jg.atimetokill-第72部分

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off；　walks　out　of　the　courthouse　a　free　man。　Everbody　in　the　country　will　know　it；　and　the　niggers　will　go　crazy。　Evertime　somebody　crosses　a　nigger；　he'll　just　kill　him；　then　say　he　was　insane；　and　try　to　get　off。　That's　what's　dangerous　about　this　trial。〃
　〃You　gotta　keep　the　niggers　under　control；〃　agreed　Joe　Frank。
　〃You　better　believe　it。　And　if　Hailey　gets　off；　none　of　us　will　be　safe。　Ever　nigger　in　this　county'll　carry　a　gun　and　just　look　for　trouble。〃
　〃I　hadn't　really　thought　about　that；〃　admitted　Joe　Frank。
　〃I　hope　you　do　the　right　thing；　Joe　Frank。　I　just　hope　they　put　you　in　that　jury　box。　We　need　some　people　with　some　sense。〃
　〃Wonder　why　they　picked　me？〃
　〃I　heard　they　fixed　up　a　hundred　and　fifty　summonses。　They're　expectin'　about　a　hundred　to　show　up。〃
　〃What're　my　chances　of　gettin'　picked？〃
　〃One　in　a　hundred；〃　said　Lela。
　〃I　feel　better　then。　I　really　ain't　got　time　to　serve；　what　with　my　farmin'　and　all。〃
　〃We　sure　need　you　on　that　jury；〃　said　Tierce。
　The　conversation　drifted　to　local　politics　and　the　new　supervisor　and　what　a　sorry　job　he　was　doing　with　the　roads。　Darkness　meant　bedtime　for　the　Perrymans。　Tierce　said　good　night　and　drove　home。　He　sat　at　his　kitchen　table　with　a　cup　of　coffee　and　reviewed　the　jury　list。　His　friend　Rufus　would　be　proud。　Six　names　had　been　circled　on　Will's　list；　and　he　had　talked　to　all　six。　He　put　an　okay　by　each　name。　They　would　be　good　jurors；　people　Rufus　could　count　on　to　keep　law　and　order　in　Ford　County。　A　couple　had　been　nonmittal　at　first；　but　their　good　and　trusted　friend　Will　Tierce　had　explained　justice　to　them　and　they　were　now　ready　to　convict。
　Rufus　would　be　real　proud。　And　he　had　promised　that　young　Jason　Tierce；　a　nephew；　would　never　be　tried　on　those　dope　charges。
　Jake　picked　at　the　greasy　pork　chops　and　butterbeans；　and　watched　Ellen　across　the　table　do　the　same　thing。　Lucien　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　ignored　his　food；　fondled　his　drink；　and　flipped　through　the　jury　list　offering　ments　on　every　name　he　recognized。　He　was　drunker　than　normal。　Most　of　the　names　he　didn't　recognize；　but　he　mented　on　them　anyway。　Ellen　was　amused　and　winked　repeatedly　at　her　boss。
　He　dropped　the　list；　and　knocked　his　fork　off　the　table。
　〃Sallie！〃　he　yelled。
　〃Do　you　know　how　many　ACLU　members　are　in　Ford　County？〃　he　asked　Ellen。
　〃At　least　eighty　percent　of　the　population；〃　she　said。
　〃One。　Me。　I　was　the　first　in　history　and　evidently　the　last。　These　people　are　fools　around　here；　Row　Ark。　They　don't　appreciate　civil　liberties。　They're　a　bunch　of　right…wing　knee…jerk　conservative　Republican　fanatics；　like　our　friend　Jake　here。〃
　〃That's　not　true。　I　eat　at　Claude's　at　least　once　a　week；〃　Jake　said。
　〃So　that　makes　you　progressive？〃　asked　Lucien。
　〃It　makes　me　a　radical。〃
　〃I　still　think　you're　a　Republican。〃
　〃Look；　Lucien；　you　can　talk　about　my　wife；　or　my　mother；　or　my　ancestors；　but　don't　call　me　a　Republican。〃
　〃You　look　like　a　Republican；〃　said　Ellen。
　〃Does　he　look　like　a　Democrat？〃　Jake　asked；　pointing　at　Lucien。
　〃Of　course。　I　knew　he　was　a　Democrat　the　moment　I　saw　him。〃
　〃Then　I'm　a　Republican。〃
　〃See！　See！〃　yelled　Lucien。　He　dropped　his　glass　on　the　floor　and　it　shattered。
　〃Sallie！〃
　〃Row　Ark；　guess　who　was　the　third　white　man　in　Mississippi　to　join　the　NAACP？〃
　〃Rufus　Buckley；〃　said　Jake。
　〃Me。　Lucien　Wilbanks。　Joined　in　1967。　White　people　thought　I　was　crazy。〃
　〃Can　you　imagine；〃　Jake　said。
　〃Of　course；　black　folks；　or　Negroes　as　we　called　them　back　then；　thought　I　was　crazy　too。　Hell；　everybody　thought　I　was　crazy　back　then。〃
　〃Have　they　ever　changed　their　minds？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃Shut　up；　Republican。　Row　Ark；　why　don't　you　move　to　Clanton　and　we'll　start　us　a　law　firm　handling　nothing　but　ACLU　cases。　Hell；　bring　your　old　man　down　from　Boston　and　we'll　make　him　a　partner。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　just　go　to　Boston？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃Why　don't　you　just　go　to　hell？〃
　〃What　will　we　call　it？〃　asked　Ellen。
　〃The　nut　house；〃　said　Jake。
　〃Wilbanks；　Row　and　Ark。　Attorneys　at　law。〃
　〃None　of　whom　have　licenses；〃　said　Jake。
　Lucien's　eyelids　weighed　several　pounds　each。　His　head　nodded　forward　involuntarily。　He　slapped　Sallie　on　the　rear　as　she　cleaned　up　his　mess。
　〃That　was　a　cheap　shot；　Jake；〃　he　said　seriously。
　〃Row　Ark；〃　Jake　said；　imitating　Lucien；　〃guess　who　was　the　last　lawyer　permanently　disbarred　by　the　Mississippi　Supreme　Court？〃
　Ellen　gracefully　smiled　at　both　men　and　said　nothing。
　〃Row　Ark；〃　Lucien　said　loudly；　〃guess　who　will　be　the　next　lawyer　in　this　county　to　be　evicted　from　his　office？〃　He　roared　with　laughter；　screaming　and　shaking。　Jake　winked　at　her。
　When　he　settled　down；　he　asked；　〃What's　this　meeting　tomorrow　night？〃
　〃I　want　to　cover　the　jury　list　with　you　and　a　few　others。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Harry　Rex；　Stan　Atcavage；　maybe　one　other。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Eight　o'clock。　My　office。　No　alcohol。〃
　〃It's　my　office；　and　I'll　bring　a　case　of　whiskey　if　I　want　to。　My　grandfather　built　the　building；　remember？〃
　〃How　could　I　forget。〃
　〃Row　Ark；　let's　get　drunk。〃
　〃No　thanks；　Lucien。　I've　enjoyed　dinner；　and　the　conversation；　but　I　need　to　get　back　to　Oxford。〃
　They　stood　and　left　Lucien　at　the　table。　Jake　declined　the　usual　invitation　to　sit　on　the　porch。　Ellen　left；　and　he　went　to　his　temporary　room　upstairs。　He　had　promised　Carla　he　would　not　sleep　at　home。　He　called　her。　She　and　Hanna　were　fine。　Worried；　but　fine。　He　didn't　mention　Bud　Twitty。
　A　convoy　of　converted　school　buses；　each　with　an　original　paint　job　of　white　and　red　or　green　and　black　or　a　hundred　other　binations　and　the　name　of　a　church　emblazoned　along　the　sides　under　the　windows；　rolled　slowly　around　the　Clanton　square　after　lunch　Wednesday。　There　were　thirty…one　in　all；　each　packed　tightly　with　elderly　black　people　who　waved　paper　fans　and　handkerchiefs　in　a　futile　effort　to　overe　the　stifling　heat。　After　three　trips　around　the　courthouse；　the　lead　bus　stopped　by　the　post　office　and　thirty…one　doors　flew　open。　The　buses　emptied　in　a　frenzy。　The　people　were　directed　to　a　gazebo　on　the　courthouse　lawn；　where　Reverend　Ollie　Agee　was　shouting　orders　and　handing　out　blue　and　white　FREE　CARL　LEE　placards。
　The　side　streets　leading　into　the　square　became　congested　as　cars　from　all　directions　inched　toward　the　courthouse　and　finally　parked　when　they　could　move　no　closer。　Hundreds　of　blacks　left　their　vehicles　in　the　streets　and　walked　solemnly　toward　the　square。　They　mingled　around　the　gazebo　and　waited　for　their　placards；　then　wandered　through　the　oaks　and　magnolias　looking　for　shade　and　greeting　friends。　More　church　buses　arrived　and　were　unable　to　circle　the　square　because　of　the　traffic。　They　unloaded　next　to　the　Coffee　Shop。
　For　the　first　time　that　year　the　temperature　hit　a　hundred　and　promised　to　go　higher。　The　sky　produced　no　clouds　for　protection；　and　there　were　no　winds　or　breezes　to　weaken　the　burning　rays　or　to　blow　away　the　humidity。　A　man's　shirt　would　soak　and　stick　to　his　back　in　fifteen　minutes　under　a　shade　tree；　five　minutes　without　shade。　Some　of　the　weaker　old　folks　found　refuge　inside　the　courthouse。
　The　crowd　continued　to　grow。　It　was　predominantly　elderly；　but　there　were　many　younger；　militant；　angry…looking　blacks　who　had　missed　the　great　civil　rights　marches　and　demonstrations　of　the　sixties　and　now　realized　that　this　might　be　a　rare　opportunity　to　shout　and　protest　and　sing　〃We　Shall　Overe；〃　and　in　general　celebrate　being　black
　and　oppressed　in　a　white　world。　They　meandered　about　waiting　for　someone　to　take　charge。　Finally；　three　students　marched　to　the　front　steps　of　the　courthouse；　lifted　their　placards；　and　shouted；　〃Free　Carl　Lee。　Free　Carl　Lee。〃
　Instantly；　the　mob　repeated　the　war　cry：
　〃Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　〃Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　〃Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　They　left　the　shade　trees　and　courthouse　and　moved　closer　together　near　the　steps　where　a　makeshift　podium　and　PA　system　had　been　set　up。　They　yelled　in　unison　at　no　one　or　no　place　or　nothing　in　particular；　just　howled　the　newly　established　battle　cry　in　a　perfect　chorus：
　〃Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　〃Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　The　windows　of　the　courthouse　flew　open　as　the　clerks　and　secretaries　gawked　at　the　happening　below。　Th