The House Of Cain by Arthur W. Upfield

Author:Arthur W. Upfield [Upfield, Arthur W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780994309624
Publisher: ETT Imprint
Published: 2015-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XIX

THE HOUSE OF CAIN

AS Martin well knew, Monty Sherwood was by no means of the callous disposition which, by way of accommodating himself to his company, he had put on. The fact was, he regarded evil in other men much as a governess regards naughtiness in her charges––a naughtiness grown to evil in the adult. When he met with evil and was able to punish it his methods were original and drastic. In punching a cardsharp into insensibility, his object was not the mere infliction of pain, but to apply such corporeal chastisement as at least might induce the sinner to consider “safety first” in its moral aspect. Seldom does a teacher feel satisfaction in the act of caning a scholar, but he does feel satisfaction if the act produces, even temporarily, better behaviour.

The big man regarded evil in men and women as a childish trait which they had never grown out of. Criminals he looked on as people whose minds had not kept pace with the growth of the body. He believed that the ancient idea of casting out devils by inflicting pain on the body they inhabited was preferable to inflicting pain on the mind. He had told Martin once that “a good wallop on the nose will cure a thief of itching fingers when ten years of imprisonment will fail. A bleeding, broken nose will not jar his mind so much as gaol, and heaven knows that the man’s mind is jarred and warped enough as it is. A criminal is like a little child: shutting the child in a dark room doesn’t do it any good. A good spanking does.”

Whereas Martin had come to regard Anchor and his friends as a company of fiends, Monty felt like a master who, having left the classroom for a moment, returns to find his scholars engaged in a general fight. Here were people who had never grown up! As infants they probably had delighted in murdering insects and birds; their infantile taste for killing remained a part of them. Thus he was able to regard them with benevolent amusement until such time as their desire to kill recurred, in which case he would inflict chastisement. It could not be helped if the chastisement had to be inflicted by the impact of a bullet instead of a cane. The punishment must grow in severity with the growth of the body.

Many will disagree with Monty Sherwood’s opinions here expressed; nevertheless, it is an actual fact that card-sharps did not practise their depravity in Monty’s presence oftener than once.

So it was that the big man smiled on the company as a doting father smiles on his wayward children. They regarded him as a simpleton, a child-like giant, and William J. Anchor smiled in return and accompanied them to the veranda with a chuckling: “I think we shall appreciate your visit, Mr. Sherwood.”

“Not more than I shall do,” Monty said, first introducing Martin to a chair and then seating himself.

“I sincerely hope

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