The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
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or they_would_be too smart to venture again into a town where everybody would now be on_the watch for a good while to_come .

everybody was pitying Tom, he looked so quiet and sorrowful, and seemed to_feel his great loss so deeply . he_was playing a part, but it_was not all a part . the picture of_his alleged uncle, as he had last seen him, was before him in_the dark pretty frequently, when he_was away, and called again in_his dreams, when he_was asleep . he wouldn't go into_the room where the tragedy had happened . this charmed the doting Mrs Pratt, who realized now, " as she had never done before," she said, what a sensitive and delicate nature her darling had, and how he adored his poor uncle .

chapter 20

the murderer Chuckles

even the clearest and most perfect circumstantial evidence is likely to_be at fault, after all, and therefore ought_to_be received with great caution . take_the case of any pencil, sharpened by any woman; if_you_have witnesses, you_will_find she did it with a knife; but if_you take simply the aspect of_the pencil, you_will say she did it with her teeth .

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's calendar

the weeks dragged along, no friend visiting the jailed twins but their counsel and aunt Patsy Cooper, and_the day of trial came at last-- the heaviest day in Wilson's life; for with all his tireless diligence he had discovered no sign or trace of_the missing confederate ." confederate" was_the term he had long_ago privately accepted for_that person-- not as being unquestionably the right term, but as being the least possibly the right one, though he_was never able to understand why the twins did_not vanish and escape, as_the confederate had done, instead of remaining by_the murdered man and getting caught there .

the courthouse was crowded, of_course, and would remain so to_the finish, for not_only in_the town itself, but in_the country for miles around, the trial was_the one topic of conversation among_the people .Mrs Pratt, in deep mourning, and Tom with a weed on_his hat, had seats near Pembroke Howard, the public prosecutor, and back of_them sat a great array of friends of_the family . the twins had but one friend present to_keep their counsel in countenance, their poor old sorrowing landlady . she sat near Wilson, and looked her friendliest . in_the "nigger corner" sat Chambers; also Roxy, with good clothes on, and her bill of sale in her pocket . it_was her most precious possession, and she never parted with it, day or night .Tom had allowed her thirty-five dollars a month ever_since he_came into his property, and had said the he and she ought_to_be grateful to_the twins for making them rich; but had roused such a temper in her by_this speech that he_did_not repeat the argument afterward . she said the old judge had treated her child a thousand times better than he deserved, and had never done her an unkindness in_his life; so she hated these outlandish devils for killing him, and shouldn't ever sleep satisfied till she saw them hanged for_it . she was here to watch the trial now, and was going to lift up just one "hooraw" over it if_the county judge put her in jail a year for_it . she gave her turbaned head a toss and said, " when dat verdic' comes, I's gwine to lif' dat roof, now, I tell you ."

Pembroke Howard briefly sketched the state's case . he_said he_would show by a chain of circumstantial evidence without break or fault in_it anywhere, that_the principal prisoner at_the bar committed the murder; that_the motive was partly revenge, and partly a desire to_take his own life out of jeopardy, and_that his brother, by his presence, was aconsenting accessory to_the crime; a crime which_was the basest known to_the calendar of human misdeeds-- assassination; that_it_was conceived by_the blackest of hearts and consummated by_the cowardliest of hands; a crime which had broken aloving sister's heart, blighted the happiness of a young nephew who was as dear as a son, brought inconsolable grief to many friends, and sorrow and loss to_the whole community . the utmost penalty of_the outraged law would_be exacted, and upon_the accused, now present at_the bar, that penalty would unquestionably be executed . he_would reserve further remark until his closing speech .

he_was strongly moved, and so also was_the whole house; Mrs Pratt and several_other women were weeping when he sat down, and many an eye that was full of hate was riveted upon_the unhappy prisoners .

witness after witness was called by_the state, and questioned at_length; but the cross questioning was brief . Wilson knew they_could furnish nothing valuable for_his side . people were sorry for Pudd'nhead Wilson; his budding career would get hurt by_this trial .

several witnesses swore they heard judge Driscoll say in_his public speech that_the twins would_be_able to_find their lost knife again when_they needed it to assassinate somebody with . this_was not news, but now it_was seen to_have_been sorrowfully prophetic, and a profound sensation quivered through_the hushed courtroom when_those dismal words were repeated .

the public prosecutor rose and said that_it_was within his knowledge, through a conversation held with judge Driscoll on_the last day of_his life, that counsel for_the defense had brought him a challenge from_the person charged at_the bar with murder; that he had refused to fight with aconfessed assassin-- " that_is, on_the field of honor," but had added significantly, that_would would_be ready for him elsewhere .Presumably the person here charged with murder was warned that he_must kill or be killed the first time he_should meet judge Driscoll . if counsel for_the defense chose to let the statement stand so, he_would_not call him to_the witness stand .Mr Wilson said he_would offer no denial .[Murmurs in_the house: " it_is getting worse and worse for Wilson's case ."]

Mrs Pratt testified that she heard no outcry, and did_not know what woke her up, unless it was_the sound of rapid footsteps approaching the front door . she jumped up and ran out in_the hall just as she was, and heard the footsteps flying up the front steps and then following behind her as she ran to_the sitting room . there she found the accused standing over her murdered brother .[ here she broke down and sobbed . sensation in_the court .] Resuming, she said the persons entered behind her were Mr Rogers and Mr Buckstone .

cross- examined by Wilson, she said the twins proclaimed their innocence; declared that_they had_been taking a walk, and had hurried to_the house in response to a cry for help which_was so loud and strong that_they had heard it at a considerable distance; that_they begged her and_the gentlemen just mentioned to examine their hands and clothes-- which_was done, and no blood stains found .

Confirmatory evidence followed from Rogers and Buckstone .

the finding of_the knife was verified, the advertisement minutely describing it and offering a reward for it_was put in evidence, and its exact correspondence with_that description proved . then followed a few minor details, and_the case for_the state was closed .

Wilson said that he had three witnesses, the Misses Clarkson, who_would testify that_they met a veiled young woman leaving judge Driscoll's premises by_the back gate a few_minutes after_the cries for help were heard, and_that their evidence, taken with certain circumstantial evidence which he_would call to_the court's attention to, would in_his opinion convince the court that there_was still one person concerned in_this crime who had_not yet been found, and also that a stay of proceedings ought_to_be granted, in justice to_his clients, until that person should_be discovered . as it_was late, he_would ask leave to defer the examination of_his three witnesses until the next morning .

the crowd poured out_of_the place and went flocking away in excited groups and couples, taking the events of_the session over with vivacity and consuming interest, and everybody seemed to have_had a satisfactory and enjoyable day except the accused, their counsel, and their old lady friend . there_was no cheer among_these, and no substantial hope .

in parting with_the twins aunt Patsy did attempt a good- night with a gay pretense of hope and cheer in_it, but broke down without finishing .

absolutely secure as Tom considered himself to_be, the opening solemnities of_the trial had nevertheless oppressed him with a vague uneasiness, his being a nature sensitive to even the smallest alarms; but from_the moment that_the poverty and weakness of Wilson's case lay exposed to_the court, he_was comfortable once more, even jubilant . he left the courtroom sarcastically sorry for Wilson ." the Clarksons met an unknown woman in_the back lane," he_said to himself, " that_is his case ! I'll give him a century to_find her in--a couple of_them if he likes .a woman who doesn't exist any longer, and_the clothes that gave her her sex burnt up and_the ashes thrown away-- oh, certainly, he'll find her easy enough ! " this reflection set him to admiring, for_the hundredth time, the shrewd ingenuities by_which he had insured himself against detection-- more, against even suspicion .

" nearly always in cases like this there_is some little detail or other overlooked, some wee little track or trace left behind, and detection follows; but here there's not even the faintest suggestion of a trace left . no more than a bird leaves when it flies through_the air-- yes, through_the night, you_may say . the man that_can track a bird through_the air in_the dark and find that bird is_the man to track me out and find the judge's assassin-- no other need apply . and that_is_the job that has_been laid out for poor Pudd'nhead Wilson, of all people in_the_world ! lord, it_will_be pathetically funny to_see him grubbing and groping after_that woman that don't exist, and_the right person sitting under his very nose all the time ! " the more he thought the situation over, the more the humor of it struck him . finally he_said, "I'll never let him hear the last of_that woman . every time I catch him in company, to_his dying day, I'll ask him in_the guileless affectionate way that used to gravel him so when I inquired how his unborn law business was coming along, ' got on her track yet--hey, Pudd'nhead ? '" he_wanted to laugh, but that_would not have answered; there were people about, and he_was mourning for_his uncle . he_made up his mind that_it would_be good entertainment to look in on Wilson that night and watch him worry over his barren law case and goad him with an exasperating word or two of sympathy and commiseration now_and_then .

Wilson wanted no supper, he had no appetite . he got out all the fingerprints of girls and women in_his collection of records and pored gloomily over them an hour or more, trying to_convince himself that that troublesome girl's marks were there somewhere and had_been overlooked . but it_was not so . he drew back his chair, clasped his hands over his head, and gave himself up_to dull and arid musings .

Tom Driscoll dropped in, an hour after dark, and said with a pleasant laugh as he_took a seat:

"Hello, we've gone back to_the amusements of_our days of neglect and obscurity for consolation, have we ? " and he_took up one_of_the glass strips and held it against the light to inspect it ." come, cheer up, old man; there's no use in losing your grip and going back to_this child's play merely because this big sunspot is drifting across your shiny new disk . it'll pass, and you'll be all right again"-- and he laid the glass down ." did you_think you_could win always ? "

"Oh, no," said Wilson, with a sigh, "I didn't expect that, but I_can't believe Luigi killed your uncle, and I_feel very sorry for him . it makes me blue . and you_would feel as I_do, Tom, if_you were_not prejudiced against those young fellows ."

"I don't know about_that," and Tom's countenance darkened, for_his memory reverted to_his kicking ."I owe them no good will, considering the brunet one's treatment of me that night .Prejudice or no prejudice, Pudd'nhead, I don't like them, and when_they get their deserts you're not going to_find me sitting on_the mourner's bench ."

he_took up another strip of glass, and exclaimed:

" why, here's old Roxy's label ! are_you going to ornament the royal palaces with nigger paw marks, too ? by_the date here, i_was seven months old when_this was_done, and she was nursing me and her little nigger cub . there's a line straight across her thumbprint . how comes that ? " and Tom held out the piece of glass to Wilson .

" that_is common," said the bored man, wearily ." scar of a cut or a scratch, usually"-- and he_took the strip of glass indifferently, and raised it toward the lamp .

all the blood sank suddenly out of_his face; his hand quaked, and he gazed at_the polished surface before him with_the glassy stare of a corpse .

" great heavens, what's the matter with_you, Wilson ? are_you going to faint ? "

Tom sprang for a glass of water and offered it, but Wilson shrank shuddering from_him and said:

" no, no ! -- take it away ! " his breast was rising and falling, and he moved his head about in a dull and wandering way, like a person who had_been stunned . presently he_said, " I_shall feel better when I get to bed; I_have_been overwrought today; yes, and overworked for many days ."

" then I'll leave you and let you get to your rest . good night, old man ." but as Tom went

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