审判一起谋杀案时的演讲

Against the prisoner at the bar，as an individual，I can not have the slightest prejudice.I would not do him the smallest injury or injustice.But I do not affect to be indifferent to the discovery and the punishment of this deep guilt.I cheerfully share in the opprobrium，how much soever it may be，which is cast on those who feel and manifest an anxious concern that all who had a part in planning，or a hand in executing this deed of midnight assassination，may be brought to answer for their enormous crime at the bar of public justice.

This is a most extraordinary case.In some respects it has hardly a precedent anywhere；certainly none in our New England history.This bloody drama exhibited no suddenly excited，ungovernable rage.The actors in it were not surprised by any lionlike temptation springing upon their virtue，and overcoming it before resistance could begin.Nor did they do the deed to glut savage vengeance，or satiate long-settled and deadly hate.It was a cool，calculating，money-making murder.It was all “hire and salary，not revenge.”It was the weighing of money against life；the counting out of so many pieces of silver against so many ounces of blood.

An aged man，without an enemy in the world，in his own house，and in his own bed，is made the victim of a butcherly murder for mere pay.Truly，here is a new lesson for painters and poets.Whoever shall hereafter draw the portrait of murder，if he will show it as it has been exhibited in an example，where such example was last to have been looked for，in the very bosom of our New England society，let him not give it the grim visage of Moloch，the brow knitted by revenge，the face black with settled hate，and the bloodshot eye emitting livid fires of malice.Let him draw，rather，a decorous，smooth-faced，bloodless demon；a picture in repose，rather than in action；not so much an example of human nature in its depravity，and in its paroxysms of crime，as an infernal nature，a fiend in the ordinary display and development of his character.

The deed was executed with a degree of self-possession and steadiness equal to the wickedness with which it was planned.The circumstances，now clearly in evidence，spread out the whole scene before us.Deep sleep had fallen on the destined victim，and on all beneath his roof.A healthful old man，to whom sleep was sweet，—the first sound slumbers of the night held him in their soft but strong embrace.The assassin enters through the window，already prepared，into an unoccupied apartment.With noiseless foot he paces the lonely hall，half-lighted by the moon；he winds up the ascent of the stairs，and reaches the door of the chamber.Of this，he moves the lock by soft and continued pressure till it turns on its hinges without noise；and he enters，and beholds his victim before him.The room was uncommonly open to the admission of light.The face of the innocent sleeper was turned from the murderer，and the beams of the moon，resting on the gray locks of his aged temple，showed him where to strike.The fatal blow is given！and the victim passes，without a struggle or a motion，from the repose of sleep to the repose of death！

It is the assassin's purpose to make sure work；and he yet plies the dagger，though it was obvious that life had been destroyed by the blow of the bludgeon.He even raises the aged arm，that he may not fail in his aim at the heart；and replaces it again over the wounds of the poniard！To finish the picture，he explores the wrist for the pulse！He feels for it，and ascertains that it beats no longer！It is accomplished.The deed is done.He retreats，retraces his steps to the window，passes out through it as he came in，and escapes.He has done the murder；no eye has seen him，no ear has heard him.The secret is his own，and it is safe！

Ah！gentlemen，that was a dreadful mistake.Such a secret can be safe nowhere.The whole creation of God has neither nook nor corner where the guilty can bestow it，and say it is safe.Not to speak of that eye which glances through all disguises，and beholds everything as in the splendor of noon；such secrets of guilt are never safe from detection，even by men.True it is，generally speaking，that “murder will out.”True it is that Providence bath so ordained，and doth so govern things，that those who break the great law of Heaven by shedding man's blood，seldom succeed in avoiding discovery.Especially，in a case exciting so much attention as this，discovery must come，and wilt come，sooner or later.A thousand eyes turn at once to explore every man，everything，every circumstance connected with the time and place；a thousand ears catch every whisper；a thousand excited minds intensely dwell on the scene，shedding all their light，and ready to kindle the slightest circumstance into a blaze of discovery.

Meantime，the guilty soul can not keep its own secret.It is false to itself，or rather it feels an irresistible impulse of conscience to be true to itself.It labors under its guilty possession，and knows not what to do with it.The human heart was not made for the residence of such an inhabitant.It finds itself preyed on by a torment，which it dares not acknowledge to God nor man.A vulture is devouring it，and it can ask no sympathy or assistance either from heaven or earth.The secret which the murderer possesses soon comes to possess him；and，like the evil spirits of which we read，it overcomes him，and leads him whithersoever it will.He feels it beating at his heart，rising to his throat，and demanding disclosure.He thinks the whole world sees it in his face，reads it in his eyes，and almost hears its workings in the very silence of his thoughts.It has become his master.It betrays his discretion，it breaks down his courage，it conquers his prudence.When suspicions from without begin to embarrass him，and the net of circumstance to entangle him，the fatal secret struggles with still greater violence to burst forth.It must be confessed，it will be confessed；there is no refuge from confession but suicide，and suicide is confession.

译文　TRANSLATION

待审的人犯作为个体，我对其没有丝毫偏见；也不会对他做出任何不公不义之事。但这一罪恶深重的发现与惩办却令我动容。所有策划或参与这起午夜谋杀的人都要接受法律的惩罚，而那些因本案而体认焦虑和关切的人们都或多或少被耻辱的阴影笼罩，而我即是其中一员，对此我深感荣幸。

这是一个很特别的案件。该案的某些方面在任何地方都几乎没有先例，而在新英格兰历史上则定然是前所未有的。那血腥的惨剧展现的并不是突然激动起来的、无法控制的疯狂。没有狮子般的诱惑猎杀剧中演员的德行，令他们惊愕，无法抗拒。他们做出如此恶行亦非出于野蛮的复仇或郁结已久的不共戴天的仇恨。这是一起冷漠的、精心盘算的、为赚钱而进行的谋杀。凶手是受雇于人而不是出于报复。这起案件是通过对生命的荼毒来换取钱财，用血滴计数银币。

一位老人，与世无争，在自己的房间里，在自己的床榻上，却成为一桩买凶杀人案的受害者。的确，画家与诗人会因之又有了新的体验。日后，无论哪个画家要画一幅谋杀者的肖像，如果要按照这个在新英格兰中心地带很难出现的个案所体现的那样去展示，那么，请他不要把凶手描绘成凶神恶煞般的模样，不要有那因复仇而紧锁的眉头，因旧恨而变得铁青的脸，也不要有喷射着邪恶之火的充血的眼睛。毋宁请他勾勒出一个衣冠楚楚、面皮光滑、没有血色的恶魔；与其刻画动作，不如摹写安静的情态。与其说展现突发犯罪中堕落的人性，不如凸显其平常个性中的恶魔品质。

凶手作案时泰然自若不啻他策划时的邪恶。现在诸般细节都已展现在我们面前。本案的受害者当时正在自己的房间里熟睡。他是一位健康的老人，那夜他睡得很早很恬美。业已做好准备的凶手从窗户爬进房间，蹑手蹑脚地走过幽静的大厅，月光斜斜地照着；他爬上台阶，到了卧室的门前。他持续地压着锁，轻柔地移动着它，直到悄无声息地打开铰链；他走进卧室，看到了老人。无辜的老人安睡着，面朝凶手，门缝漏进的一缕月光照着他额角花白的头发。而那致命的一击就打在他的额角上。老人没有挣扎甚至动都没动，就在睡梦中遇害。

为确保谋杀得逞，在已然用木棒将对方击杀后，谋杀者仍使用匕首继续行凶。由于担心谋杀未遂，他举起老人的胳膊，又补上了几刀。然后，他试探着受害者手腕上的脉搏，确定不再跳了，整个事件方告结束。接着，他沿着原来的路径退向窗边，像进来那样爬出去，逃跑了。他做完案了；没人看见，也没人听到。这是只有他自己知道的秘密，万无一失。

啊，先生们！那是个可怕的错误。这样的秘密是不可能安全的。上帝从未创造那样一个角落供犯罪者在那里贮藏秘密，并说那里万无一失。不必说那看穿一切伪装，对一切都洞若观火的眼睛；那些秘密是逃不脱检查的，甚至逃不脱人们的检查。常言道“纸包不住火”，的确，上帝就是这样安排的，就是这样主宰着万事万物的。那些以杀戮来违背上帝伟大律法的人几乎无不落网。尤其是像这样一个引发了广泛关注的案件，迟早真相将大白于天下，真相定会大白于天下。一千双眼睛同时去探查与案件有关的每个人，每桩事，每个细节；一千双耳朵捕捉着每句低语；一千个激动的心灵专注着这一情景，洒下所有光以点亮最微小的细节，燃成真相的烈焰。

同时，罪恶的灵魂不能保守秘密。它会背叛自己，或者毋宁说良知无可抗拒的冲动令它真实地面对自己。在犯罪感的控制下，罪恶的灵魂挣扎着，却无路可走。心灵不是用来栖居罪恶的。它历经痛苦的折磨，却不敢向上帝与世人坦承。秃鹫啄食着它，它却不能向天国与人间请求同情与帮助。谋杀者所控制的秘密不久就会控制他；像我们读过的那些邪恶的精灵一样，秘密会征服它，随心所欲地摆布他。他会觉得秘密在他心中搏动，涌向他的喉咙，要求披露。他会觉得所有人都从他的脸上、眼中看到了他的秘密，在他静默的思绪里听到秘密的运作。秘密成了他的主人。它背叛了他的判断力；它击碎了他的勇气；它征服了他的审慎。疑虑包围了他，命运的网缚住了他。那置他于死地的秘密更加强烈地试图一吐为快。那秘密必须自首，一定要自首，除非自杀，则无从避免自首，而自己就是自首。