The effect of Mason's re-appearance in the camp with the news, announced first to Frank Harriet, next to HarleyBaggott and Grant Cranston, that Clyde was under arrest--that he actually had confessed to having been withRoberta at Big Bittern, if not to having killed her, and that he, Mason, was there with Swenk to take possessionof his property--was sufficient to destroy this pretty outing as by a breath. For although amazement1 and disbeliefand astounded2 confusion were characteristic of the words of all, nevertheless here was Mason demanding toknow where were Clyde's things, and asserting that it was at Clyde's request only that he was not brought here toidentify his own possessions.
Frank Harriet, the most practical of the group, sensing the truth and authority of this, at once led the way toClyde's tent, where Mason began an examination of the contents of the bag and clothes, while Grant Cranston, aswell as Baggott, aware of Sondra's intense interest in Clyde, departed first to call Stuart, then Bertine, and finally Sondra--moving apart from the rest the more secretly to inform her as to what was then occurring. And she,following the first clear understanding as to this, turning white and fainting at the news, falling back in Grant'sarms and being carried to her tent, where, after being restored to consciousness, she exclaimed: "I don't believe aword of it! It's not true! Why, it couldn't be! That poor boy! Oh, Clyde! Where is he? Where have they takenhim?" But Stuart and Grant, by no means as emotionally moved as herself, cautioning her to be silent. It might betrue at that. Supposing it were! The others would hear, wouldn't they? And supposing it weren't--he could soonprove his innocence3 and be released, couldn't he? There was no use in carrying on like this now.
But then, Sondra in her thoughts going over the bare possibility of such a thing--a girl killed by Clyde at BigBittern--himself arrested and being taken off in this way--and she thus publicly--or at least by this group--knownto be so interested in him,--her parents to know, the public itself to know--maybe-But Clyde must be innocent. It must be all a mistake. And then her mind turning back and thinking of that newsof the drowned girl she had first heard over the telephone there at the Harriets'. And then Clyde's whiteness--hisillness--his all but complete collapse4. Oh, no!--not that! Yet his delay in coming from Lycurgus until the Fridaybefore. His failure to write from there. And then, the full horror of the charge returning, as suddenly collapsingagain, lying perfectly5 still and white while Grant and the others agreed among themselves that the best thing tobe done was to break up the camp, either now or early in the morning, and depart for Sharon.
And Sondra returning to consciousness after a time tearfully announcing that she must get out of here at once,that she couldn't "endure this place," and begging Bertine and all the others to stay close to her and say nothingabout her having fainted and cried, since it would only create talk. And thinking all the time of how, if this wereall true, she could secure those letters she had written him! Oh, heavens! For supposing now at this time theyshould fall into the hands of the police or the newspapers, and be published? And yet moved by her love for himand for the first time in her young life shaken to the point where the grim and stern realities of life were thrustupon her gay and vain notice.
And so it was immediately arranged that she leave with Stuart, Bertine and Grant for the Metissic Inn at theeastern end of the Lake, since from there, at dawn, according to Baggott, they might leave for Albany--and so, ina roundabout way for Sharon.
In the meantime, Mason, after obtaining possession of all Clyde's belongings7 here, quickly making his way westto Little Fish Inlet and Three Mile Bay, stopping only for the first night at a farmhouse8 and arriving at ThreeMile Bay late on Tuesday night. Yet not without, en route, catechizing Clyde as he had planned, the moreparticularly since in going through his effects in the tent at the camp he had not found the gray suit said to havebeen worn by Clyde at Big Bittern.
And Clyde, troubled by this new development, denying that he had worn a gray suit and insisting that the suit hehad on was the one he had worn.
"But wasn't it thoroughly9 soaked?""Yes.""Well, then, where was it cleaned and pressed afterward10?""In Sharon.""In Sharon?""Yes, sir.""By a tailor there?""Yes, sir.""What tailor?"Alas11, Clyde could not remember.
"Then you wore it crumpled12 and wet, did you, from Big Bittern to Sharon?""Yes, sir.""And no one noticed it, of course.""Not that I remember--no.""Not that you remember, eh? Well, we'll see about that later," and deciding that unquestionably Clyde was aplotter and a murderer. Also that eventually he could make Clyde show where he had hidden the suit or had hadit cleaned.
Next there was the straw hat found on the lake. What about that? By admitting that the wind had blown his hatoff, Clyde had intimated that he had worn a hat on the lake, but not necessarily the straw hat found on the water.
But now Mason was intent on establishing within hearing of these witnesses, the ownership of the hat found onthe water as well as the existence of a second hat worn later.
"That straw hat of yours that you say the wind blew in the water? You didn't try to get that either at the time, didyou?""No, sir.""Didn't think of it, I suppose, in the excitement?""No, sir.""But just the same, you had another straw hat when you went down through the woods there. Where did you getthat one?"And Clyde, trapped and puzzled by this pausing for the fraction of a second, frightened and wondering whetheror not it could be proved that this second straw hat he was wearing was the one he had worn through the woods.
Also whether the one on the water had been purchased in Utica, as it had. And then deciding to lie. "But I didn'thave another straw hat." Without paying any attention to that, Mason reached over and took the straw hat onClyde's head and proceeded to examine the lining14 with its imprint--Stark & Company, Lycurgus.
"This one has a lining, I see. Bought this in Lycurgus, eh?""Yes, sir.""When?""Oh, back in June.""But still you're sure now it's not the one you wore down through the woods that night?""No, sir.""Well, where was it then?"And Clyde once more pausing like one in a trap and thinking: My God! How am I to explain this now? Why didI admit that the one on the lake was mine? Yet, as instantly recalling that whether he had denied it or not, therewere those at Grass Lake and Big Bittern who would remember that he had worn a straw hat on the lake, ofcourse.
"Where was it then?" insisted Mason.
And Clyde at last saying: "Oh, I was up here once before and wore it then. I forgot it when I went down the lasttime but I found it again the other day.""Oh, I see. Very convenient, I must say." He was beginning to believe that he had a very slippery person to dealwith indeed--that he must think of his traps more shrewdly, and at the same time determining to summon theCranstons and every member of the Bear Lake party in order to discover, whether any recalled Clyde notwearing a straw hat on his arrival this time, also whether he had left a straw hat the time before. He was lying, ofcourse, and he would catch him.
And so no real peace for Clyde at any time between there and Bridgeburg and the county jail. For however muchhe might refuse to answer, still Mason was forever jumping at him with such questions as: Why was it if all youwanted to do was to eat lunch on shore that you had to row all the way down to that extreme south end of thelake when it isn't nearly so attractive there as it is at other points? And: Where was it that you spent the rest ofthat afternoon--surely not just there? And then, jumping back to Sondra's letters discovered in his bag. How longhad he known her? Was he as much in love with her as she appeared to be with him? Wasn't it because of herpromise to marry him in the fall that he had decided15 to kill Miss Alden?
But while Clyde vehemently16 troubled to deny this last charge, still for the most part he gazed silently andmiserably before him with his tortured and miserable17 eyes.
And then a most wretched night spent in the garret of a farmhouse at the west end of the lake, and on a pallet onthe floor, while Sissel, Swenk and Kraut, gun in hand, in turn kept watch over him, and Mason and the sheriffand the others slept below stairs. And some natives, because of information distributed somehow, coming towardmorning to inquire: "We hear the feller that killed the girl over to Big Bittern is here--is that right?" And thenwaiting to see them off at dawn in the Fords secured by Mason.
And again at Little Fish Inlet as well as Three Mile Bay, actual crowds--farmers, store-keepers, summerresidents, woodsmen, children--all gathered because of word telephoned on ahead apparently18. And at the latterplace, Burleigh, Heit and Newcomb, who, because of previously19 telephoned information, had brought before oneGabriel Gregg, a most lanky20 and crusty and meticulous21 justice of the peace, all of the individuals from BigBittern necessary to identify him fully6. And now Mason, before this local justice, charging Clyde with the deathof Roberta and having him properly and legally held as a material witness to be lodged22 in the county jail atBridgeburg. And then taking him, along with Burton, the sheriff and his deputies, to Bridgeburg, where he waspromptly locked up.
And once there, Clyde throwing himself on the iron cot and holding his head in a kind of agony of despair. It wasthree o'clock in the morning, and just outside the jail as they approached he had seen a crowd of at least fivehundred--noisy, jeering23, threatening. For had not the news been forwarded that because of his desire to marry arich girl he had most brutally24 assaulted and murdered a young and charming working-girl whose only fault hadbeen that she loved him too well. There had been hard and threatening cries of "There he is, the dirty bastard25!
You'll swing for this yet, you young devil, wait and see!" This from a young woodsman not unlike Swenk intype--a hard, destroying look in his fierce young eyes, leaning out from the crowd. And worse, a waspish type ofsmall-town slum girl, dressed in a gingham dress, who in the dim light of the arcs, had leaned forward to cry:
"Lookit, the dirty little sneak--the murderer! You thought you'd get away with it, didnja?"And Clyde, crowding closer to Sheriff Slack, and thinking: Why, they actually think I did kill her! And they mayeven lynch me! But so weary and confused and debased and miserable that at the sight of the outer steel jail doorswinging open to receive him, he actually gave vent13 to a sigh of relief because of the protection it afforded.
But once in his cell, suffering none the less without cessation the long night through, from thoughts--thoughtsconcerning all that had just gone. Sondra! the Griffiths! Bertine. All those people in Lycurgus when they shouldhear in the morning. His mother eventually, everybody. Where was Sondra now? For Mason had told her, ofcourse, and all those others, when he had gone back to secure his things. And they knew him now for what hewas--a plotter of murder! Only, only, if somebody could only know how it had all come about! If Sondra, hismother, any one, could truly see!
Perhaps if he were to explain all to this man Mason now, before it all went any further, exactly how it all hadhappened. But that meant a true explanation as to his plot, his real original intent, that camera, his swimmingaway. That unintended blow--(and who was going to believe him as to that)--his hiding the tripod afterwards.
Besides once all that was known would he not be done for just the same in connection with Sondra, the Griffiths--everybody. And very likely prosecuted26 and executed for murder just the same. Oh, heavens--murder.
And to be tried for that now; this terrible crime against her proved. They would electrocute him just the same-wouldn'tthey? And then the full horror of that coming upon him,--death, possibly--and for murder--he sat therequite still. Death! God! If only he had not left those letters written him by Roberta and his mother in his roomthere at Mrs. Peyton's. If only he had removed his trunk to another room, say, before he left. Why hadn't hethought of that? Yet as instantly thinking, might not that have been a mistake, too, being seemingly a suspiciousthing to have done then? But how came they to know where he was from and what his name was? Then, asinstantly returning in mind to the letters in the trunk. For, as he now recalled, in one of those letters from hismother she had mentioned that affair in Kansas City, and Mason would come to know of that. If only he haddestroyed them. Roberta's, his mother's, all! Why hadn't he? But not being able to answer why--just an insanedesire to keep things maybe--anything that related to him--a kindness, a tenderness toward him. If only he hadnot worn that second straw hat--had not met those three men in the woods! God! He might have known theywould be able to trace him in some way. If only he had gone on in that wood at Bear Lake, taking his suit caseand Sondra's letters with him. Perhaps, perhaps, who knows, in Boston, or New York, or somewhere he mighthave hidden away.
Unstrung and agonized27, he was unable to sleep at all, but walked back and forth28, or sat on the side of the hardand strange cot, thinking, thinking. And at dawn, a bony, aged29, rheumy jailer, in a baggy30, worn, blue uniform,bearing a black, iron tray, on which was a tinful of coffee, some bread and a piece of ham with one egg. Andlooking curiously31 and yet somehow indifferently at Clyde, while he forced it through an aperture32 only wide andhigh enough for its admission, though Clyde wanted nothing at all.
And then later Kraut and Sissel and Swenk, and eventually the sheriff himself, each coming separately, to look inand say: "Well, Griffiths, how are you this morning?" or, "Hello, anything we can do for you?", while their eyesshowed the astonishment33, disgust, suspicion or horror with which his assumed crime had filled them. Yet, evenin the face of that, having one type of interest and even sycophantic34 pride in his presence here. For was he not aGriffiths--a member of the well-known social group of the big central cities to the south of here. Also the same tothem, as well as to the enormously fascinated public outside, as a trapped and captured animal, taken in theirlegal net by their own superlative skill and now held as witness to it? And with the newspapers and peoplecertain to talk, enormous publicity35 for them--their pictures in the papers as well as his, their names persistentlylinked with his.
And Clyde, looking at them between the bars, attempted to be civil, since he was now in their hands and theycould do with him as they would.
梅森又一次来到宿营地，先是向弗兰克。哈里特，随后向哈利。巴戈特和格兰特。克兰斯顿宣布说:
克莱德已经被捕……克莱德如实供认自己跟罗伯达一起到过大比腾，虽然用他的话来说，他并没有谋杀她;此外还说:
他(梅森)和斯温克到这里来，是要把克莱德的东西取走……这个消息一下子使这次美好的郊游大煞风景了。尽管大家在言谈之中都流露出惊讶。不相信和恐慌混乱，可是，站在他们跟前的梅森却一个劲儿查问克莱德的东西放在哪里，还说:
正是按照克莱德的请求，才没有把他押回来认领自己的东西。
在这一行人里头，就算弗兰克。哈里特最最讲求实际。他头一个感到梅森这些话的真实性与权威性，立刻带路来到了克莱德住过的帐篷，梅森便在那里开始察看后者手提箱里东西和衣服。格兰特。克兰斯顿和巴戈特知道桑德拉很喜欢克莱德，就先去找斯图尔特，跟着又找了伯蒂娜，最后才找桑德拉……领她到远离众人的地方，悄悄地把发生的事态告诉她。她刚听清楚这个消息，马上脸色发白，昏倒在格兰特怀里，被送到她自己的帐篷里。她知觉一恢复过来，就大声嚷嚷:
"我一句话也不相信!
这不是真的!
啊，这是不可能的!
那个可怜的孩子呀!
啊，克莱德!
他在哪儿呀?
现在他被弄到哪儿去了?
"不过，斯图尔特和格兰特情绪上绝对不象她那样激动，关照她要小心，保持缄默。说不定这一切是真实的。万一果然是真实的，怎么办呢!
那时，人人都会听到的，可不是?
要是不真实的……那他很快就能证明自己是无辜的，于是立即被释放，可不是?
现在犯不着象这样喧哗起来。
不过，桑德拉自己又转念一想:
这么一件事，万一真的有可能的话……一个姑娘被克莱德在大比腾杀害了……他自己也已被捕。押走了……可是众所周知……至少是这里的俊男倩女，都知道她对他很感兴趣……这一切她的父母会知道，说不定社会上也会知道……不过，不，克莱德当然是无辜的。全是一场误会。稍后，她暗自回想到:
她头一次怎样从哈里特家电话里听到那个姑娘溺死的消息。继而想到:
克莱德吓得脸色发白……还有他的病……那时他简直完全失去了感觉。啊，不!
……不是那样!
可是话又说回来，他在莱柯格斯却迟迟不动身，到上星期五才来。他又没有从莱柯格斯写信来。接下来她想到他被指控的罪名太可怕，就突然又晕倒了。
她脸色死白地躺在帐篷里动弹不了。这时，格兰特和其他人商议后决定，目前最好办法，是现在(或明天一清早)就撤营动身回沙隆。
不一会儿，桑德拉神志清醒以后，泪涔涔地说:
她务必马上离开这里，说她"再待在这个鬼地方受不了"，要求伯蒂娜和所有别人不要撇下她，千万不要跟别人提起她晕过去和号哭过的事，因为，这么一提，只会徒增闲言碎语。她老是在暗自思忖，要是这一切都是真实的，她怎样才能把她写给克莱德的那些信都给追回来!
啊，老天哪!
万一这些信已经落到警方手里，或是在各报刊登了出来呢?
可是，桑德拉心里还是爱他的，而且，在她年轻的一生中，这是头一次饱受震惊，眼看着生活中严峻。冷酷的现实闯入了她这个快乐而又好虚荣的小天地。
很快一切安排停当，她和斯图尔特。伯蒂娜。格兰特动身前往熊湖东头梅蒂西克旅馆。据巴戈特说，一清早他们可以从那里启程去奥尔巴尼……就这样绕道回沙隆。
与此同时，梅森取到克莱德留在这里的全部东西以后，便急忙往西去小鱼湾和三英里湾，头一夜在一户农家歇脚，星期二深夜才赶到了三英里湾。在路上，梅森还是按照自己原来的计划继续盘问克莱德，尤其是因为他搜寻了从帐篷里取来的那些东西后并未找到那套据说是克莱德那天在大比腾穿过的灰色衣服，所以盘问得格外仔细。
克莱德对这一新的事态发展感到很困惑，干脆矢口否认他穿过灰色衣服，一口咬定说:
那天他穿的，就是眼前他身上穿的这一套。
"不过，衣服不是全都湿透了吗?
""是的。""那末，后来是在哪儿洗烫的?
""在沙隆。""在沙隆?
""是的，先生。""是那儿的一家裁缝店?
""是的，先生。""哪一家裁缝店?
"天哪，克莱德可记不得了。
"那末，从大比腾到三英里湾，一路上你穿的，就是这套皱巴巴。湿漉漉的衣服，是吗?
""是的，先生。""当然罗，谁也没有注意到吧。""我可不记得了……不记得。""你不记得了，嗯?
好吧，我们等一会儿再谈吧。"梅森暗自琢磨:
克莱德毫无疑问就是谋杀罗伯达的凶犯，并且，最后一定能叫克莱德说出那套衣服究竟藏匿在哪儿，或是送到哪儿去洗烫的。
下一个问题……是湖面上找到的那顶草帽。他该怎么解释呢?
克莱德承认过是风把他的帽子给刮走了，意思是说，他在湖上确实是戴帽子的，但不一定就是在湖面上找到的那一顶草帽。不过，现在梅森一心想要在这些见证人在场时，证明湖面上发现的那顶帽子的失主是克莱德，以及克莱德后来又戴上了另一顶帽子这一事实。
"那顶草帽你说是被风刮到湖里去的?
那时候，你就没有想要把它找回来，是吗?
""没有，先生。""也许是太紧张了，没有想到，是吧?
""是的，先生。""反正不管怎么说，后来你走过那边树林子时，又戴上了另一顶草帽。那你是哪儿寻摸来的?
"这一问克莱德才感到自己落入了圈套，简直茫然不知所措，就顿住了片刻，心里很害怕，暗自纳闷，真不知道能不能设法证明眼前他戴的第二顶草帽就是他在树林子里戴过的那一顶。还有，湖面上的那一顶，事实上是在尤蒂卡买的。
于是，他就决定撒谎了。"可我还没有第二顶草帽呀。"梅森对他这句回话压根儿不理睬，只是伸过手来，摘下克莱德头上那顶草帽，仔细检查里面的出厂商标……莱柯格斯斯塔克公司。
"哦，我明白了，这一顶是有出厂商标的。是在莱柯格斯买的，嗯?
""是的，先生。""什么时候?
""哦，还是在六月间。""不过，你还肯定这不是那天晚上你走过树林子时戴的那一顶吗?
""不是那一顶。先生。""那末，另一顶上哪儿去了?
"克莱德再一次哑口无言了，感到自己好象落入了圈套。他暗自寻思:
我的天哪!
这我该怎么解释呢?
我为什么要承认湖面上那一顶草帽是我的?
可他一下子又想起，不管他承认也好，不承认也好，反正在草湖和大比腾那里找到的人，当然罗，都会记得他在湖上是戴了一顶草帽的。
"那末，另一顶上哪儿去了?
"梅森一个劲儿追问。
克莱德终于说:
"哦，我以前来过这儿，戴的就是这顶帽子，回去的时候忘了，但前天我来了，却又找到了。""哦，我明白了。我说，得来简直毫不费工夫了。"梅森开始感到，他这个对手实在挺狡猾……他非得想出更加精明的圈套不可。与此同时，他还决定传唤克兰斯顿家里的人，以及参加熊湖露营活动的每一个人，也许他们有人记得克莱德这次来宿营地时有没有戴过草帽，克莱德上次走时有没有留下草帽。克莱德当然是在撒谎，梅森就要当场戳穿他。
所以，一路上从这里起，一直到布里奇伯格和县监狱，克莱德委实连一点儿真正的平静都没有。不管他怎么拒绝回答，梅森老是冷不丁地向他提出类似下面的诸问题:
你既然真的打算在岸上进午餐，为什么非要划到远远的湖的最南端去，那儿景色并不见得比别处漂亮呢?
还有，那天下午剩下来的时间，你是在哪儿打发过去的……当然罗，不会就在那个肇事地点吧?
然后，梅森又突然回到在他手提箱里发现的桑德拉写的那些信。克莱德认识她有多久了?
看来她好象很爱他，他是不是也非常爱她?
是不是因为桑德拉答应过秋天跟他结婚，他才决定谋害奥尔登小姐?
这最后一条罪状，虽然克莱德拚命加以否认，但绝大部分时间，他依然一声不吭，他的那双苦恼。不幸的眼睛，没精打采地凝视着前方。
随后，在湖的西头一户农家阁楼上，而且是铺在地板上的草荐上，度过了一个最凄凉的夜晚。西塞尔。斯温克和克劳特手里提着枪，轮流监视他。梅森和执法官等一行人睡在楼下。不知怎的消息走漏出去了，天快亮时，当地一些居民就过来问:
"听说在大比腾杀死姑娘的那个家伙就在这儿……是真的吗?
"于是，就一直等到大天亮，看他们分乘梅森寻摸到的几辆福特车把他押走。
到了小鱼湾和三英里湾也是这样。大批群众……农民。商铺掌柜。避暑的旅客。林区居民和孩子们……全都围拢来:
显然事前接到了电话，知道凶犯即将押至此地。在三英里湾，伯利。海特。纽科姆因为事先接到了电话，便把为了最后确认克莱德而必不可少的所有大比腾的证人，都传唤到加布里埃尔。格里格面前。此人乃是当地一名身材细瘦。脾气乖戾，但又明察秋毫的治安官。现在梅森向这位当地法官控告克莱德谋杀罗伯达，要求依法将他关押在布里奇伯格的县监狱里。随后，他偕同伯顿。执法官及其几名助手，将克莱德押往布里奇伯格，立刻关押起来。
克莱德一到狱中，马上倒伏在一张小铁床上，在极端绝望之中，捂住自己的脑袋。此时已是凌晨三点钟。他们走近监狱时，他看见外面挤满了人，少说也有五百以上……有的喧嚷，有的嘲笑，有的恐吓。因为大家都已经听说:
他为了想跟一位大富人家的小姐结婚，便非常残酷地把一个年轻。可爱的女工给砸死了，而她唯一的罪过，仅仅是因为她太爱他了。耳畔传来一阵阵粗暴的。带有恐吓性的叫喊声:
"就是他，这个卑鄙透顶的流氓!
凭这就得绞死你，你这个年轻的魔鬼，等着瞧吧!
"这是跟斯温克差不离的一个年轻的林区居民说的……此人从人群里探出身子，他那年轻人的凶狠的眼里，流露出一种严酷的。毁灭一切的神色。更糟的是，这儿典型的小镇贫民窟里一个细瘦的姑娘，身穿格子布衣服，在拱门昏暗的亮光底下，探出头来喊道:
"你们看，这个偷着逃跑的下流鬼……这个杀人不眨眼的凶手!
你以为你能逍遥法外，是吗?
"克莱德紧紧畏缩在执法官斯莱克身边，暗自琢磨:
啊，人们真的以为是我杀害了她!
说不定他们甚至会给我动私刑!
可他已是那么困乏。慌乱。低下和不幸，因此，一见到监狱敞开它那道钢制大门来迎接他，说真的，他才舒了一大口气，不管怎么说，这一道大门向他提供了保护。
殊不知他进了牢房，一刻也合不上眼，这漫漫的长夜，一缕缕思绪还是不停地萦绕脑际，不断折磨着他。他时时刻刻想到的是……永远逝去了的那一切。
桑德拉!
格里菲思一家人!
伯蒂娜。莱柯格斯的所有熟人，一到早上，都会知道了。
最后，他母亲也会知道，几乎人人都会知道这件事了。此刻桑德拉在哪儿呀?
梅森回宿营地去取他的东西时，当然罗，早已告诉了她，以及所有其他人。现在，他们终于看到了他的真面目……一个谋杀案的策划者!
不过，要是有人真的能够知道这一切是怎么发生的就好了!
要是桑德拉。他的母亲，或是随便哪一个人能理解他就好了!
也许他应该在事态进一步发展以前，把所有一切经过都给梅森讲清楚。不过，这就意味着把他的策划。他原来的真实意图。那架照相机，以及他的泅水而逃，都得直言不讳地讲出来。还有那无意之中的一砸……(关于这一砸，有谁会相信他呀)……事后他把照相机三脚架藏匿了起来，等等。此外，这一切只要人人都知道了，那末，他……无论对桑德拉，对格里菲思一家人，甚至于对每一个人……还不是照样都完蛋了吗?
而且，很可能还是以杀人罪，照样被起诉，被处死。啊，老天哪……杀人。而且，现在他就得受审;对她犯下的骇人罪行也将得到证实了。那时，他照样会被处以电刑，可不是吗?
最大的恐怖就会落到他头上……也许是死刑……因为杀了人……他坐在那儿一声不吭。死!
天哪!
罗伯达和他母亲写给他的那些信，要是他没有留在佩顿太太家他那个房间里就好了。
要是他动身前把那只箱子搬走，比方说，搬到另一个房间去就好了。为什么他没有想到那样做呢?
不过，他忽然一个闪念，那时这么做说不定也是错了，看来叫人起了疑心，可不是吗?
不过，人家怎么会知道他是从哪儿来的，叫什么名字呢?
稍后，他的思绪马上又转到箱子里头那些信上去了。因为，至今他还记得母亲的那些信里，有一封提到了堪萨斯城一事，这就是说，梅森想必也会知道了。
他要是把那些信……不管是来自罗伯达的，或是他母亲的，一古脑儿……通通毁掉就好了。为什么他没有这样做呢?
可是，到底为了什么，他也回答不上来……也许只是一种愚蠢透顶的想法，要把所有一切的细微末节，哪怕是人们给他的一点儿青睐，一点儿好处和一点儿温情全都保存下来。要是他头上没有戴那另一顶帽子……在树林子里没有碰上那三个人就好了!
老天哪!
本来他早该知道，人家总会设法追到他头上来呀。要是他从熊湖边宿营地进入树林子后，带着他的手提箱和桑德拉给他的信继续往前走就好了。也许，也许，有谁说得准呀，在波士顿或是纽约，或是别的什么地方，他说不定还找得到避身之地。
他整天价惴惴不安，无比苦恼，压根儿睡不着，老是踱来踱去，或是坐在那张又硬又怪的小床边沿，想啊。想啊。天亮了，一个瘦骨嶙峋。患风湿病的监狱老看守，身穿一套鼓鼓囊囊的。磨旧了的蓝制服，端过来一个黑铁托盘，里头有一杯咖啡。几片面包和一份火腿蛋。此人好歹把托盘往那个小不点儿的窗口塞了进去，好奇地，但又漠然地望了克莱德一眼，尽管克莱德压根儿都不想吃。
后来，克劳特。西塞尔。斯温克，最后还有执法官本人，一个个先后进来看了看，都说:
"嗯，格里菲思，今儿个早上好吗?
"或是说:
"喂，也许你要我们帮点忙吗?
"可是他们眼里都显露出人们以为是他所犯的罪行在他们心中所引起的震惊。厌恶。怀疑与恐怖。不过，尽管这样，他们对克莱德关押在这里，还是感到另外一种兴趣，乃至于充满了谄媚的骄傲。不管怎么说，他还是格里菲思家的一个成员……南部好几个大城市里最负盛名的上流社会的一分子呀。再说，他们如同外边那些着了魔的公众一样认为:
克莱德犹如一头被诱捕的野兽落入了法网，这正是因为他们非凡的技巧，现在又可作为他们这种技巧的见证，可不是吗?
而且，各家报刊也好，还是广大公众也好，当然都会谈论此事，他们也就大大地出名了……他们的照片和他的照片一起刊登在各家报刊上，他们的名字也总是跟他的名字连在一起。
克莱德透过铁栅栏望着他们，尽可能对他们彬彬有礼，因为如今他已落到他们手里，他们可以随意处置他。
收听单词发音 |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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lanky
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| adj.瘦长的 | |
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meticulous
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| adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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jeering
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| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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brutally
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| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
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bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
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prosecuted
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| a.被起诉的 | |
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agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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sycophantic
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| adj.阿谀奉承的 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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