Mr. Reuben Jephson was decidedly different from Belknap, Catchuman, Mason, Smillie--in fact any one, thusfar, who had seen Clyde or become legally interested in this case. He was young, tall, thin, rugged2, brown, coolbut not cold spiritually, and with a will and a determination of the tensile strength of steel. And with a mental andlegal equipment which for shrewdness and self-interest was not unlike that of a lynx or a ferret. Those shrewd,steel, very light blue eyes in his brown face. The force and curiosity of the long nose. The strength of the handsand the body. He had lost no time, as soon as he discovered there was a possibility of their (Belknap & Jephson)taking over the defense3 of Clyde, in going over the minutes of the coroner's inquest as well as the doctors' reportsand the letters of Roberta and Sondra. And now being faced by Belknap who was explaining that Clyde did nowactually admit to having plotted to kill Roberta, although not having actually done so, since at the fatal moment,some cataleptic state of mind or remorse4 had intervened and caused him to unintentionally strike her--he merelystared without the shadow of a smile or comment of any kind.
"But he wasn't in such a state when he went out there with her, though?""No.""Nor when he swam away afterwards?""No.""Nor when he went through those woods, or changed to another suit and hat, or hid that tripod?""No.""Of course you know, constructively5, in the eyes of the law, if we use his own story, he's just as guilty as thoughhe had struck her, and the judge would have to so instruct.""Yes, I know. I've thought of all that.""Well, then--""Well, I'll tell you, Jephson, it's a tough case and no mistake. It looks to me now as though Mason has all thecards. If we can get this chap off, we can get anybody off. But as I see it, I'm not so sure that we want to mentionthat cataleptic business yet--at least not unless we want to enter a plea of insanity6 or emotional insanity, orsomething like that--about like that Harry7 Thaw8 case, for instance." He paused and scratched his slightly graying temple dubiously9.
"You think he's guilty, of course?" interpolated Jephson, dryly.
"Well, now, as astonishing as it may seem to you, no. At least, I'm not positive that I do. To tell you the truth,this is one of the most puzzling cases I have ever run up against. This fellow is by no means as hard as you think,or as cold--quite a simple, affectionate chap, in a way, as you'll see for yourself--his manner, I mean. He's onlytwenty-one or two. And for all his connections with these Griffiths, he's very poor--just a clerk, really. And hetells me that his parents are poor, too. They run a mission of some kind out west--Denver, I believe--and beforethat in Kansas City. He hasn't been home in four years. In fact, he got into some crazy boy scrape out there inKansas City when he was working for one of the hotels as a bell-boy, and had to run away. That's somethingwe've got to look out for in connection with Mason--whether he knows about that or not. It seems he and a bunchof other bell-hops took some rich fellow's car without his knowing it, and then because they were afraid of beinglate, they ran over and killed a little girl. We've got to find out about that and prepare for it, for if Mason doesknow about it, he'll spring it at the trial, and just when he thinks we're least expecting it.""Well, he won't pull that one," replied Jephson, his hard, electric, blue eyes gleaming, "not if I have to go toKansas City to find out."And Belknap went on to tell Jephson all that he knew about Clyde's life up to the present time--how he hadworked at dish-washing, waiting on table, soda-clerking, driving a wagon10, anything and everything, before hehad arrived in Lycurgus--how he had always been fascinated by girls--how he had first met Roberta and laterSondra. Finally how he found himself trapped by one and desperately11 in love with the other, whom he could nothave unless he got rid of the first one.
"And notwithstanding all that, you feel a doubt as to whether he did kill her?" asked Jephson, at the conclusion ofall this.
"Yes, as I say, I'm not at all sure that he did. But I do know that he is still hipped12 over this second girl. Hismanner changed whenever he or I happened to mention her. Once, for instance, I asked him about his relationswith her--and in spite of the fact that he's accused of seducing13 and killing14 this other girl, he looked at me asthough I had said something I shouldn't have--insulted him or her." And here Belknap smiled a wry15 smile, whileJephson, his long, bony legs propped16 against the walnut17 desk before him, merely stared at him.
"You don't say," he finally observed.
"And not only that," went on Belknap, "but he said, 'Why, no, of course not. She wouldn't allow anything likethat, and besides,' and then he stopped. 'And besides what, Clyde,' I asked. 'Well, you don't want to forget whoshe is.' 'Oh, I see,' I said. And then, will you believe it, he wanted to know if there wasn't some way by which hername and those letters she wrote him couldn't be kept out of the papers and this case--her family prevented fromknowing so that she and they wouldn't be hurt too much.""Not really? But what about the other girl?""That's just the point I'm trying to make. He could plot to kill one girl and maybe even did kill her, for all I know,after seducing her, but because he was being so sculled around by his grand ideas of this other girl, he didn'tquite know what he was doing, really. Don't you see? You know how it is with some of these young fellows ofhis age, and especially when they've never had anything much to do with girls or money, and want to besomething grand.""You think that made him a little crazy, maybe?" put in Jephson.
"Well, it's possible--confused, hypnotized, loony--you know--a brain storm as they say down in New York. Buthe certainly is still cracked over that other girl. In fact, I think most of his crying in jail is over her. He wascrying, you know, when I went in to see him, sobbing18 as if his heart would break."Meditatively19 Belknap scratched his right ear. "But just the same, there certainly is something to this other idea-thathis mind was turned by all this--that Alden girl forcing him on the one hand to marry her while the other girlwas offering to marry him. I know. I was once in such a scrape myself." And here he paused to relate that toJephson. "By the way," he went on, "he says we can find that item about that other couple drowning in TheTimes-union of about June 18th or 19th.""All right," replied Jephson, "I'll get it.""What I want you to do to-morrow," continued Belknap, "is to go over there with me and see what impressionyou get of him. I'll be there to see if he tells it all to you in the same way. I want your own individual viewpointof him.""You most certainly will get it," snapped Jephson.
Belknap and Jephson proceeded the next day to visit Clyde in jail. And Jephson, after interviewing him andmeditating once more on his strange story, was even then not quite able to make up his mind whether Clyde wasas innocent of intending to strike Roberta as he said, or not. For if he were, how could he have swum awayafterward, leaving her to drown? Decidedly it would be more difficult for a jury than for himself, even, to beconvinced.
At the same time, there was that contention21 of Belknap's as to the possibility of Clyde's having been mentallyupset or unbalanced at the time that he accepted The Times-union plot and proceeded to act on it. That might betrue, of course, yet personally, to Jephson at least, Clyde appeared to be wise and sane22 enough now. As Jephsonsaw him, he was harder and more cunning than Belknap was willing to believe--a cunning, modified of course,by certain soft and winning social graces for which one could hardly help liking23 him. However, Clyde was by nomeans as willing to confide24 in Jephson as he had been in Belknap--an attitude which did little to attract Jephsonto him at first. At the same time, there was about Jephson a hard, integrated earnestness which soon convincedClyde of his technical, if not his emotional interest. And after a while he began looking toward this younger man,even more than toward Belknap as the one who might do most for him.
"Of course, you know that those letters which Miss Alden wrote you are very strong?" began Jephson, afterhearing Clyde restate his story.
"Yes, sir.""They're very sad to any one who doesn't know all of the facts, and on that account they are likely to prejudiceany jury against you, especially when they're put alongside Miss Finchley's letters.""Yes, I suppose they might," replied Clyde, "but then, she wasn't always like that, either. It was only after she gotin trouble and I wanted her to let me go that she wrote like that.""I know. I know. And that's a point we want to think about and maybe bring out, if we can. If only there weresome way to keep those letters out," he now turned to Belknap to say. Then, to Clyde, "but what I want to askyou now is this--you were close to her for something like a year, weren't you?""Yes.""In all of that time that you were with her, or before, was she ever friendly, or maybe intimate, with any otheryoung man anywhere--that is, that you know of?"As Clyde could see, Jephson was not afraid, or perhaps not sufficiently25 sensitive, to refrain from presenting anythought or trick that seemed to him likely to provide a loophole for escape. But, far from being cheered by thissuggestion, he was really shocked. What a shameful26 thing in connection with Roberta and her character it wouldbe to attempt to introduce any such lie as this. He could not and would not hint at any such falsehood, and so hereplied:
"No, sir. I never heard of her going with any one else. In fact, I know she didn't.""Very good! That settles that," snapped Jephson. "I judged from her letters that what you say is true. At the sametime, we must know all the facts. It might make a very great difference if there were some one else."And at this point Clyde could not quite make sure whether he was attempting to impress upon him the value ofthis as an idea or not, but just the same he decided1 it was not right even to consider it. And yet he was thinking: Ifonly this man could think of a real defense for me! He looks so shrewd.
"Well, then," went on Jephson, in the same hard, searching tone, devoid27, as Clyde saw it, of sentiment or pity ofany kind, "here's something else I want to ask you. In all the time that you knew her, either before you wereintimate with her or afterwards, did she ever write you a mean or sarcastic28 or demanding or threatening letter ofany kind?""No, sir, I can't say that she ever did," replied Clyde, "in fact, I know she didn't. No, sir. Except for those few lastones, maybe--the very last one.""And you never wrote her any, I suppose?""No, sir, I never wrote her any letters.""Why?""Well, she was right there in the factory with me, you see. Besides at the last there, after she went home, I wasafraid to.""I see."At the same time, as Clyde now proceeded to point out, and that quite honestly, Roberta could be far from sweet-tempered at times--could in fact be quite determined29 and even stubborn. And she had paid no least attention tohis plea that her forcing him to marry her now would ruin him socially as well as in every other way, and thateven in the face of his willingness to work along and pay for her support--an attitude which, as he now describedit, was what had caused all the trouble--whereas Miss Finchley (and here he introduced an element of reverenceand enthusiasm which Jephson was quick to note) was willing to do everything for him.
"So you really loved that Miss Finchley very much then, did you?""Yes, sir.""And you couldn't care for Roberta any more after you met her?""No, no. I just couldn't.""I see," observed Jephson, solemnly nodding his head, and at the same time meditating20 on how futile30 anddangerous, even, it might be to let the jury know that. And then thinking that possibly it were best to follow theprevious suggestion of Belknap's, based on the customary legal proceeding31 of the time, and claim insanity, or abrain storm, brought about by the terrifying position in which he imagined himself to be. But apart from that henow proceeded:
"You say something came over you when you were in the boat out there with her on that last day--that you reallydidn't know what you were doing at the time that you struck her?""Yes, sir, that's the truth." And here Clyde went on to explain once more just what his state was at that time.
"All right, all right, I believe you," replied Jephson, seemingly believing what Clyde said but not actually able toconceive it at that. "But you know, of course, that no jury, in the face of all these other circumstances, is going tobelieve that," he now announced. "There are too many things that'll have to be explained and that we can't verywell explain as things now stand. I don't know about that idea." He now turned and was addressing Belknap.
"Those two hats, that bag--unless we're going to plead insanity or something like that. I'm not so sure about allthis. Was there ever any insanity in your family that you know of?" he now added, turning to Clyde once more.
"No, sir, not that I know of.""No uncle or cousin or grandfather who had fits or strange ideas or anything like that?""Not that I ever heard of, no, sir.""And your rich relatives down there in Lycurgus--I suppose they'd not like it very much if I were to step up andtry to prove anything like that?""I'm afraid they wouldn't, no, sir," replied Clyde, thinking of Gilbert.
"Well, let me see," went on Jephson after a time. "That makes it rather hard. I don't see, though, that anythingelse would be as safe." And here he turned once more to Belknap and began to inquire as to what he thought ofsuicide as a theory, since Roberta's letters themselves showed a melancholy32 trend which might easily have led tothoughts of suicide. And could they not say that once out on the lake with Clyde and pleading with him to marryher, and he refusing to do so, she had jumped overboard. And he was too astounded33 and mentally upset to try tosave her.
"But what about his own story that the wind had blown his hat off, and in trying to save that he upset the boat?"interjected Belknap, and exactly as though Clyde were not present.
"Well, that's true enough, too, but couldn't we say that perhaps, since he was morally responsible for hercondition, which in turn had caused her to take her life, he did not want to confess to the truth of her suicide?"At this Clyde winced34, but neither now troubled to notice him. They talked as though he was not present or couldhave no opinion in the matter, a procedure which astonished but by no means moved him to object, since he wasfeeling so helpless.
"But the false registrations35! The two hats--the suit--his bag!" insisted Belknap staccatically, a tone which showedClyde how serious Belknap considered his predicament to be.
"Well, whatever theory we advance, those things will have to be accounted for in some way," replied Jephson,dubiously. "We can't admit the true story of his plotting without an insanity plea, not as I see it--at any rate. Andunless we use that, we've got that evidence to deal with whatever we do." He threw up his hands wearily and as ifto say: I swear I don't know what to do about this.
"But," persisted Belknap, "in the face of all that, and his refusal to marry her, after his promises referred to in herletters--why, it would only react against him, so that public opinion would be more prejudiced against him thanever. No, that won't do," he concluded. "We'll have to think of something which will create some sort ofsympathy for him."And then once more turning to Clyde as though there had been no such discussion. And looking at him as muchas to say: "You are a problem indeed." And then Jephson, observing: "And, oh, yes, that suit you dropped in thatlake up there near the Cranstons'--describe the spot to me as near as you can where you threw it--how far fromthe house was it?" He waited until Clyde haltingly attempted to recapture the various details of the hour and thescene as he could recall it.
"If I could go up there, I could find it quick enough.""Yes, I know, but they won't let you go up there without Mason being along," he returned. "And maybe not eventhen. You're in prison now, and you can't be taken out without the state's consent, you see. But we must get thatsuit." Then turning to Belknap and lowering his voice, he added: "We want to get it and have it cleaned andsubmit it as having been sent away to be cleaned by him--not hidden, you see.""Yes, that's so," commented Belknap idly while Clyde stood listening curiously36 and a little amazed by this frankprogram of trickery and deception37 on his behalf.
"And now in regard to that camera that fell in the lake--we have to try and find that, too. I think maybe Masonmay know about it or suspect that it's there. At any rate it's very important that we should find it before he does.
You think that about where that pole was that day you were up there is where the boat was when it overturned?""Yes, sir.""Well, we must see if we can get that," he continued, turning to Belknap. "We don't want that turning up in thetrial, if we can help it. For without that, they'll have to be swearing that he struck her with that tripod orsomething that he didn't, and that's where we may trip 'em up.""Yes, that's true, too," replied Belknap.
"And now in regard to the bag that Mason has. That's another thing I haven't seen yet, but I will see it to-morrow.
Did you put that suit, as wet as it was, in the bag when you came out of the water?""No, sir, I wrung38 it out first. And then I dried it as much as I could. And then I wrapped it up in the paper that wehad the lunch in and then put some dry pine needles underneath39 it in the bag and on top of it""So there weren't any wet marks in the bag after you took it out, as far as you know?""No, sir, I don't think so.""But you're not sure?""Not exactly sure now that you ask me--no, sir.""Well, I'll see for myself to-morrow. And now as to those marks on her face, you have never admitted to any onearound here or anywhere that you struck her in any way?""No, sir.""And the mark on the top of her head was made by the boat, just as you said?""Yes, sir.""But the others you think you might have made with the camera?""Yes, sir. I suppose they were.""Well, then, this is the way it looks to me," said Jephson, again turning to Belknap. "I think we can safely saywhen the time comes that those marks were never made by him at all, see?--but by the hooks and the poles withwhich they were scraping around up there when they were trying to find her. We can try it, anyhow. And if thehooks and poles didn't do it," he added, a little grimly and dryly, "certainly hauling her body from that lake tothat railroad station and from there to here on the train might have.""Yes, I think Mason would have a hard time proving that they weren't made that way," replied Belknap.
"And as for that tripod, well, we'd better exhume40 the body and make our own measurements, and measure thethickness of the edge of that boat, so that it may not be so easy for Mason to make any use of the tripod now thathe has it, after all."Mr. Jephson's eyes were very small and very clear and very blue, as he said this. His head, as well as his body,had a thin, ferrety look. And it seemed to Clyde, who had been observing and listening to all this with awe41, thatthis younger man might be the one to aid him. He was so shrewd and practical, so very direct and chill andindifferent and yet confidence-inspiring, quite like an uncontrollable machine of a kind which generates power.
And when at last these two were ready to go, he was sorry. For with them near him, planning and plotting inregard to himself, he felt so much safer, stronger, more hopeful, more certain of being free, maybe, at somefuture date.
鲁本。杰夫森先生跟贝尔纳普。卡奇曼。梅森。斯米利显然不同……事实上，跟迄今所有见过克莱德，或是对这个案子表示关注的人都不一样。他是个身材瘦长。肤色黝黑的年轻人，长相很粗，头脑冷静，处事并不冷峻，却具有坚如钢铁一般的意志和决心。他爱动脑筋，擅长诉讼，练就一套本领，活象一头猞猁或是一头雪貂那么机灵乖巧，可又私心极重。他那黝黑的脸盘上，长着一双灵巧。坚定的淡蓝色眼睛。他那个长长的鼻子，显示出富有力度和好奇心。
他的那一双手和他的身躯，也都很强劲有力。他一发现他们(贝尔纳普与杰夫森事务所)有可能承揽为克莱德辩护的任务，就抓紧时间，研究验尸官的验尸记录。
几位医生的报告结论，以及罗伯达和桑德拉的那些信件。这时，贝尔纳普当面向他说明现在克莱德承认自己确实策划过要把罗伯达害死，尽管他实际上没有这么做，因为就在这千钧一发之际，他一下子惊呆了，或者说是他的悔恨之心油然而生，所以他只是无意之中砸了她……听完这一切，杰夫森仅仅两眼直瞪着贝尔纳普，既不发表什么意见，脸上也没有一丝笑容。
"不过，他跟她一块去湖上时，并不是处在这样一种惊呆状态吧?
""不是的。""后来他泅水游到别处去的时候，也不是这样吧?
""不是的。""他穿过树林子，或是另换一套衣服和一顶帽子，或是把三脚架藏匿起来的时候，也不是这样吧?
""不是的。""当然罗，你也明白，如果我们采用他的这一套说法，那末，从法律观点上来推断，他现在的情况就如同他砸过她一样，是犯了罪的，而且法官也非得这样判决不可。""是的，我明白。这一切我全都想到过了。""嗯，那末……""哦，杰夫森，我跟你说，这是一个棘手的案子，准没有错。现在依我看，似乎梅森稳操胜券。我们要是能让这小子逍遥法外了，那末，我们就能让任何人逍遥法外啦。只不过我觉得，现在我们还犯不着提出他惊呆了这一点……至少，提出了这一点，我们就要辩护说他患有精神病，或是感情错乱，或是诸如此类……比方说，如同哈里。索那个案子那样……明白了吧?
"他迟疑不语，犹豫不决地搔了一下他那略呈苍白的脸颊。
"你当然认为他是犯了罪吧?
"杰夫森干巴巴地插嘴说。
"哦，喏，你也许会觉得大吃一惊，不!
至少我还不肯定地相信是那样。老实说，这是我承揽的最难办的案子之一。这个小伙子决不是象你想象的那么心狠，或是那么冷酷……可以说倒是相当老实，颇有柔情的，这你自己也会看出来……我说的是他的态度。他才只有二十一。二岁。尽管跟格里菲思家确有近亲关系，可他本人很穷……说实话，才不过是一名普普通通的职员。他还跟我说，他父母也很穷。他们办了一个教堂什么的，是在西部……我记得是在丹佛吧……而早先是在堪萨斯城。他已有四个年头没有回家了。事实上，他在堪萨斯城一家酒店里当侍应生时，跟一些胡闹的小伙子一块卷进了一件荒唐事，后来不得不从那儿逃跑了。这件事我们可得提防一下梅森……不管他是不是知道了。事情好象是这样的:
他跟一小拨侍应生偷偷地把一个有钱人的一辆汽车开走了，后来他们怕时间来不及，怕上班迟到，就拚命开快车，结果把一个小女孩给轧死了。
我们还得把这件事了解清楚，以备不时之需，因为如果梅森也知道了，他会在本案开庭时突然把它提出来，以为我们决不会想到这一着。""得了，他来不及露这一手，"杰夫森不以为然地回答说。瞧他那双炯炯有神的蓝眼睛在闪闪发光。"只要我去堪萨斯城调查一下就得了。"接着，贝尔纳普把他了解到的克莱德迄至目前为止的一些经历，悉数讲给杰夫森听……讲他在到莱柯格斯以前在饭馆里洗过碟子，侍候过客人，在冷饮柜当过小伙计，开过送货车子，反正一句话，什么活儿都干过……讲他动不动就被姑娘们迷住了……讲他第一次如何遇到罗伯达，后来又遇到了桑德拉。最后讲到他怎样跟一个姑娘陷入困境，却又狂恋着另一个姑娘，要是不把头一个姑娘甩脱掉，那末，第二个姑娘就断断乎到不了手。
"既然有这么多情况，你还怀疑他有没有害死那个姑娘吗?
"杰夫森一听完就开口问道。
"是啊，我早就对你说过了，我还不能肯定地认为是他害死了她。不过，我确实知道，至今他还在深深地迷恋第二个姑娘。每当他或是我偶尔提到了她，他的一举一动，一颦一笑，也就为之一变。比方说，有一回，我问起他跟她的关系到了怎样的地步……尽管现在人家告发他诱奸和杀害了另一个姑娘……可他只是望了我一眼，好象我说话孟浪，侮辱了他或是侮辱了她似的。"说到这儿，贝尔纳普苦笑了一下，杰夫森把两长条瘦腿搁到面前的胡桃木写字桌上，两眼一个劲儿直瞅着他。
"是真的吗，"后来他说话了。
"不仅这样，"贝尔纳普接下去说，"他还说'
''''哦，不，当然没有罗。她决不让干这等事的，而且以后，，说到这儿，他就不说下去了。'
''''而且以后，克莱德?
，我问他。'
''''哦，别忘了她是谁呀。，'
''''哦，我明白了。，我说。随后，你信不信，他还想知道有没有办法在各报上和开庭时都不要提到她的芳名和她写给他的那些信……别让她家里人知道，这样就不会使她和他们的声誉受到太大的影响。
""真的是这样吗?
可是，那另一个姑娘又怎么样呢?
""我正想说的，就是这一点。据我了解，他在诱奸之后曾经想过要把她杀害，甚至可能确实把她杀害了。不过，他对另一个姑娘，简直是想入非非，给弄得昏头昏脑了，说实话，连他自己也不很明白他究竟干了什么事。你明白了吧?
你也知道，象他这个岁数的一些年轻人常有的事，特别是有这么一些人，他们对女人。对金钱全然没有打过什么交道，却一个劲儿梦想赶明儿自己前程似锦。
""你觉得他也许就这样有点儿疯疯癫癫了，是吧?
"杰夫森插了一句说。
"哦，很可能……他心里乱了，恍恍惚惚，有点儿精神错乱了……你也知道，照纽约人的说法，是脑病暴发了。不过，他呀，当然罗，还在为另一个姑娘心肝欲裂哩。是啊，我觉得，他在牢房里哭，十之八九就是为了她。知道吧，我进去看他的时候，他正在哭，哭得好象心都快要碎了似的。"贝尔纳普若有所思地搔了一下右耳朵。"不过，不管怎么说，这一切把他思想都给搞糊涂了……这种说法，当然是有点道理……因为一方面，奥尔登这个姑娘逼他跟她结婚，而与此同时，另一个姑娘却又乐意嫁给他。这我很了解。
我自己就碰到过这样的困境。"说到这儿，他顿住了一会儿，再把那件事讲给杰夫森听。"顺便提一下，"贝尔纳普接着说，"他说过，我们不妨把六月十八日或十九日《时代联合报》找来，看看另一对恋人双双溺死的新闻。""那敢情好，"杰夫森回答说。"我这就找去。""我希望你明天，"贝尔纳普继续说道。"跟我一块上那儿去，看看你对此人有什么印象。我就在那儿旁观，看看他是不是也同样把这一切都告诉你。我希望能听听你对他的个人看法。""这当然没有问题，"杰夫森干脆利索地说。
转天，贝尔纳普和杰夫森一块去监狱看克莱德。杰夫森跟他谈过了以后，又在暗自琢磨他所讲的离奇故事。即使在这时，他依然不能肯定:
克莱德是真的象他自己所说的并非故意砸了罗伯达，或者还是故意的。因为，如果不是故意的，那他随后怎么会泅水游到别处去，让她活活地淹死呢?
这件事连他杰夫森都难以相信，因此，要陪审团相信，显然就难上加难了。
这时，贝尔纳普却提出了一个论点，说可能当时克莱德精神错乱。神志不清，因此，他便依照《时代联合报》上报道的办法干了起来。当然，这一点也可能确实如此，不过，至少从杰夫森个人观点来看，现在克莱德还是相当聪明，相当理智。杰夫森认为，克莱德要比贝尔纳普想象中的这个人更心狠。更狡猾……这种狡猾自然已被他那种温文尔雅。富有魅力的举止谈吐所掩饰，因而使人们禁不住都喜欢他。可是，克莱德同杰夫森交谈时远不如对待贝尔纳普那么乐意，那么信任……因此这种态度一开头就不能博得杰夫森对他的同情。不过，杰夫森的那种坚决，认真作风，却很快让克莱德相信，他的案子已引起了杰夫森那种如果说不是易动感情便是出于职业上的兴趣。过了半晌，他开始估摸:
这个年纪较轻的人，说不定更能替他效力，因此，他寄予杰夫森的期望甚至超过了对贝尔纳普的期望。
"当然，你也明白，奥尔登小姐写给你的那些信，是非常有力的证据，是吧?
"杰夫森听完克莱德又念叨了一遍自己的事之后说。
"是的，先生。""那些信让每一个不了解全部底细的人看了，一定会觉得很惨。因此，这很可能使任何一个陪审团都会对你产生反感，特别是把那些信跟芬奇利小姐写给你的信放在一起，进行对比。""是的，我想那些信也许对我是不利的，"克莱德回答说。"不过，要知道她并非总是那样的。只是在她碰到麻烦，我又要求她放我走的时候，她才那么写的。""我知道。这个我知道。这个问题我们还得考虑一下，如果可能的话，说不定我们要在开庭时提出来。要是有什么办法在开庭时不提到那些信就好了，"他掉过头来，先是对贝尔纳普，接着又对克莱德说，"不过，现在我要问你的是……你跟她接近差不多有一年光景，是吧?
""是的。""你跟她在一起将近一年的时间里，或是在这以前，她在什么地方跟哪一个年轻人还有过交往，或者说甚至非常密切……我这是说，根据你所了解的情况谈谈?
"克莱德现在才明白，不管是任何一种想法，或是任何一种花招，只要杰夫森觉得有可能成为一个逃脱法网的借口，他就会毫不畏惧。一本正经地把它提出来的。殊不知克莱德听了上述这个暗示，不但没有喜形于色，说实话，反而让他大吃一惊。多么卑鄙下流，竟然想对罗伯达及其人品编造这一类谎话!
他对类似这样的弄虚作假的勾当，既不能，也不愿作出任何提示。于是，他回答说:
"不，先生。我从来没听说过她还跟其他什么人有交往。实话实说，这种事我知道她从来是没有的。""好极了!
这样也就明确了，"杰夫森抢先说了。"根据她的那些信，我断定你说的是实话。不过，我们还得把全部事实了解清楚。万一发现还有什么别人的话，那事情恐怕就会完全变了样。"至此，克莱德简直还闹不明白，杰夫森是不是真的有意让他领会到上述这个点子很有价值。可是，不管怎么说，他还是认为自己甚至不应该有这种想法的。但他心里却在寻思:
只要这个人能想出如何真正有力地为我辩护的方案来就好了!
看来他是够机灵的。
"那末，好吧，"杰夫森接下去说，听他的语调还是那么严峻，好象继续在搜索似的，克莱德觉得，简直连一点儿同情或是怜悯心也都没有。"还有一点事我要问你。打从你认识她以来，不管是在你跟她来往密切之前或是之后，她有没有给你写过内容卑鄙。语多讥讽，或是提出任何要求。进行恐吓的信?
""没有，先生，我可不记得她写过这类信，"克莱德回答说。"事实上，我知道她从没有写过。不，她从没有写过，先生。也许除了最后几封信……那最后一封信。""我说，好象你从来没有给她写过信，是吧?
""没有，先生，我从来没有给她写过信。""为什么呢?
""哦，她是跟我一块在厂里的，你明白了吧。再说，最后她回老家去了，我就害怕给她写信。""啊，我可明白了。"这时克莱德才开始指出，而且也是相当实在地说，有时罗伯达可能远不是那么温顺听话的……事实上，她是非常坚决。甚至倔强得很。尽管他向她进行解释，说现在她逼着他要立时跟她结婚，会把他的社会地位和整个前程全都断送了，可她一点儿也不理会。甚至连克莱德表明愿意一面工作，一面赡养她，她也一点儿都不理会……她这种态度，据他现在说法，乃是引起所有一切灾难的原因……然而，芬奇利小姐(说到这儿，他的语调里充满了崇敬和兴奋的劲儿，杰夫森也马上发觉了)，却愿意为他奉献一切。
"这么说来，你是真的很爱芬奇利小姐，是吧?
""是的，先生。""打从你同芬奇利小姐见面以后，你就再也不疼爱罗伯达了，是吧?
""是的，是的。我实在没办法。""我明白了，"杰夫森说，一面意味深长地点点头，一面却在暗自揣摸:
这一切要是向陪审团汇报了，说不定不但无益，甚至还有害处哩。后来，他又转念一想，最好也许还是依照贝尔纳普原先根据当时可按惯例的合法程序所提出的建议，推说他患有精神病，或是脑病暴发，是由克莱德觉得自己陷入了一种极其可怕的境地所引起的。不过，杰夫森暂且撇开这个问题不谈，继续说:
"你说过，最后那一天，你跟她一块在船上的时候，你觉得有点儿不对头……你砸了她的时候，你真的不知道自己在干啥，是吧?
""是的，先生，这确实如此。"说到这儿，克莱德接下去又把他当时的情况复述了一遍。
"得了，得了，我相信你，"杰夫森回答说，似乎相信克莱德说的是真话，其实，他对上述情况还是压根儿不能理解。"不过，你当然也知道，你的这种说法，根据所有其他情况来看，哪一个陪审团都不会相信的，"他正式声称。"这个案子需要作出解释的事情是太多了，而且，根据目前情况来看，我们还无法把一件件事情都解释得清清楚楚。关于那个说法，我还不明白哩。"这时，他转过身来对贝尔纳普说。"那两顶帽子，那只手提箱……除非我们提出类似精神错乱等等的说法。我对这一切还不太有把握。你知不知道你家里有过精神错乱的人吗?
"他又侧过身来问克莱德。
"没有，先生，我从来没有听说过。""那你的什么叔叔伯伯，堂兄堂弟，或是祖父，过去没有突然发过疯癫病，或是什么吓人的怪事，等等?
""没有，我从来没听说过，先生。""要是我出来证明是有这等怪事的，你在莱柯格斯的有钱的亲戚，想必不会很高兴吧?
""是啊，我怕他们不会很高兴的，先生，"克莱德嘴上回答说，心里却想到了吉尔伯特。
"哦，让我想一想，"不一会儿，杰夫森接着说。"这就相当棘手了。不过，我还看不出有什么别的更稳妥的办法。"说到这儿，他又扭过头去同贝尔纳普觉得自杀的说法究竟如何，反正罗伯达那些信字里行间流露出一种忧郁情调，这就很容易导致作出自杀的决定。他们能不能这样说:
罗伯达跟克莱德一块在湖上时，要求他跟她结婚，被他拒绝了，她就一纵身跳入水中。他一下子吓得连自己都昏了过去，所以没有去搭救她。
"不过，他自己说是风把他的帽子给刮走了，他想去捡帽子，却把小船给翻掉了，对他这个说法，又是怎么看的?
"贝尔纳普插话时的口吻，仿佛克莱德压根儿不在眼前似的。
"哦，这话当然不错。不过，我们能不能这么说:
既然他对她身陷困境在道义上是有责任的，而这种困境反过来又促使她自寻短见，因此，他就不愿把她自杀的真相说出来。这样说法，到底行不行?
"克莱德听后突然往后退缩，可他们俩谁也没有注意到他。他们谈话时的神态，就象他压根儿不在眼前，或是对这个问题也不能表示自己的意见似的。对此，他尽管深感惊诧，但他并没有想到自己出来加以反对，因为他觉得自己对此实在已是无能为力。
"不过，登记时用假名字!
那两顶帽子……那套衣服……他的手提箱!
"贝尔纳普尽管断断续续地说，可还是坚持自己的意见。从他这种语气里让克莱德感到自己的处境在贝尔纳普看来该有多么严重。
"得了，不管我们提出的是哪一种说法，反正这些问题还得设法解释清楚的，"杰夫森迟疑地回答说。"我们要是不借口说他精神错乱，那就无论如何也不能同意他那套计划的真实意图……不管怎么说，这是我的看法。而我们如果说不利用这么一个说法，好歹也还得设法对付这些证据嘛。"他疲惫无力地举起双手，仿佛在说:
说实话，我真不知道该怎么办才好。
"不过，要好好研究研究所有这些情况，"贝尔纳普坚持说。"他拒绝跟她结婚，而从她信里看出，原先他已答应过了……是啊，要知道这只会给他带来坏处，而且使舆论对他的反感越来越深了。不，这个办法可要不得。"最后他下了结论说。"我们还得另想办法，使人们对他产生哪怕是一点儿同情也好。"随后，杰夫森又一次向克莱德转过身来，仿佛刚才这番讨论压根儿没有似的，而且还望了他一眼，好象在说:
"你真是个难题啊。"杰夫森接着说:
"哦，是啊，还有那套衣服，你是扔在克兰斯顿家附近湖里的……尽量给我说清楚，你是在哪儿把衣服扔下去的……那个地点离开那幢别墅有多远?
"他等了一会儿，克莱德好不容易才把他记得的时间。地点等等细节说了出来。
"我要是能去那儿，一下子准把它找到。""是啊，这我知道。不过，没有梅森跟你一块去，他们是不会让你去那儿的，"他回答说。"也许尽管有梅森一块去，他们甚至也还不同意你去的。现在你是关押在牢房里呀，没有得到本州当局许可，不能带你出去，明白吗。不过，那套衣服我们非得找到不可。"接着，他向贝尔纳普侧转脸去，压低声音，找补着说:
"我们可要把它寻摸到，交给洗衣店洗洗干净，然后递交法庭，证明他是拿出去洗了的……并没有藏匿起来，明白吧。""哦，就是这样得了，"贝尔纳普漫不经心地说。克莱德站在一旁，听着好不奇怪。这是明目张胆为他策划的欺诈行径，不免让他感到有些惊诧。
"还有沉入湖底的那架照相机……我们也得设法找回来。我想，说不定梅森会知道这玩意儿，或是怀疑它在湖底。不管怎么说，我们就得抢在他前头，把它找回来，这可非常重要。那天你去的时候，那根竿子附近，就是翻船的地点，你说是吗?
""是的，先生。""嗯，我们可得想个办法，看看能不能把照相机寻摸到，"他转过身去对贝尔纳普说。"我们尽可能不要在开庭时出示这个玩意儿。那时候他们就会赌咒说，他拿三脚架或是其他东西砸了她。这样，我们就可以叫他们跌交了。
""是的，说得也很对，"贝尔纳普回答说。
"现在还有落在梅森手里的那只箱子……我也还没有见到过，不过，明天我非得看一看不可。你从水里钻出来以后，就把当时还是湿漉漉的那套衣服放进手提箱里，是吗?
""不，先生，我先是把它拧干，尽可能让它干一点。然后用午餐点心的包装纸裹了起来，这才放进手提箱里，底下还垫了一些枯干松针，上面也撒了一些。
""后来，你把那套衣服拿了出来，手提箱里有没有留下什么湿漉漉的印痕，你发觉了吗?
""没有，先生，我想不会有的。""不过，你不能肯定吧?
""现在您问起了，我就不能十分肯定了……不，不能十分肯定了，先生。""得了，明天我自己去看吧。至于她脸部的伤痕，你还从来没有对这儿或是任何地方的人承认，说是你砸了她?
""没有，先生。""还有，她头部的伤痕，正如你过去所说的，是给小船撞了的，是吧?
""是的，先生。""不过，其他的一些伤痕，依你看，也许被你的照相机砸过，是吗?
""是的，先生。我看是这样。""得了，依我看，这倒是一个办法，"杰夫森又回过头去对贝尔纳普说。"我看，到时候我们不妨大胆说，这些伤痕压根儿不是他手砸的，明白了吧?
而是他们在设法打捞她的时候，用一些铁钩和撑竿擦伤的。反正我们不妨用这样说法试一试。再说，即使不是铁钩和撑竿擦伤的，"他带着一点儿阴森森和干巴巴的语调补充说。"把她的尸体从湖上运往火车站，又装到火车上，从那儿一直运到这儿，当然罗，磕磕碰碰，准定有伤痕呗。""是啊，依我看，梅森要能证明伤痕不是这么磕碰出来的，那可不容易，"贝尔纳普回答说。
"至于那副三脚架，得了，我们最好还得把尸体挖出来，我们自己来量一量，那条小船的船帮，也要量一量。这样一来，梅森要利用三脚架做文章，也许就不那么容易了，尽管目前三脚架掌握在他手里。"杰夫森说这些话时，眼睛显得很小，很明亮，而且湛蓝湛蓝的。他的脑袋和身子望过去有点儿象雪貂的模样儿。克莱德一直在必恭必敬地旁观着。倾听着他们之间全部谈话，觉得:
也许正是这个年纪轻轻的人，可以搭救他。此人精明灵巧，讲求实际，干脆利索，冷静沉着，足以使人激起自信心，简直象一台无法控制的。不断供给能源的巨大发电机。
到最后，这两个人打算走了，克莱德感到很难过。要知道，有他们在身边，为他出谋策划，他觉得安全得多，更坚强得多，而且有更大希望，更大把握，也许能在不久的将来重获自由。
收听单词发音 |
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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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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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constructively
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| ad.有益的，积极的 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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thaw
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| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
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dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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hipped
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| adj.着迷的，忧郁的 | |
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seducing
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| 诱奸( seduce的现在分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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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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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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registrations
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| n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法） | |
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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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deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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exhume
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| v.掘出，挖掘 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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