american tragedy

Chapter 127 (2)
Chapter 319 (2)
After a while, he remembered Belknap's advice, and tried to straighten himself up, pretending to be calm and calm.However, his pale and flustered face, as well as those blank eyes, more or less revealed some of his true state of mind. He glanced at the journalists and art reporters who were observing him sketching, as if And muttered under his breath, "The houses are packed, aren't they?" But just then, before he could speak, there was a loud hammering from somewhere.A voice came: "Discipline and order must be observed in the courtroom! Your Excellency is here now! Please stand up!" All of a sudden, the chattering and noisy audience immediately became silent.But I saw a tall, kind-looking man with a ruddy complexion coming out of the door to the south of the pulpit.Wearing a loose black robe, he walked quickly to the big chair behind the table, first glanced at all the people present with majestic eyes, but sat down without looking at anyone.The people in the court sat down accordingly.

At this time, at a small table on the left of the judge, a shorter and older man stood up and said loudly: "Silence! Anyone who comes to the New York State Supreme Court in Kadalaki County for business, all Attention, this court is now in session."

Then the man stood up again and said, "The State of New York v. Clyde Griffiths." Mason stood up behind his desk, and said, "The people are ready." Then, Belknap Standing up, he said politely and amiably: "The defendant is ready."

Then, the same clerk went to a square cabinet in front, took out a piece of paper from it, and called out: "Silaon Dismore." At this time, a small man was wearing a brown coat Clothed, with a face like a ferret, and hands like cat's claws, he walked quickly to the jury box and sat down.As soon as he took his seat, Mason leaned over, his flat-nosed face looking aggressive.His loud voice can be heard even in the farthest corners of the courtroom.With great spirits, he began to ask him about his age, occupation, marital status, how many children he had, and whether he thought the death penalty should be instituted.Clyde was quick to notice this last question, because it seemed to make him feel bad, or suppress some emotion.He immediately replied firmly: "For some people, I think of course it should be..." This answer made Mason forcefully smile, and Jefferson also turned to look at Belknap.There was something in Belknap's words, and he murmured: "People still say that there is a fair and impartial trial here!" However, Mason felt that this honest and conceited farmer talked too much about his beliefs. Resolute, and said: "If the court agrees, the people are going to ask this alternate juror to retire." The judge glanced at Belknap as if asking for advice, he nodded in agreement, and the alternate juror withdrew. .

The clerk immediately took out another piece of paper from the cabinet and called out: "Dudley Hilllein!" Immediately a tall, thin man aged 38 to 40 came over, he was dressed cleanly, His expression seemed a bit cautious, and after he sat down, Mason also asked him some questions as before.

At this moment, despite Jefferson and Belknap's prior instructions, Clyde still felt stiff, cold, and pale.Because, he clearly felt that the whole court was full of hostility towards him.And, chillingly, he thought that there must be Roberta's parents in the crowd, and maybe her sister, her brother, all looking at him at this moment, just as some reporters had warned him in the past few weeks , all sincerely hope that he will be punished for this matter.

In addition, there will be Lycurgus and No. 12 Lake and their gang.None of them messaged him in any way.Of course, if it is assumed that he actually committed homicide, was anyone in the gang there to witness it? Gertrude, for example, or Tracy, Duble? Or Winant or Her brothers? She was at Camp Bear Lake the day he was arrested.He thought of all the famous people in the world he had met in the past year.People now see him for what he is, poor, ordinary, despised by the world, and now on trial for a crime of this nature.Besides, he used to brag about what rich relatives he had here, and in the West.Now that things have happened, they will think that he is really as scary as when he planned it.As for his teachings today, others don't understand at all, and they don't care.Not concerned with his mood, his fears, being in such a mess because of Roberta, his love for Sandra, and what special place she held for him.They will not understand these things, and they will not allow him to talk about anything in this regard, even if he has this desire.

However, thanks to Belknap and Jefferson's persuasion, he insisted on sitting upright, putting on a smile, or at least appearing approachable, and meeting everyone's gaze boldly and without avoiding it. .In this way, he turned his face away, but at this moment, he was completely frightened.My God! There—what a resemblance!—to his left, on a row of stools against the wall, was a woman, a girl perhaps, who looked exactly like Roberta.It was Roberta's sister, she had mentioned it many times, and yet, my God, they were so much alike, so terrifying! His heart almost stopped.

This may be Roberta herself! And, those ghostly eyes, which seem to be real, fierce and resentful eyes, fixed on him! There is a girl beside her, who also looks like her , beside the girl was an old man, Roberta's father, a wrinkled old man whom he had met that day when he was asking directions at the gate of the farm, and who now seemed to be staring at him with great ferocity.His gloomy and tired eyes seemed to say very clearly: "You are a murderer! You are a murderer!" Sitting beside him was a soft and simple, not tall, 50-year-old man with a full face. A sickly woman, covered with a veil, with her deep eyes narrowed into tiny slits.He glanced at her, and her eyes dropped and looked away, as if in great pain, but not hate.There was no doubt that this was her mother.Ah, what was the situation? Unimaginable misfortune! His heart was beating wildly, and his hands were shaking.

In order to calm himself down, he moved his gaze downwards, first looking at the hands of Belknap and Jefferson on the table in front of him.Both of them were fiddling with the pens on the stack of paper in front of them, while staring at Mason and the jurors who entered in front of him one by one, when a stupid fat man sat inside.Jefferson's and Belknap's hands were so different, Belknap's hands were so short, soft and white, while Jefferson's hands were brown with skin covered with bones.Belknap's manner in court was gentle and gentle, and his polite voice said: "Alternate jurors, please retire." Mason's voice was like firing a gun! "Resign!" Jefferson's voice was slow. Tun, though in a low voice, was so powerful: "Let him down, Alvin. He's no good for us." Jefferson suddenly shouted to him, "Sit up! Sit up! !Look around, don't look so sluggish. Look straight in the eyes, and smile big, Clyde. Looking straight in the eyes won't hurt you. It's just Country folk who come out to broaden their horizons."

However, Clyde immediately noticed that a journalist and an art reporter were watching him, or sketching him, or recording his expression.He felt guilty, and his face was hot and uncomfortable.Because, he could clearly feel those eager gazes and hasty voices.He could also hear the rustling of their writing, which was to be published in a newspaper.His face was ashen, his hands trembling, and it would be written down, and mothers in Denver, and every townsman in Lycurgus, would read and see how he looked at the Aldens and how they How he looked at him, and how he looked around next.But...but...he had to be more composed, and once again he suppressed his fear as best he could, raised his eyes, turned his face a little, and looked around.

But while he was looking around in this way, some distance beyond the wall, at the tall window, he saw Tracy Double.That was exactly the last thing he wanted and dreaded! Tracy, obviously, out of interest in the law, or curiosity, or something, but, of course, never pity him or sympathize with him, and he still is today anyway. coming.In any case, he was not looking at him at this moment, but at Mason, who was interrogating the fat man.Beside him sat Eddie Sells, who was highly nearsighted and wore thick glasses.At this moment, he looked towards Clyde, but it didn't seem to be for him in particular, because he didn't have any special expression.Alas, all this is so distressing!

On the other side, about five rows from them, were the Gilpins, invited by Mason, of course.What evidence are they going to give now? Proof that he went to Roberta's room? It was always thought that it was done very secretly! This is really too bad! Besides, George and Newton have come.What had they been put on the witness stand for? To tell about Roberta's life with him, perhaps? Grace Marr was here too.He used to see her often, but if he had met, it was only once, and that was on Kefen Lake.Roberta was no longer close to her.What is she here to say? Maybe she tells how he met Roberta, but what else is there to tell? Yeah, and... but no, it can't be, but it's true And now, for God's sake, that Orin Short, he's the one who asked him about Dr. Glenn.Maybe he's going to talk about it! No doubt about it.People seem to remember things so firmly! This is stronger than he imagined.

Also, at the third window from the front, just beyond the frightening line of Alden, was a beefy, moustacheed Quaker-looking man, The man who later turned into a robber.His name is Height.He had met him at Three Mile Bay, and again the day he had been taken, against his will, to Great Burton.Oh yes, he is the coroner.Beside him was the innkeeper who had asked him to enter in the register that day.The watchman who chartered the boat to him was next to the boss.The tall, thin guide who had driven him and Roberta from Ken Lodge sat next to the watchman, a brown man, thin and strong, with a rough look.His small, animal-like eyes, sunken in their sockets, seemed to shoot right through him now.This man would naturally testify to what he had seen from Ken Lodge's car that day.Does he remember exactly how he looked and how foolish he was that day? If so, will his previous excuse of changing his mind be restrained? Is it best to talk to Jefferson again from beginning to end? Woolen cloth?

But Mason! He is too ruthless and too strong.It must have taken a lot of effort for him to recruit all these people to testify and deal with him.But now, he is here.Occasionally Clyde would look at him and see him yell like he had just done a dozen times (though there was no obvious result for jury selection).He roared: "The people think fit." But as a rule, whenever he shouted like this, Jefferson just turned his head slightly, without even looking, and said: "This man, a little It's no use, Alvin. He's as obsessed as a damned bone." Then the temperamental and amiable Belknap offered a dissent, which, for the most part, would stand.

But at last, alas, so exciting, the clerk of the court announced in his characteristic voice that the court would be adjourned until two o'clock in the afternoon.Jefferson turned around and said to Clyde with a smile: "Hey, Clyde, this is a head-to-head contest, isn't it? It's not embarrassing, is it? You'd better go back and have a good meal. This afternoon is still So procrastinating and boring."

Clout, Sissel, and Gapai's guards crowded around, shouting: "There he is! There! He's coming! Here!" A tall and fat woman squeezed in desperately, Looking straight into his face, he exclaimed, "Let me see him! I want to get a good look at him, boy. I have two daughters, too!" But Lycurg, whom he recognized in the gallery, None of Si and No. 12 people on the lake came together, and Sandra was nowhere to be seen.This was not surprising, since Belknap and Jefferson had repeatedly assured him that she would not be in court.Not even her name would be mentioned if I could.The Griffiths and the Finchleys were against it.

(End of this chapter)