The court was crowded, as is usual on such occasions, by worthless idlers, by men and women whose curiosity and morbid2 interest in criminal cases bespoke3 a low mental and moral standard, and by a large number of respectable persons interested in mercantile law, some of whom knew about Mr. Phillipson, and had heard the rumour4 that he was in fact the guilty man.
No pains or money had been spared by Mr. Phillipson to secure an efficient counsel; and when the prisoner was placed at the bar and the trial commenced, there was not a countenance5 in that motley company of barristers, jurymen, witnesses, and on that did not give evidence of intense excitement. The captain looked pale and careworn6, but he answered when appealed to, with a firm voice, 'Not guilty;' for though he had determined7 to give his life rather than break his vow8 by betraying his tempter, he would not publicly confess to a crime, when in his conviction, mistaken as it was, he had only discharged a duty.
Jim Ortop, on being sworn, related the facts of the case in a straightforward9 way; but, becoming sadly bewildered by a severe cross-questioning, the general opinion went in favour of the prisoner. The next witness, however, most effectually turned the scale. He was a short, thick-set man, who described himself as a diver in the employment of the Government. He stated that, having sailed in a diving-bell ship from Plymouth to Lundy, he was ordered, in company with another man now in court, to look for and examine the Sarah Ann, and found her on a sandy bottom in seven fathoms10 water. He went on to say that they discovered a hole in the side of the ship, which had been purposely bored, no doubt; and that he was prepared to swear the brig had been scuttled11. This worthy12 searcher of the seas and revealer of marine13 mysteries could neither be twisted nor shaken by the clever counsel for the defence; and when the augur14 was held up to view, there was a confused hum of many voices in Stauncy's disfavour.
Mr. Mogford and the cook were next examined, but they could not directly oppose the evidence of the diver. They lauded15 the captain as he deserved to be lauded, extolled16 his seamanship during the storm, and declared it was utterly17 impossible for him to be guilty of the charge. The latter was particularly eloquent18 in his defence, and, when drawn19 out purposely by counsel, unfolded all the secrets of his heart as to the criminality of the merchant. So clear and truth-like were his assertions, so fervid20 and telling was his declamation21, that the tide set in strong again on Stauncy's side, and the sympathies of the people were his from that time forward. So general was the conviction that he had been a deeply injured man, and was but a scapegoat22 for the merchant, that he was requested, at the special desire of the jury, to throw some light on Pickard's evidence; but he declined. The judge summed up therefore, and the twelve arbiters23 of his fate retired24 to consider their verdict. A buzz of earnest voices increased to an unmistakable clamour; and the cook, freed from the restraint of the witness-box, defamed the merchant in the strongest language he could command, vowing25 vengeance26 in terms which gained the sympathy of a multitude by no means unwilling27 to make a demonstration28 on the captain's behalf.
The jurymen returned; the usual form was observed, and the fatal word 'GUILTY' was uttered by the foreman.
There were those then present who felt more than Stauncy did when the verdict was announced. A flush of emotion for a moment suffused29 his cheek, but it passed quickly away; and, whilst others were weeping in sorrowful compassion30, he stood calmly waiting the sentence of death.
'And that's the end of it!' said Mogford to the cook, as they left the court together. 'Why, Sam, he's as bad as a suicide. He ought to have turned king's evidence against that old rogue31 in Appledore. Why didn't he let it all out?'
'Can't tell, Mr. Mogford,' replied Pickard; 'it's unfathomable; but the end of it hasn't come yet. If those Lords of the Admiralty don't take notice of what I said, I'll swear information against the merchant, and feel certain that diver will bring him to judgment32. Bales of broadcloth, Mr. Mogford! nothing but list, I'll lay my life; and if the cap'n held his tongue to screen that varnished33 hypocrite, I won't.'
'What do you mean, Sam?'
'I mean that Phillipson intended to kill two birds with one stone—to get a heavy insurance on the brig, which he consigned34 to the deep, and a heavy insurance on the sham35 cargo36. It isn't the first time, neither, that them bales have done service in that way.'
'The dodger37!' exclaimed the mate.
'The villainous scamp!' responded Sam warmly. 'His money and his station have guarded him so far, and no one has dared to whisper the truth without suffering for it; but let the wind set in another way, and you'll see that many of his prime supporters will turn out to be his prime foes38. Opinions chop right round often.'
In consequence of his depositions39, a second request was made to the Government by the insurance company concerned that the Sarah Ann might be again examined; and a couple of detectives were sent to Appledore to keep an eye on the merchant, who was in first-rate spirits when he heard the issue of the trial, and had no doubt any more of Stauncy's fidelity40.
His rejoicing, however, was short. That bright gleam of sunshine was followed by portentous41 signs of a coming tempest in the persons of the two strangers, and the barometer42 of hope sank rapidly every hour. Those vigilant43 gentlemen appeared to take note of everything, and turned up everywhere. Without interfering44 with any one, they seemed to be minding everybody's business, and were specially45 attentive46 to the merchant's residence. No vessel47 left the port without being carefully scrutinized48; nor could a 'butt49' pass through the place without being favoured with an examination. They seemed gifted with ubiquity, and were set down at last by the merchant's conscience as spies on himself. This conviction grew into absolute assurance when a rumour reached him that the Sarah Ann was to be raised by order of the Government, and he began to tremble for his safety. Neither money nor friends could help him, as he foresaw, so that he was left to the exercise of his wits, on the acuteness of which he prided himself, and which had never failed him yet.
As a means of securing timely information, he despatched his son to Lundy in a yacht, and engaged the services of smugglers up and down the coast, to give him a sign in case of threatening appearances. A week had not passed after these precautions had been taken before the tub-shaped ship, which had aforetime excited the curiosity of the Appledore mariners50 when lying in the Pool, appeared off Lundy; but ere the waters were touched by the hive-shaped home of the divers51, young Phillipson weighed anchor and stood in for Bideford Bar. The wind was unfavourable, and before he could pass the fair-way buoy52 a six-oared gig sped swiftly by, and landed a gentleman whose acquaintance we have already made at West Appledore. Mr. Cocks immediately put himself in communication with the detectives, who proceeded at once to mount guard at Mr. Phillipson's house; so that he felt himself a prisoner. He was too knowing, however, to take any notice of the new movement; and though his ingenuity53 was greatly taxed, he did not betray his uneasiness.
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1
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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2
morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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3
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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5
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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careworn
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| adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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9
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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10
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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11
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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12
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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14
augur
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| n.占卦师；v.占卦 | |
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15
lauded
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| v.称赞，赞美( laud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
extolled
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| v.赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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18
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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19
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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declamation
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| n. 雄辩，高调 | |
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scapegoat
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| n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊 | |
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arbiters
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| 仲裁人，裁决者( arbiter的名词复数 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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varnished
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| 浸渍过的，涂漆的 | |
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34
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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dodger
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| n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单 | |
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38
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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39
depositions
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| 沉积（物）( deposition的名词复数 )； （在法庭上的）宣誓作证； 处置； 罢免 | |
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40
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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41
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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42
barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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43
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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44
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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45
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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46
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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47
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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48
scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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50
mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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51
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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52
buoy
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| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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53
ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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