They had lived together in matrimony for little more than two years. The husband, a gentleman by birth and education, had mortally offended his relations in marrying a woman of an inferior rank of life. He was fast declining into a state of poverty, through his own reckless extravagance, at the time when he met with his death at his wife’s hand.
Without attempting to excuse him, he deserved, to my mind, some tribute of regret. It is not to be denied that he was profligate1 in his habits and violent in his temper. But it is equally true that he was affectionate in the domestic circle, and, when moved by wisely applied2 remonstrance3, sincerely penitent4 for sins committed under temptation that overpowered him. If his wife had killed him in a fit of jealous rage—under provocation5, be it remembered, which the witnesses proved—she might have been convicted of manslaughter, and might have received a light sentence. But the evidence so undeniably revealed deliberate and merciless premeditation, that the only defense6 attempted by her counsel was madness, and the only alternative left to a righteous jury was a verdict which condemned7 the woman to death. Those mischievous8 members of the community, whose topsy-turvy sympathies feel for the living criminal and forget the dead victim, attempted to save her by means of high-flown petitions and contemptible9 correspondence in the newspapers. But the Judge held firm; and the Home Secretary held firm. They were entirely10 right; and the public were scandalously wrong.
Our Chaplain endeavored to offer the consolations11 of religion to the condemned wretch12. She refused to accept his ministrations in language which filled him with grief and horror.
On the evening before the execution, the reverend gentleman laid on my table his own written report of a conversation which had passed between the Prisoner and himself.
“I see some hope, sir,” he said, “of inclining the heart of this woman to religious belief, before it is too late. Will you read my report, and say if you agree with me?”
I read it, of course. It was called “A Memorandum13,” and was thus written:
“At his last interview with the Prisoner, the Chaplain asked her if she had ever entered a place of public worship. She replied that she had occasionally attended the services at a Congregational Church in this town; attracted by the reputation of the Minister as a preacher. ‘He entirely failed to make a Christian14 of me,’ she said; ‘but I was struck by his eloquence15. Besides, he interested me personally—he was a fine man.’
“In the dreadful situation in which the woman was placed, such language as this shocked the Chaplain; he appealed in vain to the Prisoner’s sense of propriety16. ‘You don’t understand women,’ she answered. ‘The greatest saint of my sex that ever lived likes to look at a preacher as well as to hear him. If he is an agreeable man, he has all the greater effect on her. This preacher’s voice told me he was kind-hearted; and I had only to look at his beautiful eyes to see that he was trustworthy and true.’
“It was useless to repeat a protest which had already failed. Recklessly and flippantly as she had described it, an impression had been produced on her. It occurred to the Chaplain that he might at least make the attempt to turn this result to her own religious advantage. He asked whether she would receive the Minister, if the reverend gentleman came to the prison. ‘That will depend,’ she said, ‘on whether you answer some questions which I want to put to you first.’ The Chaplain consented; provided always that he could reply with propriety to what she asked of him. Her first question only related to himself.
“She said: ‘The women who watch me tell me that you are a widower17, and have a family of children. Is that true?’
“The Chaplain answered that it was quite true.
“She alluded18 next to a report, current in the town, that the Minister had resigned the pastorate. Being personally acquainted with him, the Chaplain was able to inform her that his resignation had not yet been accepted. On hearing this, she seemed to gather confidence. Her next inquiries19 succeeded each other rapidly, as follows:
“‘Is my handsome preacher married?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Has he got any children?’
“‘He has never had any children.’
“‘How long has he been married?’
“‘As well as I know, about seven or eight years.
“‘What sort of woman is his wife?’
“‘A lady universally respected.’
“‘I don’t care whether she is respected or not. Is she kind?’
“‘Certainly!’
“‘Is her husband well off?’
“‘He has a sufficient income.’
“After that reply, the Prisoner’s curiosity appeared to be satisfied. She said, ‘Bring your friend the preacher to me, if you like’—and there it ended.
“What her object could have been in putting these questions, it seems to be impossible to guess. Having accurately20 reported all that took place, the Chaplain declares, with heartfelt regret, that he can exert no religious influence over this obdurate21 woman. He leaves it to the Governor to decide whether the Minister of the Congregational Church may not succeed, where the Chaplain of the Jail has failed. Herein is the one last hope of saving the soul of the Prisoner, now under sentence of death!”
In those serious words the Memorandum ended. Although not personally acquainted with the Minister I had heard of him, on all sides, as an excellent man. In the emergency that confronted us he had, as it seemed to me, his own sacred right to enter the prison; assuming that he was willing to accept, what I myself felt to be, a very serious responsibility. The first necessity was to discover whether we might hope to obtain his services. With my full approval the Chaplain left me, to state the circumstances to his reverend colleague.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
profligate
|
|
| adj.行为不检的；n.放荡的人，浪子，肆意挥霍者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
remonstrance
|
|
| n抗议，抱怨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
penitent
|
|
| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
provocation
|
|
| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
defense
|
|
| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
condemned
|
|
| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
mischievous
|
|
| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
contemptible
|
|
| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
consolations
|
|
| n.安慰，慰问( consolation的名词复数 )；起安慰作用的人（或事物） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
wretch
|
|
| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
memorandum
|
|
| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
eloquence
|
|
| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
propriety
|
|
| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
widower
|
|
| n.鳏夫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
alluded
|
|
| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
accurately
|
|
| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
obdurate
|
|
| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |