elinor wyllys-2-第41章

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lled　upon　to　account　for　my　past　actions　by　any　fellow…creature。　My　moral　motives　have　never　yet　been　publicly　impugned。　The　position　in　which　I　now　stand；　accused　of　denying　the　just　rights　of　another；　of　wilfully　withholding　the　parental　inheritance　from　the　son　of　my　benefactor；　is　therefore　as　novel　to　myself　in　its　whole　character；　as　it　must　appear　remarkable　to　you　in　its　peculiar　circumstances。

〃I　have　already　learned；　however；　during　the　few　years　that　I　have　filled　a　place　on　the　busy　stage　of　active　life；　that　in　the　world　to　which　we　belong；　Truth　herself　is　compelled　to　appear　on　the　defensive；　nearly　as　often；　perhaps；　as　Error。　I　have　no　right　therefore　to　complain。　So　long　as　I　am　included　in　the　same　accusation；　so　long　as　I　am　associated　in　the　same　defence　with　the　venerable　man　at　my　sideone；　whose　honourable　career　has　furnished　to　the　community　represented　by　this　assembly；　a　noble　model　of　conduct　during　three…score　years　and　ten；　one　whom　it　has　been　the　especial　object　of　my　endeavours　to　follow；　in　my　own　path　through　lifeso　long；　I　can　have　no　wish　to　shrink　from　the　situation　in　which　I　am　placed；　I　can　find　no　room　for　doubts　or　misgivings；　as　to　the　wisdom　and　rectitude　of　the　course　I　have　adopted。

〃That　the　position；　however；　in　which　we　stand　before　you；　on　the　present　occasion；　gentlemen；　is　one　that　requires　explanation；　we　readily　admit；　it　is　too　remarkable　in　its　particulars　to　escape　the　searching　inquiry　of　justice。　We　appear　in　this　court；　the　executors　and　legatee　of　Mr。　Stanleyhis　widow；　his　nearest　friend；　and　his　adopted　representativeto　deny　a　claim；　just　in　itself；　advanced　in　the　name　of　his　only　son。　Such　a　position　must　be　either　quite　untenable；　totally　unjustifiable；　an　outrage　upon　the　common　decency　of　society；　or　it　must　stand　on　the　firm　foundation　of　truth。　You　will　easily　believe；　that　such　a　position　would　never　have　been　taken；　under　circumstances　so　extraordinary；　by　three　individuals；　possessing　only　a　common　share　of　honesty　and　good　sense；　unless　they　had　held　it　to　be　one　which　they　could　maintain。　You　will　readily　admit；　that　it　is　the　very　last　position　which　a　man　of　clear　integrity；　good　character；　and　natural　feeling　would　wish　to　assume；　unless　acting　from　conscientious　motives；　and　guided　by　sound　reason。

〃I　have　no　wish　to　parade　a　stoical　indifference　to　the　pecuniary　interests　at　stake　to…day；　they　are　such　as　must　seriously　affect　my　fortunes　for　years；　possibly　for　life。　A　cause　involving　so　large　a　sum　of　money；　so　fine　a　landed　estate；　honourably　acquired　by　the　late　proprietor；　and　generously　bequeathed　to　myself；　must　necessarily　include　many　interests　of　a　varied　character。　Many　grateful　recollections　of　the　past；　many　hopes　for　the　future；　have　been　connected　in　my　mind　with　the　house　at　Greatwood；　from　early　boyhood　I　have　been　taught　to　look　forward　to　it；　as　a　home　and　a　resting…place；　when　the　busiest　years　of　life　shall　have　passed。　These　interests；　however；　although　among　the　best　enjoyments　of　existence；　are　of　a　nature　entirely　personal；　forgive　me；　if　for　a　moment　I　have　glanced　at　them。　But；　gentlemen；　if　I　have　always　valued　the　bequest　of　Mr。　Stanley；　from　its　own　intrinsic　importance；　from　the　many　advantages　it　has　already　procured　me；　from　the　hopes　with　which　it　is　connected；　and　from　the　grateful　recollection；　that　to　the　friendly　affection　of　my　benefactor　I　owe　its　possession；　yet；　I　solemnly　affirm；　in　the　hearing　of　hundreds　of　witnesses；　that　there　is　no　honest　occupation；　however　humble；　no　labour；　however　toilsome；　that　I　would　not　at　this　instant　cheerfully　exchange　for　it；　rather　than　retain　that　inheritance　one　hour　from　its　rightful　owner；　could　I　believe　him　to　be　living。

〃No　human　being；　I　trust；　who　knows　the　principles　from　which　I　have　hitherto　acted；　can　show　just　ground　for　mistrusting　this　declaration。

〃But；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　to　you　I　am　a　stranger。　There　is　not　one　of　your　number；　as　I　now　scan　the　faces　in　your　box；　that　I　recognize　as　that　of　an　acquaintance。　I　cannot；　therefore；　expect　you　to　believe　this　assertion；　unsupported　by　evidence　of　its　truth。　I　willingly　leave　vain　declamation　to　those　who　have　no　better　weapon　to　work　with；　were　it　in　my　power　to　influence　your　decision；　by　volleys　of　words　without　meaning；　sound　without　sense；　such　as　only　too　often　assail　the　ears　of　judges　and　juries；　respect　for　the　honourable　office　you　now　fill；　would　deter　me　from　following　such　a　course；　self…respect　would　naturally　prevent　me　from　following　so　closely　the　example　of　the　orator　who　first　addressed　you　on　behalf　of　the　plaintiff。　I　have　often　before　heard　that　orator；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　this　is　not　the　first　occasion　upon　which　I　have　listened　with　simple　wonder；　to　a　fluency　which　ever　flows　undisturbed；　undismayed；　whether　the　obstacles　in　its　way　be　those　of　law　or　justice；　reason　or　truth。　But　if　I　have　wondered　at　a　facility　so　remarkable；　never；　for　a　single　instant；　have　I　wished　to　rival　this　supple　dexterity。　It　is　an　accomplishment　one　can　scarcely　envy。　On　the　other　hand；　these　wholesale　supplies　of　bombastic　declamation　form　so　large　a　part　of　the　local　stock　in　trade　of　the　individual　to　whom　I　refer；　that　it　would　seem　almost　cruel　to　deprive　him　of　them；　we　have　all　heard　a　common　expression；　more　easily　understood　than　explained；　but　which　would　be　quite　applicable　to　the　pitiable　state　of　the　counsel　for　the　plaintiff；　when　deprived　of　his　chief　support；　his　favourite　modes　of　speechhe　would　then　be　reduced；　gentlemen；　to　LESS　THAN　NOTHING。〃　Hazlehurst's　face　was　expressive　enough　as　he　uttered　these　words。

〃No；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　I　shall　not　ask　you　to　believe　a　single　assertion　of　my　own；　unsustained　by　proof。　At　the　proper　moment；　the　testimony　which　we　possess　in　favour　of　the　death　of　Mr。　Stanley's　son；　and　the　facts　which　have　led　us　to　mistrust　the　strange　story　which　you　have　just　heard　advanced　in　behalf　of　the　plaintiff；　will　be　laid　before　you。　At　present；　suffer　me；　for　a　moment　longer；　to　refer　to　the　leading　motives　which　have　induced　us　to　appear　in　this　court；　as　defendants；　under　circumstances　so　singular。

〃The　importance　which；　as　legatee　of　Mr。　Stanley；　I　attach　to　his　generous　gift　has　not　been　denied。　But；　independently　of　this；　there　are　other　causes　sufficient　in　themselves　to　have　brought　me　into　this　hall；　and　these　motives　I　share　with　the　friends　associated　in　the　same　defence。　If　we　conceive　ourselves　to　be　justified　in　refusing　the　demand　of　the　plaintiff；　as　a　consequence　of　this　conviction；　we　must　necessarily　hold　it　to　be　an　imperative　duty　to　repel；　by　every　honest　means　in　our　power；　a　claim　we　believe　false。　This　is　a　case　which　allows　of　no　medium　course。　On　one　hand；　either　we；　the　defendants；　are　guilty　of　an　act　of　the　most　cruel　injustice；　or；　on　the　other；　the　individual　before　you；　assuming　the　name　of　William　Stanley；　is　an　impostor。　The　opinion　of　those　most　intimately　connected　with　the　late　Mr。　Stanley；　is　clearly　proclaimed；　by　the　stand　they　have　deliberately　taken；　after　examining　the　evidence　with　which　the　plaintiff　advances　his　extraordinary　claim。　This　individual　who；　from　his　own　account；　was　content　to　remain　for　years　in　a　state　of　passive　indifference　to　the　same　important　inheritance；　now　claimed　so　boldly；　in　defiance　of　so　many　obstacles；　we　believe　to　be　an　impostor；　not　a　single；　lingering　scruple　prevents　my　repeating　the　declaration；　that　I　believe　him　to　be　a　bold　and　daring　impostor。

〃With　this　opinion；　is　it　expected　that　I　shall　calmly　endure　that　one；　whose　only　title　consists　in　his　cunning　and　his　audacity；　should　seize　with　impunity；　property；　legally　and　justly　my　own？　Is　it　believed　that　I　shall　stand　idly　by；　without　a　struggle　to　defend　the　name　of　my　deceased　benefactor　from　such　impudent　abuse？　That　I　should　be　content　to　see　the　very　hearth…stone　of　my　friend　seized；　by　the　grossest　cupidity？　That　I　should　surrender　the　guardianship　of　his　grave　to　one；　with　whom　he　never　had　a　thought；　a　feeling；　a　sympathy　in　common？to　one；　who　would　not　scruple　to　sell　that　grave　for　a　bottle　of　rum？

〃Every　feeling　revolts　at　the　thought　of　such　a　shameful　neglect　of　duty！　No；　I　acknowledge　myself　bound；　by　every　obligation；　to　oppose　to　the　last　extremity；　such　an　audacious　invasion　of　right　and　truth。　Every　feeling　of　respect　and　gratitude　to　the　memory　of　my　benefactor；　urges　me　forward；　while　all　the　attachment　of　the　friend；　and　all　the　affection　of　the　widow；　revive；　and　unite　in　the　defence。

〃But；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　my　own　personal　rights；　sufficient　on　a　common　occasion　to　rouse　any　man；　the　duties　owed　by　each　of　the　defendants　to　the　memory　of　Mr。　Stanleyduties　sacred　in　the　eyes　of　every　right…thinking　man；　these　are　not　the　only　motives　which　call　upon　us　to　oppose　the　plaintiff；　to　repel　with　all　the　strength　we　can　command　this　daring　act　of　piracy。

〃There　is　another　duty　still　more　urgent；　a　consideration　of　a　still　higher　character；　involved　in　the　course　we　pursue　to…day。　There　is　one　object　before　us；　far　surpassing　in　importance　any　to　which　I　have　yet　alluded；　it　is　one；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　in　which　each　individual　of　your　number　is　as　deeply　concerned　as　ourselves；　in　which　the　highest　earthly　interests　of　every　human　being　in　this　community　are　included；　it　is　the　one　great　object　for　which　these　walls　were　raised；　this　hall　opened；　which　has　placed　those　honourable　men　as　judges　on　the　seat　of　justice；　which　has　called　you　together；　from　the　less　important　pursuit　of　your　daily　avocations；　to　give　an　impartial　opinion　in　every　case　brought　before　you；　it　is　the　high　object　of　maintaining　justice　in　the　community　to　which　we　all　equally　belong。　I　am　willing　to　believe；　fellow…citizens　of　the　jury；　that　you　are　fully　aware　of　the　importance　of　your　own　office；　of　the　dignity　of　this　court；　of　the　necessity　of　its　existence；　of　its　activity　to　protect　the　honest　and　inoffensive　citizen；　against　the　designing；　the　unprincipled；　and　the　violent。　Such　protection　we　know　to　be　absolutely　binding　upon　every　community　claiming　to　be　civilized；　we　know　that　without　it　no　state　of　society；　at　all　worthy　of　the　dignity　of　human　nature；　at　all　worthy　of　the　dignity　of　freemen；　can　exist；　without　active　justice；　indeed；　the　name　of　Freedom　becomes　a　mere　sound　of　mockery。　I　have　been　taught　to　hold　the　opinion；　gentlemen；　that　if　there　is　one　obligation　more　imperative　than　any　other；　imposed　upon　an　American　by　the　privileges　of　his　birth…right；　it　is　this　very　duty　of　maintaining　justice　in　her　full　integrity；　of　raising　his　voice　in　her　behalf　when　she　is　threatened；　of　raising　his　arm　in　her　defence　when　she　is　assailed。　To　move　at　the　first　clear　appeal　of　justice；　is　surely　one　of　the　chief　duties　of　every　American　citizen；　of　every　man　blessed　with　freedom　of　speech　and　freedom　of　action；　and；　surely；　if　this　be　a　general　rule；　it　would　become　a　double　act　of　moral　cowardice；　to　desert　the　post；　when　those　individual　rights；　confided　especially　to　my　own　protection；　including　interests　so　important　to　myself；　are　audaciously　assailed。　If　there　are　circumstances　which　partially　remove　the　weight　of　this　obligation；　of　this　public　struggle　for　jus