English
“YouknowtheOldBailey,well,nodoubt?”saidoneoftheoldestofclerkstoJerrythemessenger.
“Ye-es,sir,”returnedJerry,insomethingofadoggedmanner.“IDOknowtheBailey.”
“Justso.AndyouknowMr.Lorry.”
“IknowMr.Lorry,sir,muchbetterthanIknowtheBailey.
Muchbetter,”saidJerry,notunlikeareluctantwitnessattheestablishmentinquestion,“thanI,asahonesttradesman,wishtoknowtheBailey.”
“Verywell.Findthedoorwherethewitnessesgoin,andshowthedoor-keeperthisnoteforMr.Lorry.Hewillthenletyouin.”
“Intothecourt,sir?”
“Intothecourt.”
Mr.Cruncher’seyesseemedtogetalittleclosertooneanother,andtointerchangetheinquiry,“Whatdoyouthinkofthis?”
“AmItowaitinthecourt,sir?”heasked,astheresultofthatconference.
“Iamgoingtotellyou.Thedoor-keeperwillpassthenotetoMr.Lorry,anddoyoumakeanygesturethatwillattractMr.Lorry’sattention,andshowhimwhereyoustand.
Thenwhatyouhavetodo,is,toremainthereuntilhewantsyou.”
“Isthatall,sir?”
“That’sall.Hewishestohaveamessengerathand.Thisistotellhimyouarethere.”
Astheancientclerkdeliberatelyfoldedandsuperscribedthenote,Mr.Cruncher,aftersurveyinghiminsilenceuntilhecametotheblotting-paperstage,remarked:
“Isupposethey’llbetryingForgeriesthismorning?”
“Treason!”
“That’squartering,”saidJerry.“Barbarous!”
“Itisthelaw,”remarkedtheancientclerk,turninghissurprisedspectaclesuponhim.“Itisthelaw.”
“It’shardinthelawtospileaman,Ithink.Ifshardenoughtokillhim,butit’sweryhardtospilehim,sir.”
“Notatall,”retainedtheancientclerk.“Speakwellofthelaw.Takecareofyourchestandvoice,mygoodfriend,andleavethelawtotakecareofitself.Igiveyouthatadvice.”
“It’sthedamp,sir,whatsettlesonmychestandvoice,”saidJerry.“Ileaveyoutojudgewhatadampwayofearningalivingmineis.”
“WeB,well,”saidtheoldclerk;“weaahaveourvariouswaysofgainingalivelihood.Someofushavedampways,andsomeofushavedryways.Hereistheletter.Goalong.”
Jerrytooktheletter,and,remarkingtohimselfwithlessinternaldeferencethanhemadeanoutwardshowof,“Youarealeanoldone,too,”madehisbow,informedhisson,inpassing,ofhisdestination,andwenthisway.
TheyhangedatTyburn,inthosedays,sothestreetoutsideNewgatehadnotobtainedoneinfamousnotorietythathassinceattachedtoit.
But,thegaolwasavileplace,inwhichmostkindsofdebaucheryandvillainywerepractised,andwheredirediseaseswerebred,thatcameintocourtwiththeprisoners,andsometimesrushedstraightfromthedockatmyLordChiefJusticehimself,andpulledhimoffthebench.
Ithadmorethanoncehappened,thattheJudgeintheblackcappronouncedhisowndoomascertainlyastheprisoner’s,andevendiedbeforehim.
Fortherest,theOldBaileywasfamousasakindofdeadlyinn-yard,fromwhichpaletravellerssetoutcontinually,incartsandcoaches,onaviolentpassageintotheotherworld:traversingsometwomilesandahalfofpublicstreetandroad,andshamingfewgoodcitizens,ifany.
Sopowerfulisuse,andsodesirabletobegooduseinthebeginning.
Itwasfamous,too,forthepillory,awiseoldinstitution,thatinflictedapunishmentofwhichnoonecouldforeseetheextent;also,forthewhipping-post,anotherdearoldinstitution,veryhumanisingandsofteningtobeholdinaction;also,forextensivetransactionsinblood-money,anotherfragmentofancestralwisdom,systematicallyleadingtothemostfrightfulmercenarycrimesthatcouldbecommittedunderHeaven.
Altogether,theOldBailey,atthatdate,wasachoiceillustrationoftheprecept,that“Whateverisisright;”anaphorismthatwouldbeasfinalasitislazy,diditnotincludethetroublesomeconsequence,thatnothingthateverwas,waswrong.
Makinghiswaythroughthetaintedcrowd,dispersedupanddownthishideoussceneofaction,withtheskillofamanaccustomedtomakehiswayquietly,themessengerfoundoutthedoorhesought,andhandedinhisletterthroughatrapinit.
For,peoplethenpaidtoseetheplayattheOldBailey,justastheypaidtoseetheplayinBedlam—onlytheformerentertainmentwasmuchthedearer.
Therefore,alltheOldBaileydoorswerewellguarded—except,indeed,thesocialdoorsbywhichthecriminalsgotthere,andthosewerealwaysleftwideopen.
Aftersomedelayanddemur,thedoorgrudginglyturnedonitshingesaverylittleway,andallowedMr.JerryCrunchertosqueezehimselfintocourt.
“What’son?”heasked,inawhisper,ofthemanhefoundhimselfnextto.
“Nothingyet.”
“What’scomingon?”
“TheTreasoncase.”
“Thequarteringone,eh?”
“Ah!”returnedtheman,witharelish;“he’llbedrawnonahurdletobehalfhanged,andthenhe’llbetakendownandslicedbeforehisownface,andthenhisinsidewillbetakenoutandburntwhilehelookson,andthenhisheadwillbechoppedoff,andhe’llbecutintoquarters.That’sthesentence.”
“Ifhe’sfoundGuilty,youmeantosay?”Jerryadded,bywayofproviso.
“Oh!they’llfindhimguilty,”saidtheother.“Don’tyoubeafraidofthat.”
Mr.Cruncher’sattentionwasheredivertedtothedoor-keeper,whomhesawmakinghiswaytoMr.Lorry,withthenoteinhishand.
Mr.Lorrysatatatable,amongthegentlemeninwigs:notfarfromawiggedgentleman,theprisoner’scounsel,whohadagreatbundleofpapersbeforehim:andnearlyoppositeanotherwiggedgentlemanwithhishandsinhispockets,whosewholeattention,whenMr.Cruncherlookedathimthenorafterwards,seemedtobeconcentratedontheceilingofthecourt.
Aftersomegruffcoughingandrubbingofhischinandsigningwithhishand,JerryattractedthenoticeofMr.Lorry,whohadstooduptolookforhim,andwhoquietlynoddedandsatdownagain.
“What’sHEgottodowiththecase?”askedthemanhehadspokenwith.
“BlestifIknow,”saidJerry.
“WhathaveYOUgottodowithit,then,ifapersonmayinquire?”
“BlestifIknowthateither,”saidJerry.
TheentranceoftheJudge,andaconsequentgreatstirandsettlingdowninthecourt,stoppedthedialogue.
Presently,thedockbecamethecentralpointofinterest.
Twogaolers,whohadbeenstandingthere,wontout,andtheprisonerwasbroughtin,andputtothebar.
Everybodypresent,excepttheonewiggedgentlemanwholookedattheceiling,staredathim.
Allthehumanbreathintheplace,rolledathim,likeasea,orawind,orafire.
Eagerfacesstrainedroundpillarsandcorners,togetasightofhim;spectatorsinbackrowsstoodup,nottomissahairofhim;peopleonthefloorofthecourt,laidtheirhandsontheshouldersofthepeoplebeforethem,tohelpthemselves,atanybody’scost,toaviewofhim—stooda-tiptoe,gotuponledges,stooduponnexttonothing,toseeeveryinchofhim.
Conspicuousamongtheselatter,likeananimatedbitofthespikedwallofNewgate,Jerrystood:aimingattheprisonerthebeerybreathofawhethehadtakenashecamealong,anddischargingittominglewiththewavesofotherbeer,andgin,andtea,andcoffee,andwhatnot,thatflowedathim,andalreadybrokeuponthegreatwindowsbehindhiminanimpuremistandrain.
Theobjectofallthisstaringandblaring,wasayoungmanofaboutfive-and-twenty,well-grownandwell-looking,withasunburntcheekandadarkeye.
Hisconditionwasthatofayounggentleman.
Hewasplainlydressedinblack,orverydarkgrey,andhishair,whichwaslonganddark,wasgatheredinaribbonatthebackofhisneck;moretobeoutofhiswaythanforornament.
Asanemotionofthemindwillexpressitselfthroughanycoveringofthebody,sothepalenesswhichhissituationengenderedcamethroughthebrownuponhischeek,showingthesoultobestrongerthanthesun.
Hewasotherwisequiteself-possessed,bowedtotheJudge,andstoodquiet.
Thesortofinterestwithwhichthismanwasstaredandbreathedat,wasnotasortthatelevatedhumanity.
Hadhestoodinperilofalesshorriblesentence—hadtherebeenachanceofanyoneofitssavagedetailsbeingspared—byjustsomuchwouldhehavelostinhisfascination.
Theformthatwastobedoomedtobesoshamefullymangled,wasthesight;theimmortalcreaturethatwastobesobutcheredandtornasunder,yieldedthesensation.
Whateverglossthevariousspectatorsputupontheinterest,accordingtotheirseveralartsandpowersofself-deceit,theinterestwas,attherootofit,Ogreish.
Silenceinthecourt!CharlesDarnayhadyesterdaypleadedNotGuiltytoanindictmentdenouncinghim(withinfinitejingleandjangle)forthathewasafalsetraitortoourserene,illustrious,excellent,andsoforth,prince,ourLordtheKing,byreasonofhishaving,ondiversoccasions,andbydiversmeansandways,assistedLewis,theFrenchKing,inhiswarsagainstoursaidserene,illustrious,excellent,andsoforth;thatwastosay,bycomingandgoing,betweenthedominionsofoursaidserene,illustrious,excellent,andsoforth,andthoseofthesaidFrenchLewis,andwickedly,falsely,traitorously,andotherwiseevil-adverbiously,revealingtothesaidFrenchLewiswhatforcesoursaidserene,illustrious,excellent,andsoforth,hadinpreparationtosendtoCanadaandNorthAmerica.
Thismuch,Jerry,withhisheadbecomingmoreandmorespikyasthelawtermsbristledit,madeoutwithhugesatisfaction,andsoarrivedcircuitouslyattheunderstandingthattheaforesaid,andoverandoveragainaforesaid,CharlesDarnay,stoodtherebeforehimuponhistrial;thatthejurywereswearingin;andthatMr.Attorney-Generalwasmakingreadytospeak.
Theaccused,whowas(andwhoknewhewas)beingmentallyhanged,beheaded,andquartered,byeverybodythere,neitherflinchedfromthesituation,norassumedanytheatricalairinit.
Hewasquietandattentive;watchedtheopeningproceedingswithagraveinterest;andstoodwithhishandsrestingontheslabofwoodbeforehim,socomposedly,thattheyhadnotdisplacedaleafoftheherbswithwhichitwasstrewn.
Thecourtwasallbestrewnwithherbsandsprinkledwithvinegar,asaprecautionagainstgaolairandgaolfever.
Overtheprisoner’sheadtherewasamirror,tothrowthelightdownuponhim.
Crowdsofthewickedandthewretchedhadbeenreflectedinit,andhadpassedfromitssurfaceandthisearth’stogether.
Hauntedinamostghastlymannerthatabominableplacewouldhavebeen,iftheglasscouldeverhaverenderedbackitsreflections,astheoceanisonedaytogiveupitsdead.
Somepassingthoughtoftheinfamyanddisgraceforwhichithadbeenreserved,mayhavestrucktheprisoner’smind.
Bethatasitmay,achangeinhispositionmakinghimconsciousofabaroflightacrosshisface,helookedup;andwhenhesawtheglasshisfaceflushed,andhisrighthandpushedtheherbsaway.
Ithappened,thattheactionturnedhisfacetothatsideofthecourtwhichwasonhisleft.
Aboutonalevelwithhiseyes,theresat,inthatcorneroftheJudge’sbench,twopersonsuponwhomhislookimmediatelyrested;soimmediately,andsomuchtothechangingofhisaspect,thatalltheeyesthatweretameduponhim,turnedtothem.
Thespectatorssawinthetwofigures,ayoungladyoflittlemorethantwenty,andagentlemanwhowasevidentlyherfather;amanofaveryremarkableappearanceinrespectoftheabsolutewhitenessofhishair,andacertainindescribableintensityofface:notofanactivekind,butponderingandself-communing.
Whenthisexpressionwasuponhim,helookedasifhewereold;butwhenitwasstirredandbrokenup—asitwasnow,inamoment,onhisspeakingtohisdaughter—hebecameahandsomeman,notpasttheprimeoflife.
Hisdaughterhadoneofherhandsdrawnthroughhisarm,asshesatbyhim,andtheotherpresseduponit.
Shehaddrawnclosetohim,inherdreadofthescene,andinherpityfortheprisoner.
Herforeheadhadbeenstrikinglyexpressiveofanengrossingterrorandcompassionthatsawnothingbuttheperiloftheaccused.
Thishadbeensoverynoticeable,soverypowerfullyandnaturallyshown,thatstarerswhohadhadnopityforhimweretouchedbyher;andthewhisperwentabout,“Whoarethey?”
Jerry,themessenger,whohadmadehisownobservations,inhisownmanner,andwhohadbeensuckingtherustoffhisfingersinhisabsorption,stretchedhisnecktohearwhotheywere.
Thecrowdabouthimhadpressedandpassedtheinquiryontothenearestattendant,andfromhimithadbeenmoreslowlypressedandpassedback;atlastitgottoJerry:
“Witnesses.”
“Forwhichside?”
“Against.”
“Againstwhatside?”
“Theprisoner’s.”
TheJudge,whoseeyeshadgoneinthegeneraldirection,recalledthem,leanedbackinhisseat,andlookedsteadilyatthemanwhoselifewasinhishand,asMr.Attorney-Generalrosetospintherope,grindtheaxe,andhammerthenailsintothescaffold.
Share this article to
FINISH