the foreigner-第16节

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The　judge's　face　was　now　in　a　broad　smile。

〃Nora　Fitzpatrick；〃　he　said；　writing　the　name　down。　　〃Let　us　proceed。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　said　the　counsel　for　the　Crown；　〃will　you　kindly　look　at　the　prisoner？〃

Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　turned　square　about　and　let　her　eyes　rest　upon　the　prisoner's　pale　face。

〃I　will　that；〃　said　she；　〃an'　there's　many　another　I'd　like　to　see　in　his　place。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃I　do　that。　　An'　a　finer　gintleman　I　niver　saw；　savin'　Yer　'Anner's　prisence；〃　bowing　to　the　judge。

〃Oh；　indeed！　　A　fine　gentleman？　　And　how　do　you　know　that；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick？〃

〃How　do　I　know　a　gintleman；　is　it？　　Sure；　it's　by　the　way　he　trates　a　lady。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　lawyer　with　a　most　courteous　bow；　〃that　is　a　most　excellent　test。　　And　what　do　you　know　of　thisahthis　gentleman's　manners　with　ladies？〃

〃An'　don't　I　know　how　he　trates　mesilf？　　He's　not　wan　to　fergit　a　lady's　name；　you　may　lay　to　that。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；　he　has　treated　you　in　a　gentlemanly　manner？〃

〃He　has。〃

〃And　do　you　think　this　is　his　usual　manner　with　ladies？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　with　great　emphasis。　　〃A　gintleman；　a　rale　gintleman；　is　the　same　to　a　lady　wheriver　he　mates　her；　an'　the　same　to　ladies　whativer　they　be。〃

〃Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　said　Mr。　Staunton；　〃you　have　evidently　a　most　excellent　taste　in　gentlemen。〃

〃I　have　that　same；〃　she　replied。　　〃An'　I　know　thim　that　are　no　gintlemen；〃　she　continued　with　meaning　emphasis；　〃whativer　their　clothes　may　be。〃

A　titter　ran　through　the　court　room。

〃Silence　in　the　court！〃　shouted　the　crier。

〃Now；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Staunton；　taking　a　firmer　tone；　〃you　say　the　prisoner　is　a　gentleman。〃

〃I　do。　　An'　I　can　tell　ye〃

〃Wait；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。　　Wait　a　moment。　　Do　you　happen　to　know　his　wife？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃You　don't　know　his　wife？〃

〃Perhaps　I　do　if　you　say　so。〃

〃But；　my　good　woman；　I　don't　say　so。　　Do　you　know　his　wife；　or　do　you　not　know　his　wife？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Mr。　Staunton　impatiently。　　〃Do　you　mean　that　you　have　no　acquaintance　with　the　wife　of　the　prisoner？〃

〃I　might。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　might？〃

〃Aw　now；〃　remonstrated　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　〃sure；　ye　wouldn't　be　askin'　a　poor　woman　like　me　the　manin'　av　a　word　like　that。〃

〃Now；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　let　us　get　done　with　this　fooling。　　Tell　me　whether　you　know　the　prisoner's　wife　or　not。〃

〃Indade；　an'　the　sooner　yer　done　the　better　I'd　like　it。〃

〃Well；　then；　tell　me。　　You　either　know　the　prisoner's　wife　or　you　don't　know　her？〃

〃That's　as　may　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。

〃Then　tell　me；〃　thundered　Staunton；　losing　all　patience；　〃do　you　know　this　woman　or　not？〃　pointing　to　Paulina。

〃That　woman　is　it？〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。　　〃An'　why　didn't　ye　save　yer　breath　an'　His　'Anner's　time；　not　to　shpake　av　me　own　that　has　to　work　fer　me　daily　bread；　by　askin'　me　long　ago　if　I　know　this　woman？〃

〃Well；　do　you　know　her？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Then　why　did　you　not　say　so　before　when　I　asked　you？〃　said　the　exasperated　lawyer。

〃I　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　calmly。

〃Did　you　not　say　that　you　did　not　know　the　wife　of　the　prisoner？〃

〃I　did　not；〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。

By　this　time　the　whole　audience；　including　the　judge；　were　indulging　themselves　in　a　wide　open　smile。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　at　length　said　the　lawyer；　〃I　must　be　decidedly　stupid；　for　I　fail　to　understand　you。〃

〃Indade；　I'll　not　be　contradictin'　ye；　fer　it's　yersilf　ought　to　know　best　about　that；〃　replied　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　pleasantly。

A　roar　of　laughter　filled　the　court　room。

〃Silence　in　the　court！　　We　must　have　order；〃　said　the　judge；　recovering　his　gravity　with　such　celerity　as　he　could。　　〃Go　on；　Mr。　Staunton。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　I　understand　that　you　know　this　woman；　Paulina　Koval。〃

〃It's　mesilf　that's　plazed　to　hear　it。〃

〃And　I　suppose　you　know　that　she　is　the　prisoner's　wife？〃

〃An'　why　wud　ye　be　afther　supposin'　such　a　thing？〃

〃Well！　well！　　Do　you　know　it？〃

〃Do　I　know　what？〃

〃Do　you　know　that　this　woman；　Paulina　Koval；　is　the　wife　of　the　prisoner？〃

〃She　might　be。〃

〃Oh；　come　now；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　we　are　not　splitting　hairs。　　You　know　perfectly　well　that　this　woman　is　the　prisoner's　wife。〃

〃Indade；　an'　it's　the　cliver　man　ye　are　to　know　what　I　know　better　than　I　know　mesilf。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Mr。　Staunton　impatiently；　〃will　you　say　that　you　do　not　consider　this　woman　the　prisoner's　wife？〃

〃I　will　not；〃　replied　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　emphatically；　〃any　more　than　I　won't　say　she's　yer　own。〃

〃Well；　well；　let　us　get　on。　　Let　us　suppose　that　this　woman　is　his　wife。　　How　did　the　prisoner　treat　this　woman？〃

〃An'　how　should　he　trate　her？〃

〃Did　he　support　her？〃

〃An'　why　should　he；　with　her　havin'　two　hands　av　her　own？〃

〃Well　now；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　surely　you　will　say　that　it　was　a　case　of　cruel　neglect　on　the　part　of　the　prisoner　that　he　should　leave　her　to　care　for　herself　and　her　children；　a　stranger　in　a　strange　land。〃

〃Indade；　it's　not　fer　me　to　be　runnin'　down　the　counthry；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。　　〃Sure；　it's　a　good　land；　an'　a　foine　counthry　it　is　to　make　a　livin'　in；〃　she　continued　with　a　glow　of　enthusiasm；　〃an'　it's　mesilf　that　knows　it。〃

〃Oh；　the　country　is　all　right；〃　said　Mr。　Staunton　impatiently；　〃but　did　not　this　man　abandon　his　wife？〃

〃An'　if　he's　the　man　ye　think　he　is　wudn't　she　be　the　better　quit　av　him？〃

The　lawyer　had　reached　the　limit　of　his　patience。

〃Well；　well；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　we　will　leave　the　wife　alone。　　But　what　of　his　treatment　of　the　children？〃

〃The　childer？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　〃the　childer；　is　it？　Man　dear；　but　he's　the　thrue　gintleman　an'　the　tinder…hearted　father　fer　his　childer；　an'　so　he　is。〃

〃Oh；　indeed；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick。　　I　am　sure　we　shall　all　be　delighted　to　hear　this。　　But　you　certainly　have　strange　views　of　a　father's　duty　toward　his　children。　　Now　will　you　tell　the　court　upon　what　ground　you　would　extol　his　parental　virtues？〃

〃Faix；　it's　niver　a　word　I've　said　about　his　parental　virtues；　or　any　other　kind　o'　virtues。　　I　was　talkin'　about　his　childer。〃

〃Well；　then；　perhaps　you　would　be　kind　enough　to　tell　the　court　what　reason　you　have　for　approving　his　treatment　of　his　children？〃

Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　opportunity　had　arrived。　　She　heaved　a　great　sigh；　and　with　some　deliberation　began。

〃Och！　thin；　an'　it's　just　terrible　heart…rendin'　an'　so　it　is。　　An'　it's　mesilf　that　can　shpake；　havin'　tin　av　me　own；　forby　three　that's　dead　an'　gone；　God　rest　their　sowls！　an'　four　that's　married；　an'　the　rest　all　doin'　well　fer　thimsilves。　　Indade；　it's　mesilf　that　has　the　harrt　fer　the　childer。　　You　will　be　havin'　childer　av　yer　own；〃　she　added　confidentially　to　the　lawyer。

A　shout　of　laughter　filled　the　court　room；　for　Staunton　was　a　confirmed　and　notorious　old　bachelor。

〃I　have　the　bad　fortune；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　to　be　a　bachelor；〃　he　replied；　red　to　the　ears。

〃Man　dear；　but　it's　hard　upon　yez；　but　it's　Hivin's　mercy　fer　yer　wife。〃

The　laughter　that　followed　could　with　difficulty　be　suppressed　by　the　court　crier。

〃Go　on；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　go　on　with　your　tale；〃　said　Staunton；　who　had　frankly　joined　in　the　laugh　against　himself。

〃I　will　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　with　emphasis。　　〃Where　was　I？　The　man　an'　his　childer。　　Sure；　I'll　tell　Yer　'Anner。〃　　Here　she　turned　to　the　judge。　　〃Fer　he；〃　with　a　jerk　of　her　thumb　towards　the　lawyer；　〃knows　nothin'　about　the　business　at　all；　at　all。　　It　was　wan　night　he　came　to　me　house　askin'　to　see　his　childer。　　The　night　o'　the　dance；　Yer　'Anner。　　As　I　was　sayin'；　he　came　to　me　house　where　the　childer　was；　askin'　to　see　thim；　an'　him　without　a　look　o'　thim　fer　years。　　An'　did　they　know　him？〃　　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　voice　took　a　tragic　tone。　　〃Not　a　hair　av　thim。　　Not　at　the　first。　Ah；　but　it　was　the　harrt…rendin'　scene；　with　not　a　house　nor　a　home　fer　him　to　come　till；　an'　him　sendin'　the　money　ivery　month　to　pay　fer　it。　　But　where　it's　gone；　it's　not　fer　me　to　say。　　There's　some　in　this　room〃　（here　she　regarded　Rosenblatt　with　a　steady　eye）；　〃might　know　more　about　that　money　an'　what　happened　till　it；　than　they　know　about　Hivin。　　Ah；　but　as　I　was　sayin'；　it　wud　melt　the　harrt　av　a　Kerry　steer；　that's　first　cousin　to　the　goats　on　the　hills　fer　wildness；　to　see　the　way　he　tuk　thim　an'　held　thim；　an'　wailed　over　thim；　the　tinder　harrt　av　him！　　Fer　only　wan　small　hour　or　two　could　he　shtay　wid　thim；　an'　then　aff　to　that　haythen　counthry　agin　that　gave　him　birth。　　An'　the　way　he　suffered　fer　that　same；　poor　dear！　　An'　the　beautiful　wife　he　lost！　　Hivin　be　kind　to　her！　　Not　her；〃　following　the　judge's　glance　toward　Paulina；　〃but　an　angel　that　need　niver　feel　shame　to　shtand　befure　the　blissid　Payther　himsilf；　wid　the　blue　eyes　an'　the　golden　hair　in　the　picter　he　carries　nixt　his　harrt；　the　saints　have　pity　on　him！　　An'　how　he　suffered　fer　the　good　cause！　　Och　hone！　it　breaks　me　harrt！〃　　Here　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　paused　to　wipe　away　her　tears。

〃But；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Staunton；　〃this　is　all　very　fine；　but　what　has　this　to　do〃

〃Tut！　man；　isn't　it　that　same　I'm　tellin'　ye？〃　　And　on　she　went；　going　back　to　the　scene　she　had　witnessed　in　her　own　room　between　Kalmar　and　his　children；　and　descr