The Death of a Modern Churchman
SOME days later Paul entered on another phase of his reclamation1. When he came into the prison square for his afternoon exercise he found that his companion's place had been taken by a burly man of formidable aspect. He had red hair and beard, and red rimmed2 eyes, and vast red hands which twirled convulsively at his sides. He turned his ox like eyes on Paul and gave a slight snarl3 of welcome.
'Your new pal4,' said the warder. 'Get on with it.'
'How do you do?' said Paul politely. 'Are you here for long?'
'Life,' said the other. 'But it doesn't matter much. I look daily for the Second Coming.'
They marched on in silence.
'Do you think that this a good plan of the Governor's?' asked Paul.
'Yes,' said his companion. They walked on in silence, once round, twice round, three times round.
'Talk, you two,' shouted the warder. 'That's your instructions. Talk.'
'It makes a change,' said the big man.
'What are you here for?' asked Paul. 'You don't mind my asking, do you?'
'It's all in the Bible,' said the big man. 'You should read about it there. Figuratively, you know,' he added. 'It wouldn't be plain to you, I don't suppose, not like it is to me.'
'It's not an easy book to understand, is it?'
'It's not understanding that's needed. It's vision. Do you ever have visions?'
'No, I'm afraid I don't.'
'Nor does the Chaplain. He's no Christian6. It was a vision brought me here, an angel clothed in flame, with a crown of flame on his head, crying "Kill and spare not. The Kingdom is at hand." Would you like to hear about it? I'll tell you. I'm a carpenter by profession, or at least I was, you understand.' He spoke7 with a curious blend of cockney and Biblical English. 'Not a joiner a cabinet-maker. Well, one day I was just sweeping8 out the shop before shutting up when the angel of the Lord came in. I didn't know who it was at first. "Just in time," I said. "What can I do for you?" Then I noticed that all about him there was a red flame and a circle of flame over his head, same as I've been telling you. Then he told me how the Lord had numbered His elect and the day of tribulation9 was at hand. "Kill and spare not," he says. I'd not been sleeping well for some time before this. I'd been worrying about my soul and whether I was saved. Well, all that night I thought of what the angel had told me. I didn't see his meaning, not at first, same as you wouldn't. Then it all came to me in a flash. Unworthy that I am, I am the Lord's appointed,' said the carpenter. 'I am the sword of Israel; I am the lion of the Lord's elect.'
'And did you kill anybody?' asked Paul.
'Unworthy that I am, I smote10 the Philistine11; in the name of the Lord of hosts, I struck off his head. It was for a sign of Israel. And now I am gone into captivity12, and the mirth is turned into weeping, but the Lord shall deliver me in His appointed time. Woe13 unto the Philistine in that day! woe unto the uncircumcised! It were better that a stone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the depths of the sea.'
The warder rang his bell. 'Inside, you two!' he shouted.
'Any complaints?' asked the Governor on his rounds.
'Yes, sir,' said Paul.
The Governor looked at him intently. 'Are you the man I put under special treatment?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Then it's ridiculous to complain. What is it?'
'I have reason to believe that the man I have to take exercise with is a dangerous lunatic.'
'Complaints by one prisoner about another can only be considered when substantiated14 by the evidence of a warder or of two other prisoners,' said the Chief Warder.
'Quite right,' said the Governor. 'I never heard a more ridiculous complaint. All crime is a form of insanity15. I myself chose the prisoner with whom you exercise. I chose him for his peculiar16 suitability. Let me hear no more on this subject, please.'
That afternoon Paul spent another disquieting17 half-hour on the square.
'I've had another vision,' said the mystical homicide. 'But I don't yet know quite what it portends18. No doubt I shall be told.'
'Was it a very beautiful vision?' asked Paul.
'No words can describe the splendour of it. It was all crimson19 and wet like blood. I saw the whole prison as if it were carved of ruby20, hard and glittering, and the warders and the prisoners creeping in and out like little red ladybirds. And then as I watched all the ruby became soft and wet, like a great sponge soaked in wine, and it was dripping and melting into a great lake of scarlet21. Then I woke up. I don't know the meaning of it yet, but I feel that the hand of the Lord is hanging over this prison. D'you ever feel like that, as though it were built in the jaws22 of a beast? I sometimes dream of a great red tunnel like the throat of a beast and men running down it, sometimes one by one and sometimes in great crowds, running town the throat of the beast, and the breath of the beast is like the blast of a furnace. D'you ever feel like that?'
'I'm afraid not,' said Paul. 'Have they given you an interesting library book?'
'Lady Almina's Secret,' said the lion of the Lord's elect. 'Pretty soft stuff, old fashioned, too. But I keep reading the Bible. There's a lot of killing23 in that.'
'Dear me, you seem to think about killing a great deal.'
'I do. It's my mission, you see,' said the big man simply.
*
Sir Wilfred Lucas-Dockery felt very much like Solomon at ten o'clock every morning of the week except Sunday. It was then that he sat in judgement upon the cases of misconduct among the prisoners that were brought to his notice. From his chair Colonel MacAdder had delivered sentence in undeviating accordance with the spirit and the letter of the Standing5 Orders Concerning the Government of Her Majesty's Prisons, dispensing24 automatic justice like a slot machine; in went the offence; out came the punishment. Not so Wilfred Lucas Dockery. Never, he felt, was his mind more alert or resourceful or his vast accumulation of knowledge more available than at his little court of summary justice. 'No one knows what to expect,' complained warders and prisoners alike.
'Justice,' said Sir Wilfred, 'is the capacity for regarding each case as an entirely25 new problem.' After a few months of his administration, Sir Wilfred was able to point with some pride to a marked diminution26 in the number of cases brought before him.
One morning, soon after Paul began on his special régime of reclamation, his companion was called up before the Governor.
'God bless my soul!' said Sir Wilfred; 'that's the man I put on special treatment. What is he here for?'
'I was on night duty last night between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.,' testified the warder in a sing song voice, 'when my attention was attracted by sounds of agitation27 coming from the prisoner's cell. Upon going to the observation hole I observed the prisoner pacing up and down his cell in a state of high excitement. In one hand he held his Bible, and in the other a piece of wood which he had broken from his stool. His eyes were staring; he was breathing heavily, and at times muttering verses of the Bible. I remonstrated28 with the prisoner when he addressed me in terms prejudicial to good discipline.'
'What are the words complained of?' asked the Chief Warder.
'He called me a Moabite, an abomination of Moab, a wash pot, an unclean thing, an uncircumcised Moabite, an idolater, and a whore of Babylon, sir.'
'I see. What do you advise, officer?'
'A clear case of insubordination, sir,' said the Chief Warder. 'Try him on No. 1 diet for a bit.'
But when he asked the Chief Warder's opinion, Sir Wilfred was not really seeking advice. He liked to emphasize in his own mind, and perhaps that of the prisoner's, the difference between the official view and his own. 'What would you say was the most significant part of the evidence?' he asked.
The Chief Warder considered. 'I think whore of Babylon, on the whole, sir.'
Sir Wilfred smiled as a conjurer may who has forced the right card.
'Now I,' he said, 'am of different opinion. It may surprise you, but I should say that the significant thing about this case was the fact that the prisoner held a piece of the stool.'
'Destruction of prison property,' said the Chief Warder. 'Yes, that's pretty bad.'
'Now what was your profession before conviction?' asked the Governor, turning to the prisoner.
'Carpenter, sir.'
'I knew it,' said the Governor triumphantly29. 'We have another case of the frustrated30 creative urge. Now listen, my man. It is very wrong of you to insult the officer, who is clearly none of the things you mentioned. He symbolizes31 the just disapproval32 of society and is, like all the prison staff, a member of the Church of England. But I understand your difficulty. You have been used to creative craftsmanship33, have you not, and you find prison life deprives you of the means of self expression, and your energies find vent34 in these foolish outbursts? I will see to it that a bench and a set of carpenter's tools are provided for you. The first thing you shall do is to mend the piece of furniture you so wantonly destroyed. After that we will find other work for you in your old trade. You may go. Get to the cause of the trouble,' Sir Wilfred added when the prisoner was led away; 'your Standing Orders may repress the symptoms; they do not probe to the underlying35 cause.'
*
Two days later the prison was in a state of intense excitement. Something had happened. Paul woke as the bell rang at the usual time, but it was nearly half an hour before the doors were unlocked. He heard the warder's 'Slops outside!' getting nearer and nearer, interjected with an occasional 'Don't ask questions,' 'Mind your own business,' or a sinister36 'You'll know soon enough,' in reply to the prisoner's questions. They, too, had sensed something unusual. Perhaps it was an outbreak of some disease spotted37 fever, Paul thought, or a national disaster in the world outside a war or revolution. In their enforced silence the nerves of all the men were tightened38 to an acuteness of perception. Paul read wholesale39 massacres40 in the warder's face.
'Anything wrong?' he asked.
'I should bleeding well say there was,' said the warder, 'and the next man as asks me a question is going to cop it hot.'
Paul began scrubbing out his cell. Dissatisfied curiosity contended in his thoughts with irritation41 at this interruption of routine. Two warders passed his door talking.
'I don't say I'm not sorry for the poor bird. All I says is, it was time the Governor had a lesson.'
'It might have been one of us,' said the other warder in a hushed voice.
Breakfast arrived. As the hand appeared at his door Paul whispered: 'What's happened?'
'Why, ain't you 'eard? There's been a murder, shocking bloodthirsty.'
'Get on there,' roared the warder in charge of the landing.
So the Governor had been murdered, thought Paul; he had been a rnischievous old bore. Still, it was very disturbing, for the news of a murder which was barely noticed in the gay world of trams and tubes and boxing-matches caused an electric terror in this community of silent men. The interval42 between breakfast and chapel43 seemed interminable. At last the bell went. The doors were opened again. They marched in silence to the chapel. As it happened, Philbrick was in the next seat to Paul. The warders sat on raised seats, watchful44 for any attempt at conversation. The hymn45 was the recognized time for the exchange of gossip. Paul waited for it impatiently. Clearly it was not the Governor who had been murdered. He stood on the chancel steps, Prayerbook in hand. Mr Prendergast was nowhere to be seen. The Governor conducted the service. The Medical Officer read the lessons, stumbling heavily over the longer words. Where was Mr Prendergast?
At last the hymn was announced. The organ struck up, played with great feeling by a prisoner who until his conviction had been assistant organist at a Welsh cathedral. All over the chapel the men filled their chests for a burst of conversation.
'O God, our help in ages past,' sang Paul.
'Where's Prendergast to day?'
'What, ain't you 'eard? 'e's been done in.'
'And our eternal home.'
'Old Prendy went to see a chap
What said he'd seen a ghost;
Well, he was dippy, and he'd got
'Who let the madman have the things?'
'The Governor; who d'you think?
He asked to be a carpenter,
He sawed off Prendy's head.
'A pal of mine what lives next door,
'E 'eard it 'appening;
The warder must 'ave 'eard it too,
'Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away.'
'Poor Prendy 'ollered fit to kill
For nearly 'alf an hour.
'Damned lucky it was Prendergast,
Might 'ave been you or me!
The warder says and I agree -
It serves the Governor right.'
'Amen.'
From all points of view it was lucky that the madman had chosen Mr Prendergast for attack. Some people even suggested that the choice had been made in a more responsible quarter. The death of a prisoner or warder would have called for a Home Office inquiry48 which might seriously have discouraged the Lucas Dockery reforms and also reflected some discredit49 upon the administration of the Chief Warder. Mr Prendergast's death passed almost unnoticed. His assassin was removed to Broadmoor, and the life of the prison went on smoothly50. It was observed, however, that the Chief Warder seemed to have more influence with his superior than he had had before. Sir Wilfred concentrated his attention upon the statistics, and the life of the prison was equitably51 conducted under the Standing Orders. It was quite like it had been in old MacAdder's day, the warders observed. But Paul did not reap the benefits of this happy reversion to tradition, because some few days later he was removed with a band of others to the Convict Settlement at Egdon Heath.
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1
reclamation
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| n.开垦；改造；（废料等的）回收 | |
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rimmed
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| adj.有边缘的，有框的v.沿…边缘滚动；给…镶边 | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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6
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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7
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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8
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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9
tribulation
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| n.苦难，灾难 | |
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10
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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11
philistine
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| n.庸俗的人；adj.市侩的，庸俗的 | |
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12
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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13
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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14
substantiated
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| v.用事实支持（某主张、说法等），证明，证实( substantiate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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16
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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17
disquieting
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| adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 ) | |
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portends
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| v.预示( portend的第三人称单数 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告 | |
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19
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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21
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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22
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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23
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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24
dispensing
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| v.分配( dispense的现在分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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25
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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26
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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27
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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28
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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29
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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30
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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31
symbolizes
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| v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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33
craftsmanship
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| n.手艺 | |
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34
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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35
underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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37
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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38
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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39
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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40
massacres
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| 大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 )； 惨败 | |
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41
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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42
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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43
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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44
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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45
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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46
mallet
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| n.槌棒 | |
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47
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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48
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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49
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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50
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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51
equitably
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| 公平地 | |
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