jg.atimetokill-第113部分

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　〃It's　disgusting；〃　Jake　said。
　〃She　had　a　houseful　of　kids；　and　two　of　them　looked　just　like　me；　especially　the　dunce。　It　was　very　embarrassing　back　then。〃
　〃What　about　your　mother？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃She　was　one　of　those　dignified　old　Southern　ladies　whose　main　concern　was　who　had　blue　blood　and　who　didn't。　There's　not　much　blue　blood　around　here；　so　she　。　spent　most　of　her　time　in　Memphis　trying　to　impress　and　be　accepted　by　the　cotton　families。　I　spent　a　good　part　of　my　childhood　at　the　Peabody　Hotel　all　starched　out　with　a　little　red　bow　tie；　trying　to　act　polished　around　the　rich　kids　from　Memphis。　I　hated　it；　and　I　didn't　care　much　for　my　mother　either。　She　knew　about　Ethel；　but　she　accepted　it。　She　told　the　old　man　to　be　discreet　and　not　embarrass　the　family。　He　was　discreet；　and　I　wound　up　with　a　retarded　half…brother。〃
　〃When　did　she　die？〃
　〃Six　months　before　my　father　was　killed　in　the　plane　crash。〃
　〃How'd　she　die？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Gonorrhea。　Caught　it　from　the　yard　boy。〃
　〃Lucien！　Seriously？〃
　〃Cancer。　Carried　it　for　three　years；　but　she　was　dignified　to　the　very　end。〃
　〃Where'd　you　go　wrong？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃I　think　it　started　in　the　first　grade。　My　uncle　owned　the　big　plantation　south　of　town；　and　he　owned　several　black　families。　This　was　in　the　Depression；　right？　I　spent　most　of　my　childhood　there　because　my　father　was　too　busy　right　here　in　this　office　and　my　mother　was　too　busy　with　her　hot…tea…drinkers　clubs。　All　of　my　playmates　were　black。　I'd　been　raised　by　black　servants。　My　best　friend　was　Willie　Ray　Wilbanks。　No　kidding。　My　great…grandfather　purchased　his　great…grandfather。　And　when　the　slaves　were　freed；　most　of　them　just　kept　the　family　name。　What　were　they　supposed　to　do？　That's　why　you've　got　so　many　black　Wilbankses　around　here。　We　owned　all　the　slaves　in　Ford　County；　and　most　of　them　became　Wilbankses。〃
　〃You're　probably　kin　to　some；〃　Jake　said。
　〃Given　the　proclivities　of　my　forefathers；　I'm　probably　kin　to　all　of　them。〃
　The　phone　rang。　They　froze　and　stared　at　it。　Jake　sat　up　and　held　his　breath。　Harry　Rex　picked　up　the　receiver；　then　hung　up。　〃Wrong　number；〃　he　said。
　They　studied　each　other；　then　smiled。
　〃Anyway；　back　to　the　first　grade；〃　Jake　said。
　〃Okay。　When　it　came　time　to　start　school；　Willie　Ray　and　the　rest　of　my　little　buddies　got　on　the　bus　headed　for　the　black　school。　I　jumped　on　the　bus　too；　and　the　driver　very　carefully　took　my　hand　and　made　me　get　off。　I　cried　and　screamed；　and　my　uncle　took　me　home　and　told　my　mother；　'Lucien　got　on　the　nigger　school　bus。'　She　was　horrified；　and　beat　my　little　ass。　The　old　man　beat　me　too；　but　years　later　admitted　it　was　funny。　So　I　went　to　the　white　school　where　I　was　always　the　little　rich　kid。　Everybody　hated　the　little　rich　kid；　especially　in　a　poor　town　like　Clanton。　Not　that　I　was　lovable　to　begin　with；　but　everyone　got　a　kick　out　of　hating　me　just　because　we　had　money。　That's　why　I've　never　thought　much　of　money。　That's　where　the　nonconformity　started。　In　the　first　grade。　I　decided　not　to　be　like　my　mother　because　she　frowned　all　the　time　and　looked　down　on　the　world。　And　my　old　man　was　always　too　busy　to　enjoy　himself。　I　said　piss　on　it。　I'm　gonna　have　some　fun。〃
　Jake　stretched　and　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Nervous？〃　Lucien　asked。
　〃I　just　want　it　to　be　over。〃
　The　phone　rang　again；　and　Lucien　grabbed　it。　He　listened；　then　hung　up。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Harry　Rex　demanded。
　Jake　sat　up　and　glared　at　Lucien。　The　moment　had　arrived。
　〃Jean　Gillespie。　The　jury　is　ready。〃
　〃Oh　my　God；〃　Jake　said　as　he　rubbed　his　temples。
　〃Listen　to　me；　Jake；〃　Lucien　lectured。　〃Millions　of　people　will　see　what　is　about　to　happen。　Keep　your　cool。　Be　careful　what　you　say。〃
　〃What　about　me？〃　Harry　Rex　moaned。　〃I　need　to　go　vomit。〃
　〃That's　strange　advice　ing　from　you；　Lucien；〃　Jake　said　as　he　buttoned　Stan's　coat。
　〃I've　learned　a　lot。　Show　your　class。　If　you　win；　watch　what　you　say　to　the　press。　Be　sure　and　thank　the　jury。　If　you　lose…〃
　〃If　you　lose；〃　Harry　Rex　said；　〃run　like　hell；　because　those　niggers　will　storm　the　courthouse。〃
　〃I　feel　weak；〃　Jake　admitted。
　Agee　took　the　platform　on　the　front　steps　and　announced　the　jury　was　ready。　He　asked　for　quiet；　and　instantly　the　mob　grew　still。　They　moved　toward　the　front　columns。　Agee　asked　them　to　fall　to　their　knees　and　pray。　They　knelt　obediently　and　prayed　earnestly。　Every　man；　woman；　and　child　on　the　front　lawn　bowed　before　God　and　begged　him　to　let　their　man　go。
　The　soldiers　stood　bunched　together　and　also　prayed　for　an　acquittal。
　Ozzie　and　Moss　Junior　seated　the　courtroom　and　lined　deputies　and　reserves　around　the　walls　and　down　the　aisle。　Jake　entered　from　the　holding　room　and　stared　at　Carl　Lee　at　the　defense　table。　He　glanced　at　the　spectators。　Many　were　praying。　Many　were　biting　their　fingers。　Gwen　was　wiping　tears。　Lester　looked　fearfully　at　Jake。　The　children　were　confused　and　scared。
　Noose　assumed　the　bench　and　an　electrified　silence　engulfed　the　courtroom。　There　was　no　sound　from　the　outside。　Twenty　thousand　blacks　knelt　on　the　ground　like　Muslims。　Perfect　stillness　inside　the　courtroom　and　out。
　〃I　have　been　advised　that　the　jury　has　reached　a　verdict；　is　that　correct；　Mr。　Bailiff？　Very　well。　We　will　soon　seat　the　jury；　but　before　we　do　so　I　have　some　instructions。　I　will　not　tolerate　any　outbursts　or　displays　of　emotion。　I　will　direct　the　sheriff　to　remove　any　person　who　creates　a　disturbance。　If　need　be；　I　will　clear　the　courtroom。　Mr。　Bailiff；　will　you　seat　the　jury。〃
　The　door　opened；　and　it　seemed　like　an　hour　before　Eula　Dell　Yates　appeared　first　with　tears　in　her　eyes。　Jake　dropped　his　head。　Carl　Lee　stared　gamely　at　the　portrait　of　Robert　E。　Lee　above　Noose。　They　awkwardly　filled　the　jury
　box。　They　seemed　jittery；　tense；　scared。　Most　had　been　crying。　Jake　felt　sick。　Barry　Acker　held　a　piece　of　paper　that　attracted　the　attention　of　everyone。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　have　you　reached　a　verdict？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　we　have；〃　answered　the　foreman　in　a　high…pitched；　nervous　voice。
　〃Hand　it　to　the　clerk；　please。〃
　Jean　Gillespie　took　it　and　handed　it　to　His　Honor；　who　studied　it　forever。　〃It　is　technically　in　order；〃　he　finally　said。
　Eula　Dell　was　flooding；　and　her　sniffles　were　the　only　sounds　in　the　courtroom。　Jo　Ann　Gates　and　Bernice　Toole　padded　their　eyes　with　handkerchiefs。　The　crying　could　mean　only　one　thing。　Jake　had　vowed　to　ignore　the　jury　before　the　verdict　was　read；　but　it　was　impossible。　In　his　first　criminal　trial；　the　jurors　had　smiled　as　they　took　their　seats。　At　that　moment；　Jake　had　bee　confident　of　an　acquittal。　Seconds　later　he　learned　that　the　smiles　were　because　a　criminal　was　about　to　be　removed　from　the　streets。　Since　that　trial；　he　had　vowed　never　to　look　at　the　jurors。　But　he　always　did。　It　would　be　nice　to　see　a　wink　or　a　thumbs　up；　but　that　never　happened。
　Noose　looked　at　Carl　Lee。　〃Will　the　defendant　please　rise。〃
　Jake　knew　there　were　probably　more　terrifying　requests　known　to　the　English　tongue；　but　to　a　criminal　lawyer　that　request　at　that　particular　moment　had　horrible　implications。　His　client　stood　awkwardly；　pitifully。　Jake　closed　his　eyes　and　held　his　breath。　His　hands　shook　and　his　stomach　ached。
　Noose　handed　the　verdict　back　to　Jean　Gillespie。　〃Please　read　it；　Madam　Clerk。〃
　She　unfolded　it　and　faced　the　defendant。　〃As　to　each　count　of　the　indictment；　we　the　jury　find　the　defendant　not　guilty　by　reason　of　insanity。〃
　Carl　Lee　turned　and　bolted　for　the　railing。　Tonya　and　the　boys　sprang　from　the　front　pew　and　grabbed　him。　The　courtroom　exploded　in　pandemonium。　Gwen　screamed　and　burst　into　tears。　She　buried　her　head　in　Lester's　arms。　The　reverends　stood；　looked　upward；　and　shouted　〃Hallelujah！〃　and　〃Praise　Jesus！〃　and　〃Lord！　Lord！　Lord！〃
　Noose's　admonition　meant　nothing。　He　rapped　the　gavel　half…heartedly　and　said；　〃Order；　order；　order　in　the
　seemed　content　to　allow　a　little　celebration。
　Jake　was　numb；　lifeless；　paralyzed。　His　only　movement　was　a　weak　smile　in　the　direction　of　the　jury　box。　His　eyes　watered　and　his　lip　quivered；　and　he　decided　not　to　make　a　spectacle　of　himself。　He　nodded　at　Jean　Gillespie；　who　was　crying；　and　just　sat　at　the　defense　table　nodding　and　tr