WHEN his senses returned, Drayton found himself sitting on the polished white floor, his back propped1 against a golden pillar. He became aware that his head ached horribly; that his wrists were handcuffed behind him; and that his tempestuous2 Irish ally was no better off than himself. Trenmore, in fact, lay stretched at full length close by. Tears streaming down her face, Viola was wiping ineffectively at his bloody3 countenance4 with her pathetic mite5 of a handkerchief.
Two of the six policemen stood looking on with no evident sympathy. The other four lay or sat about in attitudes of either profound repose6 or extreme discomfort7. Though Terence Trenmore had gone down, he had taken his wounded with him.
“Get an ambulance, one of you chaps!” It was the voice of silk-hatted authority. “You think we want the Temple cluttered8 up like an accident ward9? And bring those crazy prisoners of yours to the Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Virtue10 is there now, and one court will do as well as another for this sort. Look sharp, now!”
Saluting11 reverently12, the two uninjured officers proceeded to execute high-hat’s various behests as best they could. They were forced, however, to leave the wounded while they bore Trenmore across to the southern door. Viola started to follow, then looked back anxiously toward Drayton. High-hat, following her glance, beckoned13 imperatively14.
With some difficulty, Drayton gained his feet and staggered toward the girl. He felt anything but fit, and he was keenly disappointed. All that shindy had been wasted! The insufferable one yet lived—had not even suffered the knocking off of his intolerable hat!
“Lean on me, Mr. Drayton,” he heard Viola’s voice, curiously15 far away and indistinct. The absurdity16 of such a request moved him to a wry17 smile; but he certainly did lean on some one, or he could never have crossed that heaving, rocking, slippery floor without falling a dozen times.
Presently blackness descended18 again, and he knew no more till the strong taste and odor of brandy half-strangled and thoroughly19 aroused him.
A policeman was holding a tumbler to Drayton’s lips, and seemed bent20 on pouring the entire contents down his throat. Twisting his head away the prisoner sat up. The officer eyed him wonderingly, then drained the glass himself and set it down.
“A little,” muttered Drayton. He was seated on a leather-covered couch in a small room, and his only companion was the policeman. “I suppose,” he added disconsolately22, “that Trenmore was badly hurt. Where are they now?”
The officer laughed. “If Trenmore is your big friend, he came around sooner than you did. Lord, I wish’t we had that guy on the force! Can you walk yet?”
Drayton rose unsteadily. “I guess so. Have you put the others in cells?”
“Hardly!” The officers stared at him. “They don’t keep a case like this waiting. Your friend won’t go in no cell, nor you either. And as for the girl-” He broke off, with a shrug23.
“And the girl?” Drayton repeated sharply.
“I dunno. Mr. Mercy was looking her over. I doubt he’ll let that beauty go to the Pit. But come along, or we’ll keep Mr. Virtue waiting.”
“Mr. Virtue!” What a very odd name, thought Drayton, as he walked to the door, leaning heavily on his jailer. And Mr. Mercy, too. Had he fallen into a chapter of Pilgrim’s Progress? Had the whole world gone mad while they wandered in Ulithia? And what of this amazing “Temple” that had usurped24 the interior of City Hall?
On the streets outside, everything had appeared normal—except for those infernal buttons. Surely this was Philadelphia that they had returned to. Who that had ever visited the city could doubt its identity? It was as distinctive25 as New York, though in a different way. And all the familiar details—the Market Street Ferry, the outer architecture of City Hall, Broad Street—oh, and above all that benevolent26, unforgettable statue of William Penn—
The door opened upon a long, low-ceilinged, windowless room, illuminated27 by hidden lights behind the cornice. The ceiling was a delicate rose-pink, and, like the golden dome28, shed its color downward upon a scene of Oriental splendor29. Unlike the white-paved court, however, this chamber30 was far from bare.
The dark, polished floor was strewn with silken rugs of extravagant31 value and beauty. The many chairs and small tables scattered32 here and there were of ebony carved in the Chinese fashion, their cushions and covers of rose-pink velvet33 and silks gleaming richly against the dark austerity of black wood.
Here and there the prevailing34 rosy35 tinge36 was relieved by a touch of dull blue, or by a bit of carved yellow ivory. Several excellent paintings, uniformly framed in dull black, showed well against the unpatterned matte-gold of the walls.
Rather than a courtroom, indeed, this might have been the drawing-room of some wealthy woman with a penchant37 for the outre in decorative38 effects. At the chamber’s upper end, however, was a sort of dais or platform. There, enthroned on a wonderfully carved ivory chair, a man was seated.
He wore a black gown and a huge white wig39, like that of an English justice. He was hawk-nosed, fat-jowled, coarse-featured and repellant. If this was—and Drayton assumed it must be—Mr. Virtue, then his appearance singularly belied40 his name.
Before the dais were gathered a group consisting of Drayton’s fellow-prisoners, a single policeman, and also the little man in the silk hat and frock coat. From above them, Mr. Virtue stared down with an insolent41 disdain42 beside which the high-hatted one’s languid contempt seemed almost courtesy.
“Come!” whispered Drayton’s guardian43. “Walk up there and bow to his honor. They’ve begun the trial.”
“The trial!” thought Drayton. There were present neither witnesses, jury nor counsel.
Having no alternative, however, he obeyed, ranging himself beside Viola and bowing as gracefully44 as his manacled condition would permit. As a lawyer, though disbarred, he still respected the forms of law, however strangely administered. His own demeanor45 should be beyond reproach.
Glancing at Trenmore, he saw that the Irishman had suffered no great damage in the recent unpleasantness, and also that he was eying the enthroned judge in anything but a penitent46 spirit.
As for Viola, she stood with hands folded, eyes meekly47 downcast, an ideal picture of maidenhood48 in distress49. Drayton, however, caught a sidelong blue flash from beneath her long lashes50 which hinted that the Trenmores were yet one in spirit.
There was a further moment of awe-inspiring silence. Then the judge, or magistrate51, or whatever he might be, cleared his throat portentously52.
“Mr. Mercy,” he said, “I believe there need be no delay here. From your account and that of Sergeant53 Fifty-three—by the way, where is Fifty-three?”
“In the hospital, your honor, having his wrist set.”
“I see. He should have waited until conclusion of trial. His presence, however, is not essential. As I was saying, from his account and yours there can be no question of either verdict or sentence. In view of the prisoners’ conduct within these sacred precincts, there will be no need to appoint counsel or investigate the case further.
“To conform, however, to the letter as well as spirit of the law, and in the interests of purely54 abstract justice, I now ask you, Mr. Mercy, as sole responsible witness of the worser outrage55, if you can bring forward any extenuating56 circumstances tending to mitigate57 their obvious culpability58 and modify the severity of their sentence?”
Drayton wondered if the policeman’s billy had addled59 what sense Ulithia had left him. Had he really understood that speech? He seemed to catch a phrase here and there, stamped with the true legal verbosity60. As a whole the speech was incomprehensible. And now Mr. Mercy was replying.
“Your Honor, in the case of the male prisoners, I know of no excuse. Not only have they appeared in public buttonless, but beneath the very Dome of Justice, with their eyes, so to speak, fixed61 on the scarlet62 Threat of Penn, they have assaulted and wounded the emissaries of sacred Penn Service. For the third criminal, however—for this mere63 girl-child—I do desire the mercy for which I am named! Separate her from her evil companions, and who knows? She may become as innocent in fact as in appearance?”
Mr. Mercy uttered this plea solemnly enough; but at the conclusion he deliberately64 and languidly winked65 at the judge, and smiled upon the girl prisoner in a way which made Drayton’s blood surge to his wounded head.
Were these proceedings66 in any degree serious? Or was this all part of some elaborate and vicious joke? One hypothesis seemed as impossible as the other. Once more Drayton bowed.
“Your Honor,” he said, “surely, even at this preliminary hearing you will permit us—”
But the judge interrupted him. “Preliminary hearing?” he repeated scornfully. “No man within the jurisdiction67 of Penn Service can be so ignorant of law as your words would indicate. Were there any shadow of doubts as to your guilt68, we, in our perfect justice, might grant you a public trial. We might even permit you an appeal to Mr. Justice Supreme69 himself. But in so obvious and flagrant a case of law-breaking as yours, the Servants of Penn must decline to be further troubled!
“I now, therefore, condemn70 you, sir, and you, the big fellow there—my soul, Mercy, did you ever see such an enormous brute71? I condemn you both to be immediately dropped into the Pit of the Past. And may Penn have mercy on your probably worthless souls!”
Having delivered himself of this remarkable72 and abrupt73 sentence his honor arose with a yawn, tossed aside the black robe and removed his wig. Beneath the robe he was dressed in a costume similar to that of their earlier acquaintance, Mr. Mercy. Descending74 from the dais, Virtue paused to wave an insolent hand toward Viola Trenmore.
“You saw the girl first, Mercy,” he addressed his silk-hatted associate. “So I suppose she’s yours. You always were a lucky dog!”
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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cluttered
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的过去式和过去分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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imperatively
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| adv.命令式地 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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usurped
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| 篡夺，霸占( usurp的过去式和过去分词 )； 盗用； 篡夺，篡权 | |
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distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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penchant
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| n.爱好，嗜好；（强烈的）倾向 | |
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decorative
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| adj.装饰的，可作装饰的 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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45
demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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penitent
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| adj.后悔的；n.后悔者；忏悔者 | |
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meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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48
maidenhood
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| n. 处女性, 处女时代 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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50
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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51
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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portentously
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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56
extenuating
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| adj.使减轻的，情有可原的v.（用偏袒的辩解或借口）减轻( extenuate的现在分词 )；低估，藐视 | |
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57
mitigate
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| vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和 | |
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culpability
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| n.苛责，有罪 | |
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addled
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| adj.（头脑）糊涂的，愚蠢的；（指蛋类）变坏v.使糊涂( addle的过去式和过去分词 )；使混乱；使腐臭；使变质 | |
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verbosity
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| n.冗长，赘言 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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70
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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