east lynne-第112节

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〃You　had　no　views　toward　her　of　a　different　nature？〃

〃None；　I　cared　for　her　too　much　for　that；　and　I　respected　her　father。　Afy's　mother　had　been　a　lady；　too；　although　she　had　married　Hallijohn；　who　was　but　clerk　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　No；　I　never　had　a　thought　of　wrong　toward　AfyI　never　could　have　had。〃

〃Now　relate　the　occurrences　of　the　evening？〃

〃Afy　would　not　admit　me；　and　we　had　a　few　words　over　it；　but　at　length　I　went　away；　first　giving　her　the　gun；　and　telling　her　it　was　loaded。　She　lodged　it　against　the　wall；　just　inside　the　door；　and　I　went　into　the　wood　and　waited；　determined　to　see　whether　or　not　Thorn　was　with　her；　for　she　had　denied　that　he　was。　Locksley　saw　me　there；　and　asked　why　I　was　hiding。　I　did　not　answer；　but　I　went　further　off；　quite　out　of　view　of　the　cottage。　Some　time　afterward；　less　than　half　an　hour；　I　heard　a　shot　in　the　direction　of　the　cottage。　Somebody　was　having　a　late　pop　at　the　partridge；　I　thought。　Just　then　I　saw　Otway　Bethel　emerge　from　the　trees；　not　far　from　me；　and　run　toward　the　cottage。　My　lord；〃　added　Richard　Hare；　looking　at　the　judge；　〃that　was　the　shot　that　killed　Hallijohn！〃

〃Could　the　shot；〃　asked　the　counsel；　〃have　been　fired　by　Otway　Bethel？〃

〃It　could　not。　It　was　much　further　off。　Bethel　disappeared；　and　in　another　minute　there　came　some　one　flying　down　the　path　leading　from　the　cottage。　It　was　Thorn；　and　evidently　in　a　state　of　intense　terror。　His　face　was　livid；　his　eyes　staring；　and　he　panted　and　shook　like　one　in　the　ague。　Past　me　he　tore；　on　down　the　path；　and　I　afterwards　heard　the　sound　of　his　horse　galloping　away；　it　had　been　tied　in　the　wood。〃

〃Did　you　follow　him？〃

〃No。　I　wondered　what　had　happened　to　put　him　in　that　state；　but　I　made　haste　to　the　cottage；　intending　to　reproach　Afy　with　her　duplicity。　I　leaped　up　the　two　steps；　and　fell　over　the　prostrate　body　of　Hallijohn。　He　was　lying　dead　within　the　door。　My　gun；　just　discharged；　was　flung　on　the　floor；　its　contents　in　Hallijohn's　side。〃

You　might　have　heard　a　pin　drop　in　court；　so　intense　was　the　interest。

〃There　appeared　to　be　no　one　in　the　cottage；　upstairs　or　down。　I　called　to　Afy；　but　she　did　not　answer。　I　caught　up　the　gun；　and　was　running　from　the　cottage　when　Locksley　came　out　of　the　wood　and　looked　at　me。　I　grew　confused；　fearful；　and　I　threw　the　gun　back　again　and　made　off。〃

〃What　were　your　motives　for　acting　in　that　way？〃

〃A　panic　had　come　over　me；　and　in　that　moment　I　must　have　lost　the　use　of　my　reason；　otherwise　I　never　should　have　acted　as　I　did。　Thoughts；　especially　of　fear；　pass　through　our　minds　with　astonishing　swiftness；　and　I　feared　lest　the　crime　should　be　fastened　upon　me。　It　was　fear　made　me　snatch　up　my　gun；　lest　it　should　be　found　near　the　body；　it　was　fear　made　me　throw　it　back　again　when　Locksley　appeared　in　viewa　fear　you　understand；　from　which　all　judgment；　all　reason；　had　departed。　But　for　my　own　conduct；　the　charge　never　would　have　been　laid　to　me。〃

〃Go　on。〃

〃In　my　flight　I　came　upon　Bethel。　I　knew　that　if　he　had　gone　toward　the　cottage　after　the　shot　was　fired；　he　must　have　encountered　Thorn　flying　from　it。　He　denied　that　he　had；　he　said　he　had　only　gone　along　the　path　for　a　few　paces；　and　had　then　plunged　into　the　wood　again。　I　believed　him　and　departed。〃

〃Departed　from　West　Lynne？〃

〃That　night　I　did。　It　was　a　foolish；　fatal　step；　the　result　of　cowardice。　I　found　the　charge　was　laid　to　me；　and　I　thought　I　would　absent　myself　for　a　day　or　two；　to　see　how　things　turned　out。　Next　came　the　inquest　and　the　verdict　against　me；　and　I　then　left　for　good。〃

〃This　is　the　truth；　so　far　as　you　are　cognizant　of　it？〃

〃I　swear　that　it　is　truth；　and　the　whole　truth；　so　far　as　I　am　cognizant　of　it；〃　replied　Richard　Hare；　with　emotion。　〃I　could　not　assert　it　more　solemnly　were　I　before　God。〃

He　was　subjected　to　a　rigid　cross…examination；　but　his　testimony　was　not　shaken　in　the　least。　Perhaps　not　one　present　but　was　impressed　with　its　truth。

Afy　Hallijohn　was　recalled；　and　questioned　as　to　Richard's　presence　at　her　father's　house　that　night。　It　tallied　with　the　account　given　by　Richard；　but　it　had　to　be　drawn　from　her。

〃Why　did　you　decline　to　receive　Richard　Hare　into　the　cottage；　after　appointing　him　to　come？〃

〃Because　I　chose；〃　returned　Afy。

〃Tell　the　jury　why　you　chose。〃

〃Well；　I　had　got　a　friend　with　meit　was　Captain　Thorn；〃　she　added；　feeling　that　she　should　only　be　questioned　on　this　point；　so　might　as　well　acknowledge　it。　〃I　did　not　admit　Richard　Hare；　for　I　fancied　they　might　get　up　a　quarrel　if　they　were　together。〃

〃For　what　purpose　did　Richard　Hare　bring　down　his　gundo　you　know？〃

〃It　was　to　lend　to　my　father。　My　father's　gun　had　something　the　matter　with　it；　and　was　at　the　smith's。　I　had　heard　him；　the　previous　day；　ask　Mr。　Richard　to　lend　him　one　of　his；　and　Mr。　Richard　said　he　would　bring　one；　as　he　did。〃

〃You　lodged　the　gun　against　the　wallsafely？〃

〃Quite　safely。〃

〃Was　it　touched　by　you；　after　placing　it　there；　or　by　the　prisoner？〃

〃I　did　not　touch　it；　neither　did　he；　that　I　saw。　It　was　that　same　gun　which　was　afterward　found　near　my　father；　and　had　been　discharged。〃

The　next　witness　called　was　Otway　Bethel。　He　also　held　share　in　the　curiosity　of　the　public；　but　not　in　equal　degree　with　Afy；　still　less　with　Richard　Hare。　The　substance　of　his　testimony　was　as　follows：

〃On　the　evening　that　Hallijohn　was　killed；　I　was　in　the　Abbey　Wood；　and　I　saw　Richard　Hare　come　down　the　path　with　a　gun；　as　if　he　had　come　down　from　his　own　home。〃

〃Did　Richard　Hare　see　you？〃

〃No；　he　could　not　see　me；　I　was　right　in　the　thicket。　He　went　to　the　cottage　door；　and　was　about　to　enter；　when　Afy　Hallijohn　came　hastily　out　of　it；　pulling　the　door　to　behind　her；　and　holding　it　in　her　hand；　as　if　afraid　he　would　go　in。　Some　colloquy　ensued；　but　I　was　too　far　off　to　hear　it；　and　then　she　took　the　gun　from　him　and　went　indoors。　Some　time　after　that　I　saw　Richard　Hare　amid　the　trees　at　a　distance；　farther　off　the　cottage；　then；　than　I　was；　and　apparently　watching　the　path。　I　was　wondering　what　he　was　up　to；　hiding　there；　when　I　head　a　shot　fired；　close；　as　it　seemed；　to　the　cottage；　and〃

〃Stop　a　bit；　witness。　Could　that　shot　have　been　fired　by　Richard　Hare？〃

〃It　could　not。　He　was　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　nearly；　away　from　it。　I　was　much　nearer　the　cottage　than　he。〃

〃Go　on。〃

〃I　could　not　imagine　what　that　shot　meant；　or　who　could　have　fired　it　not　that　I　suspected　mischiefand　I　knew　that　poachers　did　not　congregate　so　near　Hallijohn's　cottage。　I　set　off　to　reconnoiter；　and　as　I　turned　the　corner；　which　brought　the　house　within　my　view；　I　saw　Captain　Thorn；　as　he　was　called；　come　leaping　out　of　it。　His　face　was　white　with　terror；　his　breath　was　gonein　short；　I　never　saw　any　living　man　betray　so　much　agitation。　I　caught　his　arm　as　he　would　have　passed　me。　'What　have　you　been　about？'　I　asked。　'Was　it　you　that　fired？'　He〃

〃Stay。　Why　did　you　suspect　him？〃

〃From　his　state　of　excitementfrom　the　terror　he　was　inthat　some　ill　had　happened；　I　felt　sure；　and　so　would　you；　had　you　seen　him　as　I　did。　My　arresting　him　increased　his　agitation；　he　tried　to　throw　me　off；　but　I　am　a　strong　man；　and　I　suppose　he　thought　it　best　to　temporize。　'Keep　dark　upon　it；　Bethel；'　he　said；　'I　will　make　it　worth　your　while。　The　thing　was　not　premeditated；　it　was　done　in　the　heat　of　passion。　What　business　had　the　fellow　to　abuse　me？　I　have　done　no　harm　to　the　girl。'　As　he　thus　spoke；　he　took　out　a　pocket　book　with　the　hand　that　was　at　liberty；　I　held　the　other〃

〃As　the　prisoner　thus　spoke；　you　mean？〃

〃The　prisoner。　He　took　a　bank…note　from　his　pocket　book；　and　thrust　it　into　my　hands。　It　was　a　note　for　fifty　pounds。　'What's　done　can't　be　undone；　Bethel；'　he　said；　'and　your　saying　that　you　saw　me　here　can　serve　no　good　turn。　Shall　it　be　silence？'　I　took　the　note　and　answered　that　it　should　be　silence。　I　had　not　the　least　idea　that　anybody　was　killed。〃

〃What　did　you　suppose　had　happened；　then？〃

〃I　could　not　suppose；　I　could　not　think；　it　all　passed　in　the　haste　and　confusion　of　a　moment；　and　no　definite　idea　occurred　to　me。　Thorn　flew　on　down　the　path；　and　I　stood　looking　after　him。　The　next　was　I　heard　footsteps；　and　I　slipped　within　the　trees。　They　were　those　of　Richard　Hare；　who　took　the　path　to　the　cottage。　Presently　he　returned；　little　less　agitated　than　Thorn　had　been。　I　had　gone　into　an　open　space；　then；　and　he　accosted　me；　asking　if　I　had　seen　'that　hound'　fly　from　the　cottage？　'What　hound？'　I　asked　of　him。　'That　fine　fellow；　that　Thorn；　who　comes　after　Afy；'　he　answered；　but　I　stoutly　denied　that　I　had　seen　any　one。　Richard　Hare　continued　his　way；　and　I　afterward　found　that　Hallijohn　was　killed。〃

〃And　so　you　took　a　bribe　to　conceal　one　of　the　foulest　crimes　that　man　ever　committed；　Mr。　Otway　Bethel！〃

〃I　took　the　money；　and　I　am　ashamed　to　confess　it。　But　it　was　done　without　reflection。　I　swear　that　had　I　known　what　crime　it　was　intended　to　hush　up；　I　never　would　have　touched　it。　I　was　hard　up　for　funds；　and　the　amount　tempted　me。　When　I　discovered　what　had　really　happened；　and　that　Richard　Hare　was　accused；　I　was　thunderstruck　at　my　own　deed；　many　a　hundred　times　since　have　I　cursed　the　money；　and　the　fate　of　Richard　has　been　as　a　he