american tragedy

Chapter 122

Chapter 316
After this discussion, they finally decided that the best and safest defense was insanity, or "sudden disturbance of the brain"--love, the dream of a luxurious life that Sandra Finchley had woven in his mind, Facing the crisis of being broken by Roberta, Clyde became somewhat insane.Of course, this requires the consent of the Griffiths family. They discussed it with Katchiman and Darla Brockhart in Lycurgus, and the two went to tell Samuel Griffiths, Jill Burt Griffiths, the final conclusion is no.If one wants to prove insanity or "brain breakout", there must be previous evidence or witnesses that Clyde is not very mentally healthy, and there must be hard evidence to prove it, and there must be relatives (possibly including Lyco Gus’s Griffith family) to testify under oath, the whole process requires many people to lie and perjury, and it is also related to the blood and intelligence of the Griffith family, which caused dissatisfaction with Samuel and Gilbert and refused to intervene In this matter, Blockhart had no choice but to say to Belknap that this defense must be eliminated.

That being the case, Belknap and Jefferson had no choice but to start over, but they couldn't think of any other defense.

"There's something I want to tell you," said the indefatigable Jefferson, after reading Roberta and Sandra's letters over and over again, "that Miss Alden's letter is the hardest part, any jury reads It would be moved to tears. If Mason had produced the letters from these two girls by the way, there would be no way out. I think we had better not mention it unless Mason brought it up first. Otherwise, it would appear that he is Killing Miss Alden in order to get rid of her is exactly what Mason wants." Belknap agreed with this statement very much.

In this way, they must immediately formulate another plan.Jefferson took the case as an opportunity of a lifetime, and after much deliberation the only plausible reason, and the one that best suited some of Clyde's own eccentric behavior, was that he had never thought of murdering her.As he himself said, he was a moral coward, though not physically.He was worried that if he was exposed, he would be expelled from Lycurgus and lose his status in Sandra's heart. Besides, he hadn't told Roberta about Sandra, because he was afraid that if Roberta knew about it, Might want to dump him too.So he made a hasty decision.He didn't want to do anything bad, but he wanted to persuade Roberta to come with him to some nearby scenery—she didn't have to go to Grass Lake or Great Burton—and tell her everything to be free again.But he also wanted to promise that he would do his best to help, and pay for her living expenses if she was struggling.

"It's well planned," Belknap observed, "but it involves the fact that he won't marry her, and that alone won't leave any jury sympathetic to him in believing that he didn't mean to hurt her." kill her."

"Wait a minute," Jefferson said disapprovingly, "it still makes sense. But you haven't finished listening to me, I still have a plan."

"Okay, tell me about it then." Belknap became interested.

"My plan is to take all the facts as they are, just as he said he talked to Mason, except of course that he hit her, and then explain the facts—the letters, the bruises, the suitcase, Two hats, everything—without denying it."

He paused for a moment, and stroked his light-colored hair vigorously with his long, thin, speckled hands. He looked at the dry grass in the square, then at Clyde's detention center, and then at Bernard. general.

"Then what?"

"To be honest, this is the only way out, and it works." Jefferson said to himself, ignored Belknap, and turned his head to look out the window as if there was no such person. "He went there because he was frightened and had to do something or he would be found out. He put a fake name on the register for fear of being known by anyone in Lycurgus. He planned to be honest. Tell Roberta about the other girl." He stared at Belknap. "That's the crux of the whole case, and if it doesn't hold up here, we're all over! Listen! When they got there, he was terrified, He didn't want to marry her or kill her, he just wanted to get rid of her, but when he got there he found her weak and tired and sad, and she loved him so much that he stayed with her for two more days. do you understand?"

"Understood." Belknap was eager to listen, but he was no longer so skeptical, "These few nights may be able to explain things."

"Perhaps it has been explained!" replied Jefferson, his face calm and shrewd, and his blue eyes were calm, eager, and serious, and there was no emotion at all. "They lived together, and got so close to her, and he changed his mind. Do you understand? He was very upset, and felt ashamed of himself, and had done so many crimes against her. People around here are religious, moral, That should touch their hearts, right?"

"Very likely." Belknap was relieved, and now he felt that the hope was great.

"He knows he's sorry for her," Jefferson said, concentrating on his plan like a webbing spider. "He's in love with another girl, but he's going to marry her now, because he's sad and ashamed of himself. That'll clear up the ugly thing about staying with her for two nights and trying to do her wrong." gone."

"But he's still in love with another girl."

"Of course, he liked her very much. Her way of life made him dazed, like a different person. But then he was ready to marry Roberta, and if he told her about the other girl If she still wants to marry him."

"Understood. But what about the boat, the suitcase, and his going to Miss Finchray's after the accident?"

"Don't worry, listen to me," Jefferson's blue eyes sparkled, "of course, they went out on the boat together, with that suitcase, and he registered a false name, and after Roberta drowned , went through the woods to Miss Finchley's. Why? You may wonder why? It was because he felt sorry and wanted to marry her, and that was after staying with her for two nights. As he said She drowned by accident, as I said, and at the same time he loved another girl, and would have sacrificed her to marry Roberta. He still loved her. Do you understand?"

"understood."

"Besides, if he insists on that statement, who's to prove that he hasn't changed his mind?"

"You're right, but he has to be convincing. And what about the two hats? That's hard to explain, too."

"I'm going to get to that. His old one was dirty, so he bought another one. As for telling Mason it was a cap, it was because he was too frightened to tell a lie. .Now what is he going to do with the other lady while Roberta is still married to him? This has to be sorted out somehow. But it's not difficult. He just has to write Write a letter to the other girl, or go to her and tell her about it.

"Correct."

"So I think that at the end of the day we can't avoid her in this case and I'm afraid we have to involve her."

"Well, that's the only way to go," said Belknap.

"You know, if Roberta still wants to marry him, he should go to Finchley's first and tell her he can't marry her because he's staying with Roberta... if Roberta doesn't object to him Get away for a while to relax."

"Ah."

"They're getting married, in Three Mile Bay or somewhere else."

"correct."

"You naturally remember that he was at a loss and distressed before. After the grass lake and the second night, he finally realized the mistakes he made before. Maybe she cried or wanted to commit suicide, as mentioned in her letter These."

"Yes."

"So, he wants to find a place where no one can find them, and talk to her calmly."

"Go on."

"And so he thought of Great Burton. He'd been there once before, and they weren't far from there. There's Three Mile Bay, twelve miles down, and if they're going to get married, they can do it in Three Mile Bay."

"I understand."

"In case she doesn't want to marry him after hearing what he's said about the other girl, he can row her back to the hotel. They can live there, or they can go somewhere else."

"Exactly."

"And not necessarily staying in that hotel all the time, that required a lot of money, and he wasn't very well off. He had his lunch snacks in his suitcase, and he had a camera with him, so he could take a few pictures. If Mason got out that camera If we don’t, we’ll have to explain it. It’s better for us to explain it than for them to explain it, right?”

"I see, I see," cried Belknap.At this point, his spirits were high, and he actually smiled and rubbed his hands together.

"So they rowed out onto the lake."

"Yes."

"They paddle as they please."

"Yes."

"In the end, they had lunch and snacks on the shore, and took a few photos..."

"Yes."

"He is determined to confess to her his present situation. He is now ready and willing to..."

"I see what you mean."

"However, before that, he intends to take a picture or two of her on the boat by the lake."

"Yes."

"And then he's going to tell her, understand?"

"Ah."

"So they're in the boat again, and they're going to row a little longer, as he was then, see?"

"clear."

"But because they wanted to go ashore again to pick some flowers. He left the suitcase ashore, see? That explains the suitcase."

"Correct."

"However, before continuing to take pictures, when the boat stopped in the middle of the lake, he began to tell her about his love with another girl, saying that if she still married him now, he could marry her immediately, but Gotta write a letter to that Sandra. Otherwise, she thinks he shouldn't have her since he's in love with another girl..."

"Yes, yes, go ahead!" Belknap's heart was eager to know what to say next.

"Well," Jefferson went on. "He will try his best to take care of her. If he marries that rich girl, he will have money, and he can use the money to support her."

"Yes."

"But she insisted on marrying him, and wanted him to get rid of that Miss Finchray!"

"I understand."

"Did he agree?"

"of course."

"She was so grateful, and in agitation, or gratitude, she rushed towards him, understand?"

"Ah."

"Poor thing the boat started shaking, he got up and tried to hold her, he was worried she would fall, understand?"

"I see."

"Well, now, his camera, we can have it in his hands or not, as long as we are happy, we can say whatever you think is appropriate."

"I know what you mean."

"Well, whether it's in his hands or not, it's either because of their unsteady footing, as he said, or just because of their jerks, and the boat capsizes. As for what he has If you didn't hit her, say what you see fit. But, of course, it was just accidental."

"Well, I see. Damn it!" cried Bernard. "Well done, Reuben! That's fucking awesome!"

"The ship hit her and hit him, but just a little bit, see?" Jefferson went on, ignoring his agitation.He was too interested in what he was planning, "and it made him a little dizzy."

"I understand."

"He heard her shouting, and he did see her, but at the time he was frightened, understand? When he calmed down, he was about to think of something..."

"She's finished," Belknap calmly concluded. "Drown, I see what you mean."

"Then, because of all these suspicious circumstances, you also know..."

"I see"

"He freaked out and slipped away. A moral coward, as we were prepared to propose at the outset: desperate to see his uncle respect him and not lose his place in the circle. That makes sense. ?"

"I see, if nothing else makes sense, that's about it, Reuben. In fact, I think it's a very plausible explanation, and I should be congratulated. I don't see how anyone could have found a better one. If so Can't exonerate him, or divide the jury, maybe at least get him a, um, like 20 years or something, what do you think?" And he stood up happily, admiringly. Glancing at his colleague, he said, "Wonderful!" Jefferson's eyes were like pools of water without the slightest ripple, and at this moment he gave him a firm look back.

"However, you should be very clear about the specific method." Jefferson whispered very calmly.

"He has to be on the stand? Of course, of course. I understand that. But it's his only chance."

"Also, I worry, he gives the impression of being very shaky, hard to trust, he's too flustered, too agitated."

"Yes, I understand all that," answered Belknap promptly. "He panicked too easily. And Mason would growl at him like a buffalo. But for all that, we had to drill him. Make him understand that his life is all about. We gotta drill him several months."

"If he fails, he will die. As long as we can find a way to muster his courage and guide him to play this scene to the end." Jefferson's eyes stared as if staring at the scene in the court, like Clay De sat on the witness stand, with Mason standing in front of him.Then, picking up Roberta's letters (copied by Mason), he said, "If it wasn't for these things," he weighed them in his hand. "My God!" he said grimly. "What a tricky case! We're not beaten, though, damn it, not at all. We haven't even started a fight yet. Anyway, we Sure to show off. Ah, and," he went on, "I've got an acquaintance around Great Burton to salvage that camera tonight. Wish me luck."

"Didn't I wish you well?" Belknap replied.

(End of this chapter)