jg.atimetokill-第81部分

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　Nesbit　sat　on　the　trunk　of　his　car　and　watched　the　fortifying　of　downtown　Clanton。　He　chatted　with　a　few　of　the　guardsmen。　Jake　made　coffee　and　took　him　a　cup。　He　was　awake　now；　safe　and　secure；　and　Nesbit　could　go　home　and　rest　until　dark。　Jake　returned　to　the　balcony　and　watched　the　activity　until　dawn。　Once　the　troops　were　unloaded；　the　transport　trucks　were　moved　to　the　National　Guard　armory　north　of　town；　where　the　men　would　sleep。　He　estimated　their　number　at　two　hundred。　They　piddled　around　the　courthouse　and　walked　in　small　groups　around　the　square；　looking　in　shops；　waiting　for　daylight　and　the　hope　of　some　excitement。
　Noose　would　be　furious。　How　dare　they　call　the　National　Guard　without　asking　him。　It　was　his　trial。　The　mayor　had　mentioned　this；　and　Jake　had　explained　that　it　was　the
　mayors　responsiomiy　10　Keep　^laniun　saie；　iiui　me　iriai　judge's。　Ozzie　concurred；　and　Noose　was　not　called。
　The　sheriff　and　Moss　Junior　latum　arrived　and　met　with　the　colonel　in　the　gazebo。　They　walked　around　the　courthouse；　inspecting　troops　and　pavilions。　Ozzie　pointed　in　various　directions　and　the　colonel　seemed　to　agree　with　whatever　he　wanted。　Moss　Junior　unlocked　the'　courthouse　so　the　troops　would　have　drinking　water　and　toilet　facilities。　It　was　after　nine　before　the　first　of　the　vultures　stumbled　onto　the　occupation　of　downtown　Clanton。　Within　an　hour　they　were　running　everywhere　with　cameras　and　microphones　gathering　important　words　from　a　sergeant　or　a　corporal。
　〃What　is　your　name；　sir？〃
　〃Sergeant　Drumwright。〃
　〃Where　are　you　from？〃
　〃Booneville。〃
　〃Where's　that？〃
　〃　'Bout　a　hundred　miles　from　here。〃
　〃Why　are　you　here？〃
　〃Governor　called　us。〃
　〃Why　did　he　call　you？〃
　〃Keep　things　under　control。〃
　〃Are　you　expecting　trouble？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃How　long　will　you　be　here？〃
　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃Will　you　be　here　until　the　trial's　over？〃
　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃Who　knows？〃
　〃The　governor；　I　reckon。〃
　And　so　on。
　Word　of　the　invasion　spread　quickly　through　the　quiet　Sunday　morning；　and　after　church　the　townfolk　streamed　to　the　square　to　verify　for　themselves　that　the　army　had　indeed　captured　the　courthouse。　The　sentries　removed　the　barricades　and　allowed　the　curious　to　drive　around　their　square　and　gawk　at　the　real　live　soldiers　with　their　rifles　and　jeeps。　Jake　sat　on　the　balcony；　drinking　coffee　and　memorizing　the　notecards　of　his　jurors。
　He　called　Carla　and　explained　that　the　National　Guard
　had　been　deployed；　but　he　was　still　sate；　in　tact；　ne　naa　never　felt　so　safe。　As　he　talked　to　her；　he　explained；　there　were　hundreds　of　heavily　armed　army　militiamen　across　Washington　Street　just　waiting　to　protect　him。　Yes；　he　still　had　his　bodyguard。　Yes；　the　house　was　still　standing。　He　doubted　if　the　death　of　Bud　Twitty　had　been　reported　yet；　so　he　did　not　tell　her。　Maybe　she　would　not　hear　of　it。　They　were　going　fishing　on　her　father's　boat；　and　Hanna　wanted　her　daddy　to　go。　He　said　goodbye；　and　missed　the　two　women　in　his　life　more　than　ever。
　Ellen　Roark　unlocked　the　rear　door　of　the　office　and　placed　a　small　grocery　sack　on　the　table　in　the　kitchen。　She　pulled　a　file　out　of　her　briefcase　and　began　looking　for　her　boss。　He　was　on　the　balcony；　staring　at　notecards　and　watching　the　courthouse。　〃Evenin'；　Row　Ark。〃
　〃Good　evening；　boss。〃　She　handed　him　a　brief　an　inch　thick。　〃It's　the　research　you　requested　on　the　admissibility　of　the　rape。　It's　a　tough　issue；　and　it　got　involved。　I　apologize　for　the　size　of　it。〃
　It　was　as　neat　as　her　other　briefs；　plete　with　a　table　of　contents；　bibliography；　and　numbered　pages。　He　flipped　through　it。　〃Damn；　Row　Ark；　I　didn't　ask　for　a　textbook。〃
　〃I　know　you're　intimidated　by　scholarly　work；　so　I　made　a　conscious　effort　to　use　words　with　fewer　than　three　syllables。〃
　〃My；　aren't　we　frisky　today。　Could　you　summarize　this　in　a　dissertation　of；　say；　thirty　pages　or　so？〃
　〃Look；　it's　a　thorough　study　of　the　law　by　a　gifted　law　student　with　a　remarkable　ability　to　think　and　write　clearly。　It's　a　work　of　genius；　and　it's　yours；　and　it's　absolutely　free。　So　quit　bitching。〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Does　your　head　hurt？〃
　〃Yes。　It's　been　aching　since　I　woke　up　this　morning。　I've　typed　on　that　brief　for　ten　hours；　and　I　need　a　drink。　Do　you　have　a　blender？〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃Blender。　It's　a　new　invention　we　have　up　North。　They're　kitchen　appliances。〃
　。　〃There's　one　in　the　shelves　next　to　the　microwave。〃
　she　disappeared。　It　was　almost　dark；　and　the　traffic　had　thinned　around　the　square　as　the　Sunday　drivers　had　grown　bored　with　the　sight　of　soldiers　guarding　their　courthouse。　After　twelve　hours　of　suffocating　heat　and　foglike　humidity　in　downtown　Clanton；　the　troops　were　weary　and　homesick。　They　sat　under　trees　and　on　folding　canvas　chairs；　and　cursed　the　governor。　As　it　grew　darker；　they　strung　wires　from　inside　the　courthouse　and　hung　floodlights　around　…the　pavilions。　By　the　post　office　a　carload　of　blacks　arrived　with　lawn　chairs　and　candles　to　start　the　nightly　vigil。　They　began　pacing　the　sidewalk　along　Jackson　Street　under　the　suddenly　aroused　stares　of　two　hundred　heavily　armed　guardsmen。　The　lead　walker　was　Miss　Rosia　Alfie　Gatewood；　a　two…hundred…pound　widow　who　had　raised　eleven　children　and　sent　nine　to　college。　She　was　the　first　black　known　to　have　sipped　cold　water　from　the　public　fountain　on　the　square　and　live　to　tell　about　it。　She　glared　at　the　soldiers。　They　did　not　speak。
　Ellen　returned　with　two　Boston　College　beer　mugs　filled　with　a　pale　green　liquid。　She　sat　them　on　the　table　and　pulled　up　a　chair。
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Drink　it。　It'll　help　you　relax。〃
　〃I'll　drink　it。　But　I'd　like　to　know　what　it　is。〃
　〃Margaritas。〃
　Jake　studied　the　top　of　his　mug。　〃Where's　the　salt？〃
　〃I　don't　like　salt　on　mine。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　either　then。　Why　margaritas？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　Jake　closed　his　eyes　and　took　a　long　drink。　And　then　another。　〃Row　Ark；　you　are　a　talented　woman。〃
　〃Gofer。〃
　He　took　another　long　drink。　〃I　haven't　had　a　margarita　in　eight　years。〃
　〃I'm　very　sorry。〃　Her　twenty…ounce　mug　was　half　empty。
　〃What　kind　of　rum？〃
　〃I　would　call　you　a　dumbass　if　you　weren't　my　boss。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃It's　not　rum。　It's　tequila；　with　lime　juice　and　Coin…treau。　I　thought　every　law　student　knew　that。〃
　〃How　can　you　ever　forgive　me？　I'm　sure　I　knew　it　when　I　was　a　law　student。〃　？
　She　gazed　around　the　square。
　〃This　is　incredible！　It　looks　like　a　war　zone。〃
　Jake　drained　his　glass。and　licked　his　lips。　Under　the　pavilions　they　played　cards　and　laughed。　Others　sought'refuge　from　the　mosquitoes　in　the　courthouse。　The　candles　turned　the　corner　and　made　a　pass　down　Washington　Street。
　〃Yes；〃　Jake　said　with　a　smile。　〃It's　beautiful；　isn't　it？　Think　of　our　fair　and　impartial　jurors　as　they　arrive　in　the　morning　and　are　confronted　with　that。　I'll　renew　my　motion　for　a　change　of　venue。　It'll　be　denied。　I'll　ask　for　a　mistrial；　and　Noose　will　say　no。　And　then　I'll　make　sure　the　court　reporter　records　the　fact　that　this　trial　is　being　conducted　in　the　middle　of　a　three…ring　circus。〃
　〃Why　are　they　here？〃
　〃The　sheriff　and　the　mayor　called　the　governor；　and　convinced　him　the　National　Guard　was　needed　to　preserve　peace　in　Ford　County。　They　told　him　our　hospital　is　not　large　enough　for　this　trial。〃
　〃Where　are　they　from？〃
　〃Booneville　and　Columbus。　I　counted　two　hundred　and　twenty　around　lunch。〃
　〃They've　been　here　all　day？〃
　〃They　woke　me　at　five　this　morning。　I've　followed　their　movements　all　day。　They　were　pinned　down　a　couple　of　times；　but　reinforcements　arrived。　A　few　minutes　ago　they　met　the　enemy　when　Miss　Gatewood　and　her　friends　arrived　with　their　candles。　She　stared　them　down；　so　now　they're　playing　cards。〃
　Ellen　finished　her　drink　and　left　for　more。　Jake　picked　up　the　stack　of　notecards　for　the　hundredth　time　and　flashed　them　on　the　table。　Name；　age；　occupation；　family；　race；　education…he　had　read　and　repeated　the　information　since　early　morning。　Round　Two　arrived　with　haste；　and　she　took　the　cards。
　〃Correen　Hagan；〃　she　said；　sipping。
　He　thought　a　second。　〃Age；　about　fifty…five。　Secretary　for　an　insurance　agent。　Divorced；　two　grown　children。　Education；　probably　high　school；　no　more。　Native　of　Florida；　for　what　that's　wor