登陆注册
5379700000185

第185章

Here you are my man, and I'll tell you why! Months ago you put your property out of your hands, boasting that you did so to escape losing it on prosecution for libel.""It is true that I did convert all my immovable property into personal property, such as I could trust safely to others, and chiefly to escape ruin through possible libel suits.""Very good, sir.Having placed yourself beyond the pale of the law, may God help your soul if you DON'T make precisely such a retraction as Ihave demanded.I've got you now, and by--before you can get out of this room you've got to both write and sign precisely the retraction I have demanded, and before you go, anyhow--you---low-lived--lying---, I'll teach you what personal responsibility is outside of the law; and, by--, Sheriff Cummings and all the friends you've got in the world besides, can't save you, you---, etc.! No, sir.I'm alone now, and I'm prepared to be shot down just here and now rather than be villified by you as Ihave been, and suffer you to escape me after publishing those charges, not only here where I am known and universally respected, but where I am not personally known and may be injured."I confess this speech, with its terrible and but too plainly implied threat of killing me if I did not sign the paper he demanded, terrified me, especially as I saw he was working himself up to the highest possible pitch of passion, and instinct told me that any reply other than one of seeming concession to his demands would only be fuel to a raging fire, so I replied:

"Well, if I've got to sign--," and then I paused some time.Resuming, I said, "But, Mr.Winters, you are greatly excited.Besides, I see you are laboring under a total misapprehension.It is your duty not to inflame but to calm yourself.I am prepared to show you, if you will only point out the article that you allude to, that you regard as 'charges' what no calm and logical mind has any right to regard as such.

Show me the charges, and I will try, at all events; and if it becomes plain that no charges have been preferred, then plainly there can be nothing to retract, and no one could rightly urge you to demand a retraction.You should beware of making so serious a mistake, for however honest a man may be, every one is liable to misapprehend.

Besides you assume that I am the author of some certain article which you have not pointed out.It is hasty to do so."He then pointed to some numbered paragraphs in a TRIBUNE article, headed "What's the Matter with Yellow Jacket?" saying " That's what I refer to."To gain time for general reflection and resolution, I took up the paper and looked it over for awhile, he remaining silent, and as I hoped, cooling.I then resumed saying, "As I supposed.I do not admit having written that article, nor have you any right to assume so important a point, and then base important action upon your assumption.You might deeply regret it afterwards.In my published Address to the People, Inotified the world that no information as to the authorship of any article would be given without the consent of the writer.I therefore cannot honorably tell you who wrote that article, nor can you exact it.""If you are not the author, then I do demand to know who is?""I must decline to say."

"Then, by--, I brand you as its author, and shall treat you accordingly.""Passing that point, the most important misapprehension which I notice is, that you regard them as 'charges' at all, when their context, both at their beginning and end, show they are not.These words introduce them:

'Such an investigation [just before indicated], we think MIGHT result in showing some of the following points.' Then follow eleven specifications, and the succeeding paragraph shows that the suggested investigation 'might EXONERATE those who are generally believed guilty.' You see, therefore, the context proves they are not preferred as charges, and this you seem to have overlooked."While making those comments, Mr.Winters frequently interrupted me in such a way as to convince me that he was resolved not to consider candidly the thoughts contained in my words.He insisted upon it that they were charges, and "By--," he would make me take them back as charges, and he referred the question to Philip Lynch, to whom I then appealed as a literary man, as a logician, and as an editor, calling his attention especially to the introductory paragraph just before quoted.

He replied, "if they are not charges, they certainly are insinuations,"whereupon Mr.Winters renewed his demands for retraction precisely such as he had before named, except that he would allow me to state who did write the article if I did not myself, and this time shaking his fist in my face with more cursings and epithets.

When he threatened me with his clenched fist, instinctively I tried to rise from my chair, but Winters then forcibly thrust me down, as he did every other time (at least seven or eight), when under similar imminent danger of bruising by his fist (or for aught I could know worse than that after the first stunning blow), which he could easily and safely to himself have dealt me so long as he kept me down and stood over me.

同类推荐
  • 孙子批注

    孙子批注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医学真传

    医学真传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书科尔沁忠亲王大沽之败

    书科尔沁忠亲王大沽之败

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 慧林宗本禅师别录

    慧林宗本禅师别录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 波斯教残经

    波斯教残经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 御夫有道:独宠傲娇夫君

    御夫有道:独宠傲娇夫君

    一场同学聚会让颜洛葬身悬崖,却阴差阳错穿越凤天大陆,一个女尊的世界。她,由一个烟雨楼的小老板变成富可敌国的大富商,一路走来,遇到了傲娇的他,娇媚的他,温润的他,霸气的他,可爱的他,身边环绕着众男子的她,能否在滚滚红尘中保持本心,是选择从始至终还是入乡随俗……且看颜洛的表现吧!
  • 废土三百年

    废土三百年

    “地球上的人类,是恶魔的后代啊!”——《银河系正史》
  • 霸神决

    霸神决

    甚么?你是神?哦,好吧,我看上你女儿了,把她嫁给我,不愿意?那老子就抢了,老子管你是仙是神?活得逍遥自在便可,天算什么,地算什么,老子不高兴,照样挑翻你,老子是虐神的存在,一切尽在我的掌控之中。
  • 以后只准给我打辅助

    以后只准给我打辅助

    作为手残的小白银要怎么上分呢,那就把全服第一的辅助撩成男朋友吧!
  • 鲜妻有点甜:大亨的私宠

    鲜妻有点甜:大亨的私宠

    一场艳照门,她从云端跌入泥沼,男友背叛,母亲病死,她更被舅舅亲手送到陌生男人床上;那一夜,她以为人生从此崩塌,却阴差阳错地睡了以纨绔闻名海城的景二少,且一次就中标;未婚先孕,她低调闪婚!婆婆刁难,兄嫂蔑视,为了肚子里的孩子她一一忍下,谁知一朝变故,有孕是假,她从人人欣羡的少夫人变成了骗婚骗财的恶女人!“景邵梵,麻烦签个字。”一纸离婚协议书,她与这个男人,再无干系。直到那天,她为别的男人披上嫁衣,他忽然闯入婚礼现场……时君兮才明白,有些人,注定天涯海角都躲不掉。
  • 长安志

    长安志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 广播电视综合知识(2016-2017)

    广播电视综合知识(2016-2017)

    本书分为三部分:第一部分:政治理论知识;第二部分:法律基础知识与相关法律法规;第三部分:经济学、社会学、文学常识。每一部分知识点的选择都紧扣考试大纲的要求。重要知识点包括:辩证唯物主义认识论、社会基本矛盾及其运动规、中国特色社会主义理论体系、经济发展新常态和供给侧结构性改革、牢牢掌握意识形态工作领导权和话语权、创新社会治理、总体国家安全观、侵犯著作权罪、知识产权法、广播电视政策法规、社会学常识、文学常识,等等。
  • 天府之皇

    天府之皇

    “呼呼~~”凌助纵身一跃,从云端直接落到北海一座孤岛上!“灵气竟然已经枯竭……”凌助苦笑,忽然他目光凝聚,盯着大雾模糊的海面。金甲独目男子踏着海水缓缓踱步,他的背上负有一柄耀眼的古剑,海浪遇到他自动向两旁分开!“三世剑皇!”凌助喃喃道,“你果然追来了,从南大陆追到北海,真不愧为逆皇!”“看来,只有化古了……”手中晶光闪闪的莽古开始消融,凌助的体内古老强大的气息渐渐苏醒……
  • 荒野求生之绝地之王

    荒野求生之绝地之王

    飞机失事,特种兵穿越绝地求生真实世界!无限轮回的主神空间,弱肉强食是唯一法则!你有你的M4,我有我的98K!硝烟战火,刺激战场!
  • 夫君请让道

    夫君请让道

    女扮男装不是她的错,被一大群男人追着跑那更不是她严鸾吾的错了!