Never before in history had the dingy1 little street, in which North Lambeth Police Court stands, witnessed such scenes as were presented on that memorable2 4th of December, when counsel for the Crown opened the case against Colonel Dan Boundary.
Long before the building was open the precincts of the court were besieged3 by people anxious to secure one of the very few seats which were available for the public. By nine o'clock it became necessary to summon a special force of police to clear a way for the numerous motor-cars which came bowling4 from every point of the compass and which were afterwards parked in the narrow side streets, to the intense amazement5 and interest of the curious denizens6 of the unsavoury neighbourhood in which the court is located.
Admission was by ticket. Even the reporters, those favoured servants of democracy, had need to produce a printed pass before the scrutinising policeman at the door allowed them to enter. Every available seat had been allotted7. Even the magistrate8's sacristy had been invaded, and chairs stood three-deep to left and right of him.
There were some who came out of sheer morbid9 curiosity, in order that they might boast that they were present when this remarkable10 case was heard. There were others who came, inwardly quaking at the revelations which were promised or hinted at in the daily Press, for the influence which the Boundary gang exercised was wide and far-reaching.
A young man stood upon the congested pavement, watching with evident impatience11 the arrival of belated cars. The magistrate had already come and had disappeared behind the slate-coloured gates which led to the courtyard. Stafford saw fashionably-dressed women and (with a smile) worried-looking men who were figures in the political and social world, and presently he involuntarily stepped forward into the roadway as though to meet the electric limousine12 which came noiselessly to the main entrance.
The solitary13 occupant of the car was a man of sixty--a grey-haired gentleman of medium height, dressed with scrupulous14 care, and wearing on his clean-shaven face a perpetual smile, as though life were an amusement which never palled15.
Stafford King took the extended hand with a little twinkle in his eye.
"I was afraid we shouldn't be able to keep your place for you, Sir Stanley," he said.
Sir Stanley Belcom, First Commissioner16 of Criminal Intelligence, accentuated17 his smile.
"Well, Stafford," he drawled, "I've come to see the culminating triumph of your official career."
Stafford King made a little grimace18.
"I hope so," he said dryly.
"I hope so, too," said the baronet, "yet--I'll tell you frankly19, Stafford, I have a feeling that the ordinary processes of the law are inadequate20 to trap this organisation21. The law has too wide a mesh22 to deal with the terror which this man exercises. Such men are the only justification23 of lynch law, the quick, sharp justice which is administered without subtlety24 and without quibble."
Stafford looked at the other and made no attempt to hide his astonishment25.
"You believe in--the Jack26 o' Judgment27?" he asked.
Sir Stanley shot a swift glance at him.
"That is the bugbear of the gang, isn't it?"
"So Hanson says," replied the other. "I verily believe that Hanson is more afraid of that mysterious person than he is of Boundary himself."
The Attorney-General had begun his opening speech when the two men made their way into the crowded court and found their seats at the end of the solicitors28 table.
In the dock sat Colonel Boundary, the least concerned of all that assembly. The colonel was leaning forward, his arms resting on the rails, his chin on the back of his hairy hand, his eyes glued upon the grey-haired lawyer who was dispassionately opening the case.
"The contention29 of the Crown," the Attorney-General was saying, "is that Colonel Boundary is at the head of a huge blackmailing31 organisation, and that in the course of the past twenty years, by such means as I shall suggest and as the principal witness for the Crown will tell you, he has built up his criminal practice until he now controls the most complex and the most iniquitous32 organisation that has been known in the long and sordid33 history of crime.
"Your Worship will doubtless hear," he went on, "of a bizarre and fantastic figure which flits through the pages of this story, a mysterious somebody who is called the 'Jack.' But I shall ask your Worship, as I shall ask the jury, when this case reaches, as it must reach ultimately, the Central Criminal Court, to disregard this apparition34, which displayed no part in bringing Boundary to justice.
"The contention of the Crown is, as I say, that Boundary, by means of terrorisation and blackmail30, through the medium and assistance of his creatures, has from time to time secured a hold over rich and foolish men and women, and from these has acquired the enormous wealth which is now his and his associates'. As to these latter, their prosecution35 depends very largely upon the fate of Boundary. There are, I believe, some of them in court at this moment, and though they are not arrested, it will be no news to them to learn that they are under police observation."
"Swell36" Crewe, sitting at the back of the court, shifted uneasily and, turning his head, he met the careless gaze of the tall, military-looking man who had "detective" written all over him.
There had been a pause in the Attorney-General's speech whilst he examined, short-sightedly, the notes before him.
"In the presentation of this case, your Worship," he went on, "the Crown is in somewhat of a dilemma37. We have secured one important and, I think, convincing witness--a man who has been closely associated with the prisoner, a Scandinavian named Hanson, who, considering himself badly treated by this gang, has been for a long time secretly getting together evidence of an incriminating character. As to his object we need not inquire. There is a possibility suggested by my learned friend, the counsel for the defence, that Hanson intended blackmailing the blackmailers, and presenting such a weight of evidence against Boundary that he could do no less than pay handsomely for his confederate's silence. That is as may be. The main fact is that Hanson has accumulated this documentary evidence, and that that documentary evidence is in existence in certain secret hiding-places in this country, which will be revealed in the course of his examination.
"We are at this disadvantage, that Hanson has not yet made anything but the most scanty38 of statements. Fearing for his life, since this gang will stick at nothing, he has been closely guarded by the police from the moment he made his preliminary statement. Every effort which has been made to induce him to commit his revelations to writing has been in vain, and we are compelled to take what is practically his affidavit39 in open court."
"Do I understand," interrupted the magistrate, in that weary tone which is the prerogative40 of magistrates41, "that you are not as yet in possession of the evidence on which I am to be asked to commit the prisoner to the Old Bailey?"
"That is so, your Worship," said the counsel. "All we could procure42 from Hanson was the bald affidavit which was necessary to secure the man's arrest."
"So that if anything happened to your witness, there would be no case for the Crown?"
The Attorney-General nodded.
"Those are exactly the circumstances, your Worship," he said, "and that is why we have been careful to keep our witness in security. The man is in a highly nervous condition, and we have been obliged to humour him. But I do not think your Worship need have any apprehension43 as to the evidence which will be produced to-day, or that there will not be sufficient to justify44 a committal."
"I see," said the magistrate.
Sir Stanley turned to Stafford and whispered:
"Rather a queer proceeding45."
Stafford nodded.
"It is the only thing we could do," he said. "Hanson refused to speak until he was in court--until, as he said, he saw Boundary under arrest."
"Does Boundary know this?"
"I suppose so," replied Stafford with a little smile, "he knows everything. He has a whole army of spies. Sir Stanley, you don't know how big this organisation is. He has roped in everybody. He has Members of Parliament, he has the best lawyers in London, and two of the big detective agencies are engaged exclusively on his work."
Sir Stanley pursed his lips thoughtfully and turned his attention to the prosecuting46 counsel. The address was not a long one, and presently the Attorney-General sat down, to be followed by a leading member of the Bar, retained for the defence. Presently he too had finished, and again the Attorney-General rose.
"Call Olaf Hanson," he said, and there was a stir of excitement.
The door leading to the cells opened, and two tall detectives came through, and two others followed. In the midst of the four walked the short, grey-faced man, in whose hands was the fate, and indeed the life, of Colonel Dan Boundary.
He did not as much as glance at the dock, but hurried across the floor of the court and was ushered47 to the witness stand, his four guardians49 disposing themselves behind and before him. The man seemed on the point of crumbling50. His fear-full eyes ranged the court, always avoiding the gross figure in the railed dock. The lips of the witness were white and trembling. The hands which clutched the front of the box for support twitched51 spasmodically.
"Your name is Olaf Hanson?" asked the Attorney-General soothingly52.
The witness tried to speak but his lips emitted no sound. He nodded.
"You are a native of Christiania?"
Again Hanson nodded.
"You must speak out," said Counsel kindly53, "and you need have no fear. How long have you known Colonel Boundary?"
This time Hanson found his voice.
"For ten years," he said huskily.
An usher48 came forward from the press at the back of the court with a glass of water and handed it to the witness, who drank eagerly. Counsel waited until he had drained the glass before he spoke54 again.
"You have in your possession certain documentary evidence convicting Colonel Boundary of certain malpractices?"
"Yes," said the witness.
"You have promised the police that you will reveal in court where those documents have been stored?"
"Yes," said Hanson again.
"Will you tell the court now, in order that the police may lose as little time as possible, where you have hidden that evidence?"
Colonel Boundary was showing the first signs of interest he had evinced in the proceedings55. He leaned forward, his head craned round as though endeavouring to catch the eye of the witness.
Hanson was speaking, and speaking with difficulty.
"I haf--put those papers,"--he stopped and swayed--"I haf put those papers----" he began again, and then, without a second's warning, he fell limply forward.
"I am afraid he has fainted," said the magistrate.
Detectives were crowding round the witness, and had lifted him from the witness stand. One said something hurriedly, and Stafford King left his seat. He was bending over the prostrate56 figure, tearing open the collar from his throat, and presently was joined by the police surgeon, who was in court. There was a little whispered consultation57, and then Stafford King straightened himself up and his face was pale and hard.
"I regret to inform your Worship," he said, "that the witness is dead."
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1
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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denizens
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| n.居民，住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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10
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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12
limousine
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| n.豪华轿车 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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14
scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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15
palled
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| v.（因过多或过久而）生厌，感到乏味，厌烦( pall的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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commissioner
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| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
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17
accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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18
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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21
organisation
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| n.组织，安排，团体，有机休 | |
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mesh
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| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
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23
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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24
subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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25
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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26
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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27
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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28
solicitors
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| 初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
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29
contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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30
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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31
blackmailing
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| 胁迫，尤指以透露他人不体面行为相威胁以勒索钱财( blackmail的现在分词 ) | |
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32
iniquitous
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| adj.不公正的；邪恶的；高得出奇的 | |
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33
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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34
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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35
prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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36
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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37
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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38
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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39
affidavit
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| n.宣誓书 | |
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40
prerogative
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| n.特权 | |
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41
magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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42
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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43
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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44
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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45
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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46
prosecuting
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| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
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47
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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49
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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50
crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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51
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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53
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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54
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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55
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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56
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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57
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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