W41770

『中国を旅すれば』：（17）罰則規定　中国の立法者たちは被疑者全員が裁判官の前で召喚状に「自由に」答えるように定めてる、それで彼らは尋問する治安判事の前に、二人の警官に挟まれ手錠をされて連行されてくる、これじゃほんとはくしゃみをするくらいしかできっこないんだけどね。その上、この天子の国じゃ裁判はたちまち法廷に持ち込まれて即決されるもんで、自分の審理に立ち会うまで8カ月以上もかかるって警告されてた人間にとっちゃ、とうとう運命の日がやってきて、自分が2週間の禁固刑と宣告され、しかも帽子をかぶりなすったお役人さまが「この2週間ってのは、おまえがもうすでにがっちり締め切られた扉の後ろで過ごさなけりゃなんなかった8カ月とは、全然別のもんなんだ」って説明してくださるのを拝めるなんてこたぁめったにないんだって

<JOURNEY TO CHINA>: (17) THE PENAL CODE: The Chinese legislators have decreed that all the accused will answer a summons freely in front of their judges, and so they are brought before the examining magistrate between two policemen and bound with handcuffs, which in fact leaves them no more liberty than to sneeze. Moreover justice is delivered with such promptness in the Celestial Empire that it is very rare for he who has been cautioned to remain more than eight months before attending his trial, finally the solemn day arrives when he sees himself sentenced to a fortnight in prison, and the capped mandarin has the goodness to explain to him that this fortnight is not to be confused with the eight months he has already spent behind bolted doors.

ドーミエ、オノレ

DAUMIER, Honoré