jg.atimetokill-第8部分

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　few　unions　in　north　Mississippi。　He　stumbled　into　some　lucrative　personal　injury　and　wrong…
　ful　death　cases。　There　were　some　nice　settlements。　The　firm；　he　and　Ethel；　was　more　profitable　than　ever。　Lucien　did　not　need　the　money。　He　had　been　born　with　it　and　never　thought　about　it。　Ethel　did　the　counting。
　The　law　became　his　life。　With　no　family；　he　became　a　workaholic。　Fifteen　hours　a　day；　seven　days　a　week；　Lucien　practiced　law　with　a　passion。　He　had　no　other　interests；　except　alcohol。　In　the　late　sixties　he　noticed　an　affinity　for　Jack　Daniel's。　By　the　early　seventies　he　was　a　drunk；　and　when　he　hired　Jake　in　1978　he　was　a　full…fledged　alcoholic。　But　he　never　let　booze　interfere　with　his　work；　he　learned　to　drink　and　work　at　the　same　time。　Lucien　was　always　half　drunk；　and　he　was　a　dangerous　lawyer　in　that　condition。　Bold　and　abrasive　by　nature；　he　was　downright　frightening　when　he　was　drinking。　At　trial　he　would　embarrass　the　opposing　attorneys；　insult　the　judge；　abuse　the　witnesses；　then　apologize　to　the　jury。　He　respected　no　one　and　could　not　be　intimidated。　He　was　feared　because　he　would　say　and　do　anything。　People〃　walked　lightly　around　Lucien。　He　knew　it　and　loved　it。　He　became　more　and　more　eccentric。　The　more　he　drank；　the　crazier　he　acted；　then　people　talked　about　him　even　more；　so　he　drank　even　more。
　Between　1966　and　1978　Lucien　hired　and　disposed　of　eleven　associates。　He　hired　blacks；　Jews；　Hispanics；　women；　and　not　one　kept　the　pace　he　demanded。　He　was　a　tyrant　around　the　office；　constantly　cursing　and　berating　the　young　lawyers。　Some　quit　the　first　month。　One　lasted　two　years。　It　was　difficult　to　accept　Lucien's　craziness。　He　had　the　money　to　be　eccentric…his　associates　did　not。
　He　hired　Jake　in　1978　fresh　from　law　school。　Jake　was　from　Karaway；　a　small　town　of　twenty…five　hundred；　eighteen　miles　west　of　Clanton。　He　was　clean…cut；　conservative；　a　devout　Presbyterian　with　a　pretty　wife　who　wanted　babies。　Lucien　hired　him　to　see　if　he　could　corrupt　him。　Jake　took　the　job　with　strong　reservations　because　he　had　no　other　offers　close　to　home。
　A　year　later　Lucien　was　disbarred。　It　was　a　tragedy　for　those　very　few　who　liked　him。　The　small　union　at　the　shoe　factory　north　of　town　had　called　a　strike。　It　was　a　union　Lucien　had　organized　and　represented。　The　factory　began　hiring　new　workers　to　replace　the　strikers；　and　violence　fol…
　lowed。　Lucien　appeared　on　the　picket　line　to　rally　his　people。　He　was　drunker　than　normal。　A　group　of　scabs　attempted　to　cross　the　line　and　a　brawl　erupted。　Lucien　led　the　charge；　was　arrested　and　jailed。　He　was　convicted　in　city　court　of　assault　and　battery　and　disorderly　conduct。　He　appealed　and　lost；　appealed　and　lost。
　The　State　Bar　Association　had　grown　weary　of　Lucien　over　the　years。　No　other　attorney　in　the　state　had　received　as　many　plaints　as　had　Lucien　Wilbanks。　Private　reprimands；　public　reprimands；　and　suspensions　had　all　been　used；　all　to　no　avail。　The　plaints　Tribunal　and　Disciplinary　mittee　moved　swiftly。　He　was　disbarred　for　outrageous　conduct　unbeing　a　member　of　the　bar。　He　appealed　and　lost；　appealed　and　lost。
　He　was　devastated。　Jake　was　in　Lucien's　office；　the　big　office　upstairs；　when　word　came　from　Jackson　that　the　Supreme　Court　had　upheld　the　disbarment。　Lucien　hung　up　the　phone　and　walked　to　the　doors　overlooking　the　square。　Jake　watched　him　closely；　waiting　for　the　tirade。　But　Lucien　said　nothing。　He　walked　slowly　down　the　stairs；　stopped　and　stared　at　Ethel；　who　was　crying；　and　then　looked　at　Jake。　He　opened　the　door　and　said；　〃Take　care　of　this　place。　I'll　see　you　later。〃
　They　ran　to　the　front　window　and　watched　him　speed　away　from　the　square　in　his　ragged　old　Porsche。　For　several　months　there　was　no　word　from　him。　Jake　labored　diligently　on　Lucien's　cases　while　Ethel　kept　the　office　from　chaos。　Some　of　the　cases　were　settled；　some　left　for　other　lawyers；　some　went　to　trial。
　Six　months　later　Jake　returned　to　his　office　after　a　long　day　in　court　and　found　Lucien　asleep　on　the　Persian　rug　in　the　big　office。　〃Lucien！　Are　you　all　right？〃　he　asked。
　Lucien　jumped　up　and　sat　in　the　big　leather　chair　behind　the　desk。　He　was　sober；　tanned；　relaxed。
　〃Jake；　my　boy；　how　are　you？〃　he　asked　warmly。
　〃Fine；　just　fine。　Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃Cayman　Islands。〃
　〃Doing　what？〃
　〃Drinking　rum；　lying　on　the　beach；　chasing　little　native　girls。〃
　〃Sounds　like　fun。　Why　did　you　leave？〃
　〃It　got　boring。〃
　Jake　sat　across　the　desk。　〃It's　good　to　see　you；　Lucien。〃
　〃Good　to　see　you；　Jake。　How　are　things　around　here？〃
　〃Hectic。　But　okay；　I　guess。〃
　〃Did　you　settle　Medley？〃
　〃Yeah。　They　paid　eighty　thousand。〃
　〃That's　very　good。　Was　he　happy？〃
　〃Yes；　seemed　to　be。〃
　〃Did　Cruger　go　to　trial？〃
　Jake　looked　at　the　floor。　〃No；　he　hired　Fredrix。　I　think　it's　set　for　trial　next　month。〃
　〃I　should've　talked　to　him　before　I　left。〃
　〃He's　guilty；　isn't　he？〃
　〃Yes；　very。　It　doesn't　matter　who　represents　him。　Most　defendants　are　guilty。　Remember　that。〃　Lucien　walked　to　the　French　doors　and　gazed　at　the　courthouse。　〃What　are　your　plans；　Jake？〃
　〃I'd　like　to　stay　here。　What　are　your　plans？〃
　〃You're　a　good　man；　Jake；　and　I　want　you　to　stay。　Me；　I　don't　know。　I　thought　about　moving　to　the　Caribbean；　but　I　won't。　It's　a　nice　place　to　visit；　but　it　gets　old。　I　have　no　plans　really。　I　may　travel。　Spend　some　money。　I'm　worth　a　ton；　you　know。〃
　Jake　agreed。　Lucien　turned　and　waved　his　arms　around　the　room。　〃I　want　you　to　have　all　this；　Jake。　I　want　you　to　stay　here　and　keep　some　semblance　of　a　firm　going。　Move　into　this　office；　use　this　desk　that　my　grandfather　brought　from　Virginia　after　the　Civil　War。　Keep　the　files；　cases；　clients；　books；　everything。〃
　〃That's　very　generous；　Lucien。〃
　〃Most　of　the　clients　will　disappear。　No　reflection　on　you　…you'll　be　a　great　lawyer　someday。　But　most　of　my　clients　have　followed　me　for　years。〃
　Jake　didn't　want　most　of　his　clients。　〃How　about　rent？〃
　〃Pay　me　what　you　can　afford。　Money　will　be　tight　at　first；　but　you'll　make　it。　I　don't　need　money；　but　you　do。〃
　〃You're　being　very　kind。〃
　〃I'm　really　a　nice　guy。〃　They　both　laughed　awkwardly。
　Jake　quit　smiling。　〃What　about　Ethel？〃
　〃It's　up　to　you。　She's　a　good　secretary　who's　forgotten　more　law　than　you'll　ever　know。　I　know　you　don't　like　her；
　but　she　would　be　hard　to　replace。　Fire　her　if　you　want　to。　I　don't　care。〃
　Lucien　headed　for　the　door。　〃Call　me　if　you　need　me。　I'll　be　around。　I　want　you　to　move　into　this　office。　It　was　my　father's　and　grandfather's。　Put　my　junk　in　some　boxes；　and　I'll　pick　it　up　later。〃
　Cobb　and　Willard　awoke　with　throbbing　heads　and　red；　swollen　eyes。　Ozzie　was　yelling　at　them。　They　were　in　a　small　cell　by　themselves。　Through　the　bars　to　the　right　was　a　cell　where　the　state　prisoners　were　held　awaiting　the　trip　to　Parchman。　A　dozen　blacks　leaned　through　the　bars　and　glared　at　the　two　white　boys　as　they　struggled　to　clear　their　eyes。　To　the　left　was　a　smaller　cell；　also　full　of　blacks。　Wake　up；　Ozzie　yelled；　and　stay　quiet；　or　he　would　integrate　his　jail。
　Jake's　quiet　time　was　from　seven　until　Ethel　arrived　at　eight…thirty。　He　was　jealous　with　this　time。　He　locked　the　front　door；　ignored　the　phone；　and　refused　to　make　appointments。　He　meticulously　planned　his　day。　By　eight…thirty　he　would　have　enough　work　dictated　to　keep　Ethel　busy　and　quiet　until　noon。　By　nine　he　was　either　in　court　or　seeing　clients。　He　would　not　take　calls　until　eleven；　when　he　methodically　returned　the　morning's　messages…all　of　them。　He　never　delayed　returning　a　phone　call…another　rule。　Jake　worked　systematically　and　efficiently　with　little　wasted　time。　These　habits　he　had　not　learned　from　Lucien。
　At　eight…thirty　Ethel　made　her　usual　noisy　entrance　downstairs。　She　made　fresh　coffee　and　opened　the　mail　as　she　had　every　day　for　the　past　forty…one　years。　She　was　sixty…four　and　looked　fifty。　She　was　plump；　but　not　fat；　well　kept；　but　not　attractive。　She　chomped　on　a　greasy　sausage　and　biscuit　brought　from　home　and　read　Jake's　mail。
　Jake　heard　voices。　Ethel　was　talking　to　another　woman。　He　checked　his　appointment　book…none　until　ten。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Brigance；〃　Ethel　announced　through　the　inter。
　〃Morning；　Ethel。〃　She　preferred　to