jg.atimetokill-第83部分

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　〃Why　not？　He　was　really　sincere；　not　hateful；　and　he　feels　better　now　that　it's　off　his　chest。〃
　The　phone　rang　again。　Harry　Rex　snatched　the　receiver。　〃Jake　Brigance；　Attorney；　Counselor；　Consultant；　Adviser；　and　Guru　at　Law。〃
　Jake　left　for　the　restroom。　〃Jake；　it's　a　reporter！〃　Harry　Rex　yelled。
　〃I'm　on　the　potty。〃
　〃He's　got　the　runs！〃　Harry　Rex　told　the　reporter。
　At　six…seven　in　Wilmington…Jake　called　Carla。　She　was　awake；　reading　the　paper；　drinking　coffee。　He　told　her　about　Bud　Twitty；　and　Mickey　Mouse'；　and　the　promise　of　more　violence。　No；　he　wasn't　afraid　of　that。　It　did　not　bother　him。　He　was　afraid　of　the　jury；　of　the　twelve　who　would　be　chosen；　and　their　reaction　to　him　and　his　client。　His　only　fear；　at　the　moment；　was　of　what　the　jury　might　do　to　his　client。　Everything　else　was　irrelevant。　For　the　first　time；　she　did　not　mention　ing　home。　He　promised　to　call　that　night。
　When　he　hung　up；　he　heard　a　motion　downstairs。　Ellen　had　arrived；　and　Harry　Rex　was　talking　loudly。　She's　wearing　a　see…through　blouse　with　a　miniskirt；　thought　Jake　as　he　walked　downstairs。　She　was　not。　Harry　Rex　was　congratulating　her　on　dressing　like　a　Southern　woman　with　all　the　accessories。　She　was　wearing　a　gray　glen　plaid　suit　with　a　V…necked　jacket　and　short　slim　skirt。　The　silk　blouse　was　black；　and　apparently　the　necessary　garment　was　underneath。　Her　hair　was　pulled　back　and　braided　in　some　fashion。　Incredibly；　traces　of　mascara；　eyeliner；　and　lipstick　were　visible。　In　the　words　of　Harry　Rex；　she　looked　as　much　like　a　lawyer　as　a　woman　could　look。
　〃Thanks；　Harry　Rex；〃　she　said。　〃I　wish　I　had　your　taste　in　clothes。〃
　〃You　look　nice；　Row　Ark；〃　Jake　said。
　〃So　do　you；〃　she　said。　She　looked　at　Harry　Rex；　but　said　nothing。
　〃Please　forgive　us；　Row　Ark；〃　Harry　Rex　said。　〃We're　impressed　because　we　had　no　idea　you　owned　so　many　types　of　garments。　We　apologize　for　admiring　you　and　we　know　how　much　this　infuriates　your　little　liberated　heart。　Yes；　we're　sexist　pigs；　but　you　chose　to　e　to　the　South。　And　in　the　South　we；　as　a　rule；　drool　over　well…dressed　attractive　females；　liberated　or　not。〃
　〃What's　in　the　sack？〃　she　said。
　〃Breakfast。〃
　She　tore　it　open　and　unwrapped　a　sausage　and　biscuit。　〃No　bagels？〃　she　asked。
　〃What's　that？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Forget　it。〃
　Jake　rubbed　his　hands　together　and　tried　to　sound　enthusiastic。　〃Well；　now　that　we've　gathered　here　three　hours　before　trial；　what　would　y'all　like　to　do？〃
　〃Let's　make　some　margaritas；〃　said　Harry　Rex。
　〃No！〃　said　Jake。
　〃It'll　take　the　edge　off。〃
　〃Not　me；〃　said　Ellen。　〃This　is　business。〃
　Harry　Rex　unwrapped　a　biscuit；　the　last　of　the　sack。　〃What　happens　first　today？〃
　〃After　the　sun　es　up；　we　start　the　trial。　At　nine；　Noose　will　say　a　few　words　to　the　jurors　and　we　start　the　selection　process。〃
　〃How　long　will　it　take？〃　asked　Ellen。
　〃Two　or　three　days。　In　Mississippi；　we　have　the　right　to　interrogate　each　juror　individually　in　chambers。　That　takes　time。〃
　〃Where　do　I　sit　and　what　do　I　do？〃
　〃She　certainly　sounds　experienced；〃　Harry　Rex　said　to　Jake。　〃Does　she　know　where　the　courthouse　is？〃
　〃You　do　not　sit　at　counsel　table；〃　said　Jake。　〃Just　me　and　Carl　Lee。〃
　She　wiped　her　mouth。　〃I　see。　Just　you　and　the　defen…
　dant　sitting　alone；　surrounded　by　the　forces　of　evil；　facing　death　alone。〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃My　father　uses　that　tactic　occasionally。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　approve。　You'll　sit　behind　me；　next　to　the　railing。　I'll　ask　Noose　to　allow　you　into　chambers　for　the　private　discussions。〃
　〃What　about　me？〃　asked　Harry　Rex。
　〃Noose　doesn't　like　you；　Harry　Rex。　He　never　has。　He'd　have　a　stroke　if　I　asked　if　you　could　go　in　chambers。　It'd　be　best　if　you　pretended　we'd　never　met。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　〃But　we　do　appreciate　your　assistance；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃Up　yours；　Ellie　Mae。〃
　〃And　you　can　still　drink　with　us；〃　she　said。
　〃And　furnish　the　tequila。〃
　〃There　will　be　no　more　alcohol　in　this　office；〃　Jake　said。
　〃Until　the　noon　recess；〃　said　Harry　Rex。
　〃I　want　you　to　stand　behind　the　clerk's　table；　just　loiter　about　like　you　always　do；　and　take　notes　on　the　jury。　Try　to　match　them　with　the　notecards。　There'll　probably　be　a　hundred　and　twenty。〃
　〃Whatever　you　say。〃
　Daybreak　brought　the　army　out　in　force。　The　barricades　were　reinstalled；　and　on　each　corner　of　the　square　soldiers　clustered　around　the　orange　and　white　barrels　blocking　the　street。　They　were　poised　and　anxious；　watching　every　car　intently；　waiting　for　the　enemy　to　attack；　wanting　some　excitement。　Things　stirred　a　little　when　a　few　of　the　vultures　in　their　pact　wagons　and　minivans　with　fancy　logos　on　the　doors　appeared　at　seven…thirty。　The　troops　surrounded　the　vehicles　and　informed　everyone　there　would　be　no　parking　around　the　courthouse　during　the　trial。　The　vultures　disappeared　down　the　side　streets；　then　moments　later　reappeared　on　foot　with　their　bulky　cameras　and　equipment。　Some　set　up　camp　on　the　front　steps　of　the　courthouse；　others　by　the　back　door；　and　another　group　in　the　rotunda　outside　the　main　door　of　the　courtroom　on　the　second　floor。
　Murphy；　the　janitor　and　only　real　eyewitness　to　the　killings　of　Cobb　and　Willard；　informed　the　press；　as　best　he　could；　that　the　courtroom　would　be　opened　at　eight；　and　not　a　minute　before。　A　line　formed　and　soon　circled　the　rotunda。
　The　church　buses　parked　somewhere　off　the　square；　and　the　marchers　were　led　slowly　down　Jackson　Street　by　the　ministers。　They　carried　FREE　CARL　LEE　signs　and　sang　〃We　Shall　Overe〃　in　a　perfect　chorus。　As　they　neared　the　square；　the　soldiers　heard　them　and　the　radios　began　squawking。　Ozzie　and　the　colonel　conferred　quickly；　and　the　soldiers　relaxed。　The　marchers　were　led　by　Ozzie　to　a　section　of　the　front　lawn　where　they　milled　about　and　waited　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　the　Mississippi　National　Guard。
　At　eight；　a　metal　detector　was　moved　to　the　front　doors　of　the　courtroom；　and　a　trio　of　heavily　armed　deputies　began　slowly　searching　and　admitting　the　crowd　of　spectators　that　now　filled　the　rotunda　and　trailed　off　into　the　halls。　Inside　the　courtroom；　Prather　directed　traffic；　seating　people　on　the　long　pews　on　one　side　of　the　aisle　while　reserving　the　other　side　for　the　jurors。　The　front　pew　was　reserved　for　the　family；　and　the　second　row　was　filled　with　courtroom　artists　who　immediately　began　sketching　the　bench　and　the　bar　and　the　portraits　of　Confederate　heroes。
　The　Klan　felt　obligated　to　make　its　presence　known　on　opening　day；　especially　to　the　prospective　jurors　as　they　arrived。　Two　dozen　Kluxers　in　full　parade　dress　walked　quietly　onto　Washington　Street。　They　were　immediately　stopped　and　surrounded　by　soldiers。　The　potbellied　colonel　swaggered　across　the　street　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　came　face　to　face　with　a　white…robed　and　white…hooded　Ku　Klux　Klansman；　who　happened　to　be　a　foot　taller。　He　then　noticed　the　cameras；　which　had　gravitated　to　this　confrontation；　and　the　bully　in　him　vanished。　His　usual　bark　and　growl　was　instantly　replaced　by　a　high…pitched；　nervous；　trembling　stutter　that　was　inprehensible　even　to　himself。
　Ozzie　arrived　and　saved　him。　〃Good　mornin'；　fellas；〃　he　said　coolly　as　he　stepped　beside　the　faltering　colonel。　〃We've　got　you　surrounded；　and　we've　got　you　outnumbered。　We　also　know　we　can't　keep　you　from　being　here。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　said　the　leader。
　〃If　you'll　just　follow　me　and　do　as　I　say；　we　won't　have　any　trouble。〃
　They　followed　Ozzie　and　the　colonel　to　a　small　area　on　the　front　lawn；　where　it　was　explained　that　this　was　their　turf　for　the　trial。　Stay　there　and　stay　quiet；　and　the　colonel　would　personally　keep　the　troops　off　them。　They　agreed。
　As　expected；　the　sight　of　the　white　robes　aroused　the　blacks　who　were　some　two　hundred　feet　away。　They　began　shouting：　〃Free　Carl　Lee！　Free　Carl　Lee！　Free　Carl　Lee！〃
　The　Klansmen　shook　their　fists　and　shouted　back：
　〃Fry　Carl　Lee！〃
　〃Fry　Carl　Lee！〃
　〃Fry　Carl　Lee！〃
　Two　rows　of　troops　lined　the　main　sidewalk　that　divided　the　lawn　and　led　to　the　front　steps。　Another　row　stood　between　the　sidewalk　and　the　Klansmen；　and　one　between　the　sidewalk　and　the　blacks。
　As　the　jurors　began　arriving；　they　walked　briskly　through　the　rows　of　soldiers。　They　clutched　their　sum