jg.atimetokill-第41部分

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　Moments　later；　Deputy　Marshall　Prather　turned　down　Adams　and　instantly　saw　the　blazing　cross　in　Jake's　front　yard。　He　turned　into　the　driveway　and　parked　behind　the　Saab。　He　punched　the　doorbell　and　stood　on　the　porch　watching　the　flames。　It　was　almost　three…thirty。　He　punched　it　again。　Adams　was　dark　and　silent　except　for　the　glow　of　the　cross　and　the　snapping　and　crackling　of　the　wood　burning　fifty　feet　away。　Finally；　Jake　stumbled　through　the　front　door　and　froze；　wild…eyed　and　stunned；　next　to　the　deputy。　The　two　stood　side　by　side　on　the　porch；　mesmerized　not　only　by　the　burning　cross；　but　by　its　purpose。
　〃Mornin〃；　Jake；〃　Prather　finally　said　without　looking　from　the　fire。
　〃Who　did　it？〃　Jake　asked　with　a　scratchy；　dry　throat。
　〃Don't　know。　They　didn't　leave　a　name。　Just　called　and　told　us　about　it。〃
　〃When　did　they　call？〃
　〃Fifteen　minutes　ago。〃
　Jake　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair　in　an　effort　to　keep　it　from　blowing　wild　in　the　soft　breeze。　〃How　long　will　it　burn？〃　he　asked；　knowing　Prather　knew　as　little　or　even　less　than　he　about　burning　crosses。
　〃No　tellin'。　Probably　soaked　in　kerosene。　Smells　like　it　anyway。　Might　burn　for　a　couple　of　hours。　You　want　me　to　call　a　fire　truck？〃
　Jake　looked　up　and　down　the　street。　Every　house　was　silent　and　dark。
　〃Naw。　No　need　to　wake　everybody。　Let　it　burn。　It　won't　hurt　anything；　will　it？〃
　〃It's　your　yard。〃
　Prather　never　moved；　just　stood　there；　hands　in　his　pockets；　his　belly　hanging　over　his　belt。　〃Ain't　had　one　of　these　in　a　long　time　around　here。　Last　one　I　remember　was　in　Karaway；　nineteen…sixry…〃
　〃Nineteen　sixty…seven。〃
　〃You　remember？〃
　〃Yeah。　I　was　in　high　school。　We　drove　out　and　watched　it　burn。〃
　〃What　was　that　nigger's　name？〃
　〃Robinson；　something　Robinson。　Said　he　raped　Velma　Thayer。〃
　〃Did　he？〃　asked　Prather。
　〃The　jury　thought　so。　He's　in　Parchman　chopping　cotton　for　the　rest　of　his　life。〃
　Prather　seemed　satisfied。
　〃Let　me　get　Carla；〃　Jake　mumbled　as　he　disappeared。　He　returned　with　his　wife　behind　him。
　〃My　God；　Jake！　Who　did　it？〃
　〃Who　knows。〃
　〃Is　it　the　KKK？〃　she　asked。
　〃Must　be；〃　answered　the　deputy。　〃I　don't　know　anybody　else　who　burns　crosses；　do　you；　Jake？〃
　Jake　shook　his　head。
　〃I　thought　they　left　Ford　County　years　ago；〃　said　Prather。
　〃Looks　like　they're　back；〃　said　Jake。
　Carla　stood　frozen；　her　hand　over　her　mouth；　terrified。　The　glow　of　the　fire　reddened　her　face。　〃Do　something；　Jake。　Put　it　out。〃
　Jake　watched　the　fire　and　again　glanced　up　and　down　the　street。　The　snapping　and　popping　grew　louder　and　the　orange　flames　reached　higher　into　the　night。　For　a　moment　he　hoped　it　would　die　quickly　without　being　seen　by　anyone　other　than　the　three　of　them；　and　that　it　would　simply　go　away　and　be　forgotten　and　no　one　in　Clanton　would　ever　know。　Then　he　smiled　at　his　foolishness。
　iiamci　giumcu；　anu　it　was　oovious　he　was　tired　of　standing　on　the　porch。　〃Say；　Jake；　uh；　I　don't　mean　to　bring　this　up；　but　accordin'　to　the　papers　they　got　the　wrong　lawyer。　That　true？〃
　〃I　guess　they　can't　read；〃　Jake　muttered。
　〃Probably　not。〃
　〃Tell　me；　Prather；　do　you　know　of　any　active　Klan　members　in　this　county？〃
　〃Not　a　one。　Got　some　in　the　southern　part　of　the　state；　but　none　around　here。　Not　that　I　know　of。　FBI　told　us　the　Klan　was　a　thing　of　the　past。〃
　〃That's　not　very　forting。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　these　guys；　if　they're　Klan　members；　are　not　from　around　here。　Visitors　from　parts　unknown。　It　means　they're　serious；　don't　you　think；　Prather？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I'd　worry　more　if　it　was　local　people　workin'　with　the　Klan。　Could　mean　the　Klan's　in'　back。〃
　〃What　does　it　mean；　the　cross？〃　Carla　asked　the　deputy。
　〃It's　a　warnin'。　Means　stop　what　you're　doin'；　or　the　next　time　we'll　do　more　than　burn　a　little　wood。　They　used　these　things　for　years　to　intimidate　whites　who　were　sympathetic　to　niggers　and　all　that　civil　rights　crap。　If　the　whites　didn't　stop　their　nigger　lovin'；　then　violence　followed。　Bombs；　dynamite；　beatings；　even　murder。　But　that　was　a　？　long　time　ago；　I　thought。　In　your　case；　it's　their　way　of　tellin'　Jake　to　stay　away　from　Hailey。　But　since　he　ain't　Hailey's　lawyer　no　more；　I　don't　know　what　it　means。〃
　〃Go　check　on　Hanna；〃　Jake　said　to　Carla；　who　went　inside。
　〃If　you　got　a　water　hose；　I'll　be　glad　to　put　it　out；〃　offered　Prather。
　〃That's　a　good　idea；〃　Jake　said。　〃I'd　hate　for　the　neighbors　to　see　it。〃
　Jake　and　Carla　stood　on　the　porch　in　their　bathrobes　and　watched　the　deputy　spray　the　burning　cross。　The　wood　fizzed　and　smoked　as　the　water　covered　the　cross　and　snuffed　out　the　flames。　Prather　soaked　it　for　fifteen　minutes；　then　neatly　rolled　the　hose　and　placed　it　behind　the　shrubs　in　the　flower　bed　next　to　the　front　steps。
　〃Thanks；　Marshall。　Let's　keep　this　quiet；　okay？〃
　Prather　wiped　his　hands　on　his　pants　and　straightened　his　hat。　〃Sure。　Y'all　lock　up　good。　If　you　hear　anything；　call　the　dispatcher。　We'll　keep　a　close　watch　on　it　for　the　next　few　days。〃
　He　backed　from　the　driveway　and　drove　slowly　down　Adams　Street　toward　the　square。　They　sat　in　the　swing　and　watched　the　smoking　cross。
　〃I　feel　like　I'm　looking　at　an　old　issue　of　Life　magazine；〃　Jake　said。
　〃Or　a　chapter　from　a　Mississippi　history　textbook。　Maybe　we　should　tell　them　you　got　fired。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃Thanks？〃。
　〃For　being　so　blunt。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　Should　I　say　discharged；　or　terminated；　or…〃
　〃Just　say　he　found　another　lawyer。　You're　really　scared　aren't　you？〃
　〃You　know　I'm　scared。　I'm　terrified。　If　they　can　burn　a　cross　in　our　front　yard；　what's　to　stop　them　from　burning　the　house？　It's　not　worth　it；　Jake。　I　want　you　to　be　happy　and　successful　and　all　that　wonderful　stuff；　but　not　at　the　expense　of　our　safety。　No　case　is　worth　this。〃
　〃You're　glad　I　got　fired？〃
　〃I'm　glad　he　found　another　lawyer。　Maybe　they'll　leave　us　alone　now。〃
　Jake　put　his　arm　around　her；　and　pulled　her　into　his　lap。　The　swing　rocked　gently。　She　was　beautiful；　at　three…thirty　in　the　morning　in　her　bathrobe。
　〃They　won't　be　back；　will　they？〃　she　asked。
　〃Naw。　They're　through　with　us。　They'll　find　out　I'm　off　the　case；　then　they'll　call　and　apologize。〃
　〃It's　not　funny；　Jake。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃Do　you　think　people　will　know？〃
　〃Not　for　another　hour。　When　the　Coffee　Shop　opens　at　five；　Dell　Perkins　will　know　every　detail　before　she　pours　the　first　cup　of　coffee。〃
　〃What're　you　going　to　do　with　it？〃　she　asked；　nodding　at　the　cross；　now　barely　visible　under　the　half　moon。
　i　vc　goi　an　idea。　Let　s　load　it　up；　take　it　to　Memphis；　and　burn　it　in　Marsharfsky's　yard。〃　〃I'm　going　to　bed。〃
　By　9：00　A。M。　Jake　had　finished　dictating　his　motion　to　withdraw　as　counsel　of　record。　Ethel　was　typing　it　with　zest　when　she　interrupted　him：　〃Mr。　Brigance；　there's　a　Mr。　Marsharf…sky　on　the　phone。　I　told　him　you　were　in　conference；　and　he　said　he　would　hold。〃
　〃I'll　talk　to　him。〃　Jake　gripped　the　receiver。　〃Hello。〃
　〃Mr。　Brigance；　Bo　Marsharfsky　in　Memphis。　How　are　you？〃
　〃Terrific。〃
　〃Good。　I'm　sure　you　saw　the　morning　paper　Saturday　and　Sunday。　You　do　get　the　paper　in　Clantpn？〃
　〃Yes；　and　we　have　telephones　and　mail。〃
　〃So　you　saw　the　stories　on　Mr。　Hailey？〃
　〃Yes。　You　write'　some　very　nice　articles。〃
　〃I'll　ignore　that。　I　wanted　to　discuss　the　Hailey　case　if　you　have　a　minute。〃
　〃I　would　love　to。〃
　〃As　I　understand　Mississippi　procedure；　out…of…state　counsel　must　associate　local　counsel　for　trial　purposes。〃
　〃You　mean　you　don't　have　a　Mississippi　license？〃　Jake　asked　incredulously。
　〃Well；　no；　I　don't。〃
　〃That　wasn't　mentioned　in　your　articles。〃
　〃I'll　ignore　that　too。　Do　the　judges　require　local　counsel　in　all　cases？〃
　〃Some　do；　some　don't。〃
　〃I　see。　What　about　Noose？〃
　〃Sometimes。〃
　〃Thanks。　Well；　I　usually　associate　local　counsel　when　I　try　cases　out　in　the　country。　The　locals　feel　better　with　one　of　their　own　sitting　there　at　counsel　table　with　me。〃
　〃That's　real　nice。〃
　〃I　don't　suppose　you'd　be　interested　in…〃
　〃You　must　be　kidding！〃　Jake　yelled。　〃I've　just　been　fired　and　now　you　want　me　to　carry　your　briefcase。　You're　crazy。　I　wouldn't　have　my　name　associated　with　yours。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；　hayseed…〃
　〃No；　you　wait　a　minute；　counselor。　This　may　e　as　a　surp