those extraordinary twins-第6部分

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the　rest　his　brother　wouldn't　take　him　up…stairs　to　get。　　Luigi　listened
a　moment　to　Angelo's　regular　breathing；　then　said　in　a　voice　barely
audible：

〃We　were　both　born　at　the　same　time；　but　I　am　six　months　older　than　he
is。〃

〃For　the　land's　sake！〃

〃'Sh！　　don't　wake　him　up；　he　wouldn't　like　my　telling　this。　　It　has
always　been　kept　secret　till　now。〃

〃But　how　in　the　world　can　it　be？　　If　you　were　both　born　at　the　same　time；
how　can　one　of　you　be　older　than　the　other？〃

〃It　is　very　simple；　and　I　assure　you　it　is　true。　　I　was　born　with　a　full
crop　of　hair；　he　was　as　bald　as　an　egg　for　six　months。　　I　could　walk　six
months　before　he　could　make　a　step。　　I　finished　teething　six　months　ahead
of　him。　　I　began　to　take　solids　six　months　before　he　left　the　breast。
I　began　to　talk　six　months　before　he　could　say　a　word。　　Last；　and
absolutely　unassailable　proof；　the　sutures　in　my　skull　closed　six　months
ahead　of　his。　　Always　just　that　six　months'　difference　to　a　day。　　Was
that　accident？　　Nobody　is　going　to　claim　that；　I'm　sure。　　It　was　ordained
it　was　law　it　had　its　meaning；　and　we　know　what　that　meaning　was。　　Now
what　does　this　overwhelming　body　of　evidence　establish？　　It　establishes
just　one　thing；　and　that　thing　it　establishes　beyond　any　peradventure
whatever。　　Friends；　we　would　not　have　it　known　for　the　world；　and　I　must
beg　you　to　keep　it　strictly　to　yourselves；　but　the　truth　is；　we　are　no
more　twins　than　you　are。〃

The　two　old　ladies　were　stunned；　paralyzed…petrified；　one　may　almost　say
and　could　only　sit　and　gaze　vacantly　at　each　other　for　some　moments；
then　Aunt　Betsy　Hale　said　impressively：

〃There's　no　getting　around　proof　like　that。　　I　do　believe　it's　the　most
amazing　thing　I　ever　heard　of。〃　　She　sat　silent　a　moment　or　two　and
breathing　hard　with　excitement；　then　she　looked　up　and　surveyed　the
strangers　steadfastly　a　little　while；　and　added：　〃Well；　it　does　beat　me；
but　I　would　have　took　you　for　twins　anywhere。〃

〃So　would　I；　so　would　I；〃　said　Aunt　Patsy　with　the　emphasis　of　a
certainty　that　is　not　impaired　by　any　shade　of　doubt。

〃Anybody　would…anybody　in　the　world；　I　don't　care　who　he　is；〃　said　Aunt
Betsy　with　decision。

〃You　won't　tell；〃　said　Luigi；　appealingly。

〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　answered　both　ladies　promptly；　〃you　can　trust　us；　don't
you　be　afraid。〃

〃That　is　good　of　you；　and　kind。　　Never　let　on；　treat　us　always　as　if　we
were　twins。〃

〃You　can　depend　on　us；〃　said　Aunt　Betsy；　〃but　it　won't　be　easy；　because
now　that　I　know　you　ain't　you　don't　seem　so。〃

Luigi　muttered　to　himself　with　satisfaction：　〃That　swindle　has　gone
through　without　change　of　cars。〃

It　was　not　very　kind　of　him　to　load　the　poor　things　up　with　a　secret　like
that；　which　would　be　always　flying　to　their　tongues'　ends　every　time　they
heard　any　one　speak　of　the　strangers　as　twins；　and　would　become　harder
and　harder　to　hang　on　to　with　every　recurrence　of　the　temptation　to　tell
it；　while　the　torture　of　retaining　it　would　increase　with　every　new
strain　that　was　applied；　but　he　never　thought　of　that；　and　probably　would
not　have　worried　much　about　it　if　he　had。

A　visitor　was　announcedsome　one　to　see　the　twins。　　They　withdrew　to　the
parlor；　and　the　two　old　ladies　began　to　discuss　with　interest　the　strange
things　which　they　had　been　listening　to。　　When　they　had　finished　the
matter　to　their　satisfaction；　and　Aunt　Betsy　rose　to　go；　she　stopped　to
ask　a　question：

〃How　does　things　come　on　between　Roweny　and　Tom　Driscoll？〃

〃Well；　about　the　same。　　He　writes　tolerable　often；　and　she　answers
tolerable　seldom。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃In　St。　Louis；　I　believe；　though　he's　such　a　gadabout　that　a　body　can't
be　very　certain　of　him；　I　reckon。〃

〃Don't　Roweny　know？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　like　enough。　　I　haven't　asked　her　lately。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　him　and　the　judge　are　getting　along　now？〃

〃First　rate；　I　believe。　　Mrs。　Pratt　says　so；　and　being　right　in　the
house；　and　sister　to　the　one　and　aunt　to　t'other；　of　course　she　ought　to
know。　　She　says　the　judge　is　real　fond　of　him　when　he's　away；　but　frets
when　he's　around　and　is　vexed　with　his　ways；　and　not　sorry　to　have　him　go
again。　　He　has　been　gone　three　weeks　this　timea　pleasant　thing　for　both
of　them；　I　reckon。〃

〃Tom's　rather　harum…scarum；　but　there　ain't　anything　bad　in　him；　I
guess。〃

〃Oh；　no；　he's　just　young；　that's　all。　　Still；　twenty…three　is　old；　in　one
way。　　A　young　man　ought　to　be　earning　his　living　by　that　time。　　If　Tom
were　doing　that；　or　was　even　trying　to　do　it；　the　judge　would　be　a　heap
better　satisfied　with　him。　　Tom's　always　going　to　begin；　but　somehow　he
can't　seem　to　find　just　the　opening　he　likes。〃

〃Well；　now；　it's　partly　the　judge's　own　fault。　　Promising　the　boy　his
property　wasn't　the　way　to　set　him　to　earning　a　fortune　of　his　own。　　But
what　do　you　think　is　Roweny　beginning　to　lean　any　toward　him；　or　ain't
she？〃

Aunt　Patsy　had　a　secret　in　her　bosom；　she　wanted　to　keep　it　there；　but
nature　was　too　strong　for　her。　　She　drew　Aunt　Betsy　aside；　and　said　in
her　most　confidential　and　mysterious　manner：

〃Don't　you　breathe　a　syllable　to　a　soulI'm　going　to　tell　you　something。
In　my　opinion　Tom　Driscoll's　chances　were　considerable　better　yesterday
than　they　are　to…day。〃

〃Patsy　Cooper；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃It's　so；　as　sure　as　you're　born。　　I　wish　you　could　'a'　been　at　breakfast
and　seen　for　yourself。〃

〃You　don't　mean　it！〃

〃Well；　if　I'm　any　judge；　there's　a　leaningthere's　a　leaning；　sure。〃

〃My　land！　　Which　one　of　'em　is　it？〃

〃I　can't　say　for　certain；　but　I　think　it's　the　youngest　oneAnjy。〃

Then　there　were　hand…shakings；　and　congratulations；　and　hopes；　and　so　on；
and　the　old　ladies　parted；　perfectly　happythe　one　in　knowing　something
which　the　rest　of　the　town　didn't；　and　the　other　in　having　been　the　sole
person　able　to　furnish　that　knowledge。

The　visitor　who　had　called　to　see　the　twins　was　the　Rev。　Mr。　Hotchkiss；
pastor　of　the　Baptist　church。　　At　the　reception　Angelo　had　told　him　he
had　lately　experienced　a　change　in　his　religious　views；　and　was　now
desirous　of　becoming　a　Baptist；　and　would　immediately　join　Mr。
Hotchkiss's　church。　　There　was　no　time　to　say　more；　and　the　brief　talk
ended　at　that　point。　　The　minister　was　much　gratified；　and　had　dropped　in
for　a　moment　now；　to　invite　the　twins　to　attend　his　Bible　class　at　eight
that　evening。　　Angelo　accepted；　and　was　expecting　Luigi　to　decline；　but
he　did　not；　because　he　knew　that　the　Bible　class　and　the　Freethinkers　met
in　the　same　room；　and　he　wanted　to　treat　his　brother　to　the　embarrassment
of　being　caught　in　free…thinking　company。




CHAPTER　V

GUILT　AND　INNOCENCE　FINELY　BLENT

＇A　long　and　vigorous　quarrel　follows；　between　the　twins。　　And　there　is
plenty　to　quarrel　about；　for　Angelo　was　always　seeking　truth；　and　this
obliged　him　to　change　and　improve　his　religion　with　frequency；　which
wearied　Luigi；　and　annoyed　him　too；　for　he　had　to　be　present　at　each　new
enlistmentwhich　placed　him　in　the　false　position　of　seeming　to　indorse
and　approve　his　brother's　fickleness；　moreover；　he　had　to　go　to　Angelo's
prohibition　meetings；　and　he　hated　them。　　On　the　other　hand；　when　it　was
his　week　to　command　the　legs　he　gave　Angelo　just　cause　of　complaint；　for
he　took　him　to　circuses　and　horse…races　and　fandangoes；　exposing　him　to
all　sorts　of　censure　and　criticism；　and　he　drank；　too；　and　whatever　he
drank　went　to　Angelo's　head　instead　of　his　own　and　made　him　act
disgracefully。　　When　the　evening　was　come；　the　two　attended　the　Free…
thinkers'　meeting；　where　Angelo　was　sad　and　silent；　then　came　the　Bible
class　and　looked　upon　him　coldly；　finding　him　in　such　company。　　Then　they
went　to　Wilson's　house　and　Chapter　XI　of　Pudd'nhead　Wilson　follows；　which
tells　of　the　girl　seen　in　Tom　Driscoll's　room；　and　closes　with　the
kicking　of　Tom　by　Luigi　at　the　anti…temperance　mass…meeting　of　the　Sons
of　Liberty；　with　the　addition　of　some　account　of　Roxy's　adventures　as　a
chamber…maid　on　a　Mississippi　boat。　　Her　exchange　of　the　children　had
been　flippantly　and　farcically　described　in　an　earlier　chapter。

Next　morning　all　the　town　was　a…buzz　with　great　news；　Pudd'nhead　Wilson
had　a　law　case！　　The；　public　astonishment　was　so　great　and　the　public
curiosity　so　intense；　that　when　the　justice　of　the　peace　opened　his
court；　the　place　was　packed　with　people　and　even　the　windows　were　full。
Everybody　was；　flushed　and　perspiring；　the　summer　heat　was　almost
unendurable。

Tom　Driscoll　had　brought　a　charge　of　assault　and　battery　against　the
twins。　　Robert　Allen　was　retained　by　Driscoll；　David　Wilson　by　the
defense。　　Tom；　his　native　cheerfulness　unannihilated　by　his　back…breaking
and　bone…bruising　passage　across　the　massed　heads　of　the　Sons　of　Liberty
the　previous　night；　laughed　his　little　customary　laugh；　and　said　to
Wilson：

〃I've　kept　my　promise；　you　see；　I'm　throwing　my　business　your　way。
Sooner　than　I　was　expecting；　too。〃

〃It's　very　good　of　youparticularly　if　you　mean　to　keep　it　up。〃

〃Well；　I　can't　tell　about　that　yet。　　But　we'll　see。　　If　I　find　you
deserve　it　I'll　take　you　under　my　protection　and　make　your　fame　and
fortune　for　you。〃

〃I'll　try　to　deserve　it；　Tom。〃

A　jury　was　sworn　in；　then　Mr。　　Allen　said：

〃We　will　detain　your　honor　but　a　moment　with　this　case。　　It　is　not　one
where　any　doubt　of　the　fact　of　the　assault　can　enter　in。　　These
gentlementhe　accusedkicked　my　client　at　the　Market　Hall　last　night；
they　kicked　him　with　violence；　with　extraordinary　violence；　with　even
unprecedented　violence；　I　may　say；　insomuch　that　he　was　lifted　entirely
off　his　feet　and　discharged　into　the　midst　of　the　audience。　　We　can　prove
this　by　four　hundred　witnesseswe　shall　call　but　three。　　Mr。　Harkness
will　take　the　stand。〃

Mr。　Harkness；　being　sworn；　testified　that　he　was　chairman　upon　the
occasion　mentioned；　that　he　was　close　at　hand　and　saw　the　defendants　in
this　action　kick　the　plaintiff　into　the　air　and　saw　him　descend　among　the
audience。

〃Take　the　witness；〃　said　Allen。

〃Mr。　Harkness；〃　said　Wilson；　〃you　say　you　saw　these　gentlemen；　my
clients；　kick　the　plaintiff。　　Are　you　sureand　please　remember　that　you
are　on　oathare　you　perfectly　sure　that　you　saw　both　of　them　kick　him；
or　only　one？　　Now　be　careful。〃

A　bewildered　look　began　t