In connection with the autopsy1 and its results there was a decided2 set-back. For while the joint3 report of the fivedoctors showed: "An injury to the mouth and nose; the tip of the nose appears to have been slightly flattened4, thelips swollen5, one front tooth slightly loosened, and an abrasion6 of the mucous7 membrane8 within the lips"--allagreed that these injuries were by no means fatal. The chief injury was to the skull9 (the very thing which Clydein his first confession10 had maintained), which appeared to have been severely11 bruised12 by a blow of "some sharp instrument," unfortunately in this instance, because of the heaviness of the blow of the boat, "signs of fractureand internal haemorrhage which might have produced death."But--the lungs when placed in water, sinking--an absolute proof that Roberta could not have been dead whenthrown into the water, but alive and drowning, as Clyde had maintained. And no other signs of violence orstruggle, although her arms and fingers appeared to be set in such a way as to indicate that she might have beenreaching or seeking to grasp something. The wale of the boat? Could that be? Might Clyde's story, after all,conceal a trace of truth? Certainly these circumstances seemed to favor him a little. Yet as Mason and the othersagreed, all these circumstances most distinctly seemed to prove that although he might not have slain13 her outrightbefore throwing her into the water, none the less he had struck her and then had thrown her, perhapsunconscious, into the water.
But with what? If he could but make Clyde say that!
And then an inspiration! He would take Clyde and, although the law specifically guaranteed accused personsagainst compulsions, compel him to retrace14 the scenes of his crime. And although he might not be able to makehim commit himself in any way, still, once on the ground and facing the exact scene of his crime, his actionsmight reveal something of the whereabouts of the suit, perhaps, or possibly some instrument with which he hadstruck her.
And in consequence, on the third day following Clyde's incarceration15, a second visit to Big Bittern, with Kraut,Heit, Mason, Burton, Burleigh, Earl Newcomb and Sheriff Slack as his companions, and a slow re-canvassing ofall the ground he had first traveled on that dreadful day. And with Kraut, following instructions from Mason,"playing up" to him, in order to ingratiate himself into his good graces, and possibly cause him to make a cleanbreast of it. For Kraut was to argue that the evidence, so far was so convincing that you "never would get a juryto believe that you didn't do it," but that, "if you would talk right out to Mason, he could do more for you withthe judge and the governor than any one could--get you off, maybe, with life or twenty years, while this wayyou're likely to get the chair, sure."Yet Clyde, because of that same fear that had guided him at Bear Lake, maintaining a profound silence. For whyshould he say that he had struck her, when he had not--intentionally at least? Or with what, since no thought ofthe camera had come up as yet.
At the lake, after definite measurements by the county surveyor as to the distance from the spot where Robertahad drowned to the spot where Clyde had landed, Earl Newcomb suddenly returning to Mason with an importantdiscovery. For under a log not so far from the spot at which Clyde had stood to remove his wet clothes, the tripodhe had hidden, a little rusty16 and damp, but of sufficient weight, as Mason and all these others were now ready tobelieve, to have delivered the blow upon Roberta's skull which had felled her and so make it possible for him tocarry her to the boat and later drown her. Yet, confronted with this and turning paler than before, Clyde denyingthat he had a camera or a tripod with him, although Mason was instantly deciding that he would re-question allwitnesses to find out whether any recalled seeing a tripod or camera in Clyde's possession.
And before the close of this same day learning from the guide who had driven Clyde and Roberta over, as well asthe boatman who had seen Clyde drop his bag into the boat, and a young waitress at Grass Lake who had seen Clyde and Roberta going out from the inn to the station on the morning of their departure from Grass Lake, thatall now recalled a "yellow bundle of sticks," fastened to his bag which must have been the very tripod.
And then Burton Burleigh deciding that it might not really have been the tripod, after all with which he hadstruck her but possibly and even probably the somewhat heavier body of the camera itself, since an edge of itwould explain the wound on the top of the head and the flat surface would explain the general wounds on herface. And because of this conclusion, without any knowledge on the part of Clyde, however, Mason securingdivers from among the woodsmen of the region and setting them to diving in the immediate17 vicinity of the spotwhere Roberta's body had been found, with the result that after an entire day's diving on the part of six--andbecause of a promised and substantial reward, one Jack18 Bogart arose with the very camera which Clyde, as theboat had turned over, had let fall. Worse, after examination it proved to contain a roll of films, which upon beingsubmitted to an expert chemist for development, showed finally to be a series of pictures of Roberta, made onshore--one sitting on a log, a second posed by the side of the boat on shore, a third reaching up toward thebranches of a tree--all very dim and water-soaked but still decipherable. And the exact measurements of thebroadest side of the camera corresponding in a general way to the length and breadth of the wounds uponRoberta's face, which caused it now to seem positive that they had discovered the implement19 wherewith Clydehad delivered the blows.
Yet no trace of blood upon the camera itself. And none upon the side or bottom of the boat, which had beenbrought to Bridgeburg for examination. And none upon the rug which had lain in the bottom of the boat.
In Burton Burleigh there existed as sly a person as might have been found in a score of such backwoods countiesas this, and soon he found himself meditating20 on how easy it would be, supposing irrefragable evidence werenecessary, for him or any one to cut a finger and let it bleed on the rug or the side of the boat or the edge of thecamera. Also, how easy to take from the head of Roberta two or three hairs and thread them between the sides ofthe camera, or about the rowlock to which her veil had been attached. And after due and secret meditation21, heactually deciding to visit the Lutz Brothers morgue and secure a few threads of Roberta's hair. For he himselfwas convinced that Clyde had murdered the girl in cold blood. And for want of a bit of incriminating proof, wassuch a young, silent, vain crook22 as this to be allowed to escape? Not if he himself had to twine23 the hairs about therowlock or inside the lid of the camera, and then call Mason's attention to them as something overlooked!
And in consequence, upon the same day that Heit and Mason were personally re-measuring the wounds uponRoberta's face and head, Burleigh slyly threading two of Roberta's hairs in between the door and the lens of thecamera, so that Mason and Heit a little while later unexpectedly coming upon them, and wondering why they hadnot seen them before--nevertheless accepting them immediately as conclusive24 evidence of Clyde's guilt25. Indeed,Mason thereupon announcing that in so far as he was concerned, his case was complete. He had truly traced outevery step in this crime and if need be was prepared to go to trial on the morrow.
Yet, because of the very completeness of the testimony26, deciding for the present, at least, not to say anything inconnection with the camera--to seal, if possible, the mouth of every one who knew. For, assuming that Clydepersisted in denying that he had carried a camera, or that his own lawyer should be unaware27 of the existence ofsuch evidence, then how damning in court, and out of a clear sky, to produce this camera, these photographs ofRoberta made by him, and the proof that the very measurements of one side of the camera coincided with thesize of the wounds upon her face! How complete! How incriminating!
Also since he personally having gathered the testimony was the one best fitted to present it, he decided tocommunicate with the governor of the state for the purpose of obtaining a special term of the Supreme28 Court forthis district, with its accompanying special session of the local grand jury, which would then be subject to his callat any time. For with this granted, he would be able to impanel a grand jury and in the event of a true bill beingreturned against Clyde, then within a month or six weeks, proceed to trial. Strictly29 to himself, however, he keptthe fact that in view of his own approaching nomination30 in the ensuing November election this should all provemost opportune31, since in the absence of any such special term the case could not possibly be tried before thesucceeding regular January term of the Supreme Court, by which time he would be out of office and althoughpossibly elected to the local judgeship still not able to try the case in person. And in view of the state of publicopinion, which was most bitterly and vigorously anti-Clyde, a quick trial would seem fair and logical to everyone in this local world. For why delay? Why permit such a criminal to sit about and speculate on some plan ofescape? And especially when his trial by him, Mason, was certain to rebound32 to his legal and political and socialfame the country over.
关于尸体解剖及其结果，在梅森看来，是一大挫折。尽管五位医生的联合报告上说:
"口。鼻受伤，鼻尖似乎轻微压扁，嘴唇发肿，一颗门牙略松动，唇内粘膜擦伤"……但是医生们一致确认这些绝对不是致命伤。最主要的受伤处在头颅部分(这在克莱德头一次招供时就确认了的)，好象是用"一种利器"砸成了重伤，不幸的是，在这个案子里，因为那条小船沉重的一击，才出现了"骨折和内出血症象，因而可能致死"。
但是，死者的肺放入水中下沉……确切证明:
当罗伯达落水时，并没有死，还活着，随后才溺水身亡，跟克莱德所说的一样。此外并无其他任何受到暴力或是挣扎的迹象，虽然，从她的胳臂和手指的姿势来判断，好象都表明也许死者想要伸出去，或是想要抓住什么东西。是那条小船的船舷吗?
可能是这个吗?
也许克莱德的话，毕竟还是有一点真实的成分吧?
当然罗，这些情况似乎对他多少有利。可是，梅森等人却一致认为，所有这些情况似乎清楚地证明:
虽然他把她扔入水中以前，也许并没有马上把她弄死，但他毕竟是先砸过她，然后……说不定那时她已失去了知觉……才把她扔入水中。
不过，他是用什么东西砸她的呢?
要是他能逼使克莱德把这一点说出来就好了!
随后，梅森突然灵机一动!
他不妨带上克莱德再到大比腾去。虽然法律明文规定不准对被告采取任何强制手段，但梅森还是逼着克莱德到作案现场重新踩着自己足迹走一趟。尽管很可能也没法逼使他暴露出什么东西来，但是，让他再次身临其境，目击自己作案现场，说不定从他的动作中可以出现一些线索，哪怕是那套衣服的下落，或是他当初砸她时使用的是什么样的工具。
因此，克莱德在被关押后的第三天，又被押回大比腾，同行者有克劳特。
海特。梅森。伯利。厄尔。纽科姆和执法官斯莱克。他慢慢地。仔细地把他在那个骇人的日子里曾经到过的所有地方重新察看了一遍。克劳特遵照梅森的指示，要向他"溜须拍马"，以便尽量取得他的信任，也许可以促使他彻底坦白。克劳特向他进言，说:
现有证据已是无可辩驳了，"哪一个陪审团也决不会相信你没有干过这事的"，不过，"要是你马上向梅森彻底交代，那末，他比谁都容易替你在法官和州长面前说话……让你得到从轻发落，说不定只判处无期徒刑或是二十年徒刑。可现在你要是还这个样子，到头来大概是要上电椅的。情况的确是这样。"不过，克莱德依然充满着当时在熊湖主宰着他的恐惧心理，还是一个劲儿默不作声。因为，他既然并没有……至少不是故意的……砸过她，现在干吗要说他砸了她呢?
再说，现在既然还没有人想到照相机上来，那他干吗要说自己砸她时用的是什么东西呢?
当本县测量员在湖上把罗伯达溺死的地点与克莱德泅水上岸的地点之间的距离精确地测量出来以后，厄尔。纽科姆回到了梅森身边，突然报告一大重要发现。因为，离克莱德站着换掉衣服的地方不远的一根圆木底下，发现了他当初隐藏的那架照相机的三脚架，虽然有一点儿生锈和发霉，但是梅森等人都认为，这玩意儿很有分量，砸在罗伯达头上，准叫她栽跟斗，所以他就有可能把她带到船上，最后扔入水中。不过，克莱德一看见这副三脚架，尽管脸色比刚才更加惨白，可他还是矢口否认当时随身携带照相机或是三脚架。于是，梅森马上决定重新一一传讯所有的见证人，看看谁还记得过去看见克莱德有过三脚架或是照相机。
直到这一天快要黑下来时，方才闹清楚了:
给克莱德和罗伯达开车送至此地的导游。看见克莱德随身携带手提箱上船的看船人，以及看见克莱德和罗伯达在离开草湖的那一天早上从旅社出发去火车站的草湖旅社的年轻女招待，现在回想起来，都说"有一些黄色棍子"拴在他的手提箱上头，那必定就是这副三脚架了。
随后，伯顿。伯利断定:
克莱德砸她时所用的东西，说到底，也许根本不是这副三脚架，而可能是甚至比它重得多的东西……照相机。因为，照相机棱儿可以说明她头颅部分的伤痕长短，照相机的平面可以说明她脸部各处的伤痕面积。由于这个结论，梅森瞒着克莱德，在这一带林区居民里头，物色了好几个善于扎猛子的，叫他们钻到发现罗伯达尸体附近的水域底下去。结果，这六个人潜身湖底，寻摸了整整一天，在重赏之下，有一个名叫杰克。博加特的，终于从湖底钻了出来，手里高高举起了翻船时克莱德掉下去的那架照相机。更有甚者，一经检查，照相机里头还有一卷胶卷。经摄影专家冲洗出来一看，发现有一系列罗伯达的照片，都是在岸上拍摄的……一张是坐在一根圆木上的，第二张是站在岸上靠近船边拍摄的，第三张伸手攀住一棵树上的枝条，全都模糊得很，虽被湖水浸透了，但还是依稀可见。而且，这架照相机最宽的棱儿，跟罗伯达脸部伤痕宽阔完全吻合，因此现在似乎可以肯定:
他们已经发现了当时克莱德用来砸罗伯达的凶器。
不过，照相机上并没有血迹。那条小船(现已运往布里奇伯格进行检查)船底或是船帮上也都没有血迹。铺在船舱里的毯子上也没有。
伯顿。伯利这个小伙子，在如此荒僻的林区的二十多个县里还算是非常有心眼儿。他在默默地暗自揣摸:
要是必须提出无可辩驳的证据，那可简单得很，只要他伯利，或是随便哪一个人，把手指头一割破，让鲜血滴到小船的毯子上，或是船帮上，或是照相机的棱儿上就得了。再有，从罗伯达头上扯下两。三根头发，从照相机两侧穿过去，或是绕在缠住她那块面纱的桨叉上，这还不容易吗。他经过沉思默想以后，果真到卢茨兄弟殡仪馆，取回几根罗伯达的头发。
因为，他本人深信克莱德确实惨不忍睹地杀害了这个姑娘。难道说因为缺少微不足道的一点点证据，就让这么一个死不吭声。极爱虚荣的年轻骗子逃脱法网吗?
不，最好还是让他伯顿把头发缠到桨叉上，或是缠在照相机的盖子里头，然后要梅森注意一下这些开头疏忽了的东西，那克莱德也就逃不了!
于是，就在海特和梅森又一次亲自测量罗伯达脸部。头部各处伤痕大小那一天，伯利偷偷地把罗伯达的两根头发从那架照相机的盖子和镜头之间穿了过去。不一会儿，梅森与海特出乎意料地发现了死者这两根头发，还暗自纳闷先前他们怎么没有瞧见……他们马上认为这是可以作为给克莱德定罪的有力证据了。果然，梅森立即宣布说，作为检察官，他认为，案情已经完全查清楚了。
说真的，他对这个罪犯作案的每一个步骤，都顺藤摸瓜，追查得一清二楚了。
如有必要的话，哪怕是明天他都可以出庭。
不过，正是由于证据齐全，他就决定……至少在目前……暂时只字不提照相机一事，如果可能的话，还得把所有知道这一发现的人的嘴都给封起来。因为，假定说克莱德一个劲儿否认他身边有过一架照相机，或是他的辩护律师还不知道有这么一项证据，那末，就把这架照相机，以及克莱德本人给罗伯达拍摄的这些照片，还有照相机棱儿长度和她脸部伤痕之间的距离完全吻合这一证据，通通都亮出来，简直有如晴天霹雳，在法庭上该有多大分量啊。证据该有多么齐全，难以驳倒!
既然是他亲自搜集了这些证据，因此，提出这些证据也数他最合适。于是，他就决定向本州州长报告，要求最高法院专门到本地区开庭;因此，本地大陪审团随着也可以专门开庭，由他梅森随时召集。因为这一要求获准后，他就可以筹组大陪审团，要是决定将克莱德交付法庭审判，即可在一个月或是六星期以内向法院起诉。不过，他要严守秘密的是:
鉴于他本人在随后的十一月间选举中被提名一事已日益逼近，眼前这件事来得再凑巧也没有了。因为，如果不是专门开这么一次庭，那末，在最高法院于一月间照例开庭以前，这个案子就不可能审理了;而到了一月间，由于他检察官任期已满，即使有可能当选为本地区的法官，他还是不可能亲自审理这个案子。要知道现在舆论，群情愤慨，强烈反对克莱德，本地区每一个人都认为迅速审理方才公正合理。那末，为什么要延期呢?
为什么让这样一个犯人有时间去琢磨出逃的计划呢?
特别是，这个案子如果由他梅森亲自审理，那就一定可以在全国范围内大大地提高他本人在司法界。
政治界，以及社会上的声望。
收听单词发音 |
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autopsy
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| n.尸体解剖；尸检 | |
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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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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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abrasion
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| n.磨（擦）破，表面磨损 | |
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mucous
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| adj. 黏液的，似黏液的 | |
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membrane
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| n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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incarceration
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| n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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implement
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| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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rebound
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| v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回 | |
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