jg.atimetokill-第104部分

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　〃Can　I　have　your　office？〃
　〃Do　you　think　she'll　divorce　me？〃
　〃Probably　so。　I've　had　four　divorces；　and　they'll　file　for　damned　near　anything。〃
　〃Not　Carla。　I　worship　the　ground　she　walks　on；　and　she　knows　it。〃
　〃She'll　be　sleeping　on　the　ground　when　she　gets　back　to　Clanton。〃
　〃Naw；　we'll　get　a　nice；　cozy　little　double…wide　trailer。　It'll　do　us　fine　until　the　bankruptcy　is　over。　Then　we'll　find　another　old　house　and　start　over。〃
　〃You'll　probably　find　you　another　wife　and　start　over。　Why　would　she　leave　a　swanky　cottage　on　the　beach　and　return　to　a　house　trailer　in　Clanton？〃
　〃Because　I'll　be　in　the　house　trailer。〃
　〃That's　not　good　enough；　Jake。　You'll　be　a　drunk；　bankrupt；　disbarred　lawyer；　living　in　a　house　trailer。　You　will　be　publicly　disgraced。　All　of　your　friends；　except　me　and　Lucien；　will　forget　about　you。　She'll　never　e　back。　It's　over；　Jake。　As　your　friend　and　divorce　lawyer；　I　advise　you　to　file　first。　Do　it　now；　tomorrow；　so　she'll　never　know　what　hit　her。〃
　〃Why　would　I　sue　her　for　divorce？〃
　〃Because　she's　gonna　sue　you。　We'll　file　first　and　allege　that　she　deserted　you　in　your　hour　of　need。〃
　〃Is　that　grounds　for　divorce？〃
　〃No。　But　we'll　also　claim　that　you're　crazy；　temporary　insanity。　Just　let　me　handle　it。　The　M'Naghten　Rule。　I'm　the　sleazy　divorce　lawyer；　remember。〃
　〃How　could　I　forget？〃
　Jake　poured　hot　beer　from　his　neglected　bottle；　and
　opened　another。　The　rain　slackened　and　the　clouds　lightened。　A　cool　wind　blew　up　from　the　lake。
　〃They'll　convict　him；　won't　they；　Harry　Rex？〃　he　asked；　staring　at　the　lake　in　the　distance。
　He　quit　chomping　and　wiped　his　mouth。　He　laid　the　paper　plate　on　the　table；　and　took　a　long　drink　of　beer。　The　wind　blew　light　drops　of　water　onto　his　face。　He　wiped　it　with　a　sleeve。
　〃Yeah；　Jake。　Your　man　is　about　to　be　sent　away。　I　can　see　it　in　their　eyes。　The　insanity　crap　just　didn't　work。　They　didn't　want　to　believe　Bass　to　begin　with；　and　after　Buckley　yanked　his　pants　down；　it　was　all　over。　Carl　Lee　didn't　help　himself　any。　He　seemed　rehearsed　and　too　sincere。　Like　he　was　begging　for　sympathy。　He　was　a　lousy　witness。　I　watched　the　jury　while　he　testified。　I　saw　no　support　for　him。　They'll　convict；　Jake。　And　quickly。〃
　〃Thanks　for　being　so　blunt。〃
　〃I'm　your　friend；　and　I　think　you　should　start　preparing　for　a　conviction　and　a　long　appeal。〃
　〃You　know；　Harry　Rex；　I　wish　I'd　never　heard　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey。〃
　〃I　think　it's　too　late；　Jake。〃
　Sallie　answered　the　door　and　told　Jake　she　was　sorry　about　the　house。　Lucien　was　upstairs　in　his　study；　working　and　sober。　He　pointed　to　a　chair　and　instructed　Jake　to　sit　down。　Legal　pads　littered　his　desk。
　〃I've　spent　all　afternoon　working　on　a　closing　argument；〃　he　said；　waving　at　the　mess　before　him。　〃Your　only　hope　of　saving　Hailey　is　with　a　spellbinding　performance　on　final　summation。　I　mean；　we're　talking　about　the　greatest　closing　argument　in　the　history　of　jurisprudence。　That's　what　it'll　take。〃
　〃And　I　assume　you've　created　such　a　masterpiece。〃'　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　have。　It's　much　better　than　anything　you　could　e　up　with。　And　I　assumed…correctly…　that　you　would　spend　your　Sunday　afternoon　mourning　the　loss　of　your　home　and　drowning　your　sorrows　with　Coors。　I　knew　you　would　have　nothing　prepared。　So　I've　done　it　for　you。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could　stay　as　sober　as　you；　Lucien。〃
　〃I　was　a　better　lawyer　drunk　than　you　are　sober。〃
　〃At　least　I'm　a　lawyer。〃
　Lucien　tossed　a　legal　pad　at　Jake。　〃There　it　is。　A　pilation　of　my　greatest　closing　arguments。　Lucien　Wilbanks　at　his　best；　all　rolled　into　one　for　you　and　your　client。　I　suggest　you　memorize　it　and　use　it　word　for　word。　It's　that　good。　Don't　try　to　modify　it；　or　improvise。　You'll　just　screw　it　up。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it。　I've　done　this　before；　remember？〃
　〃You'd　never　know　it。〃
　〃Dammit；　Lucien！　Get　off　my　back！〃
　〃Take　it　easy；　Jake。　Let's　have　a　drink。　Sallie！　Sallie！〃
　Jake　threw　the　masterpiece　on　the　couch　and　walked　to　the　window　overlooking　the　backyard。　Sallie　ran　up　the　stairs。　Lucien　ordered　whiskey　and　beer。
　〃Were　you　up　all　night？〃　Lucien　asked。
　〃No。　I　slept　from　eleven　to　twelve。〃
　〃You　look　terrible。　You　need　a　good　night's　rest。〃
　〃I　feel　terrible；　and　sleep　will　not　help。　Nothing　will　help；　except　the　end　of　this　trial。　I　don't　understand；　Lucien。　I　don't　understand　how　everything　has　gone　so　wrong。　Surely　to　God　we're　entitled　to　a　little　good　luck。　The　case　should　not　even　be　tried　in　Clanton。　We　were　dealt　the　worst　possible　jury…a　jury　that's　been　tampered　with。　But　I　can't　prove　it。　Our　star　witness　was　pletely　destroyed。　The　defendant　made　a　lousy　witness。　And　the　jury　does　not　trust　me。　I　don't　know　what　else　could　go　wrong。〃
　〃You　can　still　win　the　case；　Jake。　It'll　take　a　miracle；　but　those　things　happen　sometimes。　I've　snatched　victory　from　the　jaws　of　defeat　many　times　with　an　effective　closing　argument。　Zero　in　on　one　or　two　jurors。　Play　to　them。　Talk　to　them。　Remember；　it　just　takes　one　to　hang　the　jury。〃
　〃Should　I　make　them　cry？〃
　〃If　you　can。　It's　not　that　easy。　But　I　believe　in　tears　in　the　jury　box。　It's　very　effective。〃
　Sallie　brought　the　drinks；　and　they　followed　her　downstairs　to　the　porch。　After　dark；　she　fed　them　sandwiches　and　fried　potatoes。　At　ten；　Jake　excused　himself　and　went　to　his　room。　He　called　Carla　and　talked　for　an　hour。　There　was　no　mention　of　the　house。　His　stomach　cramped　when　he　heard
　her　voice　and　realized　that　one　day　very　soon　he　would　be　forced　to　tell　her　that　the　house；　her　house；　no　longer　existed。　He　hung　up　and　prayed　she　didn't　read　about　it　in　the　newspaper。
　Clanton　returned　to　normal　Monday　morning　as　the　barricades　were　put　in　place　around　the　square　and　the　ranks　of　the　soldiers　swelled　to　preserve　the　public　peace。　They　loitered　about　in　loose　formation；　watching　as　the　Kluxers　returned　to　their　appointed　ground　on　one　side；　and　the　black　protestors　on　the　other。　The　day　of　rest　brought　renewed　energy　to　both　groups；　and　by　eight…thirty　they　were　in　full　chorus。　The　collapse　of　Dr。　Bass　had　been　big　news；　and　the　Kluxers　smelled　victory。　Plus　they　had　scored　a　direct　hit　on　Adams　Street。　They　appeared　to　be　louder　than　normal。
　At　nine；　Noose　summoned　the　attorneys　to　chambers。　〃Just　wanted　to　make　sure　you　were　all　alive　and　well。〃　He　grinned　at　Jake。
　〃Why　don't　you　kiss　my　ass；　Judge？〃　Jake　said　under　his　breath；　but　loud　enough　to　be　heard。　The　prosecutors　froze。　Mr。　Pate　cleared　his　throat。
　Noose　cocked　his　head　sideways　as　if　hard　of　hearing。　〃What　did　you　say；　Mr。　Brigance？〃
　〃I　said；　'Why　don't　we　get　started；　Judge？'〃
　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　thought　you　said。　How's　your　clerk；　Ms。　Roark？〃
　〃She'll　be　fine。〃
　〃Was　it　the　Klan？〃
　〃Yes；　Judge。　The　same　Klan　that　tried　to　kill　me。　Same　Klan　that　lit　up　the　county　with　crosses　and　who　knows　what　else　for　our　jury　panel。　Same　Klan　that's　probably　intimidated　most　of　those　jurors　sitting　out　there。　Yes；　sir；　it's　the　same　Klan。〃
　Noose　ripped　off　his　glasses。　〃Can　you　substantiate　that？〃
　〃You　mean；　do　I　have　written；　signed；　notarized　confessions　from　the　Klansmen？　No；　sir。　They're　most　uncooperative。〃
　〃If　you　can't　prove　it；　Mr。　Brigance；　then　leave　it　alone。〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　Jake　left　chambers　and　slammed　the　door。　Seconds　later　Mr。　Pate　called　the　place　to　order　and　everyone　rose。　Noose　weled　his　jury　back　and　promised　the　ordeal　was　almost　over。　No　one　smiled　at　him。　It　had　been　a　lonely　weekend　at　the　Temple　Inn。
　〃Does　the　State　have　any　rebuttal？〃　he　asked　Buckley。
　〃One　witness；　Your　Honor。〃
　Dr。　Rodeheaver　was　fetched　from　the　witness　room。　He　carefully　situated　himself　in　the　witness　chair　and　nodded　warmly　at　the　jury。　He　looked　like　a　psychiatrist。　Dark　suit；　no　boots。
　Buckley　assumed　the　podium　and　smiled　at　the　jury。　〃You　are　Dr。　Wilbert　Rodeheaver？〃　he　thundered；　looking　at　the　jury　as　if　to　say；　〃Now　you'll　meet　a　real　psychiatrist。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Buckley　asked　questions；　a　million　questions；　about　his　educational　and　professional　background。　Rodeheaver　was　confident；　relaxed；　prepared；　and　accustomed　to　the　witness　chair。　He　talked　at　great　length　about　his　broad　educational　training；　his　vast　experience　as　a　practici