And then, on the eleventh day, Frank W. Schaefer, clerk of the Renfrew House in Utica, recalling the actualarrival of Clyde and Roberta and their actions; also Clyde's registration1 for both as Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Golden,of Syracuse. And then Wallace Vanderhoff, one of the clerks of the Star Haberdashery in Utica, with a story ofClyde's actions and general appearance at the time of his buying a straw hat. And then the conductor of the trainrunning between Utica and Grass Lake. And the proprietor2 of the Grass Lake House. And Blanche Pettingill, awaitress, who swore that at dinner she overheard Clyde arguing with Roberta as to the impossibility of getting a marriage license3 there--that it would be better to wait until they reached some other place the next day--a bit ofparticularly damaging testimony4, since it pre-dated by a day the proposed confession5 which Clyde was supposedto have made to Roberta, but which Jephson and Belknap afterward6 agreed between themselves might easilyhave had some preliminary phases. And after her the conductor of the train that carried them to Gun Lodge7. Andafter him the guide and the driver of the bus, with his story of Clyde's queer talk about many people being overthere and leaving Roberta's bag while he took his own, and saying they would be back.
And then, the proprietor of the Inn at Big Bittern; the boatkeeper; the three men in the woods--their testimonyvery damaging to Clyde's case, since they pictured his terror on encountering them. And then the story of thefinding of the boat and Roberta's body, and the eventual8 arrival of Heit and his finding of the letter in Roberta'scoat. A score of witnesses testifying as to all this. And next the boat captain, the farm girl, the Cranstonchauffeur, the arrival of Clyde at the Cranstons', and at last (every step accounted for and sworn to) his arrival atBear Lake, the pursuit and his capture--to say nothing of the various phases of his arrest--what he said--this beingmost damaging indeed, since it painted Clyde as false, evasive, and terrified.
But unquestionably, the severest and most damaging testimony related to the camera and the tripod--thecircumstances surrounding the finding of them--and on the weight of this Mason was counting for a conviction.
His one aim first was to convict Clyde of lying as to his possession of either a tripod or a camera. And in order todo that he first introduced Earl Newcomb, who swore that on a certain day, when he, Mason and Heit and all theothers connected with the case were taking Clyde over the area in which the crime had been committed, he and acertain native, one Bill Swartz, who was afterwards put on the stand, while poking9 about under some fallen logsand bushes, had come across the tripod, hidden under a log. Also (under the leadership of Mason, although overthe objections of both Belknap and Jephson, which were invariably overruled), he proceeded to add that Clyde,on being asked whether he had a camera or this tripod, had denied any knowledge of it, on hearing whichBelknap and Jephson actually shouted their disapproval10.
Immediately following, though eventually ordered stricken from the records by Justice Oberwaltzer, there wasintroduced a paper signed by Heit, Burleigh, Slack, Kraut, Swenk, Sissel, Bill Swartz, Rufus Forster, countysurveyor, and Newcomb, which set forth11 that Clyde, on being shown the tripod and asked whether he had one,"vehemently and repeatedly denied that he had." But in order to drive the import of this home, Masonimmediately adding: "Very well, your Honor, but I have other witnesses who will swear to everything that is inthat paper and more," and at once calling "Joseph Frazer! Joseph Frazer!" and then placing on the stand a dealerin sporting goods, cameras, etc., who proceeded to swear that some time between May fifteenth and June first,the defendant12, Clyde Griffiths, whom he knew by sight and name, had applied13 to him for a camera of a certainsize, with tripod attached, and that the defendant had finally selected a Sank, 3 1/2 by 5 1/2, for which he hadmade arrangements to pay in installments14. And after due examination and consulting certain stock numbers withwhich the camera and the tripod and his own book were marked, Mr. Frazer identifying first the camera nowshown him, and immediately after that the yellow tripod as the one he had sold Clyde.
And Clyde sitting up aghast. Then they had found the camera, as well as the tripod, after all. And after he hadprotested so that he had no camera with him. What would that jury and the judge and this audience think of hislying about that? Would they be likely to believe his story of a change of heart after this proof that he had liedabout a meaningless camera? Better to have confessed in the first place.
But even as he was so thinking Mason calling Simeon Dodge15, a young woodsman and driver, who testified thaton Saturday, the sixteenth of July, accompanied by John Pole, who had lifted Roberta's body out of the water, hehad at the request of the district attorney, repeatedly dived into the exact spot where her body was found, andfinally succeeded in bringing up a camera. And then the camera itself identified by Dodge.
Immediately after this all the testimony in regard to the hitherto as yet unmentioned films found in the camera atthe time of its recovery, since developed, and now received in evidence, four views which showed a personlooking more like Roberta than any one else, together with two, which clearly enough represented Clyde.
Belknap was not able to refute or exclude them.
Then Floyd Thurston, one of the guests at the Cranston lodge at Sharon on June eighteenth--the occasion ofClyde's first visit there--placed on the stand to testify that on that occasion Clyde had made a number of pictureswith a camera about the size and description of the one shown him, but failing to identify it as the particular one,his testimony being stricken out.
After him again, Edna Patterson, a chambermaid in the Grass Lake Inn, who, as she swore, on entering the roomwhich Clyde and Roberta occupied on the night of July seventh, had seen Clyde with a camera in his hand,which was of the size and color, as far as she could recall, of the one then and there before her. She had also atthe same time seen a tripod. And Clyde, in his curious and meditative17 and half-hypnotized state, recalling wellenough the entrance of this girl into that room and marveling and suffering because of the unbreakable chain offacts that could thus be built up by witnesses from such varying and unconnected and unexpected places, and solong after, too.
After her, but on different days, and with Belknap and Jephson contending every inch of the way as to theadmissibility of all this, the testimony of the five doctors whom Mason had called in at the time Roberta's bodywas first brought to Bridgeburg, and who in turn swore that the wounds, both on the face and head, weresufficient, considering Roberta's physical condition, to stun18 her. And because of the condition of the dead girl'slungs, which had been tested by attempting to float them in water, averring19 that at the time her body had firstentered the water, she must have been still alive, although not necessarily conscious. But as to the nature of theinstrument used to make these wounds, they would not venture to guess, other than to say it must have beenblunt. And no grilling20 on the part of either Belknap or Jephson could bring them to admit that the blows couldhave been of such a light character as not to stun or render unconscious. The chief injury appeared to be on thetop of the skull21, deep enough to have caused a blood clot22, photographs of all of which were put in evidence.
At this psychological point, when both audience and jury were most painfully and effectively stirred, a numberof photographs of Roberta's face, made at the time that Heit, the doctors and the Lutz Brothers had her in charge,were introduced. Then the dimensions of the bruises23 on the right side of her face were shown to correspondexactly in size with two sides of the camera. Immediately after that, Burton Burleigh, placed on the stand toswear how he had discovered the two strands24 of hair which corresponded with the hair on Roberta's head--or soMason tried to show--caught between the lens and the lid. And then, after hours and hours, Belknap, infuriatedand yet made nervous by this type of evidence and seeking to riddle25 it with sarcasm26, finally pulling a light hairout of his head and then asking the jurors and Burleigh if they could venture to tell whether one single hair fromany one's head could be an indication of the general color of a person's hair, and if not, whether they were readyto believe that this particular hair was from Roberta's head or not.
Mason then calling a Mrs. Rutger Donahue, who proceeded, in the calmest and most placid27 fashion, to tell howon the evening of July eighth last, between five-thirty and six, she and her husband immediately after setting up atent above Moon Cove16, had started out to row and fish, when being about a half-mile off shore and perhaps aquarter of a mile above the woods or northern fringe of land which enclosed Moon Cove, she had heard a cry.
"Between half past five and six in the afternoon, you say?""Yes, sir.""And on what date again?""July eighth.""And where were you exactly at that time?""We were--""Not 'we.' Where were you personally?""I was crossing what I have since learned was South Bay in a row- boat with my husband.""Yes. Now tell what happened next.""When we reached the middle of the bay I heard a cry.""What was it like?""It was penetrating--like the cry of some one in pain--or in danger. It was sharp--a haunting cry."Here a motion to "strike out," with the result that the last phrase was so ordered stricken out.
"Where did it come from?""From a distance. From within or beyond the woods.""Did you know at the time that there was another bay or cove there-- below that strip of woods?""No, sir.""Well, what did you think then--that it might have come from within the woods below where you were?"(Objected to--and objection sustained.)"And now tell us, was it a man's or a woman's cry? What kind of a cry was it?""It was a woman's cry, and something like 'Oh, oh!' or 'Oh, my!'--very piercing and clear, but distant, of course.
A double scream such as one might make when in pain.""You are sure you could not be mistaken as to the kind of a cry it was--male or female.""No, sir. I am positive. It was a woman's. It was pitched too high for a man's voice or a boy's. It could not havebeen anything but a woman's.""I see. And now tell us, Mrs. Donahue--you see this dot on the map showing where the body of Roberta Aldenwas found?""Yes, sir.""And you see this other dot, over those trees, showing approximately where your boat was?""Yes, sir.""Do you think that voice came from where this dot in Moon Cove is?"(Objected to. Sustained.)"And was that cry repeated?""No, sir. I waited, and I called my husband's attention to it, too, and we waited, but didn't hear it again."Then Belknap, eager to prove that it might have been a terrified and yet not a pained or injured cry, taking herand going all over the ground again, and finding that neither she nor her husband, who was also put on the stand,could be shaken in any way. Neither, they insisted, could the deep and sad effect of this woman's voice beeradicated from their minds. It had haunted both, and once in their camp again they had talked about it. Becauseit was dusk he did not wish to go seeking after the spot from which it came; because she felt that some woman orgirl might have been slain28 in those woods, she did not want to stay any longer, and the next morning early theyhad moved on to another lake.
Thomas Barrett, another Adirondack guide, connected with a camp at Dam's Lake, swore that at the time referredto by Mrs. Donahue, he was walking along the shore toward Big Bittern Inn and had seen not only a man andwoman off shore in about the position described, but farther back, toward the south shore of this bay, had notedthe tent of these campers. Also that from no point outside Moon Cove, unless near the entrance, could oneobserve any boat within the cove. The entrance was narrow and any view from the lake proper completelyblocked. And there were other witnesses to prove this.
At this psychological moment, as the afternoon sun was already beginning to wane29 in the tall, narrow courtroom,and as carefully planned by him beforehand, Mason's reading all of Roberta's letters, one by one, in a most simple and nondeclamatory fashion, yet with all the sympathy and emotion which their first perusal30 had stirred inhim. They had made him cry.
He began with letter number one, dated June eighth, only three days after her departure from Lycurgus, and onthrough them all down to letters fourteen, fifteen, sixteen and seventeen, in which, in piecemeal31 or by importantreferences here and there, she related her whole contact with Clyde down to his plan to come for her in threeweeks, then in a month, then on July eighth or ninth, and then the sudden threat from her which precipitated32 hissudden decision to meet her at Fonda. And as Mason read them, all most movingly, the moist eyes and thehandkerchiefs and the coughs in the audience and among the jurors attested33 their import:
"You said I was not to worry or think so much about how I feel, and have a good time. That's all right for you tosay, when you're in Lycurgus and surrounded by your friends and invited everywhere. It's hard for me to talkover there at Wilcox's with somebody always in earshot and with you constantly reminding me that I mustn't saythis or that. But I had so much to ask and no chance there. And all that you would say was that everything was allright. But you didn't say positively34 that you were coming on the 27th, that because of something I couldn't quitemake out--there was so much buzzing on the wire--you might not be able to start until later. But that can't be,Clyde. My parents are leaving for Hamilton where my uncle lives on the third. And Tom and Emily are going tomy sister's on the same day. But I can't and won't go there again. I can't stay here all alone. So you must, youreally must come, as you agreed. I can't wait any longer than that, Clyde, in the condition that I'm in, and so youjust must come and take me away. Oh, please, please, I beg of you, not to torture me with any more delays now."And again:
"Clyde, I came home because I thought I could trust you. You told me so solemnly before I left that if I would,you would come and get me in three weeks at the most--that it would not take you longer than that to get ready,have enough money for the time we would be together, or until you could get something to do somewhere else.
But yesterday, although the third of July will be nearly a month since I left, you were not at all sure at first thatyou could come by then, and when as I told you my parents are surely leaving for Hamilton to be gone for tendays. Of course, afterwards, you said you would come, but you said it as though you were just trying to quiet me.
It has been troubling me awfully35 ever since.
"For I tell you, Clyde, I am sick, very. I feel faint nearly all the time. And besides, I am so worried as to what Ishall do if you don't come that I am nearly out of my mind.""Clyde, I know that you don't care for me any more like you did and that you are wishing things could bedifferent. And yet, what am I to do? I know you'll say that it has all been as much my fault as yours. And theworld, if it knew, might think so, too. But how often did I beg you not to make me do what I did not want to do,and which I was afraid even then I would regret, although I loved you too much to let you go, if you still insistedon having your way.""Clyde, if I could only die. That would solve all this. And I have prayed and prayed that I would lately, yes Ihave. For life does not mean as much to me now as when I first met you and you loved me. Oh, those happydays! If only things were different. If only I were out of your way. It would all be so much better for me and forall of us. But I can't now, Clyde, without a penny and no way to save the name of our child, except this. Yet if it weren't for the terrible pain and disgrace it would bring to my mother and father and all my family, I would bewilling to end it all in another way. I truly would."And again:
"Oh, Clyde, Clyde, life is so different to-day to what it was last year. Think--then we were going to Crum andthose other lakes over near Fonda and Gloversville and Little Falls, but now--now. Only just now some boy andgirl friends of Tom's and Emily's came by to get them to go after strawberries, and when I saw them go and knewI couldn't, and that I couldn't be like that any more ever, I cried and cried, ever so long."And finally:
"I have been bidding good-by to some places to-day. There are so many nooks, dear, and all of them so dear tome. I have lived here all my life, you know. First, there was the springhouse with its great masses of green moss,and in passing it I said good-by to it, for I won't be coming to it soon again--maybe never. And then the old appletree where we had our playhouse years ago--Emily and Tom and Gifford and I. Then the 'Believe,' a cute littlehouse in the orchard36 where we sometimes played.
"Oh, Clyde, you can't realize what all this means to me, I feel as though I shall never see my home again after Ileave here this time. And mamma, poor dear mamma, how I do love her and how sorry I am to have deceived herso. She is never cross and she always helps me so much. Sometimes I think if I could tell her, but I can't. She hashad trouble enough, and I couldn't break her heart like that. No, if I go away and come back some time, eithermarried or dead--it doesn't make so much difference now--she will never know, and I will not have caused herany pain, and that means so much more than life itself to me. So good-by, Clyde, until I do meet you, as youtelephoned. And forgive me all the trouble that I have caused you.
"Your sorrowful,"ROBERTA."And at points in the reading, Mason himself crying, and at their conclusion turning, weary and yet triumphant37, amost complete and indestructible case, as he saw it, having been presented, and exclaiming: "The People rest."And at that moment, Mrs. Alden, in court with her husband and Emily, and overwrought, not only by the longstrain of the trial but this particular evidence, uttering a whimpering yet clear cry and then falling forward in afaint. And Clyde, in his own overwrought condition, hearing her cry and seeing her fall, jumping up--therestraining hand of Jephson instantly upon him, while bailiffs and others assisted her and Titus who was besideher from the courtroom. And the audience almost, if not quite, as moved and incensed38 against Clyde by thatdevelopment as though, then and there, he had committed some additional crime.
But then, that excitement having passed and it being quite dark, and the hands of the court clock pointing to five,and all the court weary, Justice Oberwaltzer signifying his intention of adjourning39 for the night.
And at once all the newspaper men and feature writers and artists rising and whispering to each other that on themorrow the defense40 would start, and wondering as to who and where the witnesses were, also whether Clyde would be permitted to go on the stand in his own defense in the face of this amazing mass of evidence againsthim, or whether his lawyers would content themselves with some specious41 argument as to mental and moralweakness which might end in prison for life--not less.
And Clyde, hissed42 and cursed as he left the court, wondering if on the morrow, and as they had planned this longtime since, he would have the courage to rise and go on the stand--wondering if there was not some way, in caseno one was looking (he was not handcuffed as he went to and from the jail) maybe to-morrow night when allwere rising, the crowds moving and these deputies coming toward him--if--well, if he could only run, or walkeasily and quietly and yet, quickly and seemingly unintentionally, to that stair and then down and out--to--well-towherever it went--that small side door to the main stairs which before this he had seen from the jail! If hecould only get to some woods somewhere, and then walk and walk, or run and run, maybe, without stopping, andwithout eating, for days maybe, until, well, until he had gotten away--anywhere. It was a chance, of course. Hemight be shot, or tracked with dogs and men, but still it was a chance, wasn't it?
For this way he had no chance at all. No one anywhere, after all this, was going to believe him not guilty. And hedid not want to die that way. No, no, not that way!
And so another miserable43, black and weary night. And then another miserable gray and wintry morning.
随后，到了第十一天，尤蒂卡的伦弗鲁饭店职员弗兰克。Ｗ。沙弗，回想到克莱德和罗伯达抵达旅馆时的情景和他们在那里的举止言行。他还讲到克莱德在来客登记簿上把他们俩写成:
来自锡拉丘兹的克利福德。戈尔登夫妇。接着，尤蒂卡的明星男子服饰用品商店店员华莱士。范德霍夫，讲到了克莱德来店里买草帽时的举止和外表的样子。接下来是来往于尤蒂卡和草湖之间那一趟列车上的乘务员。以后是草湖旅店老板，还有女招待布兰奇。佩廷吉尔。她在作证时说，她听见克莱德在进晚餐时跟罗伯达在抬杠，好象是说不可能在那里弄到一份结婚证书……最好等到转天他们到了别的一个什么地方再说……这一证词对被告特别不利，因为这就把所谓的克莱德打算向罗伯达坦白的日期提前了一天，不过，杰夫森和贝尔纳普后经商量统一了说法，认为在坦白以前很可能得有一些预备阶段。在那女招待以后，就是把他们送到冈洛奇的那趟列车上的乘务长。在他以后，则是那个接送旅客的导游兼汽车司机，说克莱德讲了那儿有很多游客的怪话，还让罗伯达的手提箱留下来，可他自己的手提箱却随身带着，说他们俩是还要回来的。
接下来是大比腾旅店老板，还有那个出租游船的掌柜，以及在树林子里同克莱德邂逅的那三个人。他们的证词，对克莱德一案极为不利，因为他们都讲到他在遇见他们时露出那种骇怕的神态。接着讲的是如何找到那条小船以及罗伯达的尸体。还有海特后来赶到现场，在罗伯达外套口袋里发现了那封信。而且，有二十来个证人就上述各点先后作了证。接下来是那艘汽船的船长。那个乡下姑娘。克兰斯顿家那个汽车司机先后作证，讲到克莱德抵达克兰斯顿家时的情形。最后讲到(每一个步骤都加以说明，宣誓作证)他到达熊湖，以及如何追缉他和如何抓住了他……至于他被捕时种种情形，他还说过些什么话，那就更不用提了。所有这一切证词，对他确实是最大的打击了，因为克莱德的虚伪。
推诿和惊骇全都被揭露无遗。
可是，毫无疑问，对克莱德来说，最严重的。致命的证词，是有关照相机和三脚架，以及这些东西被发现时的情况……而且，梅森认为单凭这一点就可以给他定罪。他第一个目的，就是要证实:
克莱德在自己有没有三脚架和照相机这个问题上撒了谎。为此，他首先介绍厄尔。纽科姆作证。纽科姆作证时说，有一天，他。梅森和海特，还有其他与本案有关的人，把克莱德带到了他犯罪的地点。他，纽科姆，和一个本地人，名叫比尔。斯沃茨的(后来此人也来到了证人席)，在一些横倒地上的圆木和矮树底下四处搜索，终于碰到了藏在一根圆木底下的那副三脚架。接着(这是在梅森开导之下说的，尽管贝尔纳普和杰夫森多次提出反对，可是照例都受到法官驳斥)，他继续补充说，曾问过克莱德是不是有过一架照相机或是这副三脚架，他却回答说他什么都不知道。贝尔纳普和杰夫森一听这话，就大声嚷嚷，以示抗议。
尽管后来奥伯沃泽法官终于下令，把这一部分证词从开庭笔录中勾掉了，但紧接着马上有一份海特。伯利。斯莱克。克劳特。斯温克。西塞尔。比尔。
斯华茨。本县测量员罗弗斯。福斯特，以及纽科姆签名的纪录向法庭递上，说他们在向克莱德出示三脚架，问他有没有这个东西时，克莱德都是"屡次断然加以否认"。但梅森为了强调这一点特别重要，马上找补着说:
"敢情好，法官阁下，不过，我还有许多证人，可以对这份记录上所说的每一件事，乃至于更多的事宣誓作证。"他立即大声招呼"约瑟夫。弗雷泽!
约瑟夫。弗雷泽!
"话声刚落，一个经售运动器材。照相机等物品的商人登上了证人席。此人宣誓作证说，在五月十五日至六月一日之间，有一天，这个他一碰面。或是一见名字就认得的被告……克莱德。格里菲思对他说要买一架某种型号。配备三脚架的照相机。最后，被告选购了一架"桑克"牌照相机，是有三英寸宽。五英寸半长，讲定分期付款。弗雷泽先生仔细查对了照相机。三脚架和他自己帐簿上的号码以后，确认此刻向他先后出示的照相机以及黄色三脚架，正是当时他出售给克莱德的。
克莱德一下子吓懵了。这么说来，他们终究把照相机和三脚架都找到了。
而且，还是在他坚决声称他随身没有携带照相机以后。他连这事都要撒谎，陪审团。法官和列席听众，会有怎么个想法呀?
!
现在证明他对这么一架毫无意义的照相机也要撒谎，以后人们还会相信他回心转意的那一套说法吗?
!
他最好还是坦白供认，越早越好。
不过，就在他这么暗自思忖的时候，梅森传唤一个名叫西米恩。道奇的人。
此人是一个年轻的林区居民兼汽车司机。他在作证时说，七月十六日星期六，在地方检察官的要求下，他跟打捞罗伯达尸体的约翰。波尔，好几次潜水到捞起女尸的那一带湖底搜索，终于把这架照相机捞上来了。随后，照相机也经道奇验明确认无误。
在这以后，都是为直到此刻还没有提到过的照相机里那些胶卷作证。这些胶卷已被显影，可以作为罪证。其中有四张，可以看出，不是别人，而是酷肖罗伯达，另外两张，照得很清晰，就是克莱德本人。贝尔纳普面对这些物证，实在无法进行反驳，或是加以排除。
接下来是弗洛伊德。瑟斯顿走上了证人席。他是六月十八日去沙隆克兰斯顿家别墅的客人之一，克莱德正好也在那一天第一次去那儿作客。此人在作证时说，那一回克莱德拍了一些照片，他所使用的照相机形状大小，跟此刻出示给他看的这一架差不离。不过，由于他没法肯定就是这一架，他的证词就从开庭笔录中被勾掉了。
挨在瑟斯顿以后，是草湖旅店的女招待埃德娜。帕特森。她在作证时说，七月七日夜里，她走进克莱德和罗伯达那个房间，看见克莱德手里拿着一架照相机，据她回忆，照相机的颜色。大小，就跟此刻给她看的那一架一模一样。
那天夜里，她还看见过一副三脚架。克莱德对这一切觉得挺奇怪，并在几乎迷迷糊糊的沉思中回想起来，这个姑娘确实进过那个房间。克莱德既吃惊。又难过地想道:
竟然有这么多的证人，来自各各不同。互不相关，而又意想不到的地方，却罗列出了怎么也驳不倒。而且还都是很久以前的一系列罪状!
在她以后好几天里，还有五位医生作证……不过，贝尔纳普和杰夫森对所有这些证词能不能接受这一点上，寸步不让地进行了争论。这五位医生，是在罗伯达的尸体一运至布里奇伯格时就被梅森请来了。他们依次宣誓作证说，考虑到罗伯达的生理情况，脸上和头上挨砸后的创伤，确实足以使她昏倒过去。
从已故姑娘肺的状态(即将死者的肺脏浸入水中，进行检验的结果)来看，可以断定:
她刚落水时，肯定还活着，虽然不一定有知觉。但造成这些创伤的到底是什么样的凶器，他们不敢妄加揣测，只是说这种凶器肯定不是锋利的。不管是贝尔纳普也好，杰夫森也好，他们两人的严厉盘问，还是不能迫使医生们承认下面这一点:
这些打击可能是轻微的，所以不至于使罗伯达昏倒或是失去知觉。看来头顶上的创伤最严重，伤痕很深，已凝成血块。所有创伤部位的照片，也都拿出来作为物证。
就在这个关键时刻，正当列席听众和陪审团感到极度悲痛和无比激动时，海特。医生们和卢茨兄弟殡仪馆同事在收尸时所拍摄的罗伯达脸部的一些照片，也都拿出来了。证明她脸上右侧伤痕面积，跟照相机两边大小完全相符。紧接着在这以后，伯顿。伯利来到了证人席。他在宣誓作证时说，他怎样发现夹在镜头和盖子之间有两小绺头发，跟罗伯达头上的头发一模一样……或者说，梅森想要证明的，也是这一点。随后，经过长达数小时的议论，贝尔纳普被这种性质的物证弄得恼怒不安，很想用挖苦嘲笑来一一加以反驳，最后就从自己头上揪下一根淡色头发，质问陪审员他们和伯顿。伯利:
单凭一个人头上的一根头发，能不能就说明这个人全部头发的颜色;如果不能，那你们各位能不能相信:
这么一根头发，究竟是不是罗伯达头上的呢。
接着，梅森传唤一位名叫拉特格。多纳休的太太。她用一种极为安详。平和的声调说:
七月八号傍晚，大约在五点半到六点钟之间，她和丈夫先是在月潭搭好了一座帐篷，然后去划船。钓鱼。他们离开湖岸大约有半英里，环绕月潭四周围的树林子和尖岬北头也许有四分之一英里时，她就听见一个呼喊声。
"您说是下午五点半到六点钟之间，是吗?
""是的，先生。""再说说是在哪一天?
""七月八号。""那时候，您正好是在哪儿?
""我们在……""不要说'
''''我们，。就说您自己是在哪儿?
""我正跟丈夫坐在一只小船上，划过一个地方，后来我才知道这个地方叫南湾。""得了。现在说一说，以后发生了什么事?
""当我们划到湖湾中央的时候，我听到了一个呼喊声。""是什么样的呼喊声?
""令人听了心肺俱裂，好象是什么人因为剧痛……要不然就是碰到危险时发出的呼喊声。这声音很刺耳……以后它始终在我耳边回响。"这时，贝尔纳普临时动议"一笔勾销"，结果最后一句奉命从开庭笔录中被勾掉了。
"这呼喊声是从哪儿传来的?
""从远处。是从树林子里，要不然就是从树林子后面传来的。""那时候，您知道不知道树林子那边还有一个湖湾，或者说是延伸到树林子的一块狭长草地?
""不知道，先生。""哦，您当时是怎么想的……这呼喊声可能是从你们那边的树林子里传来的吗?
"(提出异议，得到了庭方支持。)"现在您就告诉我们，这是男人发出的，还是女人发出的呼喊声?
又是什么样的呼喊声?
""那是一个女人发出的呼喊声，好象是在叫嚷'
''''啊，啊!
，或是'
''''啊，老天哪!
，……非常尖厉。清晰，不过，当然罗，很远很远。就象一个人在剧痛时拚命地尖叫。
""这呼喊声是男人发出的，还是女人发出的，您能肯定，不会弄错了吧。
""错不了，先生。我敢肯定是一个女人发出的呼喊声。一个成年男子或是孩子，决不可能有那么尖的声调。只有女人才会这样呼喊的。""我明白啦。现在请您告诉我们，多纳休太太……地图上这个点，就是发现罗伯达。奥尔登尸体的地方，您看见了吗?
""看见了，先生。""另有一个点，在那树林子后面，大约就是你们那只小船所在的地方，您看见了吗?
""看见了，先生。""您认为那个声音是从月潭这一个点上传过来吗?
"(提出异议，得到了庭方支持。)"这呼喊声重复过没有?
""没有，先生。当时我等了一会儿，而且还关照我丈夫也注意听着。我们俩都等着，但是这呼喊声却再也听不见了。"于是，贝尔纳普一方面恨不得证明这也许只不过是一种表示害怕，而不是在剧痛或是受伤以后发出的呼喊声，另一方面又一次从头至尾盘问了多纳休太太一遍，结果却发现:
不管是她也好，还是后来被传唤到证人席的她丈夫也好，他们夫妇俩立场都是一点儿也没有动摇。他们斩钉截铁地说，这个女人的呼喊声所引起的深深的伤感，在他们心里始终萦绕不去。这呼喊声老是跟随他们;到了宿营地以后，他们还在谈论它。因为那时候天色已黑，她丈夫不愿意出去寻摸这呼喊声传过来的地点;她自己觉得也许是某个女人或是年轻姑娘在树林子里被人杀害，所以，她就再也不愿待在那里，转天大清早，他们动身前往另一个湖上去了。
艾迪隆达克斯的另一个导游托马斯。巴雷特，眼下在达姆湖露宿营地工作。
他在作证时说，就在多纳休太太刚才提到的那个时刻，他正沿着湖岸向大比腾旅店走去。他不仅看到刚才所说的湖上那个地点小船上有一男一女，而且，在更远的湖湾的南岸，还发现这一对露宿者的那座帐篷。巴雷特还说，从月潭外面任何一个地点，断断乎望不到月潭里的船只，除非你是在它的入口处附近。
不过，这入口处很窄，从湖上望过去，整个月潭都给挡住了。另外一些证人，也证明了这一点。
就在这个关键时刻，午后的阳光已在又高又窄的法院大厅里逐渐暗淡下来，梅森按照他事先的缜密安排，把罗伯达的信全给念了。他是一封一封地念，用的是一种非常朴素，绝不装腔作势的语调，而且还倾注了他初读这些信时心中所引起的深切同情和无限激情。当时他读到那些信，不觉潸然泪下。
梅森先念罗伯达六月八日写的第一封信，距她离开莱柯格斯老家才只有三天光景。接着一封封念下去，念到第十四。第十五。第十六。第十七封信。在那些信里，她零零碎碎地写到了，或是提到了具有关键性的一些重要事实。她就这样把自己跟克莱德交往的来龙去脉全都说到了，而且，一直说到他打算来找她，先是说在三周以内，接着又顺延一个月，最后约定在七月八。九日;随后，她突然出言威吓，他在仓卒之间决定在方达跟她见面，如此等等。梅森在念那些信时，全场无不为之动容。只见列席听众和陪审团中间，两眼噙着泪花，掏出手绢来擦眼泪，还不时夹着一些咳嗽声。这一切都足以证明那些信具有多大的感染力:
你说要我对自己的感受不必担忧，也不必想得太多了，而是要我快快活活地把时间打发过去。你这么说说，那敢情好。你是在莱柯格斯，朋友们都围着你转，到处有人邀请你，可我在威尔科克斯家打电话真难，经常有人立壁脚听我说话，你还老是关照我这个说不得，那个又不准讲。不过，我有很多话要问你，只不过在电话里却没法问。你老是重复说什么一切都好。可你并没有肯定说你二十七号准来。你说，因为有什么事，我听不清楚……电话里嗡嗡声太大……也许你来不了，还要晚些日子再动身。但这是不行的，克莱德。爸爸妈妈三号要上汉密尔顿我叔叔那里去。托姆和艾米莉在同一天要到我妹妹那里去。
可我既不能，也不愿再去她那里了。我可不能一个人孤零零待在这里呀。所以，你应该，说真的，你应该来，因为你事先答应过的。就我眼前的身子来说，克莱德，我实在再也等不下去了。所以，你就是应该来这里，把我接走。啊，劳驾，劳驾，我求求你，别一再拖延时间来折磨我了。
还有:
克莱德，我这次回家来，是因为我自以为对你信得过。在我临走前，你那么一本正经地答应过我，说你最多过三周就来看我……还说在这期间把一切安排停当，筹措到一大笔钱，以备我们住在一起的时候，或是你上别处另觅工作以前过日子。虽然到七月三号我回家快要一个月了，可是昨天，你一开头压根儿就没说定三号那天准来，何况，后来我还告诉你，我爸爸妈妈在同一天准定上汉密尔顿去住十天。当然罗，后来你也说过你要来的，不过你说这话，好象只是想让我宽心罢了。这件事从那时起，一直让我怪难过的。
可我得告诉你，克莱德，我病了，来势过猛。我差不多老是觉得自己要晕过去。再说，我老是怪担心的，你要是不来，我该怎么办，这几乎使我快要发疯了。
克莱德，我知道，现在你再也不象过去那样疼我了。而且，你也巴不得一切都变了样才好。可我怎么办呢?
我知道，你会说一切的一切全错了，有你的份，也有我的份哩。而且，人们要是知道，说不定也会这么想的。可是，我不知有多少次求过你别勉强我去做我压根儿不愿做的事啊。即使在那个时刻，我还害怕这事将来我会后悔不及的，尽管我是那么爱你，不让你走，可你依然是一意孤行。
克莱德，但愿我死了，该有多好。这样也就一了百了。最近我一直在祈祷呀，祈祷呀，但愿我能瞑目而去。真的，我是祈祷过的。因为，如今，我觉得，生命已不象我初次碰见你。你倾心爱我时那样弥足珍贵了。啊，往昔那些幸福的日子!
要是一切不是这个样子，该有多好!
要是当初我没有跟你相识，该有多好。
那就对我和对我们大家都会好得多。可现在我没辙呀，克莱德，我一个子儿都没有，我也没法给我们的孩子取名。不过，要不是那样会给我父母和我全家人带来极大痛苦和奇耻大辱，我真愿意用另一种办法来结束这一切。我说的确实是真话。
还有:
啊，克莱德，克莱德，今天，生活里一切跟去年相比，该有多么不一样呀。
只要想一想……那时，我们一块到过克拉姆湖，还到过方达。格洛弗斯维尔和小瀑布附近一些湖上。可现在啊……现在啊。刚才汤姆和艾米莉的几个男女朋友来了，找他们一块采草莓去。我看见他们走的时候，心里明白我是去不了的，我再也不能象他们那样了，我就哭呀，哭呀，哭了那么长时间。
最后:
今天，我跟自己心爱的地方一一告别。要知道，亲爱的，这里有那么多可爱的角落，对我来说，全都是怪亲切的。你知道，我的一生都是在这里度过的。
先说说我家那个井台子，四周长满了一大堆一大堆青苔。我走过的时候，就向它说了一声再见，因为，如今我不会很快再回到它身边来……也许永远不会回来了。还有……那棵老苹果树，我们……艾米莉。汤姆。吉福德和我，小时候常常在树底下玩耍，还有……那个"猜一猜"果园里的一座怪有趣的小凉亭，我们有时也在那里玩儿。
啊，克莱德，所有这一切对我意味着什么，你是没法体会到的。我心里感到好象我这次离家以后，再也不会见到它了。还有妈妈，可怜的。亲爱的妈妈，我多么爱她，而我一直在欺骗她，这让我多么难过啊。她从来不生气，对我老是全力相助。有时候，我真想能不能干脆向她和盘托出。但转念一想，我可千万不能啊。她受的苦已经够多了，我怎么也不能再让她心碎呀。不，要是现在我走了，多咱再回来，不管是结了婚，还是一死了之……这对我来说几乎无所谓了……她永远也不会知道，而我怎么也不愿让她受到任何痛苦。这在我看来，比自己生命还重要得多。好吧，再见了，克莱德，一直到我们相见的时候，就象你电话里所说的那样。请原谅我给你添了那么多的麻烦。
你那伤心的罗伯达梅森在念信的时候，往往自己也哭了，当他翻到最后一页时，尽管困乏不堪，但他还是很得意。他意识到自己提出了一套最为完整和颠扑不破的论证，便大声说:
"人民停止举证。"就在这时刻，随同丈夫和艾米莉一起出庭的奥尔登太太，不仅这些天来长时间听取庭审太紧张了，而且特别是在得悉这一证据后给她刺激太深，突然抽抽噎噎地发出一声尖叫，昏倒了过去。这时，克莱德也精疲力竭，听她这么一叫，看她倒了下去，就猛地一跃而起……杰夫森马上伸出手去制止了他，庭警等人则搀扶奥尔登太太和在她身旁的泰特斯一起走出法院大厅。这一场面极大地激怒了全体列席听众，仿佛觉得克莱德在此时此地又犯了一项大罪。
可是，不一会儿，群情激愤终于过去了，天色也很黑了，法庭上时钟已指到五点，整个法院大厅里人们全都困乏不堪，奥伯沃泽法官认为有必要宣布休庭。
所有的新闻记者。特写作者和画家马上站了起来，窃窃私语说，明天，被告一方及其律师的辩护就要开始了，暗自纳闷，真不知道会有哪些见证人，这些见证人现在哪里;面对这么一大堆惊人的。对他不利的证据，不知道克莱德能不能获准亲自出庭辩护，还是由他的辩护律师自圆其说地来上一套什么心灵上。
道德上软弱这类貌似有理的辩解。其结果也许是判他无期徒刑……至少也得如此罢。
克莱德在人们的一片嘘声和咒骂声中走出了法院大厅;他暗自纳闷，既然他们为了明天这件事缜密筹划了那么久，真不知道明天他有没有这份勇气站起来，登上证人席呢……他心里又在想:
还有没有别的什么办法，比方说，要是没有人注意(从监狱押往法庭的来去路上，是不给他戴手铐的)，也许就在明天晚上，正当全体离座站了起来，人头攒动，法警朝他走过来的时候……只要……嘿，只要他能一溜快跑，或是从容不迫，但又好象是压根儿无心地快步走到了石阶那儿，就径直往下逃奔而去……嘿……那石阶会通往哪儿呢……只要不通往在这以前他从监狱里早已看见过主楼旁边的那道边门就行!
只要他能奔进一座树林子，然后就安步当车，或是一溜小跑，一刻儿也不停，什么也不吃，也许一连好几天，一直到，嘿，一直到他完全脱险时为止……不管到了什么地方都行。
当然罗，这是一个机会啊。也许人们会向他开枪，或是放出警犬。派人来追缉他，但这总归还是一个逃命机会，可不是?
但是现在他在这儿压根儿不会有这样逃命的机会。经过这次审讯以后，不论到哪儿，谁都不会相信他是无罪的。可他却不愿自己就象这样死去。不，不，就是不能这样死去!
这样就又捱过了一个凄凉的。黑暗的。疲乏的夜晚。随之而来的是又一个凄凉的。灰沉沉的冬日早晨。
收听单词发音 |
1
registration
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| n.登记，注册，挂号 | |
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2
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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3
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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eventual
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| adj.最后的，结局的，最终的 | |
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poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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defendant
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| n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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installments
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| 部分( installment的名词复数 ) | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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averring
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| v.断言( aver的现在分词 )；证实；证明…属实；作为事实提出 | |
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grilling
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| v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 )；拷问，盘问 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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clot
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| n.凝块；v.使凝成块 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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strands
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| n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 ) | |
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riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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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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wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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piecemeal
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| adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块 | |
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precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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adjourning
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的现在分词 ) | |
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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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specious
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| adj.似是而非的；adv.似是而非地 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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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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