roughing it-第61部分

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〃It's　the　Venus。〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

〃Youyou　know　me。〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

〃Very　well；　then。　　Take　the　lantern。　　Carry　it　just　under　your　chin。
I'll　walk　behind　you　and　rest　this　gun…barrel　on　your　shoulder；　p'inting
forwardso。　　Keep　your　lantern　well　up　so's　I　can　see　things　ahead　of
you　good。　　I'm　going　to　march　in　on　Noakesand　take　himand　jug　the
other　chaps。　　If　you　flinchwell；　you　know　me。〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

In　this　order　they　filed　aboard　softly；　arrived　at　Noakes's　den；　the
quartermaster　pushed　the　door　open；　and　the　lantern　revealed　the　three
desperadoes　sitting　on　the　floor。　　Capt。　　Ned　said：

〃I'm　Ned　Blakely。　　I've　got　you　under　fire。　　Don't　you　move　without
ordersany　of　you。　　You　two　kneel　down　in　the　corner；　faces　to　the　wall
now。　　Bill　Noakes；　put　these　handcuffs　on；　now　come　up　close。
Quartermaster；　fasten　'em。　　All　right。　　Don't　stir；　sir。　　Quartermaster；
put　the　key　in　the　outside　of　the　door。　　Now；　men；　I'm　going　to　lock　you
two　in；　and　if　you　try　to　burst　through　this　doorwell；　you've　heard　of
me。　　Bill　Noakes；　fall　in　ahead；　and　march。　　All　set。　　Quartermaster；
lock　the　door。〃

Noakes　spent　the　night　on　board　Blakely's　ship；　a　prisoner　under　strict
guard。　　Early　in　the　morning　Capt。　Ned　called　in　all　the　sea…captains　in
the　harbor　and　invited　them；　with　nautical　ceremony；　to　be　present　on
board　his　ship　at　nine　o'clock　to　witness　the　hanging　of　Noakes　at　the
yard…arm！

〃What！　　The　man　has　not　been　tried。〃

〃Of　course　he　hasn't。　　But　didn't　he　kill　the　nigger？〃

〃Certainly　he　did；　but　you　are　not　thinking　of　hanging　him　without　a
trial？〃

〃Trial！　　What　do　I　want　to　try　him　for；　if　he　killed　the　nigger？〃

〃Oh；　Capt。　　Ned；　this　will　never　do。　　Think　how　it　will　sound。〃

〃Sound　be　hanged！　　Didn't　he　kill　the　nigger？〃

〃Certainly；　certainly；　Capt。　　Ned；nobody　denies　that；but〃

〃Then　I'm　going　to　hang　him；　that's　all。　　Everybody　I've　talked　to　talks
just　the　same　way　you　do。　　Everybody　says　he　killed　the　nigger；　everybody
knows　he　killed　the　nigger；　and　yet　every　lubber　of　you　wants　him　tried
for　it。　　I　don't　understand　such　bloody　foolishness　as　that。　　Tried！
Mind　you；　I　don't　object　to　trying　him；　if　it's　got　to　be　done　to　give
satisfaction；　and　I'll　be　there；　and　chip　in　and　help；　too；　but　put　it
off　till　afternoonput　it　off　till　afternoon；　for　I'll　have　my　hands
middling　full　till　after　the　burying〃

〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？　　Are　you　going　to　hang　him　any　howand　try　him
afterward？〃

〃Didn't　I　say　I　was　going　to　hang　him？　　I　never　saw　such　people　as　you。
What's　the　difference？　　You　ask　a　favor；　and　then　you　ain't　satisfied
when　you　get　it。　　Before　or　after's　all　oneyou　know　how　the　trial　will
go。　　He　killed　the　nigger。　　SayI　must　be　going。　　If　your　mate　would
like　to　come　to　the　hanging；　fetch　him　along。　　I　like　him。〃

There　was　a　stir　in　the　camp。　　The　captains　came　in　a　body　and　pleaded
with　Capt。　Ned　not　to　do　this　rash　thing。　　They　promised　that　they　would
create　a　court　composed　of　captains　of　the　best　character；　they　would
empanel　a　jury；　they　would　conduct　everything　in　a　way　becoming　the
serious　nature　of　the　business　in　hand；　and　give　the　case　an　impartial
hearing　and　the　accused　a　fair　trial。　　And　they　said　it　would　be　murder；
and　punishable　by　the　American　courts　if　he　persisted　and　hung　the
accused　on　his　ship。　　They　pleaded　hard。　　Capt。　Ned　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I'm　not　stubborn　and　I'm　not　unreasonable。　　I'm　always
willing　to　do　just　as　near　right　as　I　can。　　How　long　will　it　take？〃

〃Probably　only　a　little　while。〃

〃And　can　I　take　him　up　the　shore　and　hang　him　as　soon　as　you　are　done？〃

〃If　he　is　proven　guilty　he　shall　be　hanged　without　unnecessary　delay。〃

〃If　he's　proven　guilty。　　Great　Neptune；　ain't　he　guilty？　　This　beats　my
time。　　Why　you　all　know　he's　guilty。〃

But　at　last　they　satisfied　him　that　they　were　projecting　nothing
underhanded。　　Then　he　said：

〃Well；　all　right。　　You　go　on　and　try　him　and　I'll　go　down　and　overhaul
his　conscience　and　prepare　him　to　golike　enough　he　needs　it；　and　I
don't　want　to　send　him　off　without　a　show　for　hereafter。〃

This　was　another　obstacle。　　They　finally　convinced　him　that　it　was
necessary　to　have　the　accused　in　court。　　Then　they　said　they　would　send　a
guard　to　bring　him。

〃No；　sir；　I　prefer　to　fetch　him　myselfhe　don't　get　out　of　my　hands。
Besides；　I've　got　to　go　to　the　ship　to　get　a　rope；　anyway。〃

The　court　assembled　with　due　ceremony；　empaneled　a　jury；　and　presently
Capt。　Ned　entered；　leading　the　prisoner　with　one　hand　and　carrying　a
Bible　and　a　rope　in　the　other。　　He　seated　himself　by　the　side　of　his
captive　and　told　the　court　to　〃up　anchor　and　make　sail。〃　　Then　he　turned
a　searching　eye　on　the　jury；　and　detected　Noakes's　friends；　the　two
bullies。

He　strode　over　and　said　to　them　confidentially：

〃You're　here　to　interfere；　you　see。　　Now　you　vote　right；　do　you　hear？or
else　there'll　be　a　double…barreled　inquest　here　when　this　trial's　off；
and　your　remainders　will　go　home　in　a　couple　of　baskets。〃

The　caution　was　not　without　fruit。　　The　jury　was　a　unitthe　verdict。
〃Guilty。〃

Capt。　　Ned　sprung　to　his　feet　and　said：

〃Come　alongyou're　my　meat　now；　my　lad；　anyway。　　Gentlemen　you've　done
yourselves　proud。　　I　invite　you　all　to　come　and　see　that　I　do　it　all
straight。　　Follow　me　to　the　canyon；　a　mile　above　here。〃

The　court　informed　him　that　a　sheriff　had　been　appointed　to　do　the
hanging；　and

Capt。　　Ned's　patience　was　at　an　end。　　His　wrath　was　boundless。　　The
subject　of　a　sheriff　was　judiciously　dropped。

When　the　crowd　arrived　at　the　canyon；　Capt。　Ned　climbed　a　tree　and
arranged　the　halter；　then　came　down　and　noosed　his　man。　　He　opened　his
Bible；　and　laid　aside　his　hat。　　Selecting　a　chapter　at　random；　he　read　it
through；　in　a　deep　bass　voice　and　with　sincere　solemnity。　　Then　he　said：

〃Lad；　you　are　about　to　go　aloft　and　give　an　account　of　yourself；　and　the
lighter　a　man's　manifest　is；　as　far　as　sin's　concerned；　the　better　for
him。　　Make　a　clean　breast；　man；　and　carry　a　log　with　you　that'll　bear
inspection。　　You　killed　the　nigger？〃

No　reply。　　A　long　pause。

The　captain　read　another　chapter；　pausing；　from　time　to　time；　to　impress
the　effect。　　Then　he　talked　an　earnest；　persuasive　sermon　to　him；　and
ended　by　repeating　the　question：

〃Did　you　kill　the　nigger？〃

No　replyother　than　a　malignant　scowl。　　The　captain　now　read　the　first
and　second　chapters　of　Genesis；　with　deep　feelingpaused　a　moment；
closed　the　book　reverently；　and　said　with　a　perceptible　savor　of
satisfaction：

〃There。　　Four　chapters。　　There's　few　that　would　have　took　the　pains　with
you　that　I　have。〃

Then　he　swung　up　the　condemned；　and　made　the　rope　fast；　stood　by　and
timed　him　half　an　hour　with　his　watch；　and　then　delivered　the　body　to　the
court。　　A　little　after；　as　he　stood　contemplating　the　motionless　figure；
a　doubt　came　into　his　face；　evidently　he　felt　a　twinge　of　consciencea
misgivingand　he　said　with　a　sigh：

〃Well；　p'raps　I　ought　to　burnt　him；　maybe。　　But　I　was　trying　to　do　for
the　best。〃

When　the　history　of　this　affair　reached　California　（it　was　in　the　〃early
days〃）　it　made　a　deal　of　talk；　but　did　not　diminish　the　captain's
popularity　in　any　degree。　　It　increased　it；　indeed。　　California　had　a
population　then　that　〃inflicted〃　justice　after　a　fashion　that　was
simplicity　and　primitiveness　itself；　and　could　therefore　admire
appreciatively　when　the　same　fashion　was　followed　elsewhere。




CHAPTER　LI。

Vice　flourished　luxuriantly　during　the　hey…day　of　our　〃flush　times。〃　　The
saloons　were　overburdened　with　custom；　so　were　the　police　courts；　the
gambling　dens；　the　brothels　and　the　jailsunfailing　signs　of　high
prosperity　in　a　mining　regionin　any　region　for　that　matter。　　Is　it　not
so？　　A　crowded　police　court　docket　is　the　surest　of　all　signs　that　trade
is　brisk　and　money　plenty。　　Still；　there　is　one　other　sign；　it　comes
last；　but　when　it　does　come　it　establishes　beyond　cavil　that　the　〃flush
times〃　are　at　the　flood。　　This　is　the　birth　of　the　〃literary〃　paper。
The　Weekly　Occidental；　〃devoted　to　literature；〃　made　its　appearance　in
Virginia。　　All　the　literary　people　were　engaged　to　write　for　it。　　Mr。　F。
was　to　edit　it。　　He　was　a　felicitous　skirmisher　with　a　pen；　and　a　man　who
could　say　happy　things　in　a　crisp；　neat　way。　　Once；　while　editor　of　the
Union；　he　had　disposed　of　a　labored；　incoherent；　two…column　attack　made
upon　him　by　a　contemporary；　with　a　single　line；　which；　at　first　glance；
seemed　to　contain　a　solemn　and　tremendous　complimentviz。：　〃THE　LOGIC　OF
OUR　ADVERSARY　RESEMBLES　THE　PEACE　OF　GOD；〃and　left　it　to　the　reader's
memory　and　after…thought　to　invest　the　remark　with　another　and　〃more
different〃　meaning　by　supplying　for　himself　and　at　his　own　leisure　the
rest　of　the　Scripture〃　in　that　it　passeth　understanding。〃　　He　once　said
of　a　little；　half…starved；　wayside　community　that　had　no　subsistence
except　what　they　could　get　by　preying　upon　chance　passengers　who　stopped
over　with　them　a　day　when　traveling　by　the　overland　stage；　that　in　their
Church　service　they　had　altered　the　Lord's　Prayer　to　read：　〃Give　us　this
day　our　daily　stranger！〃

We　expected　great　things　of　the　Occidental。　　Of　course　it　could　not　get
along　without　an