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The Case of the Howling Dog :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 8 из 146I told the trial deputy there was a weak point in thatcase on the time element, and I warned him that if he went before a jury and couldn't explain that call about the stolen automobile, he'd lose his case."
"Thanks," said Mason laconically. "I get the breaks, that's all."
"Yes, you do," said Dorcas. "You make the breaks, that's why you get them. It suits me all right. I told these fellows they were skating on thin ice. Now how about this man that you're bringing down? What does he want?"
"He wants a complaint."
"On what?"
"On a howling dog."
"On a what?"
"That's right, a howling dog. I think there's a county ordinance against keeping a dog that howls in any congested area, whether it's incorporated as a city or not."
"There is some such ordinance; nobody pays any attention to it. That is, I've never had anything to do under it."
"All right," Mason said, "this is different. My client is either going crazy, or has gone crazy."
"On account of the howling dog?" asked Dorcas.
"I don't know; that's what I want to find out. If he's in need of treatment, I want him to have treatment. If he's worked up to the verge of a nervous collapse, I want to see that he gets a break. You understand that a howling dog might be just annoying to one person, and might drive a man of another temperament into insanity."
"I take it," Dorcas said, "you're going to bring him down here?"
"Yes, I'm going to bring him down there, and I want you to have a doctor present; one of the alienists who sits on insanity cases. Don't introduce him as a doctor, but introduce him as an assistant of some sort, and let him hear the conversation and perhaps ask a question or two. Then, if this man needs medical treatment, let's see that he gets it."
"Suppose he doesn't want it?"
"I said," Mason remarked, "that we should see that he gets it."
"You'd have to sign a complaint and have a commitment issued in order to do that," Dorcas pointed out.
"I know that," Mason said. "I'm willing to sign a complaint, myself, if the man needs medical treatment. I want to know, that's all. If he's crazy, I want to do what's best for him. If he isn't, I want to see that he gets action right away. I'm trying to represent his best interests, do you get me?"
"I got you," Dorcas remarked.
"Be there in fifteen minutes," said Mason, and hung up.
He was putting on his hat as he opened the door of the inner office, and nodded to Cartright.
"All right," he said, "he's waiting for us in the office.
"Thanks," said Mason laconically. "I get the breaks, that's all."
"Yes, you do," said Dorcas. "You make the breaks, that's why you get them. It suits me all right. I told these fellows they were skating on thin ice. Now how about this man that you're bringing down? What does he want?"
"He wants a complaint."
"On what?"
"On a howling dog."
"On a what?"
"That's right, a howling dog. I think there's a county ordinance against keeping a dog that howls in any congested area, whether it's incorporated as a city or not."
"There is some such ordinance; nobody pays any attention to it. That is, I've never had anything to do under it."
"All right," Mason said, "this is different. My client is either going crazy, or has gone crazy."
"On account of the howling dog?" asked Dorcas.
"I don't know; that's what I want to find out. If he's in need of treatment, I want him to have treatment. If he's worked up to the verge of a nervous collapse, I want to see that he gets a break. You understand that a howling dog might be just annoying to one person, and might drive a man of another temperament into insanity."
"I take it," Dorcas said, "you're going to bring him down here?"
"Yes, I'm going to bring him down there, and I want you to have a doctor present; one of the alienists who sits on insanity cases. Don't introduce him as a doctor, but introduce him as an assistant of some sort, and let him hear the conversation and perhaps ask a question or two. Then, if this man needs medical treatment, let's see that he gets it."
"Suppose he doesn't want it?"
"I said," Mason remarked, "that we should see that he gets it."
"You'd have to sign a complaint and have a commitment issued in order to do that," Dorcas pointed out.
"I know that," Mason said. "I'm willing to sign a complaint, myself, if the man needs medical treatment. I want to know, that's all. If he's crazy, I want to do what's best for him. If he isn't, I want to see that he gets action right away. I'm trying to represent his best interests, do you get me?"
"I got you," Dorcas remarked.
"Be there in fifteen minutes," said Mason, and hung up.
He was putting on his hat as he opened the door of the inner office, and nodded to Cartright.
"All right," he said, "he's waiting for us in the office.