But I got something else, a good beating from the officers.

Oh, how I did beg and try to explain to them that I had not harmed anyone! but in vain. I was laid up for some time from the severe treatment.

I knew not what became of the officials, or how badly, if at all, they were hurt. Neither did I know how it happened that they were all lying so helpless on the floor.

It was unfortunate for me, as they did not know of this mysterious power nor of the “lady ghost”—so called, nor of the unseen power which had put our friend in the hospital. He had recovered enough to take notice when the officers were brought into the hospital. He naturally inquired if there had been a prison raid⁷, and the answer was:

“More serious than that. We would be glad to let some of our prisoners go if we could do so, as they seem to do much as they please with themselves and others too. The great mystery is causing much trouble, and we can not find out what is wrong.”

“How long have I been here and why am[60] I here? I am not hurt. I was not attacked by my prisoner. The last I remember I was cautioning⁸ him to be careful, as I saw him lifting what no three men could. That is my last recollection. I have not an ache nor a pain, and why am I here? Bring the prisoner to me.”

“We can not. He is also in the hospital. He disobeyed so much that he received such treatment as to be sent to the hospital.”

“He has! Tell me what has he done?”

“To the best of my knowledge, he has murdered five of the officials, all brought in here just now, as you have seen.”

“Murdered! murdered! I want to get to him.”

“You too have been injured by him, and you must remain quiet until pronounced out of danger.”

“I am not injured, and he did not harm me. I must be taken to the office, that I may declare this man innocent of that crime.”

“I shall have to have orders from your physician before I could consider taking you out of the hospital. I fear that you are not yourself, when you say that the prisoner did not harm you.”

“I can swear before all, and by God in[61] Heaven, that he did not. I must be taken to him and tell him that I will say that he did me no harm.”

“You will have plenty of time to prove his innocence⁹, and tell why you are here and how you did get hurt if he did not do it.”

“I am not hurt. I am as well as I ever was in my life, and I must see the doctor and say to him that I must be out of here.”

“Very well; I will go to the doctor and send him to you.”

1 harsh   

adj.严厉（酷）的，刺耳的，刺目的，毛糙的

参考例句：

• The sunlight is very harsh.太阳光很刺眼。
• Although his words are harsh,there is positiveness in them.虽然他的话很苛刻，但有建设性。

2 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

3 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

4 consciousness   

n.意识，觉悟，知觉

参考例句：

• The experience helped to change her social consciousness.这种经验有助于改变她的社会意识。
• He lost consciousness at the first whiff of ether.他一嗅到乙醚便失去了知觉。

5 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 corpses   

n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The living soldiers put corpses together and burned them. 活着的战士把尸体放在一起烧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Overhead, grayish-white clouds covered the sky, piling up heavily like decaying corpses. 天上罩满了灰白的薄云，同腐烂的尸体似的沉沉的盖在那里。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

7 raid   

v.劫掠，攫取，袭击，突击搜捕；n.突然袭击

参考例句：

• Our house was blown up in an air raid.在一次空袭中我们的房子被炸掉了。
• During their raid on the house,the police found a lot of drugs.在对这所房子的搜查中，警方发现了大量的毒品。

8 cautioning   

v.警告，提醒，劝…小心( caution的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I mentioned this point by way of cautioning you. 我提出了这一点用以警告你。 来自辞典例句
• All I'm doing is cautioning you. 我没别的意思，只是提醒你而已。 来自互联网

9 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。