american tragedy

Chapter 115 (1)
Chapter 312 (1)
And so out of the northern woods came the great news of a homicide, a case of intriguing mystery and brutality both spiritually and morally - love, affair, property, poverty and death in it.All kinds of reports were flying all over the place, such as Clyde's life in Lycurgus, his social relations, how he was secretly dating one girl while preparing to elope with another, etc. - similar reports used The telegram was sent to the editors of the press, and it was widely published in the newspapers.From New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and major cities on both sides of the East and West, many telegrams were sent to Mason, or to the local reporters of the Associated Press or the United Press, asking for further details.Who is the beautiful and wealthy girl who fell in love with Griffith? Where does she live? What is the relationship between Clyde and her? But Mason is a little afraid of the wealth of the Finchley family and the Griffith family. Willing to reveal Sandra's name, saying only that she is the daughter of a very wealthy Lycurgus.But the stack of letters carefully tied up by Clyde with ribbons, he didn't care about making it public.

As for Roberta's letter, he described it at length, and even excerpted some poetic and desolate parts for the papers, for she was a helpless girl.As soon as the letter hit the press, it created a wave of resentment against Clyde and sympathy for Roberta.This poor and helpless country girl loved him sincerely, but he was ungrateful and even murdered her.Hanging was too cheap for him.Since the incident, Mason has carefully read these letters on the way to and from Bear Lake.Some parts of it, such as her family life, her bleak future, her deep loneliness and inner melancholy, were tear-jerking and had moved him very much.Gradually the sentiment spread to others—his wife, Hayter, and the local journalists.So, the portrayal of Clyde emanating from Bridgeburg is somewhat distorted, his silence, sullenness and ferocity all exaggerated.

There was a young reporter at the Utiga newspaper El Star who was particularly romantic.He rushed to the Aldens' house and painted for readers across the country a standard portrait of Mrs. Alden: world-weary and crushed by bad luck.Mrs. Alden is weak and has no strength to resent and resent. She just narrates Roberta’s respect and love for her parents, her simple life, her modesty and kindness, and her religious devotion——local beauty Akemi The pastor of the congregation had said she was the brightest, prettiest, kindest girl he had ever known; she had been Mother's right-hand man until she left home.There is no doubt that it is only because of poverty.It was because she was so lonely in Lycurgos that she believed the rascal's words.He pretended to agree to marry her and seduced her into that degrading relationship.For her, the relationship was unbelievable, and it set her on a path of no return.She is so kind, pure and lovely, and treats people with sincerity. "I can't believe she's dead."

The mother's following words were copied in full by the reporter.

"Only last Monday, she was still here, still smiling Mimi, but I think she was a bit sad. For some reason, she was walking around the house that afternoon and evening, looking at everything, and picking a bunch of flowers .Then she came over again and put her arms around me and said, 'Mom, I wish I was a little girl and you were still hugging and coddling me like you used to do.' I said, 'What's wrong with you, Roberta , what's making you feel so bad?' She said, 'It's nothing. I have to go back to the factory early tomorrow morning, and I feel stupid tonight.' Maybe things can’t be realized as ideal. My God, he actually beat my daughter, a girl who is so kind that even a fly would not hurt her!” When she said this, she burst into tears, and Titus beside her also felt sad.

Still, the Griffiths' home, and others in the local social scene, were dead.Take Samuel Griffiths. At first he couldn't believe that Clyde would do such a thing.Could it be possible, that the mild-mannered young gentleman he thought was somewhat cowardly, had been charged with murder? He was in Sanarak, a long way from Lycurgus.Gilbert had struggled to get him on the phone, and he could hardly think, let alone take action.How could it be! There must be a mistake, perhaps confusing someone else with Clyde.

But Gilbert explained to him that it was true, because the girl worked for Clyde, and the Bridgeburg District Attorney told him that he had the girl's letter in his hand. Letter to Clyde, Clyde also admitted.

"In that case," said Samuel, "don't act recklessly, and don't talk about it to anyone but Smillie or Gotebow until you see me. Where's Brockhart?" he pointed It was Darla Brockhart, the legal counsel of Griffiths.

"He's in Boston now," replied his son, "and I remember he told me last Friday that he wouldn't be back until Monday or Tuesday."

"Then send him a telegram and say I'll tell him to come back immediately. Also, tell Smiley to see if he can discuss it with the editors of Star and Beacon, and suppress any comments first." When I get back, let him drive up to Bridgeburg, best today, I must get all the facts straight away. When I get there, tell him to see Clyde and the District Attorney, and put Bring back everything I can learn, as well as the newspaper, I want to see it myself. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

At almost the same time, at Finchley's house on Lake Four, Sandra was in shock and pain.All the girlish fantasies she had had about Clyde had been shattered this time.Finally she decided to tell her father the whole story—she loved her father more than her mother.She walked to the study, because he often reads or thinks about things in the study after dinner.But as soon as she got close enough to hear him, she couldn't help crying.She was so sad to think of her love for Clyde, her pride and expectation of her superior life, and the big scandal that was about to involve her family.Her mother had warned her so many times, and what would she say about her now? And her father, and Gilbert Griffiths and his fiancée, and the Cranstons.If Bettina hadn't listened to her, they wouldn't have had so much dealings with Clyde.

Her sobs startled my father, who looked up immediately.He didn't understand what happened, but he quickly realized that it must be a big deal, so he hugged her and gently comforted her: "Okay, okay! What's wrong with my little girl? Who offended you? What's going on?" Then, she told him the whole thing, and his expression was very shocked.She talked about her first meeting with Clyde, her affection for him, the attitude of the Griffiths, her letters, her love, and this... terrible crime and arrest.If the charges were true, her name, her father's name would be involved! She cried as if her heart was broken, but she also knew that her father would forgive her and forgive her, no matter how much pain it would be for him.

Finchley was used to his quiet, orderly, and harmonious family atmosphere, and now he looked at his daughter with a surprised expression, reproachful but also with a hint of understanding.He yelled, "It's going to happen! Damn it! Baby, it's amazing, I'm in a tizzy. It's a tricky thing. Accused of murder! You say he has your Handwritten letters, now it seems that those letters may be in the hands of the District Attorney. Oh! You are so stupid! Your mother has been telling me about this for months, and I always believe you, not hers , you know that too. How is it now? Why don't you listen to her, or tell me? Why don't you talk to me before you get stuck? I always thought we knew each other very well. Me and your mother It was always for your own good, and you know that, and I thought you were pretty cool-headed, and I did. But you've been implicated in a murder! My God!"

He stood up.He was well-dressed, fair-haired, and handsome.He walked back and forth, his fingers snapping nervously, while Sandra kept crying.He stopped suddenly, turned around and said, "Well, there's no use crying, it won't solve anything. Maybe we can find a way to make this less public. It's affecting you too much. But we must ask About the letter."

Sandra was still crying, so he called his wife first and told her about the misfortune.I'm afraid she will never forget such a blow in her life.Then he called Rigel Atbury.Atbury was an attorney, a member of the state Senate, chairman of the state Republican Central Committee, and his personal counsel for many years.He told him about his daughter's current plight, and asked him how to deal with it properly.

(End of this chapter)