jg.atimetokill-第51部分

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　Lucien　took　a　long　drink　and　studied　the　light　brown　liquid　and　the　floating　ice　cubes。　〃You　said　you　would　help　me。　God　knows　you　owe　me　the　favor。　How　many　divorces　did　I　handle　for　you？〃
　〃Three。　And　I　got　cleaned　out　every　time。〃
　〃You　deserved　it　every　time。　It　was　either　give　in　or　go　to　trial　and　have　your　habits　discussed　in　open　court。〃
　〃I　remember。〃
　〃How　many　clients；　or　patients；　have　I　sent　you　over　the　years？〃
　〃Not　enough　to　pay　my　alimony。〃
　〃Remember　the　malpractice　case　by　the　lady　whose　treatment　consisted　primarily　of　weekly　sessions　on　your　couch　with　the　foldaway　bed？　Your　malpractice　carrier　refused　to　defend；　so　you　called　your　dear　friend　Lucien　who　settled　it　for　peanuts　and　kept　it　out　of　court。〃
　〃There　were　no　witnesses。〃
　〃Just　the　lady　herself。　And　the　court　files　showing　where　your　wives　had　sued　for　divorce　on　the　grounds　of　adultery。〃
　〃They　couldn't　prove　it。〃
　〃They　didn't　get　a　chance。　We　didn't　want　them　to　try；　remember？〃
　〃All　right；　enough；　enough。　I　said　I　would　help。　What　about　my　credentials？〃
　〃Are　you　a　pulsive　worrier？〃
　〃No。　I　just　get　nervous　when　I　think　of　courtrooms。〃
　〃Your　credentials　are　fine。　You've　been　qualified　before　as　an　expert　witness。　Don't　worry　so　much。〃
　〃What　about　this？〃　He　waved　his　drink　at　Lucien。
　〃You　shouldn't　drink　so　much；〃　he　said　piously。
　The　doctor　dropped　his　drink　and　exploded　in　laughter。　He　rofled　out　of　his　chair　and　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　porch；　holding　his　stomach　and　shaking　in　laughter。
　〃You're　drunk；〃　Lucien　said　as　he　left　for　another　bottle。
　When　Jake　arrived　an　hour　later；　Lucien　was　rocking　slowly　in　his　huge　wicker　rocker。　The　doctor　was　asleep　in　the　swing　at　the　far　end　of　the　porch。　He　was　barefoot；　and　his　toes　had　disappeared　into　the　shrubbery　that　lined　the　porch。　Jake　walked　up　the　steps　and　startled　Lucien。
　〃Jake；　my　boy；　how　are　you？〃　he　slurred。
　〃Fine；　Lucien。　I　see　you're　doing　quite　well。〃　He　looked　at　the　empty　bottle　and　one　not　quite　empty。
　〃I　wanted　you　to　meet　that　man；〃　he　said；　trying　to　sit　up　straight。
　〃Who　is　he？〃
　〃He's　our　psychiatrist。　Dr。　W。T。　Bass；　from　Jackson。　Good　friend　of　mine。　He'll　help　us　with　Hailey。〃
　〃Is　he　good？〃
　〃The　best。　We've　worked　together　on　several　insanity　cases。〃
　Jake　took　a　few　steps　in　the　direction　of　the　swing　and　stopped。　The　doctor　was　lying　on　his　back　with　his　shirt　unbuttoned　and　his　mouth　wide　open。　He　snored　heavily；　with　an　unusual　guttural　gurgling　sound。　A　horsefly　the　size　of　a　small　sparrow　buzzed　around　his　nose　and　retreated　to　the　top　of　the　swing　with　each　thunderous　exhalation。　A　rancid　vapor　emanated　with　the　snoring　and　hung　like　an　invisible　fog　over　the　end　of　the　porch。
　〃He's　a　doctor？〃　Jake　asked　as　he　sat　next　to　Lucien。
　〃Psychiatry；〃　Lucien　said　proudly。
　〃Did　he　help　you　with　those？〃　Jake　nodded　at　the　bottles。
　〃I　helped　him。　He　drinks　like　a　fish；　but　he's　always　sober　at　trial。〃
　〃That's　forting。〃
　〃You'll　like　him。　He's　cheap。　Owes　me　a　favor。　Won't　cost　a　dime。〃
　〃I　like　him　already。〃
　Lucien's　face　was　as　red　as　his　eyes。　〃Wanna　drink？〃
　〃No。　It's　three…thirty　in　the　afternoon。〃
　〃Really！　What　day　is　it？〃
　〃Wednesday；　June　12。　How　long　have　y'all　been　drinking？〃
　〃　'Bout　thirty　years。〃　Lucien　laughed　and　rattled　his　ice　cubes。
　〃I　mean　today。〃
　〃We　drank　our　breakfast。　What　difference　does　it　make？〃
　〃Does　he　work？〃
　〃Naw；　he's　retired。〃
　〃Was　his　retirement　voluntary？〃
　〃You　mean；　was　he　disbarred；　so　to　speak？〃
　〃That's　right；　so　to　speak。〃
　〃No。　He　still　has　his　license；　and　his　credentials　are　impeccable。〃
　〃He　looks　impeccable。〃
　〃Booze　got　him　a　few　years　ago。　Booze　and　alimony。　I　handled　three　of　his　divorces。　He　reached　the　point　where　all　of　his　ine　went　for　alimony　and　child　support；　so　he　quit　working。〃
　〃How　does　he　manage？〃
　〃We；　uh；　I　mean；　he　stashed　some　away。　Hid　it　from　his　wives　and　their　hungry　lawyers。　He's　really　quite　fortable。〃
　〃He　looks　fortable。〃
　〃Plus　he　peddles　a　little　dope；　but　only　to　a　rich　clientele。　Not　really　dope；　but　narcotics　which　he　can　legally　prescribe。　It's　not　really　illegal；　just　a　little　unethical。〃
　〃What's　he　doing　here？〃
　〃He　visits　occasionally。　He　lives　in　Jackson　but　hates　it。　I　called　him　Sunday　after　I　talked　to　you。　He　wants　to　meet　Hailey　as　soon　as　possible；　tomorrow　if　he　can。〃
　The　doctor　grunted　and　rolled　to　his　side；　causing　the　swing　to　move　suddenly。　It　swung　a　few　times；　and　he　moved　again；　still　snoring。　He　stretched　his　right　leg；　and　his　foot　caught　a　thick　branch　in　the　shrubbery。　The　swing　jerked
　sideways　and　threw　the　good　doctor　onto　the　porch。　His　head　crashed　onto　the　wooden　floor　while　his　right　foot　remained　lodged　through　the　end　of　the　swing。　He　grimaced　and　coughed；　then　began　snoring　again。　Jake　instinctively　started　toward　him；　but　stopped　when　it　was　apparent　he　was　unharmed　and　still　asleep。
　〃Leave　him　alone！〃　ordered　Lucien　between　laughs。
　Lucien　slid　an　ice　cube　down　the　porch　and　just　missed　the　doctor's　head。　The　second　cube　landed　perfectly　on　the　tip　of　his　nose。　〃Perfect　shot！〃　Lucien　roared。　〃Wake　up；　you　drunk！〃
　Jake　walked　down　the　steps　toward　his　car；　listening　to　his　former　boss　laugh　and　curse　and　throw　ice　cubes　at　Dr。　W。T。　Bass；　psychiatrist；　witness　for　the　defense。
　Deputy　DeWayne　Looney　left　the　hospital　on　crutches；　and　drove　his　wife　and　three　children　to　the　jail；　where　the　sheriff；　the　other　deputies；　the　reserves；　and　a　few　friends　waited　with　a　cake　and　small　gifts。　He　would　be　a　dispatcher　now；　and　would　retain　his　badge　and　uniform　and　full　salary。
　The　fellowship　hall　of　the　Springdale　Church　had　been　thoroughly　cleaned　and　shined；　and　the　folding　tables　and　chairs　dusted　and　placed　in　perfect　rows　around　the　room。　It　was　the　largest　black　church　in　the　county　and　it　was　in　Clanton；　so　the　Reverend　Agee　deemed　it　necessary　to　meet　there。　The　purpose　of　the　press　conference　was　to　get　vocal；　to　show　support　of　the　local　boy　who　made　good；　and　to　announce　the　establishment　of　the　Carl　Lee　Hailey　Legal　Defense　Fund。　The　national　director　of　the　NAACP　was　present　with　a　five…thousand…dollar　check　and　a　promise　of　serious　money　later。　The　executive　director　of　the　Memphis　branch　brought　five　thousand　and　grandly　laid　it　on　the　table。　They　sat　with　Agee　behind　the　two　folding　tables　in　the　front　of　the　room　with　every　member　of　the　council　seated　behind　them　and　two　hundred　black　church　members　in　the　crowded　audience。　Gwen　sat　next　to　Agee。　A　few　reporters　and　cameras；　much　fewer　than　expected；　grouped　in　the　center　of　the　room　and　filmed　away。
　Agee　spoke　first　and　was　inspired　by　the　cameras。　He　talked　of　the　Haileys　and　their　goodness　and　innocence；　and　of　baptizing　Tonya　when　she　was　only　eight。　He　talked　of　a　family　wrecked　by　racism　and　hatred。　There　were　sniffles　in　the　audience。　Then　he　got　mean。　He　tore　into　the　judicial　system　and　its　desire　to　prosecute　a　good　and　decent　man　who　had　done　no　wrong；　a　man；　who；　if　white；　would　not　be　on　trial；　a　man　who　was　on　trial　only　because　he　was　black　and　that　was　what　was　so　wrong　with　the　prosecution　and　persecution　of　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　He　found　his　rhythm　and　the　crowd　joined　in；　and　the　press　conference　took　on　the　fervor　of　a　tent　revival。　He　lasted　for　forty…five　minutes。
　He　was　a　hard　act　to　follow。　But　the　national　director　did　not　hesitate。　He　delivered　a　thirty…minute　oratorical　condemnation　of　racism。　He　seized　the　moment　and　spouted　national　statistics　on　crime　and　arrests　and　convictions　and　inmate　population　and　summed　it　all　up　by　declaring　that　the　criminal　justice　system　was　controlled　by　white　people
　who　unfairly　persecuted　black　people。　Then　in　a　bewildering　flurry　of　rationale　he　brought　the　national　statistics　to　Ford　County　and　pronounced　the　system　unfit　to　deal　with　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　The　lights　from　the　TV　cameras　produced　a　line　of　sweat　above　his　eyebrows　and　he　warmed　to　the　task。　He　got　angrier　than　Reverend　Agee　and　pounded　the　podium　and　made　the　cluster　of　microphones　jump　and　shake。　He　exhorted　the　blacks　of　Ford　County　and　of　Mississippi　to　give　until　it　hurt。　He　promised　demonstrations　and　marches。　The　trial　would　be　a